Generative music with OT and non-modular hardware

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Like everybody else, I like beats and spend half of my music time doing gridded stuff, but I also like off-grid stuff. I’m not talking about drones. More like Stockhausen’s Kontakte - a personal favorite touchstone of electronic music (the purely electronic version).

Obviously, modular is best suited to generative music, but since I just bought an Octatrack and have been trying to use my hardware synths more, I wonder if anyone has found ways to create generative music on their hardware. This would be all the more interesting to me BECAUSE it’s kind of pulling against what hardware synths / sequencers, etc. want to do.

How are you introducing randomness / unpredictability / generative ideas into your setup (if you are)? Most of my tries have involved low probabilities on 32nd notes at low tempo settings. But it’s still missing the wildness of clock modulation. So here’s the specific question I really want to ask: what is your clock modulation hack or imitation on the Octatrack?

Thanks.

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#2

Lfo on arp speed, different tempos in Arranger…

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#3

Modulating retrig rate on sample tracks and arp speed on MIDI tracks will push you off the grid.

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#4

I didn’t know the LFOs could work with the arpeggiator. Thanks, guys. Can’t wait to play with this!

#5

@Ob Do you want to modulate samples or midi out only ?

Random timing to trigger sounds, or tempo variations ?

Tempo / speed variations with Lfo / slides on :
Pitch, Rate (timestrech off)
Start (slice mode or not)
Length, looped sample
Rate, TSTR mode (timestretch on)
RTIM as mentioned

With Midi track and Midi Loopback :
Lfo on Arp, triggering C5-C7 notes (samples)
Lfo on CC59 (notes), modulated by another lfo

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#6

Thanks for the ideas. Playing with it right now.

Re: Stockhausen. I think that’s the version with percussion and maybe piano. This is the specific version I like, the second piece on the album. To me, it doesn’t even really sound dated…

This is just an example I had in mind. I’m not trying to recreate it. I do like the space and sense of surprise though. I think it was actually composed, not random.

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#7

Great piece. Recorded and edited with tapes?

Could you precise specific parts?

#8

Good, isn’t it? Yeah, it’s tape. I can’t imagine the labor that would have gone into making it. No PCs and Octatracks back then. The last 10 minutes or so (the later part of the second “movement” of Kontakte) is my particular jam. Love the variety of sounds and the montage, for lack of a better word.

#9

That’s a fantastic idea. I will try that tonight. My method for generating ambient so far has also been limited to long, meandering arpeggios. When I read your post I was thinking: what about having an arp running on my Digitone AND one running from the OT to DN via MIDI? I’m curious to hear the results.

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#10

Not sure if this is exactly what you are looking for but I have found this useful (not me):

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#11

I’ve spend many, many hours with this and the octa can really do everything you’d want except easy manipulation of the actual beat. i want to push and pull midi and the only way I’ve had much luck with is using samples that have silence at the start so I can then manipulate that to randomize my trig placement. Otherwise the octa is so full of possibilities. Don’t neglect to set the key for your arps too!

I have plenty of octatrack work that is midi only. No use of the audio engine at all. it is a very capable creative sequencer.

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#12

Stockhausenish generative attempt.

OT only, no samples, midi loopback.
Midi tracks controlling audio tracks, recording inputs with nothing plugged.
Lfo on arp speed, Comb Filter’s pitch, Release…

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#13

Nice as always @sezare56

It is a great piece. Must listen properly.

From skipping around here’s my findings: I would load up 4 or 5 tracks of slices and play with rate plus manual tempo changes. I like to set the original tempo of a sample lower than the Master tempo and start playing with the rate from +32. That way I can make the sample go faster.

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#14

Selected notes and speed (randomized values)

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#15

@sezare56 hat did you use to create this? Really like it. Fantastic creativity and variety.

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#16

Great work! I like it a lot. It sounds like fun to explore this direction more …

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#17

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:smile:
I used an Octatrack. Same principle as previous record.

OT only, no samples, midi loopback (midi cable between in and out)
Midi tracks controlling audio tracks, recording inputs with nothing plugged.
Lfo on Comb Filter’s pitch, Release, Filter Env / Decay, AMP attack, Dark Reverb…

More details here :
:loopy: :elot: Comb Comp Contest!

#18

I spent all evening trying out the comb filter. I’d love to get some feedback on this! Also, a question about MIDI loopback–what CC values are you automating?

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#19

Interesting, funny fast melodies…:slightly_smiling_face:

I mentioned some above. Anything I didn’t use with the 3 lfo dest of the audio track. Random lfos on CCs, Hold mode to avoid too much midi data. TRCs

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#20

I wrote once up notes on Cenk’s tricks on the Digitone sequencer, which should mostly apply to the OT as well. Maybe this give some inspiration along the lines of evolving, seemingly non-repeatative pattern:

https://www.elektronauts.com/t/evolving-pattern-arp-tricks-design-arpeggiator-learning-from-cenk/60443

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