Glue Compressor settings for Octatrack

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

quick note to mention i found some very nice “mix combining” ability of the Octatrack’s compressor, for an individual track - where entire instrumentation audio loop (drums, bass, synths) …

  • alternatively to apply to the Master Mix Effect on Track 8 if that option is being used.

Att: 24
Rel: 86
Thrs: 50
Ratio: 45
Gain: 8
Mix: 112

works a treat! makes everything sound tighter, funkier and more pro.
I have the Master Volume set to an extra 29 of Gain, not sure if that is helping or effecting anything in the settings.

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#2

Nice one. Trying this out tonight.

1 Like
#3

I’ll have a go at it right now. Was thinking of making something like this in my master chain aka the OT.

2 Likes
#4

Yes, i remember another Elektron user saying how the Octatrack seems to want to be at the center of the musical studio scenario. And that is how i have eventually accepted and now use the OT.

talking of the Master Effects channel, another cool thing to do is temporarily apply a regular EQ effect (not the DJ EQ effect for this use-case) …

just use one of the EQ bands.

set the Gain to a moderate-extreme reduction setting, and as a multi track pattern plays, sweep the Frequency rotary.

if any band of frequency being reduced in the Master Effect channel makes things somehow sound “better”, set the Gain back to neutral zero on the Master Effect track, and go try reducing the same frequency band on each of the currently playing regular tracks.

this way, the corrective EQ frequency attenuation only needs to be applied to one or two tracks, rather than the Master Effects track … whilst at the same time using the convenience of the Master Effects track to locate the frequency band in context of the overall mix.

25 Likes
#5

Nice, the compressor still eludes me a bit, will try those settings…

1 Like
#6

Thanks for that. Will try…

However i allway though having too short attack times takes away the punch?

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#7

I figure I’ll give the settings a whirl as a “starting point”, and then adjust to taste…

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#8

I use something like this for compression settings on a single snare track:

I like the sound of a TR-707 snare sample with these settings. But again, this is on a single track, not on the master.

ATK: 9
REL: 30
THRS: 5
RAT: 73
GAIN: 59
MIX: 127

13 Likes
#9

Thanks for putting this out there. I’ve been impressed with the versatility of the compressor on the OT. It is quite good I think. :smile:

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#10

awesome, thanks for the share. looking forward to giving this a try!

1 Like
#11

Great tip @previewlounge, thanks for sharing!

1 Like
#12

very cool …

and here are the OT Compressor settings i found to be helpful tightening up a 4 bar bassline from a Roland se02 analogue bass synth sequenced by the Octatrack and sampled to a track …

in this instance i have the Master Volume set to neutral zero, not that i think the Master Volume would actually have any effect on the effect settings for an individual track nor for a Master Effect track 8.

although possibly more relevantly, i have the individual volume for the bass loop sample (currently on Track 5) set to minus 14 … as the individual volume is before the effects, in this case for the Compressor, the individual volume would in fact have an influence on how the Compressor for that track is behaving. If in fact that signal path is working similar to a real-world scenario where a hardware compressor does respond differently to lower or higher sound pressure level of the incoming signal.

[ Individual Track Vol: -14 ]

Atk: 27

Rel: 96

Threshold: 43

Ratio: 34

Makeup Gain: 6

Mix: 77

[ RMS: 76 ]

fairly important to note I doubleclicked the FX1 button to access further settings for the Compressor and set the RMS to be 76. This setting is actually a ratio of the mix of two types of compression: Peak and RMS. All the way left means the compressor behaves in Peak mode, reducing volume peaks. All the way right sets the compressor to behave completely in RMS mode, uplifting lower volume parts of the signal.

Anyway the result (hopefully) is a tighter, funkier slightly more “pro” sounding bassline to integrate enjoyably with some partly gritty slamming minimal techno funk drums at 138bpm lolzor. :joy:

note: I also increased the overall Level of track 5 to make up for the slightly lowered volume, without adjusting the individual Vol nor the compressor makeup Gain, as those two controls are playing a part in the sound design.

13 Likes
#13

Yep I’ve been going at it for a couple months with the compressor & frequency eq on master waiting on a mixer I ordered I’ve been playing shows with OT as master & it’s sounding quite lovely on loud systems I ended up leaving the main at 0 when on larger sound systems and pressing the gain on the compressor instead it ended up sounding a lot cleaner

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#14

look forward to trying all these. Thanks

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#15

trying this now … works a treat! sample snare from some vintage Roland, sequenced on the MD, sampled to OT, application of these very settings: perfectamondo! the champagne rolls royce of snare compression vibe! Yay cheers :sunglasses:

4 Likes
#16

compression techniques intriguingly are quite interactively mercurial, often the sound pressure level of the incoming audio signal plays a role, as it in fact does with the Octatrack with the Individual Volume being before the FX in the sound signal pathway.

also, how much punch is enough and how much is too much?

when is super phat bass too much super phat bass?

as always there is a balance to be sought and found for each person, each sound, each song.

also the ratio of style of compression plays a role - Peak volume compression or supportive RMS support of lower volume sections of the signal? the doubleclick access RMS when at zero indicates the compressor is working as a Peak compressor -dialling in some RMS changes the behaviour.

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#17

Never

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#18

When your speakers blow… :smiley:
Even then maybe just need better speakers… :joy:

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#19

Actually digging the equalizer more than the compressor now I may just use Octatrack as a hub forever
here’s a example of the sound https://instagram.com/p/BieZZ2rFeZe/

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#20

Ok I lied I bought a model1 & nothing compares mixer wise completely floored by the sound quality game changer

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