this.
Im pretty sure that a lot of peoples problem with the FX modules is that they lack any presets for instant gratification and so forth… for example, the Chorus effect definitely sounds different than a standard chorus unless you dial it in specifically yourself… and same with Phaser and Flanger…
and especially with Reverb… ive heard complaints but I think its pretty great and it can get into the A4/AK territory if you want, but also it can go quite a bit beyond in terms of wildness and harsh funk
3 Likes
Yep. I even add lfo to modulate Chorus Flanger DEL parameter, for stronger effect.
I prefer A4’s reverb. I miss my Eventide Space !
Even without the 2 FX page, don’t forget all we can do with sample modulations (pitch, rate, loop, length…) and resampling with feedback to make crazy FX. With several tracks panned with the same sample, wide and wild chorus, flanger, pitch delay…
2 Likes
I feel a lot of things you are saying.
In fact, software is so capable nowadays, for me it questions the need for hardware in general again and again.
1 Like
Yes, I do that too. Gives you that “real” flanging sound.
But to the topic, one of the knobs on mine is playing up and the caps are not so grey anymore. But can be fixed.
2 Likes
Silver fox
3 Likes
Of all the bits and bobs I have bought and sold over the years I have to say that I think the OT sits on top of the pile for, at the very least, it’s uniqueness alone.
I’ve owned VA’s and analogues, drum machines, samplers and other jack of all trades (OP1 for example) and on the whole came away feeling that I could do it all ITB but cheaper and be happier. The OT bucks that trend. There is simply stuff I cannot replicate ITB in the same manner or with the same results.
So, to me, with that in mind, it is a classic and should be cherished. In today’s day and age of wanting the next big thing and always looking for upgrades, the OT has really held it’s own for nearly a decade. That’s some achievement.
Im making myself want an OT AGAIN. Sake.
6 Likes
I don’t think the article was saying you need cubase, but there are probably a large amount of producers that were more effectively designing sounds using computers for that genre. I dont know the term for the technique but a lot of sounds were achieved by separating the waveform by high, mids, lows (multiband processing is what is coming to mind but that doesn’t seem correct), and applying a series of effects to each. Sure it can be done on the OT, I’ve done it before, utilizing neighbors and resampling. Then one day I decided to follow along a tutorial based in Ableton and it was quite a bit easier, and didn’t require resampling (mind you my computer is rather beefy). However I would be interested in seeing someone start with a simple waveform on an MPC60 and eventually shape it into some kind of nasty dnb reese using said techniques.
Your statement about DAWs being a necessary evil and no fun is just a personal opinion, on the flipside, for me working with a DAW and plugins at this stage in my life is much more fun. Hardware can almost be a necessary evil because of pretentious beliefs that a utilizing a DAW requires no skill (I have also heard eurorack people say that using the OT requires no skill). Take Reaktor blocks for example. I used to have a decent sized eurorack system, 21U at 104hp full, after Blocks came out though it quickly got parred down. I can open blocks and just start building a rack…I never run out of vcas…or any other module, I never run out of Case space, I never run out of power (I could run out of screen real estate, but a 34" monitor is only around 350$…).
@invisible_acropolis - I think the initial effects state probably turns a lot of people off too. You definitely need to read the manual and experiment with them, but for example, after using an eventide space, it kind of killed just about every other reverb out there for me. Valhalla doesn’t come close, the Boss RV-500 was returned after 15 minutes and the OT Reverb feels so vanilla. There are complete threads on the distortion, where some people will say it’s sufficient, but once I started using the Analog Heat, the OT distortion was OK, but rarely used. I don’t think the OT effects should be seen as a negative, but I would have enjoyed a refresh that opened up more possibilities. (perhaps more LFOs is all that was needed IDK). The comb filter is still one of my favorite effects on the OT.
@Unifono - Definitely not necessary, but some hardware can be a real boon. For example, I was never able to get a low enough latency with my MOTU 828 MK3 (granted it’s an older interface so an upgrade might have helped) to effectively use hardware pedals through ableton without hearing an audible delay (along with other functions). I probably could have tested a 1.5k RME interface but an analog mixer at the half the price seemed like a sure win. A lot of hardware based FX really do have a tone to them that I haven’t been able to reproduce in VSTs, maybe from lack of experimentation, or because of the the hardware components and nuances?
2 Likes
Did I mention that Analog Heat has quite a rejuvenating effect on the Octatrack?
6 Likes
What happens if you use the incorrect voltage, instant failure or slow failure over time? Someone gave me a 303 a few years ago and I just bought some factory sealed cards for $5 each on eBay because I thought SM was SM. They’ve all worked fine, so I guess they’re 5v, but I just moved and it’s still packed so I can’t actually check.
Yeah, dialing in the filters and damping on the reverb makes a huge difference, and having pre-reverb LP/HP filtering immediately puts it ahead of most onboard reverbs I’ve used - rolling off the highs and lows on the send signal before it hits the actual reverb is pretty key to getting a really good reverb sound.
Lately I’ve been sweeping the actual decay time in dark reverb with the crossfader, you can get some really good rough-but-musical buffer glitch kind of sounds out of that.
3 Likes
Good idea about xfader on reverb decay, totally stealing!
1 Like
You seem like a cool fella, but I wouldn’t buy ya 
1 Like
Watch out, when it gets down to really short times at high feedback levels it starts to self oscillate, and it’s pretty high pitched and loud, or at least it was the other night.
2 Likes
Couldn’t tell you I’m afraid. But sending 5V into a card that has been designed to work with 3.3V is the equivalent of trying to water your garden with a pressure cleaning hose.
Chances are, the incorrect one won’t physically fit anyway.
I’m for rent only. Very expensive. 
3 Likes
OT lives that wonderful dichotomy of being ‘too complicated and deep’ for many people and yet ‘too restrictive compared to a daw’ for those same people.
Many might argue that only a fool these days would sculpt wood by hand with axe and chisel, you should buy a laser cutting machine and good software package instead.
If an identical spec came out on kickstarter today and the OT never existed, it would still be a massive success.
4 Likes
Be careful you’re of topic !
No microtiming page for scenes, but you can use midi TRCs to control them and crossfader value ! 
And read the f old manual ! 
That’s one of my secret wish on the analog machines: add a “random bias” global setting that can be mapped to LFO and performance macros to increase the likelyhood of the % conditional trig to reach true. That would be nuts.
3 Likes
Possible with the good old OT !