How do you use it?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#22

I use the OT in one of two ways: Either by itself on my lap or coffee table with headphones or plugged into my stereo, OR as a component of my larger setup. In the former case, I’m using the OT with a handful of samples to generate ideas, or to jam on things I’ve captured earlier from my full setup. In the latter case, I have it setup like this:

Inputs:
[ul]
[li]A/B Input: Analog Rytm Main Outs[/li]
[li]C/D Input: Tempest & Analog Keys (the Tempest is totally dry, so I run it thru the AK inputs so I can separately apply reverb, etc. to it.)[/li]
[/ul]
Tracks: (Starting point setup)
[ul]
[li]Track 1: Thru A/B[/li]
[li]Track 2: Thru C/D[/li]
[li]Track 3: Flex, Buffer 3, Input A/B[/li]
[li]Track 4: Flex, Buffer 4, Input C/D[/li]
[li]Track 5: Static (maybe some drum sample chain?)[/li]
[li]Track 6: Static (maybe a poly synth riff I sampled off the Tempest?)[/li]
[li]Track 7: Static (maybe something else, who knows?)[/li]
[li]Track 8: Master (usually Filter & Freeze Delay)[/li]
[/ul]
Outputs:
[ul]
[li]Master Out: Strymon Deco > Sound Card Inputs 1/2 (this is monitored directly, mostly use this for full mix recording)[/li]
[li]Cue Out: Sound Card Input 3/4 (mostly use this for separate track recording)[/li]
[/ul]
Scenes:
This is a total mixed bag, but generally I fill up 8-16 pretty quick, which I use on Scene B mostly. Scene B is usually my ‘insanity’ scene for fills and breaks, scene A is my ‘back to earth’ scene… Some of my favorite things to lock to scenes are sample rate, #retrigs, slice #, LFO depth, XVOL, etc.

Banks / Patterns / Parts:
Generally speaking a bank contains a song, usually with enough variation in patterns and parts to jam on it for a good 10-15 minutes without getting bored. I don’t typically switch parts manually, I tie them to patterns and switch that way.

2 Likes
#23

Just curious.

To elaborate, do you use it more for Sampling? Mixing? Remixing? Chopping and screwing? As a DJ deck? Live looping?

Sometimes I feel like I’m really just using the OT as a minimal FX box, processing the incoming audio of my other gear (Organelle, DT, DN, Nord) and making transitions / variations. I feel like I could (and ultimately, should) be doing more with it. My DN is the top of the chain but I guess the “brain” of my setup, as some say, is definitely my Octatrack.

So, how do you use your Octatrack, and where is it in your chain? What kind of purpose does it serve in your setup?

#24

Interested in following this post. For starters, however, could you explain a little more about using the OT for transitions / variations, please?

#25

Do people really use the Octatrack, or does the Octatrack use them? :thinking:
:grin:

11 Likes
#26

Really it all comes down to the fader. The fader is your friend for sure with the OT, the fader alone can accomplish a LOT. I can record into a track recording slot and use that recording in various ways. I’ll slice it up, set those slices in the sequencer, add trigger conditions, etc. Currently I’ve got my DT/DN/Organelle/ArtTube Mic amp running into my OT. Running things mono has given me less sonically but more creatively by adding more pieces to the puzzle. I should’ve mentioned this earlier but typically my usage of the fader / transitions is pertains more to the patterns or sequences I’m creating on the other machines. The OT, in typical OT fashion, brings it all together. In all honesty sometimes I just like using my OT as a mixer while I practice keys or mess with something else, or whatever I put into it. Good stuff.

3 Likes
#27

I tend to use it as a standalone groovebox, and love it for that, but also end up with the same feeling of not using it to its fullest.

1 Like
#28

I’ve posted this around a few times. Very informative video and it made me think about lots of aspects in this manner… Not just affecting incoming signals and variating them, but doing the same thing with samples, resamples, etc.

Also to OP’s point, I think every single person feels like they aren’t using the Octatrack to its fullest extent. It’s deep, man… I’ve had it for over half a year and have basically just used it to mangle sounds and find new sonic territories I’d never find otherwise. I actually bought it for this exact reason, but still. Never used it live, never really taken the sounds I’ve made and used them on other songs/productions, etc.

1 Like
#29

Ah excellent, and much more creative than I was expecting (I thought it was going to be just adding plocked FX here and there, etc. But that’s really cool. Another point, I think the OT can do everything, but you don’t NEED to use it in all the ways possible. Having a plan in mind when you buy it and start using it is no bad thing. If it does everything you want at the time of purchase, all is well. And if you get ideas later on, you can explore those with the OT for sure. I guess a lot of this comes down to YouTube videos with OT wizards making people feel like they aren’t doing enough with the machine. But if the music’s good, don’t worry about getting too deep with the tools at your disposal. Still, it is interesting seeing how others approach their personal music problems.

5 Likes
#30

That was excellent. Thanks for sharing!

#31

I’ve only had mine a couple of months but at the moment I’m building a pallet of self made samples and loops from my favourite vsts so I can step away from the computer and use with my hardware synths dawless

Somehow Octa makes them sound analog as well

Also the midi sequencer is a lot better than I was expecting. Makes me audibly notice clock jitter in Ableton in comparison now

#32

Interesting! Yah the midi sequencer is very nice. I keep on turning that arp on even though I usually have no intention of doing do.

Back to the OP, I have a couple of thru tracks set up that I cue out to an analog heat. Sample that into a flex machine. Play the flex track, mangle… … or not. Back to the thru tracks, change things up a bit. Mute and unmute for parallel effects. Sample that into a flex, maybe cue out the flex to my FX, sample that. Resample my master mangle the whole thing. Basically just dick around with it until something sounds cool. Once my dicking around forms itself into something I find interesting I hit record on my H4N sitting on my master and record a jam.

That’s if it works out, sometimes nothing cool comes of it and I am sad. I wonder, what is it all for… :slight_smile: Then I remind myself I’m building sandcastles, and that makes me feel better.

Luv the OT!

2 Likes
#33

I was kinda wondering the same thing about other items I use. I have a Deepmin12 that I use as a master keyboard for everything, DT, semimodular stuff, other synths, etc. There are features on the DM12 I haven’t even touched. I keep hopelessly trying to restrict myself from buying anything else until I have mastered the instruments I already have. But it will be 2025 by the time that happens! Think of all the stuff that is on the horizon over the next 5 years. Alas, this type of guilt is not productive. Musically or otherwise.

Concerning the black hole that is the OT: I think there are maybe just too many possibilities in terms of use. Depends where you are and what you want to accomplish. Some people love sampling, mangling, chopping, resampling. It certainly looks appealing. I am more of a player in terms of chords, beats, grooves, so that is how I use the OT. I run other machines through it and use thru machines to make rhythmic variations with lots of delays and filters, one shots buildups for transitions. I love building things up and then dropping everything out, starting a new part with a synth arp and changing all the effects, trigs, conditions. Tomorrow… who knows? I think it’s cool that there are more creative paths that are waiting to be traveled.

2 Likes
#34

Development platform / test environment :loopy:

3 Likes
#35

I try to use it as a self sufficient demented groovebox. The only annoying part is making chords and pads on it… :neutral_face:

Might buy a rk002…