How is octatrack at finishing full tracks?

sezare56 · 2021-01-24T09:43:13.473Z

Aen:

finish it, octatrack!

Just ask politely.

Aen:

I tend to bounce a take into my computer

Don’t you record with OT? It can be quantized, and keeps the best quality. You can record up to 8 tracks chunks, and reorganize in your DAW.

Aen · 2021-01-24T16:59:04.450Z

No, I usually work out a performance take on the OT and then live record the performance with MIDI sync so I can keep everything on the grid.

Blasted_pingin · 2021-01-24T18:10:12.246Z

How do you record MIDI out of the OT? I saw it is possible to record crossfader moves as well?

RobertSyrett · 2021-01-24T18:12:17.482Z

Blasted_pingin:

How do you record MIDI out of the OT?

what do you mean by that?

Blasted_pingin · 2021-01-24T18:24:24.124Z

sezare56:

You can imagine midi recording for crossfader, mutes, etc and play it again with an external sequencer, even with arranger and ot’s midi tracks.

I make a reference to that post from @sezare56

sezare56 · 2021-01-24T19:51:09.668Z

Blasted_pingin:

How do you record MIDI out of the OT?

With OT midi in.

Octatrack Tips & Tricks (OT Tips) Octatrack

Record and play crossfader’s movements and scenes changes with midi tracks, with midi loopback : Connect a midi cable between midi in and out New project Project > Midi > Channels > Autochannel = 1 Play a sample on track 1, set scene B Midi mode > Set Track 1 Midi Note Setup > Channel 2, set CTRL1 CC1 = CC48 While in Midi mode, Hold RECORD and press PLAY to enter Live Recording mode, press RECORD or PLAY to stop recording You can also record Scenes with CC55 and CC56 Didn…

Blasted_pingin · 2021-01-24T20:08:52.318Z

Ah ok but I’m already using the Midi Out to sequence synths and this sequence is the one i would have liked to record.

sezare56 · 2021-01-24T21:21:55.735Z

Blasted_pingin:

this sequence is the one i would have liked to record.

Ah so you’d want an external midi sequencer on Linux, that’s it? Can’t help.

Blasted_pingin · 2021-01-24T21:25:45.261Z

No I was thinking to record MIDI events of the OT when I play live.

sezare56 · 2021-01-24T21:49:05.332Z

That is to say?

Blasted_pingin:

record MIDI events of the OT when I play live.

You can record midi events with midi tracks in live recording if you tweak knobs, track by track.

If you want to record OT midi automation tweaking knobs and crossfader it’s easier with an external sequencer.

Blasted_pingin · 2021-01-24T22:10:23.837Z

sezare56:

track by track.

No thank you the point is to play live and track by track is killing the live thing for me.

Isn’t an external Midi sequencer made to give info to the OT and not to receive from it?

sezare56 · 2021-01-25T01:19:13.143Z

Blasted_pingin:

Isn’t an external Midi sequencer made to give info to the OT and not to receive from it?

Both are possible. Why do you think audio tracks knobs / buttons / crossfader send midi data?

Blasted_pingin:

No I was thinking to record MIDI events of the OT when I play live.

How would you record midi data without a midi sequencer? There are maybe some midi recorders not made to sequence, but it’d be very limited…

Blasted_pingin · 2021-01-25T02:08:14.876Z

I was probably mistaken by the name « sequencer », i thought it would just… sequence.

I use knobs sending data to sequence synths, i didn’t even know midi recorders exist

Azzarole · 2021-11-26T08:42:41.434Z

Hi there, I am wondering if I should jump on an Octatrack and have mixed feelings. Appreciate your advice, how appropriate it would be for my use case and preferences with workflow.

I have established a working setup with Analog Four, Digitakt and Digitone. I can work out song sketches and then perform them by changing patterns on all machines at the same time and muting/unmuting individual tracks. I sometimes make the Digitakt not receive program changes so I can be more flexible in changing mood through variations of drum patterns. Sometimes I use Analog Four‘s Song mode, but most of the time, I prefer manually changing patterns and muting/unmuting so I can be more flexible and the songs sound more organically.

However, my end goal is to sing to these songs without having to worry too much about performing the synths. Also, I have found that transitions between my patterns could be optimized. For example, I often copy different versions of a Digitone pattern to another pattern and then tweak basic stuff like ADSR or switching to a high pass filter. Obviously, movements between these patterns should be incrementally by turning the appropriate nob before then jumping to the „end state“ pattern or eliminating the need to jump to a different pattern altogether. However, I am scared of destroying patterns by making all these changes manually and also it sums up to become too busy.

Octatrack‘s slider function seems to be perfect for these kinds of transition. I gather that I could just put the original pattern on scene A and the variation on B and then organically slide between the two of them. I could even set up various variations of these scenes, always with a save harbour on A.

Octatrack could also help me to still be able to perform my pre-arranged songs, while reducing the amount of changing patterns and muting/unmuting tracks.

Basic idea is: Recording pattern variations of Digitone and Analog Four into the Octatrack with different tracks muted/unmuted and patterns activated. Then put them on one track on the OT respectively and make patterns with different variations of these tracks. This way I would have different variations at the jump of only one button. Plus movement between scenes via the slider.

I guess I would keep the Digitakt as a live Instrument most of the time, so that patterns can still be constantly changing through trig locks. I would also add the Hologram Microcosm and use it as an effect for the pre-recorded Analog Four Track via Cue Signals.

Finally, and most importantly, I would then be able to sing into the Octatrack, maybe through an external reverb pedal. And I could record and maybe even loop/sample these vocals live or record them while jamming and later mangle them to put them on a different track. But that’s optional, I would basically just use the OT as an interface for vocals to avoid using an external interface and DAW.

I would also be able to perform versions of the song and record them via an Interface and Ableton. I am not a professional, so having only one audio track in Ableton that is my song would be okay. I‘m doing okay with this approach right now, but transitions could be better and I also mess up too often to record stuff in a convincing way.

Sounds like a good use case for the Octatrack to me. Do you agree? However, tutorials and reviews I have watched so far never forget to state that this can be an intimidating machine. I am still an amateur and not fond of learning the manual for a year. However, lot of sources also made the other Elektron machines I own seem like having a really steep learning curve. To me, they were easier to learn than any other instrument I have owned before, let alone Ableton, which I hate. These machines speak to me and are logical. They give me visual feedback on everything, stable clocks and pattern changes across different machines and most importantly, I can save ideas and return to them. I also think I have a quite limited way in which I want to use the Octatrack and this should be doable without digging into all of the ways the machine could also be used. Is that naive?

However, I have two big concerns. Will it be too complicated to record/export and then assign all of the Digitone/AF tracks to Octatrack tracks in a way that they are starting and ending just like they did on the original machines? It sounds quite doable to me, a 64 step pattern on DN at 110 bpm should have just the same length if I record it live and afterwards set it on trig 1 of an Octatrack, right? Or is there a lot of more steps necessary to achieve this? I hated trying to make exact loops in Ableton with recorded synths, often clipping and not exactly on time. Will I face issues like that on the OT?

Second concern is sound quality. Will it be possible to make the DN and DF recordings sound just like the originals? I don’t want to record into a DAW first to prepare them for the OT. Also, will it sound terrible if I apply Ot filters at times to these tracks for transitions? Live videos make this sound good, but I am a bit concerned that a different filter will destroy the feel of the DN/AF’s sound.

I would keep my setup of DN/DT/AF to work out songs for sure, the OT would be an addition to make them more performable for singing and also having less instruments on the table.

In the end, singing is my biggest passion and talent. However, I have eventually learned more about producing stuff over the course of this year so I don’t have to depend on anyone else to make a complete song. I found that the Elektron workflow and machines occupy the perfect middle ground between performing and programming.

Also, is it possible to try out a used MK1 first and if I like it buy a MK2 and transfer all my stuff by just inserting my old memory card? More buttons and better display on the MK2 seem attractive and could make it less frustrating to get into the machine. However, so far I mostly play at home with good light conditions. So would the MK1 display even be an issue under these circumstances? Are there any other improvements in the Mk2 visual feedback for parameters?

Thank you so much in advance, I’m curious to hear your advise!

darenager · 2021-11-26T10:12:10.267Z

Azzarole:

Sounds like a good use case for the Octatrack to me. Do you agree?

Yes as long as you commit a bit of time to learning how to use it.

Azzarole:

Second concern is sound quality. Will it be possible to make the DN and DF recordings sound just like the originals?

Yes.

Azzarole:

More buttons and better display on the MK2 seem attractive and could make it less frustrating to get into the machine

MK2 is quite a bit easier for a new user, the extra buttons help a lot, and I had a MK1 since it came out.

Azzarole:

Will it be too complicated to record/export and then assign all of the Digitone/AF tracks to Octatrack tracks in a way that they are starting and ending just like they did on the original machines?

Not once you learn how to do it, once you set it up to record from where and for how long it is probably the fastest sampler to use, literally push button recording, the saving and assigning can be a little fiddly but you soon get used to it.

Azzarole:

Octatrack‘s slider function seems to be perfect for these kinds of transition. I gather that I could just put the original pattern on scene A and the variation on B and then organically slide between the two of them. I could even set up various variations of these scenes, always with a save harbour on A.

So much can be done using scenes, you do not even have to “waste” a scene for a safe harbour, you can just mute a scene to get back to default.

Azzarole:

I found that the Elektron workflow and machines occupy the perfect middle ground between performing and programming.

The OT shares some of the workflow with other Elektron gear but not all, there are no kits or sounds, but parts and slots, the arranger is also way more powerful, there is a lot of common functionality though.

My advice would be to watch some of the workflow tutorials, @mpiecora aka Ezbot on youtube has some excellent beginner tutorials that get straight to the point, the official Elektron ones are good too, there are others as well.

Azzarole · 2021-11-26T10:28:51.914Z

Thank you, that sounds promising.

On the recording aspect: Would it be possible to just set the recorder that it starts as soon as the sound from DN and AF comes in and end after 128 steps? Then slice the sample into two parts of 64 steps and use one for the first trigger and one for every other cycle (first cycle wouldn’t sound so great as a loop I assume, especially with AF?).

Would it also be possible (or better: easy) to just perform up to 10 minutes and record straight into OT and then slice the recorded sample into different track parts which I can then assign to patterns and/or scenes? Maybe even define a rule like slice every 64 steps? I heard OT even has a built in function to recognize patterns and slice accordingly without clicks.

sezare56 · 2021-11-26T10:45:17.364Z

You can set a one shot rec trig to start a recording as soon as you press play.
You can stop the recording quantizing rec stop action to 128 steps or more.
Unfortunately you can’t define more than 64 steps recording time. But you can get close setting max recording time with Reserve Length.

Azzarole:

10 minutes and record straight into OT

8m28s max recording time, with completely free RAM (no samples in Flex slots, no previous recordings in other recording buffers). Means using Static machines to play from card.

I recorded long things, set to 64 bars.
That way you can slice in 64 slices, play slices on a track, eventually resample…

Long files can be boring to edit, because of scrolling.

darenager · 2021-11-26T10:50:10.895Z

Also possible to record first 64 steps with one track, second 64 steps with another track using 1 shot trigs armed at the pattern boundaries. Then no need to slice just assign to free flex and use sample locks to determine which plays when.

As usual with OT, many ways to do things

Azzarole · 2021-11-26T11:31:54.410Z

Love it, thanks so much!

Concerning recording quality: Is it correct that I basically have to define a default setup for recording once so that my recorded samples will sound just as if directly out of the DN/AF? Same for converting/saving these samples after recording? Or do I have to adjust things every time that I record something?

tnussb · 2021-11-26T12:53:26.369Z

Because the following question wasn’t answered yet:

Azzarole:

is it possible to try out a used MK1 first and if I like it buy a MK2 and transfer all my stuff by just inserting my old memory card?

As long as the firmware versions match you can use the same projects on MK1 and MK2 devices without problems (just swap the CF card or make a copy).