How much do you REALLY love the Octatrack?

So… I bought an OT Mk2 recently to accompany my DSI Tempest for performing electronic music in a live setting. I have been hearing endlessly how the OT is deeper, functionality wise, than say the Pacific Ocean for example… as far as what this machine is capable of. Which is great to hear! Thats why I got it… I had an idea mapped out in my head as to how I was going to approach a live performance with the OT and incorporate its abilities. I knew what I wanted to do I just had to figure out how to do it. But recently Ive been feeling like maybe this isn’t the machine for me… One of the uninspiring moments was when I came to a realization (hopefully Im wrong) that each track, which has 4 parts, is locked into the same pattern. Otherwise you have 8 tracks, which each containing 4 different versions of itself all with different patterns, machines etc. Which makes for a ton of sounds and creative possibilities !

Basically, Im going to keep reading non stop on the OT, as much as I can to keep learning… (My favorite part of buying a new instrument) … but if you would do me the kindness and so I can indulge, id love to hear some of your thoughts/stories/etc. on the OT. I know how passionate y’all are about this machine. I know its powerful from what Ive heard, but lately I feel I’m missing something or maybe I over hyped it… I don’t know. I apologize if this comes off as pessimistic in any way at all, not my intentions! Just a little discouraged…

Edit: TL;DR
tell me how much you love your Octatrack and why? What do you use it for?

Thanks so much!

Think of Parts like Kits, you have 4 kits per bank.

When I first got the OT, I had a Tempest as well.
I really liked running the Kick and Snare from Tempest individually to inputs A & B on the OT.
All else coming from the Mater on Tempest to input B & C on the OT.
Lots of Thru Machines and Neighbor tacks, stack up the effects and make scenes.
Loads of fun without even sampling anything.

It’s a really wicked combo.

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That sounds fantastic! Yeah I have a gig coming up, after I am gonna start experimenting more. What happened to the tempest? :stuck_out_tongue:

I know its become a cliche but I really feel like I’m only scratching the surface of what the OT is capable of after months of sporadic use. Each time I play with it I discover new things and find the tactility and challenge of it all really rewarding (but also at times overwhelming/infuriating)! I think its rare to interact with a machine of this depth, complexity and potential!

I really feel the OT is an investment, financially and in terms of patience and practice. There is nothing like it and I know it fits with my tastes. I hope you find your flow with it.

Oh and here are the obligatory references to: Cuckoo, Carl Mikael and HalutioN who are my go to guys for YouTube tutorials on Elektron machines.

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RYTM was released ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Then an A4 came into the fold.
I’ll always miss the Tempest for many things.

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It’s as essential to my songwriting as my guitar.

It took me a year to learn just the basics like Parts and MIDI. Cuckoo’s youtube tutorials are absolutely essential to learn all the basics as the manual doesn’t really get you up and running in a workflow-sense.

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i have an octatrack since april 2017, i had also gone throught periods of doubts like you , but the more i dig , the more i like this unique piece of gear. i make sound with it i have never made with other equipment and slowly i start building entire tracks with this machine as the center of the writing process.take it slowly this is a beast. read the merlin’s guide it helps

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I hate to love it. I want 2.
I learned essentially with Octatrack, manual, and trying to find answers to questions in a french forum, with Octatrack, manual.

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I love my OT, im going on about a month, spending appx 1 hr a day. (Got a baby daughter that takes up rest of the time) and I feel like I come up with a new track idea every time I touch it! The fader is the most engaging way of playing with samples ive ever seen

Since the begining, I have always seen the potential of this machine and I’m learning every time I turn on this beauty.
As JuanSOLO said, you are not lock to one pattern but it’s essential to use parts and banks in order to create interesting things.

I have recently decided to sell my AR and invest in modular with the OT as main sequencer and drum machine,and it was the best choice ever since I have started learning how to play with gears.
The 8 midi tracks and the arp integrated make my small modular system become alive :heart_eyes:

By the way, I think you should reconsider your idea and try to find a way that will suitable you, learn the OT not only with the manual but with pratices, to be honnest, I didn’t read that much and mainly learned by asking to forum communities when I was stuck, or when I had an idea that would have been possible to be done with the OT.
It takes time to find to have your workflow, but when you find the best way to use it, you will enjoy it much more.

Atm, I’m trying to figure out how to use it in a live situation with an eurorack system with differents parts scenes and looper possibilities :thinking:

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Just like this, but more tongue

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In my opinion, the Octatrack is one of the single best pieces of electronic music hardware released in the past 15 years. I can’t imagine my studio without an Octatrack. Countless (triple digits!) synths, samplers and drum machines have passed through my hands in the past 37 years, but only a few have ever earned a permanent place. The Octatrack is one. I love all of my Elektron boxes (I have MD, MnM, DT, AK, AR, AH), but the Octatrack is by far my favorite. I put it up there with my modular system, Kyma, and my Continuum. Sure, it has its quirks, but they are a small price to pay for the inspiration it brings me. I will own an Octatrack until there are no more working units to be found or until Elektron makes a better one (yes, I have a MkII on order).

If this seems gushing, so be it. Few things inspire this jaded old man, so when something comes along that does, I won’t shut up about it.

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dont worry man, keep using it. I recommend using just the octatrack and very little samples to start with and just go extreme, drown it in FX, play with LFOs on EVERYTHING, assign things to the fader you wouldnt usually think to, neighbour tracks for more effects then p-lock your tits off and make it polyrythmic. just keep going and you’ll quickly realise that this box can make a universe of sound from a 3 second recording of you scratching your nuts. it might seem like a science project at first but you’ll eventually find that its more of a mad scientist, then when you start sampling other bits of gear and add in their features you’ll find that octa works in just about any set up. its the gift that keeps on giving

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I love you.

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this is exactly what I wanted to hear. I want to be able to sample myself taking a massive shit and turn into something my grandmother would listen to. the endless possibilities is what I was looking for in this machine. the feeling of “wow I’ve had this for a year and I feel like I only know 25% of what it does and how to spell its name”.

Thank you for this. Thanks everyone for the comments. SUPER helpful. Been digging a lot more. I think I was just exhausted of changing the pitch and adding FXs to everything.

I will check these out!! Thanks for your reply!

I love my OT. The single best piece of electronic instrument / fx/ sampler / groovebox I’ve purchased.

I bought it to use as a live, MIDI controlled looper and am now getting into producing everything with it as I am learning that it does so many more things.

I ordered mine back in April, and was delivered in June. During that time I must’ve read the manual a half dozen times, watched Cuckoo, Cenk, Darenager, and videos and got interested, inspired, and taught.

Now, I’m to the point of dreaming and wondering “how can I make it do that?” or previously learned information meets other learned information and I’m blown away that it can do things I hadn’t even conceived were possible.

It has replaced a laptop, interface, Ableton Push, and a delay pedal in my setup. Setup time for my rig is now less than it was with all the other gear.

So, yeah, I’m a fanboy. Didn’t even see it coming, as I thought I was just buying a looping sampler. Then I find out it’s a synth with the SCW’s, and then looping midi back to itself, and let’s not forget sampling to a Pickup Machine buffer but having that buffer presliced on another track so you can manipulate what you just played, or forget Serato, I can DJ with it, or just make it a super FX box, or combinations of ALL OF THAT in the same set because of Parts, and switch on the fly at the most random thought because it’s all right there, 1-3 key combo’s / button pushes away… all the while happily driving my other midi gear to their respective limits, and taking commands from me.

Because of it, I bought Analog Heat and will be getting Analog Rytm… I’m grateful for these Swedish folks for making these strong black boxes that help me set my music free, supporting what I want to do, while leaving things open ended.

Also - AskVideo.com is selling the Thavius Beck Octatrack course ( almost two hours long! ) for less than $8 US. If you’re having trouble, or even if you’re not, go get it.
I’m halfway through, and though conceptually, I can do everything he’s shown at this point, I’ve learned at least 5 new things about OT.

As a music teacher, it sounds like you’re asking if you should pick a different instrument.
My answer is no, you should not. Your mind told you to pick it up because you know it will do what you want it to easily.
This part, this frustration, is because you’re not comfortable with the instrument yet.
Pick one function and do it over and over again until it’s muscle memory, then pick another and repeat until you can perform your set the way you’re used to doing; then learn some more of what it’s capable of and grow.

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(sorry couldnt help it)

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I am speechless.

I love you?

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