Hi! I own a Digitakt 2 and a Tonverk and im just about to buy an Octatrack mk2 because my goal is to make a live performance where i can manipulate audio on the fly to make songs and smooth transitions. Digitakt2 would send midi clock and TV and OT midi clock slaves.
I have a couple of questions please:
1 ) Does it make sense to buy an Octatrack mk2 to make Braindance/“idm” live sets performaces if I already own a DT2 and a TV?
2) Knowing that TV has the best sound quality, does it makes sense to route the audio from Digitakt2 and Tonverk into Octatrack mk2 for live sample manipulation, and then the OT outputs going into TV inputs for applying FX, warming up the overall output mix? Would this create a feedback loop?
Thanks a lot
Don’t you have the answer here?
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Yeah, but maybe would be too much gear at once and the learning curve for the OT is deeper than with the DT2 and TV. Just would like to know opinions from people with experience.
Thanks for your reply!
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Between a DT2 and a Tonverk I would think your bases are covered. No, they can’t do everything an OT can do, but an additional box is not going to help a live performance.
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It might be too much gear, only you will know though.
I don’t agree with the learning curve, owned all 3, there’s just more to learn and would just feel different to TV/DTII.
I don’t really get these kinds of threads, why would someone here know what you want to do for your live set. My take on this question is to try an OT for yourself and you’ll know after a few months if it’s needed or not.
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I understand thank you. Thought it would add creativity to my live sets and productions and i just need to confirm the purchase but maybe its better to step back and dont buy it.
yeah maybe the questions doesnt really make sense and should be answered by myself
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No, it doesn’t make sense, TV and DT should be more than enough. Save yourselve the trouble of learning OT if you already have these.
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Jeremy (RMR) does a set with the DT2 and Tonverk here and discusses some issues. My take was that this is already a super combo (I loved the music produced here) but in all likelihood (especially if @elektron watched the video) will be a killer combo once it matures some more.
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I understand, im about to cancel the OT purchase. TV and DT2 are enough, would be too much gear thank you.
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Thanks a lot for sharing Jeremy´s vid and for the tips, youre right, this is already a supercombo.
the answer is always yes 
It’s looks over complicated and routing mess.
You should make a setup like EZBot : DT2 for drums only → OT AB | Tonverk for melody only → OT CD | OT Main → speaker or if you really want to warm up : AH / OTO Boom | some kind of analog compressor / satorator etc…
It’s a basic setup known to work well. Another option instead of OT is to get a DJ console with compressor / FX etc… and use DTII and TV each one standalone (drums + melody) and switch from one to another like a DJ with 2 turntables.
2 solid setup, of course you can go weird with something else it’s up to you.
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If you get paid to perform then get it, otherwise let them pay for it! The performance mixer use case is only mildly cool and costs quite a bit for what it is imo. If money’s not tight, go for it. You can always resell.
Myself, I wouldn’t bother and I would just transition using TV FXs and keep honest pauses between songs like live sessions should.
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I’d agree that it’s giving yourself a lot to learn and do onstage all at once. (I failed to learn the OT 3 times, so your mental mileage may vary.)
If you already have a Digitakt 2 and a Tonverk and all you need the OT for is transitions and some live manipulation, why not keep things simple and just get a looper or some pedals? Good to keep things simple (and light) onstage.
Pedals would also let you trigger stuff with your foot, which is fun and convenient.
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unless you’re gonna use the OT toolset of elastic audio and parameter interpolation it make no sense to have it sitting there as just another drum machine. OT can do a lot of stuff that DT and TV can’t do, but it’s color and control, it’s not an MPC Live.
that being said, a TV and DT ran through OT as performance mixer and effects is the ultimate live setup, ask ez bot or stimming. with OT you really have to know what you want it to do before it will do anything cool, otherwise it just make you feel really dumb lol
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Adding the OT would definitely bring more flexibility to the set, at the expense of added complexity.
I’m going to counter the consensus here and say yes go for it. A quick watch of some EZBOT vids can show you the power of the OT in terms of snatching moments and looping them as you cue up the next events in the background. If anything, this approach would allow you more flex to perform and create material on the fly.
Whether all this is manageable in the heat of the moment, whether your music approach is to create on the fly, and how easy you are able to pick up the OT, only you can truly know. I didn’t find learning the OT that difficult; I just spent several months with it on its own to really get my head around all its quirks (which makes complete sense once you grok it).
Some tips… get a used MK2… used means if it doesn’t work out you will get most of your money back. The OT prefers to be the master clock especially when live sampling/looping. The OT has a very good midi sequencer, so you could control some aspects of the other machines from the OT itself.
Your routing proposal sounds solid and would work as you’d expect and wouldn’t be overly complex once set up.
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Am i the only one who feels a live set should have pauses? At least to make them think wussup and stop for a second. Especially when there are dj mixes along the evening, it is important! Otherwise they might just think that you’re a bad DJ. Dawless brothers rice up…
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Who is suggesting not to add pauses? I always fondly remember when djs would have a technical glitch and the music would stop for a moment… when it finally kicked back in the energy went up even more. So much so that I think some DJs faked ‘issues’ just to get the crowd hyped. Ha!
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Not sure, sorry if it’s just my imagination. Transitions suggest something like that. Can’t read again as I am almost at this new venue im heading to. Ignore if wrong!
Edit: faking issues, haha. I will be sure to fake a heart attack before the drop next time. I can already see myself laying on the floor and starting a sequencer from there.
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I think James Brown might have already trademarked that one 
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