Hi,
I’m looking into getting an OT to play backing tracks for a live set that I’m making. I was also thinking of incorporating the DT for drums and to sequence my Moog. I know that the OT can midi sequence but I’ve heard that the DT does it better. Is picking up the DT even worth it? Or should I just do drums on the OT? Here’s an example of the music we make. https://youtu.be/MdpcfSOmqrQ
Cheers 
I would start off with OT alone (it’s more than enough to learn anyway). It’s an extremely capable midi sequencer (better than DT imo) with an excellent midi arp and three midi LFOs per track. For beats (and saving tracks), sample the entire beat or split them into groups or use slices and sample chains to maximise your available tracks. Having one box for live is easier to manage too. Then, if you absolutely run short, get the DT at a later date.
I have both and use(d) both in my live setup on stage, but you def don’t NEED the DT when the OT is on your desk.
The midi sequencer of the OT is more powerful than the DT - start with pitchbend and modulation msgs, the DT filters those out, inexplicably! Secondly, the OT has the arpeggiator that @craig already mentioned which the DT doesn’t have. Then you have more LFOs on the OT to modulate your modulations
The only “issue” with the OT’s midi implementation is that you have to “switch” to the midi tracks by pressing a button instead of having them right there in front of you as with the DT (tracks 9-16 are dedicated midi tracks, on the OT T1-T8 buttons address your sample & midi tracks alike).
Now, my emphasis is on the “don’t NEED both” part…it’s totally OK if you still want both
I for one use my DT for drums and one-shot samples exclusively which frees up the OT for melodic & harmonic content & sample mangling. The DT is also super fast to use as it is significantly less deep than the OT (mind you I mainly play live, so taking a few “layers” of work off the OT’s back makes everything faster & easier to access for me).
I use my OT to control my synths and route the midi signal from the Keystep to all devices.
You should also consider that the OT is soooo deep that learning it can take a moment. The DT is quite easy to learn (the basics come fast, the possibilities are still endless & take long to master ;)) BUT the DT and the OT have a slightly different UI & UX logic, so it’s like learning two related languages at the same time rather than learning the same language with two partners.
Hope this helps.
A person that knows the OT well, would just use the OT for all three jobs.
Backing tracks
Drums
Sequence Moog.
Because that is what OT does best, multifunction machine.
That said, it can take a while for new users to figure out how to get the OT to do what I want it to do .
This is mostly because it can do so much, its easy to get lost in what it can do.
Lots of overlap with DT and OT.
OT excells at multifunctionality, performance and sampling. DT excells at being a sample based drum machine/groovebox.
Overkill to get both? Yeah maybe. But I say that as an OT owner of more than 5 years, then again theres lots of good reasons to have a dedicated drum machine.
Bottom line is, OT is a long term investment of your time. Are you willing to sacrifice a lot of time?
Octatrack + Digitakt can be a very versatile setup, my current setup is very close to this, OT for melodic stems and M:S for drums. We need to know a little bit more on how you plan on using them.
When you say you want your OT to play backing tracks, how many tracks do you actually plan on using for that? Just one or do you plan to separate your songs into multiple stem (bass, vocals, synth, etc)? Do you want to use multiple tracks to perform DJ transitions, or to use recorder to loops yourself? Do you want to have your moog routed to your OT so you can apply effects on it?
Each one of these functions will cost you a track on your OT so it will not be overkill at all to have a sampler next to it to play one shots, if you want a bit of freedom on muting and reprogramming drums, and not just a single loop on your OT. Though I would say the M:S is perfect for that.
Yes.
They are perfect for each other but I recommended learning them one at a time.
The songs are already produced, so I’m thinking about having all the melodic /harmonic instruments on one track. But I was talking to my band mate, and we might spilt up melodic insts and chords for more control. I’m one the fence about whether I want the bass to take up an audio track. Then I was thinking I’d sample the produced drums into either OT or DT. The vocals are live. In terms of what I want to do to the tracks, I’m mainly looking to add effects and modulation.
Oh so you’re not alone in this!
Okay, I think I would first pick an Octatrack to learn what it can and can’t do, how you can use it, if it’s suited to your band, what it lacks and if you can live with its shortcomings (relative to your setup and practice)
If it’s not enough, then maybe you can check back on the Digitakt or another sampler/drum machine.
Thanks everyone! This is supremely helpful. I may pick up the DT at some point, but I’ll stick to one Elektron machine for now.
…overkill starts the second u try to involve a third elektron box…
…one more elektron sidekick to the ot is always a good thing…
…even if u play full stems via the ot only…something to rattle along with that, makes it THE live experience…and it’s always a good thing to free the ot from some basic purposes like main drums…
in fact, that supports the overview consistance big time…if ur not forced to “squeeze” it all into and out of the ot…and it’s also the perfect gapfiller for further transition options…
this way the gap can even become some truu live track on it’s own for a few rounds here and there, to keep u surprised, no matter how good u covered any preparation…
so there’s always the option to get lost with comfort instead of panic, since u know u can always fall back into and keep going to the next prepared chapter of ur performance…best of both worlds…luxury…
on top of that, the takt provides bpm per pattern…which is better than the arranger option in the ot…but even in slaved mode, i recommend to drive the moog via ot’s midi engine and keep the takt as the master clockwise but as the add on thing to play along…
use both stereo output pairs of the ot to the mixer…and sum up all ur other gear within the ot…
most solid and most flexible hardware live set up to have…
I gotta say that the
is one box, as anything extra is only going to complicate the process, from having to wire them up at the start of a gig to making sure all midi settings are behaving correctly and then knowing what’s doing what, etc etc
(Maybe not so flexible, but certainly more reliable.)
The DT is way more direct and is a better midi sequencer if you are sequencing drums! Say for instance you have a drum module that has 8 individual drum sounds then the DT is the perfect tool. Why? Because you can trigger each sound individually for live recording. This is super important for my work flow. The OT you’ll only have access to one track at a time during recording but you’ll get quite a bit more tricks. Arps, more lfos, and retriggers.
I see the DT as a better Live device with MIDI Tracks (separate buttons). There’s nothing wrong with adding a DT in the equation as you can alternate full Tracks between the 2 devices (I think of it like a DJ with 2 turntables/USB/CD players). Also, there’s nothing wrong with adding a third (Bass synth) or a forth (Polysynth) device as they will be controlled via MIDI with the DT/OT. Nothing beats a monosynth when it comes to bass (think Minitaur). Everything is in the preparation.
Also, OT can act as a mixer for a Rytm and an A4 (3 Elektron devices) + a Minitaur. I just described my friend’s Techno Rig when he performs Live.
Then you need an OT. That’s where it excel!
Dynamic performance sampler.
If you have a band it will give you a faster access to what to record, you can set up every track for its own input and you have 4 inputs instead of just 2. I don’t see the DT as an on the fly sampler.
With the OT you’re not limited to just sample track, you could use thrutrack and use it as an fx units without sampling,it also has a looper.
Also because you work with a band it could be nice to record people jamming, the OT will give you longer sampling time.
With live resampling you could re record your friend playing live and do OT madness.
Also the crossfader could be set up for everything, so apart using as a performance tool you could use as utility. Scene 2 mute John, scene 3 give reverb to Matt, scene 4 let you hear a possible external fx/pedal, etc endless possibilities.
About the overkilling combo it’s too personal. Some people find confusing 1 OT, some people use 2/3 of them with a DT.
I personally like to give each box a role, like a band.
…ot is all it needs and the only solution when avoiding laptops on stage, to perform live coming from a daw background and want to reproduce exactly that in front of an audience…
and yes…there’s nothing wrong with it, if u just go out there with a single ot and drop ur trax…only accompanied by an additional synth that get’s triggered by the ot…
so if u got it all done in ur daw, no takt will help u on this…