so i have an octatrack but i feel like it needs a buddy to make my workflow a lil better. i was thinking a push 1/2 for the ability to condense my drum loops on my octatrack to one track then bounce it back to the octa to sync on the sequencer it can control synths as well…
or maybe a digitakt for drums and put that to the octatrack and still use ableton for synths… i dont know, right now im making drum loops on the octa then i send it to the zoom to bounce it or ableton. id love some help on what to do. maybe even a digitone or analog 4? plz help
So many people have sworn on the power of the DN and the OT.
Definitely a cool combo.
DT is a much more convenient way of programming beats than the OT- the new sequencer layout is much more intuitive and selecting samples with the turn of a knob over button pushes is a super nice touch in addition to being able to load entire folders into your project as opposed to selecting them individually.
Of course, using Ableton with the OT will no doubt be a powerful combo- but it doesn’t seem like the two together will really enhance the other- meanwhile the DN will make great sample fodder for the OT and you can expand the 8 voices by sampling it into the OT.
MachineDrum with OT is sonic harmony.
My personal opinion is that the OT is best used not as a drum machine- you’re sorta cutting out it’s magic a bit- having a dedicated drum machine will help you focus on the more magical things the OT can do
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thats the problem im running into i need a Drum machine on the side. a digitakt would also be a sound card and it can be a synth of some sorts right with single cycle wave forms or whatever the fuck i keep reading honestly i just regurgitated that back up because ive read it so much but ive been keen on a machine drum too how would that be? do you have experience?
Post Stamp- i have an mpc studio i can use for a drum machine… would digitone be best or maybe analog 4/ keys
For me personally I like octatrack solo.
Or, paired with one synth.
Or paired with a drum machine.
Or set up with a synth and a drum machine for maximum composition options.
All or any of these set ups will provide a lifetime of pleasure
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one synth to rule them all… what would you choose? i was thinking an ocoast or digitone, i love the fact i could get into modular with an ocoast and it has some great sounds
I’m going to be “that guy” and say that if you set up 64 samples and put them in Octachainer, then put that file into your audio pool, you can “select samples with a knob” 
It only took about an hour or less of prep work, but now I have files like “Kicks 1, Kicks 2, Snare 1, Hats 1, Perc 1” and by putting them into slice mode I just move my way through a sample until I find what I want. Add an LFO to the start time of a hat and you’ve got some really groovy timbral changes going on.
I’m starting to see this more and more, as I’m quickly taking up all my sampled tracks with kick, snare, hat, perc loop, etc. Already that’s four, and I generally have at least two or three “big” samples going (vocals, guitars, whatever) in my jams…throw in a master and we’re done. Yeah I know, I can resample kick, snare and hat patterns and make them one thing, yadda yadda, but that’s just more stuff to do in the middle of my workflow when I want to just create ideas.
I might be convincing myself to buy a Digitakt, actually…Whoops
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A friend loaned me an 0Coast for about a year. It’s an awesome synth and makes great sample food. Did many tunes just sampling the 0Coast into the OT. And yes, it’s a great way to test out if the modular thing is for you. As much as I love it though, I wouldn’t have that be my first ad on. A good multi timbral synth would be my suggestion. I have an A4 mk2 and I think the combo is crazy good. The A4 is also a great drum machine, IMO. Digitone would be a good one as well for similar reasons, but a different sound palette. My current setup is OT/A4/MicroMonsta/3U 104HP modular rig. Keeps me busy and happy
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i’ve been using op-z into OT for the past few months at the open mic I host. …great compact combo that all fits in one small case.
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My personal favorite with the OT is my 6u modular synth.
OT DN is equally as powerful and fun to experiment with.
Octatrack Digitakt is my favorite sampling powerhouse! I like making Hip Hop / Boombap with this combo
MD OT is my absolute favorite for IDM, Techno and experimental stuff.
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honestly been eyeing the op-z for the fact its a drum machine and synth and small and portable to just get stuff jotted down quick.
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ayyy @Voltagectrlr i follow your stuff on instagram and youtube a lot the modbap style is MY SHIT i wanna really get into that. if you wanted a good mod bap combo would OT and DT be it? i write songs every day too so id still want to put vocals over them in Abelton but purely beat making in hardware.
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Which synth would I pick? I use what ever feels right at the time from my little collection of synths.
Honestly just pick a synth, the one that appeals the most. Synth + octatrack = endless possibility
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I’ve been tending to pair one of two very different synths with the OT - the prophet 6 or the reface dx. I build up sequences on the synth’s Internal sequencers then maybe add some modulation with a midi track from the OT then sample and add in some effects. Rinse and repeat. The workflow is fun. The ot fx complement both synths in a lot of great ways.
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It’s a really good drum machine.
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That’s what I think too. Chains+p-locks+scenes+ crossfader=awesome drums BUT it can take up a lot of tracks.
@PersianHugs:
I don’t really get your point of bouncing to a Zoom while you can resample internally.
You mention the Digitone: it got some impressive (I’d say game-changing) updates in the last few weeks and has always been very interesting for percussion so you can offload some drums/perc on the DN. I got a Analog Keys recently and it does drums really well. But this being said, you already outlined what you really want in your original post: a Analog Rytm. (or a Machinedrum)
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The only thing on Octatrack I feel is a limitation is that is monophonic in nature as a sampler, so u could pair it with Mpc Live or Deluge if it’s not too much overkill…
I have octa+ digitone+a4. If I need to choose I will say digitone for more flexibility. You can make everything, pads, bases… a4 sounds fabulous but when I had only ot a4 there was missing something
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Gotta say, OT+x=satisfaction. x=another Elektron machine. It’s personal preference and many people choose one or another but the sampling capabilities of the OT make it very versatile. I mean, the OT can make anything(?) sounds better, even something that isn’t necessarily great to begin with. Ok, that is debatable. But I would personally roll with something polyphonic/multitimbral. That way you can produce more complex sounds. DT, DN, A4, etc all can produce drum sounds and polyphonic sounds. So any one of them would be a nice compliment. Prob not all of them at once though. That would be crazy 
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that‘s true