Looping live instruments

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#83

I sold my other hardware loopers to focus on the OT as a looper recently. I don’t loop my stringed instruments as much , but do loop flutes and didgeridoo into OT.

The FX chains you can create are one of the main reasons I switched, and the level of control over every little aspect of your sound is quite something. In a live jam type setting the cross fader really makes for some wild fun and freaking trippy sound combos.

And then you get into mapping an LFO to the cross fader which is modulating another LFO pointed at your filter and also with the same fader move changing your delay time and mix level etc etc

I’m not as eloquent as our resident OT looper sage Open Mike up dere but I do gush over the OT and what it can do for your loops.

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#84

Thanks for all the info, very constructive and positive. I’ll try to explain the loop idea again even though from what you described I’m pretty confident it’ll work. Here is goes… so I have 3 loopers, each are non-sync able, and loops will vary in lengths. The audio that I loop on those will be atmospheric, and only hint a a scale and/or chord. In some cases 1 or 2 of the 3 loops might blend and one clash based on the harmonic content, and in other cases all three loops might be perfectly in harmony. The point of having the audio separately is for the opportunity to create something like very slow chord progressions, even simply 3 chord progressions. Each loop will be a minute or maybe longer, so when the loops play back they will not perfectly align creating a certain level of apparent randomness. Means it’ll sound a little more alive just in that aspect already, so even if the progression is regular the feel will shift. The main question isn’t whether the OT can do all the above, it’s more related to if it’s possible to sequence the audio levels. I used the analogy mixer which I can understand why it might though you off. I’m simply curious if the mixer can be easily sequenced. Are you familiar with 10cc “I’m Not In Love”. There’s the background texture that they multitrack but during mix down they brought the faders up on the notes they wanted to hear and then down when they didn’t. So sort of think of that effect but with digital loopers and instead of hands on a mixing console, have the OT doing the job of “Flying Faders” automation.

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#85

The volume can be automated using locks on the sequencer, lfo’s, and scenes using the fader. Slide trigs can be used on the sequencer to smoothly automate the value from one step to the next step. The fader can be used manually on top of the automation.

A major consideration is that the OT is a step sequencer and it operates in repeating sequences of up to 64 steps of 16th notes, 4 bars. Each track can have a different step length and a track multiplier that goes to 1/8 scale, giving you 32 bars of 1/2notes. Usually for longer loops we sort of circumvent the sequencer by launching it with what’s known as a one-shot trigger or we put a condition on it that it only triggers on the first pattern cycle and we set the sample to loop. This keeps the long sample playing without the sequencer launching it again from the beginning when the pattern repeats. To be able to automate things precisely on the sequencer however you would want to fit the sample into a track sequence. 120bpm is 2 beats per second so 8 seconds a bar and 64 seconds for 32 bars, a track at 1/8 scale. Pattern chaining and the arranger can be used to lengthen this, but it gets more complicated. Each step is a 1/2 note at this resolution but you could still slide up and slide down with slide trigs, and you can launch lfos from the steps to do finer adjustments. There is an lfo designer too that basically is like making a mini sequence within your sequence, which could give you finer resolution when launched from those 1/2 notes.

You might be able to get away with slow free running lfo’s possibly in combination with manual fader moves to not have to fit things to the grid, I could see that working better for you if you really like things loose although using some of the methods above you could keep it loose too… You can even be listening for what you want to bring up on the headphones with those tracks cued, and manually do it.

I don’t know, my senses tell me your someone who would enjoy an OT, I don’t always recommend them, which reminds me why. They can be awfully confusing at first and sometimes put you up against a wall and force you to dive in and figure out wtf is going on. Every time for me however there’s some reason and then from then on I know. It can do a lot of things but it likes to do them in its way and you kinda gotta go on a bit of a journey figuring out not only what to do but also what not to do. After awhile it gets really smooth and easy when your just operating your project that you’ve built, but you do have to work a bit to get there, and also a lot of it just comes with time and practice…

I’m not familiar with the track you mentioned bye the way, I’ll check it out. Sounds like interesting stuff. :slight_smile:

Edit: tracks can also be “plays free” and disconnected from the sequencer, could help with this kinda stuff

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#86

If you go into it not expecting anything but just want a creative audio warping tool that is full of surprises and can bend audio a lot of ways, you’ll have a lot of fun… :monkey_face:

#87

Hi guys, loving this thread… Awaiting the arrival of my OT… :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I’m hearing a lot about some issues regarding buffers and slave pickup machine bugs - when using the OT as a looper. For a new OT owner with the main objective of looping then processing. Could someone please elaborate on this or tell me if these issues have been fixed or overcome?

Apologies if I have missed this elsewhere…

Thanks

#88

Known issue if the OT is midi slaved> Dub Aborted" messsage, meaning overdub don’t work.
OT master, not sure but some people including me seemed to have errors with the same message.
Pickups were implemented after release, linking recorders and the machine.
Original way of recording is recorders + Flex machines for playback.
All 8 recorders can be used indepently, at the same time.
A Recorder can record any track, any source.
A Flex track can play any of the 8 recordings on each step. :loopy:

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#89

Thanks for the reply.
Okay so…
…have Elektron spoken to this known issue?

#90

They are, for sure, aware of this, because it was buggy since the introduction of pickup machines.

Do you really need some spoken words, when something doesn’t get fixed for that long (quite a few years now)?

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#91

Sure!
I agree… but as a newby to the OT.
How will this effect my looping/overdubbing and are there workarounds?
Or am I gonna want to through it against the wall a few times?

#92

OT Master, or use recorders + Flex to overdub.

#93

Right… When you say OT master… You mean in regards to midi chains?

  • to not slave it after other gear?
    Have it as master slave to the other gear in the midi chain?
    Assuming this is a clock synch issue then… and how that connects to the audio buffering.
    Or have I missed something.
#94

OT Master midi clock. Highly recommended if you want to make perfect records with OT, with sample unit precision.
If slaved, tempo fluctuations, wrong length, wrong loop, etc…and no overdub with Pickups (DUB ABORTED message).

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#95

I’m just getting started with the OT, haven’t dove into the looping functions yet but I plan to. I would like to say a word on behalf of the SOUND of the looping device, and that being a factor in your decision. I find the OT has a great sound to it- much better than most looping pedals. The boomerang also has a nice sound. But I feel like basically everything I put in the Ot sounds better than before it got in there ;)))

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#96

What do you mean by stopped supporting it?
I was just about to pull the trigger on the Disaster Area DMC 6 - Gen 3
It mentions in the specs it sends all sorts of midi commands out the midi out port.
Anyone else using it?

#97

adding to sezare’s excellent advice…

If you do use slave pickup machines, keep the record length very short.

#98

Any chance we could put together a list of Midi Foot Switch Pedals that work “without issue” with
the OT for control of the Pick Up machines etc?
Apparently - the Disaster Area Pedals no longer work.
Anyone had any luck with the MorningStar CM6 MKII?
When I talk about these pedals - I mean minimal classy pedals.
Not huge Boss Plastic pedalboards… :expressionless:
Any additions?

#99

Source Audio - Soul Mate ?

#100

I’ve used KMI Softstep 2 with KMI MIDI Expander w/ no issues

#101

Yes. Works flawlessly.

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#102

I’m using the Morningstar MC6 mk2 and it works great for controlling Pickups or Flex as well as crossfader. Fully programmable.

I was using a Moog MP-201 which also works perfectly, though hard to come by these days.

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