Machines/Tracks/Slots

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

Namaste guys,

I apologize if this question has been asked/answered before… But Iv’e been searching all over the forum and couldn’t find an adequate response.

I have an Octatrack, AR, and the A4.
They all have been synced and play excellent together.

Right now I want to mainly focus in the Octatrack as it is so, full of surprises, versatile… (don’t want to use the word complicated)
It is a very curious machine which involves a lot of time investment to fully grasp its capabilities.

Right now I have a Lexar Compact Flash Card in the Octatrack filled with over 50 GB of samples, ranging from one shots, loops, and samples.

I usually pick Track 8 as my Master Control.

Tracks 1-7 are usually in Flex Machine.

Some slots assigned to the tracks may be sliced while others aren’t.

Couple of questions:

  1. For any given project, do you guys fill all the 128 slots from the machine with samples?

  2. Lets say Track 1 is playing a sliced loop with certain parameter locks; If I want to change Track 1 to some other sample which is not sliced and I want it to be played in some other pattern than the previously assigned (without the previous assigned parameter locks)?
    [ul]
    [li]Is there a way to change the sample from the same track without it being altered with the previous configurations?[/li]
    [/ul]

I am not sure if this has to do with ‘Parts’ & ‘Patterns’ which I have to admit I don’t fully understand.

But I would appreciate any input whatsoever.

Thanks in advance!

CIao

2

yes it’s part vs pattern selection that enables full data change. You can do that four times per bank. For a total of 64 parts per project.

3

Patterns contain rhythm and melody information. Each pattern has 8 tracks of information.

Parts contain information about machines and samples to be played. (Parts are like “kits” on the other Elektron instruments.) Each Part contains the information for the machines on each track.

Save the Part with the pattern that you first create. When you want to use new samples, switch to another pattern and save another Part.

Make sure that you read the manual for the OT until you understand it. It will help if you read Merlin’s “Some thoughts on Elektron’s Octatrack” document.