Making full songs with the Octatrack

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#42

Nice workflow video from Cuckoo:

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#43

Thanks for the share mate!

4 Likes
#44

I so needed to read this. Thank you.

2 Likes
#45

Ahh…

1 Like
#46

Definitely a great question that I’m sure everyone deals with at some point.

To me this answer is about more than just the Octatrack. Regardless what gear you’re using, if you don’t ever get any loops down, you’ll never be able to build a song. IMO, rather than just loop a beat and jam to it, utilize all 8 tracks (or 7, if you utilize the 8th as a master track) by putting down 7 different loops/elements/sequences/patterns, whatever you wanna call em. For this purpose we can refer to them as patterns since that is what the Octatrack refers to them as. Make a drum pattern, then make a bass pattern, then make a chord pattern, then make a melody, not necessarily in that order too. If your last song started with a drum pattern, try making a melody pattern first this time.

In any case, the point is to actually get patterns down and looping so you can be actively “listening” to them rather than just jamming endlessly.

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#47

I am making music mostly with Octatrack and analog four… bellow is an example of how I work …
I fill up the octa with all the samples that I want and make at first a pattern with all of my elements on every track of the Octatrack… then I copy this pattern to other patterns and start the edit process Like erase the clap the hats etc from the first pattern and adding the elements form pattern to pattern…
when I have all the patterns and I am ready to go I start twicking parameters in order to have variations and maybe play with the lfo for panning etc
Finally I I launch the patterns live and twicking more where it’s needed live!
The track is ready

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#48

Cool tune - I really enjoyed it! It’s always fun to hear stuff that is made using Octatrack. Nice work!

1 Like
#49

Thanks a lot!!

#50

that’s exactly what i did recently. i would add that it’s good to “mixdown” (rerecord) some tracks together, to free up tracks for additional stuff. sometimes i use the sample lock to get a sound playing that is there only once or twice in the whole track