Master Track Question

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hi all and happy new year!

I have been learning the OTmk2 and have assigned track 8 as the Master Track as per manual. I know it cant be muted. But after messing around with different Fx and so forth on a project, mangling up the sounds with Track 8(master), i would like to return to the original track settings. But as i cant mute the master track what is the best way to do this. I would like to return to the master as well. Hope this makes sense. But i cant see anything in the manual about it. Thanks.

#2

You can change back and forth between master track and normal from the menu, everything will still be there when you go back to master track again.

You could also use a different part which has all fx in the master track bypassed or use a scene to bypass all effects.

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#3

Thanks. I was trying to avoid going into the menu and hoping for a hotkey solution. I will look into your second recommendation though.

#4

There is a shortcut to put effects back to default settings (effectively bypassed). Hold Fx1 or FX2 button and press clear. Also works for SRC, Amp, LFO etc. If you saved the part you can always go back.

7 Likes
#5

Thats a smart way as well. Im just playing live and thinking of how to use the Master Track in my workflow. Im thinking of just using it at the end at the moment when the track is complete, as its seems simpler to do so. Just a bit of compression etc. Thanks again!

1 Like
#6

If you have master track active then it is active for the entire project.
Setting up a scene would be the best way to turn FX on off, or even swap FX out with parts.

Note, you can use scenes more like momentary switches instead of using fader.

6 Likes
#7

Cheers for adding that. I think Scenes would be a great solution as a way when playing live if i want some quick changes on the fly. Many thanks!

Can anyone tell me what they use the Master Track for? Im just going to use it as a mastering type of track at the moment(duh its called master after all) for refining the end product of the other 7 tracks, till i get used to everything else. But not for FX.

#8

If you want to ‘bypass’ the master track on the fly, definitely use a scene.
You can even swap effects, the scene locks will still be there, you’ll just have to pay attention, because the parameters change ofc.
Dry/Wet knob is always on encoder f, bottom right, so it would work many fx combinations…

Don’t forget the lfos (lock depth to zero) if you use them on the master track.

Depends…usually comp + filter or filter + dark reverb or filter + delay.
Sometimes filter + comb filter.

7 Likes
#9

Many thanks for this. I find it has a very logical workflow to it and spoilt for choice. So many directions i can go and i can see real potential. Cheers for all the advice. I really appreciate it. :slight_smile:

#10

I’d use scenes too.

Usually Compressor + Reverb

Don’t forget to set Master T8 Level to 127, otherwise you loose around 3db with defauft value (108).

10 Likes
#11

Various.
For an album I made, everything was mixed in the OT, with compressor and EQ on the master to glue the mix.

For another EP I think I had compressor and reverb, same deal.

For live shows, various fx linked to scenes to do transitions, breakdowns, build ups, get wonky, etc.

2 Likes
#12

Thankyou. I think i will too. Afterall with so many scenes at my disposal it makes sense.
Compressor and reverb sounds good to me. And thanks for the tip on the volume.

#13

Compressor and reverb it is then to start with at least. How did the live shows go with the OT.? Did you learn any valuable lessons?

#14

Something I love about the OT on master track is not only being able to p-lock it to compress kicks harder within the mix, but also using scenes to modulate the compressor in order to counteract/balance out the more wild FX scene modulation.

Keeps everything well controlled and just invites you to make the most use out of scenes.

Have fun!

4 Likes
#15

Thanks. I will. It makes me wonder why i didnt buy one years ago. I remember when it was launched and thinking at the time that is was so complicated(cuckoos very first tutorial i watched). But i was wrong. It isn’t. It just takes more time, and going through things slowly keeps me coming back for more. Today i made a sound like a haunting wind blowing through a derelict castle. Seriously thats what i imagined. Nothing else has ever done this. And it was so easy and spontaneous. I could have spent weeks trying to do that on a computer. Thanks for the tips.

2 Likes
#16

Love what he does with the comp here.
The modulation of attack and release is crazy^^

How do you keep track of the different effects and scenes?

3 Likes
#17

The well is very deep on the OT. It is so flexible and vast that I view it more like a traditional instrument, in that it can take a lifetime to truly master.
And that’s a good thing as it means you’re less likely to get bored with it.

3 Likes
#18

Good thanks, as well as can be expected considering the venues and audiences.

Lessons? Nope. Ive been playing live for over 20 years, gigs are just rehersal sessions, with people watching :wink:

@Schnork I keep track of scenes thus:
Scenes on the left (A1 -A8 are punch in/out fx. So fader is always to the left, hold down scene a button, switch the effect on and off. I limit myself to 3 or 4 per part, so i can remember what they are.)
Scenes on the right (B9-B 16 are crossfader scenes. Same self imposed limit, per part. I put the master fx scenes on 15 or 16, so i know they are master track scenes.)

2 Likes
#19

I was a vinyl DJ for a few years back in the 80’s. I know what your saying about ‘select’ audiences ahem. Sometimes i got paid. Sometimes i didn’t :slight_smile:

#20

I have encountered two things i cant solve(and i continue to read the manual honest). I dont want to start another thread so my newbie questions may be best kept there for now. Cheers

I have sliced up a beat and pressed slice mode so all tracks are sliced( i chose 8). I banged out a beat in record. For some reason i pressed REC 3. I saved the sample. Tell me if this is the right way to do this now before i go further. But when i deleted the sample and removed playback slice mode. The REC 3 two yellow leds light up for every track on playback ? How can i turn these off? Secondly now i have the slice grid permanently on the screen but no slices. I cant see how to revert back to the original screen. Thanks.

Oh no. Now its not playing back samples on the tracks assigned but REc3 is still lit up.