I’m looking at re-configuring a Eurorack system to be Octatrack-driven. I was looking at the Dubldeca but a friend of mine (and fellow Octatrack user) was not pleased with his and recommended I look elsewhere for a good MIDI to CV interface. For those wondering, he said the Dubldeca was “cludgy, undersupported and mediocre”.
So I started looking at other options. Initially I thought of the CV.ocd / Hexinverter ‘Mutant Brains’ but I really liked the idea of using Track LFO’s for CV sources (and the CV.ocd / Mutant Brain is limited to 4 CV outputs, but a ton of Gate outputs). So I stumbled onto the Endorphines ‘Shuttle Control’ or the Expert Sleepers FH-2. As of this writing I’m leaning towards the FH-2 because it supports DIN MIDI out of the box, has a more readable display and could be expanded as needed.
However, the Shuttle Control clearly has a better UI editor. Reviews on both seem high, so - does anyone have experience with either in an Octatrack-based system? I assume they do CC to CV just fine (ie: Octatrack LFO’s to CV outputs).
FH-2 is fantastic with Octatrack, especially with some expanders - you can go as far as 72 midi to cv converters, which is nuts. I wouldn’t ignore all the other features it has too: outputting envelopes on note events is incredibly useful, and you get all kinds of sequencer/lfo/euclidean/clock/polyphonic voice cycling/mpe conversion goodies too. Also, one of the killer features that is maybe not super flashy: you can choose the output voltage range of every converter to be 0-10, 0-8, 0-5 or -5-5, which is insanely useful in a case with varied voltage needs.
The config UI is not the most beautiful thing in the world, but once you work it out it’s very quick and it’s not somewhere you spend a lot of time. You most likely set and save a bunch of configurations then load them when you need them.
Thanks for the heads up - that sounds great. I just need to figure out where I’m gonna mount the DIN MIDI input to the FH-2 (I don’t want to use HP for that) and add it to the case.
Interesting - I’d considered that but since the FH-2 has pins for a MIDI breakout and I’m pretty sure it’s just “as long as the pins and connections are the same, you got MIDI” I’m likely to add some 1U panels for them. It shouldn’t be too hard, I’ve got 1U to kill and it’ll give me more ports on the FH-2 for a low cost.
Just a heads up, I did get an FH-2 recently and it’s so far, great. Wiring up MIDI jacks to the 4pins on the back of the module was really easy to boot. So now I’ve got the Octatrack into a Blokas MIDIHUB and (which merges data from a 16n and the Ocatrack) going into the FH-2 and it’s great. Barely scratched the surface but getting Octatrack LFO CC’s translated into CV on the FH-2 opens a ton of doors already.
Glad you’re enjoying it! Something I really like with it is to configure pitch + envelope tracks rather than pitch + gate. You can assign the FH-2’s ADSR controls for that envelope to 4 CCs on the Octatrack, then you can plock the envelope sent out with trigs - frees up some envelopes in your case and really makes your modular feel like a proper extension of the Octatrack.
I had originally considerd that but enough people I know who owned Dubldecca’s talked me out of it and encouraged me to get an FH-2 instead. So far, I’m very impressed. It’s very full featured and future-proofed.
I had a lot of issues getting Endorphin.es Shuttle control to work even after updating the firmware and settings in that module and using the correct MiDI settings on the OT. I did get my OT to work using a midi to cv box with modular. Had fun using my OT tonite with my ALM busy circuits super coupe modular system and experimenting with the Octatrack arranger and scenes for wacky fun. Just made me smile and realize why the mighty Octatrack is still my favorite Elektron box. I’m going to use my A4 to handle CV duties.
Good to hear, I had issues with mine but they were either build related or a defective Teensy, and Eurorack never really did it for me as a modular format so I never ended up figuring it out. Feature-wise it was great, though.
Hi guys can I hijack the tread for a little info please?
I’ve got a small modular setup atm, I’ve just bought a mutant brain and have been using it to trigger stuff and send cv to v/oct in the rack, however I have been using an mpc. It is extremely easy to use the combo but I’m missing my OT immensely, like really badly miss it. And so I’ve found this thread in my search for info? I’m trying to work out how people are getting midi notes out of the OT and into the rack? As far as I can tell the OT uses pitch rather than piano roll? So two questions really. 1 if I just set a midi track on the mutant brain say 1, then add steps in the OT sequencer on midi track nominated as 1 I will then be sending triggers to my synth voice, I’m pretty sure this is correct even though I’ve not done so yet, but, here’s the question? Do I just plock variations of pitch on these triggers to make the synth play different notes?
And 2? To get both trigger and note into the synth do I need to patch both a trigger and note into the synth (mother 32)
Really appreciate any info you guys might have and I’m totally sorry for hijacking the thread.
Doesn’t this have MIDI in? Sending midi note messages to be converted to CV to be used in a synth that understands MIDI note messages seems like a little bit of a roundabout way of doing what you want.
Hi. Thanks so much for your reply. I see your point about midi and mother 32 and you are correct. I’m just getting an understanding of midi note to cv as I have a shapeshifter on its way and will be doing the conversions for that, essentially I’m just learning the process so I’m equipped when the shapeshifter arrives.
Again thank you I appreciate your help.
