Need some advice with audio path

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#21

I’ll be home in two days to try to trouble shoot my ground loop and hooking my sp404 to OT. I’m curious, what is the advantage of having OT send signals to the 404 using the CUE OUTs… compared to my have the 404 at the end of the chain with everything going into the OT, then the OT to the 404? I’m not doubting your suggestions, just trying to picture the advantage of doing it this way… sometimes I have a real hard time visually planning things :slight_smile: Because I do like to do Filter Sweeps… but that is a rare occurance…

Just trying to think this thru… with that setup that you folks suggest… would it allow me to do the following. I have for example a snare drum on pad 1 of the sp404 and a bass drum on pad 2 of the sp404… with my current setup… the sp404 at the end of the chain I’m not able to to this… but perhaps with the cue way i could here is what I’m trying to do. I have my OT sequencing pad 1 and 2 on the 404 to create a beat… I then for example sample my guitar on the sp404 onto pad 3… but with my current setup… i’m unable to sample the drum beats and the guitar part onto pad 3… but using the cues, would it allow me to record my guitar, while the drum sequence runs on pad 1 and 2 controlled by the OT… so esseintially what I’m trying to do is… have so now when I press pad 3 it would play back the drumtrack and the guitar… again this isn’t a pattern record, it’s a sample… i hope that makes sense :slight_smile:
Thanks

#22

I have a 404sx, I like using it on individual sounds as well as on the master.

What I do is have everything plugged into my mixer… including my samplers (sp404sx, MPC 2500, MPC 1000, Maschine Mk3)

then I have the main outs going to my speakers & group outs into an Analog Heat, then out of AH ready to go into either the 404sx, MPC’s or Mk3. I use my aux sends for guitar pedals.

That way I can sample anything into whatever sampler I want including the samplers.

If I have the group outs plugged into the Mk3 & want to sample into an MPC or the 404sx, yea I have to unplug from the Mk3 & plug into the MPC or 404sx, but it’s the only time I have to unplug anything. This way my guitar pedals affect anything I want (including all samplers) & I can sample my samplers.

I’m not sure how many synths & pedals you have but it might be worth it to buy a bigger mixer so you can have everything plugged into it…I didn’t think it was a big deal but realized I wasn’t using a lot of different things due to not wanting to unplug things. Making it so I can use everything & sample everything without really unplugging anything had me actually using everything & trying different things out.

A patchbay is another option.

#23

right now my mixer is okay… because I dont have unplug anything to record to any of my samplers… mpc500… 404 or the ot… I use many pedals and guitars to… so I think I’m a bit ahead… because it seems uneed to plug and play which I dont have to di😊

my real question is what is the advantage of using tHDe cue outs… so I really dont think I have a mixer issue… yes a better mixer would be better… but if I want to record any if my volcas… guitars… dx7 or my esq 1 I never have to plug and play… this us why I’m kind of up set everyone dissing my mixure… but you stated yourself u have to plug and play… which I do not… patching is my issue… its understanding the benefits of using the cue outs… I think u need a patch bay…

#24

I was just mentioning another mixer if you wanted to also sample your 404 or sample your Octatrack… or use your pedals on your 404 or your Octatrack…

Personally I sample my samplers & use my guitar pedals on my samplers & I like to bounce sounds around from my different samplers.

It took me a while to get it set up so I can do anything I wanted without fuss. Sample anything into anywhere & thru any effect. It’s nice :sunglasses:

Plug & play what do you mean? You don’t have to unplug anything? If so than ignore me, that was what I was talking about. To have everything plugged in & ready to use anyway you wanted… it changed everything for me.

#25

I don’t have to plug anything… I can sample from any machine… mind you I have 3 guitars and 2 basses… I have to plug and play those. I’m more curious about the advantages of using the cue outs to my 404 then my outs from 404 to the inputs of the ot;)

#26

Well, the obvious advantage of using the cue outs is that you can send an own mix to the 404 (only some tracks/different levels) and have still the main outs to go somewhere else (mixer?).

This in combination with routing the outs of the 404 back into the OT enables you to use the 404 like an insert effect + you can resample and process the output of the 404 again with the OT.

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#27

Ahh ok that makes more sense and I can see the benefits of using the cue outs now:)

#28

Because putting the OT at the end of your chain leaves a lot more possibilities than leaving the 404 at the end. Plus, you mentioned you’re keeping the 404 for its fx alone, and this way treating the 404 as an Aux send still allows you to use its reverb, delay, phaser, whatever

… But I suppose it all depends on how you use the 404. Like if you use the DJ looper or whatever to mangle the entire audio signal, an Aux send wouldn’t work.

Might I ask (and I mean no condescension) if you’re familiar with the idea of Aux sends and why they could be helpful over direct inserts (which is essentially how you’re treating your 404)?

#29

no I’m not familiar with aux sends… can you explain😊

I rather just mangle certain parts with the 404 rather than the entire signal.

but using the cue outs would I beable to sample with other instruments other than the ot? like my guitar or another synth?

#30

The point of an Aux send is to blend in FX with the dry signal. A common use of an Aux send is one reverb, where each instrument (vocal, guitar, piano, drums) is sent to it to varying degrees so that the whole mix is cohesive/in the same space, but you have a bit of control of what goes where.

I’m just giving you your options :slight_smile: it’s possible putting the 404 at the end of your chain is actually best for your workflow. But from what you tell me about keeping it for its fx, something tells me treating it like an external unit would benefit you.

#31

oh like fx send on a guitar amp… well I’m not sure if I want it like that… I still want to use it for sampling and sequencing… I thought the cue outs where something completely different than fx sends… no to be honest I dont want to use the the 404 as just an fx send? I’m deeply confused… I thought cue outs and aux sends were two completely different things?

I’m more confused now than I begin lol…

#32

Setting up an Aux send, like in that video I linked above, is just one of they ways you could possibly use the cue outs

#33

I don’t really get what’s confusing about the cue outs. Think of them as a pair of additional outputs. You can send the audio of each track to both (main and cue outs) with different levels.

Additionally you can configure the OT to automatically mute a track from being send to main outs when you cue it. This way you can quickly switch where the output of a track goes to without fiddling around with the levels.

That’s all there is. Just another pair of outputs.

The only difference between main outs and cue outs is:

when you use track 8 as master track, this track cannot be send to the cue outs.

#34

I got everything hooked up, I have new powerstrip, no groundloops, no noise:) and I have the 404 going with my sp404… only thing I can’t figure out is how to get more then 42sec of sample time… can someone walk me through so how I get 5 minutes?

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#35

Turn dynamic recorders on in the project setup.

… At least I think that’s it. Check all the recording settings in project setup. Some of them confused me and I can’t be arsed to look in the manual right now

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#36

I got it but one question… I recorded a little guitar riff… when I hit func + yes it plays it back at the right speed, but when I add it to a trig, the speed is super slow? why can’t i play it back at the original speed?

#37

Because you have the time stretch on to match the bpm. Double tap playback to open up the settings where you turn this on or off. If you’re triggering a guitar part though, you’d probably want it in time with the rest of your stuff

#38

What I did is I played the drumbeat, and at the same time recorded my sample in proper time… but now like you said it’s time stretched, just need to figure out how to turn that off :slight_smile: Not sure what the playback button is sorry.

#39

How did you record the sample? With rec trigs or by hitting the record button?

If you did it with rec trigs and you have, say, a guitar part that is perfectly four bars (for example) then it will be in time with the project. If you just recorded a very long guitar part and stopped and started where you wanted it, then the OT is automatically detecting the BPM (incorrectly) and this is why your part sounds messed up.

#40

I used the record button, I now found the time stretch option… I turned it to off, with it being off, it’s now playing back at the recorded tempo right?