Noob questions

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#591

The simplest way is to record just one strum, of course. But I guess that will sound quite robotic when repeated over and over again. A better approach (a little bit more complicated) would be to record multiple strums for that slight human variations and use slices with an random lfo targeting the slice number afterwards to play them back.

The OT can automatically slice a sample into 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48 or 64 slices. So it’s best to use one of these numbers for how many strums you will record (its just easier and way faster to use the “create slice grid” function of the audio editor than doing all the slicing manually).

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#592

oh I didn’t know that the OT can auto slice. How does one perform an auto slice? I also noticed this… I’m using my samples as static… but it seems seems when I try to apply and effect or change the lfo nothing on the sample changes? how come?

#593

I’d just record your strumming for 64beats, save the sample and let it loop. Guitar strumming is nearly impossible to recreate artificially using sequenced individual strums/hits…

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#594

Also curious why i can’t changed the effects on any of my machine samples? I’m not using flex… but when I adjust lfo or try to add reverb, my sample doesn’t seem to be affected anyway… how come?

#595

As I wrote:

For the exact details search the manual for the phrase in quotes.

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#596

fwiw, a bit late to this party … Fun aside (and maybe you learned or realise this by now, I didn’t spot it mentioned above) but this isn’t an assembly quality control issue - it’s because they had to switch the old unavailable crossfader for a different part and I read somewhere (iirc) it was fractionally shorter as they couldn’t source the exact size - I’m not sure when the part became unavailable but I guess they decided not to redo the front panel graphics

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#597

got it working thanks… still curious why effects and lfo changes dont apply to my samples

#598

Quick question about swing on Elektron machines : it seems the swing factor only affect the microtiming of trigs, not the volume / velocity, is that right ?

Coming from an Ableton background, i’d expect the swing to alter also the volume (samples) and velocity (midi notes) as well. Is this possible without using a LFO ?

#599

Swing is traditionally just a timing thing. If Ableton does it differently, it’s the exception.

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#600

You’ll have to be more specific. How is all this set up?

#601

I must be slow or stupid, I really don’t understand what I’m supposed to do with slices? I’m sorry for all questions, people are probably ignoring me by now… also why can’t I apply any off the effects such as reverb or flange to any of my samples when I play them back? I can’t even adjust pitch and simple rate and lfo modifications, I turn the knows, but nothing about the sound changes. I would be greatfull if someone could elaborate on these two topics and why I’m having issues…

For example I created a slice grid of my guitar strumming, made 16 slices, now what, what do I do with slices, what was the purpose… again I’m must be stupid I read the manual, I’m still not grasping it.

#602

First of all: use a flex machine for a sample with slices (static machines may not always be fast enough when triggering slices fast).

Press [FUNC] + [SRC] to open the SRC SETUP menu on the related track and set the SLC parameter to ON. The STRT parameter on the flex main page works now as slice index/number. You can either plock the STRT parameter (slice number) on a trig to play a specific slice or use an LFO to modulate the STRT parameter (slice number).

About your other problems:

Please check in the menu MIDI->CONTROL if AUDIO CC OUT is set to INT or INT+EXT.

If it is set only to EXT all your knob movements will just be sent out of the Octatrack (via CCs), but will not influence the internal parameters.

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#603

Ableton Live’s Groove Pool is much more than just swing. You can extract grooves from clips and apply those to further clips. In the groove pool we have control not only over the amount of swing applied, but also changes to velocity and we can apply random changes as well.

But swing really just alters the timing, and Ableton Live works in the same way if you leave all other options untouched.

In the OT we have a great deal of additional control using swing trigs.
Much more control then many other grooveboxes offer.
If you want to introduce dynamics, use p-locks on amp volume/velocity or use lfos :slight_smile:

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#604

I think it only does this if you change the length while it’s on one of the steps that won’t exist at the new pattern length. So if you change it before it hits step 17 in the sequence, it shouldn’t restart.

Alternatively, you can use individual track lengths and change master pattern length down to 16, then back up to 64. If you hold FUNC at the same time, the numbers increase/decrease evenly. (I think! I’m not in front of the OT at the moment)

#605

Yes, when you hold Func + Up/Down the master length increases/decreases in steps of 16.

And I think your’e also right about changing pattern length, it you do that at the right moment it won’t fuck up timing.
Although I don’t know if it’s 100% reliable, that’s why I didn’t recommend it in my earlier posts.

#606

thank you so much I got this working… only issue is when I tried at the start to use the flex machine… it said I didn’t have enough memory … I’m suspecting my initial sample of my guitar playing was to long? I recorded more guitar pplaying but not as long it now works.

I’m having a real issues getting guitars to sound right on the OT… I suspect I’m going to have to play the guitar riffs as a seperate track on my DAW… wish I could have done it on the OT my guitar playing is choppy… not very consistent… any tips for laying down a guitar track for a player that’s not very good? I’m a drummer not guitarist:)

I’m able to play a minute consistantly… but I cant guarentee my skills are up to par to play a 6 minute riff:)

#607

There is a reason guitar nerds are very into amps, pedals, etc–those things sound good. A lot of guitar Bros will tell you that you can’t replace the warmth of a tube amp and nice OD pedals with software and I flip flop on that… Some great guitar tones (Nile Rogers’ work) was straight into a mixing console, but I find it very difficult to get a good distorted, saturated sound out of software.

Your electric or acoustic DI into the OT will not sound very good. You’ll need to warm it up and play with FX and even then it will still never sound like a tube amp

#608

being warm isnt an issue I have a pod hd500 and many tube amps including marshals and a orange… my question isnt about warming it up… also I’m not using software for effects… I have pedals and nice amps… I need some suggestions on how to splice and play back those beautiful warm guitars tones in my OT:) it’s easy to play a drum pad or synth hit… but not so much a C5 power chord

I’m a hack of player and it would it take many takes for me to play live for a 8 minute song… im a drummer by trade… not a guitarist:)

#609

Ah I see. I misunderstood what you meant by “sound right”

I will reiterate that I think the thing you’re trying to do is much better suited for a DAW. Playing a guitar part for eight minutes is not easy or fun on OT. Playing, say four different guitar riffs (let’s say verse, chorus, pre chorus and bridge) and getting them looped in the OT is more doable.

#610

Very true. But not your average 2019 budget digital mixer either :wink: