Octatrack and Ableton Live

[NUoldNu]

Octatrack MIDI + Ableton Drum Racks = Powerful Drum Machine!

Since switching from an Analog Rytm MK1 to an Octatrack MK2 earlier this year, I’ve been using Ableton Drum Racks with the OT MIDI sequencer to act as my main drum machine. I’ve mentioned this briefly in the context of other threads. However, I want to have a centralized discussion about this solution in a dedicated thread for those who may be interested. You may be interested in this solution if you have an OT and no other drum machine, or are waiting for Overbridge to arrive for your hybrid …

Any use?

[Open_Mike]

Sounds like your expecting the audio tracks to send out midi data for their sequences. The OT’s trig keys can send out data when manually pressed such as in live record, but the recorded sequences do not send midi data. To sequence Ableton vsts or any other midi gear/software, you use OT’s midi tracks, described in the link above…

[Mistercharlie]

Reviving this old topic, with some (hopefully) handy info.

I’ve been trying to record the Octatrack into Ableton, but the sync is always off. I get a little gap at the beginning of the recorded loop no matter how I tweak my MIDI start offset (I’m aware that I’m probably missing something ).

I figured I’d try Overbridge.

I connected the Octatrack’s CUE outs to my Digitone’s inputs, and connected them via MIDI too.

Then I hooked up the Digitone to my Mac via USB, dropped the Overbridge plugin onto a track in Ableton, and went from there.

The DN is set to control the Octatrack’s start-stop and clock. I have an audio track in Ableton that records the Digitone’s audio inputs. That’s about it.

I’m now able to record clean loops from the the Octa into Session Clips. It’s pretty easy so far. I’m also going to try recording the Octatrack’s audio direct at the same time to see what that looks like.

[reflectual]

I’m having a lot of success with the E-RM multiclock. Keeps everything very tight in my setup. Also being able to quickly adjust timing and swing with the knobs is mint.

[RytmMASCHINE]

nice but it’s price though it seems to be worth it.

[isaac_anthony]

i have an iConnectMIDI4+ that is got damn amazing, IMO…

like the OT it has a bit of a learning curve.

I have TR8S, Octatrack, TD-3 and MC707 all hooked up via midi to the 4+

I ALSO have a LCXL and Keystep thru a USB hub routed thru usb-midi

I can also sync an iPad/mac or windows computer with ableton or bitwig from MC707 via iConnect and there’s a teeny bit of latency, but sync seems pretty dead on, consistently.

I’m experimenting with hooking up my ipad to both the MC707 and the iConnect at the same time. I can use generic midi over usb to control an FM synth on the iPad. and if i can figure out how to route midi, i could also have another midi control program running as well.

it’s a decent amount of work/routing to setup an iConnect, but worth it, IMO

[isaac_anthony]

I have since removed the digiTakt and miniTaur.

[isaac_anthony]

i would post a video of ableton playing in time, but the computer is out of screen, LoL

[Azzarole]

Hi there, I have jammed out a few tracks wiith DN/DT/OT and effects pedals that I now want to record in Ableton in several steps. Thought I would pick your minds about potential issues and to see whether other people are also using this method.

The idea is to set up songs in DN and DT, then record them on dedicated tracks while tweaking on the machines.

I would then like to route these recorded Ableton tracks from outputs 1/2 and 3/4 into OT inputs A/B and C/D. I would then apply some OT fader action and also send the tracks into effects pedals via cue out from time to time. I will record this again.

Basically the idea is to do some kind of live recording, but split it into several steps/takes so that I don’t have to do everything in one take. By sending pre-recorded audio tracks into OT via inputs A/B and C/D, I can send longer recordings that I would be too long to export to OT.

Only potential shortcoming to this approach that I can see right now is syncing. I guess I should slave OT/DT/DN to Ableton already when I make the first recording, so that these devices will start playing as soon as I hit record in Ableton. This will make it easier to have perfect start and end of the tracks I will later send back into OT. Will this work by sending MIDI via Ableton from my audio interface (Focusrite 18i8) into OT, which is sending transport to DN/DT?