Octatrack and Guitar

I started with a Roland FC-300. Built like a tank and works great with my VG-99… but good lord what a pain in the butt to set up for Octatrack usage.

The Softstep 2 is a huge improvement for me.

It looks like a great controller but it always annoyed me how they advertise it as a ´midi foot controller´ yet you need to spend another $60 on a box that needs its own power and extra cables just to use it with traditional 5pin midi ports.

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Unfortunately I have to repair my car to use it :slight_smile:

Very interesting functions, such as X__Y, toggle, latch, Pc + Bank…

Before I got my Softstep 2, I did consider competing pedal controllers by Disaster Area, FAMC, Gordius, etc. They all have their selling points, for sure.

I liked the light weight of the Softstep 2 and USB for use with IOS devices.

The high end pedal I lusted for was the FAMC Liquid Foot series - but I couldn’t justify the expense to myself.

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Thanks for all your answers. Great information!

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I use OT with guitar. Guitar -> amp -> torpedo live -> octatrack and some effects in cue outs

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Interesting. I had the ring modulator, and a Tx802.
It is sad you replaced the Ot by a Tx7. :smile:
Control Moogs with my A4 would be great, but it won’t be my priority.

Today I tried plugging the guitar straight into the OT and apply fx. As expected, it was far too quiet and sounded pretty bad. Then I tried to boost it with catalinbread dirty little secret (preamp pedal/marshall simulation…). Sounded a bit better and like amp somehow, but it was still pretty quiet I had to turn the pedal up full (also the input gain in the ot mixer).
But not very satisfying.
Guess I have to get a proper preamp.

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Looking at the specs of that unit its output being labeled as “to amp” implies that it is an instrument level signal and not line level, so a preamp would be required still after this unit…
Like I was saying here: Octatrack and Guitar

Instrument out is sometimes labeled “amp” referring to how an instrument signal is usually sent to an amp, and you know that’s instrument level as a line output would just be labeled “line out”…

Basically in all situations for best sound your guitar must enter an “instrument” input, and leave a “line output” to be plugged into OT… All devices in the chain must follow the guidelines as well, for example if you plug into a unit first that outputs instrument level, the next unit in the chain must have an instrument input. If you plug into a unit first that outputs line level, the next unit in the chain must have a line input…

In general:
-Mic level, instrument level, line level, speaker level. Always read specs and ensure you make the correct connection for every unit in the setup… :grinning::loud_sound::sparkles:

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Yeah thanks. I get it now. just wanted to prevent buying further stuff :wink:

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Do you have a mixer or interface that has an input labeled instrument, hi-z, or have a little picture of a guitar? (These are all instrument inputs)
Sometimes there’s a button or setting to activate and switch from another input type…
If so you could use that in between the pedal and the OT…

I have a NI Komplete Audio 6. There it can be done, but I’m thinking about playing live and don’t want to include the laptop. At home it’s no problem.

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So I’m putting together my 2018 pedalboard to feed the OT. Work in progress:

![2355A810-7471-4375-A0D3-DA549F65D21E|666x500](upload://9kjaDXxXGdkKiHXrFnAsJPHd4QP.jpeg

GUITAR-butler tube driver - ethos overdrive - two notes torpedo - obscure delay - flint

Fulltone ABY
A - OT input A
B - superego +
Send from superego to input B on OT
Guitar signal to infinity looper
IL 1 - Lo fi junky - cab dryver - OT C
IL2 - count to five - OT D

So this gives me four thru channels on OT - 1,3,5,7
OT 2,4,6 are flex channels for grabbing 1&3
8 is master.

Be great to see how other guitarists are using OT

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Which Torpedo? I had CAB, VB101, LIVE.

Now I’m with T-Rex Gull Wah, Nitrogen 21 germanium fuzz, Analog Drive, Mooer GE200 (IR).

No definitive workflow.
T1 = Pickup
Recorder 2 source = T1
T2 = Flex playing recording 2 realtime.
Some other tracks playing recording 2.

CAB, though I’m going to test the sim out on the ethos. If it’s good enough I may take that out and make space for cioks dc10 power supply. I’m keen to have the guitar signal preserved as much as possible even though it ends up in the OT.

Need to spend some time with recorders grabbing snippets and creating an evolving soundscape I can play against.

Also looking to use external inputs on tr8 or incoming digitone for looper channels for added textures / rhythm.

It seems that Torpedos had a nice update with increased IR length.

I’ve been running NI guitar rig 5 and have the rig kontrol pedalboard… My interface goes into a mixer along with other gear where there is an alt bus to send it to the OT c/d inputs. Gotta Rytm living on a/b inputs…

Basic setup:
T1: Flex Rytm loop
T2-T4 PU’s (for guitar but also other instruments)
T5 Rytm loop flex remix
T6-7 PU loop flex remixes
T8 master

Analog Delay on cues…

Would like move to something else for guitar processing as GR5 is the last stronghold keeping my computer an integral part of the game besides recording. I don’t mind the computer involved at home, but I aim to play live with this rig and don’t want to bring the computer/interface just for guitar.

I’d love to get a nice pedalboard fx unit with line outs, but not much funds so I think I’ll try guitar->DI->mixer mic preamp->OT and see what I can squeeze out of just the OT, do some fx midi mapping…

I’ve got a tube amp and analog floor pedals but I tend to just use that for sitting in with bands, with my looping setup I’m going digital on guitar for portability… (Analog Delay with drive adds some nice warmth)

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I’ll check that out. Cheers

Need to get to grips with pickup machines.
The great thing about infinity looper is it will slave to octatrack with midi so I’m expecting I can grab bits of loops and play amplitude and pitch settings to make textures quickly and use conditional trigs to add variety. Leaving me free to w**k up a storm on the guitar…