Hello Guys,
I just bought an Octatrack 2 Weeks ago,
i haven’t used it that much ( like 3 times for 4 - 6 hours each time ) but i already have some critizism, and am wondering, if this is normal…
Everytime i want to change the length of the patterns, my screen gets blurred and i can barely read the numbers on it - is this normal ?
The other thing is, that i heard, that it would be great at mangling samples, but i can barely see any use in the pitch function… for me it sounds cheap and absolutely unnatural… it also is restricted to one octave… is there any chance of solving this" problem" ?
The other point is, that i find the FX not as usefull as expected… especially the Reverb is not really beautiful- I also cant find the Sync option for the delay, allthough i can switch it on, i see no settings which are quantized…
Those 2 Problems ( FX and Pitch) are a big reason for me to thinking about selling this thing-- but i might give it a few weeks—
What do you think… should i send it back now ( i can give it back for one more week without loss to the shop ) or change ? or should i keep it and try more… Im a bit dissapointed.
Or am i just too stupid to use it ?
It is entirely normal, even for big fans of the instrument, to criticise the Octatrack.
That is not normal. You should contact Elektron support and, if necessary, the shop that you bought it from.
Many users would like to extend the chromatic range, but it is not expected that Elektron will make any changes like this in the future.
The quality of the reverb is a question of taste: it’s a balance between having the effect built in to the unit or the inconvenience of using an external reverb.
The delay SYNC control is in the Delay Setup page. The TIME control in the Delay Main page controls the delay time.
The OT excels as a live sampler and mixer, especially for stereo program material. It’s also a good MIDI sequencer. What have you been trying to use it for? How are you using it in conjunction with other gear?
The blurred screen thing is a concern and definitely not normal…
Effects. Agreed, they’re pretty mostly lacking in mojo/character. I like the filter, spring reverb and lofi but can give or take the rest and normally use external pedals etc for straight stuff. The effects do get way more interesting when you start using LFO, scenes and plocks though. Makes them start to shine a lot more.
Pitch…a definite weak point on OT. Afraid it’s a case of learn to live with it/Don’t use that side of OT/sell it… Sorry!
all i’d add is that when you eventually ‘get it’, you’ll probably wonder why you were so short-sighted in the first place … look at the totality, there’s nothing that comes close … if working within slight constraints and being imaginative is not your thing then maybe you’ll lock horns with it too much for taste - but two weeks is not enough time, let alone 3 short sessions
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the questions you raise reveal that you’ve not really explored what it can do and you’re probably not ready for absorbing the ways to work around it
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don’t bend the OT to your expectations; learn what it is and then get creative with that (or try to find a true alternative, good luck!), if that sounds like fun, you may have a future with it
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I’m all over the analogs, but the OT is still mysterious and beguiling to me - it is mind-bogglingly flexible and there are lots of ‘constraints’ - for me taking it off the grid is too often a bit restrictive and I’m not too mad on the filter flavour but there’s nothing that can work audio in the way the OT can -a computer with all the toys is just not the same
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only you know what you should do with a purchase, but the OT holds its value and I’ve lost count of those selling and re-buying … but, i’d say that needing to sequence midi stuff and definitely being interested in live sampling/re-sampling/performing are prerequisites to a meaningful relationship - these machines shouldn’t just be playing back stems
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there are niggles, for sure, you have to bend … but trust your gut (or read the other tales on here of buyer’s regret that eventually turned after an epiphany to joy) - it’s a beast, that’s good and bad though … but a good bad if you catch my drift 
I should mention that with the delay and sync, the numbers are still between 0-127, and you’ll find this throughout the OT. Generally speaking (but not always, and i might be remembering this wrong) 16 is usually 1 beat. 64 is 1 bar. You should also experiment with tape on and off, as off it’ll sync quickly to the new tempo, and on it’ll give you that nice repitching effect.
The dark reverb took time to grow on me. I didn’t like it at first, I thought it sounded really cheap, but I kind of love it now. Be less aggressive with the time, it can sound a bit shrill very easily, though you can drop down the reverb’s lowpass to tame that a bit. Remember that in mix mode (default) half way (64) is 100%verb +100% original tone, going past that reduces the volume of the original source. Also experiment between mix and send, i tend to find they have very different feels. Also, make a track with the mix set to the fader, and play around with different settings.
Sample mangling is better in the rate reduction than the pitch. Get to know how the timestretch parameters work in the playback screen. Play with the retrigger, sweep the start point. Using LFO’s set to random and ‘trig’ set to start point, rate and retrig time are a great way of generating ever evolving mangled sounds from any sample. Get into the sample editor (track+edit) slice on grids, play with the slices. Function + up/down arrows to access the various button modes.
Rec+play to live tweak parameters, then step edit them to taste. Function+Edit (while rec is off) and switch your pattern to use different lengths for each track. Get all poly. Resample and repeat.
Also watch all the pro tip videos that elektron uploaded on youtube, and watch the workflow and presentation vids with dataline. Then re-read the manual, and that tips pdf. Also somewhere there is a pdf where someone grepped all the function shortcuts out of the manual, which is pretty useful when starting out.
Also with that blurry screen on change, it might be worth reflashing the latest firmware. It sounds like a software issue rather than hardware at least.
You could also try the following. See if ti happens if you create an entirely new set, project, etc.
The other thing you could try, as weird as it sounds, is replace the flash card.
Also sometimes I get weird behavior with certain samples loaded, but i guess you would have negated that by this point.
If those fail, definitely raise a ticket on elektron.se. This is just the user forum, and we can only speculate.
Dear Guys,
Thanks for all your answers!
There are some features i will probably miss ( for example the comb filter with pitch notes that you can automate) and the nice general sound for filters, but i think ill sell it nonetheless…
I understand the value and potential of it, and now i also had several sessions with it ( 2 days for 7 hours after my first 3 sessions) and some more hours in between…
I really like the Sound possibilities sometimes, but the lack of proper FX and the possibility to replace nearly everything with my computer have a big impact on my decision… I used it to try to make beats in this thing only, with my Nord Lead 4 as input, looping and resampling sounds from it, but i always came to a point, when i wanted to Use my Computer for more Fx, easier Arrangement, and longer recordings… Also the EQ possibilities are a bit restricted in my opinion.
I realized that leaving the computer left out, is a bit of a stupidity, since it offers so many possibilities to save, edit and visually see what you’re doing with other tools.
I actually don’t need any of those “live” possibilities since im mainly designing sounds, or sometimes jamming on melodies and settings, but never playing in public or something like that.
I guess im gonna get a Nord Modular, since i love the Sound of the Nords, and i heard that it is one of the best virtual synthesizer that have been produced, in terms of flexibility, depth of programming, and sound quality.
Maybe i will get an Analog Rytm furthermore, to get analog punch and the awesome Step Sequencer and the Jam feeling, that is superior to programming things on the computer.
If there is anyone who is willing to change, let my now, although this is not the right forum. Im also selling my Nord Lead 4 ( or giving it back to the shop)
Best regards !