I got the octatrack since some months ago I also have a few analog synthesizers. So i connect thoses synths directly to octatrack or to the audio interface and then to octatrack that depends on the circumstances. Because i dont have any external effect pedals i was wondering if i can use the effects of octatrack for other synthesizers individual without putting the effect only in the master track and to have them also to the samples but only to the Inputs i have used.
Let’s say your synth is plugged in the A B input.
Double hit the Track 1 button then the left arrow.
Choose THRU.
On the SRC page, turn the knob to choose A B.
In rec mode, put a trig on the first step (important) then hit play.
Now you should hear your synth. You can then apply any effects on that track, adjust volume, etc. And you keep hearing your synth if you play it even if you hit stop.
In the MIX window, you can adjust the level of the A B input if needed.
Thank you all guys for your advices, tips and fast responses. I had done this with the thru machine sometime ago and i did it also now after your tips but i came up with the same result. The effects in the track sounds really weak unlike the when i apply effects to the master channel (T8). I have my synth connected to the A B inputs and i have T1 as a thru machine. When i apply a certain amount of delay on the T1 (after i have done all you said) the sound of the delay is really really weird and not super alive and active. When i erase it and put the same amount of effect in master track (T8) sounds as a normal effect.
Thanks in advance,
Vangelis
Try turning up the volume for the proper inputs on the thru machine page. Make sure that the thru machine is open (hold the track button + play) for sound to pass through.
Does anyone know what the max recording length of this technique is? Recording an external synth through OT fx is something I’ve been considering.
I get tripped up about it because I usually see 64-steps as the common “go-to” “easy to loop” length.
If it were up to me, I’d go to infinity and have it loop eventually.
Also, in pg. 64 of the manual it reads, “ All adjustments made to patterns are automatically saved.” Does that mean that if I chain a pattern, in arranger or just chains, my original patterns get destroyed when experimenting with live manipulations? Can one undo tweaks to chains or arrangements?
Not sure if this was the right place to ask, but I’d appreciate an answer!
That’s why you use Parts.
Every track settings including the sample, fx and scene is attached to a Part. Every pattern can have 1 of the 4 different Parts and every Banks can have different set of Parts.
So let’s say your chain is A01 to A03, you have Part 1(or whatever you rename it) attached to it. If you like what you have copy Part 1 in any other of the 3 available. Remember to copy and paste in every patterns.
Now you can experiment with every parameters and you can recall the original Part.
Another dirty way of doing this it’s simply by saving a Part in the Part menu, do whatever you want and then reload the Part with Func+Cue.
I generally do the Reload Part when I want to experiment and destroy something. I use the copy and paste part when I want build a variation but either way works the same.
Take in mind that Trig are attached to the Pattern no the Parts. So if you add/remove any Trig it will be the same, no matter what Parts you select.
Thanks for the detailed reply @FTJ . From reading it, I see that it may be possible to compose a 256-step pattern and keep it in its original state after some experimentation. If reloading “parts” is possible, then my question is answered!
My pattern chain, if I end up getting a new Octatrack MK2, will always be set to A1->A2->A3->…
My assumption was that patterns get overwritten when arranged in ‘song mode’. This came about from having owned the A4 MK2 - building a song longer than 64-steps to tweak live destroyed the original settings of every pattern. I noticed that the pattern reload function only reloads the first pattern while playing back a pattern chain in song mode, so I assumed that all Elektron sequencers are built for 64-step loops - and anything above that we’re on our own.
The Arranger is essentially a chainer patterns tool with some extra.
If you reload a Part it should get back to its original value since you reload a Part attached to the various Patterns. If you instead change Part it will only change for the Patterm selected.
I often use different scale for every track. The majority of melodic stuff is 1/2 or 1/4 speed.
Instead of doing A01(main)+A02(variations)+A03( build up)for example I just use different scale, the crossfader for variations, crossfader+Fill for build up.
My girlfriend loves the OT because it’s the only machine where she can build an entire live set on 16 steps. 16 steps+crossfader+fill+live looping+mute+delay control you play for hours before you need another 16 steps.
Is this something that has been changed in a recent firmware? I just got my first OT like two days ago, but: I have track 1 set to thru, no track 1 trigs in place, direct monitoring turned off, sequencer stopped, and I can hear my AB inputs in the headphones. The signal is also being processed by the FX I have on track 1.
When in tracks mode [TRACK] + [PLAY] or just pressing the matching [TRIG 9–16] button triggers the corresponding machine. So it should work instead of a normal trig on the track. It’s just necessary that the thru machine gets triggered at all.
To stop the thru machine from passing audio you can use [TRACK] + [STOP].
The advantage of the trig on the track is that it’s automated. Otherwise you may forget to manually trigger the machine and start wondering why there is no incoming audio going through.