I’ve been using the Octatrack for sampling and to sequence a few synths, and I sync the TR-8S for drums. I like the TR-8S sequencer, but I wanted a way to pre-program the muting and unmuting of its tracks as you can do on the Octatrack arranger. The TR-8S has no song mode though. You can always do it manually in real time of course, which is best for live, but sometimes it’s nice to also lay out a whole composition for posterity. There’s no straightforward way to do this without sequencing each drum sound from a separate track on the Octatrack, but then the track count is too limited.
So I came up with a workaround that someone using these two devices might find helpful. I sequence drums on the TR-8S sequencer, but use one midi track on the Octatrack, at 1/8 the speed of the other tracks, to sequence CC locks for the level of each TR-8S instrument. If I set this track to 64 steps, it’s the equivalent of having 32 bars of muting/unmuting of all the drum tracks in whatever combinations I want. You need to set the master length to 512 for this to play all the way through. For example, I can lock all TR-8S levels to zero except a kick locked to 127 on the first step. Then for the 9th step, lock the hats’ level (for example) to 127. Four bars would have passed on all other tracks and the TR-8S by time this track gets there. I can keep going like this adding and removing TR-8S tracks until I use up all 32 bars. Then, in the arranger, you can jump around to different TR-8S mute combinations using offset and length, meaning you get get more than 32 bars out of these mute combinations in the final arrangement (and you can mute/unmute other tracks in appropriate places), all from one pattern, one track. If you’re playing live and you don’t need this, you could just mute this track and set the master length to whatever makes sense.
This may be a solution without a problem for some, but I wanted to share since it opened up possibilities for me.
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Any advantage compared to an OT arrangement with 8 x 4 bars patterns?
The only advantage is that you would just use one pattern instead of 8. If you want to loop the same patterns on each track for a while, but in different combinations over time, seems like a waste to use half the patterns in a bank. You wouldn’t need to use multiple patterns for Octatrack tracks to do this normally in arranger (you just change what’s muted over time). This way you can do the same for the external mutes. But you’re right that if pattern memory is not a concern, then you could just copy them and change the level CCs for each pattern.
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Simpler and pattern saver for sure, but what disturb me is how I sequence OT tracks on 1 32 bars pattern? 
I guess the purpose is TR8s arrangement only?
Yes, it’s pretty specific to the TR-8S I guess. Assuming you’re using per track scale length, and the rest of the tracks are only 1 to 4 bars long (1x multiplier or more), you really can arrange it as if it were normal length tracks when using offsets and length parameters in arranger. Maybe not worth the trouble, but the Octatrack offers us so many options. 
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Definitely! I used the 1/8 scale for a different purpose : rearrange a 32 bars recording (512 steps) sliced in 64. Each step lasting half bar.
You can multiply lengths by 2 dividing tempo by 2 (64 bars, 1 bar per step).
Otherwise, different scale lengths for a song warps my head. 
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good idea, OP.
I have been considering getting a TR-8S again because I miss the insta good results from its ACB voices, plus the per-voice faders. I had one for around four months but failed to bond with it because I’m spoiled by conditional trigs and the Elektron way of doing p-locks. I sold it because, at the time, my Octatrack didn’t have conditional trigs yet 
so I decided to go back to my Rytm.
anyone else sequencing a TR-8S from an Elektron MIDI sequencer? how does it feel in practice? it seems like it’s possibly a best-of-both-worlds scenario.
the biggest pain point I could imagine is that, if you want the CC values on all your MIDI tracks to always reflect the current values of the TR’s knobs and faders, you’ll have to always switch MIDI tracks on the Octa before you touch the corresponding TR voice’s knobs. you’ll often end up with a mismatch.
Yes. But not really any more.
To be honest, I only sequence the notes. The limited midi implementation of the TR8-S means mapping stuff to the OT isnt worth it for me. Too much faff, not enough reward. It feels clunky.
Funnily enough, sequencing the little TR09 from the OT is totally fine. But then again, the 09 has way less features, so its basically a sound module.
The TR8-S excells at the classic TR voices, and the TR style of sequencing. So thats how I use it.
If I want super fiddly tricksy elektron style drum sequencing, Id just rather use my octatrack as a drum machine. Its simpler.
I dont use song mode on any of my gear, never have. I just cue the next pattern manually.
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I think I’m gonna ditch this idea. Thought it might be a nicer workflow to p-lock tuning/decay/ctrl from the OT but then I remembered that CC messages arrive after Note-Ons from the OT MIDI sequencer, and in practice this causes bad pitch slew problems when I try to sequence the Rytm’s tuning from the OT. I can’t imagine the TR will respond better in that regard.
Guess I will stick with the Rytm then, endlessly tweaking its synth voices for the right drums
I didnt find any pitch or decay slew issues when sequencing from OT. I just didnt like the flow.
What works well for me is using TR-8S as it is, a drum machine. What also works well, is having it clock synced to OT or digitone and having synced pattern changes.
Having OT sequence the TR8-S… i dunno, its just a lot of knobs and buttons to think about
Haha, fair enough. I like the idea of using the TR basically as a sound module with knobs and faders for all the voices, while sequencing it from the Octatrack. Just did not feel enough love for its sequencer when I had one a couple years ago, missed conditional trigs and microtiming too much.