Octatrack in FX Loop of Guitar Amp

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

Greetings. I’m trying to set up my Octatrack (mk1) as an effect in the FX loop of a guitar amp. Or rather, I want to try it. I will be using flex machines and sampling with my hands, not with a footpedal.

Here are the things I don’t understand:

  1. I want loops to play back at the speed and duration that I record them. BUT, I want the OT’s tempo to follow the loops, not the other way around. They do not need to sync with one another perfectly. What’s the best way to do this? Right now I’m using a TC Ditto X2 for this purpose. That’s the behaviour I want, except I want to be able to use the OT’s time-stretching and sound mangling and effects.
  2. I want to set everything up for mono input and output, with 100% direct sound when I’m not running loops out of the OT. Do I just set everything to send 100% to the left channel or something? I’d like to avoid the added latency of Thru machines for my dry sound.

More details: I only want Octatrack effects on stuff that I’m looping inside of it. I won’t be using a foot pedal. It’s for sampling material coming out of a Chase Bliss Blooper, and mangling it more, and freeing up the Blooper so I can clear it and start something else. Audio will go out amp send–>Blooper–>OT. Right now I’ve got a Ditto X2 there but I realize the OT could do a LOT more.

Thanks for any tips.

2

Use a Pickup to record the first loop.

Just select input A for the Pickup, Recorders or Thru. For output, just plug CUE left or right.
Send tracks to cue.

3 Likes
3

Thanks. So there is not way to record unsynced loops?

4

Drifting, unquantized and with different length from the first loop?
Maybe there’s a simle solution but last time I tried it was problematic with Pickups (tempo change, wrong speed because of timestretch).

It may be possible with Flex, but with midi messages to start / stop loops. Possible with midi loopback.

5

Yeah, this is the project. Sync is an option for Euro loopers and for pedals, but with the OT it seems more like a default that you have to systematically fight.

6

So without midi foot controller, you’d record with hands?

As I said, it should be possible with midi loopback and plays free midi tracks.
I can try later, you can make a list of requirements…
So primarily, your loops are made with the Blooper?

7

Yes. It’s a second looper for sampling stuff I have already made, so no feet needed. Not sure why MIDI loop back would help but I am up to learn.

8

To send the right midi commands to the Recorder and Flex. Otherwise it’s pretty complicated manually. You can try though, start record with RECAB ONE2, press to stop and press at the same time trig 9-16 to play the recording. You can also use HOLD mode.

Ex with midi loopback

One 2 recording mode
Midi plays free track 1, channel 1, Note 61 to start AB recording (Recorder Track 1)
Midi plays free track 2, channel 1, Note 61 to stop AB, Note 72 to play the recording (FLEX Track 1)