Octatrack midi master question

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

Hi, hope this is a simple question. The manual isn’t helping.

Is there a way, using the Octatrack as midi master for one or more other Elektron boxes, to set it up so that when I switch to pattern A03 on the Octatrack it also switches the other boxes to the same pattern?

2

[quote="“restlessboy” date=“2014-10-14 11:50:17"”]
Hi, hope this is a simple question. The manual isn’t helping.

Is there a way, using the Octatrack as midi master for one or more other Elektron boxes, to set it up so that when I switch to pattern A03 on the Octatrack it also switches the other boxes to the same pattern?

[/quote]

Sure is. I set things up to work like this last Saturday. It’s very easy. Midi your boxes up, set the OT to send pattern (or is it called programme changes) - it’s in the midi menus - then set up your other box to receive midi programme/pattern changes.

I needed a little bit of fannying around with the midi channels due to how I have things set up with Live - the auto channel didnt work - but got there after 5 minutes and now things work exactly how you want them to.

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3

Thanks for the reply. I think I’ve set the boxes up as you suggested (Octa controlling an A4 and an AR fyi) and they were quite happily syncing and start/stopping in time. I set up all three boxes to send and receive all kinds of messages (checked every box basically).

However the other boxes weren’t following when I changed pattern on the Octa. I was hoping it would send a CC that said ‘switch to pattern A03’ by default. Equally I can appreciate you wouldn’t always want that to happen so presumably I need to tell the Octa to send a CC message.

Basically a bit more detail on how to do ^that would be helpful. I’m pretty new to the more in depth aspects of MIDI so set phasers on ‘simpleton’ if you can. :slight_smile:

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It sounds like you have you sync settings correct. For the A4 and AR to follow the OT’s program changes set as follows:

OT

MIDI/Sync enable PROG CH Send select a channel not auto.

AR and A4

Global / MIDI Config / MIDI Sync Select PROGRAM CH Receive

Global / MIDI Config / MIDI Channels set PROGRAM CH in CH to the same MIDI channel that the OT is sending on.

That should do it!

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5

It’s probably best to NOT randomly check every box in the OT’s menus.

The following thread is about the same topic:
http://www.elektronauts.com/t/cc-messages-controlling-analog-with-octatrack/8268/67320

Try what is suggested there (to use MIDI Program Change messages to change patterns). If you have any continuing problems, report back on this thread with details of what you tried so that we can help.

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Brilliant, thanks. Will try that later.

1 Like
7

Clock and transport is not the same as program change:
but yeah, both are “needed” …

To do what you want to do… you have to do the following stuff… (most stuff is already mentioned)

  • Set the octatrack to SEND clock and Transport.
  • Set the other elektron-machines to Listen to Clock and transport.
  • The Base-channel of your elektron-machines has to be “the same”.

This means: if your octatrack send out program change on channel 1
both your machinedrum/monomachine/a4/rythm’s base-channel to 1

For more information: search the manual-pdf of your machine for “base-channel”

I am very sure, what you want is possible… because i had it working on my machines… i just didnt like it.