Octatrack MIDI Sync

Zoser23 · 2014-06-14T09:44:54.000Z

Greetings fellow Octa-treckers!

I just got an OT in the mail in the past week, and wow I can’t wait to discover all the gems it may have in store for me. I can already think of different things I hope I can and will be able to get it to do. Shortly after I got it, I connected it to a Korg Electribe ESX (SM). MIDI - The OT is the master and the ESX is the slave. They are synced of course. This will most likely be and remain my go-to setup. I have a couple simple MIDI-related questions:

-One thing I know I’d like to be able to do is to be able to set different tempo/BPMs on both devices (at the moment the BPMs of both machines are controlled by the OT), but still have play/pause/stop synced. In the past when I’ve played around with other devices and software I’ve found that having some parts half the tempo/BPM is an interesting and useful creative element in creations. So, is it possible to give the ESX (slave) more freedom and control over its tempo, or is it pretty much the OT’s (master) bitch? If this is the case and it’s not possible to do this in MIDI is there possibly a different work around in either device?

-My other question is more of a general inquiry: What if I were to reverse the master/slave of these devices? One possible advantage I could see maybe making it a good idea is the tubes in the ESX giving the OT more warmth/analog feel. Thoughts? Has anybody used the OT as a slave to a simpler/cheaper/lesser device? Why or why not?

I look forward to flying through the stars with ya’ll…It’s weird, I sorta feel like I just got married (to the OT) and that ya’ll are my in-laws.

Cheers,
Zoser23 aka Professor Sonic

miketheman · 2014-06-14T10:05:21.000Z

[quote="“Zoser23” date=“2014-06-14 09:44:54"”]
Greetings fellow Octa-treckers!

I just got an OT in the mail in the past week, and wow I can’t wait to discover all the gems it may have in store for me. I can already think of different things I hope I can and will be able to get it to do. Shortly after I got it, I connected it to a Korg Electribe ESX (SM). MIDI - The OT is the master and the ESX is the slave. They are synced of course. This will most likely be and remain my go-to setup. I have a couple simple MIDI-related questions:

-One thing I know I’d like to be able to do is to be able to set different tempo/BPMs on both devices (at the moment the BPMs of both machines are controlled by the OT), but still have play/pause/stop synced. In the past when I’ve played around with other devices and software I’ve found that having some parts half the tempo/BPM is an interesting and useful creative element in creations. So, is it possible to give the ESX (slave) more freedom and control over its tempo, or is it pretty much the OT’s (master) bitch? If this is the case and it’s not possible to do this in MIDI is there possibly a different work around in either device?

-My other question is more of a general inquiry: What if I were to reverse the master/slave of these devices? One possible advantage I could see maybe making it a good idea is the tubes in the ESX giving the OT more warmth/analog feel. Thoughts? Has anybody used the OT as a slave to a simpler/cheaper/lesser device? Why or why not?

I look forward to flying through the stars with ya’ll…It’s weird, I sorta feel like I just got married (to the OT) and that ya’ll are my in-laws.

Cheers,
Zoser23 aka Professor Sonic
[/quote]

You might be able to make an workaround with the OT if it’s set so that each track have its own tempo/subdivision. However, I’m suspecting that your Korg will follow the global OT tempo though, so you won’t be able to do something similar on it.

Your Korg as sync master won’t give the OT any analog feel. But if you’re talking about audio (as master/slave relation) you seem to mixing up some common terminology…

Rusty · 2014-06-15T01:42:16.000Z

""Zoser23"":

-One thing I know I’d like to be able to do is to be able to set different tempo/BPMs on both devices (at the moment the BPMs of both machines are controlled by the OT), but still have play/pause/stop synced. In the past when I’ve played around with other devices and software I’ve found that having some parts half the tempo/BPM is an interesting and useful creative element in creations. So, is it possible to give the ESX (slave) more freedom and control over its tempo, or is it pretty much the OT’s (master) bitch? If this is the case and it’s not possible to do this in MIDI is there possibly a different work around in either device?

Don’t know the finer details of the ESX, nor the OT for that matter, but you would be looking at trying something like:

OT: Send Transport = On / Send Clock/Sync = Off
ESX: Receive Transport = On / Receive Clock/Sync = Off / Internal

Zoser23 · 2014-06-18T00:21:33.000Z

@Miketheman: Interesting idea about giving each track its own tempo. If this can be done and I figure it out, then I will post. As far as MIDI master/slave goes I don’t think I’m mixing up these terms…It is my understanding that whatever piece of gear is controlling the other gear/software is the master (i.e. MIDI cord is plugged into the “out”), and whatever is attached to it (either USB or MIDI plugged into the “in”) is the slave. Currently I have the OT as Master and the ESX as Slave. I’m guessing it is common to have the OT as master in most setups, but wondering if there are, if any, advantages to reversing my setup. It seems to flow right if the audio outs of the slave device go to the audio ins of the master device. Master/Slave is about the MIDI, but wondering if having the ESX be the master and reversing the ins/outs of audio as well, might have an effect on the sound/feel of the OT if it is getting pushed through the tubes of the ESX.

@Rusty: Thanks, I think I should be able to figure it out from here.

otlove · 2015-03-19T14:01:17.000Z

hello,

i got a different question at the same topic.
i want to sync up my ot with a tr8, the tr8 is in sync but if i hit play on the ot the tr8 is not starting.

anybody can help?
thx

udenjoe · 2015-03-19T14:40:44.000Z

I don’t have a TR8 but check the TR8 manual on how to turn “Transport” to On. According to this article it has the capability.

It also appears you might have more sequencing options using the OT sequencer to trigger TR8 parts if you have enough spare Midi tracks. I do this with an 808 clone and a 626.

miketheman · 2015-03-20T08:02:00.000Z

""udenjoe"":

I don’t have a TR8 but check the TR8 manual on how to turn “Transport” to On. According to this article it has the capability.

It also appears you might have more sequencing options using the OT sequencer to trigger TR8 parts if you have enough spare Midi tracks. I do this with an 808 clone and a 626.

Udenjoe is right. You need to activate the transport control on your TR8, as well as setting the OT to allow receiving transport messages.

If feeling for going more flexible, given that the settings are available, you can actually have both the ‘clockmaster’ and ‘clockslave’ with their respective transport send & receive active, given that the MIDI connection between them is bidirectional in any sense. Then you can press play/pause/stop on any of the units and both will react. OT can have both send/receive clock activated at the same time, but I don´t know if your TR8 allows both send/receive clock at the same time? So syncing them might be ‘one-way’ only…