Octatrack MKII Gate Pattern Change like MachineDrum

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

I am trying to help myself and every other Octatrack user out there by starting this thread.

I love using the the global pattern mapping and Gate feature of the Machinedrum. I thought it was part of the Elektron Sequencer up until the point when I spent $1500 on a new Octatrack MKII.

The Machinedrum internal code seems simple enough. For example: An incoming Note C#2 changes the Program to Pattern A1 and Starts/Restarts the sequencer. The Pattern continues to play as long as the key for Note C#2 is held. When the key is released, the Note Off message Stops the sequencer.

This allows you to play the patterns on a keyboard, as well as makes writing pattern changes in a DAW a dream.

So I purchased a Midi Solutions Event Processor Plus to try to bolt this feature onto the Octatrack MKII

I have read others have had success adding Program Change + Note B(35)(Start /Restart) for instant pattern change from a DAW. So I know this IS possible on the Octatrack MKII.

Anyone who wants to chime in to help get this worked out is welcome. I realize this was not included with the Octatrack MKII programming :crazy_face: However, I know there are plenty of us out here that need it to work, and are willing to invest time and money to add this functionality.

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#2

How is knowing SysEx going to assist in this matter?

Octatrack has no SysEx implementation.

I could probably do this for you if you want / needed / I find any spare time… and don’t have a Midi Solutions Event Processor Plus :crazy_face:

You should just need to remap incoming XYZ to Bank / Program Change.

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Set tempo by midi (sysex?)
Arranger Tips
#3

Sounds interesting and cool!

What sort of message do you need to send to the Octatrack, to make the pattern change/start/stop? Or do you need to do something extra?

#4

:coffee:
I have Event Processor Plus (EPP) midi processor so I can do it, but not before Sunday.
Not very complicated apparently.
The needed Notes, Prog Change, Start and Stop messages. are not sysex indeed.

What notes range do you want to map ?
If you want to use all notes it is simplier.

With EPP, use the Map function with Notes on (ex : incoming range = C2 to C3) and Prog Changes (ex : outgoing range = 0 to 11).

Map Notes C2 - C3 to Note B35.

Map Notes Off C2 - C3 to Stop.

Try it !
Funny because I wanted to try it with MD, sequenced by OT. :wink:

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#5

I need to send Program Change along with a Start message with a specific Note On event. Then send Stop on that Note Off event.

#6

I am currently using C#2, D#2, F#2, G#2, A#2, C#3, D#3, F#3, G#3, A#3, C#4, D#4 F#4 G#4, A#4, C#5. 16 Patterns on the black keys A1-A16.

#7

Can’t you use a chromatic range ? Faster to program.

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#8

I was able to get it to work using the Gate function on the MD. So the Octatrack plays the patterns. The MachineDrum sequencer is so much more powerful with the Gate function IMO. It can get pretty wild being sequenced in this way. This is why I want to extend that ability to the Octatrack. It also makes automating patterns in a DAW a lot of fun because you can play the patterns live and then just clean up the midi.

#9

Ideally the notes would need to be what ever the user has available on a controller. So the answer is Yes, but also No.

#10

I think OT is more powerfull with Plays Free Tracks, individual scales, Arp, TRC, more LFOs… Did you try Plays Free Tracks ?

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#11

This does sound like the best way to program this function. However, I would lose the ability to play the track trigs with other keys. I like to map some of the keys out to the trigs so I can trigger individual sounds as well.

I currently have my Elektron machines on their own Midi port so this would not be an issue to just cover all the notes.

The limitations of the Midi Event Processor Plus I have are still unclear to me. I can only write in 32 settings. So less is more I guess. I would be happy with just 16 patterns.

#12

No I have not. I will look that up. Is it similar to playing the patterns with the keys like a piano?

#13

Plays Free let you play Tracks with Notes / Notes off, quantized or not. Super efficient too, combined with Pattern Changes Gate maybe…:slightly_smiling_face:

You need 3 events per pattern.
16 x 3 = 48, so you need to program them per range.

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#14

I am going to try this tomorrow.

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#15

Got it.

#16

The Machine drum mirrors the program changes I make on the keys to the Octatrack just fine. So maybe all I need to add is the start/restart and stop commands? However, when I put the midi event processor inline it filters out the program changes. I am looking into the cause of this. I need to setup midi monitoring.

#17

Yeah midi monitoring helps a lot !
So if you want to use other notes messages for OT with the same keyboard, notes below 24 or above 98 are available.

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#18

I am liking what the plays free can do. Very useful indeed.

My ultimate goal though is to be able to play the Elektron patterns on 2 seperate machines with the same keys, at the same time. I had planned on mapping out 6 of the OT midi tracks to a Nord Drum 3P so I can have the tracks back on my MD UW. I love the Elektron sequencers, but I really like to pencil it up in the DAW when I am writing a song. I am not a live performer, but more of a programmer, who needs to learn how to program midi. :open_mouth:

#19

I have 5 midi processors and I know midi pretty well so don’t hesitate ! :slight_smile:

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#20

I was able to get these generic settings to work, but only by themselves. Depending on the order. One or the other, not both. I was not able to get a stop message to work, probably because I don’t know how to thread these settings.

F0 00 00 50 29 00 F7
{ Clear All Settings - allow all MIDI events not specified below to pass through unchanged }

F0 00 00 50 29 0B 00 00 02 00 7F 01 03 01 7F F7
9C 00 00
9C 23 40
{ Setting #1: When the Note number of Note-On events on MIDI channel 13 moves into the range 0 - 127 and the velocity moves into the range 1 - 127, trigger a Note-On #35 of velocity 64 on MIDI channel 13. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }

F0 00 00 50 29 0A 01 00 02 00 7F 01 03 01 7F 02 02 00 7F F7
9C 00 00
CC 00
{ Setting #2: Map all Note-On events of velocities 1 - 127 on MIDI channel 13 to Program Change events on MIDI channel 13, with the incoming Note number mapped to the outgoing Program Change number. If this setting is executed, stop processing settings (right-click to edit) }