1

Hi all,

I am thinking about getting an Octatrak (already have an A4) and am a bit confused about something. If I use Octatrack to sequence the A4. Can I still get param locks to work on the A4 sounds? If so how would you do that?

Also, how do you usually set up Octatrak and A4?

Thank you,

2

you can use the OT midi sequencing to do plocks-lite, they are not as powerful through midi as they are native, on the A4 the plocks are relative to the A4 sound, from the OT they will be absolute, until the next one, the only way to get full control (similar to A4) is to plock every step, then it will still not be anywhere near as powerful as you can only plock ten destinations, and the plocking will be by low-res midi compared to some params on A4

You’d be better off plocking the Performance params on the A4 (a4 can’t do this) from the OT and do all the A4 sequencing/locking internally, uou could even program Aftertouch/pitchbend from OT

I can only speak for myself, just got an OT recently and it is not something i imagine i’d try to do given how superior the A4 native control is !

Think of the Octatrack as primarily a performance sampler with an additional secondary midi capability, i’ve yet to crack it

3

I’d just sync them and let the A4 run it’s internal sequencer, too.

4

One of the advantages of sequencing a track or two on the A4 from the OT is you can use different/independant time signatures or speeds. You can’t do this on the A4 for some weird reason.

5

I also just run them in sync with program changes sent from the OT.

6

cool that the OT has a few timing tricks up it’s sleeve though, and a more sophisticated arp in some respects, good to have the flexibility - programming poly on OT is a pain without ext kbd !

7

Ok cool, thanks for the info, I have a bunch to learn about this kind of setup, but this definitely helps. I have only worked with note on/off and pitch in midi. I have not used midi to control anything else.

I like the idea of just synching the A4 to Octatrack, seems more intuitive. Also need to understand how program changes can be done from the Octatrack to the A4.

https://soundcloud.com/marco-frodo

8

Sorry if these questions sound very basic, but when you mean program change, is that the same as pattern change or song change? Or am I not thinking about this correctly?

9

Syncing them with program changes is pretty straight forward.

On the OT go to project / midi/ sync select send clock and transport. Go to PROG CH and select send and a channel. I have 9.

On the A4 got to global / midi config / midi sync. Select clock, transport and prog ch receive.

Go back out to A4 midi channels and assign PROG CH IN CH to 9 or whatever you used from the OT.

Rock n Roll.

10

Ok awesome thanks!

11

Just reading about cc direct connect, it sheds another light on the control potential from the OT !

12

[quote=“” djadonis206""]
One of the advantages of sequencing a track or two on the A4 from the OT is you can use different/independant time signatures or speeds. You can’t do this on the A4 for some weird reason.
[/quote]

Actually you can by using advanced mode :slight_smile:
Quote from the manual

[ul]
[li]Trigs are automatically copied when extending the length of a pattern. If a pattern consists of for example two pages and the pattern length is increased to four pages, the two added pattern pages will be copies of the first two pattern pages. [/li]
[li]Press the [PAGE] key for quickly changing the total length of the pattern. Press the [TRIG] keys to quickly change the number of steps of the pattern. [/li]
[li]A 2X time signature setting is useful for increasing the base resolution of the step sequencer to 32nd notes. A 3/4X setting is useful when the Analog Four is playing alongside other instruments set to the same BPM and you want the Analog Four to play triplets.
ADVANCED MODE
In this mode the tracks of the pattern can be assigned individual lengths. Select ADVANCED mode by navigat- ing to the SCALE column using the [LEFT] arrow key. Select ADVANCED by using the [DOWN] arrow key. In ADVANCED mode, two columns exist, TRACK and MASTER.
The TRACK column sets the step length of the track. It works just like setting the pattern length in NORMAL mode. The settings will only affect the active track. Press the [TRACK] keys to select the track whose scale set- tings will be edited.
The MASTER column is only available in ADVANCED mode. Here the master length, the master change length and the general time signature of the pattern are set.
LEN controls the amount of steps the pattern will play before all tracks are restarted. An INF setting will make the tracks of the pattern loop infinitely, without ever being restarted. Note that this setting also affects for how long the active pattern will play before a chained pattern will start playing. This can be overridden by the CHNG parameter.
CHNG controls for how long the active pattern will play before a cued or chained pattern will begin to play. This setting is important when for example LEN is set to INF. If no CHNG setting is made, the pattern will play infinitely and the next pattern will thus not be cued. But if CHNG for instance is set to 64, the pattern will behave like a pattern consisting of 64 steps in terms of cuing and chaining.
MASTER SCALE is the rightmost setting. It sets the general time signature of the pattern. [/li]
[/ul]
[ul]
[li]If INF is selected the active pattern will play infinitely, making it impossible to change to another pattern. [/li]
[li]Press [FUNCTION] + [UP]/[DOWN] to set the MASTER LENGTH in increments of 16. [/li]
[/ul]

13

Unless there’s something different in 1.1 I’m not seeing, you can’t set track 1 to play 1/2 speed and track 2 to play double speed (2x) on the A4. I’m aware you can set different pattern lengths.

The OT can. It’s one of the benefits of sequencing a track or two on the A4 from the OT.

I could be wrong, but it’s a feature request http://www.elektronauts.com/t/a4-os-v1-1-feature-requests/2484

1 Like
14

I was also aware of the extra options the OT offers and I would suggest that the A4 can never have these as they are possibly incompatible with the poly implementation IMO -happy if they manage it tho

[edit] now not so sure it couldn’t be made to work !

15

[quote=“” djadonis206""]
Unless there’s something different in 1.1 I’m not seeing, you can’t set track 1 to play 1/2 speed and track 2 to play double speed (2x) on the A4. I’m aware you can set different pattern lengths.

The OT can. It’s one of the benefits of sequencing a track or two on the A4 from the OT.

I could be wrong, but it’s a feature request http://www.elektronauts.com/t/a4-os-v1-1-feature-requests/2484

[/quote]

Ah yes, I see what you’re saying, sorry thought you were referring to individual track lengths!
Another option, (should you wish to have the immediacy of hands on, on the A4), is to record to a Flex slot that has the timing flipped in some way. Then with the cross fader you can have both versions available. :slight_smile: