Octatrack, smooth parts transition tips?

[ID.Entity]

After looking over the video available online, it does seem that Cenk is just using delays to mask the part change and swapping very close to the end of the pattern. Though in the tutorial video of this process it seems like he switches the part halfway through the pattern and it continues to play the audio on the first part until the pattern ends. I would share the video, but as it is paid content and I am not the creator, nor do I have his permission to share it, I won’t. I feel like there may be an obscure setting that I am missing or perhaps I need to swap while playing from my record buffer, hmm. I’ll keep playing with it and see if I can figure it out.

Also Mike does say he doesn’t think they are intended to be changed mid-pattern, but Max (defenestration) goes on to say…

@defenestration

I do think it was intended that parts might be switched mid-pattern, after all it’s essentially an extension of the kit/part re-load functionality and it has always been a seemingly intentional MD/MNM performance device to swap kits on a playing part

I agree that your interpretation is the primary intention of the part paradigm, but a number of useful performance capabilities can be gained by switching parts on an active pattern, and these extra capabilities seem very intentional to me, particularly for an instrument like the OT. Even if you aren’t changing any of the audio playback machines you may want to alter recording setup parameters or deep MIDI settings like the arp sequences on the fly, without changing the pattern, and parts having access to these deep settings is no accident - they could have been stored and locked away in the project layer, not even being as accessible as the global slots on MD/MNM

…Mike then goes on to agree with him and admit that he was just saying that to help others from getting too lost in the idea of what parts are. I am still learning about them, but I have overcome most of the hurdles involved and have a pretty good logical understanding after reading merlin’s guide about a dozen times. I’m just curious if anyone has a different experience than I have.

[ID.Entity]

Delay trails can be used to transition and it seems like I can just be careful to make sure I’m swapping at the end of a pattern or use a different transition trick as there are plenty to be had.

[tnussb]

When you are already aiming for switching a part at the end of a pattern, then why even switch it manually and not automate it? Just copy the pattern and use a different part with the copy seems much more streamlined to me.

[ID.Entity]

My goal is to setup the thru track that records into a flex track that has recorded the input of a bar. Then swap to the other part that uses that flex recording as the new playback. This allows me to modify the thru machine pattern while the audience is listening to the flex playback, then xfade over to the new pattern.

[tnussb]

I still don’t see why this would require a manual part switch. IMHO you are making this much more complicated as it needs to be.

[ID.Entity]

I’m saying during a performance I want to record a pattern while tweaking sounds and when I feel good about what’s coming out of the speakers, switch the part over to loop the recorded flex track and manipulate the thru. Can you explain what you mean by automate the part switch, maybe I am misunderstanding.

[Open_Mike]

Oooh, I meant in the middle of a playing pattern using the part menu. This can be done but you have to intricately program the pattern and parts to make sure the result is desirable. Switching to a pattern linked to another part is usually smoother…

-Octatrack safe workflow with patterns - #21 by Open_Mike

[Blasted_pingin]

I actually never thought about changing a part in the part menu. I always go through a pattern change. It seems to me that the use of part is so counter intuitive that i wanna stay as far as possible from dealing with it