Hi everybody! I´m a new owner of this awesome machine, every day is a new surprise :). I just finished my own first song wich is located in A01 ( bank A pattern 1) obviously with its own samples and sounds in each track. Now I´m beginning a new composition in A02 (I´d like to have different compositions in same project), completely different from the other one and I see that every track has charged the same sound by default and when I try to load a new one the modifications affected to the A01 at the same time. Should I beggin for this new composition in Bank B? Does this mean every bank should be for differents songs? Am I doing something wrong? Thanks a lot!
For different samples allocations, fx types changes, you need a Part change. Just select a different Part for a different song.
There are only 4 part per bank, so you can allocate Parts 1-4 to
Patterns 1, 5, 9, 13 so that you can make patterns variations in between.
That’s simpler and quicker.
Each bank having its 4 own 4 Parts, changing bank implies a Part change.(Part 1 is default for all patterns of a Bank)
So that’s up to you. You can begin with bank changes, without forgetting and learning about Parts.
In a song, if you want to change a sample without changing Part, you can plock it (sample lock) by holding a trig and select it with Level knob.
2 Likes
Many thanks Sezare for your prompt answer! 
so I need to know better about parts, so far I always skipped that in the manual, wrong decission.
1 Like
Well, logical decision with a weird surprise when you’re not used to OT workflow. I also had that wtf moments.
understanding Parts is not optional! I think the UI of the Octatrack (mk1) hides how important they are.
In general, I’d recommend using a different Bank for each song, at least until you confidently understand how Parts work. Otherwise there’s a risk of undoing a lot of hard work…
3 Likes
Apart from adding complexity to your project or keeping it in check depending on your preferred use case it will help a lot to know the following upfront.
Here we go: “Each pattern is represented by 1 of its 4 parts at any time”
Seems silly but becomes very logic when you discover that switching to another of the 4 parts in the active pattern does not change the chosen part of another pattern. Or differently spoken changing to another pattern is always preselecting the part that was chosen when it was last time edited. There is no way to set all patterns of a bank to some specific part at once and also no way to do that via midi, nor via arranger, you will always do that manually. Fresh projects of course have always part1 preselected for all.
(in the video, 2 patterns switching automatically back and forth and therefor the selected parts must appear, here Part 1 of pattern P04 and Part 2 of pattern P03 flip flop)
sideinfo against common confusion: You still have ‘only’ 128 Static sample slots and 128 Flex slots + 8 audio buffer slots for the entire project. Those slot lists do not alter per pattern, nor per bank. You just assign different slots to the track machines or even assign a specific slot per step.
Should give you the right boost to hire parts in your creative work.
1 Like
I was using different banks for each project until I got the Digitone.
Bad surprise: on the Digitone are only 8 Banks (wtf). Niw i need to juggle with parts to set new projects because Bank 8 to 16 are now unusable.
Elektron is really bad at uniformizing UI across their range (even for features), it’s understandable for me.
1 Like
Sounds a bit hyperbolic. Those banks should be fine to use. I don’t see why banks need to match up exactly between instruments.
Mmmhhh, you don’t see why? Because it’s way more convenient? Because in MIDI, if you send Bank I to DN, the DN will switch to its bank A and one don’t really want to use the sounds of Bank A on OT for the Bank I on OT as well.
I change patterns myself and get to use all the banks.
An alternative solution would be to not send program changes in that direction. Let me know if you want to brainstorm on any other ideas for solutions. Good luck out there
1 Like
I don’t get this. I need to be able to ha e a constant setup across a project, not to have another workaround after bank 8.
truth is selecting a pattern with progchange msg is a feature per machine and the octatrack has 16*16 = 256 programs. Other machines don’t have. It is already amazing that you can use a non real time midi command (explicit not real time by midi standard) in real time. You can furthermore apply bank select directly on steps (you are able to find out how it’s done)
Apart from that it feels intruding to talk rampant in @Lolitz post about a matter he did not ask.
100% agree. Also for those coming from Digitakt workflow: Naming parts is what you do on OT instead of naming patterns on DT.
Hi everybody… If I use bank B I keep having same issue and changes affect bank A as well when I use new samples in bank B… Is it possible? I’m using Part 1 in both banks, I still don’t manage that issue. Am I doing something wrong? I thought just changing the bank I could have a new song. Sorry for bothering again with the same and thanks in advance
Banks are not supposed to share same parts.
By default the OT points track 1 to Slot 1, track 2 to slot 2, etc.
Are you changing slot? Did you understand how to affect a sample to a different slot?
(sorry if it seems obvious but that’s the only thing that comes to my mind when reading your issue).
Yes, you can have new song, new sequences, BUT
Project has 1 Flex Sample list and 1 Static Sample list.
There is not 128 sample slots x 2 for every Bank.
If you are adding and using samples in slots 1-8 while in bank A, then change to bank B and switch samples in slots 1-8, this is why your pattern in Bank A is changing.
You are changing them.
Use slots 1-8 for Bank A, then slots 9-16 for Bank B, slots 17-24 for Bank C, etc
Thanks!! I´ll try again, I think that was the problem. This group is very talented
1 Like
Thanks for adding the details
I tend to use slots 1-9 for one shots
10-19 for bank 1
20-29 for bank 2
Etc.
All good!
It would not surprise me if everyone has worked out their own methodology.
@Lolitz
My advice was just a suggestion, to suggest visualizing the Octatrack in octet, since that helped me to grasp the machine. Hopefully that helps you.
I also agree there are some really talented Elektronauts! I’m continually amazed and inspired.
I now rarely use the OT with anything other than MIDI and playing back Recording Buffers via Flex Machines or PU’s.
When I was using samples, it was generally loops up to 96, one shots up to 119, and sample chains on the last 8.
These days in my setup it’s usually master tempo control, looper, effects/mangler and deploying & creating MIDI macros for other gear.