I’m considering buying an Octatrack but I don’t have the means of testing one out before I take the plunge and tbh, I probably wouldn’t know of the limitations until I’ve used it for quite a while.
I want to use the Octatrack live, potentially without any other gear/mixer/anything. So it has to be live the whole time with the sequencer constantly running.
I also want to use it for lots of improvisation. From the video’s I have seen, it looks really good for it. Certainly a step up from most other ‘live’ hardware.
I don’t want to use any prearranged ‘songs’, I want to jam with my patterns and obviously write patterns on the fly.
My question is what features, processes, menu’s cannot be accessed while the sequencer is running?
i.e:
Korg ER-1 - Can only access half the menu when the Seq is running.
Maschine - Can’t edit a different pattern on the same channel unless that pattern is playing.
Hopefully I have been clear enough!
Look forward to some replies.
So I can’t think of any menus that can’t be accessed live. You can even edit wavs live (loop points and such) You can’t edit patterns that aren’t already live though, so that’s a limitation.
The only limitations relevant to what you’re asking are parameters and which ones are p-lockable and scene-lockable.
Each page of channel settings have parameters which can be p-locked (on the step sequencer) on trigs. Each page also has a “Setup” section, with other settings you can’t p-lock or scene-lock.
An example of one is distortion in the filter effect. You are free to enter the setup menu and tweak the distortion live if you wish, but you can’t automate it. You’d need to choose the distortion effect itself to be able to do that.
Another example is the spatializer. In it’s setup menu it has mid-side features (mid gain, side gain) which cannot be assigned to any trigs or scenes (bummer).
For the most part these settings are the least likely that you’d want to automate, it’s thoughtfully laid out.
Hope that answers your question well enough
If you decide to get an Octatrack, best of luck! Live tweakage and improvisation are it’s forte.
The only thing I know it can’t be done in real time is the Save. When you save your current project, the sequencer is stopped.
Otherwise, everything can be done in real time, while the sequencer is running. From “copy/clear/paste” (pattern/track/pages/trigs…)" to everything you want or imagine.
Sorry about the formatting of my first post. Not sure what happened there!
Hades, you say that you can’t edit patterns that aren’t already live.
As in, on the same track you can’t have pattern A, copy&paste to make pattern B, and make a vitiations while pattern A is looping?
Could it not be done with the crossfader? So can you set pattern B to the other side?
Ok so we have to get the terminology correct, because it gets very confusing
So you can absolutely do what you are saying -.crossfade between tracks using a scene, edit the data and then cross back. That will all take place inside a single pattern between two tracks.
An Octatrack pattern is a collection of trig data for all tracks, think of it like MIDI data. It’s data consists of the sample being triggered, pitch, what’s p-locked, timescale info etc. (Not channel settings or effects settings, that’s what Parts contain).
So say you have a fully populated pattern. All 8 tracks have data in them. Using scenes you can crossfade between tracks, or a combinations of tracks. You can also change effects etc to make really dynamic song changes.
You’re free to change the data in this pattern live, but if you want to make a copy of it to make some changes it’s much more difficult.
You need to go to a new pattern and paste the info down, which will involve a moment (at least) of silence.
A way around this could be using a track to always record what you’re doing, and when you go to a new pattern you activate a scene that unmutes it filling the empty space until you paste the data down.
That’s a big muckaround though.
It sounds like you’d probably be pretty happy working in single patterns (and thinking of them as whole ‘songs’). You can do a LOT with a single pattern. Parts haven’t even been brought up yet… Jeez!
Edit: Clarification. I just re-read your post and realised you were basically asking if you can do what I described (looping, pasting and then editing). It’s the thing that’s a big muckaround. At least I consider it to be, as i’ve never had success with it! Hah!
Its all very realtime, once you get your head around it…
If you really want to go to a new pattern, which is empty.
there is nothing stopping you… sampling a loop in pattern_a01. make it automagicly loop that recording, and make it play until your ears fall off… With scenes. you could mute out anything you want… go to the next pattern (pattern_a02). while still muting everything except your recording… add new stuff to other tracks. and fade to that.
u can instantly create breaks with recordings you are doing NOW… and all that jazz.
so yeah, compared to whatever groovegear i have seen, this must be in the top3 of very realtime sampling samplers… but… (yeah, always a but) … it did take some effort in getting every methode clear, so i could adopt it in my workflow… it all sounds easy. but you gotta do it 100times before it is …
Your questions are very legitimates, i had the same before getting my OT.
But if you’re not familiar with the Elektron machines, you will be surprised (i hope in good), and you’ll find new ways to create, improvise and play your tracks. A lot of fun you can’t imagine before entering Elektron’s world.
I used to play a lot with my Access Virus, without computer nor sequencer, just by using the multi mode and arpeggios. That was already cool.
Improvising with the octa is lot much better fun and creative ! The P-locks and scenes are already a great way to make lots of things.
