OT and AR: Do they act as one unit?

Hey guys,

I am thinking about getting an OT to use it together with my Rytm, but I got some questions concerning the workflow of both units combined. It would be great if you could answer my questions.

The OT should expand the functions of my Rytm. I want to use my Rytm mainly for drums, and short samples, whereas the OT plays longer samples, for examples melodies, vouce samples, loops etc or samples some parts of the Rytm to save its voices. Also, I was wondering if the OT could apply effects on some parts of the AR by connecting the individual outputs of the AR to the Inputs of the OT.

Now, my main concern is that both units do not feel as one. I am a bit “touchy/sensitive” when it comes to combining some gear with other. For example, I never used the sequencing capabilites of my MPC 1000, because it did not work with my synths properly. Program changes were not transmitted or sometimes too late and automation did not work well, either. The only setup which works for me is the combination of mutliple electribes. This setup really feels like one big device, since everything (bpm, pattern changes) is in sync.

So finally my questions is, whether the OT and the AR can be set up in a way that feels like my electribe setup. I turn them (OT and AR) on, work on a pattern, where some elements are played on the AR, others on the OT, and there are no issues. It would be great if the OT could act as a mixer as well.

I hope that I described my problem correctly, so that you understand me. Thanks in advance for reading my post.

Here’s the hang up. On the AR you have one pattern per kit. Dt too I think but I don’t have one. On the OT it’s four kits per 16 patterns. So you have to make accommodation.

I don’t have AR but OT+A4, I find them very complementary ! :thup:

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The OT is more a longer term learning proposition. Nobody will be able to estimate how long it will take you to adapt, or how successful you will be. I have undertaken learning them as single units, then integrating them over time. They will play nicely together but it really depends how well you learn each individual unit.

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Hey O-12,
I’d check the OT manual on the external processing, I know the external ins on my AK function as an input that you can apply FX too, but I don;t think you can do the same on the OT (happy to be corrected and to learn if someone knows better!)

That said, it’s you meta point of “does it feel like a single instrument and not a bunch of loosely connected boxes that don’t act as a single workflow” (paraphrasing.)

I have OT,AK,AR,Heat and now DT. The OT + AR is absolutely an awesome combo, I have mine setup in the dual rack / end cheeks you can get so they’re almost physically one unit.
Much of the learning you have done with AR around “the elektron way” will translate to OT, the only annoyance for me is that the OT doesn’t have the trig conditionals that the AR does and I use that all the time on the other devices.

I also sequence a virus ti2 from the OT and that works well. I love the workflow on any combo of elektron devices, they all seems to work well together, but the OT is one of the most inspiring and creative tools I have ever had and would probably be the “if you could only take one machine to a desert island” nominee. Yes it has limitations, yes a DAW can do “so much more” but that’s not the point IMHO… OT is a beautiful instrument, it’s “whole” transcends the “sum of its features” I just love this thing.

On the less positive side, I think the OT does need some feature updates (conditional trigs on audio and midi like the DT would be awesome) and TBH even though elektron just did a recent manufacturing run on the OT, I would have to imagine a replacement model is in the works, but that’s just a guess and would likely be a year away if it even exists. So the OT is a little old … but goodness it is fun!

I hope this helps

rw

So right! The return on time investment with elektron gear is huge. I still go back and watch YouTube product demos, and Cuckoo and other folks using elektron gear as I’m always learning something and I’m reasonably technical.

Also @ Roy , interested in your comment about 4kits per pattern V 1 kit on the AR, this isn’t a problem for me but obviously is for you! How does this mess up your workflow? Just interested not a criticism :slight_smile:

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I find them to be pretty complementary as well. I have it set up where ProgCh messages from the OT change pattern on the AR, and I can record midi into the AR from the OT. I dont worry about the OT’s 4 part thing - its not like you are required to use more than one. I route the AR audio through the OT to take advantage of sampling, fx and master fx. I think I’d prefer to route the OT through the AR, but could never ideally balance volumes because of the AR’s super quiet input.

@Richard-What is a conditional trig? I’m just curious as I have not used this function on the AR yet.
I own both and I’m just now starting to sync them together-OT as master. I can already tell this is going to be amazing (also have a Korg Volca Bass receiving midi notes from OT). Go ahead and take the plunge, you won’t regret it. Plus they just look so cool together!

Depends what you’re doing I guess. I’m fixated on my live set so it’s pattern one is song one, etc. Which means that if you want that same number to correlate to the ot then you have to start using slices or get fancy in some other way to have the pattern numbers match up. Otherwise you run out of kits after the fourth pattern. There are work around but with the OT you’re already keeping so much in your head while you play that it can get overwhelming in the dark in the heat of the moment.

Thanks for all your answers, Now I am a bit more optimistic about the OT, though I still got some questions.

@RoyShade: I try to perform as little as possible with my Rytm, meaning that I prefer to have everything recorded (if possible). I un/mute parts and use the scene and perfomance mode, but most of the time, I press play and most of the action is already recorded (boring, I know). So all this fancy stuff Dataline did with controlling some volcas with the OT and mangling their sound is not my cup of tea. I like to work an a song, save it, load it a few hours or days later, work on it again, etc.

@Zac_Kyoti Your setup sounds very, very promising! Your workflow probably differs from mine, but would it be possible to explain your workflow with the OT and AR in some words? Is it possible for you to create a pattern with different parts on AR and OT, maybe even with some fx on the AR, save everything and load it? Is it possible to combine all patterns via program change messages? Since this is exactly what I want, to have a pattern of x bars on the rytm, corresponding to a pattern of x bars on the OT.

@Richard90048 Thanks for your answer as well. Sounds great to hear that both units are “physically one”, I know that the OT is not Elektron’s newest model, though the DT is not really an option for me. The OT, at least that is what I want it to do, should play/record samples, add fx to some parts and mix it the audio of my Rytm. So for me, the OT is good enough. You also said: "external ins on my AK function as an input that you can apply FX too, but I don;t think you can do the same on the OT " I have not read everything in the manual, but at least it is possible sample the Rytm’s signal and then apply fx on it.

@Olivander I think you have 3 users who love the OT and use it in different ways, it is an awesome tool but a little quirky. I think the best approach (for me) is to see where the machine leads you rather than coming at it with a specific deliverable. I tend to load it up with some samples I like, get some patterns going, get some interesting cross fades going and then resample the output of the OT to itself… then slice that loop into samples…you get the idea. I am using this in my studio and ultimately record into ableton. @Roy is really brave and taking this all live!
@Roy I totally understand your POV and I think I’d adapt my workflow to mirror yours if I was going live. Even now I’m always making mistakes saving stuff on the OT.
That said, for me it sounds so freaking good and really inspires me every time I switch it on (which is everyday) yes it has flaws, but so does my mini moog :slight_smile:

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Just to clarify,
On AR you “can” have one pattern per kit.
You can also have 128 patterns linked to one kit.
Or 4 patterns linked to one kit, or 27 patterns linked to one kit, etc. etc.

So in this way, you “can” set up AR like OT, where 4 patterns reference a single kit, and avoid that hang up.
That’s exactly how I have always set up my Elektrons.
A tune = “1 kit & 4 patterns”

You can set it up on AR however you like.

On DT, you can have “no more” than one pattern per kit. The kit is in the pattern itself. There is no kit browser, or kit load, or kit paste.

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The biggest discord for me between the AR and Octatrack is that the AR has 128 patterns and the OT has 256. The workaround I use so that there is a 1:1 pattern ratio between the two machines when sending direct program change per pattern is to have two AR projects per OT project, but I also have the ability to restart the transport of the AR in sync after loading a project so this approach can’t work for everybody.
Also, I much prefer the intuitive nature of the bank/pattern select on the OT. 16 banks of 16 patterns selected via trig keys. I don’t know why they they abandoned this approach. Going back to the old style bank/pattern select on the analog series was a step backwards IMO. Otherwise, yea the two machines work beautifully together.

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To answer some of your original questions.
Yes, these two units can feel as one.
You can use the OT like a mixer for the AR with some individual outs.
Personally I like using the OT to drive the AR where the AR’s patterns follow the OT.
I also like creating songs in Song Mode on the OT and letting that drive the AR.
You can use Midi Tracks from the OT and apply more LFO’s, program scenes and perf modes on the AR.
You can also midi back into the OT and have a midi track that controls the crossfader and scenes.
It’s a wonderful combination, that offers a lot of different possibilities, and a lot of fun.

The two boxes differ in their OS preferences, such as saving files, samples, kits vs parts etc.
It’s still very cohesive.
And I know it’s not a popular opinion, but the OT is really simple to learn and use, it’s just capable of doing a lot of things.
Also the FX sound amazing on the OT. The ability to sculpt stacked FX using neighbor machines, scenes and the cross is incredible.
When it comes to “Parts” think of it like this, you have 4 parts per bank, you can assign these parts to 16 patterns.

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Yeah - its pretty much been said already, but you can set up either machine to program change pattern on the other. Or use a daw to send a PCh to the OT which can then change the pattern on the AR. Add some legato-style pattern jumping on the AR for variation, and drop back seamlessly into the established pattern relationship. It’s all pretty straightforward - to me the biggest obstacle is keeping the relationships between the machines organized.

I usually do one project per song, since I do not perform live. In this context, it is probably possible to have about five or six individual patterns per machine (OT and AR), right? Also, sending pattern changes to the AR should not be a problem?

@JuanSOLO This sounds great, especially that the OT can control parts of the AR. Most important thing for me, though, is, that the corresponding patterns on both machines can be easily sync’ed with each other and that no data gets lost. For example, I would hate to use a TR-8, since you cannot store the sounds setting per pattern. This would drive me crazy.

You can set either box up so it syncs to the others patterns.
So if you’re selecting patterns on one box, the other will follow, or you program a “song mode,” the other box follows.
It’s super simple to set up and definitely makes things easy if you like working that way.
I like using the OT to drive the others because it offers some cool features in song mode.
As stated before, the OT does not store kit’s per pattern like the AR can, it’s more like having 4 kits (parts) per bank.
However this doesn’t seem that odd considering how the OT works.