OT as central clock and thru distribution?

AdmiralBumbleBee · 2013-12-08T19:12:24.000Z

I’m working on changing my setup and I was wondering if it’s possible to use my OT to send clock to my MD/MnM/A4/etc… and to also send midi from my keyboard to all 4+ devices to operate on auto-channel?

As far as I can tell it’s not possible to pass midi through the ‘midi out’ or to send clock through ‘midi thru’.

If this isn’t possible with my elektron boxes, what would I need ideally to do this?

glaciertree · 2013-12-08T22:53:47.000Z

""AdmiralBumbleBee"":

I’m working on changing my setup and I was wondering if it’s possible to use my OT to send clock to my MD/MnM/A4/etc… and to also send midi from my keyboard to all 4+ devices to operate on auto-channel?

As far as I can tell it’s not possible to pass midi through the ‘midi out’ or to send clock through ‘midi thru’.

If this isn’t possible with my elektron boxes, what would I need ideally to do this?

I haven’t tried the sending of click through THRU… But regarding passing MIDI through the MIDI OUT, have you tried turning CC DIRECT CONNECT off?

AdmiralBumbleBee · 2013-12-09T00:24:58.000Z

It seems that if I set a midi track to listen to the correct channel, then it will pass midi through the midi-out port.

For instance if my monomachine is down the in->thru chain and listening for auto-channel on 2, I have to set a midi track on the octatrack to channel 2 and set my keyboard to output on channel to.

Keyboard(channel 2)->Octatrack Midi-In->Midi track 2 set to channel 2->Octatrack midi-out -> Monomachine Midi-in Auto-channel 2

I will experiment with this some more, but it seems to be acceptable. I somehow missed in the manual if it explains how incoming midi notes are handled. I’ll have to try and find that again.

sicijk · 2013-12-09T07:53:10.000Z

I am in same situation here.

But i would like to use Auto Channel just for fast playing different tracks (A4, MM) without the need to switch to a correct Midi channel.

But, does the use of a specific channel activated also on OT work well?

I mean: you set the keyboard to transmit Midi ch.2 and OT is in MIDI mode with track 2 assigned to ch.2.

So i expect that OT transmits on OUT port for ch.2, right?
Does anything change if i leave the MIDI mode on OT?

AdmiralBumbleBee · 2013-12-09T13:16:03.000Z

""sicijk"":

I am in same situation here.

But i would like to use Auto Channel just for fast playing different tracks (A4, MM) without the need to switch to a correct Midi channel.

But, does the use of a specific channel activated also on OT work well?

I mean: you set the keyboard to transmit Midi ch.2 and OT is in MIDI mode with track 2 assigned to ch.2.

So i expect that OT transmits on OUT port for ch.2, right?
Does anything change if i leave the MIDI mode on OT?

Your assumptions are correct.
So far my solution is to setup all 8 midi tracks on the OT as the channels I’m using, so 2 through 8.
If you switch out of midi mode, everything still works.
I just got up so I’m about to start working on this some more, I’ll keep this thread updated with my findings, and a detailed overview of the setup I arrive at when I do.

AdmiralBumbleBee · 2013-12-09T14:27:54.000Z

Ok, relevant information is on page 111 of the Octatrack 1.25b manual.

The following information assumes keyboard->OT midi-in, OT midi-out->other device. All trig midi channels set to OFF.

In midi mode, the octatrack’s auto-channel input will send out to the midi track’s current channel setting.

If you exit out of midi mode, auto channel will control the OT ‘as normal’. However, midi channels will still pass data from in->out on their assigned channels.

OT set to auto channel 1, external synth set to channel 2, midi track 1 set to channel 2. this is what things look like:

Midi mode on, focus midi track 1 -
Keyboard ch 1 -> OT out channel 2
Keyboard ch 2 -> OT out channel 2

Midi mode off, focus trig track 1 -
Keyboard ch 1 -> OT auto-channel controls on trig tracks.
Keyboard ch 2 -> OT out channel 2

So this means that I can simply setup the midi sequencer tracks to output to the channels I want. My keyboard always stays on the OT auto channel. When I want to use my other devices, I simply pop into midi mode and select the appropriate track. Leave midi mode and I’m controlling the OT again.

This works perfectly as the entire time I’m sending clock, transport and program change out of the OT as well. I now have 6 synths hooked up beyond the OT with no issues except a bit of clock lag.

husc · 2014-03-31T12:03:57.000Z

^

Just realized this. It took me almost 2 months too figure out, overRTFMing I guess!

It solves a lot of issues I have been having with routing and using max/msp as a midi hub. I can now midi slave a lot of stuff to the OT and use the above method to control all the slaves with any control/midi generator before my octatrack’s midi input.

For me personally this couldn’t have been easier. So, please Elektron don’t update the octatrack!!