Thanks. I tried the master track and then thought maybe that was causing me issues, or was maybe easier to work out where I’m going wrong without it and yet another gain stage. I’d prefer to use a master track, but for now I think I’m best getting everything working.
Thanks, that was my thinking too.
Yeah, in a sense it might be easier without the extra gain stage the compressor adds, but I don’t think it’s a bad idea if you plan to compress later anyway, be that on the OT or outboard or on a DAW master. Should be OK if you keep the compressor gain at 0, right? Then you’ll hear when the levels you have are degrading the vibe and can back off, knowing that you’ll get a nice compensatory boost from the compressor later.
A trick from this forum I’ve used: recording the master output as a flex sample and using the sample editor to visually inspect the waveform. Might help you figure out if you’re running out of headroom on the master output.
I’ve heard that starting with the right sounds does wonders for mixing down the road
Also, don’t hate on the DJ Equalizer in the OT. I use it on every track.
When I was on the OT, I sampled into it just below hot level. Led was orange, but lower end orange. No normalising, and worked more with track volume, not so much with amplifiers. And only filter, eq and compressor within the OT. Almost never used more than five or six tracks, the eight being set to master. I got results I enjoyed from that.
I make HEAVY use of the filter and EQ options in my OT work, it’s critical to getting nice clean sounding mixes IMO. Pretty much every track has a filter or EQ active on it.
Don’t forget to use the filters built into the effects like Reverb and Delay too. Cleaning up the sub bass on those helps a ton too.
Depending on signals, you can go to red without clipping.
I made tests with a sine wave, it was full red from -12db (using OT noise gate as metering) without clipping. I had to push it above -0.3 db to get clipping. I think red is a -12 db headroom warning…
I’ve never owned nor used an OT, that being said, I think about the frequency range of what I’m putting into a track before I even touch an filter, volume or EQ knob. I deal with it before it is a problem. I know you (OP) know the basics of mixing–but when I make a patch or choose a sample I think about frequency before I record something–will it fit with what is already there? If I am working on my sampler only (Toraiz SP-16) if something is immediately muddy I go back to the drawing board, I don’t try to fix it later in the mix if there is a major problem–unless it is just an absolute necessity that new part be there, then I’ll try to make it work or fiddle with/replace other elements of the track.
I apologize if this is obvious.
Also, record just below hot and turn shxt down! (also, obvious maybe).
good thing is only allow subs on basses and kicks.
cut lows where you don‘t need them, yes, on hats and snares too! dont be shy on mid frequencies at basslines, reverbs as send, here too: cut lows, delay and reverb washes, so use little.
start mixing with different cans, iphone with and without ear buds, get your tracks into the car and listen there too.
search for glue compressor here.
only after you are satisfied, only then consider heat or something.
Equaliser is the most straightforward to work with in this kind of situation
DJ EQ and Filter are great effects but when I’ve had a meter connected I’ve seen overall track level staying level or even going UP when cutting with those! Especially the DJ-EQ.
It seems like there is some built-in gain compensation on those two that you don’t get with straight Equaliser
EDIT: Scrub the above - I finally watched something about the limited usefulness of typical metering on YouTube! It’s not actually getting louder…
I am only just starting to live the dream / nightmare.
I would imagine, and advice I’ve had to sort of live by on other samplers, is to try and keep an eye on mixing during the process. If you are doing a lot of resampling, maybe consider doing 2/3 similar resamples of that song making hook you stumbled upon, with different EQ roll offs on bottom and top, and try and think of how you are going to use it in the decisions, before you print over it.
All this without killing your vibe… So its probably helpful and terriblen advice at the same time, that i only selectively follow myself 
I’m new to the Octa and I guess my advice is just a variation of ‘garbage in, garbage out’, but I’d personally try and get the sound as close to how I want it before I sample it - of course that doesn’t always happen but it’s what I’d aim for.
At least when we’re talking about clinical sampling, like preparing a kick or recording a loop.
If it’s more creative mixing, or you’re making corrections because you’ve mangled the sample etc. then it makes sense but otherwise feels like a waste of an FX to me.
I guess you don’t always know how you want to EQ your tracks before you have your whole mix, but a lot of the basics can be covered.
Admitedly this is a bit more straightforward for me as I sample primarily from my mixer which has its own analog EQ and filter, but if we’re talking ‘set and forget’ EQ it makes sense to me for that to be sorted in the sample - or at the very least resampled.
Thanks all. I appreciate and understand all the general mixing advice. And I realise I need to take more notice of a lot of this as I go…
But like I said in the original post, I can sample into the Blackbox, or DAW or even the SP404mk2 and I’m not getting the same issues. there’s much more room…
I’ll be investigating the gain staging today. hopefully that’s where I’m going wrong. going to go in a lot hotter and make notes of where that sits on my mixers meter.
Having heard your music Bruce, Id say that’s all it is. You’re no slouch when it comes to a mix. Octatrack can be tricky to gain stage correctly, but once you’ve got the method. Tis easy.
Sample hot then turn down is the simple path. You can be in the red and not worry, clipping on the OT is very easy to hear. Also top tip- eq then resample = saves fx slots 
This is the way.
Open AED whilst sampling, watch the waveform, if it isn’t peaking a few pixels from the top of the screen turn up the input signal until it is 
Please no, can’t do round 3! This is clearly what I was doing wrong.
Look at this:
Can someone identify the bass synth ?
Norand mono
Lots of reading tonight. For anyone reading this down the road, this post really helped with the diagram
And this one