Proper way to save so the OT is in the same state when I power it up?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

I feel like I am missing something here.

Example issue - I will have a flex machine with a sample in it that I have trimmed into a loop and then ill slice it up and add effect movements…etc. I save the project, save the trimmed sample but when I power on and open up the project again all the trigs are gone and the trimmed sample needs to be reloaded and re- sequenced.

I have not learned parts yet, so do I need to save the part as well? I feel like this may be it, but I don’t want to lose another day of work.

I’d love to have a foolproof checklist of how to save on the OT before I power it off, so when I power it back on it’s just like I left it.

#2

Make sue you save your record buffers, or they will disappear when you turn the OT off. And yes, also always save parts. Actually save parts immediately and frequently. Last would be save project. Save, save, save, practice, practice.
At some point it will be natural.

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#3

Ok thanks! So I wasnt saving parts and that was killing me I think. So the process:

Save Parts a lot.

Save samples - save sample settings when I trim or chop and then save and assign sample to a track.

Save project when shutting down and save parts again to be safe. Save record buffers if I have stuff in there that I will want o mess with again.

Does that cover it?

#4

Yeah, I’m pretty sure. I don’t even save my project before shutting down. But, that’s just me. When you first start it’s best to learn things the right way, then as you learn more the OT will lead the way.

#5

This is the step that’s really rinse repeat to me. But it depends on what you do and make. In my case, most of what I do is recording 2 or 4 bar loops with OT from other synths/modular. I record a loop into a track buffer and play it with a flex on the same track. Every time I’m happy and want to keep it, I go to AE (Audio Editor), make sure the settings are good (loop, timestretch), and go to the most right page to save and assign (I assign loops that I don’t mangle to Static). Then change the track to Static and select the last sample slot.

It’s starting to become quick muscle memory finally.

#6

Already good advice above.

If your recorder buffers have not been saved to disk, do that first. ‘Save sample settings’ saves things like slices, trim points etc, you only need to do that once.

Save Part anytime you want to revert to a certain state. Save project to consolidate your work for easy recall.

With a bit of practice, muscle memory takes over. I can save my work way quicker than it takes to type out how to do it.

Save part, save project means OT will be exactly as it was when I last turned it off.

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#7

I usually only save recorded samples from the buffers and the project. Pretty sure parts are saved with the project

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#8

I thought this too. Can anyone (@sezare56) confirm that parts are saved when you save the project?

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#9

:coffee: Parts settings are saved with bank files, that are saved with the Project. SAVING PARTS IS NOT AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY! Saving project suffice if you want to reload a previous state.

Saving parts can be usefull in live situations to reload their settings, after messing, but if you do so, you have to save project at least once after saving parts, because if you reload a project, you also reload previous part state, and loose the part you saved. That’s why I never save parts unless I want part reload, otherwise there is too much saving actions.

Once you have saved a project, if you only changed a bank, you can save the bank only. The saved bank is reloaded with the project (or can be reloaded individually). It can be interesting in certain circonstances, like reloading a specific bank without reloading other banks. Worth a look.

Saving recordings is necessary if you want to keep them. I usually choose Assign to Free Flex, or Free Static for long files.
You have to select corresponding slots.
If you choose Assign to Self, buffers are not empty at startup, it can be annoying if you want to record something else.

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#10

exactly. I assign them to self usually cause I‘m lazy, unless I know that I have to record something else in that project.
In my liveset I do a lot of resampling, but I never have to save the recordings cause I overwrite the buffers anyway with each new song

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#11

Another thing worth checking - a flashing “x” in the sample slot list will mean that the sample was edited but has not been saved, if so navigate to it with arrow/level encoder, and save it by going into audio editor and saving at the file tab, either save sample copy or save and assign, don’t change name and it will ask overwrite ok? Hit yes.

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#12

Ideally you would get into saving parts after getting familiar with saving (and assigning) buffers

I would also get confident with what saving a project means first too

As for parts, there can be pitfalls:

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#13

Related question for the OT experts. I’m only using a single Part per Project (and often only a single pattern), so as long as I save my buffer recordings and save the Project itself, I have no need to ever save the Part as well, right?

#14

Yes. All parts settings are saved with banks which are saved with projects.
Saving bank would suffice if you use only 1 bank.

Can be used musically though.
Mess with settings > reload.

Can also be used with Page Randomize ( Page+Yes) :
You need to save part to reload previous settings (Page+No)
Otherwise you reload default page settings.

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#15

Ok, here is what I don’t get.

Before I made this thread I had trimmed a sample and saved it. Then I chopped and mangled with LFOS…etc. That trimmed sample was indeed saved. But when I powered off and turned back on, the chops I had made were gone and the sample was not loaded into track 1 anymore. I had to go into the track pool and select the trimmed sample I saved and then rechop it.

Obviously I don’t want a repeat of that since I tend to find happy accidents once I start P locking and adding LFOs everywhere.

So how can I preserve all of that so when I turn the OT back on, it is the exact same way I left it?

#16

Normally nothing to do for that.
You can make a test. Tweak everything, turn off, turn on : same previous state.

I don’t know what happened to you, but at first I had wtf moments too.

Safer to save project, and for an important project eventually SAVE AS NEW + SAVE just after. Better to save as in case of corrupted bank on the card.
Happened to me, my card was full and maybe needed to be formated or “defragmented?”

Was sample in rec buffer ? Did you save Sample Settings ? (TRIM / SLICES / ATTRIBUTES settings can be saved in a .ot file)

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#17

Hmm interesting.

I have formatted my card so that seems ok.

I did save sample settings I think. Anyway, I will try again and see what happens.

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#18

Did you record the sample on a track recorder or load it into OT?

If the former, you need to save and assign the sample (assign to free flex/static) to one of the slots, better practice than assign to self IMHO.

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#19

I have all my tracks as flex. I will double check and do all those things now as Im working on a project today.

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#20

Recordings are part of Flex slots, so it doesn’t tell us if your sample was in Flex Recording slots (before slots 1-8).

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