Recording an external synth that is sequenced by OT

I did follow the steps exactly like sezares explained, in a new project, that’s what frustrates me. Guess I’ll try again later.

Ok I just connected my Octatrack to my pc via USB because I wanted to remove some files to really make a fresh start. I see the wav files of the recordings I make, I click on them and I hear the sound! So I guess the recording succeeded. But why can’t I hear it on the OT?

Here is a video I made on how to do this. I sequenced/sampled my Moog Sub 37 and Analog 4 to my OT recently:

Quick Tip: set the option for one touch recording under the Personalizations menu!

You need to connect MIDI IN from your external synth to the MIDI OUT on the Octatrack. Set the clock and transport settings on the OT so it can receive/send MIDI cc to the synthesizers.

Good point!
If you want to listen your recording, select corresponding Recording in the R1-R8 Flex slots list, press FN+Yes. (R3 with Track 3 recorder)

You can also play it, selecting it the corresponding Flex slot for a Flex track, placing a trig.

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I’m mystified. So I have the sound sample, I can play it on my pc no problem like I explained in my previous post. But on my OT I can’t seem to get it to play. When I select the sample in the slots list to preview it I still get no sound. Tried it in a new project as well. Is there some kind of volume level or something that I need to check?

I’m busy for a bit but I’ll see if I can figure it out later…
I swear it gets easy… :slight_smile: Its just hard to learn the OT but once it clicks you get it and then you just save the part and the project and you don’t have to mess with the setup anymore…

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I’m sorry but I don’t think your video explains what my question is about. I have a similar set up in that I sequence multiple external gear to my OT (MK1) via a MIDI thru box, that works like a charm. It’s the recording of a sequence that I’ve had a question about.

Ok no problem,

You do need to set the mixer so that your inputs are audible. Connect your external synth and check to see if green light comes on for the A, B, C, or D area.

With a new project, without changing track LEVEL and VOL you should be able to hear your recordings with FN+YES.

No midi controller plugged that would change levels ?

Yeah the inputs are audible. I can see the green lights and I hear the sounds. My recording doesn’t have sound though :slight_smile:

Hmm perhaps my TR8-S interferes? Will check when I can. Although when I was testing with a new project earlier, the TR-8S wasn’t turned on and also not set up on a thru track.

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Ok I think I know why you are not hearing sounds from your OT!

After you sample record from your external synths, go into the audio sound editor menu on the OT by pressing the AED key (on MKI model it may be different). Check the settings as you may need to adjust the levels for volume of the sample.

I had a problem like this after recording a sample from my Moog Sub 37 and after changing the volume of the sample it was fixed! HTH

Just checked, the gain is +12db in the audio editor menu. However I change it doesn’t give me sound. Thanks for the suggestion.

keep turning up the gain and see if you can hear anything you may need to increase it more- otherwise check connections not sure what the issue is then-

send Elektron support your issue they helped me a lot when I had problems with my OT and A4!

With the instructions on the thread, a recorder track is used to make the recording with a trig to record on step one. At the same time the recorder buffer of that recorder track is loaded to a flex track with a trig to play it on step one…

In this scenario you don’t have to monitor with the mixer or a thru track, because the flex is playing the recorder buffer while its recording…

If you get it to work but also have a thru track, your sound will be doubled…

The play track in your tests isn’t muted is it?
You don’t have a one shot on the flex play track do you?

Also maybe try with a solid red record trig instead of a one shot just to see what happens, in that case the recording will refresh at every pattern cycle and you can remove the record trig during a cycle to keep that last cycles recording and not re record. As long as the right recorder buffer is loaded to a flex with a trig in step one (not one shot) and the track isn’t muted, the flex track will be monitoring the recording… It will loop after you remove the record trig…

If you can make a video that would help, it’s usually not this hard, something is weird, you should be able to set it up in 30 seconds and it should just work…

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Sorry, I don’t want to be too rude but I think you should wait before trying to help. 3 weeks with OT is not enough to give advices. Your moving / shaking vertical videos don’t help !

Not sure it’s a good idea to write to Elektron every time you’re stuck with something.
They should be available for more important things.

Recordings default Attributes GAIN is always 12db, unless you modified it, or loaded a sample with different attributes.
Irrelevant with a new project.

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this may seem strange but anyway i would imagine there is a technically logical reason for it … the 12db of Gain assigned to a sample by default is due to the fact that somehow when a recording is made by the OT, a 12db attenuating reduction of gain is applied transparently to the user, and so the 12db Gain that is then viewed in the Attributes section is the OT making up that initial 12db auto-reduction of Gain.

also to mention, for new users of the Octatrack, the Merlin Manual on the Octatrack is almost “required reading”. Do a search for it as the brief pdf is well worth having a look at.

one more thing to mention: if a recording is made and then saved, and then after that the Attributes Gain setting is adjusted to taste, then use the Save Settings option for the OT to remember that change. But anyway, that 12db of Gain is actually 0db of Gain due to the previous auto-reduction of 12db of Gain made by the OT at the time of the recording.

I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying about monitoring. As far as I know I’m not doing any monitoring with mixer or thru track, I’ve just followed the instructions earlier or in the thread, also with a new project.

I set up the thru track to hear + sequence the BSII. If I don’t have it, I don’t have a sound to record? But maybe I’m not understanding your point.

To answer your questions, track 3 isn’t muted and I have a normal trig on the first step of the track, not a one shot trig. I will try with a normal trig in the recording setup later tonight and post the result. If I still can’t get it to work, I will post a video of my setup and the process of setting up the recording.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to help!

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Well, it’s all good, but what I’ve been getting at is to follow the very simple instructions…

If your using track 3 and also using a thru track, your not following the instructions as neither of those were mentioned…

Again it’s all good, but for the fourth time on this thread I’ll say again, with that setup on a new project making no other changes, you will hear the synth being sampled through the flex track… You do not need a thru track or to use the mixer for that setup… Simply create a new project and do absolutely nothing but sezares instructions…

As you learn the OT there’s tons of different ways to then combine the mixer/thrus/pickups/and recorders with flex for monitoring(hearing the synth), and tons of ways to mix them using scenes. But if you do too much at first it will only complicate you figuring it out and also make it so we can’t help you because we don’t know what else you’ve done…

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