Setting up for not-synced live looping of guitar and synth

[JES]

Greetings, I want to set up the OT to play back loops that I record live in as unsynced a way as possible. The process will involved playing into a Chase Bliss Blooper and then manually sampling that into the OT using the rec buttons (no recording trigs). Right now, I’m thinking:

Guitar or synth–>Amp–>h9–>Blooper–>OT input A
OT output CD in studio mode–>Ventris–>InputCD
Output–>Amp return

T1: Pickup machine (for overdubbing, etc). Input A. Set to One2, tiny fades, Max length, some extra RAM from tracks 5 and 8.

T2-4: Flex Machines, track “plays free” so I can sample into the track and trigger it at whatever time I want. Regular track recorders. Input A or CD, depending on what I want to do.

T5: Thru machine for Ventris (inputs CD&D, outs CD in studio mode will go to Ventris)

T6-7 saved for later

T8 Master with filter and comp.

The idea is that I control the sync with my hands, rather than locking to a clock. Sort of the opposite of techno.

What other settings should I enable to do this so that T2-4 aren’t synced to one another? Ideally, I’d like time stretch on so I can mess with pitch and playback rate independently.

What am I missing?

TIA.

[sezare56]

How do you want to control recordings?

With a foot controller able to send 2 notes, you can start to play a recording directly after ending it.

One 2 rec mode

Footswitch A : recording start (Note 60)
Footswitch B : recording stop (Note 60) and play recording with Flex (Note 84)

[JES]

I’ll be doing it by hand. The Blooper has a foot switch. I’ll be dubbing off the Blooper, rather than playing into the OT directly.

[sezare56]

@JES

by hand

Hard to play recording directly after recording by hand but you can trigger recordings with trigs 9-16. Plays Free if you want to sequence some parameters, but it would fit recording length easily (if free, not quantized).

[Clancy]

@sezare56

play recording directly after recording by hand

Chromatic sample playback via rate, not pitchshift?

I got a clunky workaround for part of this. I got nostalgic for my old akai with this straight-into-loop sampling ‘dj sampler’ style thing, so I wanted to make it happen! Track 1 is a thru set to A B, but HOLD max REL zero (or near zero) Track 2 is a flex set to its own rec buffer. Timestretch off, loop on, set to record A B, but with TRIG set to HOLD Track 2 must be the active track. Quick rec must be on Without running the sequencer you hold track 1 trig button (step 9 button) to monitor t…

[sezare56]

@Chromatic sample playback via rate

clunky workaround

Yes, a bit stressfull. I prefer midi way!
Works with midi loopback and Midi Plays Free

[JES]

Thanks. Just to triple check: there no way to use multiple pickup machines and NOT have it sync. Right?

PS — instant playback after recording isn’t a huge deal for me.

[JES]

Sorry, one other question.

One thing I’ve tried is a pickup machine on track recorder 1, playing into a flex machine on track 2 that listens to recorder slot 1.

What I can’t figure out is this: obviously, if I replace what’s in the pickup machine, the flex machine changes too.

Is there a way to keep the flex machine going, essentially, to save the sample as something other than track recorder 1, while the sample plays back in real time?

Obviously, I can save the sample to my pool, then load it in a new flex or static slot, but that would interrupt playback, and that’s quite a few button presses in the middle of a jam or performance. . .

Another option would be to have track 3 (and recorder 3) listen to the output of track 2 and hit record on that to keep the sound going when I want it. The only hitch here is if the original sound relies on the overdub function of the pickup machine on recorder 1 for a seamless sound, I won’t be able to do that on track / recorder 3, so the sound will change.

The possibilities are endless! But basically, if I could have a group of not-synced pickup machines, (this part of) my life would be complete.

[sezare56]

@JES

there no way to use multiple pickup machines and NOT have it sync.

And NOT changing tempo!
I still can’t believe slaved Pickups change tempo. I also don’t understand why master Pickup changes tempo with QREC set if you don’t record power of 2 multiples of QREC length (1,2,4,8,16…). If you record 3 times or 5 times QREC length, it’s fucked up. Same with slaved Pickups.

So unfinished. OT could be the ultimate looper. Works properly with defined length.

I changed my mind about Pickups since I realized I can swap to a Flex seemlessly after overdub (defined recording length).

[sezare56]

@JES

Is there a way to keep the flex machine going, essentially, to save the sample as something other than track recorder 1, while the sample plays back in real time?

Not sure to understand. With T2 you can record, play T1, and save T1.
AFAIK you need to resample if you don’t want to cut audio while saving a recording.
Or use huge Delay while saving!

[JES]

Okay, so I would resample into a 3rd track. Then the 2nd has the flex machine of the pickup machine in the 1st. Simple! (Lol.)

Yes, on the change tempo thing, too. Soooooo close.

[sezare56]

@JES

Okay, so I would resample into a 3rd track. Then the 2nd has the flex machine of the pickup machine in the 1st. Simple! (Lol.)

You don’t need 3 tracks! What about swapping Pickup (overdub) to a Flex? Worked for me recently.

[JES]

What I like about the pickup machines is the possibility for decay. So you keep overdubbing a loop and slowly the original sound disappears. So I definitely want to keep that. It’s part of how I do transitions.

[sezare56]

@JES

pickup machines is the possibility for decay

Possible with Flex and 2 recorders. Btw overdub is possible with 1 Flex, but it can be clicky. I prefer Pickups behavor for seemless loops.
Overdub with decay with Flex :

Destructive looping with Octatrack - #45 by sezare56