Soon a Octatrack owner....tutorials?

Hans_Olo · 2014-12-23T09:11:52.000Z

Hi Fleuw,

have you used any other Elektrons before? Anyway, the recent workflow video on electron.se gives a quick overview. There’s a couple on youtube also that might help.
When I got mine I tried to focus on one topic at a time, e.g., one night just Midi sequencing one of my synths, one night sampling external sources, then added the crossfader/scenes to switch between playing the synths output and the sampled material and so on. Once you’ve got the basics down, sky’s the limit.

Good luck,
Hans

G0n35y · 2014-12-23T09:26:59.000Z

At my work PC which is basically a hunk of shit with a barely functioning internet browser but search the forum as someone put together a really good flow chart image with hyperlinks to various videos and things to read (like Merlin’s guide).

Don’t overload on tutorials - the guys in these videos are fantastic on the OT which can get quite disheartening when picking up the machine.

I’d work through Elektron’s tutorial/demo videos (there are about 8 and a further half a dozen or so “pro” videos) to get a feel for what it can do and then forget reading/videos and just try to learn what you can. One thing that is obvious about the OT is that there are so many different ways to use it so no point trying to force fancy sampling techniques if that isn’t going to be your thing for example.

Good luck and be patient! It’ll click eventually!

Shoki · 2014-12-23T09:33:46.000Z

Some thoughts on Elektron’ s Octatrack - Elektron-Users

doomglue · 2014-12-23T10:30:31.000Z

start here
http://www.mindmeister.com/de/310663045/elektron-octatrack-video-tutorial-index

Zymos · 2014-12-23T14:22:20.000Z

[quote=“” J0n35y""]
At my work PC which is basically a hunk of shit with a barely functioning internet browser but search the forum as someone put together a really good flow chart image with hyperlinks to various videos and things to read (like Merlin’s guide).

[/quote]

Was it this? Updated Elektron Octratrack Video Tutorial Index Mindmap – Mark Mosher

udenjoe · 2014-12-23T15:26:32.000Z

I use it all the time with vinyl or anything else. You have to tap your tempo on the OT to match your source. Then you start recording your loops. You also have to reset your slice points if you change the tempo.

This gives you an idea of what it can do as far as live recording. I’m thinking you will want to make several samples of songs that you can trigger as well.

Take your time learning how to record and how the recorder buffers work. Keep your learning focused and simple. It is easy to forget some simple detail that will hinder you from recording or playback. I’ve had many frustrating times with it.

That tutorial video index is really all you need besides having the actual machine in front of you. Learn the one shot record trig or using scenes to record. Either way will work for you.

license · 2014-12-23T15:52:47.000Z

""Shoki"":

Some thoughts on Elektron’ s Octatrack - Elektron-Users

Yes. Read this whole thing first. Refer to the manual as needed.

jepek · 2014-12-23T16:02:40.000Z

""license"":

[quote=“Shoki”]Some thoughts on Elektron’ s Octatrack - Elektron-Users

Yes. Read this whole thing first. Refer to the manual as needed.[/quote]
Merlins guide is very useful!

Will come over to teach you as soon as you get them!

Fleuw · 2014-12-23T16:49:06.000Z

I can only say…wow! This is the wonderful thing with This forum …everyone is helpful and seems really glad to help out. Thanks for all the good links and advice. I have a A4 and AR so i have some basic elektron knowledge that will be helpful when i get My Octa
Now i have some reading and links to go thru before i have the machines here…

BIG thanks and a happy holiday to u all

Fleuw · 2014-12-23T16:51:46.000Z

""jepek"":

[quote=“license”][quote=“Shoki”]Some thoughts on Elektron’ s Octatrack - Elektron-Users

Yes. Read this whole thing first. Refer to the manual as needed.[/quote]
Merlins guide is very useful!

Will come over to teach you as soon as you get them!

[/quote]
Jepek : ill be waiting for u Hopefully i have monitorstands here so we dont need to move all equipment around as usual

seenfromspace · 2014-12-23T17:25:37.000Z

I did a tutorial on Scenes recently:

The OT manual is, shall we say, a fine example of engineer-written documentation i.e. unintelligible to a lot of people. This is a much more complex machine that the A4, and the manual is necessarily thicker. It was my first Elektron box and I struggled to understand the manual. There are still things about the OT I’ve never mastered, and not for want of reading the relevant chapter over and over!

But… don’t let me put you off buying one! You won’t regret it, and as you say the folks here are mucho helpful. If you already understand Elektron sequencers, that’s a great start.

license · 2014-12-23T18:05:25.000Z

""Fleuw"":

I can only say…wow! This is the wonderful thing with This forum …everyone is helpful and seems really glad to help out. Thanks for all the good links and advice. I have a A4 and AR so i have some basic elektron knowledge that will be helpful when i get My Octa
Now i have some reading and links to go thru before i have the machines here…

BIG thanks and a happy holiday to u all

This gear is awesome but complex and sometimes difficult to wrap one’s head around, so it benefits all of us to help each other out. I’m looking forward to learning from you, too

andreasroman · 2014-12-23T18:48:47.000Z

I’d say that the rep on Octatrack’s hard learning curve is a bit misangled. It’s a complex machine, but not a difficult one. Since it can do so many things, the workflow is more up to you rather than the machine, which is why learning one feature at a time keeps you from being overwhelmed.

But each feature in itself isn’t particularly complicated. Once you’ve learned the basics, you’ll just zip through the menus in no time, sampling, triggering, building patterns in minutes.

So - don’t be overwhelmed. Think of it as a toolbox. Then learn one tool at a time.

license · 2014-12-23T19:56:14.000Z

""andreasroman"":

I’d say that the rep on Octatrack’s hard learning curve is a bit misangled. It’s a complex machine, but not a difficult one. Since it can do so many things, the workflow is more up to you rather than the machine, which is why learning one feature at a time keeps you from being overwhelmed.

But each feature in itself isn’t particularly complicated. Once you’ve learned the basics, you’ll just zip through the menus in no time, sampling, triggering, building patterns in minutes.

So - don’t be overwhelmed. Think of it as a toolbox. Then learn one tool at a time.

Very true. It’s tempting to think of the Octatrack (or any of the Elektrons, really) as an all-in-one machine but I’ve always had the best luck with the OT when I just focus on one aspect of it: sequencer, controller, mixer, processor, OR sampler. MAYBE two of these at a time. I haven’t even really used it as a looper yet. Furthermore, at least in my experience, it seems to work better with one audio source rather than on its own.

ehrek · 2014-12-23T20:07:28.000Z

Hey Fleuw!

Welcome to the club.

So do you plan to play finished tracks loaded to the OT or to sample from other sources as you play?

Fleuw · 2014-12-23T20:49:47.000Z

""ehrek"":

Hey Fleuw!

Welcome to the club.

How do you plan to use the OT? There are as many answers as users, but most fit in to several key categories.

If you can answer this question you are halfway there.

It took me almost two years.

E

Well Im selling My CDJ player for a Octatrack because mixing with CDJ players are a bit like learning to ride a bike…when u know how u dont need to learn IT again. So i gonna learn to DJ with the Octatrack first of all (want a challenge) then sampling external sound sources, use IT with A4/AR to make some sweet music And after that i gonna try to learn to MIDI sequnce external gear.
So

Mixing/Dj ing
Sampling
Use for making music with A4/AR
MIDI sequence external gear
I think i will approace the Octatrack in that order. I will see when i have IT infront of me:P

Fleuw · 2014-12-23T20:54:37.000Z

""seenfromspace"":

I did a tutorial on Scenes recently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdejzeYBF3c

The OT manual is, shall we say, a fine example of engineer-written documentation i.e. unintelligible to a lot of people. This is a much more complex machine that the A4, and the manual is necessarily thicker. It was my first Elektron box and I struggled to understand the manual. There are still things about the OT I’ve never mastered, and not for want of reading the relevant chapter over and over!

But… don’t let me put you off buying one! You won’t regret it, and as you say the folks here are mucho helpful. If you already understand Elektron sequencers, that’s a great start.

Great tutorial…very straight forward and easy to understand. Thanks

Elektronot · 2014-12-25T01:44:31.000Z

Is there a link for key combo shortcuts?

alex3368 · 2014-12-25T02:08:55.000Z

http://googleitfor.me/?q=octatrack+key+shortcuts

Elektronot · 2014-12-25T02:23:44.000Z

haha i guess i should stop using bing.