Switching Between Sample Assignments

OP_01 · 2014-09-15T13:00:32.000Z

OK, this is a basic question, so apologies, but I recently bought the Octatrack to integrate into my live set up and I just cannot get my head around the architecture: banks, patterns, parts, blah blah blah!

I just need a tiny bit of basic help if anyone can spare two mins . . .

I’ll the use machine alongside a laptop and two synthesisers. The laptop will play big chunks of audio — stems etc — over eight songs. When a song changes, I need Octatrack to quickly change to another collection of pre-loaded samples. So, for instance, I might have some drums I want to use on the Octatrack on my first song, but then switch to some other vocal samples on song two etc.

I thought the way to do this was by loading different samples into different banks. But when I load samples into bank 2, they now appear in bank 1 as well. Grrrr. It’s driving me mad.

Can someone help me to understand what on earth I should be doing?

THANKS!

huuper · 2014-09-15T13:46:26.000Z

I’m not sure what you mean by sample bank 1 and sample bank 2. There is no such thing.

When you switch to a new pattern bank (e.g. going from A01 to B01), you can change what samples are assigned to the tracks. All the samples you have loaded into your static and flex machines will not change. They’ll still be in the same list you created as before, but what track they are assigned to can be changed when switching pattern banks or scenes.

So to assign new samples to your tracks, just double press the track button, and scroll through you sample list on either your static or flex machine, and hit yes on a different sample. Every time you switch to a new pattern bank, you can change the assignment of the samples.

sicijk · 2014-09-15T13:59:37.000Z

Use PARTS.

You have 4 Parts for each Bank.

You need something like 8 songs?

Use 2 Banks!

OP_01 · 2014-09-15T14:21:25.000Z

Guys, first of all, thank you for replying. I appreciate that it must be frustrating to try and explain basic stuff to an idiot like me, but honestly, I’ve read the manual, watched the videos and browsed the forum, and it’s still driving me insane.

So Banks are the overarching thing. They contain patterns etc., and importantly for, samples too, right? You can add different samples to different banks, so that when you change bank the samples assigned to the machines should change as well?

Is that correct? Because it doesn’t seem to work for me.

Also, sicijk — thanks again! I’ve just tried to understand this part thing, but can’t get it to work. Surprise surprise.

How do you load different samples for different parts?

Again, apologies!

zite909 · 2014-09-15T14:36:43.000Z

Hi,

Not exactly : the sample list can contain up to 128 samples that are common to all banks

Each bank contains 4 parts which contains all sound setting (sample assignement, FX , …) of all tracks.

For instance you can have :
-Bank A, track 1, part 1 plays sample 1
-Bank A, track 2 part 1 plays sample 2
-Bank A, track 1 part 2 plays sample 20
-Bank A, trace 2 part 2 plays sample 21
-Bank B track1 plays sample 3
-Bank B, track2 plays sample 4
and so forth …

So parts are useful to change the sample and sound setting “on the fly” : they let you have different sound setting for the same pattern.
If you just need different sample/sound setting for different pattern, then use different bank.

Hope it helps !

OP_01 · 2014-09-15T14:37:26.000Z

Is it possible that I’m encountering problems because I had static machines assigned to the tracks rather than flex? Seems that since I change to flex things seem to work a bit better!

OHEXOH · 2014-09-15T14:37:45.000Z

Read this: http://www.elektron-users.com/index2.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_view&gid=611&Itemid=30

OP_01 · 2014-09-15T16:12:32.000Z

Guys, you are all fabulous people — thank you!

The article that OH/EX/OH posted was particularly great because it forced me to go through some of the basics rather than side-stepping in pursuit of instant gratification!

My problem was understanding slot lists. I was changing the sample in a slot list which would obviously affect a track in another bank that was calling on the same slot. So the lesson here is ‘give each sample its own slot in the list rather than constantly changing the sample in a slot’.

Great stuff.

You rule.

OHEXOH · 2014-09-15T18:42:07.000Z

I recently got the OT so can relate to your struggles. The Merlin guide really helped me get my head around it.

Share anything you learn

secretmusic · 2014-09-15T19:05:20.000Z

Parts are the solution to your issue.
You get 4 parts per bank, and 16 banks , so that should be enough to go through anything you’d like over a live set.
Parts allow different slots assigned to a track, as well as different scenes and FX settings. They are essentially a new song, with all new samples etc…
It’s too bad that the manual doesn’t explain parts in detail as they are an essential component of the OT’s operation, and without using them, you’ll quickly run into a wall, and also potentially lose hundreds of hours of work if you reload parts accidentally.

Get used to them before you go any further, once you get that sorted, everything else will fall into place
Cheers

udokuri · 2017-08-04T15:13:33.084Z

WOW! Thanks a lot for this! Been the most helpful thing I’ve read/seen for two days

mattguk · 2025-01-13T18:23:01.762Z

Yet another newbie here - why does it seem to work fine for Flex machine, but not for Static machine, even when i allocate slots 1-20 to Static and 20-40 to Flex. When Using Static machine this method simply does not work !! So sorry if I am missing something obvious??

malus_mons · 2025-01-13T18:38:21.206Z

Static and Flex sample slots are totally separate from eachother. You determine what the default slots will be by setting those up on Part 1 of whatever Bank you are currently in