Syncing OT parts with other Elektrons

Elektron Gear Octatrack
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I’ve mostly been using the OT to record stem loops so far, but am looking forward to use it more extensively during the production process, mangling my own recordings and using it as a multitimbral effect box.

However, I like to properly plan the integration beforehand and one issue I haven’t quite been able to figure out so far is how I would most elegantly sync parts with other gear, since there are only 4 parts per 16 patterns.

Do you guys just use the first 4 patterns per bank, or is it in some cases more convenient to use midi CC to select effects altogether? Keen to hear your workflows.

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That is a possibility.

A common practice is to assign parts like that :

Pattern 1 : Part 1
Pattern 5 : Part 2
Pattern 9 : Part 3
Pattern 13 : Part 4

That way you can add patterns in-between. You can prepare an entire project like this.

I oftenly use that because I avoid part changes within a song and use sample locks, slices plocks and crossfader/scenes for transitions.

That is to say ? You can’t change OT fx types or machines via midi, nor parts.

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I was hoping you would chime in :slight_smile: I’ve actually already done exactly that, got a template project with parts set up on exactly those patterns. It feels assuring to know that you’ve gone that path aswell, then I know that’s the most reliable method. Thanks dude!

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This is what I do. Has been my method for more than 10 years

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I was dubitative with that method at first, but I didn’t find anything better ! Expecially if you experiment different things on many parts.

At some point I was using 1 project per song / experiment, tons of projects as results, then 1 part per bank…and now 4 parts per bank most of the time.

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Changing parts can change machine and FX types.

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Yes, but you can’t change these “VIA MIDI”.

(You can send a program change to change a pattern to another one with a different part.)

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Ah sorry, the wording of your comment made me think you were saying fx/machines couldn’t be changed with MIDI or parts.

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