I think the OT isn’t for everyone. It takes a lot of practice, sweat an tears… The 1010 BlackBox is a simple straight forward solution to loop recording. A laptop with a backing track for transitions is just as doable, even if you are needing to sync, just using tap tempo…I mean come on, modular synths are beautiful for their imperfection. Why not add more.
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It works so well on OT, it’s worth to invest the time into learning the Octatrack imho.
Also OT would provide so much more, beside the looping.
You can use a specific part if you don’t want to have one track on all patterns reserved for transitioning.
You’ll have to prepare well and go through everything with a fine tooth comb again before going on stage, tho. One trig not set on a track or a mistake in scene setup could mess up everything.
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I agree. Once you finally lock down how to do it, it’s so liberating.
I started to make a flex looping guide for others, to help. As many of the videos I had to watch to finally get there didn’t seem to satisfy me.
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What sets the OT apart is all the amazing things you can do once the transition loop has been recorded. Throw down a trig on the 3 and beat juggle away. Throw down a bunch of trigs and randomize slices. PLock some reverse sections for DJ style spinbacks, or do the same with scenes. It’s not just a simple looping device.
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Just have to throw this in the mix even though it is a bit more expensive second hand than a second hand octatrack mi. Xone Db4 does really exactly the thing you want to do. Worth saving up for.
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In some cases yes, but in others no. My friends hold minimal house parties and invite reaaaally nice DJs (often their own label heads) to headline. My friends open up with their live act, then the DJ continues and closes the night.
In this sense, transitions are pretty important imo. Keeping the groove interesting but consistent is hard.
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another vote for the kp3 - a perfect solution in my experience. also note that tempo doesn’t really matter at all for a lot of cases, you can dial in the tempo you are working at and then a loop at any point will still be seemless. no need for midi sync.
Dave is being modest. He is recommending one of his favorite tools and he has groovy video demo. 
WARNING: may induce GAS
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I’ll have to agree with a bunch of what @AdamJay has said in this thread.
I’ve played live next to DJ’s and other live electronic acts (and a few live bands too). I have found Octa is my ultimate weapon. I highly recommend it (for producing creativity as well). Though, I also read through all the non-OT methods described in this thread and agree they will work fantastically as well. Most loopers are great and do what you need, but many rely on cat-like reflexes and timing. I require something a bit more quantized, dialed/locked in and that is REALLY dependable because if I’m super honest sometimes there are other factors on stage that distract you (some cocktails, people, nerves, 4am and you’re super tired etc).
I understand there are many ways for each individual to maintain their artistic integrity by their own means, gear, and decisions. That’s what makes us artists. I talk a lot with my music/DJ/producer fam about OT, but never try and push it on them. I know it’s not as easy as a DJ mixer (which I also own), but gosh darn it if I don’t feel like a true artist playing it (no fanboy here HAHAH)
There are more ways to use it to transition than just the live sampled loop with crossfader trick. (The one I personally prefer because I can also remix live and not lose more than 1 track).
Check out this wicked one by a true artist that I deeply admire @biologik 
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still saving !!! 
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Yeah it’s quite the undertaking I’ve been drooling over that one since I saw one of @DaveMech’s videos. I would though trow it out there that the one other thing against it, other than the price, is that it’s a massive bit of kit. Quite a difference between lugging that or the OT to a gig.
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That’s why I mentioned the EHX 1440. In midi clock sync mode, it records at the next beat after you pressed rec and it also closes the loop at the next beat after you pressed rec.
Sounds like a pretty convinient set and forget thing. You just have to hit the footswitch between two beats. That should work even with lights blinding and people searching for their beer inbetween your equipment^^
I don’t have one, tho.
*Edit Quantization can be set to 4 beats or 3 beats per bar.
I usually try to avoid part changes on my OT when playing live (I use the one bank one track approach), because I can make spontaneous use of eqs without having to worry about the next part change. Don’t want to have one track reserved for transitioning either, so the EHX 1440 looks promising.
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wow, I must have filmed that with a potato!
thanks for the shoutout! 
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After working with a lot of different setups I can only advise you to get Ableton and a small controller. If you are afraid of bullys who want to see a dwaless setup you can put the computer under the table and put a midi fighter twister or small Faderfox controller next to the modular to control the loops.
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What did you try and how did it not work out? Not wanting to prove you wrong, just wanting to learn.
Just like Binkbeats! Master Ableton loop performances, …and his custom M4L script is available on his webpage.
https://www.binkbeats.com/binklooper
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Sure! I tried the Octatrack. A few things did not work as I wanted to in this setup. First I had to use two channels for each instrument, one for monitoring and one for recording. Then I missed a visual feeback that tells me which channel is currently recording and which is playing back. Then the recording buffer was too short for my setup. The OP asked for a few bars to loop but I wanted to use the same setup for ambient music.
Another thing I tried was a looper from Electro Harmonix. It kind of worked but the setup was VERY basic. No effects, only one audio input and sync was working on a 50/50 chance.
In Ableton I can set up a looper for each of my devices and trigger the recording of a loop with the push of a button on my midi fighter or Push2. Then I can smoothly fade from the incoming signal to the recorded clip and prepare something else on the synth / drum computer. This goes for an infinite number of tracks, there is no limit for recording length and I can even save the stuff that I liked to use it in later productions.
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Haven’t tried hardware loopers yet but when I tried it for the first time with Ableton for a gig last week it was a breeze to set up. Though I synced with M:C MIDI clock at 1/16th, not x bars, to willingly create limping (poly-rhythm) loops. It wasn’t a 4/4 techno set. Had a Xone:96 to mix things though. I’d advise anyone who already has a laptop with audio interface to first try with software if the looping thing works for them at all, and maybe then decide if they want to move it to dedicated hardware.
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Perhaps Blackbox would be perfect for this? For more then one stereo instrument it won’t work because it only has one stereo input I think. It’s a bit expensive júst as a looper but does it mega easy and could help also with playing the longer recordings/stems you were looking for. Note that I’d don’t have one so just from what I’ve heard. I did have a Bitbox briefly and recording the loops/clips was so easy and automatic.
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I just read through this thread again and must add (even though I’ve already said it above) that the KP3 does exactly what OP asked for. Could not be simpler and nearly impossible to screw up. If you are using something that has a bpm display, set the kp3 to the same bpm and it will work everytime without midi sync and without any need to time it correctly.
Again, I know I’ve already said it but any future reader looking for the solution OP asked for really needs to know that the KP3 does exactly what OP requested.
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