Sorry to crash your party, but the OT is everything but analogue. In fact its a computer with a tiny display and a very special keyboard. All your sounds, loops and chords get digital once they are recorded by the OT.
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Right you are, sir. I’d like to thank you for pointing that out, and for giving me the opportunity to clarify myself.
So no matter analogue or digital, what I’m saying is that I’ve developed an acquired taste for sounds that you don’t find in modern workstations. Kronos, Motifs and their like all sound great - spectacular, sometimes. But my Grand Piano 001 days are over, and even if it’s imaginary, I can spot the difference between a dirty Volca Keys filter sweep and a super high tech mega laser blast XII: the Revenge of the Tentacle equivalent of the Korg Kronos Final Version XX Sample MegaTon. And while I enjoy the workflow that a workstation offers, for what I like to listen to these days, there is no equivalent. Those that come close, like Analog Keys, Tempest and their likes, lack in features for obvious reasons and become something else.
So I’ve found that the Octatrack is a solid middle ground for this, despite the fact that it’s a digital machine. It’s true that there’s loss in the process, but despite that loss, even when I’ve recorded something from my Sub37, it still sounds better than any sound I can get from a Kronos. So what’s lost in the transition into the Octatrack is in itself not an issue for me, but rather if I can get it all out of the Octatrack as a decent mix, when my Tanzbar beats, Moog basses (and maybe a lead or so), some filter mayhem from a Monotribe, Volca Keys chaos and even some Volca Beats broken beats, all try to get along.
I’ve found this quite hard, but I’m a pretty bad sound engineer. As in I’m not a sound engineer at all, and know very little about how to make something sound really good. I can compose, structure and play, and I’m pretty good at it - but when it comes to mastering, mixing, balancing and so on - that’s where I’m lacking, both in skills and knowledge.
So what I was looking for was an answer from those of you who know these things a lot better than me, if the Octatrack can produce a decent mix if you know what you’re doing, depending on what you put into it.
It seems to me, some of you think it can and some of you think it can’t.
And I’m thinking, this depends very much on the kind of music you make and what you prefer to put into the Octatrack to begin with.
Interesting topic, especially the little dialog between Dave Smith and his staff.
I’m sure the OT would work okay for some basic mastering. However, that’s certainly not it’s primary use case, and thus it doesn’t have some of the features most people want for mastering: eq/comp/limiters with very precise controls, and a fancy brick-wall limiter of some sort (we all have to be super loud nowadays, but that’s a whole 'nother story ;-> ).
Currently when I record a track live, I route things into a MOTU ultralite and record anywhere from 4 to 8 channels. For example, take a kick drum out from the Analog RYTM on it’s own, maybe some other stuff. As long as I’m not processing it with the OT or something.
Then I mix and tweak ITB with Reaper or Ableton Live. I’m not doing much there, just EQ, compression, maybe some limiting, and levels. Sometimes I’ll process tracks from analog gear through a noise reducer so I can be more aggressive with the compression.
That said, I have been thinking about the FMR boxes. I think the MnM would sound really great though an RNC. That might eliminate the need for some ITB mixing and make live shows a bit sweeter sounding (if I ever play a live show again).
In conclusion, I’d say don’t worry about mastering at all. Get your stuff to sound good with whatever gear you have, make sure it’s punchy and not over-compressed. Then, give it to a good mastering engineer for processing. You won’t regret it. I won’t tell anyone that your tracks are contaminated with digital impurity.
Brand new to Elektron gear here (just got my A4 for Christmas). I was wondering the same thing as OP. I plan on getting an OT next year to step OTB (dayjob requires staring at a 30" monitor for 8 hours +).
I have a friend who mixes/masters my tracks for me. I love the collaboration, and the fresh perspective. I think even with the OT and A4 (along with my other analog/VA gear) I’m still going to toss it into the DAW and deliver tracks to him to polish in PT.
I’ve actually considered letting a friend of mine do the same, to master my tracks that is. He’s got a full blown studio and work as a pro engineer, so that would make sense.
Great topic. I’ve been toying with making my 2015 production flow Analog Rytm + Octatrack, recording into my computer where I can add vocals and master.
I did exactly that for awhile, and the workflow is outstanding. Just feed the Octatrack with whatever comes out of the Analog Rytm and you can’t go wrong. Looks real nice on the desk too
I gave it up eventually because I missed the keyboard action too much. I’m too much of a keyboard player to give that up. That, and also I have no idea what kind of music I want to make.
Really, this year has been a practical gear fest of trading, selling, buying, trading again, buying back what I’ve sold, trading and so on, searching for something, anything.
Think I’m getting there now, though.
But anyway, so that was off topic, but yes, I tried that, and if the combo gives you the music you want, then the workflow is superior.
I’m wondering what will happen when Korg releases its Electribe sampler. It’s a pretty tempting prospect to have those two boxes run an entire production.
I’m considering to try using the OT for pre-mastering, using pre-recorded sections loaded as static files, then using a couple of tracks as a chain for eq, compression etc.
I didn’t try very seriously, but I’d try a multiband compressor !
3 instances of the sample, keeping one band per DJ Eq or filter. Compressor.
Eventually Neihbors for each.
