Using the Octatrack live

Yes yes, before you flame me, I know there are other posts about this, but hear me out.

We’ve been doing live shows for a while using Ableton live, some MIDI controllers, and a briefcase full of FX for my live vocals. Our usual setup is something like the attached picture below (though when it’s both of us performing, I man the briefcase and my partner mans Ableton).

I bought the OT to integrate into our setup somehow and I’m interested in getting some fresh ideas about this. The current way of things is our tracks broke into 5 stems so that Slice One can trigger FX and mutes live. That goes out the stereo of the soundcard and into the mixer. My microphone goes through the TC Helicon Voice Tuner, into the mixer, then from the AUX out into the guitar FX pedals. That gives me dry and wet control of the vocals and FX.

My idea with the OT is to load up clips and other bits and pieces from our tracks that we’re playing live that I can layer on top of the set with and use for transitions and breakdowns. I make sequences, then use the PLAYS FREE settings so that I can trigger them live. I can hit play on the OT in time with the track live so that I can get synced changes, BPM, and quantized layers (assuming I hit play on time!).

I also want to have One send the vocal tracks from Ableton to the 2nd set of outputs of the soundcard so I can process them with my FX pedals. I would also be able to send the OT through the mixer and out of the AUX sends for more processing with the pedals.

However, I’m wondering if I may then be over complicating it by having the OT feed right into the FX pedals and also process the live vocals and Ableton stems with the OT FX and plocks. While I think it’s a dope idea, I’m having trouble finding a purpose for it beyond more FX, which could end up just muddying up the mix more. The FX I have currently are reverb, delay, chorus, and (depending on what it’s like when it gets here, a Caroline Meteore verb for extra cool special FX).

My gut tells me that I should, for now, keep the OT as a sampler and layer machine, and just process my vocals, Ableton vocals, and OT using the AUX send method. The performance nerd in me, however, is telling me to route everything vocal through the OT and find a way to modulate things with it more.

Am I gonna bite off more than I can chew? The shows aren’t until the end of April, so I have time to rehearse.

Personally I would not use the OT in that way based on what you’re saying.

Reasons.

Fx in ableton are most likely better quality and more adjustable.
It’s already a setup and working method by the sounds of it.
You may end up complicating things unnecessarily and in stage it’s the last thing you need.

I’m sure there are plenty more reasons.

Working live it is easy to get carried away adding more tools, tricks and weapons when really you want less and less complication in my experience, and I’ve done a fair bit in my time. It’s nice to have options but use them as that, rather than as all at once, just like when writing tracks most often less is more. Food for thought anyway.

I would use it to add layers and one shots in order to give an extra edge to the music and another side to your performance, what could be very cool is have it armed for sampling at all times and then grab pieces during a verse or chorus, leave them in recorder buffers and trigger them when you feel right, they could be triggered dry or mangled/reversed etc. Not knowing the music you’re doing it’s hard to say but looking at the setup I’m guessing that would be a good addition.

I think you’re probably right. Makes sense for now to use the OT as just a sampler and trigger box. My wife, who isn’t a musician or performer at all, actually said the same thing about over complicating shit. Def. makes more sense to use them separately for now.