I’ve owned my OctaTrack Mk1 for years now.
One of the two still-absent MIDI features that I still desire is Part Selection by MIDI.
This is perhaps because I’ve come to use the OT a bit differently than I read most people here do, but I think this feature request/addition could be HUGE.
More recently, I use the OT almost exclusively for it’s RAM buffers, as a “RAMpler” to grab sounds, and use the Track’s effects/sequencer to re-trigger sounds into melodies/rhythms quickly. This is something the OT still does best, slipping between “looper” and “sequencer” where it feels like more like a direct 'instrument" ‘instrument’ than some indirect ‘trick’ of some ‘process’
I use a LaunchPad Pro w/ a Custom MIDI map to open up remote control via
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Notes to trigger one/more track’s QuickRecord to catch a sound (“poly-sampling”)
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Notes to trigger one/more track machines to Play that sound in various ways (“poly-articulation”).
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Notes to trigger one/more track’s Sequencer for quantized rhythm and/or melody.
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ProgramChanges to switch Patterns (keeping variety of motifs/claves/melodies/etc ready to drive whatever sound I catch in RAM).
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ControlChanges to switch scenes (across a few macros to use the fader tweak single/grouped once caught)
…so I play my OT mostly via the LaunchPad controller, and only reach for the OT to grab the Fader or dive into menus.
In this and many cases, the OT proves WAY more flexible and expressive through remote MIDI control… and the spec for MIDI messages is vast and organized, but has one curious omission.
Since the beginning of the OT, we cannot use remote MIDI to change PARTs.
For my RAMpler application, I’d like to swap out “kits” of Assignments and/or Settings (reverse, timeStretch, etc) of the RAM Machines separate from changing Sequences without:
- need to look at the screen and use a button combination w/ the Part Quick Select
- using Program Change message to switch to specific PATTERNs just to recall specific PARTs.
Who else want’s DIRECT and REMOTE selection of PARTs via MIDI?
I can only speculate the potential in fluidly switching PARTs for others applications:
- those using OT as a drumKit could switch the “kit” (and FX, and Scenes) mid-pattern !
- those using phrases could set up schemes for flipping samples w/ Slicing/LFOs/etc completely separate from the Sequencer.
- those who do use OT’s PickUp machines for more traditional “looping” could switch the RAM buffers out between PickUp and Flex for some real
- Parts could switch between configurations for external sampling and internal re-sampling with not ties to the Sequencer(s).
If there is a plurality and/or diversity of interest, I think we could/should make feature request !
There is plenty of MIDI Messaging in the OT’s spec to fit this…but it’s curious to consider which MIDI Message type would be appropriate.
- I don’t think Program Changes would be appropriate, given those already require Bank and Patch combinations to hit all 256 Bank/Pattern combinations.
- MIDI Note Numbers could be used, acting like Radio Buttons… perhaps 44,45,46,47 could be used, if they don’t want to go lower/higher than the existing OT Note Map.
- any of many free Control Changes could work, but we’d have to figure out if we want Parts 1/2/3/4 selected by CC Values 0/1/2/3 or 0-31/32-63/64-95/96-127
What do YOU Elektronauts think ?