What a machine

MarkMosher · 2013-12-16T15:38:19.000Z

I jumped in on Octatrack last spring. As is mentioned here it is deep and has a learning curve - but if you stick with it and work with it a little ever week or day - you’ll find everything makes a lot of sense. It’s kind of like learning all the shortcuts in a desktop app like a spredsheet. Once you do you can really fly.

Re. “I do wish I had more than 8 tracks to work with though” - I find 8 is plenty if you start to use layers. Each of the 4 Parts (which I think of as layers) is like a separate Octatrack. Each layer can have completely different track assignments and you can switch on-the-fly or you can assign layers to patterns so when you switch patterns you also switch layers.

For example you Part 1 could look like this:

[ol]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 1) - Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 2) - Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 3) - Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 4) - Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Static (kick drum)- Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Pickup Machine - Chorus - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Pickup Machine - Comb Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Master - Lo-FI - Dark Reverb[/li]
[/ol]

Part 2
[ol]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 1) - Lo-Fi- Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 2) - Lo-Fi - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 3) - Chorus - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Flex (recording buffer 4) - Comb Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Static (kick drum)- Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Static (kick drum)- Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[li]Static (kick drum)- LoFi - Spriung Reverb[/li]
[li]Master - Filter - Echo Freeze Delay[/li]
[/ol]

Parts are a really time save in live performance because your one switch away from swapping effects rather than lots of button presses to browse and load an effect to swap it on-the-fly.

I also put this mindmap together to help guide me through the videos from one page. http://www.mindmeister.com/310663045/elektron-octatrack-video-tutorial-index

subq · 2013-12-16T16:30:38.000Z

""MarkMosher"":

I also put this mindmap together to help guide me through the videos from one page. Elektron Octatrack Video Tutorial Index by Modula... | MindMeister Mind map

^^ very nice!

on the layers… I haven’t gotten that far in knowing my way around yet, however, I have seen people (and in the manual) using patterns/parts and chaining things…it would have been a lot easier for me (or call it lazy wishing) if I just had more than 8 tracks

MarkMosher · 2013-12-16T16:41:02.000Z

[quote=““subq””]

MarkMosher:

I also put this mindmap together to help guide me through the videos from one page. Elektron Octatrack Video Tutorial Index by Modula... | MindMeister Mind map

^^ very nice!

on the layers… I haven’t gotten that far in knowing my way around yet, however, I have seen people (and in the manual) using patterns/parts and chaining things…it would have been a lot easier for me (or call it lazy wishing) if I just had more than 8 tracks ;)[/quote]
You could get 2 Octatracks ;^)

subq · 2013-12-16T16:48:49.000Z

I’m surprised the forum doesn’t have a pinned FAQ at the top…there are a couple things that I wasn’t totally clear on and the manual did not help…I found them on elektron-users forum but from what I can tell that forum is pretty much dead now.

sabo · 2013-12-16T17:16:31.000Z

mark-by ‘layers’ do you mean parts?

KrisM · 2013-12-16T17:51:58.000Z

""subq"":

I’m surprised the forum doesn’t have a pinned FAQ at the top…there are a couple things that I wasn’t totally clear on and the manual did not help…I found them on elektron-users forum but from what I can tell that forum is pretty much dead now.

It is dead. No more posting, just an archive of knowledge.

GovernorSilver · 2013-12-16T18:17:46.000Z

Thanks for the mind map, Mark! And yes, I too would like to know what you mean by layers.

I am a relative noob to the Octatrack myself - started using it seriously just this fall, with the goal of replicating some of Anders Bergdahl’s looping tricks. I’ve made good progress there, but there’s so much more to learn. I don’t think prospective owners should consider this as a negative - another way to look at it is, it will be a long time before you get bored from running out of tricks to do with this machine.

StinkyBeat · 2013-12-16T18:55:06.000Z

""KrisM"":

[quote=“subq”]I’m surprised the forum doesn’t have a pinned FAQ at the top…there are a couple things that I wasn’t totally clear on and the manual did not help…I found them on elektron-users forum but from what I can tell that forum is pretty much dead now.

It is dead. No more posting, just an archive of knowledge.[/quote]
With a bad search function; so, you really have to dig for it.

MarkMosher · 2013-12-16T19:10:37.000Z

""sabo"":

mark-by ‘layers’ do you mean parts?

Oh shit, yes, “Parts” is what I meant to say. I’ll go back and edit. I think of them as layers so I started substituting the word - lol. It’s like 4 instances of Octatrack that you can invoke manually or as part of a pattern.

subq · 2013-12-16T20:02:26.000Z

""StinkyBeat"":

[quote=“KrisM”][quote=“subq”]I’m surprised the forum doesn’t have a pinned FAQ at the top…there are a couple things that I wasn’t totally clear on and the manual did not help…I found them on elektron-users forum but from what I can tell that forum is pretty much dead now.

It is dead. No more posting, just an archive of knowledge.[/quote]
With a bad search function; so, you really have to dig for it.[/quote]
exactly… there was a beautiful explanation of trigless trigs/trigless locks there, but you have to find it…search engine wasn’t picking it up

dubathonic · 2013-12-16T20:07:49.000Z

""MarkMosher"":

[quote=“sabo”]mark-by ‘layers’ do you mean parts?

Oh shit, yes, “Parts” is what I meant to say. I’ll go back and edit. I think of them as layers so I started substituting the word - lol. It’s like 4 instances of Octatrack that you can invoke manually or as part of a pattern. [/quote]
@MarkMosher - yeah, I thought for a long moment I’d blanked on some amazing new feature

Anyway, cool way of reimagining parts and how they can be used. I think I get what you mean in your previous post now, but if you can add any more details it might give a lot of users a refreshing perspective.

subq · 2013-12-16T20:39:50.000Z

my plan for parts is having some unadulterated through machines and then parts with my modifications…very basic I know but it’s a new machine (to me)…I imagine I will find all sorts of uses for them past that

AikiGhost · 2013-12-16T20:58:50.000Z

It took me 6 months to decide I didn’t like it. I guess that says something about its depth (positive point) but also its complexity (minus point). In the end I decided it wasn’t the sampling machine for me.

subq · 2013-12-17T03:47:23.000Z

""AikiGhost"":

It took me 6 months to decide I didn’t like it. I guess that says something about its depth (positive point) but also its complexity (minus point). In the end I decided it wasn’t the sampling machine for me.

that seems like plenty of time to figure if you will like it or not

it’s nice that they hold their value (from what I can tell) so people can always sell them if they don’t want them

SB-SIX · 2013-12-17T09:42:37.000Z

I think the pitfall for new OT owners is trying to do everyting at once. Just use it where you want to use it for, 1 step at a time.

You want to sequence other gear? Just pick a midi channel and start inputting notes in the sequencer.
You want to use it as a drum computer? Just load up some samples in the audio tracks, and start inputting steps.

Don’t try to mix up the different jobs it can do at first.

MarkMosher · 2013-12-18T20:03:09.000Z

""SB-SIX"":

I think the pitfall for new OT owners is trying to do everyting at once. Just use it where you want to use it for, 1 step at a time.

You want to sequence other gear? Just pick a midi channel and start inputting notes in the sequencer.
You want to use it as a drum computer? Just load up some samples in the audio tracks, and start inputting steps.

Don’t try to mix up the different jobs it can do at first.

I agree it’s best at first to take it a little at time. Then as weeks pass the system makes more and more sense you you add more layers of complexity.

Lazos · 2013-12-18T21:17:37.000Z

Definitely a lot of the OT is quite straightforward. I’ve been learning it for about two months now and mostly, it’s a joy and revelation to use. The possible part change bug, which I’ve related in another thread is my only stumbling block at the moment.

jmoney202 · 2013-12-18T22:59:02.000Z

Ugh, this thread and forum are killing me!

I ordered my Octatrack two weeks ago from JRR Shop and they’re giving me the runaround. I got such a good deal on it ($997 shipped) that I don’t want to cancel and order from someone else.

I can’t even bring myself to rewatch the tutorial videos any more…

Anyway keep posting and taunting me!

subq · 2013-12-18T23:12:02.000Z

""jmoney202"":

Ugh, this thread and forum are killing me!

I ordered my Octatrack two weeks ago from JRR Shop and they’re giving me the runaround. I got such a good deal on it ($997 shipped) that I don’t want to cancel and order from someone else.

I can’t even bring myself to rewatch the tutorial videos any more…

Anyway keep posting and taunting me!

that is a sweet deal, I got mine while on sale at sweetwater but it wasn’t near that

poonti · 2013-12-18T23:13:04.000Z

""jmoney202"":

Ugh, this thread and forum are killing me!

I ordered my Octatrack two weeks ago from JRR Shop and they’re giving me the runaround. I got such a good deal on it ($997 shipped) that I don’t want to cancel and order from someone else.

I can’t even bring myself to rewatch the tutorial videos any more…

Anyway keep posting and taunting me!

In the meantime, while you wait…go grab an old camera you don’t care about, and practice inserting/removing the CF card 1000x a day!
Got my A4 from JRR; well worth the wait IMO, considering their prices.