Btw, does this configuration switch patterns or does it cycle through variations A-H and then to the next pattern?
Totally depends how you set it up. If you have 8 variations ( so an 8 bar phrase) but you tell octatrack to change patterns every bar, then those variations wont get heard because the pattern change will happen first.
So pattern changes over rule variations. Regardless of where the command comes from.
Or you could have OT say change patterns every 16, then do your variation changes manually, or chain them. Up to you.
I am currently really enjoying using the TR-8S sequencer to write nice 8 bar patterns, which can include a fill every 16 bars, (not to mention step loop function which if you have good timing produces nice unusual random fills) with pattern changes driven by octatrack to produce some very tasty tunes indeed if I do say so myself 
2 Likes
Could you post an audio example?
1 Like
OK! Will try later this afternoon I think. I might post a small video, Iām not sure if the audio will make very clear which element is the original source and which will be the loop. Maybe if I just do a loop without other sounds, and tweak it specifically to make the example come across, audio will be understandable enough
1 Like
Okay managed an example already!
0m00s: First you here a simple 8-step loop with a synth sound and a percussion hit on Track 5.
0m08s: I pull the track level down for the purpose of this example. Not needed in normal use to do it this early.
0m10s: Here I briefly switch Track 4 to record the loop from Track 5.
0m13s: Here the recorded loop in the buffer of Track 4 kicks in.
Shortly after, I switch the T4-recorder menu back from recording T5 to recording itself (T4). Now all you hear is T4 playing and recording itself continuously. You could now very slowly let the loop degrade, or make it evolve nice and slow. But for our exemplary purposes Iāve done the following:
0m27s: I give the delay one brief swing, and quickly back to zero again. From now on, as the track is recording itself, the delay will be part of the loop.
0m35-50s: I play a bit with the HP and LP filters, and the resonance. Again, everything I do once is now part of the loop.
0m50s: Around here I gave it a sprinkle of reverb I think.
0m56s: Add kick, hats and snare for educational purposes.
1m36s: I bring back the percussion hit from the original loop on T5, but move it one or two steps. Bringing back the original loop but offsetting it, or changing the track length, should provide some nice syncopation.
Done!
Obviously this can all be applied way more subtle and slow evolving. But the idea is easy: sequences or loops that you can keep evolving, but that will never be what they once were.
Edit: so, whatās this kind of method called actually?
3 Likes
I think it can be considered like a delay. 
Sound is degraded quicker with filter on.
I prefer to use CUE, more control.
1 Like
I sort of like the degradation of it!
How does it work with Cue? You send Cue and return it into inputs C+D for example? And then record those?
Edit: and now Iāll stop about this technique. Curious to hear again from others about what people are (trying to) learn(ing)!
Example! 
T1 > Drum loop CUE send
T2 > CUE rec, CUE play with a Flex, CUE send, plocked pitches, filter, delay
T3 > Neighbor, 2 comb filters, CUE send
4 Likes
I set up my Model:Cycles and my Digitone last night for a quick techno jam. I learned that to mute tracks on both at the same time I need to get better at holding FUNC with a pinky while reaching for a track button way on the other side of the M:C. Vice versa for the DN.
1 Like
Or send CC from one to the other 
On my CF card, I have a big folder full of breaks found online or sampled by me. These are in their rawest form: there are bits of the original track before and after, stereo, original tempoā¦ raw!
First step is editing on the OT: I trim the fat and keep just one or two bars. Then I apply a spatializer to turn my break mono and play with the balance a bit: lots of breaks have hats almost hard panād. I then resample my break to get a clean base.
I then setup a flex, timestretch on (beat mode), to play the clean break. Set the right tempo (around 165 but YMMV) and pitch it to taste. First fx slot is a filter to trim the sub rumble and tame the highest frequencies. You can add a bit of filter distorsion here. Then an EQ to chase the ringing frequencies and clean the break a bitā¦ Q to the max, gain to -64, deep surgical notches.
You can then compress (on a neighbour). No good settings to give you here, Iām still fiddling with it. I find that smashing the transients to bring up the body of the drums, then mixing back the original to bring back the transients works well. You can then EQ some more if needed. Now, I tend to resample the results and move to another bank to continue.
From here on, the break lives in a flex track, slicing on, sliced to 8th to keep the groove. If youāre more into dānāb, you might want to high pass the break and layer some drumhits on top of it. Then, itās rollage time! :airhorn.wav:
7 Likes
Thank you for the detailed walkthrough! Sounds pretty straightforward. Canāt wait to try it myself
1 Like
I just got this motherf**ker a couple of days ago. Brand new to the site, actually. Hello!
I am just now figuring out how to sample things. There are so many quality of life things in the PROJ menu that I canāt find anywhere but in REALLY detailed tutorials. I am seriously considering paying for a class on this thingā¦ Matter of fact, i might do just that.
2 Likes
Chapter 17 in the Octatrack manual has tutorials, first one is a detailed tutorial on sampling.
2 Likes
If you donāt have respect for the Octatrack, it wonāt listen to you.
5 Likes
Itās been a combination of the user manual and youtube tutorials that drill everything into my head. Iām at a point where I think I get it, Flex track sampling and Pickup sampling, but Iām still making mistakes. Itās good, it means Iām learning.
@Tchu: I had to step away from it last night because I was doing everything according to instructions, but it wasnāt behaving; there were strong words exchanged. I came back this morning with a cup of tea and a some big deep breaths, and gave it some respect. We are learning each otherās boundaries, like in any healthy relationship.
6 Likes
Got a M:C this weekend. Gonna make a mini Voltron with M:C, M:S and OT as a mixer.
1 Like
I actually had a fantastic session with this technique. Itās not too hard to switch the sound source mid stream to refresh the sonic material. That is another real keeper of a technique. I do wish I better understood how it worked but I guess I will keep experimenting until I do
2 Likes
Iām trying to learn how you remove DAG objects in Maya, that will not delete.
they are causing animation scripts I wrote to stop werking.
FUUUUUU!
2 Likes
Awesome! Itās so immediate. And it really helps in forcing you to completely work live. What kind of material were you looping? I mostly tried a few little synth stabs or percs, love it with that kind of sparse material.
1 Like