Would an octatrack be overkill?

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hi all Elektronauts!

I am the proud owner of a DT+DN which is a great combo !!
But I am still on the fence for an OT and I just want to use it for mixing, sample mangling, pattern changes, scenes, cross fading, doing crazy things with DT+DN + internal effects and all other things that are unique for the OT.
But would that be an overkill ? as the OT is as expensive as the DT+DN together.

are there other alternatives that can do the crazy things that OT can do ?
or is the OT just unique in these sort of things ?

I have researched and looked at Pyrimad, Polyend, MX-1, Deluge, MPC, but not even these combined can do what the OT can do concerning the things I mentioned above for live performance.

EDIT: I have been researching the Maschine+ this morning (the standalone version of the mk3) and it seems that there a lot of possibilities of using Scenes and lock states. You can save up to 64 lockstates during a performance where you can fall back to etcā€¦
Did anyone know this thing and tell me if the Maschine+ can do some of the unique things that the OT can do ? (or maybe even better?)

thanks !

#2

No.

I have 11 guitars, no overkill.

15 Likes
#3

This is correct. There are simply no standalone alternatives to an OT when it comes to (live) sample mangling with scenes and all that stuff.

The only alternative I can think of would be a PC+controller(s) setup, but also then you would need to invest quite some time to customize the software setup to mimick the feature list of the OT.

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#4

As already mentioned by the Octa-Power users above, there is nothing out there that has so much functionality. That is why it is still selling after 8 years and only a facelift. Get a good 2nd hand one to reduce cost.

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#5

If youā€™re fine with Octatrack mk1, it is the most crazily cost effective powerhouse. There was one in mint condition for sale on a Finnish forum two weeks ago for 520 euros. Almost bought it, but then again I donā€™t need three Octatracks.

3 Likes
#6

thx all for replies. :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Yes I guess it inevitable to buy the OT if I really want to use it for my purpose.

itā€™s just too unique

#7

Not overkill at all.
DT as a drum machine.
DN on synth duties
OT doing what OT does best.

(Thats what I would do anyway)

Power set up for sure. Literaly would not need any other gear ever with that lot.

4 Likes
#8

exactly the setup I have in mind :upside_down_face:
there is just no other combination that can do this without the OT.

#9

ā€¦yesā€¦overkillā€¦

but worth it anywayā€¦

and it really starts getting out of hand AFTER three elektronboxesā€¦

so u still got one shot freeā€¦ :wink:

but donā€™t dare to show up here with stupid questions, and u gonna have some for sure once using it, before u haveā€™nt read the manual twice, took it under ur pillow at least for two weeks plus a another good read of merlins guideā€¦

c u thenā€¦

2 Likes
#10

haha I know the OT is whole different ball game than DT&DN. So I anticipate on that.
what I noticed on forums is that you shouldnā€™t approach the OT on how it works, but instead how to make the OT works for you.
weā€™ll see, first have to buy it.

thx

#11

OT is overkill, in a similar way to the AK :joy:

7 Likes
#12

An interesting thing about the OT, is that most people who sell them used, use them for about a week (recently I saw one on CL where the person had only used it for a couple hours) and give up. Sometimes people buy them and then put them in a case, or box somewhere and use it for a bit, then give upā€¦back in the box. So, a used one is usually mintā€¦

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#13

Itā€™s definitely an interesting prospect. Iā€™d think the OT would breathe some life into the DN & DT: they can be static in some ways - straight up pattern changes, little in the way of ā€˜performanceā€™ macros. It definitely sounds like a nice combo. Just give yourself time with it. Feeding the OT the DN or the DT just by themselves would be enough - material for days. And then once things are inside the OT unplug it all and mess around with the samples you have.

File management is a bit more Elektron old school on the OT, youā€™ll get lost or be confused every once in a while, but donā€™t let that discourage you. Be methodical about your projects. And the concepts you have for each particular project. A notepad isnā€™t even a bad idea. Name your stuff well on the OT and donā€™t forget to save.

Good luck!

1 Like
#14

If it havenā€™t been smacked!

image
(Footprints!)

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#15

exactly my point, the DT&DN are incredible machines, but a bit static.
I see the OT as the thumbling rabbit hole where normal things get crazy !

#16

I donā€™t find them that static, especially with Probability, trig conditions on lock trigs.
Set some sounds, tweak in live rec, including rdm lfo dest, decrease Probā€¦
I really like tem for random / genrative stuff.

Random pad on DN, 1 bar, 2 tracks. I donā€™t find it static.

More lfos for OT, but the most powerfull is the crossfader / scenes thing. Up to 250 parameters morphing with min / max !

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#17

thx for sharing, awesome track !! yes I see what you mean, and I might be on 70% in what I can get out of the DT&DN and maybe I should get to 100% to know if I need an OT or not.

thanks for your insight,

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#18

I donā€™t have the DT, but the DN. The DN is FM synthesis ā€¦ if you wiggle even a wee amount on one of the many FM related parameters, or the FX, this thing as everything but static :wink:

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#19

Curious: Does the OT really fill all the gaps:
I have a DT and DN as well (DN recently; not getting an OT any time soon but itā€™s something that will eventually happen)

The main thing I would want to solve is mixing/recording/song mode. Since I do those things in Ableton now.

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#20

It doesnā€™t solve ā€œrecordingā€, because it cannot stream audio to the CF card (you are limited by RAM) nor does it provide simultaneous outputs for all tracks (only 2 stereo outs or 4 mono).

Mixing: well, it works as a kind of submixer (4 mono or 2 stereo inputs) and one stereo send (cue out). Sufficient for small setups.

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