Would you recommend to buy the Octatrack?

brunatius · 2014-03-07T23:05:18.000Z

I’d like to hear from someone very used to an MPC what are the biggest improvement workflows you can get.

Recording, slicing, etc, this all can be done on an MPC. I’m curious if the process is just faster (doesn’t seem like it, and you need to set slices at specific lengths?) or just more conducive for glitchy stuff (not really my cup of tea).

I find the limitation with the MPC I have right now is that I can’t mangle the samples/slices once I’ve set them. Is this OT’s biggest strenght? I assume it also records in real-time just like the MD. This is a feature I love on the MD.

jamrod · 2014-03-07T23:19:53.000Z

""vardagligheten"":

If you like the work flow on A4, maybe give it a try and see what you think?

You really do have to dedicate yourself to the OT’s way of doing things. Once you do that, it’s incredibly rewarding.

At least as someone who mainly do sample based, “sound collage” types of music.

YMMV.

I agree with this, and what nirun was saying below. It’s a very deep machine, and there are many features you might not use for years.

For example, I just checked out Anders Bergdahl’s work and got really inspired about the possibilities of the pickup machines. They allow you to turn the OT into a little sound factory

I made my first electronic EP with nothing but classical cassette tapes and the OT. I definitely came up with things I never would have on another sampler. Because of that experience, I feel a weird emotional connection to my OT that I don’t have with any other gear.

Anyway, if you’re willing to really buy into it and dig deep, I think it’s worthwhile to get one.

MWT · 2014-03-08T00:09:39.000Z

Thanks for all the replies.
Yes I heard about that you have to get really deep into it. I like that actually,
When I got my A4 it was similar I needed a few months to get into it.

I will get the OT next month.

danlukas · 2014-03-08T00:54:48.000Z

""jamrod"":

I made my first electronic EP with nothing but classical cassette tapes and the OT.

this is superb work. love it.

jaalmadakan · 2014-03-10T15:17:59.000Z

EMX-1 with the A4

Hey! I started with an EMX, and when I got […]
Then I wrote a wall of text but deleted it because it would distract you from the point of my reply: GET THE OCTATRACK NOW.
Sample your EMX with the OT, use the OT sequencer to control the EMX, turn all the knobs and make everybody dance!

I’d like to hear from someone very used to an MPC

Don’t have a lot of experience with the MPC but I spent a few afternoons jamming beats on my friend’s MPC1000. For sampling, recording and slicing, the MPC is really an awesome machine and the Octatrack will hardly get close. The power of the OT is in the sound design capabilities, and being able to turn a sample of farting into a dubtech minor chord in a few seconds (well, almost), plus the fantastic sequencer and all those knobs for fast sound manipulation.
I did not go too deep into the JJOS advanced features, but as far as I was pleasantly surprised by the MPC sequencer and perfect for arrangement, but found the box not that awesome for sound design. Sure you can apply filters and effects on your samples but it was nowhere as immediate as on the Octatrack…
I think you really understands the Octatrack sample playback the moment you consider your sample as a complex synth wavetable oscillator.

udenjoe · 2014-03-10T18:17:20.000Z

""brunatius"":

I’d like to hear from someone very used to an MPC what are the biggest improvement workflows you can get. …

I’ve had the 2000 and 2500 before.
The lack of pads is the most obvious. You can get a pad controller or Rytm.
Note repeat is different. You have to dial it in on OT.
You get Chromatic on OT for MPC 16 steps.
I think the MPC has a better midi sequencer but the OT is better at sampling.
I think the MPC had a good reverb. The OT has a better filter and more effects in general. You can map samples on the 16 step grid on OT like the pads.
The OT is newer, it’s going to be able to do more. You never really have to stop the sequencer to do anything. I remember having to stop the sequencer on the MPC to access some features. You can watch the OT sample buffer filling up as you record. For live sampling the OT wins. For slices, if you set your buffer slices in the current BPM, you can always slice any new recording with predefined sample slices on the fly. I don’t remember messing with sample rate on the MPC. You can do this on an OT to negative rates so it plays in reverse. You can route your sample playback to re-sample any track on the fly. I don’t remember the MPC doing this.
The MPC has more midi i/o, more audio out, but less audio in.
I got tired of the MPC, I had the 2000 for a long time. I also got tired of a MD. The OT seems to do much more imo.
Once you get used to the machine, the OT has a better work flow. You never have to stop it. The access to the sample memory is light years ahead.

Accent · 2014-03-10T18:24:19.000Z

You’re probably not going to find many people here who will tell you not to buy the OT ;).

OT and an MPC 1000 with JJOS seems like the best of both worlds to me.

fachperson · 2014-03-11T09:19:06.000Z

I don’t recomment buying it. Your social life and your work will suffer and you will become fat and unwieldy. you also stop shaving.

I loaded 20 samples into the slots.

Track 8 is the master track

Track 6 and 7 are used to record and dump (I can record Tracks 1-5 to track 6, add more stuff, mangle, and record it to track 7, etc…)

you just start off and never know where it carries you. I started at 8pm and checked what time it was again at 030am.

so DON’T make this mistake.

Fuseball · 2014-03-11T09:36:51.000Z

""danlukas"":

[quote=“jamrod”]I made my first electronic EP with nothing but classical cassette tapes and the OT.

this is superb work. love it.
[/quote]
+1
Hugely inspiring and may have single-handedly made me want an OT!

venyusz · 2014-03-11T10:14:57.000Z

I had an OT, but I sold it, because it’s mainly for glitch or ambient style music. If you are producing for example house or dance music, I don’t recommended it for you…

fachperson · 2014-03-11T10:42:33.000Z

watch this

[font=Calibri","sans-serif]http://youtu.be/zKdP_UHS1g8

then say it again.

octacalm · 2014-03-11T13:57:33.000Z

""Fuseball"":

[quote=“danlukas”][quote=“jamrod”]I made my first electronic EP with nothing but classical cassette tapes and the OT.

this is superb work. love it.
[/quote]
+1
Hugely inspiring and may have single-handedly made me want an OT![/quote]
There are tons of videos on youtube with producers making house/techno/whatever on Octatrack. The machine can be used an 8 track to make anything you want. Its all down to your creativity.

jaalmadakan · 2014-03-11T14:17:02.000Z

Saying the Octatrack is not a house/techno/dance machine is like saying the MPC is a not suited for hip-hop production…

poonti · 2014-03-11T14:26:08.000Z

""jaalmadakan"":

Saying the Octatrack is not a house/techno/dance machine is like saying the MPC is a not suited for hip-hop production…

+1

vardagligheten · 2014-03-11T14:33:41.000Z

""fachperson"":

I don’t recomment buying it. Your social life and your work will suffer and you will become fat and unwieldy. you also stop shaving.

I loaded 20 samples into the slots.

Track 8 is the master track

Track 6 and 7 are used to record and dump (I can record Tracks 1-5 to track 6, add more stuff, mangle, and record it to track 7, etc…)

you just start off and never know where it carries you. I started at 8pm and checked what time it was again at 030am.

so DON’T make this mistake.

Hahahaha… I recognise this too much…

Paland · 2014-03-11T15:47:25.000Z

I can count on my fingers how many times i touched my DAW since i got an OT.

Nuff’ said.

P.S i only have 9.5 fingers.

emdezet · 2014-03-11T23:21:45.000Z

How likely is an OT MKII in the foreseeable future?

Ihatederekreed · 2014-03-12T00:58:15.000Z

""Paland"":

I can count on my fingers how many times i touched my DAW since i got an OT.

Nuff’ said.

P.S i only have 9.5 fingers.

Likewise, and each time I have used my DAW since, it has been purely for sample editing to dump into my OT.

Dapifer · 2014-03-12T06:55:39.000Z

""venyusz"":

I had an OT, but I sold it, because it’s mainly for glitch or ambient style music. If you are producing for example house or dance music, I don’t recommended it for you…

I disagree with this. I understand with the amount of effects and features its easy to get carried away and end up sounding glitchy but it can be used in more subltle ways.
I would recommend it, no regrets. It’s central to me, looking forward to getting the AR to free up some tracks now too.

Paland · 2014-03-12T08:02:54.000Z

""Ihatederekreed"":

[quote=“Paland”]I can count on my fingers how many times i touched my DAW since i got an OT.

Nuff’ said.

P.S i only have 9.5 fingers.

Likewise, and each time I have used my DAW since, it has been purely for sample editing to dump into my OT. [/quote]
Hehe, same here. Mostly making 64 slice grids.