Wtf? Repeated crashes

Elektron Gear Octatrack
21

for those switching to 1.25b for testing, be aware of these bugs:

List of changes from Octatrack DPS-1 OS 1.25D to 1.25E

Changes

Bug fixes

On some units the MIDI values sent out from the cross fader were reversed. Fixed.

Timestretch did not work properly on 24 bit mono samples. Fixed.

List of changes from Octatrack DPS-1 OS 1.25C to 1.25D

Changes

Cue audio output is never available from the master track. This was not clearly indicated by the interface. The cue level indicators are now greyed out while on the master track, to make this more visible.

Bug fixes

The quantized recording setting wasn’t always respected when recording from SRC3 in ONE2 mode. Fixed.

When stopping a track followed by a neighbor track the effects were immediately cut off. Regression in 1.25C. Fixed.

A second or third neighbor track added to an already playing track wouldn’t automatically get triggered by the first track unless all tracks had first been stopped. Fixed.

List of changes from Octatrack DPS-1 OS 1.25B to 1.25C

Bug fixes

Fixed error in SPP calculation that would make it skip one position at 343.1.1.

Fixed undesired click sound that sometimes occured at the playback direction change in ping pong loop mode.

Fixed the problem in DELAY CONTROL mode where the settings would get stuck if leaving the mode without releasing the [GRID] keys first.

Fixed the problem that tempo could not be set with the [FUNCTION] key pressed when the tempo window was open on top of the scale setup window.

Using offset in the Arranger could lead to incorrect looping of tracks. Fixed.

Thru Machines would not go silent properly when changing to a pattern with START SILENT set. Fixed.

22

between the crashing and your observations about the quality of the effects, i say sell now. as you’ve said, the ability to audition samples quicly and the availability of quality effects are important to your workflow, so why compromise? especially at the price you paid. elektron released the lateset OS in march, i think it was, so who knows how long it’ll be to get your needs sorted. if i were you, i’d sell and get the macbook setup you know you’ll be happy with now, not in some indeterminate future.

OT is phenomenal for me. it does sooooo many things so well. but if it hampered a central part of my workflow and i couldn’t comfortably work around it, all those incredible capabilities might not. be worth it.

btw, too right about the microsampler. just a couple of small workflow tweaks (and an attack phase on the envelope) would have put that baby over the top.

but unlike the OT, it was never a big seller, i’m guessing, and those changes wouldn’t have changed that. i still love it. it’s hooked up to the OT and mc909 right now as a matter of fact. typing this makes me want to go jam and experiment. bye!

23

Just out of interest, how are you using your single cycle samples? I tried to make my Octatrack crash last night by auditioning and loading a heap of single cycle samples in a row, it didn’t crash for me though. The reason I ask is that if you are using your samples as a kind of synth, auditioning them is useless, they only last a split second, you would have to load to the track each time to hear how it sounds in the context of your music. Is this what you are doing? because that is slightly different from freezing while auditioning samples. I have sometimes had the freeze issue while deleting or replacing the tracks default sample repeatedly, again it is usually down to doing things too fast.
Also, where did you source your samples from? Single cycle samples can have odd properties sometimes when they have been made to load into wavetable synths.

24

I was using single cycle samples in chromatic mode. With ‘loop’ turned on. After I had sequenced a melody I then was auditioning different single cycles with the sequencer playing. What you say kind of makes sense, perhaps I was loading them to the track each time rather than traditional ‘auditioning’ (think I was scrolling down and ‘right’ on each sample to listen…and doing this pretty quickly first crash.). Can’t remember which single cycle sample set it was that I was scanning through, I think the one that most people have, I forget what it’s called right now but can check tonight.

25

between the crashing and your observations about the quality of the effects, i say sell now. as you’ve said, the ability to audition samples quicly and the availability of quality effects are important to your workflow, so why compromise? especially at the price you paid. elektron released the lateset OS in march, i think it was, so who knows how long it’ll be to get your needs sorted. if i were you, i’d sell and get the macbook setup you know you’ll be happy with now, not in some indeterminate future.

OT is phenomenal for me. it does sooooo many things so well. but if it hampered a central part of my workflow and i couldn’t comfortably work around it, all those incredible capabilities might not. be worth it.

btw, too right about the microsampler. just a couple of small workflow tweaks (and an attack phase on the envelope) would have put that baby over the top.

but unlike the OT, it was never a big seller, i’m guessing, and those changes wouldn’t have changed that. i still love it. it’s hooked up to the OT and mc909 right now as a matter of fact. typing this makes me want to go jam and experiment. bye![/quote]
Haha. Yeah korg missed a trick with microsampler. I love it anyway but it could have been insanely good. Frustrating! Haven’t hooked mine up to OT yet but excited to get on that asap. Been looking at some mc909 videos lately, seems like a fun box.
Re selling/returning OT and getting small Macbook, it’s a possibility but only if all else fails with getting in to a solid work flow on OT. Buying a Macbook would be pretty depressing, it wouldn’t be as powerful as my purpose built daw windows laptop or purpose built desktop windows daw, and would just be ANOTHER computer around the house. Albeit smaller and probably more resilient to my kids’ curious/clumsy hands… I like the new stuff/feel that the OT offers to my gear arsenal, would be kinda boring buying another computer and running the same old software… Though obvs that’s my normal work flow so at least I’d know it would be all good in that respect. But just gotta get these OT problems I’m having fixed up and hopefully I’ll keep it…

26

Thanks for the heads up

27

I was using single cycle samples in chromatic mode. With ‘loop’ turned on. After I had sequenced a melody I then was auditioning different single cycles with the sequencer playing. What you say kind of makes sense, perhaps I was loading them to the track each time rather than traditional ‘auditioning’ (think I was scrolling down and ‘right’ on each sample to listen…and doing this pretty quickly first crash.). Can’t remember which single cycle sample set it was that I was scanning through, I think the one that most people have, I forget what it’s called right now but can check tonight. [/quote]
It sounds as if you were changing the selected tracks default sample repeatedly, this definitely causes issues for me when doing it too fast. It is a drawback of using single cycle samples. I really hope this can be fixed too.
The ‘Adventure Kid’ collection of single cycle samples is the most popular i think, but this comes in a variety of different formats for use with various different synths/software, I would just double check that you are using the right one, though you probably are. Also, the ‘Inspector Gadjet/Multiman’ collection is specifically made for Octatrack with the samples grouped into chains so you can use slice mode to select different waveforms. This will probably be your next exploration if you do decide to keep the Octatrack, however it was this collection that I had this same problem with.
I hope this is some help!

28

Just butting in to say that, yes, that’s a succinct way of putting it. Maybe the language around what callofthevoid, me and others are doing to cause freezing got a bit ambiguous… It’s not previewing in the sense of browsing and then FUNCTION +YES to play something from the card, it’s repeatedly loading different samples into the same slot while that slot is in use, sequencer running.

I do it with FUNCTION + > which makes changing very rapid. You might have a hihat on every step and be changing it on nearly every step, not as an effect but as a way of auditioning maybe 100 hihats from a folder on the card. This is usually while other tracks are also active (ie. the rest of the drum sounds)

Very useful. The only workarounds I can think of are relatively time consuming. Either: filling 100 flex slots with hats, then changing the default sample with DOWN, YES, DOWN, YES then slot managing to free up the 99 you rejected. Or: making two sample chains and using slices, then saving the best slice as a sample to free up the RAM used up by the rest of the chain.

So if anyone would like to reproduce the behaviour (I know I’d appreciate hearing if it causes problems for others), it’s repeatedly changing a track’s default sample using FUNCTION + > while that track has trigs in use, sequencer running that can occassionally cause freezing for me.

Should probably add “and samples are being triggered on other tracks” as I have just tried it again. I got 3 freezes in 5 minutes (cringe!) but it never happened when I just had one track in use.

29

Just butting in to say that, yes, that’s a succinct way of putting it. Maybe the language around what callofthevoid, me and others are doing to cause freezing got a bit ambiguous… It’s not previewing in the sense of browsing and then FUNCTION +YES to play something from the card, it’s repeatedly loading different samples into the same slot while that slot is in use, sequencer running.

I do it with FUNCTION + > which makes changing very rapid. You might have a hihat on every step and be changing it on nearly every step, not as an effect but as a way of auditioning maybe 100 hihats from a folder on the card. This is usually while other tracks are also active (ie. the rest of the drum sounds)

Very useful. The only workarounds I can think of are relatively time consuming. Either: filling 100 flex slots with hats, then changing the default sample with DOWN, YES, DOWN, YES then slot managing to free up the 99 you rejected. Or: making two sample chains and using slices, then saving the best slice as a sample to free up the RAM used up by the rest of the chain.

So if anyone would like to reproduce the behaviour (I know I’d appreciate hearing if it causes problems for others), it’s repeatedly changing a track’s default sample using FUNCTION + > while that track has trigs in use, sequencer running that can occassionally cause freezing for me.

Should probably add “and samples are being triggered on other tracks” as I have just tried it again. I got 3 freezes in 5 minutes (cringe!) but it never happened when I just had one track in use.[/quote]
Yeah this is exactly the situation here too. Regular crashes doing this kind of preview/sample switch. Sorry if my panic rants confused things before when I was trying to explain.

30

recommend getting a faster card, 16, 32 or 64 gb… i did… no issues since (sandisk extreme pro 16 here)

31

I was using single cycle samples in chromatic mode. With ‘loop’ turned on. After I had sequenced a melody I then was auditioning different single cycles with the sequencer playing. What you say kind of makes sense, perhaps I was loading them to the track each time rather than traditional ‘auditioning’ (think I was scrolling down and ‘right’ on each sample to listen…and doing this pretty quickly first crash.). Can’t remember which single cycle sample set it was that I was scanning through, I think the one that most people have, I forget what it’s called right now but can check tonight. [/quote]
It sounds as if you were changing the selected tracks default sample repeatedly, this definitely causes issues for me when doing it too fast. It is a drawback of using single cycle samples. I really hope this can be fixed too.
The ‘Adventure Kid’ collection of single cycle samples is the most popular i think, but this comes in a variety of different formats for use with various different synths/software, I would just double check that you are using the right one, though you probably are. Also, the ‘Inspector Gadjet/Multiman’ collection is specifically made for Octatrack with the samples grouped into chains so you can use slice mode to select different waveforms. This will probably be your next exploration if you do decide to keep the Octatrack, however it was this collection that I had this same problem with.
I hope this is some help![/quote]
Thanks for the info/advice. It’s the inspector gadget set that I’m using here. Think that set also includes the adventure kid stuff? Will have to check properly later when get some time. It definitely has sample chains in there besides the single cycle stuff but I haven’t been through them properly. Seems like nice free bag of sounds tho :slight_smile:

32

Thanks. So you were having the exact same issue before switching to faster card? Seems a little ridiculous that it would ship with a card that caused crashes! But I’ll have a look around and see if I can find a better card. I don’t actually have any money at the moment tho. New baby due to be born in 2 weeks…
I’ll continue to speak to elektron also in the meantime, see if they can help me fix the problems.

33

Ive just tried to make my Octatrack crash again, and I just can’t replicate this issue. I use that same workflow sometimes (down and right to quick load to the track) and it was using that feature that first caused this issue for me, but it seems like I don’t have the issue any more.

It is possible that you have a corrupt set. If that is the case then every new project you start will have issues. this is one of the things that I had to check for when I was having this issue. Its difficult to narrow down because there are various different factors. You can try backing up your CF card and then formatting it using the Octatrack, not the computer, then create a new set and test from there. Also, the Octatrack does not like to be hot plugged via USB, I have to plug mine in first, then power up (otherwise it doesnt show up on the computer), its possible the card could get corrupted from this.

Eventually I got fed up of this bug as even support couldn’t help. Deleted all my projects, reset the Octatrack and started with a freshly formatted card. For some unknown reason that seems to have worked for me.

34

It’s not down and right that causes it for me, it’s function and right. Thanks for trying it though. Sounds like cards might be likeliest cause…

35

I did try using function and right too, but as I said, I can’t recreate the crash. It will probably crash for me just when I’m not expecting it to lol :slight_smile:

36

Confirmed. 1.25D here. Stock Kingston card. Flex machine. AKWF. Took like 20 FUNC + -> switches.

37

Haven’t had time to really look at this again yet or go through the elektron support channels. But turned OT on tonight and same freeze from same procedure within 5 minutes. Hoping support can get it sorted once I got through the support ticket process etc.

38

Just quick update for anyone with this freeze on fast flex load/preview issue. Elektron have confirmed they’ve been able to replicate the problem and it’s confirmed as bug and working on a fix.

39

Thanks for the update. Interesting. Hope Elektron can work out a fix for it.
Thanks djenzyme & coralhex too for posting their findings. Appreciated

40

Hopefully this hasn’t put you off the Octatrack entirely. I’m sure it’s gotta be rough to deal with on your new toy, but on the bright side you just did everyone a huge service by helping to discover the bug.