MIDI CONTROL OVER OCTATRACK SLICES IN 1.40A
MIDI CONTROL OVER OCTATRACK SLICES IN 1.40A
// This is a big deal, and it’s 10 years later (which is a big deal too.)
I use the Elektron Octatrack mk I in all of my live sets.
I use it live as a looper, a sub sequencer, and often think of it as my percussionist. It is my sampler, and it has been for years.
The first most frustrating thing about the Octatrack is the manual.
I think the learning curve was an entire year until I was at last able to completely let go of how previous samplers had worked and accept that the Octatrack just does things differently.
The second disappointment was that it is 8 part mono.
So no playing chords. No re sampling of C1, C2, and C3 of my vintage synths and then playing them in my live sets. No instruments. Just phrases, hits and loops.
Finally the hassle of the Octatrack has been attempting to trigger it accurately and reliably from a remote sequencer. Yes, modern boxes want to be the brain, from the Beat Step Pro to the Tracker, and the Deluge, everyone is so keen to replace the computer that they forgot about what I think makes electronic music so wonderful - relationships.
I use a primary sequencer, and many sub sequencers. Something as important as sampling asks for many possible input sources. Certainly more than the internal sequencer.
Stunningly most modern "groove boxes" do not offer this.
The Octatrack does. It always has. But it does so in a very cumbersome way (no surprise.) Arcane messages must be found, and sent in order to ensure we are calling the correct slice or the correct slot, for the correct channel and things go wrong.
It’s been delightful when solved, and maddening when it goes wrong. Especially during a performance.
10 years later Octatrack gets a much needed update to OS 1.40A.
See the manual excerpts at the end of this clip for what they have to say about it, and then refer back to my first complaint about this instrument.
What the manual is saying is that now we can map all of our slices (here in the clip I’ve auto sliced a loop into 16 slices) to up to 64 keys (starting at C0.)
ReCycle in a box!
And it’s interactive with the sequencer, and a remote sequencer too.
This is big news, a huge, much needed step forward.
Thanks Elektron!