Octatrack as a looper

Started by GovernorSilver, June 11, 2013, 09:21:03 PM

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GovernorSilver

Elantric asked me to post a review of the Octatrack as a looper.  I can't honestly do one yet, because I'm still learning how to use this machine.  What I can report so far is the learning curve is STEEP.  It makes the Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro look like a walk in the park.  The manual is helpful at times, but also maddening in the omission of some key steps.

The Octatrack has a concept of "machines".  It has 8 audio tracks, and each track can be assigned one machine.  The two that I think live loopers will work with the most are Pickup Machines and Flex Machines.  Use the Pickup Machines to record loops, and the Flex Machines to do stuff to the audio that the Pickup Machines can't do, like slicing.  Once you slice a bit of audio into smaller audio slices, you can have the sequencer play back the slices in arbitrary order and do all kinds of crazy and wonderful things to them.

My progress so far:

1. Learned how to loop using Pickup Machines

2. Learned how to pipe audio from Pickup Machine to Flex Machine - this was much, much harder to learn than I thought because of vital information omitted from the manual, or buried too deeply in a seemingly unrelated chapter, or maybe I just have a low IQ.

Next step: Learn how to slice audio in a Flex Machine.

aliensporebomb

Any chance we can get some demo videos or photos of the whole process?
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

GovernorSilver

Quote from: aliensporebomb on June 12, 2013, 05:24:08 AM
Any chance we can get some demo videos or photos of the whole process?

I've got a blog thread going on the Elektron-Users forum to document my learning process, but now that you mention it, it might be a good idea to record a video and take pics of Octatrack config settings.  I have an iPhone 3GS (crappy camera) and an iPad 4th gen  (should be better camera).  I'd like to figure out how to record decent quality audio in sync with the video, but if I don't have the necessary equipment I might get lazy and just use the iThing's mic and record Octatrack audio coming out of a speaker or something.

Csewell

I watched the demos. My head hurts.

GovernorSilver

Quote from: Csewell on June 13, 2013, 08:41:13 AM
I watched the demos. My head hurts.

If/when I get to making a demo video as requested by aliensporebomb, I won't be as wordy as the Elektron guys, as nice as they're reputed to be. ;)  In fact, I don't plan to talk at all - just show some closeups of Octatrack settings or something.

GovernorSilver

My first demo:
https://soundcloud.com/governorsilver/octatrack-viola-demo-1

Track 1 - Pickup Machine
Track 2 - Pickup Machine
Track 3 - Flex Machine, Sample set to Track 1 Recorder
Track 4 - Flex Machine, Sample set to Track 2 Recorder


GovernorSilver

After an epic battle against two formidable foes - Octatrack AND FC-300 pedal - I succeeded in getting the FC-300 to trigger the Combo Rec and Play/Stop functions of a pickup machine on the Octatrack.

The Octatrack may be - in theory - controlled by MIDI Note Number messages or MIDI CC. 

I wasted several hours attempting the Note Number route.  This required setting the FC-300 in Patch Mode.  The problem is my lack of experience in assembling MIDI streams.  For a MIDI Note Number message to work, I believe there has to be at least two messages to send - a Note On, then a Note Off, right?  Whatever, this route was turning in to a dead end fast.

I then noticed a paragraph in the Octatrack manual stating that MIDI CCs can also be used to trigger Octatrack functions.  So I switched the FC-300 to CC Mode.  This was tricky too, but I finally got results this way! 

Steps to set up Pedals 1 and 2 in accordance with the Octatrack Pickup Machine with MIDI tutorial:

1. Set FC-300 Mode to Control Change Mode
2. Set PDL1:Assign CC# to 59
3. Set PDL1:Range to "0 - 60" (CC# 59 with value of 60 tells Octatrack to toggle Combo Record on the active Track)
4. Set PDL1:Mode to Momentary
5. Press WRITE and confirm WRITE to PEDAL SETTING1 to save
5. Repeat above for PDL2 except set Range to "0-64" and WRITE to PEDAL SETTING2
6. Press Utility and press the Parameter Arrow keys until you get to MIDI:TX Channel.  Set it to 11 because that's the Octatrack's default
Auto Channel setting.  If this doesn't work, go to Project->MIDI->Channels, look at the Auto Ch setting and set MIDI:TX Channel to that

Now Pedal 1 toggles Record, Pedal 1 toggles Play/Stop.

Both Elektron and Roland are to blame for my struggles tonight.  The FC-300 manual does not explain clearly what the Range settings mean.  I tried a Range of 60-60 for Pedal 1 and that was a fail.  Elektron deserves blame for not adequately explaining what Auto Channel is in the manual.


GovernorSilver

My mini-review at this point:

What is it:
Sampling workstation with MIDI sequencer and live looping functionality.  8 audio tracks and 8 MIDI tracks.  Sequencer can play both MIDI and samples.  Samples may be streamed from Compact Flash card or loaded into RAM memory.  Each audio track has two assignable effects.  A track may receive audio from another track for chaining more than two effects.  Each track can be assigned one "machine", of which there are several types:
Pickup - Live looper
Flex - RAM sample player
Static - Compact Flash sample player
Thru - Apply effects to incoming audio (no sampling)
Neighbor - Receive audio from "next door" track to apply more effects

A Flex machine has the most parameters for manipulating a sample.

The bad:
Default loop recording time is only 16 seconds max.  This can be increased at the cost of RAM memory for the Flex machines, which IMO, is the main reason for a looping musician to consider this machine in the first place.

RAM memory is about 80MB - not a lot for both looping and sample mangling.  If you are a "multitrack" style looping muso - the type who likes to loop a bass line, then chords, then melody lines to build up a song, you probably want a Boss RC series looper or something like that which can record a loop several minutes long.

Manual is maddening in hiding some vital bits of info or neglecting to mention them.  For example, it has a section entitled "Playback" which you would think would explain how to play a sample on a non-Pickup Machine track, but it doesn't actually do that. 

Pickup Machine tutorial in manual emphasizes MIDI control via MIDI Note Number instead of the easier-to-work with MIDI CC method.

No swing setting on the sequencer arpeggiator - not a personal complaint but I see users complaining about this all the time.

Architecture can be confusing with each track having its own recording buffer (Recorder), yet a Flex Machine assigned to a track can be set to sample from another track's Recorder (one thing you need to do to eventually slice a loop you recorded in realtime from your guitar).

There is always a master pickup machine track. Any other tracks with pickup machines are slaved to it.  I know from discussions of the Boomerang III that some people would consider this a negative.

Slicing audio is a relatively long process - at least 8 button presses.  The slicing process cannot be controlled by MIDI anywhere.

The good:
What this guy can do with one Octatrack in just oneimprovised take would be pretty hard to do with other gear - after recording a loop, you can sample loop audio into a Flex machine track, slice the sample, parameter-lock the track, etc. all without interrupting playback of your pickup machine tracks:
https://soundcloud.com/anders-bergdahl

There is always a master pickup machine track. Any other tracks with pickup machines are slaved to it.   Some might consider this a plus.

Effects sound pretty good and are easy to adjust.  I really like the new Dark Reverb.

Sequencer can be synced to the BPM of your pickup machine

Parameter locking.  After you sliced the sample that you pulled off of your pickup machine's Recorder and start running the sequencer, you can set parameters for each slice on an individual basis - that's parameter-locking.  So, say, one slice can have a completely different set of filter settings, track LFO settings, etc. from another slice. 

Just about all track parameters can be modulated by MIDI Note Number or MIDI CC. 

Sequencer tracks can have individual time signatures.  And there is a swing parameter.

Why I got this thing:

Anders' work with the Octatrack was a big inspiration.  It pointed to possible paths to music-making that seem fresh and worthy of exploration to me.  I agree with the other Octatrack user who said it appears to be designed for heavy manipulation of short samples, while also supporting playback of long samples (backing tracks) via Compact Flash streaming.

There's probably a lot of stuff I'm leaving out, and I have so much more to learn, but that's my mini-review for now.

rolandvg99

Thx for the mini-review. Some gear needs "pioneers" to spread the word. Certainly an interesting device.
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