I’m looking to potentially purchase an Octatrack to act as the centre of my synth setup, but I’m struggling to understand the track allocation process.
I currently have a Digitone, Peak & AS-1 that I’d like to feed into the Octatrack.
Ideally, the Octatrack would act as my drum machine, whilst monitoring the synths with effects & multi-tracking the Peak.
The Digitone is currently midi sequencing the Peak & AS-1, so I’m not too bothered about sequencing from the Octatrack at this stage.
My target setup would roughly be as follows:
Four dedicated tracks for drum sample sequencing
Feed live audio from the synths into the two stereo inputs & add effects
Multitrack / loop from these inputs into at least two further tracks
I can’t wrap my head around the difference between the thru and pickup track types from the manual, and I’m concerned that I won’t be able to achieve all of the above.
Does anyone have a similar setup? If so, is this feasible?
Thanks in advance & hope you’re all keeping well during these crazy times!
Short answer, yes you can achieve what you want to do.
Ok, long answer. Thru machine takes audio from the outside world, and passes it through an amp env, LFOs, 2 FX slots.
Pick machines are looper tracks. And basically a pain in the ass.
For your case. Easy.
T1-4 drum samples, done.
T5 DN (via thru machine)
T6 Peak (via thru machine)
T7 AS1 ( via thru machine)
T8 this can be your looping channel, using PU, or, the much more flexible Flex machine (playing a recorder buffer)
Or, depending on how you want to do things, you can run both Peak and AS1 into a single Thru machine, using only one track.
Or , you could route external audio directly through the internal mixer, and bypass all OT tracks altogether (unless using T8 as master, in which case, the signal goes through the master channel FX.)
Or you could daisy chain the audio from your synths through the DN, and then send DN audio to OT via thru.
Yes, the Octatrack can easily do what you need. The manual provides details in section 16.1.2 of the manual (“THRU MACHINES METHOD” page 98 in the OS 1.40 manual)
Pickup machines are specialized for looping and overdubbing, but aren’t needed for listening to live inputs.
The eight tracks on the Octatrack could provide four stereo tracks for drums/percussion, two stereo tracks for your synths going into the Octatrack inputs, and two stereo tracks to play back samples of the synths going into the Octatrack inputs. You can even re-sample any combination of the eight tracks, load that new sample to one of the sample-playback tracks, and do even more re-sampling.
Thanks Microtribe & fatfree sprout for the fast response!
Makes perfect sense now someone has explained it - I thought I might need 3 tracks for each input (1xThru for sound, 1xFlexi for sample mangling & 1xPickup for looping!), but clearly two works!
I’ll be placing an order for one tomorrow & hopefully should get the Octatrack some time next week.
I’ll post a quick jam shortly after it arrives, if I can work out how to switch it on…
Yes. I see PU machines as redundant in most sequencer based cases, because:
-All 8 track recorders are available concurrently, regardless of what any of the other 8 audio and 8 midi tracks are doing.
-Flex machines can play any sample from any track recorder at any time.
So your particular way of routing your gear is entirely personal. The modular nature of Elektron gear means can configure it how ever you need.
So really, the track recorders can be sampling your synths in the background. Then your flex machines can play back those samples.
I think PU machines are more useful where there is no sequencer clocked tempo( eg live recording a guitar with no metronome)
