OTCompanion for touchOSC

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

I’ve just uploaded this in the files section

https://www.elektronauts.com/files/549

Its a template for controlling OT with the new version of touchOSC (which is excellent btw!). Its complete but I will add to it from time to time as there are tweaks and features I already have in mind.

Things you will need:
An iPad capable of running TouchOSC NG
A camera connection kit adapter
A class compliant USB MIDI interface
The new version of touchOSC for your iOS device.

The template mostly assumes default settings on Octatrack, except the auto channel needs to be set to 15. You will need to add the template to touchOSC using filesharing, MIDI in & out should be connected to the OT, and of course the USB/CCK should be connected to the iPad.

Once everything is connected, load the template and check you have 2 way communication by twiddling a knob onscreen & on the OT. If you don’t then check your settings, OT using MIDI channels 1-8 for each of its tracks respectively, auto channel to 15, cc in and out enabled, audio note in enabled. Once you are on your desired pattern on OT, press sync on the template to get the current settings from OT. Now you should be good to go! Press sync at any time to update the settings.

Some limitations: I was going to do some fancy value scaling to reflect the actual onscreen values on OT, but quickly realised that the template has no way of knowing what Machines or Effects are loaded on each track. For now, the settings are displayed as absolute MIDI values. Also, the OT does not send out the values from all its MIDI tracks with a single command, I could add pages for the MIDI tracks, but every parameter would have to be synced by hand each time you load up or switch pattern.

I’ll be adding a scenes page next, and have a few ideas for tweaks that need to be made :slight_smile:

I’d also be interested to know how well the template scales on newer devices with higher resolution screens, at the moment I have no way of knowing.

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4 Likes
#2

Slight off topic.
Can the new touch osc do tables of values ?
Ie not just min/max and go up/down the values.

I prefer to cycle through Bpm syncd delay values so they’d be something like 0,1,2,8,16,24,32

#3

It’s not there as a straightforward option, but I’m pretty sure this is possible using the built in scripting, could probably have a ‘snap’ button to enable/disable it too

1 Like
#4

Why does it require autochannel on 15? Could I change it to 11?

#5

Sure, you can change the auto channel to 11. I just always use 15 so I made the template that way. If you switch into editor mode and find the corresponding entry (obviously it will be set at channel 15), you can change it to 11 and resave.

Just be sure to backup the original template first just in case anything goes wrong :slight_smile:

3 Likes
#6

Fantastic, thanks! This looks simple enough to be really, really useful.

1 Like
#7

I just realised you need to set the desired autochannel value everywhere it is required. Off the top of my head, this is for the transport and sync, possibly elsewhere too.

Basically, set the 4 buttons at the bottom to channel 11 using the editor. These buttons are on the top layer of the template so should be pretty easy.

#8

Cheers. I’ll dig in and check.