Feel as though I’ve really broken through on the octa lately. My fave thing is getting on slots mode and triggering stuff live, sometimes live recording it and moving on- so easy to get tunes going off the grid, pushing beats, laying stuff back and across, flipping accents, so. Much. Fun.
Hey Terrific Broth this sounds great. Could you explain your approach a little more? How about tempo issuses when fireing slots and rerecording those as loops? Do you keep all samples in the same tempo and prepare loops for the slots upfront?
It’s easy, just FUNCTION + up/down arrow get you into slots mode. If you’re on a flex track you’ll have your flex slots on the trigs, static slots on static tracks. Get jamming! I find it surprisingly forgiving, my static loops can be fired anywhere, lots of mileage trying them on offbeats or random places and if you like it just hit record, live record mode gets me where I want to be in terms of feel, doesn’t snap to grid so looseness in groove is easy to achieve.
I haven’t tried this with random or off tempo loops yet but sure it could be fun. I’m making sure I’m naming loops with bpm included in name and with some consideration and planning, you could get it well organised for multiple tunes across a project for live triggering
The only thing I note is you can fill up tracks quick this way. Hmmm. Another octa maybe? 
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I’d be interested in dropping an ear to your new way of doing @Terrific Broth 
I’ll jam something up to sound cloud soon
I’ve been intensively woodshedding (or as intensively as time allows) since getting OT start of August. It’s been useful having time away from the machine too, I’ve hit some brick walls and frustrations but have worked through those to the other side, now getting a better feel and having lots more fun
Maybe slots/slices/live recording in combination w/ locked in step grooves is my way to go. Still haven’t scratched the potential of this thing…
Okay, lets revive this topic, because I think I have a bit of the same problem as Andreas stumbled upon.
I am asked to do a live set in januari. It will be an hour to an hour and a half. I’ve got enough material, but… It are all complete songs and it is a bit electro rock, punk, breakbeat and drum and bass and even ambient. (partly played in myself with vocals, guitar and drums) I want to do the liveset with my octatrack, If its necessary I will involve my rytm… Ive got all the stems (sometimes more then 12 per song). Now I’m thinking how I shall handle this one. All songs have a intro, verse, bridge, etc. and a build up. How are your ideas… I’m not stuck on it but maybe there is a better way. I want to sample the complete song, without some tweak able synths (tb303 sounds, bass sounds, maybe some drums) but then I will have to have a hack of a memory…
I have some ideas how to do transitions from one song to another but it will be a hell off a job to put it all in the OT
Hi YloopZ and hello again andreasroman…
I’m doing the exact same thing right now ! I have about 1hr worth of material spread across quite a few patterns. The set centers mostly around performing with the RYTM, but the OT is the brains of the whole thing — especially dealing with scenes and transitions.
Here is how I do it
I use what I call my set MATRIX hehehe I line up patterns on all the machines.
I also have another sheet of paper than tells me the set order but the matrix helps me find the pattern at a glance so when it comes time to switch patterns I know where to go. I have a scene set up on all my parts that uses track 7 which is a flex machine containing a 4 bar loop and a one shot recorder trig. It plays silent on all scenes except my transition scene. To transition … I decide when I wanna make the switch … rec the loop … fade it in seamlessly … then I look at the matrix … switch patterns … mute everything except a few simple elements … then gradually fade back.
I’m still polishing the patterns (I’m 50% done) and building the scenes but maybe 1-2 more weeks and I’m done.
Currently I’m also using this grid to write notes in pen and make edits IE: this pattern needs new hihats … or … A11 needs a new chord stab etc etc. Basically to make the set I have to REALLY simplify all my patterns so very minimal elements are playing (drums, bass, leads, vocals) not more than 3 or 4 elements at once. LIVE is hard and mistakes can happen FAST hehehe
I was toying with the notion of recording stems of all the patterns into OT, but it was very time consuming so I decided to just let the OT run the performance but the other machines would play live. I have lots of samples and little loops to fire off on the OT. It’s complicated but I’m having fun – sometimes I can play for hours just switching between patterns and tweaking and using mutes then transition and keep going. I guess it’s like rehearsing for the set 
I love the idea of sharing ideas on how to get from patterns/songs to a full live set.
peace,
Walter
—edit: I forgot to mention that the matrix entry is the same as the KIT name on A4, AR, MnM, and the Part name on OT. Consistency will be the key so I don’t get lost mid-set !—
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Hey thanks, great reply! Yes I was thinking the same about simplify the songs to get them in the OT. I really think I need the rytm to complement (I’ve got a lot of different drumhits). To make it a bit more simple I was thinking about switching projects in between so I have 1 part per one or two songs, but the OT will be the midi master (because of different BPM per song) so I don’t think that will be possible and it will be better I guess to keep everything in one project and thus four parts… I like the idea of the matrix because you can decide then what the crowd wants and where every song is so you can adapt…
Yep exactly - I have a rough set order worked out, but because of the matrix I can freestyle any time.
When I started making all my material I knew I’d eventually want to organize it for a live performance so I decided to stay in 1 project on all machines. This just seems to make it easier. If I do get close to the limit on parts on OT I might split — but maybe then my set might get too long. I used to have 1-8 patterns for tunes, but I’ve actually re-written most to be 1-2 patterns max and just use mutes and build up/down.
Another idea I’ve been thinking of is putting all the material from the Monomachine straight into the OT so I eliminate 1 box - Honestly I love monomachine but I find the menu diving a little cumbersome when I’m also tweaking knobs and pads on 2 other boxes. I’m planning to do the A4 tweaks in Perf mode so thats simple and you never have to change menus for mutes and perfs. The rytm I’m using mostly mutes for performing - very heavy use of func + multiple pads as well as Retrig + 1-3 pads so solo parts for tension build. I don’t use scenes and perfs as much live on RYTM since, again, menu diving can cause mistakes. As I was saying earlier simplicity I think will be the key to the set — nobody is gonna watch me thumb pressing pads from green to purple during a shot to give slight variation and be like “hey cool!” so maybe just leave the broad strokes to OT to do the variation.
I have another little secret weapon … Track 4 is the “RAPID Remix” track! As I mentioned - I have track 7 recording as I want (by arming) well … I can also fade in track 4 which plays trigs of Recorder7 that re-arrange the order and have plocks for FX and filters on that track. Sometimes it sounds like a fill if I just whip the fader over for a quick burst. On some patterns I have this remix track hp filtered and super delayed so it sounds like a noise wash … also can be used as a fill or build.
These are some ideas — I’m brimming with new ones every day. I have a nice notebook I write in every day. It has my goals for the night time session and comments/review of the tunes.
Sorry for my long posts I type fast and I’m passionate about this stuff 
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Don’t hold back! 
great stuff.
Interesting that this thread is alive again, seeing as it’s more relevant to me than ever.
Since I started it, here’s what happened on my end and what’s going on now -
I kept writing new tracks and to focus on that only, I sold the Octatrack and got rid of gear after gear, as I closed one track after the other, to focus on just the writing and on getting something finished. I’m now at the state where I have enough material and am ready to put it together into something coherent. I’ve thrown out most of what I had when I wrote this post to begin with, but the best parts stayed and others got replaced with new bits I like better.
But I’m done now and will get an Octatrack again, and this is how I will approach it:
Whatever’s not yet recorded, I will record straight into the Octatrack. It’s about five songs or so. Each song has its own part. I won’t use multiple parts but for transitions. So the transition between Song One and Song Two will happen as pieces of Song One merges into a second Part, and then becomes Song Two that merges back into that song’s first Part - and as such, into another bank.
All my harmonic content - leads, bass, chords - will most likely be longer sections placed into Static slots. Drum loops, fx and others, will end up in the Flex slots.
The tracks will be built in a linear fashion, so I’ll use the Octatrack kind of like a daw, but with certain defined points where I can stay and improvise, if I feel the crowd’s up for it.
The finished result will be recorded as an EP straight from the Octatrack in a studio, where it’s mastered. The very same setup will be the one I bring on stage, but with all those defined points in the songs for where I can stay and improvise.
I’ll most likely bring only the Octatrack on stage. I might bring a Reface keyboard as well. I’m not a good live knob tweaker, but I can play the keys, and I think that might be the additional flavour to the live shows, beyond just sections for improvisation, that could further contribute to this.
But yes, that’s where I’m at. I’ll launch this process in a few weeks and expect it till take me the rest of the year before I’m ready to go into studio and then take this live.
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Eager to hear about your progress.
I might be in the same boat, as I’ve kind of promised to do a short live performance. It’ll be a small crowd, not a club atmosphere so it’ll be a pretty easy start to the whole live thing.
As it stands, I don’t see many ways around an Octatrack, personally.
Maybe this thread will turn out into a shared progress journal of sorts, for mutual benefit.
No, I agree, and I don’t mind. I kind of like using the Octatrack like this. You can build linear tracks in the Octatrack without too much hassle, just not in a traditionally linear way
I’ve ruled out the Toraiz as an option and considered the Rytm briefly, but the actual recording part is critical to me, so eventually I prioritised workflow and flexibility of song building before the quite lovely sound of the Rytm.
And it’s not like the Octatrack sounds bad. On the contrary, it sounds great - just a different kind of great.
I think the approach of Andreas suits me best (linear). But I want to choose from songs… In almost all the live sets earlier I made songs that spread out over 4 patterns, so four songs per bank. That is how I like to work. The only thing is the transitions then. So I need to do some recording of the last 4 bars or so (THE transition trick). Otherwise the transitions are pointless if you choose songs (adapt to the crowd) I will crack my head over that. I’ve got some time till end of year so lets do this right!
I dusted of an old external HD from my early days, oh man. I’m gonna use that stuff. Back then I never did something with that, but now I’m gonna polish that old stuff a bit so I can use it, It sounds so lofi and made me happy!
This is interesting, wow! Keep those ideas coming!!!
That will be great!
And I want to hear everybody’s liveset when they will be finished! Thanks for sharing ideas!
I’m sorry to say, I cheated. As I thought about this, and realised: “Well, I don’t have an Octatrack right now. And I want to get my material out and finished, so I can move on.” I sat down and did just that and finished my EP on the computer instead.
To my defense, though, all the material was recorded and assembled on an Octatrack at one point or another. But the coherence and overall structure, I finally did in a daw instead, to get this out the door and move on to new things.
It’s here, if you’re curious:
And again, I’d like to underline - almost all of this was recorded and assembled as separate pieces into the Octatrack, some of it run through a Rytm for further character. So it remains a hardware labour of love.
Anyway, if you have feedback, thoughts or questions, fire away - I’d love to listen, talk or exchange experiences or ideas if you’re up for it.
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Hey again everybody – been a long haul but I’m finally in rehearsals for my live set. I’ve had to re-order and re-work practically all my material to make it work for a live context. In total there’s 23 songs.
I just wanted to share a little sample of me practicing the transitions. Most of them are smooth, but still a few little blips and errors in levels heheheh I’ll work out all the kinks hopefully soon and get a recording/video of the full set.
https://soundcloud.com/on-off-on-jamming/day-44-liveset-transition-practices
cheers!
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Finally finished my live set ! Took me about a week and a half of rehearsals before I could play through with no errors (pattern misfires, scene errors etc).
Had such a fun time recording last night - about 3/4 of the way through when I realized I was going to make it I kinda felt like in a trance just dancing around letting the music happen. I’m super stoked and feel a huge sense of completion.
If anyone wants to know anything about how I did the transitions from song to song or whatever please let me know I’m happy to help since it literally took me months to perfect and design a method where I could play through all the songs in a fluid way without any huge blips and stops.
Cheers all ! Keep the elektron passion flowing
https://soundcloud.com/on-off-on-jamming/livemix2016
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hi, @ON-OFF-ON,
a bit of info about your transitions would be appreciated, with timeline data please? 
working hard on my own live set re-re-re-organization (thanks Octaedit) but I still struggle, mostly because my tracks are too different one from the other, so I’m thinking to rework a dedicated live set, separately from the tracks project…
thanks to all for your inputs on the thread!
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I’d be curious as well @ON-OFF-ON
I have my methods, but always interested in what others are doing, especially cool cats like you two 
And you guys should hook up…
@MonstreJumo Hello Nicol !
On this subject we will have much to discuss. It may take many posts and more nights 
I will first suggest that the way you have to consider organising your patterns for a live set is extremely different than how you’d arrange them as single compositions. I’ve tried several different methods, but the most successful one (and the one that resulted in a good live show) was what I call “easy mode”.
Firstly you decide - will your show have a break in the middle. This determines if you are working with one single project, or multiple (you can switch projects in between but never while you are playing). I opted about 1 year ago to play a 1 hr continuous set which determined many parameters from the get-go.
Next: You take your best songs and break them down (simplify them) into a maximum of 4 or 8 patterns each. I’ve established this to work based on 16 total songs at 8 patterns each or 32 total songs at 4 patterns each (my current set is 27 songs at 2.5 min each including transitions). You have a the most dynamic approach if you leave yourself space in between the two. If they are more than 8, they are likely going to exceed the 3min-4min attention span that an audience of listeners has. My magic number (which took me a long time to arrive at) for house music is 4 patterns, but sometimes I can go more if I want to have more complex 8 bar loops (IE: chain 2 patterns). 4 patterns MAX 3min including the transition - which is the MOST FUN PART of playing live because it’s the easiest … people love to watch you dance and easily slowly slide that x-fader as the sound slowly morphs into something new and glorious !!
Ok so this is already getting complex so let me share a picture… here is the map if my live set (I think this one is outdated a bit but will suffice for explanation):
(note: the name in the box it the name of the OT part and the name of the kits on other machines IE: MnM, AR, A4)
So to begin organisation, put all the beginnings of each song on pattern 1, 5, 9 and 13 of any bank. This will allow you to know where you are in your live set. You organise them all in the order you will play them. I’ve tried to do it where you have a “set list” and pick bank+pattern as you play. This is much to difficult… hence what I call “easy mode” Your set starts at the beginning and works toward the end … this is how you always know where you are and most especially …
When you need to make a transition …
This leads me to the next most important thing which I may not have enough time to explain tonight since I have to sleep in about 3 seconds, but I will continue tomorrow
So … the reason organising the patterns on the 1, 5, 9, 13 (or if you have more than 4 patterns as I do in some songs in my set) is you always know if you are on the 4th, 8th, 12th, or 16th pattern … that you are ready to begin a song transition.
There is a method of live sampling the loop that is playing as you are working through your set … and then crossfading to that sampled live loop with a seamless transition. This allows you while the sampled loop is playing to switch to the next pattern without anyone noticing. As I said I will have to make another super long post to explain this one…
I originally read many posts by others and saw Tarekith’s awesome youtube video on the subject, but there are various nuances and little details that require special tailoring to one’s own methods and live set that I wasn’t aware of - which is why it literally took me months to figure out a way. I am happy to share all of this - not only because I respect and admire your music, but also because I love my Octatrack and feel that anyone who owns and attempts to master this instrument deserves to have a share in all of the knowledge of the brothers and sisters of the OT 
More to come tomorrow, my friend!
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