I think a pickup machine is useful if you want to start with an improvised loop that you’ve performed into the buffer, and build the rest of the song based on the length of that loop. Once it’s been recorded you can hit the pickup track button + the tempo button to make all the tracks sync to it. Worth experimenting with anyway.
yeah, when the PUM gets the tempo right they are pretty good…
and I think for some styles of music, they do a good job at tempo matching…
I just can’t believe, Elektron, never gave us a means to turn off this tempo estimation on the first pickup track… to just give us a basic multi track looper.
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I’m waiting for emacs jokes
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amen to that. I would use PUM if there was such option to disregard tempo change.
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I’ve found a way to use Pickup Machines without adjusting the tempo of the song. The trick is that the track should be playing before you start the recording. If you set the Pickup Machine QREC and QPL to PLEN then you can have it start recording at the beginning of the pattern. The only problem is that they cannot be triggered to play from the recording grid, so you’ll have to use your REC1 and REC2 buttons to trigger that.
I’d love to see Elektron harmonize FLEX machines and PICKUP machines into one where overdubs can be done as a recording mode.
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Is it possible for a MIDI track to trigger pickup machine recording if you connect MIDI out to in on the OT? Seems like it might be.
Thank you for the thread.
I was thinking of buying an OT but reading this made me totally lose any interest in it. 
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You can overdub with rec/flex.
PUM need power of 2 recording time : 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 etc otherwise it counts tempo diffently. 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 bars recordings don’t work for instance.
It works with predefined length/tempo.
You can record with a PUM for overdub and swap it to a Flex with previously set trigs.
Interesting, thx, got to try this!
That’s where q-REC works best. If you want to record over 64 steps, set rec length to max, mode to ONE2, enable q-REC in settings and set the q-rec quantize on the second recording menu to 16 steps. Place no rec trigs, just press one of the REC buttons and recording will start quantized on the first ‘one’. Press the same REC button again and the recording will stop quantized in order to get a 128 step recording for example. Only thing is to keep an eye on where you are in the sequence when arming and stopping
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Amen, like a normal simplified, understandable, accessible looper!
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…13 years in by now and counting…while the myst continues… 
how to sample with THE action sampler…it “simply” takes time to be ready for the realtime fun…
i’d join the cake in appreciation, if the inputs on my ot’s would not have to host with all their inputs further external devices to hub through engines that never needed any further sampling since day one…
but at least, all this is proof for the ot mk3 to be way more easy accessable…
the new elektron dev team will take care of this…
It’s the opposite I need, Pickup synced to the running sequencer. But it would seem it’s possible : I really have to check this, I haven’t since 2014 
I might try it. Not being tied to a pattern seems handy. Involves more “skill” if that makes sense.
Track recorders, flex, SRC3 for “overdubs” Less headaches, less easily lost, and with Func+Rec3 save, essentially unlimited undo, not to mention more mangling options
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Depending on your setup, CUE + Rec will also monitor the inputs, in case you do not want to dedicated a track to a THRU machine (not sure if this is available on the Mk1).
Edit: Not that what you described requires THRU tracks, just posting another method that some folks might not be aware of. Holding a THRU track + PLAY will also monitor.
thread is the best reason yet for a Doctatakt…
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Me configuring and compiling Gentoo back in the early 2000’s. VIM infuriated me. Nano was my jam.
It’s not so bad once you get the hang of it 
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I wish the OT had sound activated sampling or that there was some workaround to do it.