Elektron-Users

Ok, so first of all, I didn't come up with this template, huge thanx to Nocturne who step-by-step'ed me through it. This is a quick video showing how one can set up the Octatrack as a powerful transitional tool, a-la the "wesen-trick", only with the crossfader which is why this thing is so nice

In this video I reasmpled the Machinedrum and Monomachine in realtime, then switched patterns on MD/MnM while the sample played back, using the crossfader. perfect live tool

PREPARATIONS:

1: connect your sources. In this video I have MD going to inputs A/B, MnM to C/D

2: set DIR levels in the Mixer to ca 64 (your mileage may vary, it just needs to be far away from 0 value to work)

3: Hold down Scene 1 (or 2 if you prefer the other way) and set XDIR on A B and C D to 0. This means that when you move the crossfader all the way to that scene, the inputs will be silent. This is because we want the sample to play back instead..I'll come back to that

4: Assign a FLEX machine to Track 1, and select R1 RECORDER. Level is set to max in this video, and Volume parameter to 0 (default)

5: Go to the AMP page, Press down the Scene 1 button and assign XVOL (XLEV in some older OS) to MIN. On Scene2, assign XVOL MAX

now we are getting ready to rock:

6: enter Grid Recording Mode, and press [Function] + [Bank] to open the Track Trig Edit window. Place a Rectrig on step 1, and a Play trig on step 1 also. In this video I've set the recording settings to a recording length of 8 steps, since that reflects the length of the External (MD/MnM) sequences.

7: Hit PLAY on the master sequencer, crossfader all the way to Scene 1. You should now hear your sources (in my video, that means the MD/MnM) play back normally.

8: Remove the REC trig after the sequence has played. when you remove it, the last triggered recording represents the playback sample. Removing the trig is VITAL for this to work.

9: Move the fader over to Scene 2. This mutes the external source(s) and all you hear is the freshly recorded sample. to the audience it just sounds like the sequence is playing like normal..

10: THE FUN PART!! Switch patterns on your external sources. Move the fader. Be amazed.

Because of the way the XVOL parameters are locked to the scenes, the crossfader now acts just like a crossfader controlling two deck, where the external sources represent Deck 1, the sample of the external gear represents Deck 2. Seamless transitions, and you can play around with the track and master effects for added fun. When you are done playing around making your transition, keep the fader on Scene 1, and place a REC trig on step 1 again. when you're ready to go to the next sequence/track just repeat the performance

If you are really wanting to get experimental, use thru-machines or assign some of the other tracks to flex playback, some with extreme effects like pitch shifting/timestretching/filtering/Lo-FI fx etc.. almost endless possibilities here, I dont see why we need that looper at all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5C6CyITeto

This should get on some tips & tricks document of some sort.

Just spent 30 minutes trying out various transitions for my liveset, this definately just took it to the next level

Nicely demonstrated and explained.

Been sort of working this way but without the cross fader, clearly the missing ingredient.

I think you only need the looper for a more hands off approach, e.g. if your playing another instrument (guitar/keyboard etc) rather than building up loops from other machines.

actually I'm having so much fun I forget that it can play back "regular" samples too this keeps growing on me!

It really is a grower of a machine.

When I was having card trouble (e.g. no samples) I was using it to make sound collages and transitions from different weird noise patches i had on my G2. Using the cross fader to mix the delay to max level and max feedback while i then loaded another patch, then cross fading some of the input signal back in. With another verb and delay on the following neighbour machine i had some giant walls of noise made from a series of pretty complex patches in no time. Easy ambient.

It is potentially a very deep machine. What could you achieve with all 8 record machines, and param locked record settings? I don't know but someone is going to work it out.

@TRONDC - thanks so much for the step-by-step of this technique! The fact that you still have 7 other tracks to do whatever you want with is really fantastic.

When the crossfader is all the way over to the right playing back just the recorded loop, it would be great to be able to cue the AB/CD inputs (previewing the next MM/MD patterns) with headphones from the Octatrack to be more spontaneous. I see two methods to this:

1) Assign a Thru machine to Track 2 accepting both sets of inputs (AB/CD) and muting the Track 2's output to the main outputs. Press [CUE + Track 2] to send MD/MM to the headphones. Obviously this uses up a track on the Octatrack.

2) Without using an additional track, the simplest way of course is to press [CUE + AUDIO RECORD] buttons but you will only be able to cue 1 pair of inputs at a time.

-cm

nice!

Nice demo Tron!
Looking forward to seeing it in action for one of your live sets

Cheers

nocturne wrote:
nice!

hey, it's all your idea man, I just put it on a screen