Elektron-Users

I've used the Octatrack for my techno sets for some years now and love it so much.
In january this year I started performing live with a new musical project of mine.
When I play my techno sets, the tempo might vary from say 125 to 128.
With this new project it's from like 98 BPM to like 122 BPM.

How do you guys do a transition like that? I haven't found a way to set a specific BPM per pattern. I guess that's not possible?

Any ideas?

Cheers and thanks!

It's not possible to set an individual tempo per pattern, though I've heard it can be done with the arranger. Haven't tried that myself though.

My solution is to make the OT the master clock, then if I need an immediate tempo change to hold the Function button while adjusting the tempo. The tempo changes instantly when you release Function.

To help keep myself organized, I usually make the BPM number the last three characters in the part name. Then I can at least pull up the Parts menu and see what tempo I'll need if I transition to a track in the same bank.

dubathonic wrote:
It's not possible to set an individual tempo per pattern, though I've heard it can be done with the arranger. Haven't tried that myself though.

My solution is to make the OT the master clock, then if I need an immediate tempo change to hold the Function button while adjusting the tempo. The tempo changes instantly when you release Function.

You can with the arranger.. tried it myself..
verry good tempo-change tip though.. didnt think of that one

dubathonic wrote:
It's not possible to set an individual tempo per pattern

this is a ridiculous limitation. Elektron needs to get this capability into the OS asap. this should have been there from day one.

Says you, that would be a major issue for those of us who perform live and use different tempos for different nights.

wasnt there some million-page discussion about this? with a 50-50 outcome of people screaming for it.. and people hating it... (values may or may not be super acurate)..

I guess you can "make another option" in the setup of the octatrack. sounds good..except for that if you make everything into an option.. you turn the octatrack into a computer-program.. (totally my opinion) ..

the arranger is a very good compromise... if you want "your set to be THAT pre-programmed and gig-ready" .. did some testing with it.. its super-possible to program a whole gig into an arrangement. all scenes/fx/mutes/patterns/bpm all programmed (or not.. its a choice) all you have to do is wave your hands at the crowd and move the fader (and you dont even need to do that, if you program it correcty.. (but its allot of manual labour.. and can get choppy, because you cant program fader/slides)

Haha, what a funny thread this turned into.

I do improvise A LOT while performing live.
This particular project is a bit special. While recording the LP I'm playing live right now, I really didn't have live performance in mind at all. This led me to do some songs that are 98 BPM and I really want to be able to go from 98 BPM to say 116 BPM and I want the next track to have the right BPM when it starts.

Most of the improvisation in this project is me twisting three 303's, a 606 and a 808.
The Octatrack will be playing some of the stuff that I can't bring live (like the Juno-106 pads and tape echo noises).

Thanks for all the posts, my friends. I think I'll try the arranger. It turns out you can improvise within the arranger too. I've never tried it before yesterday...

With the MD and I think the OT (haven't got much work with the arranger on the OT) you can seamlessly switch between pattern and arranger mode.

Create a "song" with each pattern where a BPM change occurs all with an infinite loop. Every time you need a BPM change you switch to arranger mode and select the pattern from the list then switch back to pattern mode.

Also, an advantage to having the elektron machines setup this way is the flexibility of having more than one BPM saved to a pattern.

Tarekith wrote:
Says you, that would be a major issue for those of us who perform live and use different tempos for different nights.

why not have it both ways? it's very simple. the mpc does it. it has an option for 'master tempo' or 'sequence tempo'. it is right on the main screen and you can even switch back and forth on the fly.

master tempo = all selected sequences play at the set master tempo.

sequence tempo = all selected sequences play back at their individually saved tempos.

it would not be difficult for Elektron to add this as a global option. the default could remain as the current functionality, but those of us who want to use different tempos for different patterns could chose a 'pattern tempo' option.


the dreammer wrote:
I guess you can "make another option" in the setup of the octatrack. sounds good..except for that if you make everything into an option.. you turn the octatrack into a computer-program

well, i'm not asking for everything to be made into an option. just this one thing.

really, i don't see how people can live without this ability. absolutely essential for live sets & improvising. i could never use the arranger because i need to be able to change & chain patterns at will. the duration of a part & amount of times a pattern will loop will change from moment to moment and night to night. i need to be able to jump to a pattern at a moments notice & know that it's going to play back at the appropriate tempo.

beta wrote:
well, i'm not asking for everything to be made into an option. just this one thing.


Fair enough .. I aint gonna fight you on it.. If elektron can fit it in.. and it works.. and it doesnt make things more difficult.. i will not boo or poopoo it.