Elektron-Users

everytime i use the octa track i pretty much need to re assign all the samples to the tracks and if i need to make a new pattern with different samples its a mission. anyways to do this quicker or is it not made to do this kind of thing? i spend more time setting up the octatrack everytime i turn it on that making music .and then i revert back to monomachine machinedrum LOL

Would making a template project help you? Then every time you want a new project you open the template and choose "save as new project" and your new project will be set up the way you like it.

will i want to be able to have different samples for each of my patterns, seems like an easy thing to do but u havents been able to figure it out yet.

hmm.. not sure I quite get what you are looking to do. can you elaborate?

Kero wrote:
will i want to be able to have different samples for each of my patterns, seems like an easy thing to do but u havents been able to figure it out yet.

Basically the octatrack is unfortunately not designed to do things that way.

Easiest thing to do (IMHO) is set up each bank with different samples and think of the 16 patterns in the banks as variations of the pattern but with the same samples.

That way you get 16 "songs" (Banks of samples) each with up to 16 variation patterns per project, at least that how I've decided to look at how the octatrack is set up until they change it so you can have 1 sample setup per pattern.

To get things started
The following applies to OT's hierarchy:

1 set can contain as many projects as your CF can handle.
1 project has 16 banks
Each bank can have 4 parts.

Most people choose parts to assign their samples and that gives them 16*4=64 distinct sample assignments per project.
Other people use parts to have different fx structrure or track routings.

What you are missing here is the fact that you can change a sample assigned to a track for a specific part without changing the actual part.
You can do this by p-locking the sample trig. Push the sample trig and press the down arrow and you will see a dropdown list with all the samples of the specific machine(flex or static) and then choose whichever sample you need.
You can also use static samples as sample chains. You can load very big audio files and slice them to choose whichever sample you need to playback.

Consequently there is absolutely no limitation in having 16 different patterns in the same part with different samples assigned to them.

kraftf wrote:
To get things started
The following applies to OT's hierarchy:

1 set can contain as many projects as your CF can handle.
1 project has 16 banks
Each bank can have 4 parts.

Most people choose parts to assign their samples and that gives them 16*4=64 distinct sample assignments per project.
Other people use parts to have different fx structrure or track routings.

What you are missing here is the fact that you can change a sample assigned to a track for a specific part without changing the actual part.
You can do this by p-locking the sample trig. Push the sample trig and press the down arrow and you will see a dropdown list with all the samples of the specific machine(flex or static) and then choose whichever sample you need.
You can also use static samples as sample chains. You can load very big audio files and slice them to choose whichever sample you need to playback.

Consequently there is absolutely no limitation in having 16 different patterns in the same part with different samples assigned to them.


Kraftf, I have to say I am impressed by your persistence in showing people how to get their heads around the Parts "limitations" (i put that in quotes because there are no limitations as far as I'm concerned..I think you and I are in the same boat )


I'll stick with it too, and keep promoting the use of sample chains as a way to completely explode what the OT can do.

Short answer to Kero's question is that it does take a bit of setup to get your sample pool ready.

As already suggested, a project template may help for some things (once you get a process worked out), but obviously you don't want to use the same samples in every project.

As far as "different samples for each pattern"... you've got the pool of 128 sample slots (each—for both static and flex—so 256 slots total) in the project. How you allocate the slots between the patterns in a project is up to you. If you prefer, just start a new project, and load an all new sample pool to it each time you want to start working on something different, or from scratch. I'll admit it takes some time setting up the samples, but it's not too bad. Once you get the flow of it, and the way Parts work, it becomes second nature.

Another big help that I haven't really started taking advantage of yet, is building static samples that have 64 drum hits spread evenly, that you then slice into 64 slices. This will drastically improve sample slot usage efficiency, and make it easier to program with multiple samples (like a drum kit) on 1 track. I think it's easier than doing a sample lock on each step... but they both may have their place.

hey thanks guys, guess i have to look more into the parts thing. just not used to this type of workflow. so far i loaded up the cf card with 7000 on hit samples. i wish there was some sort of auto assign funtion so u can just go to a new pattern and it would load up 8 new samples randomly from the sample folder. i am used to doing that with my monome so i can get right to making beats , instead of spending an hour loading up samples for one pattern.

Still haven't wrapped my head around it all either...