Octatrack : Multitrack and Looping tips
Channel: TheTechnobear
Date: 03/09/2020

In this short video I detail how I use my Octatrack for looping and multitrack recording of my modular - though the approach is applicable to looping any instruments.

0:00 Introduction
0:38 Goals
1:30 Setup 
1:40 Usage of scenes
2:14 Basic use of Flex machine
3:15 Realtime Monitoring
5:18 Overdubbing
7:55 Recap process
9:45 Observations
10:33 Caution!
11:00 Track length
12:15 The End.


The basic aims for my approach are:
1. Simple to do
2. Allow me to hear realtime octatrack fx (Realtime Monitoring)
3. Overdub / Layer a track
4. Record multiple tracks
5. do NOT bake in FX


How to:

Realtime Monitoring 
AKA hearing OT FX whilst recording - is achieved by using a playback track that is nudge to play slightly (microtime) behind the record head.

Overdubbing on flex machines is achieved by setting src 3 to the track we want to overdub, the issue is combined with realtime monitoring we will get feedback.
My workaround is to use a second temporary track that plays back the track.

This approach is simple and quick, esp. once setup.
Whats more is it easily extends to recording multiple tracks.

In practice the way I use this is:
- on each (OT) track, I record layers of the same part, perhaps with different variations and modulations
- I then record different 'parts' on separate tracks, these may be different lengths.
- Initially I will put on fx to give me a 'vibe', but I'm concentrating on the modular, this is why I want to be able to come back later to work on them (so don't bake in FX on recordings!)
- Often I will then save these recordings, to work on later on the octatrack... so its not solely a 'live looping' scenario.

as I noted on the video the 'playback track' is very much temporary, if you were using Octatrack parts, you could easily eliminate it when you are not actively recording.

a couple of points I forgot to note in the video with variable length tracks.
- as 'usual' you must set RLEN accordingly (in the video I should have made it 64, to match 16 @1/4 )
- The Octatrack must be the clock master when tracks are of different lengths (in this scenario) - if not you will find the playback track (T1 in video) will not respect the pattern length you have set.
(at least this was my experience - perhaps there is a workaround)


to end, a quick shout out and thank you to all those on the Elektronauts forum, and also those that have posted youtube video on the octatrack. I've learnt so much from you all.

Oh, and thank you to Elektron for a truely inspiring instrument! 





#Elektron #Octatrack #Looping #Modular