Stimming presents modern classics: Elektron Octatrack MKII
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- Опубліковано 23 січ 2025
- For this latest episode of our modern classics review series, host Stimming takes a look at the Octatrack by Swedish manufactured Elektron. This cult classic performance sampler features eight stereo audio tracks and eight midi tracks, real time pitch shifting and time stretching, pitch shift and stereo sampling amongst many more features. The machine’s versatility for nuanced experimentation make it a mighty performance tool and it’s had a place in Stimming’s setup for many years now. In this video our esteemed host will walk us through all of the things he likes and dislikes about the Octatrack’s various uses, check it out to discover for yourself this unique piece of gear and what it’s capable of.
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four things I need to clarify:
- in 19:13 the loop doesnt sound clean because I had the timestretch on the bassdrum active - when its off, its clean.
- sorry I didnt show the sound of the timestretch on my little 8-bar composition, would have been interesting as its quite good but definitely audible.
- my math example at around 28min leads to a 2bar loop, you would have to multiply by seven to get the one-bar loop
- my complaint about the sound quality and comparing it with a 5year old mid-range smartphone might be a bit rude, I admit, but to be more precise the sound quality reminds me of the steinberg ur22 interface which I used for the "beats on a budget" series. so, the sound-quality in my opinion is comparable to an entry level usb soundcard from 5 years ago.
good by the way .. thank you
after the next update you should check out the akai force... :)
Great review Stimming! I have the problem that when I don’t use mine in a while, I forget how to use it!!! - But it’s a great machine, nothing else quite like it - I love it, even if it is damn complicated! (but that’s part of the fun I guess!)
I think parts a great if you want to use different effects within the song.
Interesting about one time trigs and looping. My work around was to export songs/stems for 257 bars and slice in 64 pieces on OT. Then you have a perfect 4 bar loops and you can easily move between different song sections. Works in any tempo.
Mastering box is something I was looking for since your live set up video!
@@MrJUSTSPAM at least MPC Live or MC 707 would be nice!?!
I could never wrap my head around the Octatrack workflow but I like watching people use them
Octatrack so simple for me )) but I have same story with Ableton)) ahah
@@hesher2301 I use to say the same for both. They are both so different but kinda similar at the same time. The more time you put in the clearer it becomes for sure
It’s pretty straightforward to use, plenty of tutorial videos to watch!
@@leftmono1016 ya same with abelton. I agree that there will always be moments of frustration but it’s just about figure it all out at your own pace. I’d be lost without UA-cam.
Dive in brotha
Thank you again sir, I don’t think I’ve seen a single review that mentioned the bad converter quality. I love that you call it out. You saved me a bunch of time!
its interesting that no one mentions me forgetting the arranger - I thought quite a lot of people are using it and its the only thing I forgot in the review. so: there's an arranger list which seems to be quite easy to use and is equivalent to a "song" mode but I never actually use it thats why I forgot. I never use song-modes in hardware.
the octatrack's arranger is my favorite part of the machine. if you don't mind doing some math with regards to step counts and pattern lengths it's almost like having an old school tracker built into the octatrack. hopefully whatever elektron has in store for the future can expand upon it, otherwise i may just have to shell out for a used cirklon D:
Stimming just ejecting that flash card like it's nothing, playing with fire.
Sounds more like a 20 year old MPC 1000 problem 😂
Yep, I bricked my first one doing that haha
@@musictalk-tech Sounds like a problem of any removable drive. There is no reason to remove it while it’s switched on at all, and it requires deliberate effort to do. You wouldn’t eject an ssd while writing/playing samples from it in ableton. Pretty petty and silly comments you and stimming make all over this review and in comments.
@@Wannop With an MPC you can actually do that, but the MPCs load all the Samples into the ram from the CF card.
When you remove the Card while its actually using the Samples from Card, its actually stupid to do.
I would like to point out that in the audio settings of the project you can change the bit depth from 16 to 24. After this discovery the sound of the machine is really ok in my personal opinion. Thank you Stimming for the inspiration, a year ago after seeing your performance at Phare de Cordouan I decided to invest in this machine and today I am very happy with the choice :)
thanks for this bit depth tip!
Bro... you are so fun... and funny... and genuine. Thank you! Bravo!!!
you’re a brave man for trying to summarize the octatrack :)
newest update provides LED brightness settings :)
The OT is now NightClub approved
"Ouch, ok that hurt." @20:30 - I'm dying on the floor laughing - I have done this also! Bloody love your videos!
When Stimming laughs he sounds like a friendly grinch or something - love it
Don't obsess about the converters, if the track is good nobody will care. You wouldn't believe how many popular tracks were made with crappy equipment.
Spend 10 years looking for perfect equipment or make a good track now
Nice, baby, nnnice.
It's because it's expensive and not been updated. I agree with stimming
I bought one. Thought to myself “how bad can it be?” Didn’t sound good. No punch no depth. Everything is one dimensional.
Not spending that kind of money for Digital LO-FI. Thankfully Digitakt II was announced during the return period. Waiting for that to arrive………
They could add SPDIF I/O for very little cost. Then we could choose our own converters.
And I have many 30 year old converters that sound beautiful.
he only brought that up to advertise for his $5000 compressor
@@christdolphin69 no... he brought it up because it is bad. his compressor will not make the sound quality of the octatrack suddenly sound good and he knows it...
I hope to get one in the next few months... such a wonderful little joyful machine.
Honestly, learning the ins and outs of the OT was like learning a really arcane RPG. It was annoying at first but then really fun. And like a good RPG occasionally another player will tell me something about the OT and I will say, "Woah, I had no idea that was in there."
Best sampler ever.
Gotharman deformer and polyspaze seems like way better samplers with way better UI.
The Dark Souls of music gear.
...but the audio quality🧐... kidding😅 Not the best, but: best sampler, yes! so I now bought one again. Mind blowing never ending experience, like an open world game. I now try to see the the topic of its sound as unique. Like an old MPC where people are spending 1000$ for.
@@Mobiluks What can I say, I like pixel graphics :p
@@robertsyrett1992😂👍
thank you for the only true constructive critical reviews on Ytb... 🙂
It hurts, in the eye.
If i had a dollar. Great video, as ever. Cheers stimmo!
Your style of presentation is very enjoyable. Thumbs up
The OT is my Brain of the live setup right now
“Experimental device” is the most accurated terminology about it.
For all it's shortcomings in contemporary high fidelity, it sure is the most fun to be had in one box. Sadly from the looks of it the OT will stay a unicorn product. Using an external reverb in the cue mix as a send does a lot. The way this thing breeds musical ideas and discoveries from technical ones is such a joy. Just look at Stimming's face lol :D
good point
I love my Octatrack more every time I use it.
Your joy is infectious, and reminds me of why making music is supposed to be fun. Thanks for your work.
you my friend are so authentically you, it’s so great to watch someone not give a f*ck
This was a fun one! Thanks Stimming!
The octa crashed on me only twice in three years and in both the usb cable was plugged. I then started to use it only unplugged and then it never crashed anymore
I have the same kind of struggles. I think octa has his own will and sometimes decides just not to do things.
Oh I was lowkey waiting for this one. Let me grab some popcorn :)
Dear Martin!
Not to mention that I am owner of lot of your produced tracks (big fan) I am just started to look about Octatrack which I saw at the first playing on those by Stef Mendesidis. That brought me to your channel here in youtube. So, considering the music you are making and how deep, melancholic and a bit sad (this is how I hear them sometimes) are sounding a lot of your tracks (did I mentioned I love them :)) with the way how you approach your self in this video with open smile and nice human humor I am a bit surprised to see such a person behind such a tracks :))
I like you as an artist even more now 😁 Keep it Up!
I like this guy, makes me want to go out and buy an octatrack.
Once again a lovely review! Besides the gear reviews and the Beats on a Budget series there is one thing that would be very cool: A behind the scenes of the production of Ludwig. The story behind Alpe Lusia was really impressive.
I still dont understand nothing about the octatrack, but it was fascinating watching you using it so well 😁
I haven’t had mine a week and just loving it 😍 thanks for another great video 🙌
someone needs to same that laugh ^____^ Stimming is pure joy.
I love Elektron but the Octatrack MKI I bought in 2014 drove me crazy with its 4 kits per Project, audio mutes, cold sound (etc), I got an Analog Rytm one year later and have been happily married ever since. To each its own!
4 kits per project? 4 kits (parts) per bank, 16 banks per project ;)
@@Davemech Yes sorry, thats what I meant, 4 kits per bank, instead of 1 kit per pattern
It's very clear how well you know this machine!
Martin is knowledgeable ,unconsciously funny and doesn't take things too seriously.Who said Germans have no sense of humour is so wrong.
Thank you for the good review. I use the OT MK2 for years and made live performances with it (with good preparation). Its a complex machine and you have to find your way how to use it. I agree to the comment about the cheap converters and some limitations (Project-Banks-Pattern,...) and always hope that Elektron will develope an up to date OT 2. But I am not convinced that they will do it after the Model Sample and Cycle devices.
@manny there are factory samples yes, a few GB worth
so glad you mentioned the sound quality. sold my mkI because of it. so weird they didnt change it in mkII, probably is more than the converters at play.
digitakt in comparison was amazing. fking mono though.
Great machine, great reviewer; currently the best!
Can’t wait to hear more about Martin Stimmings Instant Mastering Chain!
Yesssssss. Where us it???
It is here: ua-cam.com/video/6wcq0yDjgwo/v-deo.html
Really fair and funny review - totally lived up to my expectations! Thanks
Like stimming. Like octatrack. Deadly combo
So now, watch 😂
👀
Absolutely love your channel, so clear & concise and right to the point while covering every detail. Got a Drumbrute impact after your review & am looking for an analog synth to accompany it!
Was never a fan of their products but enjoyed the video.
I like to sample parameter-locks as well 8:39 . High five in taking this approach of explaining the Octatrack, it would be strange if this machine could be covered by a single video!
I love Stimmings review, so funny
after almost 10 years of using OT, i discover it´s possible to load 2x 128 sounds ;)
Lol yes. Its static+flex machines!
And 11 years after : you can actually load 16 384 sounds, using slices. 2x128x64...
Nice video! The honesty and humor of Stimming is priceless :)
How is the Sound of the Digitakt in comparison?
Schutzfolie am Display klebt immer noch! Daumen hoch!
00:11:24 is the Classic Octatrack Moment
facts
true! and it seems to happen out of nowhere, when the recording options are set. it just sometimes doesnt seem to recognize them...
dude i want that mastering box very badly
thanks for this review.. ive been hawking an octa for a while now.. and your review really gave me a few insights i didnt know about.. notably the converter.. if anybody knows how to swap that badboy out.. please post it!
Love this reviews! I'm an Elektron fan-boy, but that's because of the Digitakt & the Digitone. I believe that Elektron missed a HUGE opportunity, 10 years after, to make a mk3 of this stunning machine, inspired by the success of the Digitakt/Digitone duet, with a better screen and better convertors and a much more clean interface that doesn't intimidate people. Real shame for a company who has been leading in innovation for longer than 20 years.
Do you own Oktatrack, any MK? What are functions and features you believe MK3 should sport, that would keep the device in the same price range? The only feature that should be added IMO is better effects and that can be done via firmware update.
@@earlsfield they shouldn’t mess with any of the UI or flexibility - OT is not intended to be a dumbed down device for mainstream - not that there’s anything wrong with Digitakt or Model Samples. - keep the depth, just add better and more effects, polyphonic midi recording, larger internal memory, perhaps up to 64x8 step sequences and audio+midi over USB with quality converters.
@@earlsfield TBH though, I honestly doubt an OT MK3 is in their wheelhouse at this point. The minds behind the OT have died or left the company. Elektron has since then gone in a different direction; easier to use machines that target a larger mainstream audience. The extreme depth of OT, MD, MM era is gone forever. Perhaps a new company will have to pick up from where they left off.
@@truthbydesign5146 OMG I have been thinking this for the last few years! I think Elektron glory days are over as an innovator and they are now going for budget maninstream machines. Gone are the conceptual masterpieces that are classic electronic music instruments. I’m more than happy with my collection of classic Elektrons and am bummed that we just don’t see the original level of product innovation out of them.
@@Kamasutralovers sad but true :-(
Would be interesting to see reviews of e.g. Deluge and other machines that have the potential to act as brains of a setup and towards dawless song creation.
i love how you just completely pretzeled it into a knot and just violently ripped out all the connections and did a kickflip with it. u know how they really like it!!! 🤫
Maybe it's something that belongs in an accompanying video but Stimming's performances are always so good, I feel like this was missing a solid 5-10 minutes of no-talking demo. Maybe I'm just being selfish.
My fav parts too
Classic Stimming review!! Elektron users seem to love these boxes (OT, various Digi___, etc) and they seem to become very agile at using them. But something about the UI keeps me from even considering getting any of them… I can see they’re clearly very powerful, but it just seems like it comes at a high price to learn and doesn’t “seem” intuitive. Oddly (perhaps) I don’t have this impression of the Roland MC-707 watching reviews of it… Eventually, tho, I’ll probably take the plunge with one of the other of these!
Maybe try the Model:Samples? It’s more straight forward than the others and is closer to knob per function. I’ve owned and sold Machinedrum MK2 UW, Octatrack (it made my brain hurt), Analog Rytm, Digitakt and Analog Heat. Currently own only M:S and think it might actually be my favourite.
@@theuncrediblehaak thanks for the suggestion. I do have a Circuit Tracks, and love its workflow. I may eventually end up with a Rhythm too. My impression (and I’ve watched a lot of people using it) is that you can quickly “make music” with the MC-707, and dive as deep as you want, whenever you want. So much fun gear out there!!
Anyone know why did he used TRS to XLR cables?
I really wish the Digitakt had time stretch and I'd be super happy. I wouldn't mind an Octatrack as well, but it just looks like a ton of effort to learn, and the converters being cheap doesn't entice. :x
Has anyone used it with a Roland SP-403 MKII yet? I feel like that should be a powerful combo..
How much will your MASTERING in a BOX cost roughly?
its gonna be more on the expensive side I'm afraid. handmade in oberfranken, germany... ;)
@@MStimming Please make available a diy kit version for us who can build stuff.
@@MStimming quality > price. I'm so excited!
Is it possible to use octatrack without CF card? if using CF card, what kind should I get?
Ehrlich, tut gut, danke!
Is it wrong that the primary reason to watch these is not for content but to watch him Vibing in his own special ways….
Yikes! Pulling the CF card like that while powered on :p Also that split second power cycle. Elektron recommends 30 seconds I believe in between turning it off then back on. But look at me, giving gear handling advice to my favorite producer
Sounds more like a 20 year old machine with the non Hot Swap functionality 😉
You can normally remove the CF card whilst powered on no problem, it simply reloads when you put it back in.
You can take the cf Card out while it’s on, but you’re supposed to select “sync data to card” in the menu to safely eject correctly.
I was definitely planning on getting the MK2... but my instinct tells me to wait and see if they make a MK3 or even a new device that addresses those issues you mention.
Haha! There's guys out there that have been holding back for years for that update. Don't hold your breath.
@@niallcameron6433 hahaha I’m not, that’s why I got the Digitakt 🤣
It's gonna take you years to learn it anyways, might as well start now with the MK2 ;)
I have a feeling there might be something coming... quite probably next year...
@@MStimming what’s taking them so damn long !?
Hello! Do you know a tutorial that tells how when we put a wav file in Octatrack, we can play it in its own duration? I can only hear 16 steps right now. What I want is to be able to play all of them if the wav is 3 minutes or 6 minutes. I Thank you!
Your sample is retriggered. I'd use a 1st trig condition to trigger the sample only once. You can also use one shot trigs, AB conditions, chain patterns, use the arranger...
ich habe vor etwa 9 Jahre eine Internetrecherche gestartet um das geilste, experimentellste Hardware-Mothership zu finden was der Markt so bietet und habe nach einigen Fehlkäufen vor etwa 5 Jahren auch den Octatrack gekauft. Ich wünsche Elektron, für die 3. Octatrack-Generation, wieder einen so genialen Entwickler zu finden wie den Entwickler des Originals. Leider ist der Mastermind nämlich nicht mehr an Board. Aber sie haben ja mit dem Digitakt und dem Model Cycles (die auch in meinem bescheidenen Studio wohnen) bewiesen dass sie immer noch in der Lage sind die geilste Hardware heutzutage zu bauen. PS: Ich freu mich mega auf das Masteringtool aus der Stimmingschmiede......
You'll have to do the Rytm next :)
what is this box on the left that the Octatrack seems to be run through? does it influence the sound of the machine?
Great sound✨
Well done breakdown of the Octatrack sir! When can we buy the an Instant Mastering Chain? I'm very interested!
Now this has to be the most confusing video on the Octatrack I have ever seen 😵 ...which is fine, haha. I guess it's a clear hint that this machine has tons of possibilities and features. So everybody can develop his/her own way of utilizing these tools.
That being said, I find the device exciting, but am reluctant to buying one, because I may have to change my current way of making music. Dunno if I am ready yet.
Still great to see how YOU are using it, Martin. Thank you for letting us observe you.
You mentioned you used a DAW preset to Master the sound Live. Any chance you could share this project file? What daw was it in? Thanks 🙏
hey, it was bitwig (because of its capability of using low-power cpus without a hickup) with the following chain: eq (low and hishelve plus max3db) - dynamics (upward compression!!!) - limiter. pretty simple...
@@MStimming Aah geil, hab schon mehrmals drüber nachgedacht ob du wohl Biteig user bist, hab noch dein in the studio mit Cubase im Kopf wo du meintest, Ableton ist dir zu limitierend - ging mir genauso bis ich Bitwig entdeckt hab. Echt ne coole Software!
we wanna know more about the mastering device on your right side martin!
pickup machines are fun. They are loopers, like a Boss RC-505, or a Boomerang pedal, or an EH looper. They suit a different kind of musician, someone more like Reggie Watts, and they are useful and a lot of fun.
ok thanks! that wasn't meant as an offence, just the usual subjectivity in my reviews
@@MStimming Surgeon used the Octatrack as a looper in combination with a modular case
That’s the nice thing about it, everybody uses the Octatrack different
How about a video on the Sherman Filterbank that utilises all the IN and OUT and MIDI? Nowhere does such a thing exist.
Elektron, please make an only live performance sampler, line the digi/tone/tak price range. In the meanwhile, I’ll play with my Drambo.
"The brainpower to achieve that is quite a lot..." zu geil ;)
Wie immer ein sehr schönes und unterhaltsames Video. Danke dafür!
Da wollen wir mal hoffen, dass der ein oder andere Elektron Entwickler/Produktmanager zuschaut und im Pflichtenheft der nächsten Entwicklung bessere Wandler und mehr DSP Power für höherwertigere Effekte einplant :)
Elektron should hit up some of the old Ensoniq engineers...
God I've been saying this for 10 years, that I wish the OT sounded like an ASR.
Yep
Hey Stimming,
love your videos. Just wanted to let you know there are a couple of factual errors this video:
- Sample lists are per project, and not per set.
- A set is just a folder on the CF card, you can put many projects in one set. And you can
browse/load all samples across projects, no need to 'associate' the files with the set.
- There are 4 parts per bank! That's 64 parts per project!
- You say trig count and retrig are the same, but there is a difference: trig count
re-triggers the envelopes, and retrig does not.
hey evan, yeah, I recognized this as well. but the fact that you can only browse samples from within the "set" folder (which can have many subfolders and yes, its independent from the two project lists) is still strange. I mean - you cannot browse samples that are outside the set-folder is a limitation that I needed to address. sorry for not being precise. heat of the real-time review, I also mistaked bank and project once.
Samples are loaded in PROJECT slots, not SET. The SET is basically a folder where projects and AUDIO folder are stored.
In the SET, there is no sample limitation, appart from CF Card capacity. In the PROJECT, you can load 2x128 samples, but you can use sliced samples, and get up to 2x128x64=16 384 sounds per project. Enough ?
I bet you for some people is not enough 😂
“Obviously they put like a fucking one Euro convertor in there, maybe two Euros convertor, it sounds like a smart phone sounded 5 years ago…the convertor is shit.” -Stimming. LOL.
Sound Mangler Deluxe. That's what it says on the sign.
I want Digitakt MK II. Stereo. More Ram. More storage.
There ya go
so how compares the Akai Force to the Octatrack?
The thing is: if you intend to buy an octatrack, a laptop will not necessarily be the better alternative. if you think about buying an Akai Force, the laptop is always the better alternative just because of the fact that it is an open ecosystem which the Akai Force is not. This is not dissing the Akai force, which is a great portastudio. But it sits somewhere in between a PC/Laptop with a fully fledged DAW+Vsts and an octatrack.
I thought you were going to drop it on the table at 1:12.
...what about a review of the Roland MC 707 ? ...would be great ! - is there any way to do more or less the things which you can do with the OT ? or are they completely different machines ?!?
..I wanted to get the Octatrack but the mind mangling work flow and the sound quality you mention tells me to get the MC 707. I am an ableton user and want to go dawless with more or less the same features/functions and using my terrabyte collection of samples. Tried with the Korg Electribe 2...but was much to limited even if sounds/effects are great. ......thanks
I have been watching videos on Elektron gear for years now and I still have no idea how they work or what they even really do… I understand the odd workflow is what makes them appealing to most but they have to be able to make the operation more intuitive… it’s like they designed it specifically to not be logical…
I think you can make your live mastering chain with a mod duo pedal or a similar stompbox.
This is exactly the advice I was looking for
I get way to anxious watching any of your videos
I really wish they would make an updated version of OT. Its insanely powerful and very quickly became the brain of my live setup controlling my modular system (my Eloquencer is basically just a midi-to-cv module now). It brings my whole setup together and adds an insane amount of functionality and control over something that otherwise would be impossible to manage the same way with only two hands.
That's why the sample limitations, time-stretching, effects, and lackluster audio quality when fully utilizing the machine are such a bummer. At this point, some of these features just sound so scuffed compared to what else is available and their functionality is so much poorer than anything possible in a DAW. It really is a perfect utility that's more reliable than a computer for live hardware performances but the sound quality, effects, sample manipulation, and the general number of possibilities aren't even comparable to something like Ableton. I'm sure I'm asking for too much but a guy can dream.
It's a great machine that can do some amazing things but the workflow is just a nightmare for me. I have an Analog4 which I get along with very well (extremely underrated as a drum synth) but this one just makes me want to use the computer instead.
Come ooon Stimming, you love the OT! 90% of your livesets is happening in this device 😉✌️
of course I do! Because I love it so much, I show such strong emotions about the converters ;)
Does it help to set the Octacunt on 24 bit instead of 16 for sampling ?
my brain is in a pretzel but still i like it
Since you also reviewed the maschine+, wouldn't you consider using that or an akai force live or you would miss the octa's sampling too much?
oh, I would totally miss the lightning fast sampling workflow! even the blackbox isnt that fast and intuitive...
@@MStimming I'm really interested in this doctron/stimming box and I'm sure a lot of people are. Since it sounds like it's gonna be expensive do you know around what price point could we expect so we can start saving :)
@@MStimming have you ever looked into the SP16? It has very nice converters & the dsi drive & filters 🥳
The Octatrack is indeed a weird beast even Stimming of all people struggle to review it lol
He killed it in a bad as cercle gig and explains theirs parts of this thing he doesn't even want to try to know about :D
OMG - pickup machines are the best! It's pretty much the ONLY way I use the OT. Try them! :-) Mind you, this is the best thing about the OT - it can be completely different things to different people.
"this is the best thing about the OT - it can be completely different things to different people." - yes, I agree!
One question though, anyone knows what is the internal sampling rate of the audio engine? Does it oversample? If it doesn't, all the processing surely destroys the audio quality as much as bad converters.
OT samples are 44.1. It will play 48 but at an incorrect tempo. I don't know what the internal is for sure, but looking at the link to the Cirrus chips posted above, they are rated at 192 khz. Given that the OT can process up to 4 in and 4 out at a time, I wouldn't guess that internal effects are much better than 48khz per track in practice, but I'm speculating now...
@@distantcomets Without the numbers and just trusting my ears, the OT just wipes out all warmness from samples, and using the effects just makes it worse. Nothing to worry about if you are looking for an icy sound.
@@cooptrol worlds difference when you switch to 24 bit mode.