Love when you put the diagram up. I have a few Elektron instruments but not all. Watching that I was like... omg want want want. Then it hit me... add up the costs of all the gear and it's half of a small new car (at least in Australia). Lolz. DAWless is so awesome but damn does it break the bank if you want multiple devices doing all sorts of crazy things. Love the vid btw.
Thanks! I admit it's overkill. I just love the Elektron workflow so much that I sold all my other gear and bought this gear. For some reason I feel way more inspired and creative when using these silly little expensive boxes.
@@damigamusic haha. Omg I know exactly what you mean. What is it about them? The solid build... that it feels like an appliance that'll last 100+ years? The quirkiness of the key combinations? The fact that the names are quirky? Sigh. Dammit I want an Octatrakt now. Damn you and your vid... 😜😊🤣
I whish i could do the cue tricks for two effects: L for reverb and R for delay. I want to select a track to My zen delay and another to Strymon reverb. But cues in that way i hear effect only from one channel L or R on speakers. Do you have any tricks to use two external effects with cue outs to center pan? i don know.
Interesting. Let me play with it and see if I can come up with something. I think you’d run the risk of phase cancellation issues but it’s worth a try.
Are you manually switching patterns on the Elektrons or is the OT sending a Pattern Change to the other Elektrons? If so, are you able to let them all switch patterns at the same measure while having different pattern lengths. I never succeeded with that. The way I suppose it should work is setting the length parameter to an equal value on all devices, say 16. So when they receive the PC message they will all switch pattern at 16.
The OT sends the pattern change to all the other devices via MIDI. You can have different pattern lengths but that is where the Arranger sort of breaks down. If you are using track mutes then they get real wonky with the different pattern lengths and are difficult to predict and control. I set all of my patterns to 64 steps and that keeps everything aligned very nicely.
Hi, Really useful video as it still a little information about this kind of setup. Maybe I missed it, but OT specification says that there are 4 balanced external input jacks. Shouldn't it allow to connect your devices with stereo capabilities instead of mono?
Yes, it can but you only get two stereo devices A+B and C+D. If you want to maximize its use, you can go with four mono connections and then use stereo effects like chorus, delay and reverb when mixing.
Love the vid! Thanks so much for putting that together. I’m curious how your midi is set up? :) Like you said, a million ways to set things up. Perhaps these tips can help in some way.. One way to not have to load a project every time for all machines is to maximize the use of banks. So the ot has 16 banks but I believe dt and dn have 8. So imagine in one project you can organize 8 tracks. 1 song per bank on the Ot. Each song/ bank can use 16 patterns, 4 parts, and 64 scenes! That is 16 per part. You might be able to even pull off 16 songs this way by using 8 patterns per song instead.. 2 songs per bank. Another tip perhaps is with audio routing. The inputs on the DT and DN are quite great. And you can now run those inputs through the fx of those boxes. So it’s a great way to divide/ layer your audio. Another tip is with the mixer.. I have a mixer that has an alt 3/4 output which you can use to send back into the ot stereo pair.. and you just press the mute on the mixer and sends that channel into the ot, similar as to how you send cue outs to the reverb. This way you can have other inputs that you can feed into the ot when ever you want. Like radio, computer, mic. Etc. Just some ideas! Cheers!
Those are great ideas. I will definitely try them. I started messing around with Parts a few months ago but had a hard time finding songs I had worked on because I couldn’t remember which files and which Parts they were stored in. Regarding the MIDI, I go MIDI out from the OT to the MIDI in of the Digitakt, then MIDI thru from the Digitakt to the MIDI in of the Digitone, then MIDI thru from the Digitone to the next device…and then keep going down the line until I’ve linked all devices.
Thanks. I agree. For the stuff I’m doing now it’s a waste but my musical tastes change every few months, haha. I was doing straight-up EDM for a while but got bored.
Great vid ! I think in a similar way of connecting elektron devices but I want to try to record everything via overbridge ; do you think there is a way to do it ? Did you ever try it ? Can I use the 3/4 outs (in cue mode ??) from the Octatrack to go back to the inputs of the Syntakt for example… ?
Yes, you can definitely route back to the Syntakt if you want to use the Syntakt’s effects. Regarding recording, I’ve successfully linked all of my Elektron devices back to Ableton Live via Overbridge. It’s nice because you can use the Elektron plugins to control the device parameters and also use Max4Live devices as additional LFO’s. It’s so convenient.
Just curious, you have to use mono in's because there's 4 instruments coming into the OT yeah? Like if I were to just have a digitakt and digitone, I could bring those into the octatrack as stereo
Correct. I can’t take advantage of stereo inputs because I want four devices but if you only have two devices…definitely take advantage of the stereo capabilities.
Have you considered using the DT stereo in for your DN and perhaps the AR stereo IN for the syntakt, which would A, let you connect your now 2 devices via stereo on the OT, and B use the stereo in signal of the at and dt for those going in, and plus using the effects of the dt and AR on their inputs, along with the lfo and compression. This also gives you back 2 new OT tracks for either samples.. or neighbor tracks on each of the 2 thrus. It’s just an alternate way. Like you said there are many ways to connect and set things up.
For sure. If I ever needed an extra track I would definitely double-up on chaining the devices together. The only problem it might cause is with your ability to apply track effects on the Octatrack since multiple devices would be coming through the same track. You would have to be selective about which OT effects you use since they would get applied to multiple devices at the same time.
Yes, totally. It’s an extra step but that would allow me to get the lofi sound I’m after. The other reason I like to use samples on the Digitakt is because I like to set trigger conditions with percentages so that some kick or snare hits don’t trigger on every bar. It makes the pattern less predictable and more natural sounding.
Love when you put the diagram up. I have a few Elektron instruments but not all. Watching that I was like... omg want want want. Then it hit me... add up the costs of all the gear and it's half of a small new car (at least in Australia). Lolz. DAWless is so awesome but damn does it break the bank if you want multiple devices doing all sorts of crazy things. Love the vid btw.
Thanks! I admit it's overkill. I just love the Elektron workflow so much that I sold all my other gear and bought this gear. For some reason I feel way more inspired and creative when using these silly little expensive boxes.
@@damigamusic haha. Omg I know exactly what you mean. What is it about them? The solid build... that it feels like an appliance that'll last 100+ years? The quirkiness of the key combinations? The fact that the names are quirky? Sigh. Dammit I want an Octatrakt now. Damn you and your vid... 😜😊🤣
I whish i could do the cue tricks for two effects: L for reverb and R for delay. I want to select a track to My zen delay and another to Strymon reverb. But cues in that way i hear effect only from one channel L or R on speakers. Do you have any tricks to use two external effects with cue outs to center pan? i don know.
Interesting. Let me play with it and see if I can come up with something. I think you’d run the risk of phase cancellation issues but it’s worth a try.
Are you manually switching patterns on the Elektrons or is the OT sending a Pattern Change to the other Elektrons? If so, are you able to let them all switch patterns at the same measure while having different pattern lengths. I never succeeded with that. The way I suppose it should work is setting the length parameter to an equal value on all devices, say 16. So when they receive the PC message they will all switch pattern at 16.
The OT sends the pattern change to all the other devices via MIDI. You can have different pattern lengths but that is where the Arranger sort of breaks down. If you are using track mutes then they get real wonky with the different pattern lengths and are difficult to predict and control. I set all of my patterns to 64 steps and that keeps everything aligned very nicely.
Hi,
Really useful video as it still a little information about this kind of setup.
Maybe I missed it, but OT specification says that there are 4 balanced external input jacks. Shouldn't it allow to connect your devices with stereo capabilities instead of mono?
Yes, it can but you only get two stereo devices A+B and C+D. If you want to maximize its use, you can go with four mono connections and then use stereo effects like chorus, delay and reverb when mixing.
@@damigamusic I see, thank you for clarification!
Love the vid! Thanks so much for putting that together. I’m curious how your midi is set up? :)
Like you said, a million ways to set things up. Perhaps these tips can help in some way..
One way to not have to load a project every time for all machines is to maximize the use of banks. So the ot has 16 banks but I believe dt and dn have 8.
So imagine in one project you can organize 8 tracks. 1 song per bank on the Ot. Each song/ bank can use 16 patterns, 4 parts, and 64 scenes! That is 16 per part. You might be able to even pull off 16 songs this way by using 8 patterns per song instead.. 2 songs per bank.
Another tip perhaps is with audio routing. The inputs on the DT and DN are quite great. And you can now run those inputs through the fx of those boxes. So it’s a great way to divide/ layer your audio.
Another tip is with the mixer..
I have a mixer that has an alt 3/4 output which you can use to send back into the ot stereo pair.. and you just press the mute on the mixer and sends that channel into the ot, similar as to how you send cue outs to the reverb. This way you can have other inputs that you can feed into the ot when ever you want. Like radio, computer, mic. Etc.
Just some ideas! Cheers!
Those are great ideas. I will definitely try them. I started messing around with Parts a few months ago but had a hard time finding songs I had worked on because I couldn’t remember which files and which Parts they were stored in. Regarding the MIDI, I go MIDI out from the OT to the MIDI in of the Digitakt, then MIDI thru from the Digitakt to the MIDI in of the Digitone, then MIDI thru from the Digitone to the next device…and then keep going down the line until I’ve linked all devices.
Jealous of this set up. Dope song too. Kind of overkill for what you're producing though?
Thanks. I agree. For the stuff I’m doing now it’s a waste but my musical tastes change every few months, haha. I was doing straight-up EDM for a while but got bored.
@@damigamusic not overkill if that rig can do all the different kinds of genres you want to do. And those boxes are all interesting on their own
Hallo i have a questions can i with out octatrak /digitakt syntakt digitone and analig heat fx connectting how can i do it thanks🙏
What devices are you trying to connect?
Great vid ! I think in a similar way of connecting elektron devices but I want to try to record everything via overbridge ; do you think there is a way to do it ? Did you ever try it ? Can I use the 3/4 outs (in cue mode ??) from the Octatrack to go back to the inputs of the Syntakt for example… ?
Yes, you can definitely route back to the Syntakt if you want to use the Syntakt’s effects. Regarding recording, I’ve successfully linked all of my Elektron devices back to Ableton Live via Overbridge. It’s nice because you can use the Elektron plugins to control the device parameters and also use Max4Live devices as additional LFO’s. It’s so convenient.
Just curious, you have to use mono in's because there's 4 instruments coming into the OT yeah? Like if I were to just have a digitakt and digitone, I could bring those into the octatrack as stereo
Correct. I can’t take advantage of stereo inputs because I want four devices but if you only have two devices…definitely take advantage of the stereo capabilities.
@@damigamusic awesome thank you so much, I keep looking for reasons to not want an OT but more and more it's looking like that's next on the list
Have you considered using the DT stereo in for your DN and perhaps the AR stereo IN for the syntakt, which would A, let you connect your now 2 devices via stereo on the OT, and B use the stereo in signal of the at and dt for those going in, and plus using the effects of the dt and AR on their inputs, along with the lfo and compression.
This also gives you back 2 new OT tracks for either samples.. or neighbor tracks on each of the 2 thrus.
It’s just an alternate way. Like you said there are many ways to connect and set things up.
For sure. If I ever needed an extra track I would definitely double-up on chaining the devices together. The only problem it might cause is with your ability to apply track effects on the Octatrack since multiple devices would be coming through the same track. You would have to be selective about which OT effects you use since they would get applied to multiple devices at the same time.
And a re sample track too
Hey, are you going to make an update on this setup anytime soon? A lot has changed in a short time. Would be nice! Grtz
I can definitely do an update. What new features are you interested in hearing about the most?
@Damiga, for example, how do you record everything via overbridge on Studio One or Ableton?
Great video. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge!
Thanks - it’s strange that there is so few basic instructions on how to do this. It’s extremely hard for newbie’s (like me 😅).
This is helpful, thx!
You could sample a drum pattern from the syntakt into the octatrack, and then use effects to get the result you want, correct?
Yes, totally. It’s an extra step but that would allow me to get the lofi sound I’m after. The other reason I like to use samples on the Digitakt is because I like to set trigger conditions with percentages so that some kick or snare hits don’t trigger on every bar. It makes the pattern less predictable and more natural sounding.
Hi, I wrote you a private message on email..
I sent you a message. Let me know if my instructions make sense. Cheers.