Going Dawless with the Octatrack | Electronic Music Without A Laptop | Thomann
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
- Felix shows you how he uses the Elektron Octatrack MKII to create a hardware based electronic music setup that doesn't rely on a laptop or desktop computer.
Gear used:
Elektron Octatrack MKII: www.thomann.de/de/elektron_oc...
Elektron Analog Rytm: www.thomann.de/de/elektron_an...
Korg MS20mini: www.thomann.de/de/korg_ms_20_...
Erica Synth Fusion Box: www.thomann.de/de/erica_synth...
We use Triad-Orbit stands for our cameras, lights and mics: tho.mn/triad
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/uadx
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Intro
0:44 Performance
04:00 Walkthrough of the setup
05:37 The Octatrack's Crossfader
07:37 The Octatrack's Midi capabilities
Other Gear interesting for dawless setups at different price points:
Arturia Beatstep Pro: www.thomann.de/de/arturia_bea...
Novation Circuit: www.thomann.de/de/novation_ci...
Roland TR8S: www.thomann.de/de/roland_tr_8...
Polyend Tracker: www.thomann.de/de/polyend_tra...
Akai MPC One: www.thomann.de/de/akai_mpc_on...
Akai MPC X: www.thomann.de/de/akai_mpc_x.htm
Webshop: www.thomann.de
Facebook: / thomanninternational
Twitter: @thomann / thomann
Instagram: @thomann.music / thomann.music
Pinterest: / thomannde
Visit our blogs:
GER: www.thomann.de/blog/de/
ENG: www.thomann.de/blog/en/
FRA: www.thomann.de/blog/fr/
ESP: www.thomann.de/blog/es/
ITA: www.thomann.de/blog/it/
NED: www.thomann.de/blog/nl/
FIN: www.thomann.de/blog/fi/
It it wonderful that Thomann got you on their show. You are an excellent presenter! :)
Finally, an easy to digest summary of the Octatrack! Thank you 🙏🏻!
It only took 10 years for anyone to manage to make one! :D
A really excellent introduction to the Octatrack. Really helped me discover more. Thank you.
thank *YOU* to infinity. it looks like you performed, recorded it, and remixed it.....all in real time. this is AMAZING. i have the model cycles and it just opened my eyes, ears, and brain. lol. thanks to all the fellow elektronauts on youtube such as yourself. elektron is new to me. i'm from the old school groove box world. i've crossed over.
Glad you found value in this video. Yes the Elektron stuff has a very unique workflow with great potential. Make sure to also check out my other video called „How to get the most out of your Elektron Gear“
Best, Felix :)
DAW-less recording is great fun. The physicality produces different results. I still mix in the box but the tracks are more ready for mixing and sometimes are really more like stubs with effects and processing already done. Direct to stereo is fastest of all and it's like stepping back in time but in a good way.
Yes, I think dawless production is especially helpfull to get an initial idea because of it's limitation. I mosly create the foundation of my tracks dawless and then do all the details and arrangement in ableton where I have more precise control. best, felix
@@ThomannSynthesizers how do you record it for further processing in DAW? Each instrument individually/each sound individually/the whole master mix at once? Also wondering how many inputs your interface has? Might be an idea for the next video, how to turn the idea from the jam into complete song :)
Great overview! Hoping to pick one up in the next couple months. Loved the music.
The sound comming out of the ms20 is amazing!
Nice jam! Great melody and drums! Love it!
Very nice trick with the short feedback time delay scene on the drums track. I will shamelessly steal this one from you :)
great video and great live performance!
I have almost the same setup, the idea that the octatrack is the central part is a choice to have a minimum of devices and that, with formidable efficiency. I love the black edition, really classy.
Thanks Felix - that was interesting and informative
Thx, glad you enjoyed it ❤️ Best, Felix
Well this was awesome!
Great Man!!
great video keep it up
Nice vid, thanks!
By the way, sp-404sx/a is nice for long samples (unlike many other gear), may work like fx unit, good for djing as well, great for beat making, and supports midi sync/playback. I would suggest it a great option for drone, lofi, house and basically any other stuff
looping a single waveform brings the octatrack also in synth territories :)
I have had this same thought a while ago but didn't go through on trying it out :D thanks for the reminder. did you try it out yourself? best, felix
@@ThomannSynthesizers It works great on the Digitakt, so I imagine the Octatrack would just be more flexible and more effects at your disposal
@@ThomannSynthesizers yes i route the signal only through the cue out and feed it into my moog to get some additional wavetable options. a well cut loop of a modulated waveform without any filtering makes an even better job! it's handy and quite flexible
Going analog is definitely the way to go , there’s just something about it that a computer can’t replicate . I don’t know what it is , maybe the workflow , or the fact your not staring at a computer for hours and clicking a mouse , but one thing I no for sure is analog is fun as hell and I love the feel of physical gear , maybe that’s why I love my Mpc live so much. Great work my man very inspiring ! Hope I can afford a setup like this one day 🙏🏽✌🏽
I get what you're saying... but it's funny to phrase it as "analog." The MPC Live and Octatrack are just computers with knobs/buttons/pads. It's all digital - you're going to have to buy a Mellotron to get an analog sampler.
iTs AnALoG BrO
I hope you will introduce
the record collection behind you someday.
I‘m actually planning to do that soon on my own youtube channel ‚R-Imprint‘. You also find a bunch of other content around electronic music there. Best, Felix
Loving your crossfader scenes. What are some of your go to fx on the octa for creating those glitchy, stretched out drum manglers on scenes?
Great video as always Felix. I'm still on the fence with the Octatrack though because of its age.
But if Elektron manages to redo it as a Mk3 with a better workflow I'll be one of the first to preorder it.
I had the same initial worry before buying it but then I remembered that people are still using the MPC2000 Because some gear is timeless and I‘m sure I‘ll enjoy my MKII even if an MKIII should be released some day.
Best, Felix
@@ThomannSynthesizers You're absolutely right.
I feel you... I ended up returning mine because I just didn't get along with the effects. I would buy up a MK3 with better effects and some usability improvements right away.
I would be thrilled to master all that the Ock MK2 has to offer. There is nothing out there at the moment that comes close to it and it’s almost 10 years old. That is a testament to its design and capabilities. I love my Ock MK2. Pared with DT and DN and you can do almost anything you would ever want to do music-wise as far as I’m concerned.
@@ThomannSynthesizers I’m concerned with the Octatrack regarding recording it into the daw. How do you do it, since it doesn’t have Overbridge? Do you record stereo stem, how do you mix afterwards? That’s why I prefer Digitakt, where I can record separate tracks into Ableton and mix latter. If Octatrack Mk3 has Overbridge, I’ll buy it in an instant.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Great video. You clearly explain its use, it's way more than a sampler. Getting one now. Thanks. I assume that you can also just program drums on it, and you really don't need the Analog Rytm?
Sure you can use it like a digitakt, only 8 sound sources/tracks though
@@el_dani but different sound per step if you like ;)
@@tubeyouricky sure, same as every other modern Elektron machine
Wonderfully described Felix!
I am debating whether to get Digitakt or Octatrack.
Which one do you find more useful as studio tool, when trying to finish songs?
Digitakt with Overbridge, or Octatrack with endless possibilities, but poor computer integration.
I would pick the Octatrack any day of the week. More audio in and outputs, more sampling features and overall It‘s an better brain for a hardware setup and better for live performance.
The digitakt is more compact tho and if it has all you need this is also an option for a smaller setup with less gear involved, especially since the latest software update. Check our channel. I did a seperat video on the Digitakt, so maybe watch that as well.
@@ThomannSynthesizers Thanks for taking the time to answer. I have already watched both 😉
If only the Digitakt had proper slicing, my decision would be easy... I shall keep pondering!
I really have to start using the midi tracks on my Octatrack / Digitone to control my other gear. I’ve been lazy.
Doesn't take more than a couple of minutes to get used to. Just choose your midi channell on the setup page of your Midi Track and then select the same midi channel on the receiving device and your good to go.
Best, Felix
can you please reveal - that synth sample on oktatrack, is it reversed or modulated by lfo?
Wow, you went about 80% Aphex Twin on that.
Thanks for the great video!!! Can you explain why you send the midi track via de rytm instead of directly to the MS20-mini?
Because the octatrack only has just one midi out and by putting them all in a thru chain there is no need for a dedicated midi hub.
@@ThomannSynthesizers 🙏🏻
is there a reason you route midi for the ms20 through the rytm as well?
is the song used in the performance released??? if so what's its name?
no not yet, but I plan on finishing it for sure! Best, Felix
The OT is the best music device so far of the last 15 years, and we can only hope that Elektron without Cenk will develop an OT 2 and not only an OT MK3
I think Cenk has nothing major to do with the octa, from what i remember reading they had a significant developer who was a main part of elektron at the time and he made the Ots architecture. He left several years ago, and based on discussions ive read on the internet, it would be very difficult for Elektron to make an OT 2 without him. Cenk will surely be missed though...
Nice. Is it possible to have all your sampling time available in 1 project ?
Yes, 85 mb Ram, but unlimited playback stream from the CF-card
Would this be worth getting to replace an MPD218? I use it for mapping the MIDI cc knobs to Ableton Macros/Filter, res, cutoff, etc. and sometimes use it with Koala
Replace an MPD with Octatrack? That's two different things. One is a midi controller and the other is a sampler. This is not for controlling Ableton, although you can use the midi tracks to do so.
Hi, What confuses me about Elektron are the differences in the machines.
What distinguishes an Analog Rytm, an Analog Four or an Octatrac from each other. They all have the ability to play drum loops somehow, don't they? Is there somewhere a clear separation for the use of the devices?
Yes, they might look similar but they have completely different focuses.
The Analog Four is a (digitally controlled) analog poly-synth for melodies, chords, basslines etc.
The Analog Rytm is a (digitally controlled) analog drum machine that also has some sampling capabilities but much more limited than those of the octatrack.
The Octatrack is a completely digital sampler and midi sequencer that can be used to sequence up to 8 different external devices simultaneously + sequence & process 8 simultaneous audio tracks at the same time.
@@ThomannSynthesizers Hi, thanks for the brief overview. :)
OCTATRACK IS A DAW!
Your flower is dancing. (Orchid?)
You forgot to put the Akai Force in your list.
DAWless ist meine Herausforderung.. I hate screens
If I had a dollar everytime you touch the headphones Vol ... Djeezes
Hört sich leicht nach Prichard T. Jams 😂 an
Is this good?
yes
Your decision
minun Musiikkia Löytyy Facebookista.
What if I told you that Octatrack is a DAW!😯😯😯😯😯😮😮😮😮😮😮
I can not like this enough
Electronic music without digital synths yields the best results.
k
Analog is great but a mix with digital can be fun also, there are great things available nowadays. Step outside of your box
@@zandermeulemans7606 I spend at least two hours a week with listening new music and styles that I didn't even know of before, or expanding 'my box'.
And since the early 90s there has been no decent electronical music anymore, besides very few exceptions, mostly music that was purposedly made to sound retro. Not the only, but the most dominant reason for contemporary music being terrible, is that it's way too slow - the timespan between two beats in most music feels like I could go to the bar and have a drink, until the next beat finally arrives. 130 to 140bpm is what's needed for partying and dancing, unless maybe someone is 70+. Yes, I consider the effect that electronic music has on people in regards of making them 'want to move' or even 'have to move' as the single most important criterion for a song's quality. Why? Because very early I noticed, that music that's actually able to achieving this, is very, very rare, at least in comparison to the insanely huge amount of music that might 'sound good' but doesn't have that energizing effect. Even when myself and many of my friends made music ourselves, the result usually was way too 'slow and boring'. I see it as an very art to produce music that makes people move, no matter what. Rarity is what makes real party music more precious than all the 'chill out' and 'easy listening' stuff.
There still is a huge lot of (and always has been) music that's 'good' for sitting in a chair and relax while listening, but it's ridiculous that this music is considered to be dance material nowadays. :(
@@elmariachi5133 The Dance music gatekeeper hath spoken. Now we know
only daw ; )
I like no more Elektron products, toys toys only toys, can you see :model and cycles... Onlyone serious project was Machinedrum and maybe, maybe OT first version, all another feel... Take new instruments today? No Thanks, with a Laptop Pc + Ableton Suite, You could fly but don't You know... Listen to Me, save your money...
It‘s great when you fly with Ableton and Push, other enjoy the quick results of an Elektron machine or kill it with the best drum machine in existence: Rytm
@@el_dani only daw ; )