Elektron Octatrack + Unboxing video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpkwuM8PkNI

This is on a very early OS - it has matured considerably since Jan - but yeah, Amen sliced

You could do that and more on the Ensoniq EPS-16+ back in 91 using the mod wheel, after touch or LFOs's, it practically invented glitch.
There is a Modulation setting in the Ensoniq EPS-16+ which allows you to scrub through a sample (basically, the modweel designates the sample start point) backwards and forwards with the modwheel. It results in some of the coolest sounds and effects, depending on how you played while you used it (and what sample you were using it with)
it's called loop-position modulation and it's pretty much responsible for 90s glitch. autechre, fennesz, jan jelinek and countless mego/mille plateaux artists used it extensively. the ensoniq samplers were way ahead of their time

this feature is also what enables transwaves, kinda ensoniq's version of wavetable synthesis

Personally I think Elektron stuff is over priced digital gear for hipsters, I could think of 1000 better ways of spending my money.

**** that hipster yack.. if anything is hippster it's that apple wannabe Teenage Engineering OP-1 that really is nothing more than a fancy display in a 'cute' box that has basic functionality.

Not to diss the Ensoniq sampler line, because they really were ahead of their competition... back in the day!
But you see one feature of the OT presented in a vid that the EPS-16+ could do (in a cumbersome way btw.) and think that's all that's possible with the OT? Man, even the MPC 500 can modulate the sample start point.

Where's the EPS-16's high definiton step sequencer controlling parameter locks, triggless triggs and triggering 8 external Midi instruments? Where does the EPS stream gigabytes large complete tracks (static machines) from CF Card and still can manipulate them drastically with hands-on control live? Where are it's 16 amazing Effects processors? Where's the optical crossfader? Where's the liquid audio features in the EPS?
The OT's steps and crossfader can modulate anything from basic sample, pitch (uncoupled from timing), amplitude, filter and effects settings to the 3 incredible (user drawable) LFOs per track/sample which themselves modulate a multitude of targets.
And everything in a hands-on easy as a pie manner. Wavetable like synthesis is possible too, plus a plethora of functions like modulateable retrig that lends itself to glitch and stuff.

The Octa's functionality isn't even available in any software/virtual instrument let alone in any other current (or even 20 years old) hardware.
Having it in front of you, trying, touching, using and abusing it is different than seeing it in a vid.

IMO The Octa really is the most radically innovative sampler since the invention of samplers. It's like a grown-up Roland Variphrase on crack, coupled with highly sophisticated sequencing and amazing hands-on control, parameter locks, trigless trigs, different engines, all in a rugged little box and what not...

Stop comparing it to anything you know, try it!


PS: Haven't done any vid yet, studio is a mess right now, got new windows (not the OS, the ones you look through) and a new Onyx 32.4 which is waiting for me to wire it.

Think I just got served LOL

Haha, sorry man, nothing personal
I guess reading "hipster" got me... and maybe some of the guys posting vids showing off their new toy could be described as ones.

I haven't used any other Elektron gear and can't talk about the Machinedrum or the Monomachine, but the Octatrack for what it does and how it is built is definitely priced very competitively.

*Removed* Life is too short

Hey MCL, that was actually a thoughtful post. At least I've read it and could agree...

Cheers for that otobot, But I felt it could have resulted in a web based bickering match (as seems to happen in online forums more often than not.)

But hey - life is too short eh?

Back to my single cycle waveforms

Hey otobot, is the timestretch on the Octatrack...you know, a beautiful thing?

MCL, you're right, life's too short for online battles
So you're working with single cycle waveforms in the Octa? I'mma try it out tomorrow after the rewiring job!


Ill-Green, yes, the timestretch in the Octa sounds pretty good even with drastic tempo changes.

otobot wrote:...yes, the timestretch in the Octa sounds pretty good even with drastic tempo changes.

too bad that didn't put in a 'vintage' mode that sounded like crap though. ;]

tapedeck wrote:too bad that didn't put in a 'vintage' mode that sounded like **** though. ;]

There's the LoFi Collection effects in each of both effects slots of the 8 tracks though

otobot wrote:

tapedeck wrote:too bad that didn't put in a 'vintage' mode that sounded like **** though. ;]

There's the LoFi Collection effects in each of both effects slots of the 8 tracks though

nice, but cyclic timestretch is comin up as the new underground go-to effect ;]

tapedeck wrote:

otobot wrote:

tapedeck wrote:too bad that didn't put in a 'vintage' mode that sounded like **** though. ;]

There's the LoFi Collection effects in each of both effects slots of the 8 tracks though

nice, but cyclic timestretch is comin up as the new underground go-to effect ;]

Interesting, got any example of cyclic timestretch as an effect?

in this vid at 0:10 and then for the rest of the beat at 0:50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3-rr_oGkgc

http://akaizer.blogspot.com/ <-can take it to extreme levels