Long sample playback best practices - DJ workflow

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hello everyone,

I intend to put together a tutorial video once I gather all the resources, but it first starts with you. (I’ve noticed a lack of videos on this topic.)

I want to figure out the best workflow for DJing with the OT, using song length (3-7 minute) stereo tracks.

I would guess that a combination of flex and static samples would extend the total time of a non stop set, and allow for layering of shorter loops and one shots.

My goal is to add beat synced effects via scenes and to use the delay control mode to do some glitched up fills. Also, would like to set up a flexible resampling workflow with record triggers and/or pickup machines.

I would love to hear from experienced users on their own best practices for playback of long samples. The reward will be comprehensive resource for the Elektron user community. (I will author video and docs.)

Thanks for your input!

-Soltec

1 Like
#2

The problem is probably telling the octatrack what the bpm is of your songs.
the other problem is that not all music is computer-sample-beat-perfect.

For argument sake: its not that difficult to make a sample start at the first beat.
its easy to select 4 beats and make your octa figure out what the bpm is.
Its a whole lot less easy to select 4 bars of a bpm-fluctuating song and tell the octa
“this is the bpm” … there is no warping like you can do in ableton… (or other softie-daws with simular functions) …

anyways: Lets say for argument purpose, that you really have 100 files on your cf card.
and those 100files are sample-acurate-bpm-known-files.

You could just load them up in a static-slot and trigger them. either manually
or in a sequence. or in a free-playing sequence… u cant use flex… because you will run out of memory very quick if you load complete songs.

Have two tracks… with a song on each… trigger them manually, and do weirdness with fader… or having 4 tracks… 2 pairs… a sample-track + a neighboor… so you can do more fx/eq…

Or trigger them in a sequence… so you basicly loop the first bar until you take the trigger away… (should make mixing it in easier)…

Or trigger them with free-play sequence… have the first bar retriggered weirdly or with triggerless trigs and whatnot to make it fade in…

lets say you take 4 tracks (the 2 pairs) to launch your music… you can use 3 others to launch little vocals-loops or whatnot… or some resampling… (again use the fader to make them blend in) and track8 as masterfx…

Its almost a shame, that you cant combine track7 and 8 as combined mastertrack…
(well u can i think, if you abuse the cuetrack… but u might want to use that one to hear what your mixing in)

So possibilities a plenty… I bet you just want an extra controller to use the fx on your tracks…

#3

Absolutely true about the known BPM.
All the songs i load in the OT gets the bpm in the name (i add it in the computer)
so i can put the value in the Attributes page of the Audio Editor and saving that setting.

What i actually do when using OT as Dj Deck is to have:

T1 > Static (left deck)
T2 > Neighbor (for added fx)

T5 > Static (right deck)
T6 > Neighbor

T8 > Master

Then T4 and T7 can be Recorder Buffers that sample the Master T8 or a specific thing (a deck or the Cue…)

I trigger the tracks manually using trig 9 for T1 or trig 13 for T5.
Depending on the sounding material you can have both Static machines with Timestretching ON (so they follow the master BPM) …or… disable it on the track that is getting mixed in (on long paddy intros or whatever). Then -once the track of before is gone you can move the BPM to the song’s value (you can read it in the name also) - enable Timestretching, then having fun with Crossfader or PlaysFree Sequenced Fx that is a funny technique (more details on here or on the [url=“http://www.elektron-users.com/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=28&func=view&catid=18&id=214989”]original E-U thread)

You can then resample, triggering the Recorders manually with quantized value and so on.

I hope to put out a little video on how i mix live when using the OT as a funFun Dj-Console

2 Likes
#4

Excellent! I will check out those links.

#5

I have a question in general about long samples. I have record a 42 sec. sample in my H2 Field Recorder as wav-file with 90 bpm. Than I have loaded the file into a static machine at
track 1. the OT tempo is 90 bpm and i use a 64/64 scale (4 bars),.

If I now trigger the sample with a trigger step in bar 1 step 1 the sample is played till end of bar 4 and starts again at bar 1.

But the sample itself is longer than 4 bars and I like to play it to the end.

Can somebody tell we how?

#6

Option 1: Trigger it manually.
Option 2: place trigger… wait till it triggers and remove trigger…
option 3: (probably the one you like) Place a one-shot trigger… read more about it in the manual.
to lazy to find the propper page for ya (sorry)… Basicly its a trigger, that triggers only once.
or until you reset it…

#7

For that you need to use a one shot-trigger. At the moment I don’t know by heart how to setup (I think function + trig-button), but I’m sure you can find it in the manual easily or maybe someone here can explain better…

How to Set Baseline When Scaling Tempos on OT (Using Loops of Different Lengths)
#8

^^ ok if you want the sample to play once or are happy to keep re-arming the one shot…

If you need your sample to loop with the OT sequencer however:

[ol]
[li]FUNC + Bank to access pattern settings[/li]
[li]Check per track in scale mode[/li]
[li]FUNC + Scale[/li]
[li]Set top tempo multiplier (where it says 1 x ) to 1/2[/li]
[li]Set Master to 128 1 x[/li]
[/ol]

These settings are required because your sample is 28 quarter beats or 7 bars at 90 bpm. Here we are telling the OT to 1/2 time the track , in effect giving you 8 bars before it loops…the trig steps just become 1/8 divisions as opposed to 1/16. Setting the Master to 128 will make the sequencer play for 8 bars before all tracks are reset, allowing your 7 bar sample to play in its entirety.

However , your sample duration gives you 7 bars at your project tempo you will have to work out what you want to do about that extra bar. Add another trig for the last bar ? Timestretch ? (Do it offline in software unless you wish to explore the creative aspects of the OT’s poor quality algorithim) I don’t know what your material is or your time signature so difficult to say.

But in principle the per track scale and tempo multipliers allow you to play long loops - up to 32 bars with the 1/8 scale. They also allow different time signatures and number of steps for each track thereby enabling complex polyrhythms to be programmed

1 Like
#9

Thank you all for your usefull helps. It works now perfect.

#10

Was this video ever recorded?
I am about to play live and would love to “DJ” some of my already produced tracks.