Losing my mind over pickup machines

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

i really thought i got this but im getting random occasions of the pickup machines doing straight from + to x >

it should be from + to + >

it seems completely random and i know i have done this before without this happening.

it happens when i have set the length (LEN) to OFF (not qrec or qplay, those are on 16)

when its on LEN X 1 it works better but every channel seems to act a little bit different. right now losing my mind after having worked this for a month

ill try to upload a film if i cannot explain but could anyone shed a light?

Why do people not like Pickup Machines?
#2

could it have to do with ARMed and DISARMed tracks?

#3

Are you using one mode and pressing a/b again? This will send you into replacing. If so try one2 mode. I suggest starting with len off for all pu’s until there functioning right…

#4

i believe it has to do with the ARM thing

could you describe the use of that?

#5

actually no, i was in ONE2 all the time.

also releasing, i’ve been addressing the machines thinking double tapping [playback] or [track] buttons got me to the same place. track button gets me to MACHINE: and playback button to playback setup

what are the differences to those?

ill do some cleaning up in this topic once i get to understand these things better

#6

how come all pickup machines aren’t slaves here? track 1-7 are playing 8 not

IMG_1534.JPG3024×4032 2.95 MB

#7

Is T8 set to Master Track ?

#8

The status glitches are a well known issue, hoping for a bug fix on this

3 Likes
#9

ok great to know that actually. other bugs with PM i should know about?

#10

Pu’s are tricky(buggy?) but you can tame them. I suggest to start very simple with a fresh project and one pu. Experiment with its settings and behaviors, and how it relates to the sequencer. Once familiar with how the settings work using one pu, add another and experiment with how eaches settings interact. Then add more.
OT learning curve can seem steep, but becomes easy after some time…

#11

@Open_Mike you seem to use OT as a looper.
Do you use PLEN for QREC and QPLAY?
How do you start/stop, and what rec lengths?

#12

Did you read this very interesting thread? :wink:

#13

Really hope Elektron fix this loose end on OT. When I’ve briefly used pickups in the past I was never sure if I was being dumb, or my OT was, or both :wink: would be nice to be sure it was user error when things seem odd. Weird they didn’t fix it already? Pretty big deal for one of the machine types to be so sketchy and seemingly abandoned.

#14

I use one2 mode, rlen max, qrec and qpl at plen or sometimes 64 or 128, and pu len off for all… Dynamic recorders…
I always start the sequencer first which starts Rytm.
I then press a/b during the first pattern cycle, and start recording on the next.
With one2 mode and these settings I can easily get 64, 128, 256, or 512 step loops.
For some reason you need qpl set to a value to be able to define the quantized length, it doesn’t work with just qrec enabled. In other words pressing c/d to define length and go into play mode, relies on qpl and not qrec…
With this setup my loops are always at sequencer bpm and in sync…
I usually don’t manually stop them, I either mute or switch patterns…

4 Likes
#15

Disappointing, but sorta understandable, if less than ideal though, requires patience … because OB AH AD DT etc

Regarding topic : for me the quirks of PUM become less off-putting when you get external control sussed with an external foot controller … the fun outweighs the niggles

2 Likes
#16

Mine were wild and crazy but I’ve slowly tamed them into reliability by experimenting with every possible combination of settings, in my current config I trust them for live…

2 Likes
#17

Here’s my wee tip with MIDI ctrl of PUM [edited: had this upside down, notes are normally used, a cc can be fake a note]

exploit the ability to utilise cc to be notes velocity (RTM midi appendix & p135)

On my controller I have the High cc set to the value which commences recording, then set the low cc to the value that commences playback

This allows you to have a hold mode (whilst set to One2) to set up the loop length, it also means you can’t forget that rec is already engaged and press it again, thus entering erase mode … this lowers the frustration

I have enough switches to have dedicated single function switches for rec and play too, but I like the simplicity/safety of this

1 Like
#18

Midi values ftr

1 Like