More Scales Than Chromatic

[echo_opera]

Hello:

First let me say how much I love my Octatrack MKII. It’s my first Elektron product, and I am sure it won’t be my last :).

I was wondering if Elektron had considered adding additional Scale Modes to the OT MKII? While having access to the Chromatic Scale is fantastic, I find myself wanting to lock my playback to other Scales.

I currently use Audiobus 3 on my iPad to do this. It allows me to lock the Scale and Key to a handful of options. I then route the Midi out from the OT to my various soft and hardware synths, so I can insure playback in a Harmonic Scale in the key of E on all my connected devices. While this workflow is great, I really want to take the setup on the iOS aspect out of the equation, and use the OT solely to drive my Scale and Key for my session of play.

I am sure this isn’t a new request, but I thought I’d toss my request into the box and start the conversation again.

I truly love the OT MKII and look forward to many late nights of joyous music creation with it.

Cheers,
echo opera

[sezare56]

Welcome ! To be sure, you already know arp maj / min scales with arp ?
You maybe want realtime scale convert, but it works with recorded notes only.

Using LFO Designer to play scales?

I have a sample that is f# minor. I want to be able to have the LFO designer play it in a minor scale. Can anyone help me figure out the proportion of LFO steps to semitones? Is it even possible?

REQUEST: more scales

It would be nice to be able to when in arp, mode be able to select more scales. Also in keyboard mode to be able to choose more scales would be nice. ..or for that matter everywhere where you have transpose.

[Open_Mike]

This can coax some more scales too:

Octatrack Tips & Tricks (OT Tips)

The arp can play more than major or minor scale, I posted this for A4 but figured it should live here too… The common major scale actually has seven modes which translate into other scales in other keys. The major scale in one key is actually 6 other scales if played with a different root note. The notes used are the same notes, but give a different musical relation depending on what root key they are played over. G major consists of the same notes as E minor for example, they sound happy wh…

The setting does work with arp disabled…
@sezare56, have you tried with input from a midi keyboard to see if the setting affects that?

[sezare56]

I was copying this above link.
I didn’t check realtime scale with external midi, and I think @avantronica wrote it was working with recorded notes only.

I can quote myself too.

Octatrack Tips & Tricks (OT Tips)

For other scales, I plock several notes with third intervals on 1 trig, other left notes on another trig, and alternate them each 2 steps, or as you like. Random Arp with octaves to taste. A Minor Harmonic Trig 1 : A C E G# Trig 2 : B D F With 5 notes scales I use this sometimes Track 1 for root note Track 2 for others notes Ethiopian T1 = A, T2 = B C E F

[echo_opera]

Wow…you 2 rock! Thanks. Taking a dive now!

But yeah, I was looking for real time playback. Using my iPad with Audiobus does the trick…was hoping to do it all in real time on the OT.

Thanks for the links!

[DanJamesAUS]

Does scale mode only work for midi? Can’t see how to use a scale for a sample

[sezare56]

how to use a scale for a sample

No scale implementation for samples, but you can use trigs with leds only for C major, transpose with a constant lfo (+scenes) for other scales!
You can set a scale with lfo designer and randomize it.
With midi tracks and midi loopback you can play samples with scale, arp, etc…

[DanJamesAUS]

Hey thanks man, ok you can’t use scales with samples,
but can you tune a sample to play in chromatic mode ?

the note I have is C# can I tune it to a C to use in chromatic mode
the pitch doesn’t work in chromatic mode as
I assume that’s what is already being used to play the notes

Edit: just realised can use rate to tune the sample but can only tine it down,
Is there another way or is that the way?

[sezare56]

but can you tune a sample to play in chromatic mode ?

Yes, as I mentioned you can use a constant lfo on pitch, square speed 0 Hold for example.
That way you have a constant offset.

Another possibility : record all notes in a sequence, slice them! You can go lower with RATE
32 - 1 Octave
16 - 2 Octaves
8 - 3 Octaves
Etc…

[DanJamesAUS]

Don’t quite understand this bit but will try figure it out

but you can use trigs with leds only for C major, transpose with a constant lfo (+scenes) for other scales!

[sezare56]

In chromatic mode, trigs corresponding to C major scale have their led lit.

[DanJamesAUS]

Ah ok I get it now… C major is the same as A minor just starting from A
So if I tune the root note the led can be the scale guide!

[sezare56]

Yes, and you can use 12 scenes for transpose.
Range can be limited!
You can also use the scenes as a scale!

I said C maj, if the root note is C, but it depends on your sample root note!

[DanJamesAUS]

Great thanks, that should help with those scales,
will spend a bit more time tomorrow to suss it out…
going to check out the thread about the lfo designer as well

[sezare56]

Getting curious. How do you want to play?
External midi or chromatic mode?

[DanJamesAUS]

Wanted to be able play notes to a scale directly on the OT without a midi controller…
so just using chromatic mode…