Pattern longer than 64 steps

Elektron Gear Octatrack
1

This is probably the most basic question. Hey guy how do you make the pattern length longer than 4 bars?

I’ve programmed a few hits and I’d like to have a longer pattern length. Any help appreciated.

cheers

2

You can try halving pattern ‘scale’, copy everything (a bit tedious) to half position. Not always works, might need to tinker with microtiming and retriggers. Also, if we are speaking of a midi track, arpeggiator might be of great value. Again, does not always work. It’s about squeezing the most out of limitations. It can be argued that limitations are good for creativity.

If all else fails, you can ‘chain’ multiple patterns together (while holding down the pattern button, hold down the first pattern, then press the second one. while still holding the pattern button, release first and second pattern, but you add any number to the chain)

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3

Yes the pattern scale setup can be a good thing if you don’t need to edit the sixteenth notes. If you choose 1/8, a pattern can represent 32 bars.

Also try the arranger mode ; you can chain as many patterns as you want, mute tracks in some sections, change the bpm, transpose midi tracks and use only a few steps of a pattern in some sections

4

Yes I love the arranger as hell. But it’s not very suitable for live improvisation, more like for songwriting.

5

Also, keep in mind that in a pattern, not all tracks need to be the same length, they can even be relative primes (think polyrythms)

6

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Yes I love the arranger as hell. But it’s not very suitable for live improvisation, more like for songwriting.
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Yes, you have to be smart with your choices but you can really make this work for you with clever arrangements, takes a bit of grey matter though when playing for a long time.

7

Thanks I’ll try the arranger mode

8

In arranger mode you can LOOP an arrangement playing patterns, then enter recording (step or live) and while the arrangement plays you can add trigs as the relevant pattern/tracks unfold before your eyes.
To LOOP an arangement just add a last step in the arranger, select the pattern colum and rotate left until you get the LOOP count. Moving the count to the left gives you infinite looping and lots of time to experiment.
I don’t know how you can switch between arrangements seamlessly, as with patterns.

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