Octatrack MKII User Manual
FCC compliance statement This device complies with part 15 of the FCC rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
IMPORTANT SAFETY AND MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS Please read these instructions carefully and adhere to the operating advice. 1. Do not use this unit near water. 2. Never use aggressive cleaners on the casing or on the screen. Remove dust, dirt and fingerprints with a soft, dry and non-abrasive cloth. More persistent dirt can be removed with a slightly damp cloth using only water. Disconnect all cables while doing this. Only reconnect them when the product is safely dry. 3.
TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1.1 CONVENTIONS IN THIS MANUAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2. THE BACKGROUND OF THE OCTATRACK MKII. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2.1 SUGGESTED APPLICATIONS OF THE OCTATRACK MKII. . . . . . . .
TABLE OF CONTENTS 6.1.4 RECORDING A PATTERN USING GRID RECORDING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 6.1.5 RECORDING A PATTERN USING LIVE RECORDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 6.1.6 USING PARAMETER LOCKS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 6.2 MOUNTING A SET AND LOADING A PROJECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE OF CONTENTS 9.1.3 RECORDING SETUP 2 MENU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 9.2 TRACK RECORDER SAMPLING METHODS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 9.2.1 MANUAL SAMPLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 9.2.2 RECORDER TRIG SAMPLING. . .
TABLE OF CONTENTS 12.3 RECORDING MODES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 12.3.1 GRID RECORDING MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 12.3.2 LIVE RECORDING MODE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 12.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 13.2.1 TRIM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 13.2.2 SLICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 13.2.3 EDIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE OF CONTENTS 17.4 THE OCTATRACK MKII AS A DJ DECK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 17.5 THE OCTATRACK MKII AS AN EFFECTS PROCESSOR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 18. STARTUP MENU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 18.1 TEST MODE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1. INTRODUCTION 1. INTRODUCTION Thank you for choosing the Octatrack MKII. The Octatrack MKII is a dynamic performance sampler ideal for real-time sampling, remixing and audio manipulation. It features the improved Elektron step sequencer which makes it easy to bend and process samples in new and unique ways. To make the most of the machine, we recommend you to carefully read this manual. 1.
2. THE BACKGROUND OF THE OCTATRACK MKII 2. THE BACKGROUND OF THE OCTATRACK MKII With the Octatrack we wanted to create a sampler that would regard recorded material not as inflexible sounds, but rather as something highly malleable. This is one of the reasons why we made the Octatrack. The other one is because of the stage. The Octatrack on the other hand was designed to be a streamlined, reliable and straightforward machine allowing live performers to really add something extra to their sets.
3. PANEL LAYOUT AND CONNECTORS 3. PANEL LAYOUT AND CONNECTORS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 30 29 24 25 26 27 28 8 23 9 22 21 10 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 3.1 FRONT PANEL The Octatrack MKII front panel. For a more comprehensive list of key combinations, please see “19. SUMMARY OF KEY PRESS COMBINATIONS” on page 114. 1. [REC1], [REC2] keys are used for real-time sampling through the external inputs. There is one key per audio input pair.
3. PANEL LAYOUT AND CONNECTORS 11. The crossfader interpolates between the parameter values of scene A and scene B. 12. [STOP] key. Stops the playback of a pattern or arrangement. [FUNC] + [STOP] performs a paste command. 13. [PLAY] key. Starts playback of a pattern or arrangement. Pressing [PLAY] a second time pauses playback. [FUNC] + [PLAY] performs a clear command. 14. [RECORD] key. Toggles GRID RECORDING mode on/off. Starts LIVE RECORDING mode if held while pressing [PLAY].
3. PANEL LAYOUT AND CONNECTORS 3.2 REAR CONNECTORS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1. POWER, Switch for turning the unit on and off. 2. DC In, Input for power supply. Use the included PSU-3b power adapter, connected to a power outlet. 3. USB, For connecting the unit to a computer. Use the included A to B USB 2.0 connector cable to connect to a computer host. 4. Compact Flash card reader. 5. MIDI THRU, Forwards data from MIDI IN. Use a standard MIDI cable to connect another MIDI device in the chain. 6.
3. PANEL LAYOUT AND CONNECTORS 3.4.1 COMPACT FLASH CARD SPECIFICATIONS Cards supporting UDMA and at least 133x (~20MB/s) for both reads and writes are compatible with the Octatrack MKII. Cards must be FAT16 or FAT32 formatted, preferably FAT32. Up to 64 GB Compact Flash cards are supported. Never remove the card while data is being read or written to the it. Doing so might corrupt files and data. The card should only be removed when the LED is dimmed green and shines with a steady light. 3.
4. OVERVIEW OF THE OCTATRACK MKII STRUCTURE 4. OVERVIEW OF THE OCTATRACK MKII STRUCTURE The Octatrack MKII is organized in a hierarchical way. The image below outlines the data structure of the Octatrack MKII. Set Audio Pool Project Arrangements Flex Sample Slots Static Sample Slots Banks Patterns Parts Scenes Track Parameters Effects Assignment Machine Assignment 4.1 SETS A set is the top level structure of the Octatrack MKII.
4. OVERVIEW OF THE OCTATRACK MKII STRUCTURE 4.4 FLEX AND STATIC SAMPLE SLOT LISTS For samples to be available to Flex and Static machines they first need to be loaded from the audio pool to the Flex or Static sample slot lists. When samples are present in these lists they can be assigned to, and thus processed by, Flex and Static machines assigned to the audio tracks of a pattern. Read how to load audio pool samples to the sample slot lists in the section “8.
4. OVERVIEW OF THE OCTATRACK MKII STRUCTURE 4.12 HOW INFORMATION IS HANDLED When working within a project there is no need to save as all changes are automatically cached on card. Changes made to a project will be remembered even after the machine has been switched off. The only time an operation needs to be carried out is before removing the Compact Flash card. The project should then be synced to the card. For more information about this operation, please see page 30.
5. THE USER INTERFACE 5. THE USER INTERFACE The screen is the information center of the Octatrack MKII editing. The main interface screen is shown below: 1 2 12 3 11 4 5 10 6 9 8 7 1. Track icons that shows the machine assignments and status of the tracks. The active track is highlighted. Track assignments are abbreviated. “F” = Flex machine, “S” = Static machine, “T” = Thru machine, “N” = Neighbor machine, “P” = Pickup machine, “M” = Master track.
5. THE USER INTERFACE All windows can be closed using the [NO] key. Keys or knobs not used by an active menu retain their original function. For example, the TEMPO menu makes use of the LEVEL knob, but you can still use the DATA ENTRY knobs to control the parameters of the track in focus. 5.2 PARAMETER EDITING The DATA ENTRY knobs are used to change the value of the track parameters. The physical location of the knobs on the front panel correspond to the layout of the parameters on the screen.
5. THE USER INTERFACE The [LEFT] and [RIGHT] arrow keys are used to navigate between the letters. Turning the LEVEL knob or pressing the [UP] or [DOWN] arrow keys select the letter. Press [FUNC] + [NO] to quickly erase characters. Another method of erasing characters is to press [CUE] + [NO]. The difference compared to using the [FUNC] + [NO] method is that the naming pop-up menu will not appear. 5.5.
6. QUICK START 6. QUICK START This quick start will guide you through some of the basic operations to allow you to start using the Octatrack MKII. First connect it as described in section “3.5 CONNECTING THE UNIT” on page 15. 6.1 DEMO MODE In demo mode, the Octatrack MKII can play back a set of 16 demo patterns without needing to have a Compact Flash card inserted. Demo mode is a great way to get acquainted with the basics of the Octatrack MKII.
6. QUICK START 1. To enter this mode, hold [RECORD] and then press [PLAY]. The [RECORD] key starts to blink, indicating LIVE RECORDING mode is activated, and the sequencer starts to play. 2. You can now record sample trigs manually by pressing the last 8 [TRIG] keys. Pressing [TRIG] key 9 will add a sample trig to track 1, [TRIG] key 10 adds a sample trig to track 2 and so on. You will be able to hear all recorded sample trigs the next time the pattern starts over. 6.1.
6. QUICK START After a set has been mounted the menu where projects are loaded is automatically opened. 6.2.2 LOADING A PROJECT After a set has been mounted a project should be loaded. The Compact Flash card that came shipped with the unit contains one project, named “PRESETS”. This project contains 16 demo patterns. If an empty Compact Flash is used the newly created set will not contain any projects and a project should therefore be created. For more information, please see “8. PROJECTS” on page 28. 1.
6. QUICK START 3. Select the machine you want to assign from the list of machines. Press [YES] to assign it to the track. Note that only Flex and Static machines can play samples. Press the [RIGHT] arrow key to enter the sample slot list for the assigned machine. 6.3.2 ASSIGNING A SAMPLE TO A MACHINE 1. Make sure a set with an audio pool containing samples is mounted. The audio pool belonging to the “PRESETS” set found on the bundled Compact Flash card is full of samples.
7. SETS 7. SETS A set is the top layer of the Octatrack MKII hierarchy. Sets are completely self contained. A Set contain: • An amount of projects only limited by the size of the Compact Flash card. • An audio pool, where the samples shared by the projects of the set are stored. A set needs to be mounted in order for the Octatrack MKII to be able to load a project belonging to the set. A mounted set and a loaded project is required for the Octatrack MKII to work as intended.
7. SETS 3. The currently active set is indicated by inverted graphics. To mount another set, select one from the list of sets found in the menu. Mount it by pressing [YES]. Once the set has been mounted, the menu where projects are loaded and created will automatically be opened. 4. Create a new set by selecting and pressing [YES]. A naming menu will appear where the new set can be named.
8. PROJECTS 8. PROJECTS Each set can contain an amount of projects only limited by the size of the Compact Flash card. A project contains: • 16 banks. • 8 arrangements. • 128 Flex sample slots and their associated Flex samples. • 128 Static sample slots and their associated Static samples. • 8 track recorders and their recorder buffers. • A BPM setting controlling the tempo of the patterns. • PROJECT menu settings. Projects can be regarded as a collection of compositions.
8. PROJECTS 2. Press [YES] to open a list of the projects available to the set. Below the header of the menu the name of the active set is visible. The currently active project is indicated by inverted graphics. 3. To load a new project, select one from the list and load it by pressing [YES]. The currently active project will automatically be synced to card, meaning all settings and assignments will be saved to the card, before the new project is loaded. 4.
8. PROJECTS It is possible to copy, paste and clear sample slots while in the QUICK ASSIGN menu. Copying a sample slot will copy all its attributes, slices and trim settings. Select a sample in the Flex/Static sample slot list and press [FUNC] + [BANK] to edit it in the audio editor. Selecting a sample in the Flex or Static sample slot list and pressing [FUNC] + [LEFT]/ [RIGHT] will load the next or previous sample from the directory the original sample resided in.
8. PROJECTS the [DOWN] arrow key. A sample is loaded by selecting it and either pressing [YES] or the [RIGHT] arrow key. However, the file browser is not closed until [YES] is released. This makes it possible to keep holding [YES] and use the [UP]/[DOWN] arrow keys to instantly load the next or previous file in the directory without having to re-open the file browser for each file.
8. PROJECTS It it possible to rename and delete projects while in the CHANGE menu. Press [FUNC] + [BANK] to open a menu where rename and delete options are present. SAVE saves the project. As all changes to a project are automatically cached on card, saving a project and then reloading it is the only way to return to a specific project state. In general you should save a project once you are satisfied with it. When performing a SAVE command the project will be synced to card as well.
8. PROJECTS Use the USB connection to back up sets to a computer hard disk. 8.5.2 OS UPGRADE Download the Octatrack OS file from the Elektron website. Connect the Octatrack to a computer using a USB cable, select USB DISK MODE and press [YES] to make the Octatrack’s Compact Flash card appear as an external mass storage device in the computer. Then place the OS file with the file extension .bin in the root (the top level of the file structure and not inside any folder) of the Compact Flash card.
8. PROJECTS functionality can be achieved by pressing [FUNC] + [YES] or [FUNC] + [NO]. Read more about one shot trigs in section “12.4.5 ONE SHOT TRIGS” on page 66. DIS. STOP-STOP ARM will when checked disable one shot trig arming when double pressing [STOP] while the sequencer is stopped. DIS. PAGE AUTOCOPY will when checked no longer auto copy existing trigs when extending the length of a track or pattern. Read more about how to change pattern and track length in section “12.15 SCALE SETUP” on page 78.
8. PROJECTS the workspace to and press [TRACK] keys 1-4. The same procedure applies for assigning a location workspace 2, but [TRACK] keys 5-8 are used instead. Once workspaces have been assigned, jump to workspace 1 by pressing [TRACK] keys 1-4 and to workspace 2 by pressing [TRACK] keys 5-8. The files belonging to the project are located in the folder with the same name as the project. Each file of the project exists in two variants, one with the file extension .strd and one with the extension .work.
8. PROJECTS TRACK 8 offers two settings. Only one setting can be activated at a time. • MASTER will when active turn track 8 into a master track. The track effects of track 8 will then affect all the other tracks as well as any audio coming from the external inputs. • NORMAL will make track 8 function like all the other tracks. AMP SETUP, LFO MAIN/SETUP and FX1 and FX2 MAIN/SETUP are the only TRACK PARAMETER pages available to a master track.
8. PROJECTS CHAIN AFTER controls when chained patterns will start to play. The default mode is PAT.LEN. When a pattern is playing and a new pattern is selected, the pattern currently playing will play to its end before the new pattern starts playing. If PER TRACK scale mode is active and a very long, or infinite, master length setting is used it might be more convenient to initiate a new pattern after the active pattern has played a certain amount of steps. Set the amount of steps using the LEVEL knob.
8. PROJECTS The total amount of RAM memory available to a project is 85,5 MB. This memory is shared by Flex RAM, which is used when loading Flex samples, and track recorder memory, which is used when sampling. In this menu the distribution of Flex RAM and track recorder memory can be set. To the right a bar is shown visualizing the memory distribution.
8. PROJECTS 8.6.6 METRONOME Configures the Octatrack MKII metronome. A click track is very useful when for example inputting sample trigs or note trigs while in LIVE RECORDING mode. Note that the metronome will only sound when the sequencer is running. The metronome can quicky be toggled on/off by pressing [CUE] + [TEMPO]. Use the LEVEL knob or the [LEFT]/[RIGHT] arrow keys to change the settings of this menu. ACTIVE activates/deactivates the metronome. TIME SIG.
8. PROJECTS AUDIO NOTE IN controls how incoming MIDI notes affect the audio tracks. Select between the options by pressing the [LEFT] or [RIGHT] arrow keys or by pressing [YES]. The tracks respond to MIDI sent on the track’s trig channel and the auto channel. For more information, please see “8.7.3 CHANNELS” on page 41. • OFF No incoming MIDI notes affect the tracks, meaning tracks or machines can’t be trigged externally.
8. PROJECTS • Program change messages are ignored by the Octatrack if received on the AUTO CHANNEL if the device is in MIDI mode. However, the program change messages are sent through the device but are remapped to the channel set in the NOTE SETUP menu of the active MIDI track. Please see “15.4.2 NOTE SETUP” on page 92.
8. PROJECTS CURRENT SPEED shows the current multiplier of the MIDI transfer rate. When the Octatrack MKII is not connected to a MIDI device using Turbo protocol compatible software, the speed will be x 1.0. NEGOTIATE selects the multiplier of the MIDI transfer rate that should be used. The [LEFT]/[RIGHT] arrow keys are used. Press [YES] to start the negotiation. 8.8 MIXER MENU Press the [MIX] key to access the MIXER menu. In the MIXER menu settings for the headphones output and inputs AB and CD are made.
8. PROJECTS when [FUNC] is released is displayed as a “+” sign. A track that is currently not muted but will be muted when [FUNC] is released is displayed as an “X” sign. It is possible to solo tracks by pressing [CUE] + the [TRIG] keys corresponding to the tracks you want to solo. A solo’ed track is indicated by a green [TRIG] key and the letter “S”. Unsolo a track by repeating the key combination.
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES 9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES There are two ways to sample with the Octatrack MKII. Either by using track recorder sampling, which can be performed manually or by using recorder trigs, or by using specialized machines called Pickup machines, which essentially work like loopers. Read more about track recorder sampling in the section “9.2 TRACK RECORDER SAMPLING METHODS” on page 47. Pickup machine sampling is covered in section “9.
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES recorders are directly linked to the tracks, the track whose track recorder you wish to edit must be active. Pressing [FUNC] + [PLAY] while inside the RECORDING SETUP menus will clear the recorder buffer of the active track recorder from any audio content. GRID RECORDING mode needs to be inactive for this to function. 9.1.1 RECORDING EDIT MENU Press [FUNC] + [REC3]. to open the RECORDING EDIT menu. This menu offers various commands relating to the track recorder.
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES • C makes the recorder sample from input C. The captured sample will be in stereo even though only one input is used. • D makes the recorder sample from input D. The captured sample will be in stereo even though only one input is used. • C+D makes the recorder capture a stereo file in which the signals from input C and input D are summed. RLEN sets the duration of the recording once the track recorder starts to sample.
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES FIN applies a fade in when starting the recording. The value is expressed in sequencer steps. Applying a very short fade in can be used to avoid clicks that otherwise might occur when a recorded sample loops. FOUT applies a fade out to the recording. The value is expressed in sequencer steps. The fade out is added after the recording stops. If for example recording occurs for 16 steps and FOUT is set to 2, the total length of the sample will be 18 sequencer steps.
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES When sampling manually the Octatrack MKII will make a qualified guess of both the BPM of the recorded sample and how many bars that have been sampled. This info can be seen, and changed if needed, when the recorder buffer is opened in the audio editor. For more information, please see “13.2.4 ATTRIBUTES” on page 84. It is possible to simultaneously sample from several sources by pressing the appropriate key combinations.
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES Recorder buffer samples are not retained in memory after the Octatrack MKII has been switched off. If you want to keep them they need to be saved to the Compact Flash card. This is done either in the audio editor, described in the section”13.2.5 FILE” on page 86. or in the RECORDING SETUP EDIT menu, which is accessed by pressing [FUNC] + [REC3].
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES 9.3.2 CONTROLLING THE PICKUP MACHINES To suit a more looper oriented workflow, the function of the [REC1/2] keys is altered for tracks containing Pickup machines. They no longer correspond to the external inputs, but rather function as record and play keys. In general [REC1] controls the record function of the Pickup machine, while [REC2] controls the play function. However, how they work in more detail depends on the TRIG setting found in RECORDING SETUP 1 menu.
9. TRACK RECORDERS AND PICKUP MACHINES If Pickup sync is activated when the sequencer is stopped and Pickup machines are playing loops, pressing [PLAY] will make the sequencer start playing the next time the synced Pickup machine loop starts over. If no Pickup machine is playing, the sequencer will start playing immediately when [PLAY] is pressed.
10. BANKS, PARTS AND SCENES 10. BANKS, PARTS AND SCENES Each project contains up to 16 banks. Banks contain: • 16 patterns. • 4 parts. Each part contains: • Information about which machines are assigned to the tracks. • Information about which Flex and Static sample slots that are assigned to the machines. • Track effects assignments. • Track parameter settings. • 16 scenes. Scenes contain: • Scene locks. 10.1 BANKS An Octatrack MKII project consists of 16 banks. Each bank hosts 16 patterns.
10. BANKS, PARTS AND SCENES 10.2.2 PART EDIT Use the [ARROW] keys to select the part that should be edited and then press [FUNC] + [PART] to open the PART EDIT pop-up menu. RENAME makes it possible to give each part a unique name. After selecting this option and pressing [YES] a naming window will appear. RELOAD makes a part revert to its saved settings. If performing this command and the part previously hasn’t been saved a prompt will appear asking to do so. SAVE saves the part.
10. BANKS, PARTS AND SCENES To quickly see which tracks and TRACK PARAMETER pages that contain scene locks, press and hold a [SCENE] key. The [TRACK] keys of all tracks containing scene locks will turn half-bright green and/or start to blink. Selecting one of these tracks will show half-bright green and/or blinking [TRACK PARAMETER] keys. They indicate which TRACK PARAMETER pages that contain scene locks. 10.3.
11. TRACKS 11. TRACKS The Octatrack MKII sequencer can control 8 audio stereo tracks and 8 MIDI tracks at the same time. This chapter will deal with the audio tracks. For an explanation of the MIDI tracks, see the section “15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER” on page 90. Flex and Static machines are used to process samples. Thru and Neighbor machines offer various audio routing options. Pickup machines act as looper devices.
11. TRACKS 11.2.2 ASSIGNING MACHINES IN THE SRC SETUP MENU Select the track you want to assign the machine to by pressing the corresponding [TRACK] key. Press [FUNC] + [SRC] to open the SRC SETUP menu. If the track contained a Flex machine with an assigned sample the Flex sample slot list will be opened. If the track contained a Static machine with an assigned sample the Static sample slot list will be opened. Press the [LEFT] arrow key to access the machine list.
11. TRACKS Samples can be previewed in the sample slot lists. Select a sample and press [FUNC] + [YES] to do so. This will preview the sample from the main outputs. Press [CUE] + [YES] to preview from the cue outputs. When previewing, the sound is by default affected by the track effects. Samples can be previewed dry though. The setting controlling this is found in the PERSONALIZE menu covered in section “8.5.4 PERSONALIZE” on page 33. 11.
11. TRACKS Attack AMPLITUDE Trig Release TIME Hold Attack Note On Release Note Off AMPLITUDE Hold Hold Attack Trig AMPLITUDE AMPLITUDE 11.4.5 AMP MAIN Access the AMP MAIN page by pressing [AMP]. Here settings affecting the amplitude and the stereo positioning of the track are found. Release TIME Hold Attack Release Note On TIME Note Off TIME ATK (Attack) sets the time it will take for the amplitude envelope to reach its full level. HOLD sets the hold time of the amplitude envelope.
11. TRACKS XVOL is a setting that only will appear when pressing a [SCENE] key. This parameter can only be locked to scenes. For more information, please see “10.3 SCENES” on page 53. 11.4.6 AMP SETUP Open the AMP SETUP menu by either pressing [FUNC] + [AMP] or quickly double pressing [AMP]. The graphical envelope shows which parameters control which aspect of the envelope. It is a static image and doesn’t reflect the current envelope settings. AMP controls the behavior of the amplitude envelope.
11. TRACKS SPD1 sets the speed of LFO1. The higher the value the faster the LFO runs. For LFO speed synchronised to straight beats, try settings of 16, 32 or 64. Note that the MULT settings in the LFO SETUP menu affect the LFO speed settings. The SPD1 setting is reflected by the SPD setting found in the LFO1 page of the LFO SETUP menu. SPD2 sets the speed of LFO2. This setting is reflected by the SPD setting found in the LFO2 page of the LFO SETUP menu. SPD3 sets the speed of LFO3.
11. TRACKS • HALF will make the LFO restart when a sample is trigged, run for half a cycle and then stop. • SYNC TRIG will restart the LFO on track start, and also every time the pattern loops. • SYNC ONE will restart the LFO on track start. The LFO will then play for one period. • SYNC HALF will restart the LFO on track start. The LFO will then play for half a period. SPD sets the base speed of the LFO. The speed is always synced to the BPM setting.
11. TRACKS 11.4.10 FX1 AND FX2 Each track features two assignable effects. The selectable effects differ between the two effect pages. For a complete listing of all the effects and their main and setup parameters, see “APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE” on page 122.
11. TRACKS If track 8 has been turned into a master track it won’t be affected by mutes. If Neighbor machines are used, muting the track or tracks preceding the last Neighbor machine will not have any effect. To mute the chain, mute the last Neighbor machine. Tracks can be also be muted in the MIXER menu. For more information, please see “8.8 MIXER MENU” on page 42. 11.6 MAIN AND CUE OUTPUTS ROUTING Tracks and audio inputs can be routed to either the main outputs or the cue outputs.
12. PATTERNS 12. PATTERNS The sequencer of the Octatrack MKII is incredibly powerful and plays an extremely important role in processing sounds and samples. The sequencer stores information in patterns. Patterns consist of information about how the eight audio tracks and eight MIDI tracks should be played back. All adjustments made to patterns are automatically saved.
12. PATTERNS holding the [PTN] key and then press and hold the [TRIG] keys in the same order as you want the chained patterns to play. Chaining is indicated by a double arrow between the current pattern and the pattern that will play next. Several patterns can be chained. Pressing [STOP] while a pattern chain is playing will stop playback and reset the pattern chain. Next time [PLAY] is pressed the pattern chain will start playing from the beginning.
12. PATTERNS Remove sample locks in real time by pressing [NO] while pressing the LEVEL knob. Remove specific parameter locks in real time by pressing [NO] while pressing the DATA ENTRY knob corresponding to the parameter that should be removed. To stop both the recording and the playback of the sequencer, press [STOP]. To exit LIVE RECORDING mode and keep the sequencer playing the pattern, press [PLAY]. 12.
12. PATTERNS Pressing [TRACK] + [YES] will also re-arm a tracks all one shot recorder trigs. The one shot recorder trigs will keep re-arming for as long as the key combination is held. Pressing [TRACK] + [NO] will disarm all one shot recorder trigs of a track. These operations can be performed even if GRID RECORDING mode is not active. Neither the RECORDING SETUP menus nor the TRACK TRIG EDIT menu have to be open.
12. PATTERNS The sample slot list of the machine assigned to the track will appear. The sample already assigned to the machine is called TRK DEFAULT. While holding the [TRIG] key of the sample trig pressed, use the [UP]/ [DOWN] arrow keys or the LEVEL knob to navigate in the list. Select the sample that should be locked to the sample trig and press [YES] to lock it. Sample locks are indicated by a rapidly flashing red [TRIG] key. 12.
12. PATTERNS presses to create melodic sequences. Trigless trigs, instead of sample trigs, can be recorded if [FUNC] is held while pressing the [TRIG] keys. When a sample is trigged in this mode, the PTCH parameter of the SRC MAIN page will be temporarily adjusted to a semitone in a 2-octave range. The 2-octave range is only valid for audio tracks; on MIDI tracks notes can be played over a much wider octave range. Change the octave range of the [TRIG] keys by pressing [FUNC] + [LEFT]/[RIGHT].
12. PATTERNS Note that the SLIC parameter of the SRC SETUP menu need to be set to ON for individual slices to be trigged. If SLIC is set to OFF, no slices will be trigged. Instead the sample of the active track will be trigged and the [TRIG] keys will affect the STRT value of the sample. Each [TRIG] key will start the sample from a different position. When pressing the first [TRIG] key of the first page the sample will be trigged as if STRT was set to 0.
12. PATTERNS MAP/TRACK This option makes it possible to set a separate MIDI MAP configuration for each track. Incoming MIDI notes then affect each audio track depending on its selected MIDI MAP configuration. Select which MIDI MAP configuration should be used for the active track by pressing [MIDI] + [UP]/ [DOWN]. The currently active MIDI MAP per track configuration is indicated in the lower right part of the screen, between the TRIG mode icon and the scene assignment graphics.
12. PATTERNS 12.9.2 PATTERN CLEAR Clearing a pattern will remove all trigs from all tracks. Before performing a pattern clear operation, make sure you are not in GRID RECORDING mode. Select the pattern you want to clear. Press and hold [FUNC]. Then press [PLAY] to clear the pattern. A message “CLEAR PATTERN” will be shown in the display. The clear pattern operation can be undone by pressing [FUNC] + [PLAY] directly after it has been performed. A message saying “UNDO PATTERN“ will be shown in the display.
12. PATTERNS Select the TRACK PARAMETER page you wish to copy and press [TRACK PARAMETER] + [RECORD]. A message saying “COPY PAGE” will appear. Paste the copied content by pressing [TRACK PARAMETER] + [STOP]. The TRACK PARAMETER page paste operation can be undone by pressing [TRACK PARAMETER] + [STOP]. The message “UNDO PAGE” will be shown in the display. 12.9.8 TRACK PARAMETER PAGE CLEAR A TRACK PARAMETER page can be initialized to its default settings.
12. PATTERNS Pressing [YES] while in this menu can be used to quantize trigs to approximately 50 percent of their original micro timing value. Use this operation when you want to tighten up a track where micro timing has been used, but not fully quantize it. Quickly perform the operation 6 times in a row to have the micro timing cleared for all trigs. Read more about micro timing in the section “12.12 MICRO TIMING” on page 76. 12.10.
12. PATTERNS This is an alternative way of placing recorder trigs compared to the RECORDING SETUP menu method. Read more about recorder trigs in section “9.2.2 RECORDER TRIG SAMPLING” on page 48. Just like in the RECORDING SETUP menus, recorder trigs can in the TRACK TRIG EDIT menu be assigned to different sampling sources. Keep a [TRIG] key pressed and depending on the source you wish to sample from either press [REC1], [REC2] or [REC3]. The different sampling sources are covered in section “9.
12. PATTERNS START SILENT controls whether the track of a previous pattern linked to a different part should keep on sounding or not when the currently active pattern starts playing. Three settings exist. Select between them using the LEVEL knob. • AUTO will make the chosen track act according to the SILENCE TRACKS setting made in the PROJECT menu. Read more about this setting in section “8.6.3 SEQUENCER” on page 36.
12. PATTERNS TRIG COUNT sets the number of times the sample trig should be trigged. A setting of 2–8 adds additional trig repeats of the original trig. The additional trigs are evenly distributed between the original trig and the next step in the sequencer. Adjust this setting with the [UP] and [DOWN] keys. You can set the TRIG OFFSET which controls where the trig should be placed on the 1/384 step resolution micro timing grid, illustrated the bottom of the screen.
12. PATTERNS 1ST is true the first time the pattern plays (when looped). 1ST is true when 1ST is false. A trig with this trig condition is always active apart from the first time the pattern plays (when looped). X% is a probability condition. There is an x% chance that the trig will be active. A:B A sets how many times the pattern plays before the trig condition is true. B sets how many times the pattern plays before the count is reset and starts over again. This cycle then repeats indefinitely.
12. PATTERNS TEMPO MULTIPLIER offers seven possible settings, 1/8X, 1/4X, 1/2X, 3/4X, 1X, 3/2X and 2X. A setting of 1/8X will play back the pattern at one-eighth of the original tempo. 3/4X plays the pattern back at three-quarters of the global tempo. 3/2X will play back the pattern twice as fast as the 3/4X setting. 2X will make the pattern play at twice the BPM. Double speed is useful for increasing the base resolution of the step sequencer to 32nd notes.
13. THE AUDIO EDITOR 13. THE AUDIO EDITOR The audio editor is where editing of imported or recorded samples takes place. A number of tasks can be carried out here. 13.1 ACCESSING THE AUDIO EDITOR Press [AED] to access the audio editor. The audio editor can also be accessed in a number of other ways. 13.1.1 ACCESS FROM THE QUICK ASSIGN MENU Open the QUICK ASSIGN menu by double-clicking a [TRACK] key.
13. THE AUDIO EDITOR Set the end point with the C knob. An end point is indicated by an “E” marker. The sample will stop playing when reaching the end point given no loop point is set. When moving the end point marker the sample exact position of the end point, changes to the BPM of the sample as well as changes to the bar length of the sample will be visible at the bottom of the screen. Zoom the y-axis of the waveform with the D knob. The slider to the right of the waveform indicates the zoom level.
13. THE AUDIO EDITOR ADD SLICE HERE adds a slice. The marker must be on a non-sliced area of the waveform for this alternative to appear. DISABLE LOOP will delete the loop point of the selected slice. This alternative only appears when the waveform marker is positioned on a slice. DELETE SLICE will delete the selected slice. This alternative only appears when the waveform marker is positioned on a slice. REVERSE SLICE will reverse the audio content of the selected slice.
13. THE AUDIO EDITOR The A and C knobs are used to select the section of the audio file that will be edited. The selection does not alter any set start or end points set in the TRIM or SLICE menus. When working inside the TRIM or SLICE pages though, the selected sample span will automatically be copied over to the EDIT page. Therefore, to apply operations to for example a slice, simply select the slice in the SLICE page and the open the EDIT page.
13. THE AUDIO EDITOR paste function and is therefore also affected by the CHANGE PASTE MODE setting. This command is handy when creating rolling/stutter effects. DUPLICATE SELECTION <- will copy the selected section and paste it right before the start of the selection. The total length of the sample will not be altered. This mode works like an automated copy/ paste function and is therefore also affected by the CHANGE PASTE MODE setting. CHANGE PASTE MODE offers several settings.
13. THE AUDIO EDITOR GAIN allows you to amplify or attenuate each individual sample without affecting any track parameters or locks. On recorder buffers this setting defaults to +12 dB to compensate for the attenuation the headroom of the audio engine inflicts. Please note that this value is applied only when a sample is being trigged. If the sample being edited is long, adjusting this parameter during playback of the sample will thus introduce no gain changes until it is retrigged.
13. THE AUDIO EDITOR 13.2.5 FILE The commands in this menu vary depending on if a Flex or a Static sample is being edited. Access by pressing [FX2] while in the audio editor. LOAD NEW SAMPLE will open the file browser, making it possible to replace the sample currently residing in the sample slot. SAVE SAMPLE SETTINGS will save the trim, slice and attribute settings in a separate file and link it to the sample currently being edited.
14. THE ARRANGER 14. THE ARRANGER An arrangement is basically a number of patterns played in sequence. Each row in an arrangement can have settings for pattern offset and length, scene assignments, tempo and mute. You can also loop segments of an arrangement or jump between arrangement rows. All this makes for a very powerful way of arranging your patterns. An arrangement can be up to 256 rows of length and each project can host 8 arrangements. Enter ARRANGEMENT mode by pressing [FUNC] + [ARR].
14. THE ARRANGER arrangement is currently playing when you select another row, you will see two hollow arrows on each side of the newly selected row. They indicate that the selected row will start playing once the current row finishes playing. When playing the arrangement the header of the menu will display a counter indicating how many bars and beats have played. Insert an arrangement row by pressing [FUNC] + [DOWN]. Remove a row by pressing [FUNC] + [UP].
14. THE ARRANGER M offers mute settings per arrangement row. Move the focus to the M column and press [YES] to open the ROW MUTE window. Enter mutes by pressing the [TRIG] keys. The first eight keys mute audio tracks, the last eight the MIDI tracks. Rows with mute settings are indicated with an “M”. • The tempo settings in the ARRANGER menu overrides any pattern or project tempo settings. • Copy, paste, clear and undo functions are available in the ARRANGEMENT EDIT menu. 14.1.
15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER 15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER The Octatrack MKII MIDI sequencer consists of 8 dedicated MIDI tracks. It is used to control external, MIDI equipped, gear. Each MIDI track can trigger a chord of up to 4 notes with adjustable velocity and length, control pitch bend and aftertouch as well as 10 freely assignable control change parameters. Any MIDI channel can be assigned to the MIDI tracks and several tracks can share the same channel.
15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER 15.3 MIDI MODE RECORDING AND PARAMETER LOCKING While in MIDI mode note data and CC values can be recorded in real time to the active MIDI track. Activate LIVE RECORDING mode by pressing [RECORD] + [PLAY]. For the MIDI track to register incoming MIDI data, the note or CC data needs to be sent either to the auto channel, which is set in the CHANNELS menu, or to the MIDI channel of the active track. When recording note data, chords consisting of up to four notes can be recorded.
15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER NOTE sets the root note that should be sent by the MIDI track. When pressing and holding a [TRIG] key a mini-keyboard will appear in the lower part of the screen (in GRID RECORDING mode). Turning knob A while holding the [TRIG] key pressed will visualize the root note on the keyboard. VEL controls the velocity of the notes the MIDI track sends out. A setting of 0 equals a NOTE OFF command. LEN sets the duration of the notes.
15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER LEG controls the legato of the arpeggiator. This setting will affect the note trigs of the track even if the MODE setting is set to OFF. • ON will play overlapping notes legato, releasing the old note after the new one. The NLEN setting adjusts the length of the notes when the arpeggiator is activated. If the arpeggiator is not activated, then the LEN setting will adjust the length of the notes. • OFF will send out a MIDI note off message before the start of each arpeggiated note.
15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER 15.4.6 MIDI LFO SETUP The MIDI LFO SETUP pages function just like the LFO SETUP pages for the audio LFOs. For more information, please see “11.4.8 LFO SETUP” on page 60. The MIDI LFO designer waveforms are only available to the MIDI tracks. 15.4.7 CTRL 1 MAIN Here pitch bend, after touch and the values of up to four assignable CC commands are set. The default value of the parameters is OFF, meaning they are disabled and won’t send out any data.
15. THE MIDI SEQUENCER MIDI CC LEARN mode is very handy when wanting to control for example the cutoff parameter of an external synth. Initiate MIDI CC LEARN mode and turn the cutoff knob of the synthesizer. Given the knob sends out a CC message to either the auto channel or the MIDI channel assigned to the active track, the CC of the knob will be automatically assigned to chosen CC 1-4 parameter. 15.4.9 CTRL 2 MAIN Here the values of up to six assignable CC commands are set.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES The flexibility of the routing of the Octatrack MKII makes it easy to integrate the machine in a lot of various studio and live setups. Here are a few examples of how it can interact with external audio sources. 16.1 OCTATRACK MKII AS A PERFORMANCE HUB A Machinedrum and a Monomachine are MIDI slaved and connected to the two input pairs of the Octatrack MKII. The Octatrack MKII acts like a super mixer.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 5. Press [PLAY] on the Octatrack MKII. The other Machines should start playing as well and their audio will be heard through the Octatrack MKII main outputs. Incoming sounds is indicated by the LEDs lighting up. You can sample the incoming audio with track recorders and use the recorder buffers to play back the recorded samples.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 7. Press [PLAY] on the Octatrack MKII. The other Machines should start playing as well and their audio will be heard through the Octatrack MKII main outputs. Incoming sounds is indicated by the LEDs lighting up. You can sample the incoming audio with track recorders and use the recorder buffers to play back the recorded samples. Because Thru machines are used, the Machinedrum can be muted by muting track 1. The Monomachine is muted by muting track 2.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 5. Assign a Thru machine to track 3. Set INCD to C. This will make the machine listen to input C, which is the input the first Sidstation is connected to. Assign a Thru machine to track 4. Set INCD to D. This will make the machine listen to input D, which is the input the second Sidstation is connected to. 6. Assign recorder buffer 1 to track 1 and recorder buffer 2 to track 2. These buffers will play back the sampled audio from the Sidstations. 7.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 1. Connect four aux sends from the mixer to the four inputs of the Octatrack MKII. The guitar is being sent to input A, the bass to input B, the synth to input C and the vocals to input D. Connect the Octatrack MKII main outputs to the mixer. 2. Open the MIXER menu by pressing [MIXER]. Make sure DIR for both AB and CD is set to 0. This will stop the incoming sound from being sent to the Octatrack MKII main outputs. 3.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 2. Assign a Scene to Scene A by pressing [SCENE A] + a [TRIG] key. Assign a Scene to Scene B by pressing [SCENE B] + a [TRIG] key. We assume scene 1 was assigned to Scene A and scene 2 to Scene B. 3. Open the MIXER menu by pressing [MIXER]. Make sure DIR for both AB and CD is set to 127. This will route the incoming sound to the Octatrack MKII main outputs at full volume. 4. Press and hold [SCENE A]. Note how the DIR parameters change to XDIR.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 7. Select track 1. Place a trig on the first step of the sequencer. Do the same for track 5. Trigging the Thru machines is necessary for them to start passing through incoming audio. 8. Press [PLAY] to start playing the Octatrack MKII and trigging the Thru machines. Set the crossfader to its leftmost position and start playing a song on DJ deck 1. The audio will be heard from the Octatrack MKII main outputs. 9.
16. OCTATRACK MKII SETUP EXAMPLES 4. Exit the menu and open the PROJECT>MIDI>CHANNELS menu. Set the auto channel to 16. Now the active track, regardless if it is an audio or MIDI track, will always respond to messages sent on this channel. 5. Press [MIDI] to access the MIDI mode of the Octatrack MKII. 6. Select track 1 and either double-tap the [SRC] key or press [FUNC] + [SRC] to open the NOTE SETUP page. Turn knob A to set CHAN to 1. Press the knob to confirm the choice.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS 17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS The Octatrack MKII is capable of many things. Here a few tutorials highlighting the most prominent features are presented. 17.1 TRACK RECORDER SAMPLING With the Octatrack MKII two main methods of track recorder sampling exist. Manual sampling is performed by manually pressing keys, while recorder trig sampling samples using recorder trigs. Sampling is performed by the track recorders, covered in section “9.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS 5. Make sure GRID RECORDING mode is active. If not, press [RECORD] to activate it. Place out a recorder trig by pressing a [TRIG] key. Note that the sequencer while in the RECORD SETUP menus only reflects recorder trigs. A recorder trig defaults to sampling from all input sources. When in the RECORDING SETUP 1 menu, the source a recorder trig samples from can be seen by pressing the [TRIG] key of the recorder trig.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS 6. Select track 2 and make the exact same settings as above in both RECORDING SETUP menus. When done, press [NO] to exit. 7. Press [SRC] to open the SRC MAIN menu of the Pickup machine assigned to track 2. Set LEN to X2. This Pickup machine will record the slave loop, which now will be twice the length of the master loop. Make sure PTCH is set to 0, DIR to FWD, GAIN to 0 and OP to DUB. 8.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS 6. Open the RECORDING SETUP 2 menu [FUNC] + [REC2]. Set FIN to 0.063, FOUT to 0.063, AB to 127, QREC to OFF, QPL to OFF and CD to 0. 7. Make the same settings for the Pickup machine on track 2. 8. On the foot controller, five pedals are going to be used. Set pedal 1 so it transmits MIDI note 60, a C note. This will initiate the combo recording, meaning the Pickup machine will sample from both input pairs as well as the internal source.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS 6. Press [TRACK 1] + [BANK] to open the sample in the audio editor. Open the TRIM menu by pressing the [SRC] key. Make sure the start point is located at the absolute beginning of the sample and the end point at the absolute end. 7. Open the SLICE menu by pressing the [AMP] key. Press [YES] to open the SLICE EDIT menu. Select CREATE SLICE GRID and press [YES]. Select 16 SLICES and press [YES]. The drum loop will be divided in 16 slices. 8.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS 9. Press and hold [SCENE A] and press a [TRIG] key to assign a scene. The scene should be empty and we assume scene 1 was assigned. Do the same for Scene slot B. We assume scene 2 was assigned. 10.Access the SRC MAIN menu by pressing [SRC]. Press and hold [SCENE A] and set the STRT parameter, found in the SRC MAIN menu, to SL1. Then press and hold [SCENE B] and set the STRT parameter to SL16.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS To permanently link the start point and ORIGINAL TEMPO settings to the sample, use the SAVE SAMPLE SETTINGS command found in the FILE menu. 17.4 THE OCTATRACK MKII AS A DJ DECK The Octatrack MKII can function as a complete DJ setup, eliminating the need for both DJ decks and a DJ mixer. 1. Connect a pair of headphones to the Octatrack MKII headphones output. 2. Double press [TRACK 1] to open the QUICK ASSIGN menu. Assign a Static machine to track 1.
17. OCTATRACK MKII TUTORIALS 17.5 THE OCTATRACK MKII AS AN EFFECTS PROCESSOR The Neighbor machines offer the possibility to chain tracks. As the sound from the first track in the chain will be routed through the rest of the chained tracks and their respective track effects, very powerful effects chains can be formed. In this example an external sound source will be affected by up to eight track effects. 1. Connect an external sound source to input pair AB of the Octatrack MKII.
18. STARTUP MENU 18. STARTUP MENU To access this menu, hold down the [FUNC] key while powering up the Octatrack MKII. From here you can perform a variety of tasks. To choose the different alternatives, press the corresponding [TRIG] key. 18.1 TEST MODE To enter this mode, press the [TRIG 1] key. If you have any trouble with your Octatrack MKII and suspect it may be due to a hardware problem, perform this self test. Everything should come up as shown below.
18. STARTUP MENU 18.5 EXIT Press the [TRIG 5] key to exit the STARTUP menu. For faster OS updates, utilize the speed of the Elektron TurboCharge protocol. You will need to have the MIDI IN port of the receiving machine connected to the MIDI OUT port of the transmitting machine and vice versa for this to function. The most convenient way of upgrading the OS is by updating from the Compact Flash card. This is performed in the OS UPDATE menu. Read more about this menu in the section “8.5 SYSTEM” on page 32.
19. SUMMARY OF KEY PRESS COMBINATIONS 19. SUMMARY OF KEY PRESS COMBINATIONS [REC1/2/3] + [BANK] opens the recorder buffer, corresponding to the active track, in the audio editor. [BANK] + [TRIG] selects the active bank. [CUE] + [YES] previews the selected sample through the cue outputs while in the audio editor, the Flex or Static sample slot lists or the file browser. [CUE] + [AUDIO RECORD AB/CD] cues the chosen audio input. [CUE] + [TRACK] cues the chosen track.
19. SUMMARY OF KEY PRESS COMBINATIONS [PAGE] + [PLAY] clears the active pattern page. [PAGE] + [STOP] pastes a copied pattern page to the active pattern page. [SCENE A/B] + [TRIG] assigns a scene to the selected scene slot. [TRACK] + [PLAY] trigs the sample assigned to the machine of the track. [TRACK] + [STOP] stops playback of the sample assigned to the machine of the track. [TRACK] + [BANK] opens the sample assigned to the track in the audio editor.
20. TECHNICAL INFORMATION 20.
APPENDIX A: MACHINE REFERENCE APPENDIX A: MACHINE REFERENCE In this appendix, the Octatrack MKII machines are explained. The individual machine parameters are presented for reference. A.1 THRU MACHINE Thru machines are utility machines, very handy in live setups when using the Octatrack MKII to re-route and affect external audio signals. Thru tracks need to be trigged for them to start passing through sound. Thru machine playback can be stopped by pressing [TRACK] + [STOP].
APPENDIX A: MACHINE REFERENCE A.2 FLEX MACHINE Flex machines offer the most extensive sound manipulation possibilities. A sample used by a Flex machine is loaded to the RAM memory of the Octatrack MKII. From there it can be twisted, stretched and reassembled in multiple ways. Flex machines are unbeatable sound processors. FLEX MAIN FLEX SETUP PTCH adjusts the pitch of the sample. The max setting pitches the sample up an octave, a min setting pitches the sample down an octave.
APPENDIX A: MACHINE REFERENCE A.3 STATIC MACHINE Static machines are perfect for handling extremely large samples. Samples assigned to Static machines are streamed from the Compact Flash card, thus their size can be in the order of gigabytes. They can of course still be time stretched and pitch scaled as needed. STATIC MAIN STATIC SETUP PTCH adjusts the pitch of the sample. The max setting pitches the sample up an octave, a min setting pitches the sample down an octave.
APPENDIX A: MACHINE REFERENCE A.4 NEIGHBOR MACHINE Neighbor machines listen to the output of the preceding track. Multiple tracks with Neighbor machines can form extremely powerful effects chains. Neighbor machines cannot be assigned to track 1 or 5. 120 NEIGHBOR MAIN NEIGHBOR SETUP No main parameters are available. No setup parameters are available.
APPENDIX A: MACHINE REFERENCE A.5 PICKUP MACHINE Pickup machines are specialized for recording loops. A Pickup machine is hard-linked to both the track recorder and the recorder buffer of the track it is assigned to. The function of the [REC1/2] keys change for tracks to which Pickup machines are assigned. Pickup machine parameters can not be locked. For more info how to work with Pickup machines, see “17.1.4 PICKUP MACHINE SAMPLING” on page 105.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE In this appendix, the Octatrack MKII effects are explained. The individual effect parameters are presented for reference. B.1 NONE The none effect is a blank effect. Use it if you don’t want to affect the audio of the track whatsoever. 122 NONE MAIN NONE SETUP No main parameters are available. No setup parameters are available.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.2 12/24DB MULTI MODE FILTER The resonant 12/24dB lo/hi/band-pass filter gives control of both the low and high filter cutoffs. Its flexibility can make it function as a variable gap bandpass filter as well. MULTI MODE FILTER MAIN MULTI MODE FILTER SETUP BASE sets the base cutoff frequency of the filter. Sweeping this parameter with WIDTH set to the max value makes the multi mode filter act as a high pass filter. HP sets the high pass filter slope.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.3 2-BAND PARAMETRIC EQ The parametric EQ is useful for shaping the timbre of a sound. Two frequency bands can be attenuated or amplified. PARAMETRIC EQ MAIN PARAMETRIC EQ SETUP FRQ1 sets the center frequency the first band of the EQ will affect. TYP1 sets how the first band of the filter will operate. It can act as a low shelf shelving filter, a full parametric EQ or as a high shelf shelving filter. GN1 attenuates or boosts the set frequency.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.4 DJ STYLE KILL EQ This EQ variant is somewhat of a cross-breed between a filter and an EQ. It is a three band EQ, capable of completely filtering out the bands. DJ EQ MAIN DJ EQ SETUP LS F sets the frequency of the low shelf filter. No setup parameters are available. HS F sets the frequency of the high shelf filter. LOWG controls the gain of the first band of the EQ. A max setting will boost the signal +12 dB. A min setting will kill the band completely.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.5 2-10 STAGE PHASER The phaser applies sweeping effects to sounds. It can also be used to make sounds appear wider. PHASER MAIN PHASER SETUP CNTR selects the center phase of the phase modulation. NUM selects the number of stages that should be used. DEP sets the depth of the phase modulation. SPD adjusts the speed of the phase depth modulation. FB controls the feedback of the original signal. WID controls the stereo width of the affected signal.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.6 FLANGER A flanger is a modulation effect sharing similarities with the phaser. The main difference is the notches being evenly spread out in the frequency spectrum. FLANGER MAIN FLANGER SETUP DEL controls the amount of delay of the flanged signal. No setup parameters are available. DEP controls the depth of the flanger. SPD adjusts the speed of the flanger. FB controls the feedback of the original signal. WID controls the stereo width of the affected signal.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.7 2-10 TAP CHORUS The variable tap stereo chorus is great for enhancing the stereo image of a sound and for making it appear softer and smoother. CHORUS MAIN CHORUS SETUP DEL controls the delay time of the taps. TAPS sets the number of chorus taps that should be used. DEP controls the depth of the modulation of the chorus taps. SPD sets the low frequency modulation speed of the taps. FB controls the feedback of the delay taps.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.8 SPATIALIZER The spatializer effect is suitable for affecting the stereo image in various ways, for example by widening it. It is also capable of generating a pseudo-stereo image from a mono sample. SPATIALIZER MAIN SPATIALIZER SETUP INP adjusts the gain of the dry signal. DPTH sets the depth of the widened signal. The parameter works in conjunction with the WDTH control.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.9 COMB FILTER The comb filter introduces metallic sounding, pitch tuned, resonant overtones to sounds and samples. COMB FILTER MAIN COMB FILTER SETUP PTCH controls the resonant frequencies of the comb filter. No setup parameters are available. TUNE changes the pitch by up to 2 semitones up or down. LP controls the cutoff frequency of the low pass filter that is implemented in the feedback signal. FB controls the gain of the feedback signal.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.10 DYNAMIX COMPRESSOR The Dynamix processor can be used for increasing the overall sound level of a track or pattern. It can also be used to enhance or reduce transients. COMPRESSOR MAIN COMPRESSOR SETUP ATK sets the attack time from 0.5 ms to 100 ms. RMS adjusts the way the compressor works. A zero setting makes the compressor look for amplitude peaks and a max setting makes it react to the overall energy level of the signal. REL sets the release time from 50 ms to 5 s.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.11 LO-FI COLLECTION The lo-fi collection consists of several effects dedicated to making sounds grittier and more abrasive. These effects are not for the faint-hearted! LO-FI MAIN LO-FI SETUP DIST controls the signal overload distortion. AMPH sets the start phase of the amplitude modulation. It is adjusted in degrees. A setting of 90 makes the modulator start high. A setting of 270 makes it start low. AMF controls the modulation frequency of the amplitude modulator.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.12 ECHO FREEZE DELAY The delay adds echoes to the affected signal. The special echo freeze functionality makes it possible to repeat a portion of a sound. DELAY MAIN DELAY SETUP TIME controls the delay time of the delay loop. The actual delay time is relative to the current tempo, and it is measured in 256th notes. The delay time will not be relative to the tempo of you set SYNC to off. X sets if the delay will act as a ping-pong delay or not.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.13 GATEBOX PLATE REVERB The Gatebox plate reverb adds reverberation to the signal. The effect has many uses thanks to the implemented gating possibilities. PLATE REVERB MAIN PLATE REVERB SETUP TIME controls the decay time, i.e. how long time the reverberated signal will stay around before dying out. GVOL sets the threshold volume of the gated signal. DAMP sets the reverb damping, which is the effect of “soft walls”.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.14 SPRING REVERB This effect is based on a classic spring reverb. It adds a grungy and “twangy” reverberation to the incoming signal. SPRING REVERB MAIN SPRING REVERB SETUP TIME sets the decay time of the springs. TYPE sets the type of spring going from slightly transparent to more springy in three steps. HP controls the cut off frequency of the high pass filter of the springs. LP controls the cut off frequency of the low pass filter of the springs.
APPENDIX B: EFFECTS REFERENCE B.15 DARK REVERB The dark reverb provides lush, wide stereo reverberation with long decay times. It is good for adding a spacey ambience to a sound. DARK REVERB MAIN DARK REVERB SETUP TIME sets the decay time of the reverberated signal. PRE adjusts the length of a short delay before the signal reaches the reverberator. SHVG affects the damping of the reverberated signal above the shelving frequency set by the SHVF parameter.
APPENDIX C: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE APPENDIX C: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE All parameters found in the TRACK PARAMETER MAIN pages are controllable by MIDI control change messages. It is also possible to trig tracks, samples, and track recorders as well as to play samples chromatically from an external MIDI device. Which tracks responding to which MIDI channels are configured in the PROJECT > MIDI > CHANNELS menu. The MIDI note mapping varies depending on what TRIG mode and MIDI MAP configuration you chose.
APPENDIX C: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE F3 (53) MIDI Track 6 Play F6 (89) Track Sample Pitch +5 F#3 (54) MIDI Track 7 Play F#6 (90) Track Sample Pitch +6 G3 (55) MIDI Track 8 Play G6 (91) Track Sample Pitch +7 G#3 (56) G#6 (92) Track Sample Pitch +8 A3 (57) A6 (93) Track Sample Pitch +9 A#3 (58) A#6 (94) Track Sample Pitch +10 B3 (59) B6 (95) Track Sample Pitch +11 C7 (96) Track Sample Pitch +12 • Chromatic trig keys sent to the AUTO channel or the MIDI channel of the active track can,
APPENDIX C: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE The Octatrack MKII responds to MIDI Notes as follows: NOTE FUNCTION C0 (12) – D#5 (75) Slice 1 – Slice 64 The first slice is played on C0, the next on C#0 and so on, expanding upward depending on how many slices the sample has. The tracks sample must contain slices for this mode to work as intended. For more information, please see “13.2.2 SLICE” on page 81. C.
APPENDIX C: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE 140 $11 17 Playback param #2 X X $12 18 Playback param #3 X X $13 19 Playback param #4 X X $14 20 Playback param #5 X X $15 21 Playback param #6 X X $16 22 Amp param #1 (Attack) X X $17 23 Amp param #2 (Hold) X X $18 24 Amp param #3 (Release) X X $19 25 Amp param #4 (Volume) X X $1A 26 Amp param #5 (Balance) X X $1B 27 Amp param #6 (N/A) X X $1C 28 LFO param #1 (Speed 1) X X $1D 29 LFO param #2 (Speed 2) X X $1
APPENDIX C: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE $70 112 MIDI Trk 1 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $71 113 MIDI Trk 2 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $72 114 MIDI Trk 3 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $73 115 MIDI Trk 4 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $74 116 MIDI Trk 5 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $75 117 MIDI Trk 6 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $76 118 MIDI Trk 7 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $77 119 MIDI Trk 8 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X X $78 120 MIDI Trk 1
APPENDIX C: MIDI CONTROL REFERENCE 142 $27 39 CC #4 param X $28 40 CC #5 param X $29 41 CC #6 param X $2A 42 CC #7 param X $2B 43 CC #8 param X $2C 44 CC #9 param X $2D 45 CC #10 param X $31 MIDI Track Mute [0]=Unmuted, [1-127]=Muted X $32 50 49 MIDI Track Solo [0]=No solo, [1-127]=Soloed X $36 54 All Arm [0]=All disarm, [1-127]=Arm X $37 55 Scene A Select X $38 56 Scene B Select X $70 112 MIDI Trk 1 Mute [0]=Unmute, [1-127]=Mute X $71 113 MIDI Trk 2 Mute [0]=Unmu
INDEX INDEX A E ACCESSORIES 14 Carrying bag and protective lid 14 Rack mount kit 14 AMP Amp main 58 Amp setup 59 ARPEGGIATOR 92 Setup 93 ARRANGER 87 AUDIO EDITOR 80 Accessing 80 Attributes 84 Edit 82 File 86 Slice 81 Trim 80 AUDIO FILE COMPATIBILITY 27 AUDIO POOL 27 Adding content 27 File compatibility 27 AUTO CHANNEL 41 EARLY STARTUP MENU 112 EFFECTS Effects reference 122 Track effects 62 ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS 116 EMPTY RESET 112 B BANKS 52 C CARE INSTRUCTIONS 15 CHROMATIC MODE 68 CLEAR Pattern 7
INDEX Arpeggiator setup 93 CTRL 1 main 94 CTRL 1 setup 94 CTRL 2 main 95 CTRL 2 setup 95 MIDI LFO main 93 MIDI LFO setup 94 Note main 91 Note setup 92 MIXER 42 MUTE Scene 54 MUTE TRACKS Direct mute 62 Mixer mute 42 Trig mode quick mute 70 NAMING MENU 20 NOISE GATE 36 Trig led indicators 64 Trig modes 68 Trig types 66 PERSONALIZE MENU 33 PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS 116 PICKUP MACHINES 44 Sampling 49 PROJECT MENU 31 Control 35 System 32 PROJECTS 28 Change project 31 Loading and creating 28 Mixer 42 Project card
INDEX Audio pool 27 Change set 32 Creating and mounting 26 SETUP EXAMPLES 96 DJ mixer and sampler 100 MIDI control center 102 Performance hub 96 Processing live instruments 99 With external effects 98 SLICES 69 SLIDE TRIGS 67 SOLO TRACKS 43 SRC SRC main 57 SRC setup 57 SUGGESTED APPLICATIONS 11 SWING TRIGS 67 SYSTEM 32 Date/Time 33 OS upgrade 33 Personalize 33 USB disk mode 32 TRIG LED INDICATIONS 64 TRIG MODES 68 Chromatic 68 Quick mute 70 Slices 69 Slots 69 Track 68 TRIG PREVIEW 65 TRIGS 66 Lock trigs 66
7112ENG-E
