Elektron’s Octatrack is a 10-year previous groovebox that’s exhausting to be taught, has outdated audio results, and no clear use case. And but, this legendary machine nonetheless sells at present, stays a lot liked, and is totally distinctive.
The Octatrack comes from Sweden’s Elektron, and is maybe one of many weirdest digital musical devices ever constructed, from its design to its music-mangling outcomes. The Octatrack is difficult to explain. It’s a step sequencer with eight tracks, nevertheless it’s additionally a sampler, an eight-track recorder, a MIDI sequencer, and an results field. You should use it as a guitar looper pedal, or simply as a mixer for different gear. And it’s this profusion of prospects that result in the primary Octatrack fantasy: that it’s exhausting to be taught.
“The OT is equally versatile and idiosyncratic. With its wealthy characteristic set it is unequalled, however the lack of guard rails in some areas makes it a considerably high-maintenance companion,” musician and Octatrack consumer Hans_Olo advised Lifewire in a discussion board thread. “Nevertheless, judging by the variety of studio movies I’ve seen it unexpectedly pop up in, 10 years in, it nonetheless appears to be the prime selection [for] many artists, which I attribute to the dearth of any actual competitors.”
Studying Curves
Any time you learn concerning the Octatrack, you’ll see that it has a “steep studying curve.” However that is solely true should you’ve by no means used a step sequencer earlier than. It’s deep, certain, however no more durable to be taught than the pc or cellphone you’re studying on proper now.
In a method, the Octatrack is sort of a common objective laptop. It may be pressed into just about any musical position, and you’ll often discover a number of methods to attain your aim. This complexity can result in frustration, however when you get rolling, you are able to do all the things with devoted buttons, or button combos. Watch a few of these movies talked about by Hans_Olo, and also you’ll see it being performed like a musical instrument.
“There’s one thing about with the ability to arrange the {hardware} so flexibly to operate the way in which you particularly need that basically makes it not like the rest on the market,” musician Tarekith advised Lifewire in a discussion board thread. “Although arguably what additionally makes it so complicated for brand new customers too.”
What Does It Do?
Check out the image above. That row of 16 buttons characterize the 16 sixteenth notes in a bar of 4/4 music. They’re known as “trigs,” for triggers, they usually can set off a pattern, or a MIDI word. However they will additionally set off a recording, or be used to play a pattern chromatically (at completely different pitches). Or you may slice up a pattern, and play these slices with these keys. Or use the trigs so as to add results to every particular person step, all relying on the mode you’re in.
Then, look to the best, and also you see a DJ-style crossfader. This could additionally do nearly something, however the gist is you may take any parameter from any knob or dial, and use the crossfader to manage them all of sudden. The outcomes, like all the things on the Octatrack, might be both delicate or wild.
And that’s just the start. The fantastic thing about the Octatrack—and the factor that retains musicians coming again to it—is the flexibleness, and the enjoyable. I not too long ago purchased a second one, after promoting the primary a number of years again, and thus far, I’ve used it solely as an eight-track guitar looper, with all types of results mapped to that crossfader. Hooked as much as a foot pedal, it’s nearly probably the most enjoyable I’ve had (musically) in years.
Displaying Its Age
In a method, the Octatrack is the George Clooney of grooveboxes. It’s getting on a bit, and displaying its age, nevertheless it nonetheless appears nice. Its reverb impact is tough however nonetheless charming, and it shops your work on a CF card. Sure, a Compact Flash card.
However with age comes expertise. The Elektronauts discussion board, the place we mentioned the Octatrack for this text, has greater than a decade’s price of data and recommendation for the Octatrack.
“There’s undoubtedly a plus facet to having an enormous consumer base, and ten years of discussion board posts determining what it could actually do, and the way,” says musician and discussion board member Jay B. “The deep followers are very religious, and possibly spend extra time answering queries than I spend making music in any respect.”
Getting old, flawed, difficult to get together with, however totally price it. Right here’s to a different 10 years, Octatrack.
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