Octotrack... Still a mystery...

[mark francombe <mark@markfrancombe.com>]

I have been intrigued by the Octotrack since it came out, and been listening with interest to Anders things, Im basically waiting around for the Evoloop, but now put a few things up for sale, so had a real good look at the machine again.

First I read thru the whle of the manual, and then sat for a few hours going thru all the YouTubes... I have to say I still dont really understand thins thing, or what it can do!!! 
ow I basically understand the Pickup machine thing, seems like a pretty basic looper, with over dub, cant really see how it can do feedback or editing on the fly, or anything but its very hard to tell. Its seems to be mostly a drum-machine type thing, (which is good for me cos I have just not got on with the Electribe., so is one of the things for sale) Im looking for a pretty fluid and jammable drum-machine and sequencer, so I think Octo will do that for me, has some interesting muting and morphing of parameters... 

But what I really want to find out, because its the biggest thing stopping me from getting it, is what it feels like to use... Stupid question perhaps, but what i didnt like about the Electribe is POINTLESS two fingered button presses, you know SHIFT + a key. I can never remember what those are. On Octotrack its seems (from the YouTube vidz) that its all endless going in and out of menus, scrolling to parameter, or.. assigning things to things... JESUS:. Its looks just so obtuse!

For example... in both manual and youtube... first thing its explains is the different levels of file structure, Top level is a Sett, then theres projects and an audio pool then a... a... a... I nodded off about now...

Now I like the sound of some things, but I have no idea if Im understanding them correctly, like setting up rythmic triggers BEFORE the sample is recorded, and slicing seems a bit less obscure than on Electribe, but I really have no idea.

Now much as I like what Im hearing from Anders, he aint playing the same kind of music as me, so I cant tell what I would do...

So (I spose to Anders) before I blow 1000 dollars, is there loads of fiddling in menus, and preparation (Cos I dont have time for that). My music is amde by walking into my stdio and starting to play the guitar... I find and tweak patches as I go along, I loop bits, process bits and loop some more... then The kid comes in and asks me to play PlayStation with him, and I turn it all off... Or... I turn up at the cafe with my gear, my drummer turns up and we play... I dont have time for "programming" But want beats and drum-machine... so hows the experience of using Octotrack, what does it feel like?

I dont mind "Learning Curve" but I mind bad interface, or having to have the manual handy...

-- 
Mark Francombe

www.markfrancombe.com
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