Elektron Octatrack: The Great Audio Sketchpad

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Host: Jon
Production: Jon - jwayniac
Editing: Schnoodle - @schnoodlevideo
Here's a way to seamlessly build and print stems on the Octatrack. First saw this stem print method via my buddy Azizi Gibson. He showed me a post on Elektronauts by user Sebastian detailing the method. Thanks to both of them!
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#beatmaking #jonwayne #ableton

[@RickyTinez]

@8:58 wait... WHAT!? that's GENIUS! Thanks Jon

[@jonmakesbeats]

Credit goes to Sebastian on Elektronauts forums. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner

[@shachar87l]

I don’t get it, why do you need to record again? I mean if it already populates the static machine

[@jonmakesbeats]

@@shachar87lyou can if that’s all you want to do but I almost never leave the audio alone once it’s recorded. I mix and add effects at the very least.

[@peachcurls599]

@8:58 Can you please show this process exactly? The way the video is edited it seems like there’s a step missing.

[@Romanowitch]

@@peachcurls599 I guess he uses every recorder machines of each track to resample themselves, and then saves them one by one. But it looks like way easier on the video so if there's a quick-trick, I'd like to know how to operate it too !

[@jimmypierson1980]

Date Modified in the JMB 81 folder : Tomorrow. That's where Jon lives and creates.

[@shawnmuench]

Good gear people are so rare. “8 Purgatories of RAM space” was blessed thank you

[@256k_]

such a good workflow and tips. can't believe so many years later and we're still learning things about the octatrack. truly the machine that keeps on giving

[@BenGeorge77]

"8 little recording purgatories" so good.

[@schnoodlevideo]

praise the almighty DAW! always a pleasure to cut these, thank you for watching everyone :)

[@EZBOT_]

Nice work Jon! Another pro-tip: If you CUE the tracks and set the CUE to unity (127) you can bounce tracks to one sample.

[@blakeanderson5011]

This has some public access energy. Like I’m not going to use this knowledge at all but I’m not changing the channel either.

[@jonmakesbeats]

Hell yeah

[@suop1234]

11:00 if you hold down command/control when dragging multiple audio files into ableton, it'll automatically fit them into new tracks!

[@NickLyttle]

Oh hell yeah, gonna be a great weekend, new Jon Makes Beats video!

[@endless_arps]

Recently got myself an octatrack mk2 , no elektron experience whatsoever , your channel instantly became my go to channel. Sick beats , great workflow demo's , and no bs! Thanks man 🤝🍻

[@hauntedexcursions]

Man thank you so much for this info. Didn’t realize that you could stem out like that into Ableton🙏

[@Niklas-Lang]

The break we switch to around 5:18 is from a song called If It's In You to Do Wrong, by The Impressions. A great break with really clean hits that I've never heard before. Awesome!

[@ZacyAwsomeness]

Brooooooo! I was looking for octatrack reviews and came across Jonwayne! I had no idea that you did gear reviews! I was jamming your tunes a couple of days ago while driving around Houston, keep everything up bro!

[@78thandSynth]

I’m all ears. Syntakt was first from them. Taught me a ton.

[@stephenburgoin]

So timely, I've been messing around with this concept with some mixed results. This filled in all of the gaps in the workflow I've been trying to implement! Super excited to try it out

[@germish9670]

So nice that you play D&D man, i can imagine you making some D&D Beats to listen while playing with the dudessss , great video and beat, keep it up Jon 🤘

[@kylechipman5850]

Super informative and well-edited video as always. Man, the itch to acquire an octotrack always springs when watching your streams and videos. Thanks for all your output jon!

[@lindasson]

Love how you explained the basics of the Octatrack, and I love the shirt Jon. Great content as always!!🙏🏾✊🏾💚

[@rekocastren923]

That "bounce in place" trick is sick!

[@JamesBermingham]

This video is getting me closer to pushing the buy button for the octatrak.

[@NTD2827]

I really liked the thumbnail

[@amos7458]

I like the idea that memory is really just little purgatories for data hahaha

[@Alckemy]

I have a syntakt or analog heat that connects to my octatrack for overbridge, so if you’re used to doing weird sound design jams to chop you can record the weird daw sounds into the octa and then actually route it back into the daw if you have another elektron device or interface. Bitwig-> analog heat-> octatrack-> syntakt->bitwig. I have yet to make a full track on it but it does solve that overbridge issue. it’s also cool to save those jams to the octa and use as original material that can give you more than just one idea

[@tommyk88888]

After we die we also go to a DAW

[@GeorgeL909]

I imagine the afterlife would sound like being inside a Hologram Microcosm. Just floating around in a soft infinite granular reverb, looping forever... I... think I've watched too many synth videos

[@tommyk88888]

Nice! Didnt know Octa could do that. I came across a good tip for tracking out stuff on a stereo/mono channel too (from one of Ricky’s viewers I think). You can just record everything you want seperately soloed for the amount of bars you want (without stopping the sequence when changing tracks). Then take that recording into your daw and you can cut all stems precisely on the grid and just reorder them underneath eachother. Good trick when you like to use some quick outboard gear (AH maybe) or record stems through tape, but only have a two track.

[@tommyk88888]

@@GeorgeL909 haha. Supposedly Iasos made music that people who had near death experiences said sounded very similar to what they heard. He should be able to fully confirm now as he passed away last month 😢🙏🏻 may he rest in joy

[@jyack]

​@@GeorgeL909 with runaway designed like microfreak keys

[@marylewis3311]

Grim Reaper.😵

[@iblamesummers]

thank you for your Elektron video.

[@providief]

never thought of making stems like this. awesome idea, great job

[@ingenuk4266]

Great stuff. Also props to the PVM and Mister! My PVM is my fav piece of gear!

[@JLeonSarmiento]

Jon, singlehandly pushing Octa prices up in Reverbay.

[@ken2.0]

Jon you are a cool human. Hardware over daw anytime, anywhere!!

[@lastlythis]

You're content has got me wanting to pull the trigger and buy an octatrack, not gonna lie.. they should certainly send you a mk3 when/if ever the time comes that elektron drops one.. think I will have to hold off but your content inspires me every single time.. Thank you for everything you do and cheers to you and your journey as well man.

[@middlenamejerrard]

watchin all the way from Houston!

[@aikighost]

Im looking forwards to electron releasing octa track MK3 in 3030 so Deltron can use it :)

[@ruffiankick]

😂😂 that was a great album! Love the reference

[@aikighost]

@@ruffiankick Be there For the rap battle! It's going to be Inter-spectacular Fantabulous It'll blow your socks off! It's one of those things Where machine versus man Man versus woman Woman versus your mother Be there! Intergalactic rap battle It's... instupituous!!

[@pinkflamingo5972]

Upgrade your gray matter, cause one day it may matter.

[@frequencydomain9360]

Thank you! Love making music on OT but want to mix in the box. This the best option I've seen

[@blato4515]

love your work jon

[@amar_paul]

Thanks Jon !❤

[@FaisalMohammed244]

Hey Jon big up on the weight loss, looking good cousin!

[@marcdanielnelson317]

Keep it up Jon. This is terrific stuff!🤗

[@PuffinPass]

I prefer hardware over DAW for the simple reason that I am less likely to get distracted using a hardware solution. DAW I guarantee I have a web page open on my other screen which means lots of lost time.

[@Buddhanature322]

T-shirt arrived, good quality, thanks.

[@MotokoKusanagi]

Maestro!

[@charliecohen8093]

great vid!

[@Kaje05]

Yeye! 🙏

[@Sinnersainthuman]

Hardware all the way. I find the limitations inspiring. However I use both but my sampling and performance is always on the octa 💚

[@quantummonastery]

nice workflow! Love your vibes and the Octatrack :)

[@kadematyis6578]

You’re about to have 69,420 subscribers !

[@musicbyethan]

good post man. octa is my fav no doubt ☮️

[@harrywatson6184]

Excellent

[@maarzt]

thank you

[@steveambrose1734]

I'm new to the octatrack. How did you set up the recording pages please? I can't see how it goes automatically from track to track. Thanks

[@m00ftak]

Jon it would be great to get a glimpse of you recording tracks into a DAW and mixing the. I think you did it on Twitch a few times...Thanks for another great OT vid!

[@maikvanrossum]

One of the few videos in which some of the fundamentals of this creative workhorse are explained in an understandable way... my compliments, well done 👍🏻 Really looking forward to a MKIII ‘refreshment’ 🙏🏻

[@EUSTACHGRIFFEN]

I bought the analog Rhythm mkii and I'm so tired. It's been 48 hours. Going to order the octatrack. Sending the Rhythm back

[@onesmallthought]

Octatrack will make you more tired.

[@EUSTACHGRIFFEN]

@@onesmallthought nooooooooo!! its the no stereo sampling. I tried everything.

[@Mr.TeETH78]

You got a live feed from Santa Ana track going on the TV back there?

[@coldbumby]

Cool video

[@koj1luna]

Hi Jon

[@Tapepusher]

+1

[@biglow8762]

Were still in the biggest DAW that was ever made 😂😂😂😂😂

[@censoredialogue]

as a frustrated Digitakt owner they need to do an OT MkIII w Overbridge support

[@modefree2410]

Great video, I'm looking for a reason to get Octa, for this purpose for me, much easier is record anything directly to Ableton ;) but when tracks are ready and mixed playing it from Ableton is quite boring. I think this is where it can shine for me. What do you think?

[@omarsorianolopez5290]

Great video! So, as I understood..you first record on to the buffer, then you assign that to a free static slot, then you place a trig on the first step of the track, and thats it right? Cheers!

[@jonmakesbeats]

Yup make you fill the first static slot with a dummy sample for this to work

[@omarsorianolopez5290]

@@jonmakesbeats Ahhh. Got it. Thanks! 🤜🤛

[@aarongriffin4764]

can you do the same thing with the analog rhythm mk2?

[@skidogleb]

Mic on the MacBook output sounding good 😂

[@strangeattractor4959]

Have you ever experience the parameters going crazy without you moving the knobs? Have you clean the encoders of the octatrack if so, how you do it?

[@markymark627]

great workflow i need to try and get my hands on octa, ps whats the horse racing game on the screen ? nice vid

[@SKRDmusic]

That screensaver is dope; where is that from?

[@theoneselve]

HOLD 'cmd' when you put multi tracks on ableton arrange view vertically

[@TheFreakingpanda]

can you please please tell me how you record the piano/synth in without stopping the beat?

[@AdamsOlympia]

I'm betting he probably setup a 4 beat count-in before REC starts.

[@Pharmacymusic1]

It's not a sketchpad for everyone, people have made full tracks and albums on it, you just need to be good at mixing. It may have a different sound than a DAW produced track, but not everyone needs to hear that, they just want music that is mixed well.

[@blvkopvl5979]

Been thinking about getting one of these for a while, might have to! What kind of keyboard you using?

[@StanleyKubick1]

the octatrak is great, but the SP404 is only $400 as opposed to $1500

[@EUSTACHGRIFFEN]

The samples do come in as stereo right? Sending the analog rhythm back because of mono sampling in and out.

[@NealCaen]

Should I just wait for the MkIII? Or should I risk it and bite the bullet for the MkII?

[@Monsterism]

Octatrack owners please help, I'm dumb. But I get it's essentially a looper from what Jon is doing but how did the ot know when to start recording from the start when he's playing. To then just stop recording and just loop which I don't get

[@jonmakesbeats]

Hey my process uses a combination of one shot recording trigs and pre populated trigs on tracks. If you want to learn more the template on my Patreon includes a text file that goes over the entire process.

[@Monsterism]

@@jonmakesbeats ohhhh ok u got my money. 🙏

[@OrangeDrinkMusic]

um.....your CF card button is.....poking out

[@OrangeDrinkMusic]

(also thank you so much for giving props to CF cards) (also u are the j dilla of the octatrack)

[@rman2x16]

how did you record directly to a static machine?

[@servantbenjamin919]

newer MPCs seem to have all these options and more? Am I wrong and if so, what are the advantages of Octatrack over them?

[@AdamsOlympia]

The big question is, what's the advantage of using MPC at home over Ableton and maybe a Push? For Octatrack - once you setup the template, it's more immediate and less of a hassle than fiddling with MPC's deep structure. .. Just a button push and you're off to the races on OT. Another button and you're quickly tweaking effects. No distractions or deep menu systems to get in the way once you have everything configured to your liking.

[@willybobo8846]

wen MK3?

[@auralplex]

How long did it take you to get those crayons back in order? 😅

[@ushnicyuvnikof2748]

Its not a sketch pad, you can pretty much make entire jungle tracks with it.

[@bryanbytes]

MK3 or bust

[@futuremontreal]

Date modified = “tomorrow”??? You’re making beats from the future !!! 😂

[@jimmcd1101]

Octatrack has the worst workflow of any instrument made . It’s like they took every action that could be done in one step and made it seven steps with three knobs to turn and five menus. There isn’t a DAW ever made that as painful to use as this thing.

[@jonmakesbeats]

I disagree!

[@jimmcd1101]

@@jonmakesbeats everybody’s entitled to their opinion!

[@lazyandslower4377]

im gonna sell my kidney for one of these

[@tommyk88888]

Pretty sure you can set it up to replace your kidney too

[@lazyandslower4377]

@@vjfxtheory what organ would you recommend then

[@r10_makes_beats]

Holy crap this is so useful - thanks for this knowledge!

[@pdm67]

Great workflow Jon, not sure why I hadn't thought of recording each stem internally like this in one go rather than playing each separately into Ableton - saves a bunch of time. I like to record the stems such that I stop playback at the end of the loop and keep recording a little bit so I get the tail of the sounds and effects at the loop end which can help make transitions between sections sound better. I think this can be achieved by switching to a blank pattern at the end of the loop and then pressing stop after everything has died away.

[@puvendranpillay8802]

If you sample James Bond and Debussy's music, the octotrack becomes Octobussy

[@ZozillaThaGreat]

Exellent video , question : why after recording we have to re record tracks ? is it the only way they will show up in Hardrive mod on Set folder ?

[@mattkaz9604]

You are right about the value of interface - I recall getting my machinedrum then thinking how much better it would be controlled by max/msp. I made all these monster patches that sounded ok, then realised that what i was missing was the well thought out and immediate interface I'd just bypassed.

[@jenspetersson6009]

I think you are awesome Jon. Greetings from Sweden - Elektron land

[@HornedBee]

That’s a lot of money for a sketch pad….

[@domr4879]

The DK 64 “OK” at the end

[@olivierbrucker6139]

Perfect Jon✌️

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Wait did you just call the Octatrack UI ‘intuitive?’ 😂

[@jonmakesbeats]

Your username is very ironic lol

[@sub-jec-tiv]

@@jonmakesbeats Sorry i was under the impression subjective opinions are allowed on the Internet, guess i won’t return to your channel

[@jonmakesbeats]

@@sub-jec-tiv they absolutely are! in fact the new video deals with subjectivity in art. I was just pointing out the irony of your name against how your comment came off. Come back to the channel whenever you want you're always welcome.

[@pdlkmusic]

Not trying to knock the brilliance of the octa but it is kind of crazy they still haven't figured out a way to get overbridge integration on it, even if it required a bit of retooling for a "MK3" version.

[@suntzu6122]

We just need v3. They need to nail it tho. Fix this box to not be so brutal to learn.