Elektron00B (me). What's the best way to connect Elektron Analog Four to Octatrack?

[DaniZzz79]

I finally got my hands on a beautiful octatrack mk2, and this prevented me from selling my analog four mk1 (which I wanted to sell as I was mostly using Ableton synths).
Now it's time to let them talk to each other.
I've read the manuals and watched some youtube videos but.. did not really understand everything.

What's the best way to connect them? My hunch (first attempt that I'll try tonight):

octa midi out -> analog mini in
analog midi out -> octa midi in
analog audio outs -> octa audio ins

settings:
octa as master (somehow)
octa midi track -> control analog
analog as thru machine or flex machine?

n00b questions:
can I use the triggers on the octa to control the triggers on the elektron (via midi track?)
I saturated my midi ins and outs, but I still get the thru. Can I have the octa communicate via midi to my daw somehow with this setup? (like connecting the thru of the analog to the ins of my soundboard and talk to ableton via other midi channels?)

THANKS to all the helpers who will come into help

[justin3am]

I would configure the Octatrack to send Transport, Clock and Program change messages and set up the A4 to receive those messages. Connect the MIDI Out on the OT to the MIDI In on the A4.
I guess you could route the A4's MIDI out back to the OTs input but I'm not sure why you would do that. There are a lot of ways to create a MIDI feedback loop with a configuration like that. Make sure that the A4 is not sending clock or program change messages and that the OT is not passing MIDI from it's input back to the Output.

When I have my A4 connected to the OT's inputs, I generally don't want to use up a track on the OT unless I'm going to sample it (then I'd use the Static machines, to avoid using too much RAM). So instead of using the Thru machine, I typically monitor the input the A4 is connected to, through the record settings. You can't use the OTs effects on the A4 with that configuration, so maybe you don't mind using up a track.

You can certainly send MIDI from the OT's MIDI tracks to the A4 but there isn't much of a reason to do so. If you have the OT set up to send Program Changes and the A4 set up to receive them, then the A4 will change patterns when the OT does.

Yes, connecting the Thru from the A4 will allow you to pass MIDI from the OT to your computer.

[DaniZzz79]

thanks a lot, this was really helpful.

You can certainly send MIDI from the OT's MIDI tracks to the A4 but there isn't much of a reason to do so. If you have the OT set up to send Program Changes and the A4 set up to receive them, then the A4 will change patterns when the OT does.

this because I should use the A4 sequencer right? by sending MIDI you mean notes, because the program change will allow the A4 to change sounds based on the pattern played on the octa and the trigs are doing this job right?

What about the "transport"? I'm not sure I know what that is.

[justin3am]

Yes, let the A4 sequence the A4 and let the OT control which pattern is playing on the A4 via Program Change messages. You can use the sound pool functions of the A4 to determine which sounds are associated with each pattern/note.

Transport messages are used to tell something to start or stop. You can find more infomation about the Octatrack's Sync settings on page 40 of this manual: https://cdn.www.elektron.se/media/downl ... 210414.pdf
You'll want to configure the OT to send Transport, Clock and Program Change messages. If you would like to sync the OT to your DAW, you would also activate the options for receiving Clock and Transport messages.
For the A4, the Sync settings are described on page 57 of this guide: https://cdn.www.elektron.se/media/downl ... 220204.pdf
You will want to set the A4 to receive, Clock, Transport and Program Change.

[fugazi81]

Hi, yes, you've got yourself a nice setup there.

I also have the RYTM here, but if I use the A4 only with the OT, I have the same connections as you.

The OT is actually the better masterdevice, so OTMIDIout->A4MIDIin. For example, you can automate your A4 performance macros from the OT or use multiple LFOs (user LFOs) for additional modulation, etc. Just have a look at the MIDI appendix of the manual, if you plan to send the A4MIDIout to the OT. There are a few pitfalls here that you should be aware of. Depending on the setting, some MIDI notes can control different functions of the OT. This can quickly lead to confusion.

When routing audio, you can check whether you want to sacrifice a track or route the A4 audio directly.
I don't do that, I always use a track for the A4 because it's easier for me to visualize and because I like to use neighbor tracks. That's all I can think of at the moment.

On the topic of DAW integration, since the OT doesn't have overbridge, I would use the A4 as a master clock output because that works better with DAWs, at least here in my setup. if I'm honest, the OT always flies out of the setup as soon as I use my DAW.

[DaniZzz79]

Yes, let the A4 sequence the A4 and let the OT control which pattern is playing on the A4 via Program Change messages. You can use the sound pool functions of the A4 to determine which sounds are associated with each pattern/note.

Transport messages are used to tell something to start or stop. You can find more infomation about the Octatrack's Sync settings on page 40 of this manual: https://cdn.www.elektron.se/media/downl ... 210414.pdf
You'll want to configure the OT to send Transport, Clock and Program Change messages. If you would like to sync the OT to your DAW, you would also activate the options for receiving Clock and Transport messages.
For the A4, the Sync settings are described on page 57 of this guide: https://cdn.www.elektron.se/media/downl ... 220204.pdf
You will want to set the A4 to receive, Clock, Transport and Program Change.

ofc now I start to understand, my schema was quite messed up.

I want the octa to get MIDI messages from the DAW and control the A4 (e.g. an Ableton set of info coded in a scene via Clyphx).
I want the A4 to only get MIDI from the octa and send audio out somewhere (either DAW or octa).
Then I can let the octa talk back to the DAW via thru MIDI from the A4, so that the A4 will only grab those messages that it needs (transport, clock, program change) and the DAW will get info from the octa (e.g. tempo slow down, start/stop, other msgs from Midi tracks).

I'll bother you again if/when I'll crash something thanks again!

[DaniZzz79]

Hi, yes, you've got yourself a nice setup there.

I also have the RYTM here, but if I use the A4 only with the OT, I have the same connections as you.

The OT is actually the better masterdevice, so OTMIDIout->A4MIDIin. For example, you can automate your A4 performance macros from the OT or use multiple LFOs (user LFOs) for additional modulation, etc. Just have a look at the MIDI appendix of the manual, if you plan to send the A4MIDIout to the OT. There are a few pitfalls here that you should be aware of. Depending on the setting, some MIDI notes can control different functions of the OT. This can quickly lead to confusion.

When routing audio, you can check whether you want to sacrifice a track or route the A4 audio directly.
I don't do that, I always use a track for the A4 because it's easier for me to visualize and because I like to use neighbor tracks. That's all I can think of at the moment.

On the topic of DAW integration, since the OT doesn't have an overbridge, I would use the A4 as a master clock output because that works better with DAWs, at least here in my setup. if I'm honest, the OT always flies out of the setup as soon as I use my DAW.

ahhhh good to know.
So maybe it would better to have the A4 talk to Ableton rather than the octa via midi-thru-the-A4.
I'm trying to avoid using Overbridge, but maybe that's the way to go so I can spare some audio outs (e.g. using all 4 tracks in and out the octa to Ableton).

I'll give it a try, thanks!

[fugazi81]

Yes, I find this variant the best, but I only use Overbridge for sync. or to load sounds.
This balances out the latency between Live and the A4 better, imho.
But I have also had quite good results with MIDIusb-sync. But unfortunately also the complete opposite. #

In the end, you should see which setup gives you the best results.

I have now come to the point that I only track everything in the DAW and do everything else on the Elektrons. latency is no longer such an issue.