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Elektron Octatrack
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Modgeist Modgeist

«  Dream machine? »

Published on 02/01/13 at 01:31
You will find it very well elsewhere.

UTILIZATION

I've had it for only two days, but everything goes very quickly (who knows a minimum machine though).
The manual is complete, but a little dry. I had "fun" to read before receiving the beast, I must admit that reading is not the most exciting ... on the other hand, with the OT under the eyes is very clear.
You just need to be thinking "Elektron", but then everything falls under the fingers. This is simply the ergonomics of magic trick.
A mix between an MPC (with limits that said, including editing tempos by banks or patterns impossible for the moment), the looper Live, a specialized multi effect (IDM or Glitch Effectrix kind) and a Kaoss Pad.
And here I am a fan ...
Example of the use of the crossfader and scenes: I'll spend my loop pitch -12 with a High pass above and within the note gradually (ie with a beautiful transition) in the same loop with a 12 pitch Low Pass radical and within a few ms ...

I think it is almost the machine hardware I dreamed since I electro (fifteen years).
"Almost", for some small defects: management patterns and banks is not simple enough, some gaps editing into a sequencer worthy of the name (limited polyphony, etc ...), tempo (yet once, sorry, but this is what I miss the most ...) ...
But you lose the one hand we win another thousand times.

SOUNDS

It sounds, there's no denying it. Effects are super efficient, very modern, there is a good momentum, and 24 bit pleasure on a machine like that. I have not yet experienced enough all effects to really talk, but I have a very good first impression (including what they can do with their time).
And most importantly, coupled with scenes, machines neighboring the master track, it simply becomes a gas plant.

OVERALL OPINION

I for almost 48 hours, which passed on a good third.
I had (and I still have) in the hands of many sequencers and samplers.
Well the OT, it is a world apart I think. A real instrument.
The machine has hardware very well integrated the evolution of all software oriented "electro" all these years (Live, some plugins like Effectrix ...) .. I even found a small taste of FL Studio (which I love) in the sequencer (P-Lock on the grid).
The +:
Instrument in its own right
Originality / Sounds
Very well thought out ergonomics (especially the scenes)
Immense possibilities
The - (to date):
Management of banks / patterns somewhat laborious
No ability to set tempo by bank / pattern to date (unless you go by the way arranger, blah ..)
Rather than twice I would do this choice yes!