Joined: Mar 06, 2008 Posts: 679 Location: New Jersey
Audio files: 13
G2 patch files: 31
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:37 am Post subject:
New stuff from Elektron Subject description: Octatrack + ehnancements to Machinedrum and Monomachine
It's hard to get through to Elektron's website today because of demand, but apparently at Musikmesse they're demonstrating an incomplete prototype of a new product called Octatrack. It appears to be an 8-track sequencer with extended sampling capabilities, including timestretching. Instead of 8 knobs, it has 7 knobs plus a fader. Apparently that fader can also be assigned as a crossfader.
Octatrack has an SD card slot and will accept up to 64GB cards. It also has a USB port (!)
As the prototype is incomplete, any further details are apt to be sketchy at best. It is scheduled to be available in late 2010, but of course it is harder to predict the future than to predict the past.
More interesting, in some ways, are the enhancements to Machinedrum and Monomachine. First, there are big price drops -- about 25%. Second, there's a new feature called +DRIVE. It's a memory add-on that multiplies the current memory by 128. Essentially, you can store the entire state of the machine in one of 128 "snapshots," and you can reload any snapshot later on. Doing so is claimed to take a few seconds, so presumably you can't do it while you're playing. But effectively you can store a bunch of different configurations and pick from among them.
On the Machinedrum you also have the option of loading just the samples from a snapshot. So you can combine the kits from one snapshot with the samples from another, or you can use snapshots to build up a sample library.
They claim that all new Machinedrum and Monomachine devices will include this enhancement, effective immediately. I imagine that will be a headache for retailers with units in stock. Existing Machinedrum and Monomachine devices can be upgraded if you're willing to send the machine back to Sweden. If you bought yours recently, there's a discount on the upgrade.
Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 4145 Location: Sweden
Audio files: 371
G2 patch files: 100
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:24 pm Post subject:
Yeah there have been rumors about the Octatrack floating around. I've been glancing at the MachineDrum, a price drop is definitely interesting. Elektron's homepage currently has a picture saying "Thanks for breaking our server"
Joined: Mar 06, 2008 Posts: 679 Location: New Jersey
Audio files: 13
G2 patch files: 31
Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 7:33 pm Post subject:
Muied Lumens wrote:
So it's basically an advanced looper? In a similar way that Ableton Live was a looper when it first came out?
Interesting, but... Seems like this product is a little late, as I see it.
Well, we don't really know what it is yet, especially as development is not complete. I am pretty sure I did hear, for example, that it has parameter locks, and I can't think of any looper that does that.
Well, we don't really know what it is yet, especially as development is not complete. I am pretty sure I did hear, for example, that it has parameter locks, and I can't think of any looper that does that.
I am not dismissing it, but I have a similar feeling that I had after I had tried the Monomachine for the first time. Fantastic product, but not on the top of my wish list. Yet. I shall wait and see if this one is a climber.
I really appreciate swedish synth makers and love their eye for simplicity and detail. Electron have definitely had the intent of creating a performance instrument, and that is where their strength is. Parameter locks rocks! I am eager to see what Teenage Engineering comes up with as well eventually. _________________ Muied Lumens Sub Forum Bandcamp
Joined: Apr 26, 2004 Posts: 1349 Location: Washington DC Metro
G2 patch files: 1
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:01 pm Post subject:
Muied Lumens wrote:
So it's basically an advanced looper? In a similar way that Ableton Live was a looper when it first came out?.
I own a couple of loopers: EHX 16 Second Delay Reissue and Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro Plus.
If the Octatrack allows the user to overdub track after track of audio in realtime without stopping playback of previously recorded samples, that would be very nice indeed. If on the other hand it is like most samplers (samplers, that is, that cannot be used as true loopers), it can record a sampler OR it can play back samples, but cannot do both at the same time. _________________ Current and recent work on Soundcloud
Joined: Mar 06, 2008 Posts: 679 Location: New Jersey
Audio files: 13
G2 patch files: 31
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2010 10:16 pm Post subject:
Re: New stuff from Elektron Subject description: Octatrack + ehnancements to Machinedrum and Monomachine
ark wrote:
More interesting, in some ways, are the enhancements to Machinedrum and Monomachine. First, there are big price drops -- about 25%.
The price drop turned out to be a false alarm. I saw a comment about price reduction and a price that was substantially less than what I thought the price had been, but unfortunately the reason for the discrepancy was that the price reduction was for the Machinedrum SPS-1, not the SPS-1UW. So the base price was also that for the SPS-1.
On the other hand, the +Drive option is now included in the price, and that's a significant improvement.
Joined: Oct 12, 2009 Posts: 56 Location: Gothenburg, sweden
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 1:32 pm Post subject:
GovernorSilver wrote:
Muied Lumens wrote:
So it's basically an advanced looper? In a similar way that Ableton Live was a looper when it first came out?.
I own a couple of loopers: EHX 16 Second Delay Reissue and Gibson Echoplex Digital Pro Plus.
If the Octatrack allows the user to overdub track after track of audio in realtime without stopping playback of previously recorded samples, that would be very nice indeed. If on the other hand it is like most samplers (samplers, that is, that cannot be used as true loopers), it can record a sampler OR it can play back samples, but cannot do both at the same time.
The octatrack are aimed to be as much a looper as a sampler. Looper in the sense as how you would use it in realtime. Sampler in the sense as how you are able to store and have access to a large memory of samples.
A close friend of mine works at electron. I won´t reveal too much info since I´m not sure of what I am free to reveal and that I don´t know what features really getting in there and what are supposed to be changed...
Let me just say that my friend has borrowed mine EDP for some months to analyze its features. I have also provided a must-have list of suggestions (from a looper persons view)... overdub/multiply is a must. Some of the Octatrack features he has mentioned to me is quite mindblowing to say the least... so I think it´s really going to be a killer machine.
Joined: Mar 06, 2008 Posts: 679 Location: New Jersey
Audio files: 13
G2 patch files: 31
Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2010 1:40 pm Post subject:
miketheman wrote:
Let me just say that my friend has borrowed mine EDP for some months to analyze its features. I have also provided a must-have list of suggestions (from a looper persons view)... overdub/multiply is a must. Some of the Octatrack features he has mentioned to me is quite mindblowing to say the least... so I think it´s really going to be a killer machine.
I've already ordered one, sight unseen.
I figure that the feature set will become known before the devices start shipping, and I can cancel my order before it ships without penalty. But if it turns out to be halfway as interesting as it looks from the advance publicity, then there is literally no competition--at least not at present--and it seems to fit the kind of music I'm interested in making much better than any other hardware I've seen.
Joined: Apr 26, 2004 Posts: 1349 Location: Washington DC Metro
G2 patch files: 1
Posted: Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:42 pm Post subject:
ark wrote:
GovernorSilver wrote:
Sooo, who got one? Is 64MB enough memory for you? Anybody get a better price than the above?
They've delayed the ship date. And it's 64GB, not 64MB. The unit ships with a 4GB card, half of which is already filled with loops from Loopmasters.
As for prices, ask around. Dealers often sell for less than they advertise.
64GB sounds a lot better. Thanks for the correction.
Fair enough. I've ordered from two well-known stores that regularly sell gear at lower prices than can be found on their websites. _________________ Current and recent work on Soundcloud
The Octatrack is now shipping. All those of you who have placed pre-orders will within the next couple of days receive a mail from UPS containing the tracking number of the shipment.
Orders placed and paid during the next couple of days might not ship the same day because of the large amount of pre-order units that need to be shipped. The shipping delay will not last longer than a couple of days.
Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 4145 Location: Sweden
Audio files: 371
G2 patch files: 100
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:49 am Post subject:
I'm clicking F5 on the order status page... a theory circulates that Elektron forgot that they were all going to be at NAMM when the set the last shipping date. _________________ Antimon's Window @soundcloud@Flattrhome - you can't explain music
Joined: Feb 28, 2005 Posts: 4044 Location: England
Audio files: 32
G2 patch files: 15
Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:02 am Post subject:
Antimon wrote:
I'm clicking F5 on the order status page... a theory circulates that Elektron forgot that they were all going to be at NAMM when the set the last shipping date.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum