electribe sampler or octatrack

PB21 · Post by **PB21** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:13 am

Ive been eying up the octatrack for a while but recently started thinking of the electribe sampler instead.

I know that they cannot be compared but I wonder how much functionality the two share.

I have BS2
sub 37
volcas
ultranova
tr8
jdxi
maschine studio

i was looking to be able to send sequences to those as well as having a great sampler too.

I notice I am flipping between daw use or just connecting devices up without a daw.

advice would be appreciated as i like to get a lot of bang for the bucks (pounds in this case) but i am a novice.

the thread is not about slating either machine either.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 8:31 am

What are you wanting a sampler for in the first place? They are very different animals for sure.

PB21 · Post by **PB21** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 9:02 am

I liked maybe being able to sample bits from existing older tracks or even a patch from the sub 37 or ultranova and and use those when i am away from a door ie when i travel on holiday and only have room for 2 synths.

Ive discovered that being able to sequence in hardware alone is quite cool like with the jdxi controlling other stuff. i also am taking a liking to be able to take samples of whatever and adjust them in hardware on the fly.

as always it just depends where i am but i do get the feeling i am like a kid in a sweet shop and dont know which jar to stick my hand in.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:07 am

Judging by your list you are not short on cash so go grab the OT. It will run circles around the ES2. The sampler and sequencer are very powerful, more powerful than on the ES2. The OT costs three times as much for a reason.

Spheric El · Post by **Spheric El** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 10:19 am

I was thinking go OT.If you like a good sequencer (like JDXi) then Im sure you won't be as limited,than as ES2.Also OT is smaller than I thought.You may be a beginner but can grasp what you have got-grow into the OT.It will have a longer shelf life,keep your attention longer,more ways of adapting in future.

PB21 · Post by **PB21** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 3:22 pm

one thing i really like about the electribe sampler is its ability to integrate with ableton, I really like that. I know what will happen i will get both as that being the other option.

dutchcow · Post by **dutchcow** » Sun Jul 19, 2015 3:26 pm

The Ableton export option is overrated if you ask me. The loops it creates aren't the same as when you'd let it run while playing. It is a bit hard to explain, but I will try.

Not all loops will come out properly. While IFX now carry over when changing pattern, they don't show up in the loops, so if you use some IFX like a delay the delay from the last bar won't sound in the first in exported loops, you will certainly hear that. This happens to when you're exporting 1 pattern.

It isn't much more work to record some clips/loops directly into Ableton. If I had to choose between the two I'd pick the OT every single time. It might not be portable but it is much more versatile.

PB21 · Post by **PB21** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:15 am

ok so OT it is. thank you for all the replies and the courtesy you've shown.

genshi · Post by **genshi** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:17 pm

I've got to ask the same question then since it wasn't really answered... can the Electribe Sampler act as a poor-man's Octatrack?

I can't afford an Octatrack at the moment (fell back into starving artist status recently) and I have a Live PA/performance coming up with "no computers allowed" only hardware synths/samplers.

So specifically, what I am wanting to do is sequence maybe 4 or 5 tracks of the Waldorf Blofeld desktop module and then 2 tracks of atmospheric/background samples. Can I do this with the Electribe Sampler? (I'll also want to have a clock out to the Volca Sample most likely.)

Can't seem to find any info or demos of this anywhere... any info would be greatly appreciated!

blackholesun · Post by **blackholesun** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:36 pm

genshi wrote:I've got to ask the same question then since it wasn't really answered... can the Electribe Sampler act as a poor-man's Octatrack?

I can't afford an Octatrack at the moment (fell back into starving artist status recently) and I have a Live PA/performance coming up with "no computers allowed" only hardware synths/samplers.

So specifically, what I am wanting to do is sequence maybe 4 or 5 tracks of the Waldorf Blofeld desktop module and then 2 tracks of atmospheric/background samples. Can I do this with the Electribe Sampler? (I'll also want to have a clock out to the Volca Sample most likely.)

Can't seem to find any info or demos of this anywhere... any info would be greatly appreciated!

A very poor-man's Octatrack. The Electribe Sampler's parts have fixed MIDI channels (part 1=MIDI channel 1 and so on), so you will have to take that into mind. And you are limited on sample space on the ES2. So you would definitely run into issues with longer samples. You are limited to 270 seconds TOTAL for the whole machine.

With some workarounds, you'd be able to accomplish what you want to do, but you'll be cutting quite a few corners. Doesn't mean it wouldn't sound great though.

genshi · Post by **genshi** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:44 pm

blackholesun wrote:
genshi wrote:I've got to ask the same question then since it wasn't really answered... can the Electribe Sampler act as a poor-man's Octatrack?

I can't afford an Octatrack at the moment (fell back into starving artist status recently) and I have a Live PA/performance coming up with "no computers allowed" only hardware synths/samplers.

So specifically, what I am wanting to do is sequence maybe 4 or 5 tracks of the Waldorf Blofeld desktop module and then 2 tracks of atmospheric/background samples. Can I do this with the Electribe Sampler? (I'll also want to have a clock out to the Volca Sample most likely.)

Can't seem to find any info or demos of this anywhere... any info would be greatly appreciated!
A very poor-man's Octatrack. The Electribe Sampler's parts have fixed MIDI channels (part 1=MIDI channel 1 and so on), so you will have to take that into mind. And you are limited on sample space on the ES2. So you would definitely run into issues with longer samples. You are limited to 270 seconds TOTAL for the whole machine.

With some workarounds, you'd be able to accomplish what you want to do, but you'll be cutting quite a few corners. Doesn't mean it wouldn't sound great though.

Thanks for the info.

So just to be clear, Parts 1 thru 5 can sequence MIDI Channels 1-5 on the Blofeld (when the Blofeld is in Multimode) and then I can have maybe a 20 second looping sample on parts 6 and 7 each? That's all I would really need if it can do this.

I just watched Tarekith's excellent 30 minute review of the Electribe Synth, but unfortunately he didn't mention sequence multiple channels of external gear. Amazing that I can't find one demo of that anywhere on either of the Electribes. Wish I wasn't so broke or I'd just get an Octatrack...

blackholesun · Post by **blackholesun** » Mon Jul 20, 2015 10:59 pm

genshi wrote:
blackholesun wrote:
genshi wrote:I've got to ask the same question then since it wasn't really answered... can the Electribe Sampler act as a poor-man's Octatrack?

I can't afford an Octatrack at the moment (fell back into starving artist status recently) and I have a Live PA/performance coming up with "no computers allowed" only hardware synths/samplers.

So specifically, what I am wanting to do is sequence maybe 4 or 5 tracks of the Waldorf Blofeld desktop module and then 2 tracks of atmospheric/background samples. Can I do this with the Electribe Sampler? (I'll also want to have a clock out to the Volca Sample most likely.)

Can't seem to find any info or demos of this anywhere... any info would be greatly appreciated!
A very poor-man's Octatrack. The Electribe Sampler's parts have fixed MIDI channels (part 1=MIDI channel 1 and so on), so you will have to take that into mind. And you are limited on sample space on the ES2. So you would definitely run into issues with longer samples. You are limited to 270 seconds TOTAL for the whole machine.

With some workarounds, you'd be able to accomplish what you want to do, but you'll be cutting quite a few corners. Doesn't mean it wouldn't sound great though.
Thanks for the info.

So just to be clear, Parts 1 thru 5 can sequence MIDI Channels 1-5 on the Blofeld (when the Blofeld is in Multimode) and then I can have maybe a 20 second looping sample on parts 6 and 7 each? That's all I would really need if it can do this.

I just watched Tarekith's excellent 30 minute review of the Electribe Synth, but unfortunately he didn't mention sequence multiple channels of external gear. Amazing that I can't find one demo of that anywhere on either of the Electribes. Wish I wasn't so broke or I'd just get an Octatrack...

Yeah, you can have part 1-5 sequence the Blofeld in Multimode. If you wanted, you could route the Blofeld's audio outs into the Electribe's audio in and use the Electribe's effects and filters.

I can't speak for the 20 second looping sample, but it should be okay. Will just take up a lot of space. Someone else will need to confirm this.

That's a good point, I haven't seen videos of the Electribe controlling multiple channels worth of gear. I may get around to doing one soon. I bought a MIDIthru box awhile ago and have only used it once

I bought an Octatrack a few months ago. I had saved up for a while. But now I haven't been on a vacation in almost a year and my gf is not happy about that

genshi · Post by **genshi** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 12:02 am

blackholesun wrote:
genshi wrote:
blackholesun wrote: A very poor-man's Octatrack. The Electribe Sampler's parts have fixed MIDI channels (part 1=MIDI channel 1 and so on), so you will have to take that into mind. And you are limited on sample space on the ES2. So you would definitely run into issues with longer samples. You are limited to 270 seconds TOTAL for the whole machine.

With some workarounds, you'd be able to accomplish what you want to do, but you'll be cutting quite a few corners. Doesn't mean it wouldn't sound great though.
Thanks for the info.

So just to be clear, Parts 1 thru 5 can sequence MIDI Channels 1-5 on the Blofeld (when the Blofeld is in Multimode) and then I can have maybe a 20 second looping sample on parts 6 and 7 each? That's all I would really need if it can do this.

I just watched Tarekith's excellent 30 minute review of the Electribe Synth, but unfortunately he didn't mention sequence multiple channels of external gear. Amazing that I can't find one demo of that anywhere on either of the Electribes. Wish I wasn't so broke or I'd just get an Octatrack...
Yeah, you can have part 1-5 sequence the Blofeld in Multimode. If you wanted, you could route the Blofeld's audio outs into the Electribe's audio in and use the Electribe's effects and filters. You could have a different insert effect on all 5 parts.

I can't speak for the 20 second looping sample, but it should be okay. Will just take up a lot of space. Someone else will need to confirm this.

That's a good point, I haven't seen videos of the Electribe controlling multiple channels worth of gear. I may get around to doing one soon. I bought a MIDIthru box awhile ago and have only used it once

I bought an Octatrack a few months ago. I had saved up for a while. But now I haven't been on a vacation in almost a year and my gf is not happy about that

I don't know... I'm reading through the whole owner's manual and no where does it state it can actually sequence external gear or have different MIDI channels set for each part, only one Global MIDI channel. (Unless this is a really sparse owner's manual.)

I would love one of you that have it to give it a try and do a video if possible.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 5:43 am

The Sampler should work the same way based on the manual, so you can sequence external gear on up to 16 MIDI channels.

blackholesun · Post by **blackholesun** » Tue Jul 21, 2015 5:43 am

genshi wrote:
blackholesun wrote:
genshi wrote: Thanks for the info.

So just to be clear, Parts 1 thru 5 can sequence MIDI Channels 1-5 on the Blofeld (when the Blofeld is in Multimode) and then I can have maybe a 20 second looping sample on parts 6 and 7 each? That's all I would really need if it can do this.

I just watched Tarekith's excellent 30 minute review of the Electribe Synth, but unfortunately he didn't mention sequence multiple channels of external gear. Amazing that I can't find one demo of that anywhere on either of the Electribes. Wish I wasn't so broke or I'd just get an Octatrack...
Yeah, you can have part 1-5 sequence the Blofeld in Multimode. If you wanted, you could route the Blofeld's audio outs into the Electribe's audio in and use the Electribe's effects and filters. You could have a different insert effect on all 5 parts.

I can't speak for the 20 second looping sample, but it should be okay. Will just take up a lot of space. Someone else will need to confirm this.

That's a good point, I haven't seen videos of the Electribe controlling multiple channels worth of gear. I may get around to doing one soon. I bought a MIDIthru box awhile ago and have only used it once

I bought an Octatrack a few months ago. I had saved up for a while. But now I haven't been on a vacation in almost a year and my gf is not happy about that
I don't know... I'm reading through the whole owner's manual and no where does it state it can actually sequence external gear or have different MIDI channels set for each part, only one Global MIDI channel. (Unless this is a really sparse owner's manual.)

I would love one of you that have it to give it a try and do a video if possible.

The global MIDI channel is for receiving and sending stuff like program changes I believe.

It is for sure possible to sequence multiple pieces of gear. I did this video sequencing the Volca Sample from the Electribe 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs41wuvFXBY

The Volca Sample also has each part set to a MIDI channel (1-10), so I used parts 1-10 on the Electribe to sequence the Volca.

I'll definitely do a video showing the E2 sequencing at least up to 4 or 5 other pieces of gear soon. Probably when I get my lent Volca Keys back from a friend.