Octo wins with sample shredding and experimental polyrhythmic stuff. MPC is a full-on production studio. I own both and I can tell you both have very different workflows. The MPC is the go to for making honest to goodness beats and full song sequences - layering tons of effects, looper mode, sample layering, expandable SSD bay, SD card slot, USB, Q-Link programmable knobs, 4 Pre and 4 Post effects, plus that touch screen is pretty awesome...and you can make beats in the car while waiting for your wife and sister to finish their Chistmas shopping - battery-powered. For glitched-out unexpected craziness, Octo rules. What you naturally and easily can do in the Octo you have to try like hell to get on the MPC. They both can go places the other simply cannot. BOTH machines are a must-have, Toraiz meets them both somewhere in the middle.
I'm using the OT MkI since 5 years now and it changed my workflow and inspiration for making music completely (coming from a DAW). Nowadays, I find the sequencer underwhelming for complex songs. Don't get me wrong, the OT is the best device for jamming and making live tracks. But the sequencer options are limiting for making whole tracks. In the future, I will probably switch to Live + Push 2, so I have deeper sequencing features (and a piano roll, lol). I mostly make House & HipHop-Tracks and and use the OT for MIDI-sequencing as well as the internal Audio-Tracks, just as background-information.
MPC build quality is spot on. All knobs super tight, pads are perfect and chassis is not cheap plastic, it's finished with a plastic/rubberised coating. My Octatrack has wobbly knobs, clicky buttons and has not stood the test of time (8 years).
Back in the late 80s I used to make tracks with an S950 linked to a TR909. The 909 was used to sequence the S950, and I managed to make some pretty dope beats that way (with absolutely no LED info bar the pattern numbers and banks). I'm guessing the Octatrack is kinda like that?
Thanks for yet another great comparison... The huge problem with Elektron is their convoluted manuals.... The other problem is that all Elektron’s machines need to be plugged in Why doesn’t Elektron engineer the boxes to be usb powered...the format of their boxes is perfect for Computer free portable workflow. It doesn’t take that long to figure out Elektron and once you do the speed in which you work is great....it’s just like learning any new instrument..once you get past the learning and memory of operation it becomes very easy. But it does take some time Akai has an intuitive GUI and you can navigate most thing with an abridged learning curve. The extra plus for Live is that you can tether it to your computer back and forth and it’s Operating the same full software. The battery operation is what really sets Akai Live all by itself as a complete replacement for a computer. I love the Live because you can make beats songs anything immediately after unpacking it out of the box. Most of us would rather create music of good quality without investing so many hours trying to figure out “ the deep features”. Live makes the features salient and obvious and besides I have gone dizzy looking at that tiny Octatrack screen.
I own the Octatrack since more than two years. It is awesome but you definitely should connect it to other gear as you run out of tracks quickly. The fun starts when you actually do crazy performing and bounce down long loops, keep re-sampling your performances! Then you use a one-off trig to play the long sample back across patterns. I wanted to sell it at some points, it took long to fully understand and appreciate this beast but it was worth it! Merlin's guide is helpful but some personal adjustment of mindset as well. I don't own an MPC Live. It has great features and the battery life seems great, but I resisted because as you pointed out it seems less of a playable instrument to perform with compared to the octatrack. Still on my wish-list. The octatrack encourages happy accidents and is great for glitching and mangling. But a really different workflow compared to any software sequencers/DAWs.
I disagree when people say Octatrack is difficult, it is just it is not made for toying. The manual is great and keeps repeating stuff helping remembering the key things. It is a profesional studio tool that sound fantastic but demands you knowledge as engineering besides musician in order to get the most of it. People saying Octa is an audio mangler it is just because you just scratch the surface of it. It is definetlly a studio in a box but you just need to know how a studio works from inside out I'm afraid. I found it being an amazing tool for live, sound processing, making tracks, multi effect processor, and for every music or sound related project you may be thinking doing :)
Thank you for this ! speaking from experience ive had the Mpc live since it came out.. its awesome and gets straight to the point what i'd like to add about the Octatrack is that you have to work a bit hard to get to know it (once thats accomplished) it shall give you many fruits for your labour.. another thing because of the way Octatrack funtions you can go deep and kind of be pushed to get creative either way there great machines, even combineed, and im keeping them both !!
The octatrack is really interesting...the mangling and the aesthetics. The learning curve isn’t too bad. But when you make a mistake or do/undo something in a menu, you have to go and find WHERE you changed something to find the mistake. But all my samples weren’t as heavy and clear...as the actual instrument I sampled. Mpc was true to the sample. Longer sampling time, looper... I need a sampler so...the mpc ( for now ) and real synthesis on the table.
If you want to play it with human feel Live no question. If you want to program your sequence maybe the octatrack for sample mangling. Live is foremost a drum machine with a sampler whereas octatrack is a sampler foremost Elektron has the rytm and digikat and so on for drums. In this aspect mpc live excels as your main hub. For live performance you ultimately choose the best tool for your workflow. As an mpc, octrattrack rytm and heat owner.
I know this is an older video but you can use a usb controller with an octotrack or any gear that doesn’t have a USB port by using a midi host unit. Usb to midi host- five pin to octotrack. I have the launch kontrol mapped to the octotrack this way. Midi host cost from about $80-$150 And now the mpc has the audio interface/mixer I/O expansion which is awesome.
Sequencing on the mpc is a breeze you just play the pads. If you need to step sequence you have the step sequencer mode using the pads also. The Elektron sequencer is very capable and creative especially for step edit through you can play the trigs just not as fluid as pads. The octatrak is allows for detailed programming sequences by steps through inputting various note timings akin 1/20, 1/28 and triplets takes some math and micro timing to get; however, on the mpc live simply use list edit to input whatever note, length, timing, tuning or whatever. Both have great audio sampling and the octatrak has great mangling capabilities it just depends on our needs, for timeslicing, audiowarping, mixing and arrangement structure. I use both and combine both using the strengths of each.
@Dawless Jammin' Are you sure that the MPC Live only has 8 audio tracks(!?)? I have a hard time believing that since my MPC1000 has 64 (and 128 sound/audio files per track) I'm just curious since I was thinking of maybe upgrading from MPC1000 to that
Here is the bottom line for me: it doesn't matter how many features (any) product has if you have such a steep learning curve that you will never utilize them. This is the fallacy of many DAWs. Unfortunately designers are not necessarily musicians and the corporate model of business dictates that features above all else is what sells. Consequently aspects like ease of use ,quality of build and affordability are often not taken into account at the design level.
Excellent video. I am only trying to run MIDI note sequences to an external hardware synth. That is ALL I want. I'm experiencing the infamous MIDI clock jitter problem with my DAW, so I'm trying to get around this with a hardware sequencer. The Octatrack is awesome, but it's just way too much for what I need. The MPC Live seems to be more to my liking. Thank you for showing both!
I think the Deluge is better than MPC for getting away from the computer DAW vibe, yet still retaining advanced DAW features. Everything is more tactile and intuitive. I had the MPC Live for a week and realized I was able to do all the same things just as well on iPad, but stuck with Deluge as it’s an amazing hands on sequencer, looper and sampler. Just purchased OT to pair with it, for audio mangling, mixing, etc. I think it’ll make an amazing pair with Deluge, along with MD and some synths.
Love the octatrack, used it for a few years, excited for the mk2. I found myself missing a meter for internal sampling, mk2 addresses this. Also more head room and fewer menu dives! Cool channel :)
I needed audio mangling, with an insane audio and midi sequencer. Octatrack for me. I am planning to not only sequence audio but video hardware for a audio-visual like a VJ but instead of turn tables, I will use the Octatrakt and Analog Drum machines for sound. Plus being able to use it as an effects unit, I will take my time with the manual.
Thanks hugely for this perspective having both machines! I've been waiting for a long time to get to a point where I could afford to choose one of these in exchange for my Electribe2S. I'll be using it for live purposes, and honestly the MPC Live looks more like what I want now that it's available. Certainly it is software in a dedicated box, but I find that appealing also. I used to use Ableton for a lot of really advanced live performance. Every actual musician eventually feels the sting of this. As soon as something goes wrong in the laptop environment, drivers, etc... your show is stressful! Once you have this happen a few times you realize why hardware is better for live performance for so many reasons. The idea of a dedicated "DAW like" box that won't crash is super appealing to me for sure. In terms of a looper, your better off to not rely on any of these machines and just get a real looper. Like an RC-505, which is fantastic in every way! It's really meant for musicians. I do a ton of live hand drum, wavedrum, synth and didgeridoo through a 505. The 505 or the 202 is the way to go, and I have zero intention of getting rid of it unless something similarly better comes along. I do mostly lush ambient music, and a lot of meditative type work. So I tend to use any of this sort of hardware in very different ways, and different work flows than many.
I am very confused about the octatrack. I am basically looking for a looper + audio mangler to play live the songs I made in ableton but also to sample nice loops from my synths...if the octatrack is not that then I probably need to search for something else (I don’t like the MPC at all)
Hey. I absolutely love you channel! I'm a singer-songwriter, primarily guitar, but im getting alot more interested in making all beats with a lot of hip hop feel, as well as alot of other styles. Long story short, i just built a pedalboard for my acoustic shows/studio. And in the studio, i just pop the lid off and im set. I also recently got protools 12 and reason 9. Neway sry to yap lol..i really like ur stuff, so helpful! hopefully ill have content out within the year as well..thanks:)
Just a quick note. All electronic instruments are just controllers with software inside. By definition. So I think that complaint about MPC Live is disingenuous. It just has the most advanced software inside.
Great video! I was wondering myself why people misconstrue the OT as a DAW replacement and I think it's because, when it was released, there were no hardware alternatives to DAWs (with keyboard workstations being really out of style and the Roland MV-880 being a couple of years old). So people embraced the OT as the next best thing. Loving the description, though, Audio Mangler... so true.
I know this was a month ago but 80MB RAM is actually fine just by the way the OT works. It's a bit complicated if you don't have one, but basically on my Mk1 it's 64MB of RAM, which is what the Flex machines play off of. So I load, say, a kick sample onto a flex slot (keep in mind you can have up to 128 samples in the "flex list") and then that takes up you know...Half a MB at most. Sometimes .1 MB. You can fill a whole project with samples to the flex slots and not max out your RAM. Meanwhile, all of your audio files that you could ever want are stored on your CF card (up to 32GB, I believe) and to load them into the flex slots you just go to the directory there and load them in. That being said, you can use a static machine instead of a flex machine which reads directly from the CF card rather than the RAM. You might ask "well why would I use a flex machine at all then?" but there are a lot of reasons. Flex machines let you sample lock (parameter locking for different samples) and I believe (could be wrong) that samples load up faster in the Flex machines...like when you first power on your OT. Flex machines are also required to record audio as all incoming audio sampled ends up saved to the recording buffers which of course are on the RAM. So yeah it's fine. In my jams I've had so far with my projects I haven't even exceeded 10MB of data yet. Especially if you're working with really short samples like kick, snare, hat etc. Even once you get to longer samples like chord progressions, four bars of sample from a song, it's really not that bad. And if it DOES get that bad, you just save the audio file to your pool aka CF card and play it that way.
I appreciate you, Jade :-) I think you made a really good qualification in saying that one is more of an audio mangler v. one being a portable DAW. I'm kind of thinking of changing up, upgrading, bla bla bla... For some reason, as frustrating as it is, I keep coming back to the Octatrack.
Great Video Jade as usual , Hey on the mpc live I can understand not liking the touch screen for step sequencing I don't either, but what about using the pads I enjoy that allot better and btw it has a metal chassis but has a coating that's in between rubber and plastic, also inside the chassis it also has another metal casing for the sensors and parts so that you can bang the hell out of it so basically it's plastic coating on metal case, on another metal inner case.... Anyways you're one of the few channels I watch regularly so need more videos man :)
I hate to say it, but it seems like Akai has fallen almost all the way off. I've been disappointed in a lot of the gear they've released. Elektron is pretty bulletproof though, and the stumbling block for most people seems to be what you mentioned: the time/the energy/learning curve. It takes time and effort to get the elektron worklflow, but once you've got it, it becomes muscle memory, and imho the fastest, most enjoyable way to get ideas down.
the mpc has always been so much more than a sequencer, people have been playing the pads live for so long and I feel thats what draws a lot of people to it, and they have always had some what of a computer in them until they days they started using them as controllers, i love my mpc 2000, and my live plus it does everything i wish the older models could ever do.
You seem to be giving the mpc live an unfair hard time in a few of your videos - i got one recently and i was a bit dissapointed to start with but now i'm learning it there's a lot more you can do than i first thought. I'd love an octatruck as well - maybe one day but i was swayed by the battery and pads in the live. It sounds like you don't really use the pads and I think you're missing something by sticking with a keyboard (once you start bashing those pads in it will really feel like a hardware sequencer)... having said all that I think the octatrack does look like more fun and I get why if you had both you might not like the mpc as much. Oh, and I'm worried by all the samey sounding music I've heard coming from the elektron stuff - it's all good stuff but it seems to push a lot of people into a particular style, I think with the akai you have to work harder to make sure the samples you bring into it are good from the off
When I keep hearing the OT is hard to learn I drift over to Akai... I do have the Digitone Keys and Syntakt ,so I do get Elektron to a certain extent. However when it comes to sampling I use an AKAI Force.
But you see octatrack is not a sampler or a groovebox wirh the traditional mpc or mc way. Is a much more soul esoteric instrument and thats how you must treat it like a very personal gear that poses next to its swiss brothers in a studio or in a steamy underground club. Elektron for life .
thanks for that awesome video!! MPC: but hows about randomisation, alt, and lfo, mapping on different things like random on sampler, sample timestretch or start end points, or granular, different effects possible or updates? are there some random drumracks or something like?
Thank you for the comparison. would you recommend the Octatrack to play backing tracks as seperate stems? For example 2 or more stem tracks playing simultaneously (Drums & Bassline), where i can put different fx on each.
ok Thanks.Now to edit a loop what would you suggest ? What is a good bpm to begin with?What notes would you quantize with for example: 1/8-1/16 or 1/64? And thirdly for editing would you normalize a loop or select another option.Sorry for too many questions.I just get to the core in understanding any apparatus.Thank you for any advice available.
Dawless Jammin' Thank you for replying.I am basically configuring this device one day at a time.In the beginning it was cantankerous but It is about practice.I developed simpler ways instead of multitasking.When I perfect it 100%I will post a video.A video that will make each task simplistic.But I must pay homage to you for your videos.Thank you because if you only knew how much you've helped me.I literally watched your videos on a 50" screen and took notes.It felt like I was attending a college course.Thanks again.
Please can you help me by answering this question…. ????Do you NEED a pc to use an MPC??? Can I use it stand alone? I am completely out of the box, but can never seem to find a straight answer on this. Thanks!
You need a computer to use the MPC TOUCH, everything that came after that including the Live is standalone, so no computer needed! I would highly recommend the MPC Live II, the speakers and portable battery make it next level!
Hello , i am struggling between an octatrack m2 or the mpc live,i allready had once the octatrack and it was rock solid (no crashes,glitches etc..),but i had to sell it of personal economic reasons,now i saw the mpc live and regarding producing hole songs and sampling power its on paper actually smokes the octatrack,but i saw many complaints about stability and relaibility,some questions to somebody who had used the mpc live : -can i make a 2 hour live set without worring about crashes,and sound glitches?(clip launch mode) -Does it get stucked while having multiple parameters automated? -can i sequence several midi mashines at once? (example two friends come over for a jam,and i connect two different midi keyboards to trigger different midi channels,so i can jam with the pads,while the others play melodys on the keyboards)e.g. multitimbrality -can i load samples and make editing while the sequencer is running in clip launch mode,without overcharging the performance relaibility? -can i change clips in realtime without stopping the sequencer? if somebody has experience with mpc live,please help me with my decision,thanks!(ps: I dont care about connecting to computer and wireles midi etc,i only want to use the standalone mode)
What i hear...if you want to do music buy MPC, if you want to read manuals and half guess you buy Octa...but somewhere down the road you get some reward, hopefully? On the plus side for the octa is more knobs = more control.
so it seems like these are basically different things....I want to go totally dawless and i feel with my octatrack and my korg m3 im covered for fx....what do I recored into? I lol'd when you said you used to use your zoom to record, I have a zoom lying around and I was thinking the exact same thing (it's the h4) but it seems so ridiculous to me to buy all this expensive gear and then record into my old zoom lol. Really I'm just confused as to how one records a song...this is all new to me. Let's say I record 30 seconds onto track 1. What do I do when I want to add more to track 1? In a daw it seems simple, I can have it synced up via midi and start recording as soon as i start my sequencer.
The MPC for me...a well proven sampler / sequencer. Nice thick pressure sensitive pads to actually play drums on...not crappy little buttons. Sorry, but the MPC Live is not a DAW replacement, it’s a modern MPC with tons more features and handling power than previous models (if you need to explore them)...and it doesn’t claim to takeover Cubase / Logic / etc. Traditional MPC users mainly used it for sampling / sequencing drum patterns and sometimes making full songs that would later be mixed on a console / pro tools / other daws. The MPC Live is no different, and has the same proven groove and feel, same great pads, and the same familiar sequencer that made the MPC legendary.
Hi! Did you say there's a four note polyphony on the OTmk2?? As far as I know all the 8 tracks can play at the same time...but each track is monophonic. Or did I miss something?
hi Jadewii , I already knew that the MPC Live was the one for me, but this video was really really useful.. Thanks ! Have u had any memory-full problems, on the MPC Live ? I actually wanna use it as my standalone 8-track recorder&editor, mainly using guitars, and MIDI instruments, in order to go dawless TOO ! (i'm glad i found your channel! ;) ) You talk about the polyphony.. but .. hat about multitimbral ? I've read the MPC Live's MIDI is not multitimbral . In my case that is fundamental, cos i am a multi-instrumentalist..and i wanna plug in several MIDI inputs, and play various sound sources at the same time. Can you, or anyone get me some feedback, on this ? Thanks again !
So I got this thing today and not sure if I hate it. I think I got used to the sound of analogue stuff like my Moog and DSI Tempest.. but still need a sampler :/
With new firmware the mpc live is a new maschine. Ableton link and an Ipad and you are done really. Built quality is superb, and you should put a hardrive inside. The thing is, you must give it more time to learn, but it is very deep. Someone mentioned the lack of synthesis capabilty on the Live. Totaly wrong it is very deep, 4 layers, filters effects and keygroups. Add the audiotracks, looper and clips, which can be used creatively setting them up 1/64 for glitchy stuff. You know how liberating the battery is? Octatrack is cool though.
once again a very good comparison with more than 50words/sec...but thx for your work! I am not sure about my workflow, but I will give my money to The Synthstrom guys with their "Deluge", hope I will be happy with it once I get it.
hey, great video. I think OT kicks mpc´s ass anyway. Nice Modular you have back there but not seen you putting any video related to that one. That would be very nice, how you use it, etc... Cheers
Akai list edit screen .. For me is a very very good n detailed mode to edit in .. (Even though the mpc live seems to be missing cut n paste functions in this mode ..) Peace
Actually, the octatrack works surprisingly well for hip hop! I have two live sets up on my channel, if you're interested. The beats are created using only the octatrack.
So basically if the Akai was metal and better build it basically is more bang for the buck. I don`t know. I really like all Electron products but somehow never found them inviting. Partly cause of their reputation on being hard to master and partly cause of how i see it in videos. They feel solid but i don`t want to work with it. Plus it makes me feel dumb,, because i can`t work with it. Very nice video and very useful. Wish there were more like this. Down to earth and without taking sides. Btw you say the composition is linear. What if u use it as a multitrack looper? And just play ideas and layer them? Isn`t that Funky enough ? :-) Peace
Hey great video! I switched my octatrack for a rytm a year ago, and even though I love it, I kinda miss it. I went crazy on eurorack aswell (i'd love to see a video explaining your rack, what you want to achieve with it, the choices you've made etc..) for a live project and now i feel like I need a sampler to sample all the crazy stuff from my rack, and all the routing options that are possible with the two stereo ins and outs. But rytm is really great for live performance, the comp and distortion are great so I don't know if i should switch again. What are your thoughts on a sampler to use with eurorack? I'm really torn apart haha
Thanks! Oh man, my eurorack is a constant development, lol I've honestly been trying to focus more on my portable rig right now, am planning on sampling the euro tho, that'll be fun
@@JAdeWii_ Ahhhhh right, per track polyphony. Got it thx for the clarification. I don't know that I would call that "polyphony" exactly, but close enough. 4 note global polyphony (like the analog 4, for example) would be crippling on a device like this. Thx for all your vids. Always good. Very talented.
@@JAdeWii_ I don't think this was updated. For me its works putting in 4 notes at the ot itself. But record 4 note chords live with a midi keyboard into the Ot: No fun, if not buggy! Miss the Ot beside it's quirks.
Alex Tibo custom built by a guy named Sean Pendleton, you can find him on fb in the modular groups. he doesn't have a website so just gotta look for him
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Octo wins with sample shredding and experimental polyrhythmic stuff. MPC is a full-on production studio. I own both and I can tell you both have very different workflows. The MPC is the go to for making honest to goodness beats and full song sequences - layering tons of effects, looper mode, sample layering, expandable SSD bay, SD card slot, USB, Q-Link programmable knobs, 4 Pre and 4 Post effects, plus that touch screen is pretty awesome...and you can make beats in the car while waiting for your wife and sister to finish their Chistmas shopping - battery-powered. For glitched-out unexpected craziness, Octo rules. What you naturally and easily can do in the Octo you have to try like hell to get on the MPC. They both can go places the other simply cannot. BOTH machines are a must-have, Toraiz meets them both somewhere in the middle.
Great advice
This exactly.. similar hardware with very different business logic and music workflows - i.e very different user stories.
@@kingadammusic I got a novation xl and mapped mpc to it...made it more liveish
Inky Da CaT curious as to how/what you mapped. I also have a live and lcxl. Any chance of sharing?
king shaman well said
I'm using the OT MkI since 5 years now and it changed my workflow and inspiration for making music completely (coming from a DAW).
Nowadays, I find the sequencer underwhelming for complex songs. Don't get me wrong, the OT is the best device for jamming and making live tracks.
But the sequencer options are limiting for making whole tracks. In the future, I will probably switch to Live + Push 2, so I have deeper sequencing features (and a piano roll, lol).
I mostly make House & HipHop-Tracks and and use the OT for MIDI-sequencing as well as the internal Audio-Tracks, just as background-information.
MPC build quality is spot on. All knobs super tight, pads are perfect and chassis is not cheap plastic, it's finished with a plastic/rubberised coating. My Octatrack has wobbly knobs, clicky buttons and has not stood the test of time (8 years).
Back in the late 80s I used to make tracks with an S950 linked to a TR909. The 909 was used to sequence the S950, and I managed to make some pretty dope beats that way (with absolutely no LED info bar the pattern numbers and banks). I'm guessing the Octatrack is kinda like that?
Sampling is not restricted to 4 bars on the OT! You can do long loops. Happy to explain if you wanna know how!
Thanks for yet another great comparison...
The huge problem with Elektron is their convoluted manuals....
The other problem is that all Elektron’s machines need to be plugged in
Why doesn’t Elektron engineer the boxes to be usb powered...the format
of their boxes is perfect for Computer free portable workflow.
It doesn’t take that long to figure out Elektron and once you do the speed in
which you work is great....it’s just like learning any new instrument..once
you get past the learning and memory of operation it becomes very easy. But it does take some time
Akai has an intuitive GUI and you can navigate most thing with an abridged learning curve.
The extra plus for Live is that you can tether it to your computer back and forth and it’s
Operating the same full software.
The battery operation is what really sets Akai Live all by itself as a complete replacement for
a computer. I love the Live because you can make beats songs anything immediately after
unpacking it out of the box. Most of us would rather create music of good quality without investing
so many hours trying to figure out “ the deep features”. Live makes the features salient and obvious
and besides I have gone dizzy looking at that tiny Octatrack screen.
I own the Octatrack since more than two years. It is awesome but you definitely should connect it to other gear as you run out of tracks quickly. The fun starts when you actually do crazy performing and bounce down long loops, keep re-sampling your performances! Then you use a one-off trig to play the long sample back across patterns.
I wanted to sell it at some points, it took long to fully understand and appreciate this beast but it was worth it! Merlin's guide is helpful but some personal adjustment of mindset as well.
I don't own an MPC Live. It has great features and the battery life seems great, but I resisted because as you pointed out it seems less of a playable instrument to perform with compared to the octatrack. Still on my wish-list. The octatrack encourages happy accidents and is great for glitching and mangling. But a really different workflow compared to any software sequencers/DAWs.
Thank you Akai for taking so long to release the MPC Live. It made me see sense and cancel my pre-order and get a Digitakt instead.
I disagree when people say Octatrack is difficult, it is just it is not made for toying. The manual is great and keeps repeating stuff helping remembering the key things. It is a profesional studio tool that sound fantastic but demands you knowledge as engineering besides musician in order to get the most of it. People saying Octa is an audio mangler it is just because you just scratch the surface of it. It is definetlly a studio in a box but you just need to know how a studio works from inside out I'm afraid. I found it being an amazing tool for live, sound processing, making tracks, multi effect processor, and for every music or sound related project you may be thinking doing :)
Great comparison! I was thinking about replacing my octatrack with an mpc live, but after watching this video I think I’ll stick with the octatrack
Thank you for this ! speaking from experience ive had the Mpc live since it came out.. its awesome and gets straight to the point
what i'd like to add about the Octatrack is that you have to work a bit hard to get to know it (once thats accomplished) it shall give you many fruits for your labour.. another thing because of the way Octatrack funtions you can go deep and kind of be pushed to get creative
either way there great machines, even combineed, and im keeping them both !!
The octatrack is really interesting...the mangling and the aesthetics. The learning curve isn’t too bad. But when you make a mistake or do/undo something in a menu, you have to go and find WHERE you changed something to find the mistake. But all my samples weren’t as heavy and clear...as the actual instrument I sampled. Mpc was true to the sample. Longer sampling time, looper... I need a sampler so...the mpc ( for now ) and real synthesis on the table.
If you want to play it with human feel Live no question. If you want to program your sequence maybe the octatrack for sample mangling. Live is foremost a drum machine with a sampler whereas octatrack is a sampler foremost Elektron has the rytm and digikat and so on for drums. In this aspect mpc live excels as your main hub. For live performance you ultimately choose the best tool for your workflow. As an mpc, octrattrack rytm and heat owner.
So I just bought an octatrack MKII and watched this to see if I made the right choice, that is not the logical way to do things Adam!
2020 and this video is still helpful, thank you!
I know it's kinda randomly asking but does anyone know of a good website to watch new tv shows online?
@Ricky Dariel i use Flixzone. You can find it by googling :)
I know this is an older video but you can use a usb controller with an octotrack or any gear that doesn’t have a USB port by using a midi host unit. Usb to midi host- five pin to octotrack. I have the launch kontrol mapped to the octotrack this way. Midi host cost from about $80-$150
And now the mpc has the audio interface/mixer I/O expansion which is awesome.
Sequencing on the mpc is a breeze you just play the pads. If you need to step sequence you have the step sequencer mode using the pads also. The Elektron sequencer is very capable and creative especially for step edit through you can play the trigs just not as fluid as pads. The octatrak is allows for detailed programming sequences by steps through inputting various note timings akin 1/20, 1/28 and triplets takes some math and micro timing to get; however, on the mpc live simply use list edit to input whatever note, length, timing, tuning or whatever.
Both have great audio sampling and the octatrak has great mangling capabilities it just depends on our needs, for timeslicing, audiowarping, mixing and arrangement structure. I use both and combine both using the strengths of each.
@Dawless Jammin'
Are you sure that the MPC Live only has 8 audio tracks(!?)?
I have a hard time believing that since my MPC1000 has 64 (and 128 sound/audio files per track)
I'm just curious since I was thinking of maybe upgrading from MPC1000 to that
How would you compare octatrack to the toraiz sp-16 (to use only in studio)?
Damn... now I want neither.. Novation Circuit and Bass Station it is :]
MPC Live all the way! Have always loved the concept on composing on the MPC rather than staring at a PC screen (yes I know its basically a computer).
Here is the bottom line for me: it doesn't matter how many features (any) product has if you have such a steep learning curve that you will never utilize them. This is the fallacy of many DAWs. Unfortunately designers are not necessarily musicians and the corporate model of business dictates that features above all else is what sells. Consequently aspects like ease of use ,quality of build and affordability are often not taken into account at the design level.
Excellent video. I am only trying to run MIDI note sequences to an external hardware synth. That is ALL I want. I'm experiencing the infamous MIDI clock jitter problem with my DAW, so I'm trying to get around this with a hardware sequencer. The Octatrack is awesome, but it's just way too much for what I need. The MPC Live seems to be more to my liking. Thank you for showing both!
Thanks for this video! You helped me realize that my heart belongs to the Octatrack. Will be purchasing ASAP!
I think the Deluge is better than MPC for getting away from the computer DAW vibe, yet still retaining advanced DAW features. Everything is more tactile and intuitive.
I had the MPC Live for a week and realized I was able to do all the same things just as well on iPad, but stuck with Deluge as it’s an amazing hands on sequencer, looper and sampler. Just purchased OT to pair with it, for audio mangling, mixing, etc. I think it’ll make an amazing pair with Deluge, along with MD and some synths.
Love the octatrack, used it for a few years, excited for the mk2. I found myself missing a meter for internal sampling, mk2 addresses this. Also more head room and fewer menu dives! Cool channel :)
You are truly amazing on how much you know and share your knowledge. Bless you
I needed audio mangling, with an insane audio and midi sequencer. Octatrack for me. I am planning to not only sequence audio but video hardware for a audio-visual like a VJ but instead of turn tables, I will use the Octatrakt and Analog Drum machines for sound. Plus being able to use it as an effects unit, I will take my time with the manual.
Good review. I can get a audio mangler on my iPad so this is one reason why Live works for me.
What do you like to use on iPad for mangling?
Nothing yet but I do have Looper Sonic and from what I've seen is really crazy.
Great comparison Video I really like your honesty and how you point out the features of each device.
Thanks
Mpc live hands down
1.Akai
2.Portable
3.MPC and daw in one
4.Don't need to be use with computer(opitional)
5.user friendly
Elektrons sequencer tho...
akai is numark since a while back.
Julio Albino Exactly. Akai is dead. Exists in name only.
Does the mpc live already come with sounds when you first get it? If not, how do you get them on there?
Thanks hugely for this perspective having both machines! I've been waiting for a long time to get to a point where I could afford to choose one of these in exchange for my Electribe2S. I'll be using it for live purposes, and honestly the MPC Live looks more like what I want now that it's available. Certainly it is software in a dedicated box, but I find that appealing also. I used to use Ableton for a lot of really advanced live performance. Every actual musician eventually feels the sting of this. As soon as something goes wrong in the laptop environment, drivers, etc... your show is stressful! Once you have this happen a few times you realize why hardware is better for live performance for so many reasons. The idea of a dedicated "DAW like" box that won't crash is super appealing to me for sure. In terms of a looper, your better off to not rely on any of these machines and just get a real looper. Like an RC-505, which is fantastic in every way! It's really meant for musicians. I do a ton of live hand drum, wavedrum, synth and didgeridoo through a 505. The 505 or the 202 is the way to go, and I have zero intention of getting rid of it unless something similarly better comes along.
I do mostly lush ambient music, and a lot of meditative type work. So I tend to use any of this sort of hardware in very different ways, and different work flows than many.
EclipseProjectMusic I really wanna get a Looper in my workflow now that I'm getting back into guitar. The 202 and 505 always interest me
What do you think of Octatrack vs Synthstrom Deluge?
I am very confused about the octatrack. I am basically looking for a looper + audio mangler to play live the songs I made in ableton but also to sample nice loops from my synths...if the octatrack is not that then I probably need to search for something else (I don’t like the MPC at all)
Both!
Hey. I absolutely love you channel! I'm a singer-songwriter, primarily guitar, but im getting alot more interested in making all beats with a lot of hip hop feel, as well as alot of other styles. Long story short, i just built a pedalboard for my acoustic shows/studio. And in the studio, i just pop the lid off and im set. I also recently got protools 12 and reason 9. Neway sry to yap lol..i really like ur stuff, so helpful! hopefully ill have content out within the year as well..thanks:)
I wonder how these compare to the 1010music Blackbox.
very nearly got the Blackbox but went with the MPC live in the end. Have tried both, can't declare a true winner. They both rock.
Just a quick note. All electronic instruments are just controllers with software inside. By definition. So I think that complaint about MPC Live is disingenuous. It just has the most advanced software inside.
Great video! I was wondering myself why people misconstrue the OT as a DAW replacement and I think it's because, when it was released, there were no hardware alternatives to DAWs (with keyboard workstations being really out of style and the Roland MV-880 being a couple of years old). So people embraced the OT as the next best thing. Loving the description, though, Audio Mangler... so true.
Thanks for your video! Do you see it as a disadvantage with the low ammount of RAM in the Octatrack? I really don't get it - 80 MB now in 2018???
I know this was a month ago but 80MB RAM is actually fine just by the way the OT works. It's a bit complicated if you don't have one, but basically on my Mk1 it's 64MB of RAM, which is what the Flex machines play off of. So I load, say, a kick sample onto a flex slot (keep in mind you can have up to 128 samples in the "flex list") and then that takes up you know...Half a MB at most. Sometimes .1 MB. You can fill a whole project with samples to the flex slots and not max out your RAM. Meanwhile, all of your audio files that you could ever want are stored on your CF card (up to 32GB, I believe) and to load them into the flex slots you just go to the directory there and load them in.
That being said, you can use a static machine instead of a flex machine which reads directly from the CF card rather than the RAM. You might ask "well why would I use a flex machine at all then?" but there are a lot of reasons. Flex machines let you sample lock (parameter locking for different samples) and I believe (could be wrong) that samples load up faster in the Flex machines...like when you first power on your OT. Flex machines are also required to record audio as all incoming audio sampled ends up saved to the recording buffers which of course are on the RAM.
So yeah it's fine. In my jams I've had so far with my projects I haven't even exceeded 10MB of data yet. Especially if you're working with really short samples like kick, snare, hat etc. Even once you get to longer samples like chord progressions, four bars of sample from a song, it's really not that bad. And if it DOES get that bad, you just save the audio file to your pool aka CF card and play it that way.
Good answer - thanks :)
I appreciate you, Jade :-) I think you made a really good qualification in saying that one is more of an audio mangler v. one being a portable DAW. I'm kind of thinking of changing up, upgrading, bla bla bla... For some reason, as frustrating as it is, I keep coming back to the Octatrack.
Great Video Jade as usual , Hey on the mpc live I can understand not liking the touch screen for step sequencing I don't either, but what about using the pads I enjoy that allot better and btw it has a metal chassis but has a coating that's in between rubber and plastic, also inside the chassis it also has another metal casing for the sensors and parts so that you can bang the hell out of it so basically it's plastic coating on metal case, on another metal inner case.... Anyways you're one of the few channels I watch regularly so need more videos man :)
thx alot for this video Jade :) you are a great inspiration!
I hate to say it, but it seems like Akai has fallen almost all the way off. I've been disappointed in a lot of the gear they've released. Elektron is pretty bulletproof though, and the stumbling block for most people seems to be what you mentioned: the time/the energy/learning curve. It takes time and effort to get the elektron worklflow, but once you've got it, it becomes muscle memory, and imho the fastest, most enjoyable way to get ideas down.
Yeah, I really want to love the MPC cause it has so much potential. But OT is king if you take the time for sure!
How do you ever leave your studio with all that delicious gear?
As an octatrack fan you made a pretty good case for the MPC. well done!
For me the OT behaves a lot like a Tracker. Like Renoise or any Amiga tracker, lsdj.
the mpc has always been so much more than a sequencer, people have been playing the pads live for so long and I feel thats what draws a lot of people to it, and they have always had some what of a computer in them until they days they started using them as controllers, i love my mpc 2000, and my live plus it does everything i wish the older models could ever do.
octatrack does look hella tight tho
Which one of these is best suited for soundscapes, drones, atmospheres etc.?
Frankly Frank I would say OT!
You seem to be giving the mpc live an unfair hard time in a few of your videos - i got one recently and i was a bit dissapointed to start with but now i'm learning it there's a lot more you can do than i first thought. I'd love an octatruck as well - maybe one day but i was swayed by the battery and pads in the live. It sounds like you don't really use the pads and I think you're missing something by sticking with a keyboard (once you start bashing those pads in it will really feel like a hardware sequencer)... having said all that I think the octatrack does look like more fun and I get why if you had both you might not like the mpc as much. Oh, and I'm worried by all the samey sounding music I've heard coming from the elektron stuff - it's all good stuff but it seems to push a lot of people into a particular style, I think with the akai you have to work harder to make sure the samples you bring into it are good from the off
I just wanted to clarify that you are wrong about the build Quility of the MPC Live. Both devices have top notch build quality.
anyone knows: if one had to decide when use the "Octatrack" OR in which cases use the "Akai Force" instead, then which one?
When I keep hearing the OT is hard to learn I drift over to Akai... I do have the Digitone Keys and Syntakt ,so I do get Elektron to a certain extent. However when it comes to sampling I use an AKAI Force.
But you see octatrack is not a sampler or a groovebox wirh the traditional mpc or mc way. Is a much more soul esoteric instrument and thats how you must treat it like a very personal gear that poses next to its swiss brothers in a studio or in a steamy underground club. Elektron for life .
Loving your videos, rad advice! But now I want both haha. Keep up the top work!
Get the Live !
hands down u r the best reviewer
Out of curiosity, what would your no budget daw replacement be?
Tried out both and bought the Elektron OT- better workflow smaller less expensive more fun to use.
New Mpc seems very cool and seems very able to do many things. I don't know for sure because i have never get my hands on one of them.
thanks for that awesome video!! MPC: but hows about randomisation, alt, and lfo, mapping on different things like random on sampler, sample timestretch or start end points, or granular, different effects possible or updates? are there some random drumracks or something like?
Thank you for the comparison. would you recommend the Octatrack to play backing tracks as seperate stems? For example 2 or more stem tracks playing simultaneously (Drums & Bassline), where i can put different fx on each.
Muqata'a yeah for sure, check out cooking backing track tutorial
Dawless Jammin' where? :)
ok Thanks.Now to edit a loop what would you suggest ? What is a good bpm to begin with?What notes would you quantize with for example: 1/8-1/16 or 1/64? And thirdly for editing would you normalize a loop or select another option.Sorry for too many questions.I just get to the core in understanding any apparatus.Thank you for any advice available.
honestly i just go with the flow and whatever sounds good at the time. Don't over think it too much ;)
Dawless Jammin' Thank you for replying.I am basically configuring this device one day at a time.In the beginning it was cantankerous but It is about practice.I developed simpler ways instead of multitasking.When I perfect it 100%I will post a video.A video that will make each task simplistic.But I must pay homage to you for your videos.Thank you because if you only knew how much you've helped me.I literally watched your videos on a 50" screen and took notes.It felt like I was attending a college course.Thanks again.
BROOO thankyou so much, this really helped and the tutorial was really easy to use as well :)
Dawless, Have you made any trap beats on the Octatrack MKII?
Please can you help me by answering this question…. ????Do you NEED a pc to use an MPC??? Can I use it stand alone? I am completely out of the box, but can never seem to find a straight answer on this.
Thanks!
You need a computer to use the MPC TOUCH, everything that came after that including the Live is standalone, so no computer needed! I would highly recommend the MPC Live II, the speakers and portable battery make it next level!
@@JAdeWii_ thank you so much!! ☺️
it would be interesting to see a video on how once i have a track going on in ableton..... how could i export it and mangle it in the octatrack
OT is a monster but soo complicated to do simple things. I would highly recommend a sp-404 for performance.
Hello , i am struggling between an octatrack m2 or the mpc live,i allready had once the octatrack and it was rock solid (no crashes,glitches etc..),but i had to sell it of personal economic reasons,now i saw the mpc live and regarding producing hole songs and sampling power its on paper actually smokes the octatrack,but i saw many complaints about stability and relaibility,some questions to somebody who had used the mpc live :
-can i make a 2 hour live set without worring about crashes,and sound glitches?(clip launch mode)
-Does it get stucked while having multiple parameters automated?
-can i sequence several midi mashines at once? (example two friends come over for a jam,and i connect two different midi keyboards to trigger different midi channels,so i can jam with the pads,while the others play melodys on the keyboards)e.g. multitimbrality
-can i load samples and make editing while the sequencer is running in clip launch mode,without overcharging the performance relaibility?
-can i change clips in realtime without stopping the sequencer?
if somebody has experience with mpc live,please help me with my decision,thanks!(ps: I dont care about connecting to computer and wireles midi etc,i only want to use the standalone mode)
Hey Jade, I’m wondering if you would do a comparison between the MpCX and the latest octatrack update?
Great review of the two Jade thanks
What i hear...if you want to do music buy MPC, if you want to read manuals and half guess you buy Octa...but somewhere down the road you get some reward, hopefully? On the plus side for the octa is more knobs = more control.
Really good comparison, helps me to decide what I should buy!
so it seems like these are basically different things....I want to go totally dawless and i feel with my octatrack and my korg m3 im covered for fx....what do I recored into? I lol'd when you said you used to use your zoom to record, I have a zoom lying around and I was thinking the exact same thing (it's the h4) but it seems so ridiculous to me to buy all this expensive gear and then record into my old zoom lol. Really I'm just confused as to how one records a song...this is all new to me. Let's say I record 30 seconds onto track 1. What do I do when I want to add more to track 1? In a daw it seems simple, I can have it synced up via midi and start recording as soon as i start my sequencer.
Great video, I used an octatrack live and it was a nightmare! definatley interested in Mpc. Also Octatrack arranger (song Mode) is pretty poor
The MPC for me...a well proven sampler / sequencer. Nice thick pressure sensitive pads to actually play drums on...not crappy little buttons. Sorry, but the MPC Live is not a DAW replacement, it’s a modern MPC with tons more features and handling power than previous models (if you need to explore them)...and it doesn’t claim to takeover Cubase / Logic / etc. Traditional MPC users mainly used it for sampling / sequencing drum patterns and sometimes making full songs that would later be mixed on a console / pro tools / other daws. The MPC Live is no different, and has the same proven groove and feel, same great pads, and the same familiar sequencer that made the MPC legendary.
how about a review of the elektron digitakt.
Hi!
Did you say there's a four note polyphony on the OTmk2??
As far as I know all the 8 tracks can play at the same time...but each track is monophonic. Or did I miss something?
Nein MIDI tracks
hi Jadewii ,
I already knew that the MPC Live was the one for me, but this video was really really useful..
Thanks !
Have u had any memory-full problems, on the MPC Live ?
I actually wanna use it as my standalone 8-track recorder&editor, mainly using guitars, and MIDI instruments, in order to go dawless TOO ! (i'm glad i found your channel! ;) )
You talk about the polyphony.. but .. hat about multitimbral ? I've read the MPC Live's MIDI is not multitimbral .
In my case that is fundamental, cos i am a multi-instrumentalist..and i wanna plug in several MIDI inputs, and play various sound sources at the same time.
Can you, or anyone get me some feedback, on this ?
Thanks again !
I no longer have it but maybe someone else can !
So I got this thing today and not sure if I hate it. I think I got used to the sound of analogue stuff like my Moog and DSI Tempest.. but still need a sampler :/
AdrianVino what did you get? Tempest is a beast
Dawless Jammin' I should have specified. I got the MPC Live.
hi, what kind of book i have to read to understand using those instruments better. i just learn from doing.... with no much succuss... please help
no book, just lost of google searches and fb groups
How do you compare the octatrack to an mpc4000??
I'd love to see your modular setup!
Patience my friend.. PATIENCE!
this was really helpful, jade. thank you!!
we're giving up on mpclive because of the midi. one issue after another.
With new firmware the mpc live is a new maschine. Ableton link and an Ipad and you are done really. Built quality is superb, and you should put a hardrive inside. The thing is, you must give it more time to learn, but it is very deep. Someone mentioned the lack of synthesis capabilty on the Live. Totaly wrong it is very deep, 4 layers, filters effects and keygroups. Add the audiotracks, looper and clips, which can be used creatively setting them up 1/64 for glitchy stuff. You know how liberating the battery is? Octatrack is cool though.
It big manual because of the none screen, no touch input.
once again a very good comparison with more than 50words/sec...but thx for your work!
I am not sure about my workflow, but I will give my money to The Synthstrom guys with their "Deluge", hope I will be happy with it once I get it.
Deluge is the shit!
oh btw would love to see you do one on the Rytm Mk2!!
hey, great video. I think OT kicks mpc´s ass anyway. Nice Modular you have back there but not seen you putting any video related to that one. That would be very nice, how you use it, etc...
Cheers
Nice Video, helpful as usual. Great!
Akai list edit screen .. For me is a very very good n detailed mode to edit in .. (Even though the mpc live seems to be missing cut n paste functions in this mode ..)
Peace
I want to get the octatrack because I see nobody using it to make dope boom bap beats , like someone's gotta right ?
Actually, the octatrack works surprisingly well for hip hop! I have two live sets up on my channel, if you're interested. The beats are created using only the octatrack.
J.D. Eliot that's dope man! Thanks for Shari g that homie
Jonwayne uses an octatrack
ARKBOY nice! Ima check that out, I thought he was more of a Mpc and sp404 type of guy
I think he has owned and used a lot of equipment over the years but I watched a stream of him making beats live on an octatrack on facebook
Thanks for the review! I'm waiting for Fedex to deliver my Octatrack. Can't wait!
Haha, how did it go?
thanks for the honest opinions. solid video.
I vote to MPC live . Easier , better screen and warmer sound .
So basically if the Akai was metal and better build it basically is more bang for the buck. I don`t know. I really like all Electron products but somehow never found them inviting. Partly cause of their reputation on being hard to master and partly cause of how i see it in videos. They feel solid but i don`t want to work with it. Plus it makes me feel dumb,, because i can`t work with it. Very nice video and very useful. Wish there were more like this. Down to earth and without taking sides. Btw you say the composition is linear. What if u use it as a multitrack looper? And just play ideas and layer them? Isn`t that Funky enough ? :-) Peace
Hey great video! I switched my octatrack for a rytm a year ago, and even though I love it, I kinda miss it. I went crazy on eurorack aswell (i'd love to see a video explaining your rack, what you want to achieve with it, the choices you've made etc..) for a live project and now i feel like I need a sampler to sample all the crazy stuff from my rack, and all the routing options that are possible with the two stereo ins and outs. But rytm is really great for live performance, the comp and distortion are great so I don't know if i should switch again. What are your thoughts on a sampler to use with eurorack? I'm really torn apart haha
Thanks! Oh man, my eurorack is a constant development, lol I've honestly been trying to focus more on my portable rig right now, am planning on sampling the euro tho, that'll be fun
Real nice review! I personally have the Mpc x and love it, but I'm an Mpc head so... a little bias. Great job tho.
Errrrr since when is the octatrack 4 note polyphonic? Not exactly something to get wrong.
MIDI tracks can only play 4 notes at a time, unless they've updated this since i made this video, but doubt it.
@@JAdeWii_ Ahhhhh right, per track polyphony. Got it thx for the clarification. I don't know that I would call that "polyphony" exactly, but close enough. 4 note global polyphony (like the analog 4, for example) would be crippling on a device like this. Thx for all your vids. Always good. Very talented.
@@JAdeWii_ I don't think this was updated. For me its works putting in 4 notes at the ot itself. But record 4 note chords live with a midi keyboard into the Ot: No fun, if not buggy! Miss the Ot beside it's quirks.
Hey, great informative vid. I'm really curious about your modular synth case tho. what kind is it??
Alex Tibo custom built by a guy named Sean Pendleton, you can find him on fb in the modular groups. he doesn't have a website so just gotta look for him