The wait is over! Elektron has released a new OS for the Octratrack MKI & MKII.

Download the new Octatrack MKI OS 1.30b here https://www.elektron.se/support/?connection=octatrack#resources

What’s New

Here are some highlights I grabbed from the release notes included in the download.

Sequencer Trig Conditions & Fills

A trig condition parameter has been added to the TRIG COUNT/MICRO TIMING menu. Open this menu when you are in the grid edit mode, by pressing and holding a trig key, and then press [LEFT] or [RIGHT]. The condition is changed using the LEVEL encoder. It can be set to (and defaults to) OFF, and 64 additional settings. Each setting is a condition, which will decide whether or not the sequencer note should be triggered.

1. X % is a random probability condition. There is an X percent chance of it being true.
2. A:B will be true on the A’th pattern iteration, then true again after B iterations, repeating indefinitely. You can use this setting to program periodically recurring notes, where the period can be longer than the actual pattern. If you for instance set it to N:4, the note will be triggered every fourth loop of the pattern.
3. FILL is true when the sequencer is in fill mode. Fill mode is activated for one pattern iteration by pressing [DOWN] + [PAGE]. It will activate when the pattern loops and remain active until it loops again. It is also possible to momentarily activate fill mode by pressing [UP] + [PAGE]. The fill mode will then be active for as long as [PAGE] is being held down. To latch the fill mode, press [UP] + [DOWN] + [PAGE]. The fill mode will remain active until you press and release [UP] + [PAGE].
4. FILL is true when FILL is not. You can use FILL to program pattern variations. The notes which should played only in the variation should be set to FILL, and notes which should be excluded from the variation to FILL. The variation is then easily accessible from the [PAGE] key.
5. PRE is true if the most recently evaluated trig condition on the same track was true.
6. PRE is true when PRE is not. If you program a pattern variation using PRE and/or PRE, but set the first note of the variation to use a probability condition, then the whole variation will depend on whether or not the first note triggered.
7. NEI is true if the most recently evaluated trig condition on the neighbour track was true.
8. NEI is true when NEI is not. If you program a pattern variation using NEI and/or NEI on track 3, and have a probability trig before the variation on track 2, then the whole variation will depend on whether or not the note on track 2 triggered.
9. 1ST is true the first pattern iteration (ie. until the pattern has looped). You could use this setting for instance to program a one-shot percussive hit in your pattern. Or just any note that you do not wish to have repeated.
10. 1ST is true when 1ST is not

Other Changes

1. Unsaved RAM recorder slices are not discarded at startup.

Bug fixes

1. VU meter would sometimes get stuck at max.
2. Scene locking XDIR to MIN had no effect.
3. Rec button LED would not flash in real time recording mode.
4. MIDI output buffer overflow would make the unit freeze.
5. Encoder/fader input overflow would cause irregular UI behavior.
6. Reconfiguring the flex memory would make it impossible to trigger flex samples, unless a manual reload of the samples was invoked.
7. The Part Edit command would edit the last selected part, rather than the active part.

OS Changes to Support MKII Hardware

The released notes contained in the OS download also document the changes to support changes to MKII hardware.

Mark Mosher
Composer, Synthesist, Electronic Musician, Multimedia Artist
Boulder, CO
MarkMosherMusic.com
ModulateThis.com