An amazing instrument that is the brain of my hardware set up.

The Octatrack took me several months to get my head around. As my first step sequencer, first sampler and first piece of Elektron gear it was probably not the easiest one to start with but once I cracked the work flow it quickly became the backbone of what is now my hardware only live electronic set up. The sampler element of the machine has a deep set of features that allow you to take recorded sounds to very interesting places you might not go with other machines or even with software. On top of the crazy sample mangling ability of this machine it also has an 8 track midi sequencer that allows you to programme any other hardware that you may own.

As I use the OT along with quite a few other pieces of equipment, including other Elektron boxes, I have developed a workflow that doesn't require me to dig too deep when performing. All of my needs are met and more with the current feature set of the OT however I understand those more advanced users have features that they would love for Elektron to implement. Knowing the company though I am sure that over time they will continue to develop this classy machine.

Unnecessary complexity leads to unfathomable outcomes.

This thing sat on my desk, testing my patience for a year and a half. I just could not wrap my head around even the basics of this thing. So I gave it one more try before throwing it in the ocean. 6 weeks later I had about 40 song ideas. I still have almost no idea how some aspects of it work and honestly I see no reason why anyone would make something so unnecessarily counter-intuitive. I'm really big on simplicity and in that department this is a total disaster. However: it is very powerful and allows you to do things that I've never seen anywhere else except Ableton, so... I love it I hate it. *If you buy one search reddit for the "Merlin guide to Octatrack".

From Gear Setup

It's the future! Omg ths sampler is awesome! Great tool for recording(synth lines) on the fly while live-setting and messing up samples BIG TIME.

Great Sampler. the possibilities are sheer endless, I got basslines out of snare samples which make your nosewalls flatter. Very creative tool, but in my opinion it took the most time of all elektron instruments to get used to, as it is so diffrent. 4 inputs which I myself use in livesets (Analog Rytm takes 2 ins, + 2 mono synths). When you have a few synths this can really multiply your possibilities in a logarythmic way... chorus,delay,flanger,bitcrusher,distortion ... all those effects can be used with the octatrack... on the inputs or on the internal tracks. The delay is very nice.

Sound From Space

When you take the time to really delve into this magical box you'll see it holds layers upon layers of crazyness. Only thing I'd say I would've liked to see added is the extension of more midi parts per bank. With only 8 (audio) tracks it would be nice to have 16 parts to accompany the 16 patterns per bank. It's the hart of my 'Analog Kitchen' live setup and also the hub for my Minitaur basslines. It also serves as a Mono to Stereo in/out for the Minitaur by adding some fx and routing it to the cue outs.

One of the best pieces of equipment you can own.

The Octatrack is a beast. You can sample/loop/effect/mangle audio to your heart's content with this box. You can use it as the heart of your live setup, you can use it in the studio to create music, you can use it as a live looper. The Octatrack is definitely worth its high price of entry.

The best at what it does

pre-ordered as my first Elektron box and got it in 2011, and was not disappointed. I actually don't like sampling with it all that much, but prefer to mangle my existing sample library with it and use it as a central mixing station and hub to route audio between my other gear.

Best bit of kit I own!!!

It's great for making crazy techno loops and gave my synths a new lease of life when I started sequencing them with it. And it capable of so so much, it's the centre of my setup.

8 Audio tracks and 8 Midi tracks

I have mine rigged so I can play 8 audio tracks and 8 midi tracks. I use channels 1-4 to control my Elektron Analog 4, Channel 5 for my Korg Minilogue and Channel 6 for my Sub37. It has changed the way I make music.

good machine but ...

Good machine but I think it has a very big fault, it´s not polyphonic.

Really getting into it.

wow... i've had this thing for several years and didn't really like it too much. But now really opening it up and getting into it. Massive capabilities.