Unofficial field guide · Elektron Octatrack MK2
Stop fighting
the Octatrack.
The deep stuff the manual buries — machine types, the project hierarchy, scenes — turned into moves you can pull on stage. The Octatrack MK2 Playbook is a 15-page, fact-checked reference.
Instant PDF download · 15 pages · opens on any device
Drag the fader — open & dry. This is scene morphing, the guide's core live move.
Why this, not a forum thread
The manual tells you what. This tells you why — and how.
Every combo and concept was checked line-by-line against Elektron's own manual before it went in, including the things the internet routinely gets wrong. So you can trust it mid-set instead of second-guessing a six-year-old forum post.
What's inside
Nine chapters, foundations first
Built as a progression — the groundwork most guides skip, then the depth most owners want.
The five machine types
Flex, Static, Thru, Pickup, Neighbour — and which one to reach for.
The project hierarchy
Set → Bank → Pattern → Part → Scene, until it stops fighting you.
Sampling & recording
Resampling the mix, quantised capture, slicing to a kit, streaming.
Sequencer tricks
P-locks, trig conditions, micro-timing, LFO designer, polyrhythms.
Scenes & the crossfader
Morphing, scene assignment, scene locks, instant drops.
Performance
Looping, one-shots, the CUE bus, mutes, queuing, the Arranger.
MIDI & external gear
Eight MIDI tracks, LFO automation, the Thru machine, getting audio out.
Three live-set recipes
Worked routines that turn the concepts into things you do on stage.
Printable cheat sheet
Every combo worth keeping on the desk, on a single sheet.
The part you'll actually use live
Three recipes for the set
A self-evolving groove
Trig conditions and a scene lock build a loop that keeps changing on its own — then you capture the drop to fire by hand.
One-fader breakdown & drop
Pull the energy out with a single crossfader sweep, roll a FILL underneath, and slam the full groove back on the downbeat.
A live looping jam
Capture a source into a tempo-locked Pickup loop, stack layers, sweep it with a scene, then resample the result.
Keep it on the desk
One printable page of combos
Grouped by job, including the one rule that unlocks every copy, paste, and clear shortcut. Designed to print on a single sheet so it lives next to the machine.
Who it's for
If you've stopped a jam to dig through the manual
Get past the wall
The foundations laid out clearly so the machine starts making sense — fast.
A tight on-desk reference
The combos you forget and a few reliable performance moves, all in one place.
- 15-page PDF
- A4, screen & print
- Instant download
- Opens on any device
- Cheat sheet prints on one page
- Free updates to this edition
First Edition · v1.0
Get past the wall.
A fact-checked reference and three live-set moves, designed to live next to the machine — not in a browser tab.
Instant PDF download · works on any device
Unofficial and independent. Not affiliated with, authorized, or endorsed by Elektron. "Octatrack" and "Elektron" are trademarks of their respective owner, used only to identify the instrument this guide supports. Exact button combinations can vary by OS version — always confirm critical shortcuts against the official manual for your installed OS.