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Octatrack MK1 users might be getting conditional locks!

Elektron recently launched updated versions of their boxes, including an Octatrack MKII. Octatrack MKI owners might still benefit from this release as Elektron has now officially anounced via their website (see image below) that the MKII OS will be compatible with the MKI box and will "include the functionality of the MKII". As you may have heard, the MKII will support conditional locks, which is a great way to add probabilities to your sequenced steps--opening up a whole lot of good fun.

(source: https://www.elektron.se/support/?connection=octatrack#resources)

Now, to further legitimize my suspicion that MKI will now be able to do conditional locks (aka trig conditions), have a look at the manual and you will notice that everything is almost identical between the MKI and MKII manuals except for the highlighted sections below: CONDITIONAL LOCKS and FILL MODE. (MK1 manual on left, MK2 on right)

So, congrats to all MKI owners as it looks like you will have at least one more OS update to come (but perhaps more!) with additional features here and there. Personally, I'm still waiting for program change parameter locks, which are present in the digitakt and monomachine.

What features would you like to see implemented in the MKII OS?

tags: audio production, tech

Grid-19

3/05/2014

Grid-19 is a representation of a speech balloon. According to Wikipedia, speech balloons are divided in 3 categories: speech (smooth border), thoughts (bubbly borders), and screams (zigzag borders). This particular one is a hybrid of all three: it has a zigzag "tail" (scream), smooth borders (speech), but does not display text--it displays an image instead (meaning thoughts rather than speech).

3/04/2014

Grid-18 uses shapes that meet at corners to create the illusion that they are somehow all sharing the same line. I used this technique to express my inspiration, which came from simple stitching patterns such as those found on pillows. Nothing too complex here: just a reflection over the y-axis and simple geometric shapes, which can arguably yield to pareidolia.

2/28/2014

Grid-17 follows Grid-16’s indigenous-influenced theme with a few additional twists.

Inspiration was drawn from the Mesoamerican ballgame that originated in Mexico even before 1400 BCE.

2/21/2014

Grid-16 is Aztec and circuit board-inspired. The grid is open from the left and right sides of the piece where a polygon with four rectangular protrusions faces outwards. The elaborate polygons can be seen as a representation of a system such as a circuit board, or a diagram such as a mandala or an Aztec Cosmogram, both of which are representations of the universe.

2/19/2014

Grid-15 marks the midpoint and a new direction in the gridz series of 30. Gridz 1-14 have been mostly experimental and helped me explore and discover a lot about this art form through scrupulous analysis. Hopefully the analytical approach to previous pieces will serve as a fairly objective demonstration of the power of gridz as an art form that both communicates and precipitates thoughts, ideas, and emotions through a minimalist canvas.