Sequencers

[JacksonP]

Hi fellows,

Anybody here familiar with Swedish company Elektron's products and especially their MIDI sequencer features?

I've been quite a long time searching for a good sequencer solution for kind of live playing with little  special demands:

First, I want it to sequence my MIDI hardware like Origin, Virus, Nord Drum etc.
Second, I'd like to have longer patterns than just 32-64 steps. I wouldn't mind having chance to have song sections (like 16 measures or so) behaving like patterns. For example, I'd like to play 16 bars section looped as long as I like and then go to next section. Of course, I might also like to have normal one bar pattern as well. All this should be easy to use. Also, I could trigger B-section in middle of playing section-A and switching sections should go easily and smoothly timed. Something like that, I hope you get the idea... Also, I'd want to have all the normal things like swing, CC-sequencing, parameter locks, odd time signatures etc.

To me suprise there aren't that many options available if you want have this kind of little more complex sequencing system. Speaking of hardware stuff, Elektrons - Monomachine, Octatrack, Machinedrum - are perhaps now the closest thing what I am looking for. Of course, those synths have interesting internal sounds as well. Still I am not sure if you can have this kind longer phrases sequencing and live looping of them with Elektrons. Then if you check software stuff (and basically this is something which I am trying to avoid, if hardware is available) there aren't anyway too many options. I don't wanna pay and learn from the zero level stuff like Ableton live. However very unique thing is iOS app Genome Midi sequencer running in my iPad. In fact this can do quite well (still far from perfect) those sequencing tasks I described. Main problem is that I wouldn't count on this system when playing live. It also has annoying bugs. Anyway it's quite promising app if developer David Wallin still makes it better.

Any ideas about Elektrons or sequencing in general are welcomed.

For those who don't know Elektron yet:
http://www.elektron.se/

As said, Genome is a great new way of iOS pattern sequencing, but hopefully it'll be developed further:
http://www.whitenoiseaudio.com/apps/genome-midi-sequencer/

[midimatik]

Hey there,

I own a Octatrack and a Monomachine. The MIDI sequencers of both machines are Not exactly the
same. The monomachine isn't able to record MIDI Note length and Velocity.
The Octatrack can do this. Octatrack has the biggest Sequencer i ever worked with.
Very Easy to Programm. Stephan length is max 64 Steps, but you can chain Patterns.
You just have to press the Buttons from the Patterns you want to chain.
You can chain as much Patterns as you are able to press the Buttons. Behause you Need one Finger to press the "Pattern" Knob you Seouls be able to activate min. 9 patternbuttons. Maybe you are able to press 2 Buttons with one Finger....
BTW, next Big Thing is that you can edit the length of each Pattern for it Self. So it is possibleto Run
A 64 Teppich Pattern with half Speed. I Think it Seouls be possible to Play it with 1/4 Speed (im Lying in my bed and im to Lazy to go in my Studio and have a Look on it )
You have a stallet Resolution of notes then but sometimes i dont Need a High Resolution of note Grid.

Short, the Octatracks Sequencer is really Great!

I Hope you Unverstand everything i try to explain, im from Germany. My englisch isn't Perfect.

At Last, monomachine and machinedrum are synth with sounds inside.
The Octatrack is an Sampler, Not one Sound in it...
8 Sampler Slots, 8 really Great MIDI Sequencer Slots.

Hope that Helps. The Octatrack is the Heart of my Setup. Midi Master.
I really like it.

[BobTheDog]

Sequentix Cirklon might be what you are looking for?

[JacksonP]

Yeah this is an interesting product for sure. Anyway general question is does it do its job somehow better than for example macbook with good midi box. (I have both MacBook Pro and also iConnect Midi, latter is great!)

Quite recently I bought a Five12 Numerology for sequencing my hardware. It can run as many parallel sequencers as you like (of course you can sequence anything, notes, Program Changes, CC-messages..) and the app seems to be quite stable (although I've found some bugs too). Maybe the most fascinating things are humanizing and random parameters. For example, you can choose a scale and then let the seq start to variate your bassline with some probability within this scale. You'll have a improvising bass player! This cannot be done with Logic, I think?

I like Numerology very much but it still isn't exactly what I am looking for. All those pattern/seqs seem to be limited to relatively shorts patterns (from 32 to 128 steps). IMO this just reflects the music which is normally composed/played with them. My musical idea is to use pattern based live style sequencing for much more complex and longer patterns (for example 32 bars long). Of course, I can make as long as I like song structures with almost any sequencer. But what I'd like to do is to mess live with these longer patterns... Only sequencer I've found which is this way close to my idea is iOS app Genome. It's really unique way but still quite buggy and not ready yet IMO.

I understand that Elektrons can put together patterns but can these looped things triggered easily like normal (one bar) patterns? In other words, can you use these looped patterns easily on stage?

[BobTheDog]

What the Cirklon offers over a pc based system is super tight timing and sync, 5 hardware midi in/out ports, 5 midi ports over USB, DIN Sync and analog CV control.

Maybe download the manual for the Cirklon?

If you do decide to go for one though there is a bit of a waiting list.

[noisetheorem]

Right now, my origin is being driven mainly by an Elektron Octatrack.  Its in a mini live rig I am toying with consisting of Origin, Octatrack, Analog 4 and a Manakin Schrittmacher. 

The sequencer on the Octatrack is the best one that Elektron has made, and they keep improving it. You can do quite a lot with it driving other gear.  In fact, most of the projects I have worked on with it involve it being more of a mixer and master sequencer than a sampler.  It drives the rest of the gear and routs my MIDI keyboard where it needs to go.

[JacksonP]

Hi guys,

I found a second hand Monomachine in very good price and perfect condition (with 2 years warranty left) so I didn't think twice to buy it. Now, when I have had it for couple of days there are many marvelous things with it and few things which makes my little confused. But there's lot to learn for sure...

I bought it primarily for reliable seq for Live usage (I wouldn't take iPad on stage) for sequencing my Origin, Nord Drum and Virus. Also, I think I will route my Nord Drum into it for giving some FX. Let's see, it looks very promising. Although, when I am used to do sequences on Mac or iPad some things seem little more time consuming... But on the other hand everything syncs greatly and everything is under some physical knob/button. When you get used to it, it can be fast and accurate.

Also, I am quite visual oriented  it looks nice on my Origin KB. Same colors, aluminium and style of things. You could almost think that it's one unique thing. But anyway this pair alone Monomachine + Origin can do a great things just together for sure. You have great power of sequencing and synthezing when you combine those two...