Novation // Circuit

I know. The OP-1 is great. It’s just too expensive to justify the way I use it.

Also the cheapest two track polyphonic hardware sequencer option!

Didn’t get mine yet but can’t wait to throw some effects units in line in AUM and “Link” to Launch pad for a total laptop killer

Yeah I was only joking with you, you’ve got to do what’s right for you.
Anything to keep the tracks flowing…

I’m hovering like a vulture on the second hand Circuit market, waiting for a silly price since I can’t justify the outlay the way I’ve been going lately!
The 0-Coast has left me with 0-cash.

How is the 0-coast? I ended up getting a mother 32 just before their release.

It’s fantastic, bit different for obvious reasons but capable of some great sounds.
Fun to sit in the front room with some patch cables and headphones whilst the wife watches some dodgey thing she’s taped (Sky+ whatever). Get the odd glance from her when some random fart leaks from my ear goggles!
Need to get some stackable cables for when I’m not in the bunker with all the other modules.
Had trouble getting one but well worth it, could not imagine ever letting it go. Looks brilliant too.
I’ve been between rhythmic brain mangling and filthy dirty bass patches, but it does some beautifully soft tones too. Just watch your eardrums! Seriously.
Hooked up to a Beatstep Pro with some wild patching utilising the Arturia’s various outs is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.

Would not be surprised if many buyers end up fully into the eurocrack if they aren’t already, I mean it’s deep on it’s own but with another module/system/wall it is another bunch of options to think about.

I reckon it would pair nicely with your M32, if you know what I’m sayin’!

And to qualify in this thread it would be totally nuts sequenced with a Circuit.

Pretty different from the Novation Circuit I guess ^^
I wouldn’t mind some more infos/descriptions/demos on the 0-coast thread.
:tongue:

hah. I sold my analog/cv capable gear (microbrute, beatstep) because I could feel a growing desire to get into modular stuff… My non-modular hardware jams are meandering and noodly as it is, I can’t image how annoying my music would get with a modular setup!

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AMAZING circuit jam

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Played with the Circuit last weekend a bit. It’s a fun device, but I’m not so sure about the synth parts, you can’t really program it like a normal synth (which is not necessarily a bad thing per se). Maybe the editor opens it up, dunno about that.

As a sketchpad it’s good, but if you already have an ipad or something, you probably have an equivalent, if not better sketchpad already. As a serious production tool I don’t see THAT much use for one, something like the Korg Electribe Sampler or 2 Volcas seem to give more mileage with the same kinda money.

The editor really does open it up, and you can assign the macro knobs to almost any control—with support for multiple controls per macro with ranges (e.g. cutoff from 0–64 and env depth from 65–127, or overlapping).

I personally find it much more engaging than iPad apps; I don’t get along well with the non-tactile experience of faders on a screen that an iPad app provides. The volcas come close, but they’re a little too chaotic for my liking (this could be a good thing as well, of course!). The latest electribe units are obviously more elaborate than the Circuit so don’t really compare, imo. Circuit is very nice for quickly coming up with a base for something else. Artists like Miles Cosmo show that it pairs very well with the MnM/MD as well.

If they update it to allow for step-based parameter changes to be modified while the sequencer is running (currently it can be done but only while stopped), it’ll be a very powerful unit.

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An Electribe 2 is a comparable device – even concerning the blinkenlights.

If you use the editor, it becomes like 64 presets with 8 mod wheels each. I took the time to program all presets and now it’s very useful even in the studio. The synths are not bad at all, basically 2x Mininova light. Advantage over Volcas is the tonal range (Wavetables etc) and the ability to sequence 8 bars – plus I’d rather carry one Circuit than three Volcas around :slight_smile:

Could you (or other people on here with a Circuit) be, somehow, enticed to share some of your patches?

:smile: <-pretty please smiley.

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I might just do that, I have to reprogram them though… some got modified for my live set and are way too loud. I’m too busy right now, just got a brand new RYTM that needs my attention :smile:

The Midi implementation leaves some room for hope… the delays have the usual parameters like feedback and Sync, so it should be possible to set the delay settings from a DAW and save them into the session. Have not found the right tool for this yet, though.

Any ideas?

K

Have a circuit for sale if anyone needs a second one :slight_smile: x

The parameters are accessible via NRPN, which I managed to set up using a pd patch so I could use my quneo with it. The delay setting is weird though. It doesn’t seem to behave as the MIDI implementation describes. It’d be nice if they made it a bit more tweakable in a future OS update.

Hi there,

I have a Circuit now to keep my Rytm some company, but I have to admit that there are some things I still have to get my head around. Anyone can share some tipps on these:

  • How do you combine Circuit and Rytm anyway? Does the Circuit cover certain synth sounds and the Rytm does the drumming, or do you prefer to mix, e.g., Kick from Circuit, Pad from Circuit, the rest Rytm?

  • In that sound editor from Isotonic, there are parameters with two circles around (e.g., Waveform). Why are these there and how can I change them?

  • Is there a way to modulate or change the waveform within a wavetable OSC? There does not seem to be an actual method to modulate the waves that are used, even though there seems to be many waveforms in some tables

  • Any crazy ideas how to make these two machines work together, e.g., Circuit into Audio in, Circuit into Rytm Audio path via Overbridge, Rytm samples into Circuit…

Would like to hear some seasoned advice,

K

I use the synth engine mainly, and created some custom wav files (FX) which i loaded into the circuit,i use a mixer (Qu PAC) as the RYTM audio input is not that usable. (no gain adjust.)

I found that the circuit often sounds too bright in comparison to the analog engines, so i filter out some highs from the circuit with the master knob. (But still leave breathing room.)

I reorganized the circuits controls so i can adjust the amp envelope and filter with certain knobs which are identical on each patch, i like to keep it organized. The try to find out approach can work, but i like to have more control. So i have certain knobs for general sound shaping, and some which are always modulation increase of the sound on the circuit macro knobs.

My advice is: create custom samples and patches on the circuit to really make it your own. I did some serum vst sounds which i loaded into the circuit.

Also the advice is: keep it minimal, the circuit (and rytm) can do so much on its own, if you combine the machines, use it sparse.

Pretty nice Jam here:

I just think that most live sets, create to few variations, most often you get enthralled into your pattern, that you stay to long on one melody /rytm. I fail for this often myself. So think about your transitions. (No i don’t want to criticize the video.)

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Exactly! There are some basics you want to control, like Amp Decay, Filter, Resonance, Filter env depth, and the Circuit has some really strange choices on some patches, sou you have to guess your way around…

By reorganizing, you mean reprogramming the macros, right?

Thanks for the detailed answer…

Karsten

for those interested in “forbidden” continuation of the Novation Circuit evolution story.
original link
https://global.novationmusic.com/the-evolution-of-circuit
blocked till image 7.
with a bit of inspect i give you almost all the images.
https://d19ulaff0trnck.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/07-Bkg07_0.jpg
https://d19ulaff0trnck.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/08-Bkg08_0.jpg
https://d19ulaff0trnck.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/09-Bkg09_0.jpg
https://d19ulaff0trnck.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/10-Bkg10_0.jpg

https://d19ulaff0trnck.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/11-Bkg11_1.jpg

https://d19ulaff0trnck.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/12-Bkg12_0.jpg - not working. so they knew someone would crack it
to see them all you have to do is replace both 07 with 08 and so on