Thanks all for getting into this, to answer the most common questions, I’m looking for something that can do bpm per pattern with custom track lengths, looking for something that I can sequence and set up either a song mode or scenes and can rely on to some of the work for me throughout songs. I’ve currently got an Erica synths db-01 and circuit rhythm but I’ll look to expand at least one more synth in the next year so a good amount of connectivity works. I’ve eyed up both the analog 4 mk2 and the keystep pro but don’t feel I’ve seen enough on either of them to really say how I’d feel about them as options
Do you enjoy your circuit workflow? If so, don’t complicate things and just buy a launchpad pro mk3. You will spend less time learning and more time just making music. Just my opinion of course.
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Have thought about this, the 32 step length can irritate me, trying to do 13/8 can be difficult as I currently need to send different bpms to different tracks and have had no luck, saying that though, it’s otherwise quite efficient
its just 32 step per page, but you can pattern chain. I get it though, we all have different workflows so I understand. I just think its a sequencer that is often overlooked, but its simplicity allows me to just focus on music.
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I agree, I’ve definitely found it be great, the pattern chaining just gets on my nerves occasionally, can sometimes feel like an extra layer of thinking about what goes where. Maybe I need to just spend more time learning that
I’m lucky enough to be a beta tester and I can assure you - oxi is nearly everything I want in a sequencer. It’s an instrument - intuitive, flexible, rewards experimentation and improvisation both in the studio and live. Not perfect yet but the team is definitely committed to constant improvements and user feedback.
Lacks the deep conditionals of Elektron sequencers which is why so far I prefer it for melodic over drum sequencing, but does literally everything else better, or at least more visually, than Elektron seqs. It makes melodic sequencing actually …fun? and easy. Loads of hidden features that become cool performance or remixing tricks. The scale variety and chord mode is dope and beautiful chord progressions fall out of it. The multi seq I’ve barely scratched the surface of. Overall its the perfect partner to the Digitone. I need a few more sessions to get fast on it, and maybe ten more sessions to try out every possible feature. There are usually two or three ways of doing the same thing which is great for developing your own workflow or always having a cool trick up your sleeve live.
Form factor is also really ideal - not too big not too small. Really designed to work with and in your existing setup.
My favorite thing is actually minor but so important: resizing track size or trying funky loops doesn’t screw up the phrasing. It just magically jumps to the right step and stays in phrase. Thats such a killer for me since on Elektron gear I like using max lengths of 256 or 512, and if I resize sequence length while playing live I have to wait for ages with an off phrase sequence until it restarts after max length. This let’s me feel comfortable to improvise on stage. So important.
4 cc’s and 1 lfo per track is pretty convenient for surface level control of modwheel, filter etc and recording long automations. What’s nice is you can then toggle those automations on and off so you don’t have to record them to the Elektron plocks - no need for pattern reload (or accidentally saving and then having to manually delete the automation later)
Oh yeah and you can set play arps live over the existing sequence.
If I tried to name every feature I’m in love with I’d be here all night!
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Squarp pyramid has what they call midi effects. Have a look at the Effects Manager part of the manual. The last item there is on LFO to CC.
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when is oxi released? or is it already out?
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my top rank of current sequencers:
- Squarp Pyramid
- Roland MC-707/101
- Oxi One (i have early prototype unit)
- Novation Circuit / Circuit Tracks / LP Pro Mk3 — this one is not the most sophisticated, but definitely the most convenient for creating patterns.
none of them is perfect, but each has killer features.
Oxi could probably be №2 and MC-707/101 №3 respectively, but i’m still more used to MC workflow, because MCs are my primary gig machines.
my top rank of old sequencers:
- E-Mu P2500 series (Command Stations)
- Roland MC-80
- Yamaha RM1x
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Oxi one is not out, they’ve only just started production.
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What do you dig the most about the Roland and Circuit flow?
Five12 Vector sequencer has MIDI In throught TRS (or regular DIN if you get the expander) and a lot of assignable modulation spots.
Besides this some great iOS sequencers can also be modulated by MIDI CC’s through USB
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Tb303 Quasimidi Polymorph
Probably the one Retrokits are going to bring out
Since I have very different workflows, I have a couple of different sequencers in the studio.
Quick and easy to set up for some sequencings:
- Korg S-1
- Beatstep Pro
Complex on the grid:
- Electron sequencers (Octatrack)
- Pyramid
- SEQ 12 (mostly for live composition and very flexible improvisation with ideas)
- OXI-one (as soon as it’s delivered)
Complex off the grid:
- MPC
- Pyramid
Experimental:
- René
- Turing Machine
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Circuits: great for making/editing patterns, especially those consisting of 8th/16th note series.
velocity and gate are at your fingertips, microsteps are there, 303-style sequencing is easily achievable.
so i’m mostly fiddling with patterns on Circuit / Circuit Tracks, and then just recording them to other machines (e.g. MC-101) when satisfied.
as a performance sequencer, it’s decent as well — there is not so many pattern slots, but there is note probability and other bells & whistles.
MC-707/101: excellent performance sequencer for EDM and alike.
not a lot of features, but overall feature set is very neat & balanced.
i use MCs with attached Launchpad for clip/scene launching, keeping their own pads more accessible for other performance tasks like arp, scatter, or drums mute/unmute.
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Seconded. Once I started using my MC-707 to sequence my Liven XFM and Model:Cycles I saw so much more potential with it.
Not as deep and meticulous as Elektron sequencing maybe, but easy to get going. 707 is doing a fine job as an instrument and a brain for other gear.
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my shout is for the Squid : totally hands-on performable sequencer that alows me to do crazy timing modulations & other unique stuff in a way I’ve only ever found possible via eurorack. It’s certainly not for everyone, but I love it. best sequencer I’ve ever had.
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which is super fine in live situation, because, as Surgeon said in his interview –
The concept goes like this: when you perform live, you’re 50 percent stupider than usual. Always remember that.
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