Looking at working with a hardware sequencer again

maybe a push 2?

Oh, I thought about Push 2, forgot to mention it in my list. I don’t think it would be enough of an “illusion”. Plus every feature is still available. So the benefit seems to be mainly the physicality, i.e. the nice and flexible grid and knobs.

look at Oxi One.

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That sequencer looks really fun. Limited to 128 steps, but it seems easier to use than Pyramid, particularly in the arrangement department, which could make up for said 128 step limit.

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i have both. both rock, but arrangement is really super cool feature of Oxi One.

I’m really enjoying Syntakt for sequencing external gear (I cancelled my Hapax pre-order for it). The keyboard mode with kb scale and kb fold functions are great. I wish the DT had those - maybe they’ll include in a future update? Perhaps wait and see what Polyend Play brings to the table?

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The best sequencer might be just a question of work flow and this is very unique for each of us.

I use to control hardware with:

  • MPC (regularly)
  • Elektrons (OT, sometimes)
  • Pyramid (not often anymore)
  • OXI (matrix sequencer, regularly now)
  • SEQ 12 (matrix sequencer)

For writing on a step-sequencer I now use the OXI. The OXI shines, because the matrix interface combined with the scales and chords makes for fast generating and editing patterns. I like to tweak my ideas quickly without diving into menus or klicking to many buttons. For me the Pyramid needs too many “klicks” to get done, what I can do with one “klick” on the OXI :wink:

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Think you can compromise a little as you seem to like it a lot. Nothing is perfect.

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There is that pioneer thing that came out a short while ago … though I think they abandoned it instantly. ( or perhaps it was finished on release and we shouldn’t expect more to be added )

At this point I’d probably go elektron , recent akai ( though I haven’t used them ) , hapax or wait for ‘new shiny glittering boxes that are coming soon ‘ That never match anyones expectations.
But then comes along another new shiny glittery box
Repeat
Repeat
Mmt8
That tiny but expensive calculator thing that was announced a while ago and likely to reappear at superbooth by retrokits

I had pyramid but didn’t like the tiny screen
I had engine but wasn’t keen on buttons / build quality.
W30 was quite basic but slowed down a little when changing pages
Mpc2000 … nah.
I mostly use digitakt atm.

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@sabana

Maybe. The question is can all be worked around effectively. As far as long tracks, in the worst case, you can load a project into a DAW. On automation, I think you can automate LFO’s, retriggering them and changing parameters to fake automation curves.

There’s definitely a lot to be said for going with tried and true. If something works, I’ve learned that ya shouldn’t discount it.

BTW, these weren’t even dealbreakers, I only got rid of it because I was low on cash and was really into sequencing on my M:C so I felt like I didn’t “need” it.

However OXI looks really really nice. It’s not like I thought the Pyramid was perfect, the UX takes a little getting used to and OXI seems more fluid, with some tradeoffs.

Currently I’m considering that, Pyramid, and a used 1st gen iPad pro + Xequencer.

@re5et

I had a MPC1000 for a while. In the end it was the buttons… they were just hard on my fingers. And seeing as they were the only way to get around on it… And the sampling engine had a serious limitation on its ability to loop samples smoothly.

Digitakt might be what I wish the MPC was.

Small screens definitely aren’t a big deal to me.

iPad will allow a lot of experimentation
You’ll also do a lot of audio / fx / modulating and making lots of sample chains.

Get the more recent camera connection kit ( that you can put power into )
And dig into the iPad app thread

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The iPad dongle issue is always big for people thinking about using the platform. In my iPad setups (I have several iPads for music making) they are either mounted on a VESA arm, or on an angled metal laptop stand on my desk.

In either case, I Velcro the USB dongle (using some mega secure stick-on Velcro) to the back of the VESA arm mount or underneath of the laptop stand, inputs facing inward for easy plugging of usb devices (audio interfaces, midi keyboards, wireless keyboard/mouse dongles etc), and simultaneously allowing usb cable routing to be hidden.

This keeps the setup neat and clean, puts the usb hub/dongle out of the way and secure, and is akin to working with any laptop or desktop computer. No floppy dongle or weight hanging on the lighting/USB-C port. All you see is the single cable from the dongle to the iPad. Additionally, if you take the iPad to go, you just unplug the single cable and the rest stays put until the iPad returns.

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I have the Vector and the Hapax. I like both of them but they are very different.

How has no one mentioned the Synthstrom Deluge? I sold my Cirklon after getting g it and have never looked back. And it is a synth/sampler/drum machine/looper.

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Love my Squid.

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Do you play keys? MPC keyboard workstation is about to be announced

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on the iPad side of things, two great midi sequencers only are Xquence 2 and Atom 2. Atom 2 is an AUv3, so you’d need something like AUM or ApeMatrix to use it, it’s super powerful though.

Yes, we can … but this dosn’t compare with Elektron sequencers and their easy access to all automation parameters. In a DAW we have to plan out, which lanes of automation we need and then “draw” the motion. On an Elektron sequencer we activate live-recording and as we tweek any of those parameter-buttons, without much of a “planning”, we get it done instantly.

For everyone interested in tweaking complex automations on an electronic instrument, I would recommend to check out the Elektron-Way. It’s very efficient, maybe even the most efficient way.

IMO second to this might be the use of the Q-Links of a MPC and using a prepared template (program) for a particular instrument.

I like the Akai Force as a midi sequencer. It lacks some of the sofisticated features of Elektrons, but a clip can have any length you want. Even not quantized lengths. And its very visual so i get a good overview of all that is happening in a song.

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This is the way I’ve gone with Ableton. No need to find an app with no audio support, just turn audio off in preferences. I use a PCIe midi interface (RME Raydat) and the timing seems at least as good as the old Atari / Notator days. Arrangement view is faster than any hardware sequencer I’ve ever used, and session view (with an appropriate controller) is more “jammable” than many hardware seq’s (possibly some competition from MPC / QY700). Plus Ableton has some useful midi features (for me) which are scarce or non-existent in hardware. So, while I’d prefer to work without a computer monitor, I’ve got actual screen time down to a minimum.

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