Looking to buy a new hardware sequencer

The Lounge Other Gear
1

Hey all,

I’m looking to buy a new hardware sequencer. I have been on the list for 16 months now for a Cirklon but I give up now so I was looking at either a Squarp Pyramid or a Toraiz Squid.

I have a few synths I wanna run through it for live sets listed below.

  • Waldorf Quantum
  • Waldorf Kyra
  • Behringer MS-1
  • Roland MC-707
  • Nord Lead 4R
  • Roland JV2080
    I do have more hardware however this above gear probably is all I need hooked up for now

Which would suit my needs for House & Techno stuff?

Experiences?

Rob

2

Dang, it sounds like you’re almost there with the Cirklon.

I’m no expert on what’s best for what, so I’ll just quietly send my support and recommend that you get the one with the most inspiration and the fewest obstructions.

Did you eliminate the Synthstrom Deluge from your list? People seem to love that thing, but I’ve no first-hand experience of any of them.

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I can’t offer up a suggestion as to which sequencer to purchase, but I’m considering the Toraiz Squid.

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4

If budget is a concern squid might be a good option.

5

Why not Octa?

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6

I have the toraiz squid great sequencer for generating patterns and ideas but is probably limited for a whole live set with limited pattern sets and no real program change integration. It’s more suitable for production

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Squid’s great for more live jamming, spontaneous ways to build stuff, and it has a few unique tricks up its sleeve which makes it cool.

But for coherence, structure, longer sets and just going to strange places, the Pyramid can’t be beat when compared with the Squid. The Squid’s really the DJ mentality poured into a sequencer and for that, it deserves to be loved. But it doesn’t have the depth and flexibility of the Pyramid, despite some of its pretty cool, quite special tricks.

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8

If you have waited for a Circlon, I would say the Pyramid could come very close to it. After having watched some videos about the Squid the other week, I would say, it comes with a very different workflow and it seems less versatile.

I would recommend to consider the number and length of tracks and patterns, is polyphony required, does the logical structure of projects, songs, tracks, pattern, track and pattern changes on the fly, the handling etc make sense to you. If you don’t like the workflow, you’ll never be happy with it.

Having a MPC, a Pyramid, some Elektrons, and a Beat Step Pro myself, I would say, each of them has it’s own advantages, but for very different workflows. After all, they only send out MIDI and CV/Gate to external gear, so the workflow is essential … at least to me :wink:

BTW … how is it?

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OP-Z would kill

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Deluge is awesome as a full daw replacement for hw synths. Had Pyramid but after getting Deluge had absolutely no use for it.

11

Polyend Seq although only 8 tracks at any one time but with 2 proper midi outs and ins, the usb midi and it’s ability to remember all settings per pattern (so you can switch instruments or channels for every one of the 256 patterns) it is a serious force.
Well worth a read of the manual I’d say…
https://polyend.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/manual_seq_web.pdf

12

Digitakt… only 8 tracks but highly flexible… change midi channel on any step if you like.

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I would really recommend waiting for the Cirklon. It really is worth it. And can sell on at no loss if, in the unlikely event, you don’t gel with it.

It’s constantly improving too. Just this past year have seen some truly inspiring feature additions.

Or at the very least buy a 2nd hand pyramid, and use while you wait for Cirklon.

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14

Why not the 707 which you have already?

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15

For the amount of synths you want to use make sure your sequencer has at least 2 midi outs.

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16

Novation SL61 mk3 is both a good keyboard and a sequencer. Might well be worth investigating this while waiting for your Cirklon to arrive :wink:

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17

It’s absolutely amazing. I just got started on the factory sounds. Love this thing, hooks up nice alongside Quantum

18

I would love an OT but will it do Poly sequencing with midi tracks?

Thanks

19

you have a Kyra already?

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What kind of sequencer are you looking for? I had a Pyramid for a little while. It was very cool, and had alot of playable functions. Like the midi effects. But as a hub for my hardware, the Akai Force really does the trick. It is in some ways basic as a midi sequencer. It doesnt have all kinds of random or probability stuff, but it is easy to use. And i feel like i have a much better overview of the different tracks and sequences than on other hardware sequencers ive tried.

The workflow is very smooth when you get to know the interface. I love the audio clip recording. So when i sequence something on my Peak, i can sample it to a clip, and change to the sampled version. And use my Peak for a new sound. And as a bonus i get some cv outs, and a decent sampler as well.

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