Toraiz Squid multitrack sequencer

8 notes per step should be enough generally for me doing drums (for rytm and digitakt)
I do love a randomiser, but separating up the elements is a good idea to have a bit of balance, so I’ll have to try an find a workflow combining both ways you mentioned.

Cheers

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Edited…
Problem resolved, user error… Squid is good

theres a thread on gearslutz with lots of contributors , might be worth trying their.
in the electronic music area.

So how are the squid users finding theirs after a little time with it ?

Seems like it’s really a breeze to lay a few trigs here and there and go mad with all the real time manipulation avaliables…Is the time/groove bend interesting ?

Me say the octopus is pretty cool :grin:

After getting used to its workflow, you will love or hate it, it can do grooving wonders to your midi stuff.

I mainly use it as a link between my DAW and my gear, works great.

Solid clock (it jitters in 0.01 steps) as master or connected to your DAW ( i tried Ableton Live, Bitwig & Cubase).

As you know, you can drag and drop midi pattern from it to your DAW and vise a versa and the latter i do regulary to get some life into my old midi clip collection.

Well this groove bend thingy is my candidat for 2019 “Roland´s D-Beam”. Don´t get me wrong the Squid has a lot of cool features for making your stuff groove, but I could not tease anything good out of the groove bend :grinning:

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Nice review ! This thing is tempting ! It has tons of cool tricks to make interesting stuff I think.

One thing which is a letdown though and which is not mentionned in the review is the total absence of midi exposed parameters…
I was already picturing myself controlling time modulation with an enveloppe follower and tons of octatarck lfos…
Hence the reputation of the company better get the thing for what it is now and don’t expect anything more…
Already pretty original/decent stuff imho.

No nasty bugs encountered for now ?

Not that i know of; nothing that wasn´t fixed with a firmware update respectively.

Funnily enough we are talking about Pioneer, since the release of the Toraiz Squid we got three firmware updates which also have added new features. Unfortunately, one can not deduce anything about the future development. But you should not expect that anyway as a purchase decision.

Try before buy :sunglasses:

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I tought there was only 1.10 out ? Care to elaborate on new features ?

Thanks a lot.

Ver.1.10 (24 April 2019 Update)

NEW

  • Now compatible with SQUID Manager, the dedicated application to backup SQUID
  • projects, and export / import midi clips.
  • MIDI message settings for Program Change and Bank Select.
  • Delay setting for each track.
  • Note programming for each step using external MIDI devices.
  • Pattern Set edit mode.
  • Now able to output MIDI messages received from the MIDI port to the USB port.
  • Added [Euclid Based] as new [Trigger Type] in [Randomizer Settings].
  • Added [Key Based] as new [Pitch Type] in [Randomizer Settings].

IMPROVED

  • Keep sequence playback when entering TIME WARP mode during sequence
  • playback.
  • Better view and operability in Chord mode.
  • Receive MIDI messages of Start/Stop/Continue regardless of [Sync Source] setting.
  • Nudge regardless of [Sync Source] setting.
  • Sequence playback speed can be set at [Pattern Speed] in Pattern mode.
  • Rec function from external MIDI devices.

Ver.1.11 (4 June 2019 Update)

FIXED

  • Arpeggiator worked incorrectly when the TRACK output setting was [CV/GATE1] or
  • [CV/GATE2].
  • Arpeggiator worked incorrectly when the [Mono/Poly] setting of a TRACK SETTING
  • was [Mono].
  • External equipment was not communicating correctly when the [OUT Sync Mode] of
  • the [CLOCK settings] was [2ppqn] in the GLOBAL settings.
  • Other minor issues.

in loopop video he mentions that the Beat Repeat could not be recorded, but you can record the Beat Repeat (maybe this was added too)

my Squid runs FW 1.10

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Thanks ! Not bad at all ! I have to sell some gears first…:slight_smile:

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Should be here in a few days…Never geled with the Pyramid…

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Once you’ve created a pattern in squid. Is it possible to record that pattern back into the elektron sequencer?

This is possible, but there are some limitations to consider

Polyphony differs (Squid can play up to 8 Notes per step)
Microtiming / Swing / Quantisation (Squid has a lot of features to make unique grooves)
Pattern length (while similar on first look , Squid has some tricks under the hood to make 4 bar loops feel like 16 bar loops, like a Pioneer version of Track scaling)

Nothing mentioned here will stop you from recording back and forth (between the devices)
but can lead to a point where your sequences sound wrong / different on the other (Elektron) device.

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Thanks for the reply. Keeping the microtiming groove between the two would be important. Wonder if they’re similar resolution… Thanks again for the insight. I might have to try and demo one.

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I just made a test

Squid has a beat repeat mode (1/8, 1/16, 1/32 standard timings)
i used the Squid pads to record into the Analog 4 (MKI)
the Analog 4 recorded the timings 1/8, 1/16 with no issues and it sounded identical on both devices, but using the 1/32 timing the Analog 4 played and recorded as 1/16 notes where their should be 1/32 notes. I tried it without activated quantisation. If you want to record 1/32 notes you have to set your Elektron device´s track scaling to x2. (Thanks mkdsl)

After revisiting the thread and thanks to mkdsl´s answer i can tell you that this test was short sighted because of missing information on my part.

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Hope you are aware that elektron has native 1/16 resolution for the trigs. You would have to use the x2 time division to get /32 or record as retrigs. Can’t record two different events on 1 trig step.

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No i was not aware of that :disappointed_relieved:

Just to keep everything in context, can you record 1/32 notes from an external source into an Elektron device if you set the track scaling to x2?

Yes, you can :sunglasses:

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Hello friends, I just got a squid in the studio , i waant to trigger my tr8. I can only trigger it using scale mode on the squid…(kinda sucks ) . Is there a way to trigger the tr8 ussing cc values , like assigning an individual pad for each sound on the tr8 ??

Thanks!!

I think tr8 sounds are only triggered via note on / off. So you do need chromatic mode.

Some ccs turn on / off scatter , change reverb etc.

So it might be best to use many tracks on squid so you can sequence /mute each tr8 instrument within the kit.

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