Torso T1 Algorithmic Sequencer

Drambo is always a good idea. Especially with the T-1’s ability to modulate MIDI CCs.

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Good morning Elektronauts,

I would like to buy an external hardware sequencer for my Eurorack drums.
I have the Jomox Modbase, Erica Drums Cymbals and two Pico Drums. But most of the time I only use one Pico Drum.

What do you think is the T-1 a good choice?
The Beatstep Pro and Oxi One are also in the shortlist.

Thank you for help and answer.

The T-1 leans heavily in the generative / (controlled) random side of things. Would you like that or prefer a more deterministic approach? The Oxi One is also very well liked, but it’s very different. Both can do both, but I’d say the T-1 likes to go experimental while the Oxi has some great features like this, but the core workflow is geared towards more typical sequencing duties.

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Thanks for that, that’s a very good helpful answer.
My main approach is to use it as a step sequencer for techno.
Beyond that, I’d like to see what other possibilities the T-1 offers.
I definitely like the design of the T-1 better.

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I have other traditional sequencing methods available, so for me the T-1 is a playground type thing.

I wouldn’t probably have it as my only sequencer, personally, but it’s very inspiring, a breath of fresh air in my setup.

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Thanks again for the fresh input :wink:

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I got a T1 a few weeks ago in a trade. I’m enjoying exploring its generative approach, but it’s almost certainly not the sequencer I’d pick if I wanted to make techno. Not that you couldn’t do so with the T1, but there are many other sequencers out there that would be much more immediate and useful in this regard.

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Would you expand on this?

I’ve seen a video of one of their developers saying they designed it with techno at the front of their minds. And some big names use it for that. Could you talk about what you’d do differently?

I just got one. I’ve barely got through the getting started guide so I don’t have informed opinions of my own yet. So far, the algorithmic approach seems, to me, ideal for many flavours of techno, where you want “interesting, varying”, but don’t need fixed/planned melody & harmony.

I am finding it a bit stiff and slow to use. I am not sure what I’m gaining over my Elektron sequencers. I hope that will change as I learn it better.

Thanks for the message and help.
Can you recommend something else, do you have experience with other sequencers in this genre?

Hello again :smiley:
Some examples of how the T-1 can dialogue with Eurorack modules:

this is a bit extended setup driven via MIDI

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I think maybe the best way to look at this is in terms of steps vs patterns.

There are absolutely people who approach techno (or electronic music broadly) in terms of steps. They hear it in their heads in terms of 16s and “ee, and, uh” and play the trigs of a sequencer with all 10 fingers like some play piano.

And the T-1 is not the greatest step sequencer. It can do it, but if that’s what you’re after an elektron or Oxi or Korg or Roland or… will probably suit you better.

But there are also people who see techno as patterns playing against each other. The kick isn’t “1, 5, 9, 13”. It’s “4 in a bar”. Claps are two in a bar. Hats are maybe 12, and rotating. Bass is a 3-on-5 polymeter. Arps are a specific modulation over a key. And the fun comes when you shift or change those patterns against each other as patterns not as steps in a sequencer.

The T-1 makes that kind of thinking about music very easy, and is kind of unique in that. But ultimately it’s all just triggers. Any kind of music can be made with any style and (with more or less effort) with any sequencer. It’s more about how you think about it and what gear matches that philosophy.

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Thank you!

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Very very inspiring what you just wrote.
Apparently, as others have already written, you need both :wink:

Thanks for the link, I wasn’t even thinking of marking the knobs of my T-1 but why not make it Christmas compliant? :smile:

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I had started writing this, had to go do some work stuff, and came back to see @jemmons insightful post about step based based thinking vs evolving patterns played off against each other, which I think is the heart of some of my thoughts about the T1. I don’t make or follow techno, so my ignorant assumption was that creating techno would fall squarely in the step based approach. Seems like I’m totally wrong about that! Mea culpa…

I’ll make just one more quick point about the interface…

I find the interface of the T1 to be more than a bit inscrutable. I think part of this stems from the minimalist interface of the device and the ton of functionality they’ve crammed into such a compact device that lacks a screen. This inevitably means that it’s quite “menu divey”, and because there’s no screen for feedback you basically need to memorize what quite a few of the “visual sub-menus” mean.

For a concrete example of this, read Chap 6 (Progressions) of the T1 manual and check out all the visual sub-menus with 6 or 8 green-lit options to choose from. Did you memorize what all those sub-menus do? Good, there will be a quiz later… :wink: I’m sure with time and repeated use this will become “muscle memory” but they definitely mean that the interface is anything but immediate.

Despite my interface complaints above, I’m still devoting some time and effort to the T1 because I think it has some powerful and interesting ideas baked into it. But when I just want to get an idea down I find myself reaching for the Oxi One or Hapax or whatever…

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I’ve been using the T1 since release, and exclusively for nearly a year (previously owned hapax, squid and oxi-one).

I would say that what others have said above is spot on - it is not a really traditional sequencer in terms of speed or ease, although it is quite straightforward to figure how to replicate this workflow of required.

The T1 can input triggers within 16 - 64 steps, and you determine the note or chord of that step, including velocity, sustain, accent and probability etc.

In this sense, it can work very much like an elektron sequencer, except without a screen to show these values, and it take a little longer to input as you work on a step by step basis, navigating up and down from this level as you go.

Dipping into the generative stuff, can be more daunting - and took me ages to get fluent - and kind of doesn’t work for pre-determined ideas (although certain outcomes can be arrived at quite simply, such as arpeggios).

This aspect is geared more to explore to see what comes out of the combinations of parameters and the interplay between them - and whilst it’s very useful to know what they do I don’t think it’s entirely neccesary to understand it fully before using it.

Imo techno-style sequences are something that is relatively easily achievable with the device, when compared to trying to sequence a cohesive chord sequence or bassline. These, when approached traditionally, can quite tricky / laborious to achieve with the T1, and which things like the oxi-one or hapax can do much more elegantly.

However, it’s a wonderful experience for me, when arriving upon a progression or pattern I would never think or plan of putting together - and this can be very quick, once familiar with even just the top level of control.

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This is what I thought when I sold mine. It’s too melodic for my purpose. For drums it’s really good and adds some variation with velocity but really hard to dial in live unlike on Elektron devices. Not that you can’t make techno with it https://youtu.be/h8UMaImoRzs?si=l2ydwUiIDIx78fPv

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Hey :slight_smile: Late to the party, as usual.
I have been using the T1 for a little less than a year now.
I bought it when I still had an A4 Mk2, DT, DN and OT Mk2.
I have to say I really like the Elektron way and offering on sequencers.
I ended up selling A4, DT and DN to finance (part of…) some modular.
I am now left with OT and T1 for sequencing my modular.
I am mostly doing techno/electro.
As of today, I am not using OT anymore as a sequencer, rather a mixer/effects/re-sampler for my modular. Unless I am sequencing samples from my modular within OT.
T1 is providing a lot of hands on control for improvisation (which I am after) for what I am doing. It is indeed more oriented towards “generative” stuff but to be honest, what some people dislike about it is a plus for me: random happy accidents that can then be structured within a theme. Indeed you never know what you are going to come up with harmony/melody wise (through the use of RANDOM function) but once you hit a sweet spot, you can then make it stay the same (A bit like a Turing Machine).
EUCLIDEAN functions are very intuitive and this, for me, is a must for techno :slight_smile: I like to have my patterns fight against each other; for example a 4 on the floor against a 5/8 sub, and a 12/8 melody (if that can be called melody in techno…) which works wonders :slight_smile: Far more intricate on Elektron machines to generate, although possible, but less intuitive.
CYCLES is genius if you ask me as is the TEMP function (which is a little like the Ctrl+All function on DT).
Have not tried many sequencers; had the OxiOne in mind as well but it is too much for me. Too many functions. Could not speak for BeatStep but as an Elektron fan, that says a lot: not using my OT for sequencing hardware.
There are a lot of modular sequencers but in the end I would need a different sequencer for drums and and another for other voices. Too much space and money.
Take all this with a grain of salt as what I like some others will not and vice versa :slight_smile:
In the end, I got a sequencer to live jam vs writing songs. Although it is absolutely possible with T1.
Hope this helps.

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That’s why you have know the Oxi One, right?

I would like to thank everyone who has responded to my enquiry. That’s what I love most about this forum.

I’m still not sure. I should actually order both now and work with them to see which is better.
But the question is, is it really fun to learn 2 machines at the same time?

The Oxi One can do that and more, everyone says that’s fine, but do I really need it, rather not.

And one more thing, I definitely only want to control my drums with it, I will definitely do my three voices with my modular, 126 Version - Eurorack Modular System from Waldemar on ModularGrid