What should I buy as my First Sequencer?

[scarified]

I'm about to buy a korg r3 and perhaps a korg electribe er1 mk2 as a drum machine to go with it.

 

What would be the best sequencer for a beginner to use with the korg r3 to record and trigger some parts played on the korg using midi ?

 

And would I need the drum machine?

[scarified]

oh yes and this would be a midi sequencer for a live situation, not a pc

[Renfield I]

Korg EMX could provide drums, bass, and send synth lines to your R3 from it's sequencer.

[stikygum]

Get Logic! You won't be disappointed.

[llamastorm]

Logic as a live sequencer could be comedy performance art. As he spends 20 minutes carefully positioning his mouse with the piano roll editor

 

I have been asking the same kind of questions and have probably decided to pick up an EMX eventually at some point -- though a MachineDrum is tempting that would take some extra saving up Things like the Mobius look like a lot of fun but one track and no drums would be kinda limiting.

[Mecedes]

Ableton

[xmlguy]

Don't buy the R3. Buy the Juno-G. It has a 16 track sequencer. It has all the rhythm capability of a drum machine, except pads (which you can add via midi). I own both. I bought the R3 for the vocoder and Radias engine, but I already had sequencing and drums on other gear, and since you don't, the Juno-G has it all except the vocoder. You'd be better off with a Juno-G + a used MicroKorg than an R3+sequencer+drums (or groovebox), because the Juno-G also samples, is expandable, and has more overall capability (128 poly, 16 timbre, GM midi, 4 stereo audio tracks record/play/loop).

 

Or you could try to find a used Fantom X6.

[Acid Hazard]

You can buy my Yamaha RM1x =o]

[scarified]

 

Don't buy the R3. Buy the Juno-G. It has a 16 track sequencer. It has all the rhythm capability of a drum machine, except pads (which you can add via midi). I own both. I bought the R3 for the vocoder and Radias engine, but I already had sequencing and drums on other gear, and since you don't, the Juno-G has it all except the vocoder. You'd be better off with a Juno-G + a used MicroKorg than an R3+sequencer+drums (or groovebox), because the Juno-G also samples, is expandable, and has more overall capability (128 poly, 16 timbre, GM midi, 4 stereo audio tracks record/play/loop). Or you could try to find a used Fantom X6.

 

 

 

You do realise the Juno G is twice the price?

 

I also have a korg X5d which has good instrument sounds so I'm only really bothered about the analogue synth style sounds

[scarified]

and again, I'm not after a pc sequencer..

[scarified]

 

Korg EMX could provide drums, bass, and send synth lines to your R3 from it's sequencer.

 

 

 

So I could play in parts on my korg r3 connected to the EMX through midi and it would be able to play them back?

 

Or do I have to program the synth lines on the EMX by hand?

[Allerian]

My first squencer was a Monomachine SFX-60. Years later, I still use it every day.

 

 

Let me save someone a little time here, "Yeah, well it doesn't do unequal length tracks, reversing, pong mode, or have the bannana slot!". No, no it doesn't.

[eminor9]

My first squencer was a Monomachine SFX-60. Years later, I still use it every day. Let me save someone a little time here, "Yeah, well it doesn't do unequal length tracks, reversing, pong mode, or have the bannana slot!". No, no it doesn't.

 

oouch, and you forgot to mention the most important fact: it sounds shallow and thin

 

Luckily for me I shallow & thin sounds.

 

What's with those fckn' smilies today - must be Friday, I'm in love.

[scarified]

My first squencer was a Monomachine SFX-60. Years later, I still use it every day. Let me save someone a little time here, "Yeah, well it doesn't do unequal length tracks, reversing, pong mode, or have the bannana slot!". No, no it doesn't.

 

You can do a 6/8 rythm on it though right?

 

That's the problem i find with sequencers they are all built for 4 on the floor time

[Allerian]

oouch, and you forgot to mention the most important fact: it sounds shallow and thin Luckily for me I shallow & thin sounds.

 

I'm blessed with the Mono that throws down shaking bass.

 

 

You can do a 6/8 rythm on it though right?

 

No, there's no 6/8 mode or button. Like many sequencers, technique will drive your success in this area.

[xmlguy]

 

You do realise the Juno G is twice the price? I also have a korg X5d which has good instrument sounds so I'm only really bothered about the analogue synth style sounds

 

 

It's not twice the price of an R3+sequencer+drum machine/groove box, in fact, it may be cheaper. Plus the Juno-G has better integration and is more convenient than buying these components separately. I got my Juno-G new for $800+tax.

[Gribs]

 

It's not twice the price of an R3+sequencer+drum machine/groove box, in fact, it may be cheaper. Plus the Juno-G has better integration and is more convenient than buying these components separately. I got my Juno-G new for $800+tax.

 

 

Good thing I scrolled down to the bottom of the thread to read this. I was going to say this too. An R3 + sequencer alone will be the same or more than a Juno G. A used Fantom, Motif, or Triton Extreme will get you loads more too.

 

Does the Radias expansion board that Korg is giving away with the M3 have the vocoder on it? That would be another option - pricier but very nice set-up.

[xmlguy]

 

Good thing I scrolled down to the bottom of the thread to read this. I was going to say this too. An R3 + sequencer alone will be the same or more than a Juno G. A used Fantom, Motif, or Triton Extreme will get you loads more too. Does the Radias expansion board that Korg is giving away with the M3 have the vocoder on it? That would be another option - pricier but very nice set-up.

 

 

Yes, the Radias board has a vocoder, and it will even save the formant data to the M3 memory, not just the Radias Formant slots, as I recall. But quite a bit more expensive than the budget discussed in this thread. Used gear is the best value way to go, depending on how lucky you are finding something undervalued.

[Cloacal-X]

 

No, there's no 6/8 mode or button. Like many sequencers, technique will drive your success in this area.

 

 

I was under the distinct impression that you could set up any time signature which is divisible by 16th note increments (such as 6/8) by holding the function key down, pressing the scale setup key, and adjusting the number of steps in the pattern. Isn't that the case?

[enx]

doesn't the Radius have a sequencer and the same engine as the R3? (plus 2 more timbres?)

 

my suggestion: save up and get the Radias, it's awesome

[Re-Member]

 

So I could play in parts on my korg r3 connected to the EMX through midi and it would be able to play them back? Or do I have to program the synth lines on the EMX by hand?

 

 

It's possible to set it up this way:

 

1. R3 MIDI Out to EMX MIDI In

 

This will make it so that the R3 acts a playable controller for recording on the EMX in real time, but then to play it back you have to rewire the synths for the following:

 

2. R3 MIDI In to EMX MIDI Out

 

With this, the EMX will act as the controller for the R3. But in order to program anything else, you'd have to switch MIDI set ups again, or just learn to program using the EMX pads.

 

Another option would be obtaining a cheap Casio with MIDI Out, so you can use that as a simple controller for the whole set up, but then you'll end up with a mess of wires going everywhere and a Conga line of keyboards.

[xmlguy]

 

doesn't the Radius have a sequencer and the same engine as the R3? (plus 2 more timbres?) my suggestion: save up and get the Radias, it's awesome

 

 

No, Radias doesn't have a full sequencer. It has an arpeggiator, a mod sequencer and two step sequencers, each 32 steps long. It doesn't have a 16 track song sequencer or GM midi function, like the Juno-G. Radias relies on external sequencing for full songs, just like the R3. Radias can use one timbre for drumkits, but the R3 can't.

[scarified]

Well I saved like 240 dollars on my Korg R3 and it was brand new... I know how to shop around haha. (things are just so expensive in stores here in the uk, it saves to import)

 

I'm gonna get a second hand groovebox though. still have like 350 dollars to spend.

[Re-Member]

 

It's possible to set it up this way: 1. R3 MIDI Out to EMX MIDI In This will make it so that the R3 acts a playable controller for recording on the EMX in real time, but then to play it back you have to rewire the synths for the following: 2. R3 MIDI In to EMX MIDI Out With this, the EMX will act as the controller for the R3. But in order to program anything else, you'd have to switch MIDI set ups again, or just learn to program using the EMX pads. Another option would be obtaining a cheap Casio with MIDI Out, so you can use that as a simple controller for the whole set up, but then you'll end up with a mess of wires going everywhere and a Conga line of keyboards.

 

 

Actually, I just tried something out with two MIDI wires and it worked...

 

I have the R3 being sequenced by an MC-808 on Part 15, but when I plugged in another MIDI cable connecting the R3's MIDI OUT into the MC-808's MIDI IN, I was able to use the R3 both as a MIDI controller for the MC-808 and as an external sound module for sequencing.

 

In other words:

R3 MIDI OUT > MC-808 MIDI IN

MC-808 MIDI OUT > R3 MIDI IN

 

I thought that setting it up this way would have created an endless MIDI loop of notes, but it worked fine. I can play all the notes using the R3, record them onto the MC-808, then play the sequence back without any trouble.

[xmlguy]

 

Well I saved like 240 dollars on my Korg R3 and it was brand new... I know how to shop around haha. (things are just so expensive in stores here in the uk, it saves to import) I'm gonna get a second hand groovebox though. still have like 350 dollars to spend.

 

 

Good deal! The Korg ES1mkII can be found new for that budget. I saw one at my local Sam Ash for around $250. Since you've now got a good VA synth engine, a sampling groovebox would be a better match for you than a synth groovebox. The higher end grooveboxes will be well above your budget, but perhaps you could find a used model, such as the ESX-1, SP-404, or SP-606.