GROOVEFEST

What's your favorite groove machine (or sequencer) and why?

I was going to buy a dedicated sequencer but economics is forcing me to learn my Fusion's linear sequencer.

What's everybody else doing these days? Let's see if DAWs are over or under 50% or use at this point

Each of the following is a favorite of mine, for different reasons.

RS7000 -- The sequencer, the tweakability, and the effects.

ASRX Pro -- The amazing sonic quality (esp bottom end). Just a different kind of presence. Hard to describe. Ensoniq knew what they were doing when they built a sampler. Not such a great sequencer, though.

Roland MC505 and MC909 -- I've used the 505 longer than the 909. The 505 I love because it's built like a tank and sounds quite good if you're willing to program it. It has a JV sound engine (4 partials, etc.), and most people just tweak the presets and miss out on what it can do. Megamix is also a blast. The 909, OTOH, has about the best workflow of any groovebox (USB connect to PC, etc.), and the best display.

Korg EMX-1 -- Ease of use and sonic quality. I've never had to read the manual. Just easy and immediate. And portable.

Speaking of portable, I'll also go out on a limb and recommend the Boss DR202 Dr. Groove. A great little groove box. Cheap, too. Last time I was at the pawn shop they had three of them for $75 a piece. Lots of drum sounds, and a bass synth to boot. Runs on batteries. I've made many a drum beat and bass line on this little machine that ended up becoming something else on more advanced hardware. Fun.

ARGH I forgot to put the Electribes in there

It sucks having only 10 options...

Of those options. I pick Elektron all the way.

Currently (By order of most use): Logic 9, Live Intro 8, MPC 2500, M3

Most productive on ever (Span of this music voyage): MC-909

I am the only voter so far who uses an analog sequencer?

This is sorta skewed because I also use Maschine and Live (and Cubase too). But I just got a second Doepher A-155 and the VC switches required to turn my A-154/155 setup into 16 steps. I am really enjoying farting around with that in my Eurorack. I also have the A-156 quantizer and A160/161 clock divider and clock/trigger sequencer. This makes a very flexible polyrhythm generator.

I've never tried one of the Yamaha's. I've heard nothing but good about their sequencers.

I'm putting the Command Station just ahead of my current box, which is a MachineDrum. It's too versatile and too immediately fun to ignore. On other hand, the MachineDrum, especially together with my desktop Evolver, is less like a "groovebox" in the marketing sense and more like its own instrument.

A good DAW will do everything the other two can but whenever I try to make music on a computer, I always get sidetracked and print up baby pictures or do some work.

Spectralis ... just sounds utterly amazing, the flexibility, features and its seqcuencers, just a phenominal unit.. its on another level compared to all my other gear (and I

RS7000 was my favorite. Very quick to work on, different than a computer but still very powerful and some of the ROM sounds were usable. (Yamaha's sound quality on these things could have been better.) I miss having one. I kinda want to buy one (or two!) in the future. But have a QY-70. Also have a DR-202 and MC-09, both fun. Currently loveing the AN and DX200, not sure I am keeping both of them.

What's your favorite groove machine (or sequencer) and why? I was going to buy a dedicated sequencer but economics is forcing me to learn my Fusion's linear sequencer. What's everybody else doing these days? Let's see if DAWs are over or under 50% or use at this point

Some quick tips/reminders for the Fusion's sequencer:

pattern recording 1:

/EDITOR/PROCESS: copy/paste/paste over/cut/slide etc

pattern recording 2:

/ARP/Pattern ==> Record

more than 4 ARPs

/ARP/Process ARP/PROCESS copy/paste etc

import MIDI snippets as user ARPS:

the active instrument you can currently play:

/TRACK/EDIT Track

to layer or access multiple MIDI tracks at once, use LINK:

/TRACK/Link

use LINK above to keep Drums always handy on far left/right of keyboard:

you'll want to Transpose (/TRACK/Param) drum track to put bass/snare in reach

to audition/edit a single instrument track's source:

/UTILITY/Track Utilities

to edit an instrument's parameters, without harming original instrument:

/TRACK/Param ==> EDIT Program Param

to send a Program intact (w/FX) to the Song:

/Utility/To Song (can choose new song or current song)

to make SHORTCUT key combos to *oft-used* pages (Output, Track Volume):

SET LOC (above STOP button) + 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8

then use LOC + 1/2/3 etc to go directly to that page

Tap Tempo: tap Arp soft-button

to return from MIXER or Global modes back to the sequencer:

EDIT soft-button

to assign/trigger an audio snippet to a single or range of keyboard notes:

record audio as a Track, then use /Track/Range

-- don't forget to use the keyboard shortcut to assign values (LOC + keyboard)

to make odd-time meters:

/EDITOR/Edit Track ==> Master Track (precedes Track 1)

to use Insert FX on audio tracks:

-- make/save a VA Program which uses External In instead of oscillators

-- use a patch cable(!) to route the audio track's AUX output back into Input L/R

-- add another Synth Track, and select above-mentioned External In program

-- apply Insert FX to the synth track =)

Those are some things that quickly popped into my currently insomniac brain. (Or am I dreaming I'm stuck in the past doling out Fusion advice? Is this a nightmare?) If you're controlling multiple synths with the Fusion, and sometimes when hitting PLAY the other synths change programs or volume (or go Mute), go into the /Editor and select /Trk View, then delete the default MIDI patch/bank event for each offending track. You can also go to the *oft-used* Volume page (/Song/Config/View: Volume), and from there reset the Volume. Fave key combo here is INC + DEC (reset default). And yes, the Volume does funky things trying to control it live while sequencer is playing.... sequencer wins and overrides any manual changes.

That's it for now. Now why did I get up in the first place? Oh yeah, some cold milk... see ya...

Thanks for the tips psionic This is good stuff. I think I'm actually gonna save this, add to it (like, my set location pages) and print it out.

I'll definitely be controlling other synths (32 midi tracks, are you kidding me, if I have to use this linear stuff I might as well use all that horsepower and fill it up with all my other synth sounds )

I have created a file with a lot of your tips from the Fusion forum, and have been going through them. The Fusion manual is pretty useless, I've been through that as well...

MC-909 for me. Like you mentioned, it's got the best workflow. I hardly use the synth engine anymore, but it's great for driving my analogs.

When I had my command station (MP7) it was basically the heart of the midi rig. It easily took the job over from the ex5 (which we know and love ). Anyone that ever came over to my house could start laying down tracks on it. It was easy to get around and begged to be played.

However, once I bought the Korg M3, I started to get a little spoiled by the much more graphical display. The M3 doesn't have a pattern sequencer per se (you can 'fake it' by using the sequencers cue list), but I liked seeing a piano roll editor for notes and CC messages, etc. Also, I liked how each track on the M3 can be set to loop at different lengths (ala Ableton Live).

I also have a Korg ESX that I rarely use to sequence other gear with. I use it on its own plenty though.

Overall, it's probably safe to say that I use 50/50 workstation sequencer/DAW. Just depends on the mood I suppose.....

Roland MV8000 .

Why? cos its the only sequencer I use. I have a few computer daws, but I just dont like using computer for music unfortunatly..so I dont use them at all these days ( wish I did.. would make things much easier & would be easier on my wallet)

I really want to get a groovebox though especially an Emu XL7 & or an MC909

Oh and what I actually use is an MPC. Doesn't matter which one... all are good. Currently using MPC1000.

I use the sequencers that are actually built into the machines i have =o]

every few years if/when my music computer is down or unavailable i resort to using my korg 01w/fd for sequencing my rack of hardwar . . . with some fun results . . . but ultimately more frustrating than just using logic. sometimes limitations are good but using all midi just causes mental anguish imo

My neurotically picky self rebels against using the Spectralis as the example of a 'boutique sequencer'. I mean, come on....the Spectralis, as a sequencer of other instruments, doesn't begin to compare with the better dedicated midi sequencers - p3/cirklon, schrittmacher, Octopus/Nemo, or any of the other contenders that have appeared/disappeared over the years. Perhaps the best groovebox sequencer (one can argue about it versus the monomachine sequencer), but not in a league with the 'boutique sequencers'.

That said, while I love analog sequencers, and have a few, I also midi step sequencers (have a cirklon coming), but also enjoy a computer step sequencer or 2 or 3 (numerology, some Reaktor based sequencers, and also some of the more unusual sequencers coming out these days - for example, Nodal).

Hey droolmaster!,..

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but what functions of these boutique sequencers make them that much better vs the step sequencer of the spectralis?,.. obviously the Octopus is in a pure league of its own (the UI is stunning but so is its size for a step-sequencer) but compared to the likes of a p3 (very menu driven) vs the very hands on spectralis (most edits are done via front panel and your midi keyboard) I

No, the Octopus is not in a league of its own unless you mean that it is the largest, and perhaps the most interesting visually. In terms of algorithmic type capabilities, the p3 is far superior, for instance.

If you consider the Spectralis interface to be easy and intuitive, more power to you. You'll note that a rather high number of Spectralis users sell their units precisely because of the convoluted interface, though the sequencer itself isn't as bad as some other parts of it, I suppose.

The Spectralis sequencer is very much menu driven, as is the rest of the unit (extremely so) if you are making edits to the more complex sound generating and sequencing sections. Sure - you can make some quick knob turns, but the p3 (from my recollection) can do that too.

But if you want immediacy, just buy yourself an analog sequencer, or the monomachine (if you want a synth along with it).

The envelopes are nice on the Spectralis, but if the discussion is about sequencing other gear, they are absolutely irrelevant. They are not midi features. Overall, I'll agree - the Spectralis is the best sequencer for sequencing itself, but that is partly because the midi implementation isn't very good - from recollection, you can only access one of the voice groupings - so you can't really sequence the different oscillators separately, etc.

The Spectralis allows each track to be of different lengths (but the monomachine is peculiar among good sequencers in its inability to achieve that), but has only a half ass probability features - only a few resolutions, and it works only for notes, has not interesting trigger options, and (probably most importantly if you get into other than relatively simple sequencing) allows no intertrack interaction. Want to modulate one track with another? You're out of luck. Nice sequencer, and integrates well with the Spectralis, but no - it absolutely isn't a top of the line sequencer for sequencing other gear. Of course, if you like it and think it's easy to use, that's important.

I've used more sequencers, both 'boutique' and not, than I've had any right to get my hands on, and I just can't really take the Spectralis very seriously as a high end sequencer. The Monomachine also is touted by some as a phenomenal sequencer, and I suppose that it's interface and parameter locks make it interesting in some ways, but every track must be the same length, and you also cannot modulate one track with another.

All of these sequencers have weaknesses - the Octopus is probably second (and it isn't very close) to the p3/Cirklon in what it can do to mess up simple sequences, but because there are NO menus, you have to memorize some rather unintuitive sets of keystrokes to accomplish many of its more interesting features, and it's a common complaint that if you don't use it for awhile, you can't remember how to do stuff.

Probably the boutique sequencer that most precisely shows up the Spectralis is the Schrittmacher. It's easy to use (much more so than the Spectralis), the view screen is large and allows you to see all of the steps simultaneously, it has great intertrack modulation, and allows you to do all sorts of crazy stuff - modulate the midi channel, choose notes from a huge range of time values in a single track, all of which can be modulated, etc. Not as crazy as the p3 can get, but a much better interface....the Cirklon of course has the large screen which will make it a joy to use.

the really good midi step sequencers allow you to construct songs that evolve in very interesting ways....

On the one hand, the Spectralis definitely is a unique and great sounding synth, and it's certainly true of all of these instruments that if you like it, it doesn't matter what anyone else says. But, if you're not into using most of the truly boutique features of boutique sequencers, I'm not sure why you're insisting that the Spectralis is one of them.

thanks for the input .. always very informative!, I guess I

The auxilliary events are where it's happening. Don't skip that part....

well, yeah - the Spectralis is a relatively simple sequencer - so that'd be good if he develops more tools to add to its immediacy. But that's part of the issue - it would be total overkill to get something like a p3/Schrittmacher/Octopus etc to do nothing but simple sequencing.

now we are totally hijacking this thread,.. the spectralis seq is relatively simple yes, but really: an electribe is simple, an electron would be a step up the line (but I don't think electron can skip steps or do polyrhythms of anykind(?), the spectralis even as simple as it is, is quite advanced compared other grooveboxes, (envelope per step (of course internal synth/filter only) is very nice! .. yet it