Which sequencer has the BEST midi implementation?

[flex42]

thanks!

[ahja]

I just discovered a feature in Logic that splits the midi notes to separate tracks based on pitch.. so you can take a midi drum pattern (all on one track) and split it into mutiple tracks... Now that's pretty cool!

You can do that in SX as well.

Midi > Dissolve Part (seperate by pitch)

[Sascha Franck]

I just discovered a feature in Logic that splits the midi notes to separate tracks based on pitch.. so you can take a midi drum pattern (all on one track) and split it into mutiple tracks... Now that's pretty cool!

This has been in both Cubase and Logic since they started to exist.

for example, what's a 16B quantization in Logic (i've read that Steve Bug uses that mostly)?

It's a special sort of swing mode, just slightly altered 16th off beats - made so you don't need to fool with the swing factor yourself (which will effectively give you the same results).
16 A-F are representing different 16th note shuffles.
Nothing really special - as said, just existing to give you quicker access to slight shuffling.
!6B is a great setting if you only want to give a track some livelyness without actually having the shuffle too noticeable (but for my taste it's still too much of a swing factor sometimes).
The funny thing about 16A being: It's 100% the same as straight 16th note quantization - the folks at Emagic just messed that one up.

Oh, btw, two things I really like about Logics quantization settings: You have 8 & 12, 16 & 12, 16 & 24 settings, which are just great in case you mix triplets and even values.

[stag]

I just discovered a feature in Logic that splits the midi notes to separate tracks based on pitch.. so you can take a midi drum pattern (all on one track) and split it into mutiple tracks... Now that's pretty cool!

You can do that in SX as well.

Midi > Dissolve Part (seperate by pitch)

I believe on cubase is better to set a drum map with which drum element assigned to diferent MIDI channel and let the drum sampler manage the audio I/O .

[P.T.]

So, how does project5 ver.2 fit into this?

Is it like Sonar? Better? Not as good? Different in a good way?

[porpoise]

HI

I have been using Project 5 V2 for the last few days and think that like every other sequencer out there it has it's own particular way of doing things that given time would be comfortable to use.

It has a detachable window - which if you have 2 monitors means you can have a full screen dedicated to Midi/audio editing - this makes it a lot more fun to use.

I was going to reply to this post some time back, I think the point that is missed is that any sequencer is probably going to work for you on a basic level, I mean once you fathom out its depths (or lack of) you will make compensations - what I can't personally forgive is an interface that makes life awkward to get to where you want to go quickly.

There are a few well thought of Hosts around that I like but which have really arcane Midi editing facilities, this tends to revolve around the need to mess around getting the piano-roll to size up - I mean who wants to have to press all kinds of key commands and mouse wheel scrolling just to get a full screem midi edit page up?

I am not going to mention the names as people get defensive but it would not take a genius to work out which hosts I am talking about!

You got to give it to SX though - click on a midi clip and hey presto you have a FULL SCREEN PIANO ROLL, is that so difficult?

It would appear to be so as several hosts seem to think that we are using 72" plasma monitors.

Beyond that though you have to consider the overall program usability, I mean if their are features that make it that good it might compensate?

Personally the piano-roll/midi-editing for me is the holy grail and most of my initial time is spent there so I cannot be very forgiving of programs that however nice lack this feature - I recently upgraded one of my hosts for almost free as it is such a wonderfull program to work with audio clips in, has a simple and clear interface but has IMO shite midi editing .... what can you do

Porpoise.

[P.T.]

Does P5 have in track midi editing so that a midi clip can be compared to one on another track or with an audio clip on another track?

[DHR53]

When I used Cubase, I did in fact use the drum map... But I've always preferred doing my drums on one track as complete patterns... Really, some of the more exotic midi features in Cubase and Logic are what you're paying for, compared to less expensive alternatives... And whether or not you use them, they are powerful. I haven't begun to scratch the surface of Logic, I'll admit, but it's Logic's optimization for the Mac, that leaves Cubase in the dust

[flex42]

Oh, btw, two things I really like about Logics quantization settings: You have 8 & 12, 16 & 12, 16 & 24 settings, which are just great in case you mix triplets and even values.

That's cool indeed! Thanks for the infos, Sascha!

[Bas]

For anyone who wants them, there are some free guides to SX2 at http://66.46.134.58/basfiles/bas.htm . These cover a lot of the midi implementation (I like Cubase for Midi) and might help in choosing right sequencer for the features you want.

Bas.

[TeeLangSun]

Well, this particular case is what almost anybody will have to do if he wants to program drums in logic.

Not at all.
I just use one drumsampler and get away with it. No need to route to any further sources.
OK, most often I will use two instances (one for drums, one for percussive things). But that's about it.
Splitting individual instruments to various sound sources admittedly IS a rather complicated task in Logic, especially when you're not used to it.
But (and I do quite some drum programming), I seriously can't remember the last time I had to do this. And I don't know much other people doing so either.

In a program like Logic, it's probably best to do all your drum programming in audio tracks in order to "easily" route them to separate mixer channels for proper mixing. This is definately one of the areas where Cubase does shine brightly. VST support in general is best in Cubase and I find the piano roll editing to be second to none. I find something like Sonar to be at the other end of the spectrum. Worst piano roll I've ever used but when it's method of mapping controllers is vastly superior to Cubase. Guess we all have to choose what is most important to us and go with that sequencer. Or bounce around from sequencer to sequencer to sequencer forever. I'm currently still struggling with this. I'd love to be able to settle on one and not ever look at another one again but it's hard.

[flex42]

For anyone who wants them, there are some free guides to SX2 at http://66.46.134.58/basfiles/bas.htm . These cover a lot of the midi implementation (I like Cubase for Midi) and might help in choosing right sequencer for the features you want.

Bas.

yep, those are great. thanks for all your work for the cubase community!

[Sascha Franck]

In a program like Logic, it's probably best to do all your drum programming in audio tracks in order to "easily" route them to separate mixer channels for proper mixing.

I never do that and I wouldn't happen to know why I should, either.
I select an individual out on my drumsampler of choice (in my case DR-008 or Battery) and set that out as the input of an aux object. Done.
What could be easier?

[kritikon]

What could be easier?

Errrrrrrrrrr....using Cubase?







You asked for that

[Sascha Franck]

Errrrrrrrrrr....using Cubase?

K, next time you get angry about those additional mixer channel, just because you wanted to add some little percussion track using Battery, tell me about it.
Oh yes, it IS easier - but it's as dumb as possible as well.