Ooh, I like This Modular Rack...

[Stefken]

I’m not a good one to ask so I’ll refrain making any suggestions, but have you seen this video?

I think a sequencer is in my future, but likely next year.

Awesome video... again. And a lot to consider. I m liking the Westlich Performer which can give you both control and generative/unpredictable stuff. I m not really sure what is happening at timeindex 10.43 but i like it. So you give it a range of notes to play with a probability of the gate going off?

Strange again that the Black sequencer isn t even mentioned in the list. It s very capable

[WatchTheGuitar]

the only 16 step with knobs i own is rene, which is big so refrained from suggesting
i also have the malekko sequencer, which has a lot of what you are after, but isn't as hands on with the push a button to choose step, and then the slider for whichever output...

I thought he was avoiding sequencers where you have to push a button each step, with the Varigate you only need to press the note button to get into that mode and then it stays in that mode and can move any of the 16 sliders at any time to change their pitch. Or are you talking about the Malekko Voltage Block?

[vurt]

the only 16 step with knobs i own is rene, which is big so refrained from suggesting
i also have the malekko sequencer, which has a lot of what you are after, but isn't as hands on with the push a button to choose step, and then the slider for whichever output...

I thought he was avoiding sequencers where you have to push a button each step, with the Varigate you only need to press the note button to get into that mode and then it stays in that mode and can move any of the 16 sliders at any time to change their pitch. Or are you talking about the Malekko Voltage Block?

yeah i meant voltage block

[Stefken]

I thought he was avoiding sequencers where you have to push a button each step

The endgoal is more that it lends itself to happy accidents /good randomisation or a playfull way of entering and interacting. I m not going for the nerdseq as that is a very strict way of programming where you have to have the musical idea worked out in your brain and then program it in. Very cerebral.

I d like more a direct way where you could e.g. just turn knobs and see what gives and then tweak the pattern as it is playing. But that is just one way of going about it. Other ways of an 'intuitive' interaction might be good as well, and maybe that way of working would not require that much hands on control on a per note basis.
... I guess i am still discovering the various modi operandi of sequencers...

[vurt]

yeah the voltage block, is not really great at the editing while playing, where knob per step is just immediate!

the black sequencer looks pretty hard to beat for functions and playability.
but alongside spectraphon will leave you with little space for voices and processing.
although, i can't remember if you are limited to 1 or 2 rows or the hp of those rows now?

[Stefken]

The case would look like this. So pretty much full.
I could start to drop some stuff like the cheapo B dual envelope and use alternatives with a smaller footprint.
Edit: the power isn t in the schematics, so yeah i would have to throw out the dual envelope or the B 121.

I have 1 voice of the plaits, then 2 voices of the SP, and the disting can do multiple samples or even a polysynth. The grandmother and MS-20 give additional filters and voices.

Pretty much all types of synthesis are represented in my case now.
But it is quite likely that a second case will come at some point.

case-sp-bs.jpg

[WatchTheGuitar]

Pretty guaranteed you’ll get a new case. Sequencers should offer envelope out as well as gates IMO, would help save a lot of space. You could use Maths though for two envelopes.

[Stefken]

The black sequencer has a gate for each of the 4 channels, and the mod lane can also output envelopes, lfos, triggers, and even an extra set of notes. Pam can also output lfos and envelopes.

Put yeah, modulation is a thing to keep an eye on.
(The moog also has an lfo and envelope).

[WatchTheGuitar]

Oh that’s a handy feature if the EB sequencer can send envelopes. I know the Pam Pro can, but most of the time you probably want a sequencer to handle which notes play and which rest or are linked to play longer.

[Stefken]

Another nice feature. I was thinking. Wouldn t it be nice if you could selectively randomize notes here and there, and combine that with the other probabilities for gate etc for some generative music. It wasn t featured in the videos i saw.

I just checked the latest firmware, and it s in there. You can do ‘magic’ per step and define rules like the range of allowed notes to change to.

[vurt]

ah that does sound cool.
similar i guess to the mucorder in cvilization? but with the more hands on knobs fnar, to play with wink wink...

[Stefken]

Yes, i was thinking the same. But i think the mucorder is more like a switch that switches to a second predefined melody. The magic may kick in or not (probability) and when it does it chooses a value within a given rule/range. So more flexible.

[Stefken]

I think it can pull of that shit at 10:45 where you just define a few notes and let it produce some awesome generative stuff.

[vurt]

Yes, i was thinking the same. But i think the mucorder is more like a switch that switches to a second predefined melody. The magic may kick in or not (probability) and when it does it chooses a value within a given rule/range. So more flexible.

yes there does seem to be a bit more flexibility.
the mucorder i think, randomises on a given scale (can be chromatic too) but yes, on every n number of steps, there's no chance elements to yes/no. it's always yes!!

[vurt]

also yes, it changes the whole sequence. not just this or that note.