Synths with best sequencers, arpeggiators, and msegs?

[seangm]

del

[osiris]

Omnisphere, Thorn and Osirus.

[ere2learn]

sounds like OP needs a good arp, hard to get all that functionality from a synth

[cryophonik]

In software I like Omnisphere’s implementation.

In hardware, the Pro 3, MatrixBrute, and PolyBrute all have an excellent implementation that combines the arp with their step sequencer for motion-sequenced parameter modulation of the arpeggiated notes with assignable step on/off.

MiniFreak has a pretty cool hybrid arp and sequencer with real-time control/variation. It’s sorta integral to the hardware, but I haven’t really used the software version much, so I’m not sure how similar the implementation is.

[buffalo roam]

Thank you all for your recommendations! I'm overwhelmed, and I will check them all out.

Steppers and arps are kind of my thing. Frankly there are no synths that can compare to external plugs for this - NORA was a dream, but it fell off the planet. Phrasebox is excellent. Thesys is very good. Animation Station has its points. Stepic is awesome but I'm still trying to get my head around it. But Stochas is superb..... and *free* from Surge Team.

I was stunned to realize I've never checked out an external sequencer. I didn't realize how some of them can reach inside synths and modulate them through midi. I'll pick one of these up for sure. Thanks!

[ThomasHelzle]

Synthmaster3, Pigments, Tidal Cycles...

[ere2learn]

Thank you all for your recommendations! I'm overwhelmed, and I will check them all out.

check this thread for even more

viewtopic.php?t=517113&start=2295

[Dirtgrain]

Rapid has nifty modulation sequencers, where the shape of modulation can be changed with each step. I love it, and I wish more synths have this.
DS Thorn's glitch sequencer is nifty too.

[osiris]

Also will give DUNE a nod as well.

[swilow11]

Thank you all for your recommendations! I'm overwhelmed, and I will check them all out.

Steppers and arps are kind of my thing. Frankly there are no synths that can compare to external plugs for this - NORA was a dream, but it fell off the planet. Phrasebox is excellent. Thesys is very good. Animation Station has its points. Stepic is awesome but I'm still trying to get my head around it. But Stochas is superb..... and *free* from Surge Team.

I was stunned to realize I've never checked out an external sequencer. I didn't realize how some of them can reach inside synths and modulate them through midi. I'll pick one of these up for sure. Thanks!

There are some truly great external sequencers/arps out there. Personally, I've really enjoyed Audio Modern Riffer, Devicemeister Stepic, HY-RPE, but find myself using Futurephonics Rhythmiser the most- it's simple but good enough. Beyond that, your DAW probably has something built in.

[stoopicus]

For external sequencers I really liked Seqund and Thesys from their demos but I did not buy either and just started using Pigments to control other synths. In retrospect either of those would be a better pick most likely.

[MattLeschuck]

Rapid for both its sequencer modulation and ARP, Dune for its dual arp that keeps it simple but gets most of the job done, and Thorn for its simple but great ARP and unique glitch sequencer.

[audiojunkie]

Loomer’s architect looks like it would fit the bill. It can run in your DAW as a plugin. It can host plugins. It can do almost any kind of midi. I was thinking of using it and treating it as a giant form of vector synth, where each synth if my choice is a vector. You can save your patches. It looks ideal!

[buffalo roam]

External Arps and Sequencers

Thanks again to everyone for all the recommendations. As a report on how it’s going, I’ve been busy for several days checking out just about all the options you all have listed, downloading and fiddling around with them. Maybe my experience will be helpful to others:

-Those who say synth-based arps and sequencers generally have real limitations are right. I give up. I still like what DS Thorn does, and I’m hopeful about u-he’s upcoming Zebra 3. It would be nice if they weren't limited to 16 steps.

-External sequencers are fascinating in the different ways many of them work. In general, my biggest complaint with most of them is that they are so step-based, as if for EDM, that they don’t allow enough flexibility in terms of long notes vs short ones in a sequence. HY-plugin products, especially hyseq32, address this best, allowing one note to tie into the next one, and then allowing that to be followed by a short note. You might argue that if this is the big concern, I might as well stick with my daw. I don’t yet know how Stepic handles this business of long and short notes, but I’m impressed with how it offers several lines of sequences that reach inside a synth’s modulators rhythmically through midi. Again, this too can be done through a daw, but maybe not as handily. Stepic's varied lengths of loops for different lines of sequences is fascinating as a way to create non-repeating sequences.

Some sequencers baffle me at first encounter, and probably are more complicated than I’m up for learning how to use. These include Loomer Architect and five12’s Numerology. But I may well invest time in learning how to use them, as they seem so powerful. In the meantime, I may go with some HY-Plug-in products that are more immediately understandable, and I may go ahead and buy Stepic, as no demo or user manual is available but the price is very reasonable.

[ere2learn]

External Arps and Sequencers

check out - harmony bloom, bleass , rhythmizer ultra, stochas