Looking for a Sequencer

J

justproductions

Guest
I've decided I hate using my computer to do MIDI sequencing. It not all that portable and take a while to boot. The computer seems to activate a different side of the brain than playing music.

Besides the last software package I was happy with was Vision. I use to write small patterns to structure songs and backing tracks, then assemble the patterns into a song. Then I write melodies and lead line on top of them in a whole song at a time.

I am looking for a piece of hardware that goes with my flow of creating & editing music. I am (of course) looking at the MPC series and the MV8000.

I produce electronic music and rock, some may call it new-age, sound track, I've started calling it IDM. I perfer to play things live and not edit to much.

I am curious about other peoples working methods for MIDI sequencing and the hardware they use.
 
Do you have or use a keyboard currently?

If not, maybe an ASR-10 or EPS 16+ would serve you better.

If you're leaning in the direction of the MPC, it'd be worthwhile to give the MPC2500 a serious look.
 
Stand alone sequencers

I own and use both of these.

1. Yamaha QY-700 - awesome - somewhat hard to learn - a more fully functional hardware sequencer does not exist. Has some kind of lame built in sounds. Large LCD screen. Two cool modes: Pattern/Loop mode and a Song Mode. The Song mode can be combined with the Pattern/Loop mode. You can even program the thing to have Bass and chord changes follow your melody. Has non-volatile memory that saves all your stuff and you can use floppy disks.
(related: RM1X,RS7000)

2. MPC1000 or it's breathren - easy to use, brilliant. Also a sampler. :)
I use this as a loop sequencer/drum machine. Fun.
(Related: MPCXXXX)
 
BigRyan said:
Do you have or use a keyboard currently?

I have a few keyboards: Fantom X7, micron, Karma, TritonLe, D50, Wavestation, M1, CS1x, microKorg, MO6, JP8000, Prophecy, QS6.
Click to expand...
 
Okay, I'd go the MPC route then. It sounds like you need a lot of MIDI Outs.

I'd take serious looks at the MPC60, MPC3000, MPC2500, and MPC4000.
 
Do you think my working method is easily carried out on an MPC?

1. Perform rough cut of song, live from keyboard
2. Edit song into patterns
3. Build patterns into full productions (drums, basslines guitar sound, etc.)
4. Reassemble complete patterns back into a song.
5. Record vocals, melodies on top of the assembled song.

I've not spent much time sequencing on a MPC series device.
 
On an MPC your workflow is more like this:

1. Create a good groove or basis for a song in one pattern (usually 2 bars but you can make it any length you want)
2. Copy that pattern and make some variations of it that suit the song in your mind.
3. String the patterns together into a song. This has the advantage of, if you decide you want the verses to be different, you just make the change to the one pattern and the change propagates throughout the song.
4. Record vocals, etc.

I think it's more condusive to hip hop or groove-driven music than linear computer sequencers.

If I were scoring a movie, linear is cool, but for everything else, patterns are the way to go.

I'd recommend reading the sequencing portion of the MPC3000 manual to get an idea of what MPC sequencing is like:

http://www.akaipro.com/archive_doc/MPC3000V3.0Manual.zip
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks BigRyan.

Your description of the MPC workflow is just what I was looking for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top