poly and sequencer for acid pads...

[jeeroj]

yo, i'm after a pad machine for my acid tracks. I really need something to fill in the background of my tracks. Previously I had an ensoniq esq1 and i loved the sounds i could get from it and also the fact it had a sequencer built in. It was fantastic in that i could use it for multiple parts. I had to sell it to pay the rent tho

so what i'm asking is, is there anything similar I could use to make some basic pads etc for my tunes or am i best off getting another esq?

I want to start playing out live and that's where the esq gets tricky being as it's so heavy, i will also need some kind of sequencing option, either a stand alone sequencer running a separate synth or maybe even a groovebox

I've also looked into the yamaha qy700 briefly, will that give me the kind of sounds and sequencing i'm after?

or do i have to admit that i'm in love with the esq1 and spend my time searching for another one?

here's a couple of tracks to give you the idea of how i was using the esq1 and the sounds i was getting out of it..

[Alex E]

For sequencing you might want to consider an Alesis MMT-8. Overall it's a great, cheap sequencer I used to have a lot of fun with before I switched to DAW.

Having an external sequencer combined with the instrument you would like to use for pads is not a bad idea.
But the ESQ-1 is not very expensive, and if you miss it, it wouldn't hurt to pick up another as it's a great synth.

[Gregor Samsa]

Wavestation sr?

[speak_onion]

E-mu command station will sequence and give you pads.

[gunark]

Korg M1? Sure no res filter but pads galore, fx, hundreds of patches on the web and a capable sequencer. Or Roland W30 with some nicely looped waveforms (it's an MC500 alike inside iirc and can control external kit IIRC), just get SCSI with it..

[meatballfulton]

I would just get another ESQ-1...cheap, easy to find, you already know how to use it and like it.

[sqweebking]

Roland JX-10 is capable of some really nice pads and has a really basic internal sequencer.

[jeeroj]

the main thing is to be able to store all the parts of songs that i won't be able to play live so the sequencer has to be able to hold multiple patterns. I've been umming and erring about a command station, mainly the size is very tempting but i'm not too sure how easy they are to program. With the esq i can just keep trying til i can play something into it!

I think i'll end up back with the esq, i think the sound of it seems to suit the music i make...

can the command station come close to the sounds of the ESQ?