sequencers with different length options

[edfunction]

Hmm,

not easy to put into a topic header...

I am looking for a cheapish (hardware) sequencer that allows multiple patterns of different step lengths for strange evolving polyrhythmic stuff.
So far the options seem to be the Spectral Audio cyclus3
Midibox seq.

If there are any others that allow this that aren't too pricey would be great to know!

thanks.

[Syn303]

Hmm there isn't many cheap polyrhythmic sequencers out there (digital-wise)

Only sequencers i can think of is -Doepfer MAQ 16/3, Sequentix P3 (discontinued), Kawai Q80 & EX versions, Alesis MMT-8, Quasimidi Polymorph or alternatively you can multi-track each sequence seperately at different lengths via Midi-Sync. Or use a software step sequencer which allows this.

[edfunction]

Thanks for the info, I have a friend's MMT8 here at the moment, i just assumed it wasn't possible. Will check it out now...

I am just having a look at Numerology, which is excellent but it would be great to be able to do it with hardware.

[balma]

command station:

You can have from 1 to 32 measures length.

Even better, you can increase-decrease such measures while playing. Nice for changes-bridges, pitch progressions. Yon can have a 32 lenght pattern, and store it as a 4 measures if you want.
Make it loop those 4 measures once, and then, go to the measure length, scroll to 32, and on the next loop, it will play the sequences from 5 to 32 also.

[masstronaut]

Thanks for the info, I have a friend's MMT8 here at the moment, i just assumed it wasn't possible. Will check it out now...

So is this possible with an MMT8? I didn't think it was...

Command Station won't do it, not really - you can sort of cheat using the programmable arps but it's quite hard work.

RS7000 does apparently.

[boreg]

Yamaha RM1X can do it.. and it's quite cheap too!

[Syn303]

command station:

You can have from 1 to 32 measures length.

Even better, you can increase-decrease such measures while playing. Nice for changes-bridges, pitch progressions. Yon can have a 32 lenght pattern, and store it as a 4 measures if you want.
Make it loop those 4 measures once, and then, go to the measure length, scroll to 32, and on the next loop, it will play the sequences from 5 to 32 also.

long winded ^

he said step lengths (as in polyrhythmic sequencing), like having 3 sequences playing at different steps.
ie: seq-1: 16 steps, seq-2: 8 steps, seq 3: 12 steps.

[balma]

Mmm, then, Yamaha EX5 or EX7.

A single pattern, can even play its tracks even at different speeds each track . Also you can specify the length of each track on a 8 track pattern, on a resolution of 1/480. Can stablish very tiny specific details on each track's duration.
But it's not a synth aimed for sequencing.... Maybe the RM1X can also do that, EX5 and RM1X were released almost at the same time

[edfunction]

long winded ^

he said step lengths (as in polyrhythmic sequencing), like having 3 sequences playing at different steps.
ie: seq-1: 16 steps, seq-2: 8 steps, seq 3: 12 steps.



yes, that's what i mean. the mmt8 doesn't do it unfortunately.

[edfunction]

i'll have a little manual scout of the rm1x and rs7000 now and see if it would work...

rm1x looks pretty cheap these days.

[balma]

Strike 3??? :

having different sequencers with different steps lenghts playing at the same time under the same midi time..

I have tried something similar having the sequencers of a MP7, XL7 and EX5 playing at the same time, each one with diferent step lenght on its patterns, with a pattern bpm startpoint sincronized.

However, I abandoned the idea, since I'm a 4/4 stubborn.

Strike 3....

[Torstein]

i'll have a little manual scout of the rm1x and rs7000 now and see if it would work...

The RS definitely does this. Opens up a whole new way of arranging if you get comfortable with it.

Add to that the mute/scene groups and it's a flexible beast.

[Syn303]

Seems everyone has forgot about the Kawai Q80, which can do different step lengths. You can record different bar lengths and have them loop, plus you can mute tracks in and out of each other.