Need help with a sequencer.

[LGMR]

Does nobody have an answer for what I want to do? I guess I could get an M-Box, and then just pre-record everything.

[crystalmsc]

I just want a way to record multiple patches and then play them back.

I think Zam got you right, by recommending you to use the RS7k "built-in voices and drum kits to user phrases". Which translated into: Recording multiple patches (of the RS7k) plus the TX81Z patches and then play them back.
It seems that you need a proper multi-timbral sound source, to play several patches at once when found the TX81Z is limited for that. The RS7k might provide you that, plus a decent sequencer and some creative sampling for additional TX samples. Even when you don't sample the TX sound, there are actually some nice FM style samples within the RS7k waveforms, ready for being filtered, tweaked and morphed with the excellent fxs and filters. Plus, if you are a fan of older Yummies, there's a RX drum kit with some RX5 (and a few RX7/11) samples too.
But if what you are looking is an all TX81Z track, and found midi for being too limited for what you are looking. You might want to look for a Multitrack recorder. May be a laptop plus a free sequencer (which able to record audio) or other dedicated hardware recorder.

[Altitude]

You are looking for a recorder, not a sequencer. The RS is a great sequencer and you would be able to play back whatever you wanted via midi but you would be limited to the polyphony of the TX. If you want tracks with full polyphony, you will need to record them one at a time on something like this:



http://www.fruity-loops.com/item--EM.MICRO-BR

[Virgule]

[Altitude]

If you don't want to go the software route for sequencing the TX81z multitimbrally, you can look into any old or new workstation-style keyboards (they all have 8,16 or more midi tracks to record on). I owned a tx81z and got so fed up trying to find a good sequencer for it that I sold it off luckily bought a SY77 (16-track seq). The irony is that I really only wanted a Yamaha V50 to replace the TX

I think that is where the problem is, what good is a 16 track sequencer for a synth that has only 8 voices? The most you could ever do is 8 mono patches. Even 2 multi channels are very limiting..

[Virgule]

[balma]

Well man, I have experimented a lot with several sequencing methods, since I'm absolutely reluctant to use a computer on my setup.

the EMU command station is a great sequencer, if not the best under $1000.

Lots of producers got a lot of complications trying to sequence their gear with machines that are not aimed to work as a sequencer, I tried with the RM1X, MPC, boss, grooveboxes, etc etc etc....

With the EMU command station, you can sequence whatever, edit your tracks (copy, erase, paste, grid record, realtime record), mix tracks from different patterns into a single one, etc etc, without stoping the sequence.

Everything can be made on the fly, transitions between patterns and MIDI timing are almost perfect. It has two midi channels to sequence other synths, and can send 16 tracks throught each MIDI out, without getting stuck. It can sequence 32 tracks, and you can merge 16 tracks into a single track (multitrack).

In fact, this machine can sequence 60 tracks at the same time, Internal, external or both.

Besides that, it has a good sound, very cool filter and LFO section, and the cords section, (an emulation of modular patching synthesis) can interconnect several parameters between them, like controlling the LFO2 rate with the LFO 1 modulation, bizarre weird clock timing, create 12 waves patches, with 12 different chorus effect for each wave, well..... patch synthesis is almost infinite.


It can transmit 16 knob controllers internal, and 16 controllers external, at the same time.... plus can trasmit 32 arppegios at the same time.

A command station with 4 ROMs loaded, can access around 5000 waves, 1200 arppegios, create 100 user 32 step arppegios and remix and mangle almost everything related to sequencing.

This sequencer is around $300.....it's always available on Ebay. Get one and it will solve almost any sequencing issue on your setup

[Zamise]

The EMU command stations can't sample tho...

I think the Op probably is looking for a digital recorder like Altitude suggests, I've always wanted to try a Korg D4 out.


It'll hold a lot more samples larger and longer ones more for phrase loop type sampling. However, its synth engine is nill, so you can't make instruments out of the samples, so the samples will be fairly static in comparison to the tweak factor you'd get out of an RS7000. The only other thing that might work pretty well is an Akai MPC, have to be carefull with them though as most don't come with any built in sounds, and the synth engine for maingling samples may not be as complex too, but the MPCs seem to do better for what I think the OP may be looking for and I've noticed people with similar criteria enjoy their MPCs more than then what they tried and got out of an RS...

The RS7000 only has 64 meg memory capacity, and will take some time to load all that up if most of it is samples. However, it can be done.

Its sampler has two modes basically, one is a kit voice and the other is a pitched voice. Kit will allow you to put a difrent sample on each note, so you can have a lot of samples per track but they are all treated as one and the same instrument on that track, you have to use the pitch knob to change their pitches and they'll all change. You can do some time streaching and resampling, but the RS has to be stopped for that, so there are tricks and workarounds to make it almost as powerfull as any other synth/sampler. A pitched sample spreads one sample over all notes and will pitch it so you can make more of an instrument out of it and play melodies etc out of it without altering any other samples, but that takes up a whole track for one sample. I like to do some tracks as kits which is more for percussion type sounds, and some pitched more for synthy stuff. You can also make your samples have atack loops, which is cool sometimes for stuttering type afex twin effects. Hmmm, what else?

Hope thats enough to get a basic grasp it's coolness, if not...

Here is an example of large song long DnB style sample recorded in to the RS as one whole sample done in linear Song mode that takes like 4 minutes to load and filled the RS up, not very RS friendly:



Here is an example of same song being remixed live using same but shorter DnB samples and some extra built in RS sounds done in Pattern mode that includes some live stuff too that takes like 1 minute to load that is much more RS friendly:



I don't think you could do that on an MPC or a Command Station or a Digital Recorder. Maybe could in some software or a workstation synth that is not quite as much fun. Whatever tho, I'm not trying to push out the RS to be the definative answer for everyone's needs, its just a really cool piece of gear for those who know more about how to build their songs from scratch, utilizing smaller samples and internal sounds for maximum tweakage in a single grovebox like unit. The only other comprable or statistically better unit may be a Roland MC-909, but I have to say somewhere along the line to me it felt more like a workstation than a groovebox. The RS kept the traditional groovebox fun alive for me. I'd like to see the RS improved, but I worry if Yamaha ever decides to do a mkII RS the same could happen, they only need to improve upon it in a certain few areas like memory, yeah sampling features too, megavoice capability with all 4 elements being fully editable, AN plg... Enough...bye

[crystalmsc]

The only other comprable or statistically better unit may be a Roland MC-909, but I have to say somewhere along the line to me it felt more like a workstation than a groovebox. The RS kept the traditional groovebox fun alive for me.

I'm using both, side by side. The RS7k sequencer is way better and interactive than the 909. But to me the 909 is easier to use with the bigger screen and mixing sliders which is really in the right position. The master fx in the RS7k is really much fun to use, I wish the 909 had that rather than the master compressor alone. But again, the 909 got 2 insert multifx. I love the lo-fi fx in the RS7k way better, it sounds way more "authentic" to my ear, while the 909 always has some unwanted digital artifact no matter how I tweak it..but it gives me a unique flavor that I grow to like, kind of giving the 909 a unique character. It helps a lot and mostly turned on for that fx alone. That way, the pristine reverb and other processors are now more interesting. I just love both units.

I'd like to see the RS improved, but I worry if Yamaha ever decides to do a mkII RS the same could happen, they only need to improve upon it in a certain few areas like memory, yeah sampling features too, megavoice capability with all 4 elements being fully editable, AN plg... Enough...bye

Sometime I'm dreaming if someone like the JJ would tweak the OS, it could easily turned into a multisampling sampler and 4 voice elements synth. It's just too close! Motif and CS6x has that plug-in sockets, supposed to be not too difficult for Yamaha to put one or two in the RS if they ever release a MKII machine (which is going to be pricey), I hardly hope that they would share some of the OS goodies for the original RS7k.

[Zamise]

Nice to hear from someone who has both units. I missed the sliders from my 505 days... I wound up getting a Peavy PC-1600 slider box to use with my RS sometimes, I used it on that song I posted here. I'm coming over to your house crystalmsc and were gona jam out on all our groove gear

I tried buying the RS's OS source code from them believe it or not. I don't know what it'd take, but they won't talk with just any joe blow about it. Wonder if JJ would have more pull at getting their attention?

[balma]

Nice to hear from someone who has both units. I missed the sliders from my 505 days... I wound up getting a Peavy PC-1600 slider box to use with my RS sometimes, I used it on that song I posted here. I'm coming over to your house crystalmsc and were gona jam out on all our groove gear

I tried buying the RS's OS source code from them believe it or not. I don't know what it'd take, but they won't talk with just any joe blow about it. Wonder if JJ would have more pull at getting their attention?

One of the few good things the 505 has..... loved to turn reverse the pitch when you used the slider all the way up.

but they were such crappy sliders.....

And the patttern map function. So USEFUL for song composition. Best feature ever on a groovebox

[plikestechno]

The same question has been on my mind too.

Too further complicate the mix how does the ASR-X PRO compare to these machines?

[masstronaut]

Hi, I play a Yamaha TX81Z synthesizer and I need a sequencer.

You know Yamaha actually made something that was basically a TX-81Z with an 8 track sequencer built in.

I give you, the TQ-5. Do not adjust your screen.



http://www.vintagesynth.com/yamaha/tq5.php

[crystalmsc]

a Peavy PC-1600 slider box to use with my RS sometimes

That's a decent set up, exactly what the RS needed. I'm using the X-station for both the MC and RS. Something like the Novation SL MKII or Akai MPK49 look very interesting for being used with both. Since both has a proper set of drum pad, missing on both units (only 2 in the RS), and would provide a more modern feeling out of the RS

I'm coming over to your house crystalmsc and were gona jam out on all our groove gear

I always like what you did with the RS. It's going to be wonderful to jam together. Let you handle the RS while I do the MCing! And you didn't even have to carry your RS..just slip that SM card

I tried buying the RS's OS source code from them believe it or not. I don't know what it'd take, but they won't talk with just any joe blow about it. Wonder if JJ would have more pull at getting their attention?

Pity that they closed the door for such a potential legend. There is small hope that JJ would touch the RS. From what I know, he's an ex Akai people..so proly will do Akai only. But who knows? I hardly hope that RS loyal user will keep push things up..and you are the light for this Zam.

[crystalmsc]

And the patttern map function. So USEFUL for song composition. Best feature ever on a groovebox

if it means the Megamix, it's sadly missing from the 909. Also the RPS is not useful for sequencing..which is really a step down from their earlier workstation/groovebox. they should've really improved upon these. But at least it has a better build and sliders for sure

I give you, the TQ-5. Do not adjust your screen

I always like the look of it as well as some early Yamaha desktop gears.