sequencers

[jpo_midigods]

Hi Im a sequencer guy, in short:

Today there are sequencers everywhere, you only have to choose the way you want to control them.

I have Zaquencer firmware on my BCR2000 and i can recomend it. Its the best sequencer you can have and not expensive. I have plans to extend it in Modular or build customized synths for it but not for now, i'm happy just plugnplay Zaq with Scope and it works! no need for DAW nor ASIO, just physical knobs over Scope wondersound and hours of happy sequencing.

A Zaquencer clone on Modular would be my starting point for a serious sequencer built on Modular project.

I also use DAWs and for common, semiautomated mouse use you have everything you need for free in VST world, just choose.

but keep in mind about sequencers,
Mattomat is also best sequencer in the world for mouse use, the same Scope was designed for.

best wishes
jpo

[Spielraum]

I have Zaquencer firmware on my BCR2000 and i can recomend it. Its the best sequencer...

#oh yes, i've been thinking since publication.
can the Zaquencer firmware still be used as a "BCR2000" controller,
or do i have to roll back the original firmware?

#modular adaption are welcome
i`m hot

[mywonderland]

Hi Spielraum,

Zaquencer is a separate firmware. You must decide which to use, BCR or ZAQ.
So, it's better to have 2 BCR2000 in that case!

Greetz

[Berny Shoes]

Zaq is great on a bcr but do read the zaq forum for heads up on which firmware file to use and the errors to expect

[jpo_midigods]

Zaquencer hero hacker author says for the price of a BCR its better to have two of them, and he is right. Man, this guy made a excellent software development as an individual, that runs on a bestseller popular hardware from big bussines brand! to me is a hero. Also he is making money selling it no marketing campaigns, excelent antipiracy scheme. Only serious and individual development. Remember someone?

I looked for an used BCR with Zaq including label sheet for under 100€ and i found it shipped so i have two. Zaq is midi plugged to normal BCR and I have midi usb ports BCR1 (BCR) and BCR2 (Zaq) to Reaper daw then to Scope.

I also use Zaq live in a no computer setup: Zaq controls a Korg Electribe EMX2 (good secuencer also), a GM sound module and my Icon X-Synth Minimax board. I have hardware controls for 32 steps x 9 drum tracks + 9 synth tracks and i still can plug a small midi controller to Zaq midi in to control synths ccs and presets.

Each Zaq license is tied to one and only BCR hardware serial number and you can' transfer it to another BCR. I remember i tried the demo and back to bcr firmware using midiox with no problems.

jpo

[Spindrift]

Not that easy to find cheap BCR's anymore, shame that Behringer stopped production

Forgot about Zaq but figured I wanted to bring in my BCR as a sequencer the other day, and scope actually has great tools for building a customized sequencer, especially one centered around a BCR. I use Flexor Mod Switch 16 to 1 driven by ramp to switch between values from BCM modules which gives a lot of freedom. Tune exactly how much slide should affect smoothing and decay, replace smoothing for a control sequence with elastic val, use it as a waveform generator with audio-rate ramp, etc.

Had one really wierd issue though. Some knobs in the BCM modules just doesn't work, not matter what cc I assign them to. In the case of BCM32 it is knob 18 for every instance I create. Instead I replaced those knobs with 'Control Change S'->'Sync to Async'->'Ranger' which will behave exacly the same as the knob in BCM.
Felt like a very authentic simulation of analogue to be jerry rigging some other parts to work around a faulty part

Apart from that it is a quite simple patch, basically connect BCM modules to mod switches, mod switches to ramp, and you have a sequencer controlled from your BCR...the things that are not really obvious is freezing pitch between gates and getting a decent slide. Will upload it if someone wants to check it out, just have a few tweaks to do. For now I have been using Silent Way for scale quantizing, but should be included in the patch to avoid an extra roundtrip of course...just not found any pitch quantizers in scope that are as immediate as the tools i have in the DAW, but will try to get along with Flexors Scale Tuning.

[dawman]

I might drag out my old BCR for this news.

If it doesn’t do the live work like I need I’ll get the Maschine +.
Akai MPC Live just got sold.
Too much menu diving.

This is why if instruments are good with MIDI they don’t last long with me.


I’m going to try Zaw...

Thanks brotha’ men.

[dante]

Now that Maschine+ works standalone (no computer needed) it might be worth a look. But apparently it wont run all the 3rd party content that can be used when you have it plugged into a computer.

[yayajohn]

I might drag out my old BCR for this news.

If it doesn’t do the live work like I need I’ll get the Maschine +.
Akai MPC Live just got sold.
Too much menu diving.

This is why if instruments are good with MIDI they don’t last long with me.


I’m going to try Zaw...

Thanks brotha’ men.

I took the plunge and converted my BCR almost a year ago. Pretty cool sequencer with lots of depth. You may not have to menu dive on the Zaq but you will definitely have to manual dive as most of the features are not intuitive. I sprung the extra dough for the template sticker and that has definitely helped to keep track of what is what. Oh and I hooked up a footswitch for stop/start and it works, although the switch needs to be pressed twice for each command? Not sure if that's standard or what.

[Bud Weiser]

Now that Maschine+ works standalone (no computer needed) it might be worth a look. But apparently it wont run all the 3rd party content that can be used when you have it plugged into a computer.

Hmmm ... Intel Atom quad 1.6GHz soldered on this ancient Intel industry board and running some Linux/WinE,- like Korg Kronos.
I guess this system is limited to 4GB of RAM and I understood there ARE limitations in regards of plugins, perhaps functionality too,- when NOT using a computer.
I´d carefully check for restrictions and stress test this toy before dumping about EUR 1.300,-.
These Intel Atom industry boards are made to run cool in small enclosures w/o any cooling system,- consequently don´t offer much cache and CPU cycles.



Bud

[dawman]

Faxi had one for a while and can’t say much yet. But I know he liked it and uses the MK3.
We’ll see wassup but 4 gigs of ram and a custom OS is like SHARC DSPs. Don’t have to be 4GHz just to overcome s sloppy Windows OS.

One thing I like is how a MIDI CC loads s project. A button press or foot switch anything actually can be the transport.
I need pre recorded SFX reversed Vocals and LoFi stuff, with Drums and Bass. If it does that, I’m down.

But going to check out Zaq too.

[dante]

No VST3

[Bud Weiser]

Don’t have to be 4GHz just to overcome s sloppy Windows OS.

WinE (Windows Emulator) which is usually used when it comes to Linux and plugins, is a wrapper and eats CPU cycles.
It was a very long road for KORG making the Kronos halfway stable w/ the theoretical voice count of 200 max..
All NI plugins are VST (AU/AAX),- so they use WinE.
This is what shrinks the range of usable plugins.
And they all need a emulated Windows registry.

But, Maschime seems to be good for 1-finger pad triggering and loops/samples/slices,- even I doubt it will be very usable for the better sounding synth plugins.
IMO it´s very pricey for what it does.

To me, it´s more the DJ´s gear world than for keyboardplayers.



Bud

[dawman]

To me it will be a sequencer outside of my Windows 10 PC that will trigger bass and drums, which personally Im tired of 5 piece bands. Somebody always won’t do this, won’t do that, won’t go here, etc. Plus 1/3 of the stage is drums and bass rigs.

Sure it’s pricey, but so am I...

The fact I can recall scenes via MIDI PrgmChng or MIDI CC# and then use a dual FSwtch for stop/play/rec, like my Boss FS-6 makes this a live performers dream.
Akai and most other boxes have limited MIDI so I’ll know more after the ADSR Live Stream today with Q & A.


https://www.youtube.com/c/Adsrsounds


My needs are not as demanding as the cackling hens I see on every thread @ NI forums.
They cry about everything.

So far my biggest desires have been answered.
I’m only curious as why they couldn’t break down and add a few more outputs.
But internal mixing should be okay with just drums, bass and background lofi/reversed vocals.

Yesterday the guy from one of 3 bands working the strip bought my MPC Live, so I lost a couple bucks, no biggie.
The room he plays is awesome with 750 dollar per table audience (I’m comped thankfully), killer lights and sound. Tons of fine trim. Saw him in Singapore years back. I’ll be doing their VoiceRack automations maybe. He hasn’t got the hang of TC yet. I’ve been doing vocal FX via MIDI since the mid 80’s. Looks like Maschine + will take over that chore, lightening my load even more.

Sometimes you gotta roll with what you got.

Reminds me of JacoP....
When asked why he doesn’t use a 5 or 6 string bass, he replied, if you can’t get the work done on 4 strings, the other 2 won’t be of much help.

Ankyu

[dante]

I've asked Shay about this... if anyone can do this shootout (if he's used both) it be him - the man is an octopus.
BTW - one of the cacklers at Reasontalk mentioned the Maschine+ doesnt have battery. So you get away from being tethered to the computer only to be tied to a wall outlet.

[dante]

.

[Berny Shoes]

Arturia recently dropped this ad thru the inbox
keystep37

[valis]

So many sequencers now. Besides the native Maschine implementation and Akai's previous MPC units (and software), there's now also Akai Force and MPC One, all the elektron stuff, and quite a few boutique options that are very interesting including a standalone tracker/seq. It's good to be the King (of your own studio).

[shayart]

Hey guys
I did not enter the forum for a long time....
I was busy in creation ... I also renewed new other toys In such a hallucinatory period 2020

I have experience with both tools....MPC maschine
Both are good!!!

But I think that maschine+ Will be better for the user! And more powerful
But will still need some Menu dive For all parameters! But less than MPC

The price is not cheap...

I have the maschine MK1 I work with him in the studio..
What I did not like in maschine+ that is exactly the same as maschine MK3 But standalone
I expected them to improve the device for LIVE situation
For example the screen ... which will be more accessible!!! Or touch screen
At least the software on the device...Which would be more suitable for LIVE creating ...I believe there will be updates later

The Bottom Line
Whenever it comes to stores I'm going to try it .... and if I love it..I believe I will buy it

Adds a link that That I saw on youtube ....explains almost everything about the device
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4v_Qv8KMdtk

Hope I helped

Cheers! And stay safe

[Bud Weiser]

I´m pretty sure most of you think different,- so please forgive ...

My opinion,- music production today is for nuts.
I don´t want clicks,- I want money ... lots of.

I play and don´t need sequencers much or at all,- except for that s##t which isn´t keyboarder´s domain,- like drums p.ex..
I used all the drummachines,- EMU Drumulator, LInn etc. ... until the hardware samplers had seen daylight.
Yamaha QX-1 (I still own one) was a sequencer revelation and AKAI MPC became king of the hill for a long time.
But what ALL weren´t able to do is ... MUSIC.

Great music has some kind of tradition and history,- just like the evolution of the human being itself has.

There´s NO sequencer existing which can replace human interaction and communication.

I hate sequencers because they isolate musicians from each other.
Machines were designed to save money,- and that´s true for software too.

The BANDs from 60s and 70s were extremely innovative.
I don´t see a similar jump in creativity in conjunction w/ evolution of technology.

As long as I hear this 4 on the floor bassdrum beat all the time, I won´t believe in musical creativity at all.
It´s all so stupid and it´s just only a format selling to twerps.
A successful strategy,- no question, - but just only because there are enough of these out there.



Bud