Two questions....

1) Is there such a thing as a new, simple hardware sequencer? I'm sure a small company, like Philip Rees used to make a little hardware sequencer. Also there used to be a little Alesis unit called Nanotracker. I guess I will have to look at e-bay for an Alesis MMT or an MC 300 - is there really no modern equivalent?

2) I was thinking to try to 'MPC' my S950, by using a drum machine. I have been looking at maybe a 505, 626 or something, or maybe an RX machine. I know these machines do not have pressure sensitive pads, but is it likely that any of these machines will allow me to trigger samples in the S950 as I touch them to program the step sequencer?
From hours googling I think its possible...anyone ever done this?

many thanks

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Throw that MMT8 in the bin and get a MPC I never got why they were so popular...rather out dated and useless now I think, the lack of MIDI thru also sucks big time.

The Roland MC-500 can be quite cool (x0x programming for drum tracks) and once you get used to it's strange ways it's a cool sequencer although simple it's not but you can do a lot of cool things with it.

Saying that NOTHING beats the MPC for ease of use and quick results imo

Haven't used any of the new MPC's but I have used and owned every old one...60, 3000, 2000, 2000XL and currently have a 2000XL and S-3200XL

The MPC is my main sequencer full stop..

First track is some 909 techno affair, second tune is a much nicer trip hop affair followed by some other unfinished tracks...all done live on the MPC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsQON85ogpA

Future Sound of London inspired break beat'ish track all played live on the MPC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3EAV9XZjQ8&feature=related

Akai MPC-60 doing cheese filter house
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqESFdAqf64

More MPC-60 nonsense...man I miss the 60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMWqvYI7VIY&feature=related

Honestly...these machines are ace, you don't even need to read a manual.....although I highly recommend it to get the most out of em' ;-)

+1 on the MPC.
Fantastic piece of kit and quite simply the quickest way to start building a track.. love my MPC2K



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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

also vouch for the MPC. though, if you don't need the sampler and the pads, you could just go for an ASQ-10.

Gorgeous machine.



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I'm All Ears.

Aiit but have you seen the prices on those things lately?! They sell for as much if not more as a 2000XL which is nuts

Quote ken long:

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also vouch for the MPC. though, if you don't need the sampler and the pads, you could just go for an ASQ-10.

Gorgeous machine.

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Mmmmm... nice cheeks

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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

Got wood? lol

I am tempted, but I find the MPC route just encourages me to get back into 90's style mute/unmute arrangements. Ultimately I must finish stuff on the laptop to compete.

I know there are a few still doing this, Omar S e.g.

I only wanted a simple thing to do Klaus Schulze / T.D impressions. Some of those boxes are a lot of desk space just for that.

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Quote Chaconne:

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I am tempted, but I find the MPC route just encourages me to get back into 90's style mute/unmute arrangements. Ultimately I must finish stuff on the laptop to compete.

I know there are a few still doing this, Omar S e.g.

I only wanted a simple thing to do Klaus Schulze / T.D impressions. Some of those boxes are a lot of desk space just for that.

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Ah yes, this is known to me and my friends as "MPC'itus" a medical term for loopy things that mute and un-mute as you have described

What you may want to try is the Roland MC-500 which gives you a lot more freedom outside the world of 2 or 4 bar loops lol
Cool thing with that one is you can pick the best bits in a long sequence and stitch them all together..and the alpha dial acts as a scrub wheel, worth a go at the silly prices they sell for any way.
My mate has one and a MPC-60...he did a nice Klaus Schulze type thing on the 500 and SP-808 with the aid of some guitars and modular.

I'm not the guy to ask about the 500 though, only used it few times...I'm not ninja enough on it where's he is...once you do get some skillz on it, it's a really great sequencer that doesn't force you to think in a MPC way...which if you are like me...just end up suffering from MPC'Itus for the rest of your life, we both have the bug hahah

Edited by vinyl_junkie (29/03/11 10:53 PM)

For drum programming, the Alesis SR-16 works well, decent MIDI spec, quick to use once you get used to it...but you could probably say the same about most hardware sequencers.

Eerm I meant Roland MC-50 not MC-500 lol Although they are pretty similar

If you can find one (working) these babies are pretty underrated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-vCB2ZvWs4&feature=related

I did a lot of work on these years ago, and still have one, but I have to say I've long gone Logic etc for most things. Mine still gets the occasional work out but more for creating ludicrous beats really fast- full track sequencing, no, though it does do that hardware stylee thing perfectly well.

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http://anotherfineday.bandcamp.com/ http://anotherfineday.co.uk http://apollomusic.co.uk

Quote tomafd:

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If you can find one (working) these babies are pretty underrated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-vCB2ZvWs4&feature=related

I did a lot of work on these years ago, and still have one, but I have to say I've long gone Logic etc for most things. Mine still gets the occasional work out but more for creating ludicrous beats really fast- full track sequencing, no, though it does do that hardware stylee thing perfectly well.

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#

Tom, if you ever decide to release that, please get in touch.

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I'm All Ears.

Yammy QY700 and the Roland MC80 are also worth an eyeball.

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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

Quote tomafd:

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If you can find one (working) these babies are pretty underrated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-vCB2ZvWs4&feature=related

I did a lot of work on these years ago, and still have one, but I have to say I've long gone Logic etc for most things. Mine still gets the occasional work out but more for creating ludicrous beats really fast- full track sequencing, no, though it does do that hardware stylee thing perfectly well.

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But those things are rare and worth about as much as a SP-1200...that's a heluva lot of money..and I'd still rather have a SP

Quote Zukan:

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Yammy QY700 and the Roland MC80 are also worth an eyeball.

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Good point. I picked up a QY300 (boxed and mint) two years ago for £70.

Great sequencer.

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I'm All Ears.

I used to use a Kawai Q-80.
That was pretty solid and you didn't have to load the OS from floppy , unlike the Roland MC-500.

Roland W30 would do what you want.

However if an MPC is too big a footprint the W30 will no doubt be too big

Have you used a W30?.. it does have the funtionality, but trying to use one is like trying to get a cat to make a decent G & T



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MBP 17", PC 100(Nubus Protools) Motu 896, X-Station, Logic9, Reason6, Korg legacy, ACE, Alchemy, Emax II, E-Synth, Evolver MEK, Waldorf Pulse and Blofeld, AS Telemark, AS Leipzig-S

Yeah I grew up on one Simon.

W30, D10 and an Amiga. Was my only gear from many years.

Not sure what the sequencer would be like now but back in the early 90s it was great. Biggest let down with the W30 was the pittly un expandable sampling times.