Sequential have just released an OS update that kits the Take 5 out with some powerful new features. Available as a free download from the company’s website, the latest version of the instrument’s OS introduces a new Poly Chain function along with 10 new play modes for the built-in arpeggiator.
The headline feature of the update is the Poly Chain feature, which makes it possible to combine two Take 5s and form an integrated 10-voice instrument. Introduced at the request of many users, the function allows users to play larger chords and more complex arrangements, with all front-panel controls mirrored from one unit to the next for ease of control.
The arpeggiator, meanwhile, has gained 10 new play modes designed to inspire new rhythmic and melodic ideas. Some of the new additions — such as Spiral and Leapfrog mode — go beyond simple up-and-down motions, instead using virtual playheads to “weave intricate note parts and add new flavour to compositions”. A Whiplash feature then provides the arpeggiator with a new timing mode that keeps each cycle at the same length regardless of how many notes are held — notes will be pushed together or spread apart, creating rhythmic tension and release that remains fixed at the overall bar length of the composition.
Finally, the update also adds violet noise, which emphasises high frequencies while reducing low-end content, providing a new way for users to craft everything from smooth, shimmering textures to percussive tones.
Musicians love the sound of the Take 5, and we get asked regularly for ways to expand the polyphony. This new software makes it possible to use it as a massive 10-voice synth — while also adding some fun and creative new capabilities." - David Gibbons, CEO, Sequential
Availability
The latest OS version for the Take 5 is available now from the Sequential website.
