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SparkLE controller if I don't plan on using iSpark? Or Beatstep Pro? Or something else for steps
Any advantage to this? Could I use it to step sequence on something like iElectribe?
The beatstep pro seems a little obtuse to me.
I had a tr-8 but sadly sold it off before I realized how powerful and useful it could be as an easy breezy x0x midi step sequencer.
Comments
If you're just using it for beats and don't need two other lanes for the Synth sequencers get a beatstep (regular) and save yourself $150(ish). Also any older controller might work like Akai or Launchpads etc, but check to see if they are class compliant so you won't need a driver and if they're bus powered (to see if you need a wall wart or if they run off the host devices battery/power.
iElectribe is midi mappable/controllable. The other thing you have to check
Can you use the beatstep to sequence multiple drum elements? The beatstep pro apparently will sequence 16 different drum elements simultaneously? I am reading the manual.
One note for step.
Nope. Mono only. BeatStep Pro is real good at it but I can also get behind the electribe suggestion. You can set the midi out note for each channel on the device whereas the BSP requires you to hook it up to the PC to change the numbers. That said, the BSP is a more powerful sequencer, particularly since the last firmware added poly-metric possibilities on the drum parts. Also, offset per step and negative swing is really handy on a fixed grid like this for certain types of music.
do NOT get into Arturia! they're poor in support and sell half backed products. the LE controller suffers from a firmware issue with their very own iSpark app which Arturia will not fix as they stated at their forum.
Just use Modstep for sequencing your hardware.
A cheap alternative for step sequencing could be volca series (beats or sample) but you will need to add the midi out with a mod (very easy and good chance to learn iron soldering)
Later you can modify its midi out messaging with midiflow if you need it.
If you finally go this route, feel free to ask any doubt
I want to use the beatstep pro for sequencing my iPad stuff
I'm fine with the computer as my akai gear does the same thing. I want the live performance aspect of having x0x-ish sequencers.
Also, they're around $150 used at Guitar Center (don't ever buy anything new!)
I'm wary of Volcas period, as they put out some kind of electrical pulse when they first turn on which, on the volca bass, fried a pair of (admittedly consumer grade) speakers.
It looks like the beatstep pro goes "okay, your drums are on these 16 single notes. Pick your notes and sequence those notes". Then there are two other sequencers like the single one on the regular beatstep.
Honestly, if anyone can recommend something better at a similar price point with those sorts of features (not Volcas though), I'd truly be inclined to check it out.
Yep
Don't think you're going to find much with similar features in hardware in that price range. Though ER1 can often be found cheaper. No variable seq length per drum track though. And a few fewer tracks (plus the melodic tracks). I've never tired it but if the motion recording will also send MIDI CCs on playback, that'd be a pretty big tick in the ER1 column. Oh yeah, no velocity either - just has an accent track.
I love the BSP and the ER1.
Also, the two melodic sequencers on the pro, while similarly monophonic like the original, do have more features than the original like variable start point, velocity per step, gate length per step, 64 total steps and then all the global upgrades from the original.
Buy a behringer bcr2000 and install the zaquencer firmware on it. Or get an already modified zaquencer on eBay.
Nice idea. I've messed with the Zaquencer firmware. It's a brilliant little sequencer. And an amazing hack! It's not "better" in any objective sense I can think of than the BSP. It definitely has features the BSP lacks but the same can be said in reverse. Just depends on what you need (and how much you want to rely on B gear!)
Only reason I haven't grabbed one myself is modstep does everything I need.
Yeah, one of the older korg electribes would be nice. The midi to usb thing might be a hurdle, but I'll check that out!
The zaquencer looks cool and cheaper/more practical than the bsp. Also, I'm curious about the electribe er1. Can any of the older electribes be used? I'd have the benefit of an actual workable piece of standalone kit as well as a sequencer then.
Pretty sure the original ER1 sent MIDI but I'm not sure if the original allowed note mapping.
And yeah, having a capable stand alone drum synth + beat machine ain't a terrible thing! I'm a big fan considering the price you can find them for but, having sung it's praises in this thread, do want to emphasize that the drum sequencer aspect is definitely less capable than the BSP drum sequencer. Particularly since the 2.0 BSP firmware dropped. Also probably worth noting if you're used to drum synth software, the ERs do not allow for browsing, say, snare sounds. You have to cook them all up each time. There is a rudimentary copy+paste across patterns but it's nothing like browsing sounds in, say, Ruismaker.
Maybe a Roland MC307? These are cheap (and buggy) and maybe have better midi implementation than electribes (which are a good machines too).
Also mpd232 has some kind of tr sequencer...
i'm pretty sure the old electribes do send a fixed velocity. this makes ghost notes impossible.
Fixed velocity is for sure true on the ER1-mkii.
I know this one is costly, but if you truly want a full featured midi sequencer that is better than Modstep, there's always the Squarp Pyramid
http://www.squarp.net
I really just want to have some hardware that I can plug into my iPad that will let me step sequence drums on the fly with an x0x style. This is geared toward live performance. I'd like to spend less than $250 and use it with my Wej.
AKAI makes good kit. I'll have to look into these. I'm leaning toward that or the zaquencer. I saw a zaq demo video and it looks perfect.
I've never had Behringer kit fail on me. I have two of those little dongle RCA 1/1 interfaces and a few of their inexpensive SM-58 clones for when I don't trust the club/my MCs/whoever with my actual SM-58. I used a xenyx mixer for a long time. No complaints.
This isn't really a studio thing, so durability and price point are factors. REALLY expensive kit going missing is awful. I had one of those big red metal electribe samplers (got it for a steal on craigslist) go missing once at a gig, so I try to keep everything in one or two bags I can have on me all the time now.
the SparkLE issue i was talking about would affect you very much when doing live stuff (the leds on the controller pads do not light up according to the pattern)!
Damn! At 79 euros, the zaquencer firmware costs a bunch. That puts things into the near $300 territory.
Anyone used one of the latest electribes as a midi controller? Thoughts?
So can I ask again why you don't want to use modstep for your sequencing?
well maybe because Modstep is not hardware you can play with?!?
True. But it is extremely flexible and template based and expansive with a lot of hardware device templates mapped to unique CC# 's for super easy Modulation.
Another option is to get a Novation circuit. You can sequence 2 external pieces of hardware...and have access to 2 great synths and 4 drum tracks on board to boot.
Here's a really nice vid on it using some vintage gear:
And another;
I am looking for external hardware, as I already have 2 iPads running various parts of my set and no additional pads to devote to midi control purposes.
An x0x style sequencer for drums is great, because I want to be able to make and modify stuff on the fly. The workflow of the tr-8 is exactly what I have in mind. On the fly editing while the sequence is playing is essential. Maybe I just need a tr-8!
The beatstep style "synth" seqencer is a nice plus but not entirely a dealbreaker if the price is right.
It being its own instrument in and of itself (circuit, electribe, etc.) is nice but not if it changes the workflow.
Doing some research, the general consensus of beatstep and beatstep pro is that they're crappy.
The circuit looks good but only gives 4 drum elements to sequence. Not terrible as it does have synth sequencing and is also its own standalone instrument.
Also, usb class compliance is really important.
All these suggestions are good and I'm researching all of them.
Anyone have a circuit and can speak on the workflow and how it might correlate with what I need?
For what it's worth this is what I use my circuit with:
I sequence my Pioneer Dave Smith AS-1 and my Korg Minilogue on Midi 1&2. And I use the drums from the circuit and the two synths chained to the Midi1 or 2 which I bring in and out of mixes and modulate to add texture and variety.
Fwiw, the Squarp Pyramid is the no compromise solution for a hardware based Midi controller. It's seems like one of the most well thought out units currently available on the market from my research. I just can't justify the price as a hobbyist and that's why I love the circuit and modstep with all of its templates and Midi learn functionality.