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Xequence 2 Vs Nanostudio 2 - advice please
I am thinking if getting one of these to take over MIDI duties from Cubasis (whose MIDI editing I find a bit annoying).
At the moment I am leaning towards NS2 as it appears to do what I want, plus has Obsidian and it’s own FX, sample editing etc. I understand I can export MIDI to Cubasis also host it as IAA inside Cubasis itself to run alongside the audio which will be recorded in Cubasis (please correct me if I’m wrong).
Is there any reason why Xequence 2 might be a better choice? Does it do stuff that NS2 doesn’t, eg automation?
Comments
I can't speak from experience regarding Xequence 2, but my advice would be to try NS2 first since it does have Obsidian (which can also work as a sampler and has great IAP packs), and then if it doesn't work out, then try Xequence 2?
I’d consider myself a nanostudio 2 power user, so my views are biased. So I’m gonna go out on a limb here as an owner of Xequence 2 but not really a user of it ( based just how my work flow is).
Nanostudio 2 is an incredible Digital Instrument Workstation. It’s sequencer is great and I have no complaints, but I don’t know if I’d feel that way if I wasn’t staying contained within that app. Overall NS2 is a self contained world that just works. If you want sampler, fx etc. etc go NS2, no contest.
Xequence seems better suited for your midi purpose as it seems to revolve around the world of midi. You’ll get no MPE with NS2 if that matters (does Xequence support mpe?) I would also guess that Xequence is a superior sequencer (whatever that means). I don’t know your workflow so ymmv.
If I could only have one, I’d go NS2
I haven't used nanostudio2 with external application so I can't speak to how well that works. So my comments here are simply on midi editing. I also own Xequence, but never really got on with it.
If you want tempo maps, or time signature changes, Nanostudio 2 is the only one which supports those. It also supports midi AU3 plugins (though if you want to record their output it's a bit of a faff and requires third party plugins) - which Xequence 2 doesn't (you'd have to use Audiobus/AUM to host them and route it somehow).
Nanostudio does not support on the fly swing. You can apply swing to a clip, but it's destructive (essentially you're applying a new groove).
Nanostudio does support automation and it's really good, with one proviso. You can't automate AU3 effects (AU3 instruments, and the built in effects are fine). This is on the roadmap I believe, but I don't know when it will arrive.
Nanostudio2 has excellent MIDI routing, and you can do some quite interesting things with this and AU3 plugins if you desire.
In terms of everything else with regards to MIDI, the only lack is MPE. Everything else is very good (and the MIDI is way more accurate than Cubasis').
Xequence also has some excellent MIDI stuff, including drum pads and some tools for manipulating midi (including generative stuff). I feel Xequence out of the book is built more for what you're looking for, but the lack of MIDI AU3 plugins, time signature changes and tempo ramping may be a problem for you. If you don't need those things, possibly Xequence is better?
Oh if you want the other DAW stuff, then yeah Nanostudio's great. Other than the elephant in the room (audio), some minor things (swing, AU3 instrument automation, sidechaining for AU3s, midi AU3 recording) - it's really very good indeed. And Obsidian is quite excellent, as are the built in effects and MIDI/audio routing possibilities. As for the interface - yeah, it's fucking good.
totally smooth.. NS has "External MIDI" instrument which allows you send notes and CCs to other app or hw synth.. it allows automation of all 127 MIDI CCs. You can use latency compensation for midi instrument (up to +/- 50ms). You can set output channel (also sent to multiple channels from single midi track), you can define midi input velocity curves...
I was playing with the velocity curves in Obsidian last night. Damn...
It does sound like NS2 is the way to go. Don’t need MPE or MIDI fx automation.
I should have said that time sig/tempo change is one if the things that appeals to me about NS2.
Although I’m not sure how I would make that work alongside audio files in Cubasis.
I assumed this was the case - just didn't want to comment on something I hadn't personally used.
coincidently, recently i posted here small example how tom control all 16 parts of GrooveRider from NS2 and record back into NS2 from GrooveRider all knobs tweaks and pads hits - so NS2 works basically as external sequencer, including automations, and GrooveRider as 16 part mutitimbral sound module...
https://forum.audiob.us/discussion/comment/716538/#Comment_716538
Nanostudio 2 if you want a self contained Daw minus audio tracks. I did a few tracks in Xequence, using AUM to bring all my audio units and effects, you can get it done but then you’re saving a song’s sequence in one app and everything else in another. The workflow is just a lot more seamless using NS2.
I think you'll find that Obsidian will wind up replacing at least some of the AUs/IAAs you're used to using in Cubasis. I say "some" because there are certainly AU/IAA instruments out there that cover ground Obsidian can't but for lots and lots of sounds / synthesis types, Obsidian is brilliant. I mention this mainly because Obsidian is a total beast when it comes to using minimal system resources—especially as compared to most AUs. So, if you normally run 6-8 AU synths and start to hit your machine's peak, you may find that you can replace 3-4 of those with Obsidian patches which opens up room for 3-4 more AUs.
I'd like to confirm that both Slate and Obsidian are excellent instruments. So many details are done "just right" and often to an unusually deep extent, like the oscillators, filter routings and modulation matrix. And Slate with up to 3 velocity levels playable per pad.
And simple things like disabling grid snap when editing notes on the piano roll grid...
NS2 offers a lot of bang for the buck. It's also one of the few DAWs in which you can create sampler instruments completely inside the app, from sampling to final instrument.
If you've ever tried to build a natural sampled instrument in Cubasis' sampler you'll be relieved that this actually works in NS2.
Automation?
You can always import the audio files to Slate (or record them directly) and start playing them by hitting pads.
Just a different concept.
Seems to be a landslide of positive opinion in favor of Nanostudio 2.
There does, which is kind of what I was expecting.
Really hoping it goes on sale...🤞🏼
One of the things I like most about NS2 is I can create an entire song without ever stopping playback. It’s kind of like sculpting. Suits the way my brain fires.
If I may interrupt the landslide 😉 there's a few things that are unique to Xequence and may or may not be important to the OP... from the top of my head:
= More advanced and flexible clip looping
= Comprehensive Timestretching support in all editors
= Cropping of clips and notes from the left or right side
= More editing / selection features in general
= Automatic grid
= Around 80 scales, with support for custom scales, including "folding" in the pianoroll editor
= More control modes / methods on the keyboard
= More configurable keyboard in general
= Muting of individual clips
= Support for inserting program changes and bank selects
Just for completeness sake, sorry for the spam @ dendy 😁
@Dendy you just opened my eyes about NS2 sequencing external gear. How do you assign the Midi Channel in NS2? Where is this setting so i can route the Midi Tracks to the appropriate midi channel i want to control?
Many thanks!
FWIW, i downloaded your awesome GR16 sample file for NS2 but i still don’t see where midi channel assignment is...👊🏼™️
Get both. Drive NS2 from Xequence. I think that’s the answer.
inside midi instrument interace...
Btw. If "THRU" is enabled, then all MIDI data incoming from input are forwarded to output - which may cause feedback in some cases (depends on connected app/hw), for example in my GR16 project this is turned off.
Not a spam, legit info ! OP was asking NS2 vs X2 so it's fair to provide information about both
Absolutely @SevenSystems
Thanks for the extra info
You can mute individual clips in NS2 though....
@Dendy you just opened my eyes about> @dendy said:
Sweet. NS2 surprises me more every day 👊🏼™️
Thank you for the quick reply.
I have and like both.
One cool Xequence 2 feature often overlooked is PolyHymnia
Does NS2 have any generative equivalent?
Thanks again @dendy you revealed something powerful to me today.
Check it:
Microfreak and Electribe Wave and NanoStudio 2 are perfect combo. 👊🏼™️🙏🏼💕
plus + 1 as above
Woops, you're right, sorry for that. I thought NS2's sequencer was feature-equivalent to NS1's, which didn't have this as far as I remember.
Man you're unbelievable. There is probably nobody on whole AB forum who is making more music than you
You're really unstoppable
@dendy you are far too kind sir. Thanks for the feedback. Definitely will be used as fuel to keep pushing my skills further. Glad you enjoyed the track sir.
Thanks again for the Midi Out revelation. NS2 is the beezneez for me now. Once we get Audio Tracks watch out. 🙏🏼💕
You're making me curious.
What would you record with audio tracks?