Hi !
Not sure this is the appropriate forum so bear with me.
I’m using Cubase Studio to program drum tracks. I’m looking for a simple hardware sequencer to use these drum tracks live. I don’t want to bring a laptop on stage, so the sequencer must be capable of uploading and playing back wav or mp3 files (exit NI Maschine).
I’m doing all the beat programming in Cubase, so the sequencer doesn’t need to be programmable in any great detail (exit AKAI MPC style beat boxes). The only things I will do live on the sequencer is to hit start and be able to hit a button to move from intro to verse to chorus, etc.
The structure of the song will be programmed in Cubase so normally I’ll let the song run from begining to end without touching the sequencer. However, I’d like to have some flexibility on stage in terms of the structure of the song. For instance, I’d like to be ableto “hold” the song on the verse while some musician is improvising and then move to the chorus when the impro is over.
Can anyone recommend an appropriate sequencer that will do the above ?

Many thanks.

Guy

What you are asking for is not as simple as you suggest, especially when you factor in the requirement that it must play mp3 and wav files. Personally, I don’t know of any one product that does everything you want, in the way you want, but perhaps someone else will. There may be work arounds such as using a drum machine like the old Yamaha RY30 where you can create patterns and sequences of drums and then quickly switch from one to the other, but it sure doesn’t play music files. Switching quickly from one thing to the other in any order you wish to use on the spur of the moment is also a tall order because it would probably require some sort of hardware that must be programmed. Certainly programmable hardware would be a better solution than trying to use a DAW with any of the major sequencer/ recorders. Tall order, best of luck in your search...............frank

PS: I’m more of a traditional type musician and composer so am not really ‘up’ on all the latest technology for the ‘loopers’ and DJ folks etc., so don’t take my reply above as the definitive one. :)

Thanks FrankE. I’m also a “traditional” style musician but I’m investigating this as my band is struggling to find a decent drummer. We play mostly funk music from the 70s and 80s. So I’m not really interested in all the bells and whistles of the typical hardware samplers.
That being said, I have an MPC1000 but find it difficult to program on the hardware. I’ll try and do the programming in Cubase and transfer the midi information to the MPC and see whether I have sufficient flexibility for my purposes.

Cheers,

Guy

Hi Guy,
Yes, ease of use is another factor in the equation, :) and that’s where a program like Cubase excels when compared with a unit such the MPC1000. However the latter can do some of what you require and may still be worth considering as an option if you can’t find anything that does everything you want. Still won’t meet all your criteria though and thus the search must continue I suppose. Will certainly let you know if I find something that looks as if it might be worth exploring. Cheers.......frank

What it sounds like you are asking for is not a sequencer but an audio player. A sequencer plays MIDI data, not audio.

There’s a lot of things to consider here, starting with do you need MIDI tempo synching...do you want the drum tracks to be tempo locked to other MIDI gear (like a Motif...just assuming you own one) and do you need to be able to adjust the tempo of the recorded parts on the gig.

-- If you own any Motif with sample RAM installed, you might be able to use the sampler to play your drum tracks for example.

- If you own an XS or XF, you can play audio tracks directly from a USB storage device while you are playing the Motif.

-- You could transfer the MIDI sequence from Cubase into your Motif sequencer and play the parts inside a Song or Pattern.

So tell us more about your application and what other gear you are using.