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SEQUENTIAL/DSI => Prophet-5/Prophet-10 => Topic started by: SMV on December 14, 2021, 09:13:43 AM

Title: hardware step sequencer
Post by: SMV on December 14, 2021, 09:13:43 AM
Hello guys,  has anyone experience with some hardware step sequencer that could be used with the Prophet 5-10? Could you share your experience? Thank you :)
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: IslandGhost on December 18, 2021, 07:19:45 AM
Hi,

I use my Elektron Digitakt to sequence my Prophet-10 and it works a treat.  You also get the benefit of conditional triggers so you can have certain steps fire randomly or only trigger for alternate iterations.

Also I quite like having the ability to automate changes sent to one of the Prophet's midi ccs, meaning you can automate things like noise level or resonance which are not possible from the Prophet's onboard controls.  It kind of functions like the Rev2's gated sequencer too if you mute the actual notes and just send the midi.
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: SMV on December 23, 2021, 01:45:14 AM
Thank you for your advice :)
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: Analog Prophet on December 25, 2021, 02:34:55 AM
It depends on what you’re looking for; as close as the original P10 built in sequencer (Poly-Sequencer 1005), a simple step sequencer for “blip blop” or an advanced step sequencer to more or less replace a DAW:

Any MIDI step sequencer will work and a CV step sequencer will work to control one of the voices as well.

The original built in P10 sequencer was simple and could store 2600 notes (expanded 10 000 notes). I would look at the second hand market for some older similar type of sequencers such Alesis MMT-8 or Roland MC-500 (have one, works perfectly to my P5 and other synths).

A simple step sequencer is, according to my personal preferences, the benefit of a step sequencer to make different simple sequencer loops while tweaking the sound. The Pro One had a beautiful such built in. Doepfer Dark Time (still manufactures) is a such as well as Doepfer MAQ 16/3 (second hand as they are discontinued, have one 16/3 and works great to my P5 as well to my CV controlled modulars).

There are more advanced sequencers at the market such Arturia Beat Step Pro (have one as well as I’m writing from my personal chooses) is simple but still powerful and can easily program MIDI CC, different sequences and drums).

Finally some step sequencers as companion to P5/10 that has my attention: Korg SQ64 and Sequentix Cirklon (wish I had one). Behringer just hinted a possible clone of Arp 1601 with modern features as MIDI (well, that was modern at the mid 80s…) that caught my attention as well.

As said, any MIDI sequencer will work but my advice is to get a simple to operate and you will probably use it more than a super advanced one (a DAW can make that ad well but then you miss the beauty of the hands on experience).
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: LPF83 on January 02, 2022, 04:48:45 AM
Hello guys,  has anyone experience with some hardware step sequencer that could be used with the Prophet 5-10? Could you share your experience? Thank you :)

I saw your vid using the Doepfer Darktime, so I'm guessing this is what you settled on.  Curious how you like it overall, any pros / cons to mention?   I'm doing all my sequencing in the DAW currently, but sometimes miss the analog sequencer in the Leipzig-S I used to own, so the Darktime is of interest to me.
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: SMV on January 04, 2022, 12:23:55 PM
Thank you for your suggestions. And yes. In the end i decided for the Dark Time, because i wanted something very immediate. I know that in a daw you have a lot of options for sequencing, but the Dark Time offers great immediacy and fun (even if is a bit limited ). And it has a lot on CV ins and outs. So i think is also expandable in a modular fashion.
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: LPF83 on January 05, 2022, 03:24:47 AM
Thank you for your suggestions. And yes. In the end i decided for the Dark Time, because i wanted something very immediate. I know that in a daw you have a lot of options for sequencing, but the Dark Time offers great immediacy and fun (even if is a bit limited ). And it has a lot on CV ins and outs. So i think is also expandable in a modular fashion.

Yes, between the DAW and Xfer Cthulu plugin, I've got a crazy amount of arp/seq options, fast workflow, etc. but the point you raise about the immediacy and fun factor is what appeals to me about this unit, so it has its place on my "gear want list" for now.    Sometimes gear items stay on the want list until I decide if I can make room for them =)

I'm in the U.S., and Sweetwater lists the blue light version as substantially higher priced than the red light version with an indication of better availability on the blue light -- I suppose it's supply chain thing.   Thomann USA has a very attractive price on these, but having only ever ordered non-electronics from there, I'm not sure what I'm looking at there in terms of things like surprise charges, support hassles, wait time, buying separate power chord, etc.  hmm...
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: SMV on January 05, 2022, 11:22:33 AM
Yes. I like grabbing knobs and have a physical contact with my gears. Since I am 51, I am not so much attracted using vst or plugins using mouse and computer screen. It breaks my workflow. Anyway I payed my dark time from Thomann 475 euros. The red version was 435. If the color doesn’t matter for you… anyway I am having the insane idea to buy another Dark Time to connect it in serial ( but not shortly )😉
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: LPF83 on January 05, 2022, 04:48:02 PM
Yes. I like grabbing knobs and have a physical contact with my gears. Since I am 51, I am not so much attracted using vst or plugins using mouse and computer screen. It breaks my workflow. Anyway I payed my dark time from Thomann 475 euros. The red version was 435. If the color doesn’t matter for you… anyway I am having the insane idea to buy another Dark Time to connect it in serial ( but not shortly )😉

I'm a little older than you but still find myself a DAW based setup.  It may be because the first synthesizers I owned (in the 80s) were promptly connected to an Atari ST as a sequencer, so to be honest I would not know even know how to come near completion of a full track without a computer!   I do still prefer the immediacy of hardware, and sometimes my goal isn't completion of anything, but rather just me, and two hands on the Prophet 10 improvising and coming up with ideas.  Every now and then I think "that's an idea worth keeping", at which point retrospective recording (a feature most DAWS have I think) becomes helpful, because everything I've done is captured in the MIDI buffer and can be recovered and edited even if I wasn't actively recording.  It's things like that which means synths and computers are forever intertwined. :) 

Even still, a hardware sequencer with knobby interface appeals to me greatly.  One thing I do occasionally do with the onboard sequencers of the P6 or OB6 is write the sequence on the keyboard, then dump it into the DAW for refinement, editing adding variation etc.  I'm guessing I could do the same with the Darktime if I end up getting one.  I'm sure I'd have fun with it one way or another.  Looks like from the manual it is class compliant USB as well (no driver needed), which is another box ticked.
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: SMV on January 05, 2022, 05:51:24 PM
Yes. Of course i use the Daw too. It would be rather impossible to get some complete results without a Daw. But even if there are a lot of virtual instruments sounding very good, i just can't fall in love with the work approach. Yes, the Dark Time doesn't need any driver and can work in MIDI and in CV mode. So it is easy to send the sequence you create with CV connection, to a Midi track in Ableton or Logic and after, as you said, add some variations and so on.
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: Channelizer on January 08, 2022, 01:57:34 AM
My LFE now has a 128-step 12-note poly sequencer included.  Only 2 left for sale now...
https://www.yoricktech.co.uk/
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: LPF83 on February 11, 2022, 05:28:11 PM
I just added an Arturia Keystep Pro to the studio and I'm having a "how did I live without this?" kind of moment.   Though I've never been a fan of mini keys, as sequencer step input buttons they are brilliant.  It's mind-boggling what this little device can do, it encourages me to put together the conceptual beginnings of a track on the Keystep and move it to the DAW for refinement later.

The weekend is early so I'm only a couple of hours in... much to learn.  But something about the workflow really puts me in the right kind of retro vibe I was looking for in a sequencer.

I couldn't find the black version in the U.S. (just a preference I had) so I ordered from Thomanns.. it was here in a couple of days and even with International shipping came out to about $50 less than the cheapest I could get in the US.
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: 558 on February 13, 2022, 04:03:04 AM
I just added an Arturia Keystep Pro to the studio and I'm having a "how did I live without this?" kind of moment.   Though I've never been a fan of mini keys, as sequencer step input buttons they are brilliant.  It's mind-boggling what this little device can do, it encourages me to put together the conceptual beginnings of a track on the Keystep and move it to the DAW for refinement later.

The weekend is early so I'm only a couple of hours in... much to learn.  But something about the workflow really puts me in the right kind of retro vibe I was looking for in a sequencer.

I couldn't find the black version in the U.S. (just a preference I had) so I ordered from Thomanns.. it was here in a couple of days and even with International shipping came out to about $50 less than the cheapest I could get in the US.

I really like my Beatstep Pro.  There are so many options and it really works well.  I tend to forget all the things that it can do because of button combinations.  Really need a visible list near it.  I really prefer the Beatstep Pro to the Keystep pro.  That's for sequencing.  I do a lot of arpeggiator stuff with the AKAI Advance 25.  It has a very good arp with many choices, and I keep it right under my Prophet 10.
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: LPF83 on February 13, 2022, 05:43:16 AM
I just added an Arturia Keystep Pro to the studio and I'm having a "how did I live without this?" kind of moment.   Though I've never been a fan of mini keys, as sequencer step input buttons they are brilliant.  It's mind-boggling what this little device can do, it encourages me to put together the conceptual beginnings of a track on the Keystep and move it to the DAW for refinement later.

The weekend is early so I'm only a couple of hours in... much to learn.  But something about the workflow really puts me in the right kind of retro vibe I was looking for in a sequencer.

I couldn't find the black version in the U.S. (just a preference I had) so I ordered from Thomanns.. it was here in a couple of days and even with International shipping came out to about $50 less than the cheapest I could get in the US.

I really like my Beatstep Pro.  There are so many options and it really works well.  I tend to forget all the things that it can do because of button combinations.  Really need a visible list near it.  I really prefer the Beatstep Pro to the Keystep pro.  That's for sequencing.  I do a lot of arpeggiator stuff with the AKAI Advance 25.  It has a very good arp with many choices, and I keep it right under my Prophet 10.

For the visible list of functions, Arturia has a cheat sheet for both Beatstep and Keystep Pro you may find useful, I'll add to bottom of this post.

I'm thrilled enough with the Keystep Pro that I may consider adding a Beatstep in the future, so I can put all drum patterns on the Beatstep and use the Keystep for synths.  The one "wishlist" item I have is an extra track or two, and the Beatstep would give me three additional ones.  Its just a preference of mine for piano keys for any sort of melodic sequencing, I never really got the hang of using drum pads for melodic input.

For learning all the buttons and workflow, one of the first things I do on a device like this is just get the hang of copy and paste (patterns, pages etc).  Everything else kind of falls into place after that.

Cheatsheet links:
https://www.arturia.com/images/products/beatstep-pro/BeatstepPro-CheatSheet.pdf
https://downloads.arturia.net/products/keystep-pro/manual/keystep-pro_Manual_2_0-cheatsheet_EN.pdf
Title: Re: hardware step sequencer
Post by: 558 on February 14, 2022, 01:08:17 AM

For the visible list of functions, Arturia has a cheat sheet for both Beatstep and Keystep Pro you may find useful, I'll add to bottom of this post.

I'm thrilled enough with the Keystep Pro that I may consider adding a Beatstep in the future, so I can put all drum patterns on the Beatstep and use the Keystep for synths.  The one "wishlist" item I have is an extra track or two, and the Beatstep would give me three additional ones.  Its just a preference of mine for piano keys for any sort of melodic sequencing, I never really got the hang of using drum pads for melodic input.

For learning all the buttons and workflow, one of the first things I do on a device like this is just get the hang of copy and paste (patterns, pages etc).  Everything else kind of falls into place after that.

Cheatsheet links:
https://www.arturia.com/images/products/beatstep-pro/BeatstepPro-CheatSheet.pdf
https://downloads.arturia.net/products/keystep-pro/manual/keystep-pro_Manual_2_0-cheatsheet_EN.pdf

terrific, I downloaded it.  I really like the polyrhythm and saving sequences and goups of sequencers but I forget how to save after some time away.