A music sequencer (or audio sequencer or simply sequencer) is a device or application software that can record, edit, or play back music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically CV/Gate, MIDI, or Open Sound Control (OSC), and possibly audio and automation data for DAWs and plug-ins. (See § Types of music sequencer)[note 1][1]
- 1Overview
- 2Types of music sequencer
- 3History
Ableton Live's MIDI editing capabilities have improved in Version 9. It's routing is fantastic. The interface is, IMHO, the most intuitive of all major DAWS. Pro Tools started as an audio recording program and MIDI was added in later versions. I did not find it to be the best program for working with MIDI but have not used it for some years. Dec 11, 2018 - The Future Music/Computer Music/MusicRadar Best in music tech 2018 polls received thousands of votes, and we're now ready to roll out the.
Overview[edit]
Modern sequencers[edit]
1980s typical software sequencer platform, using Atari Mega ST computer.
Today's typical software sequencer, supporting multitrack audio (DAW) and plug-ins (Steinberg Cubase 6[2])
User interface on Steinberg Cubase v6.0, a digital audio workstation with an integrated software sequencer.
The advent of Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) and the Atari ST home computer in the 1980s gave programmers the opportunity to design software that could more easily record and play back sequences of notes played or programmed by a musician. This software also improved on the quality of the earlier sequencers which tended to be mechanical sounding and were only able to play back notes of exactly equal duration. Software-based sequencers allowed musicians to program performances that were more expressive and more human. These new sequencers could also be used to control external synthesizers, especially rackmountedsound modules, and it was no longer necessary for each synthesizer to have its own devoted keyboard.
As the technology matured, sequencers gained more features, such as the ability to record multitrack audio. Sequencers used for audio recording are called digital audio workstations (or DAWs).
Many modern sequencers can be used to control virtual instruments implemented as software plug-ins. This allows musicians to replace expensive and cumbersome standalone synthesizers with their software equivalents.
Today the term 'sequencer' is often used to describe software. However, hardware sequencers still exist. Workstation keyboards have their own proprietary built-in MIDI sequencers. Drum machines and some older synthesizers have their own step sequencer built in. There are still also standalone hardware MIDI sequencers, although the market demand for those has diminished greatly due to the greater feature set of their software counterparts.
Types of music sequencer[edit]
Music sequencers can be categorized by handling data types, such as:
- MIDI data on the MIDI sequencers (implemented as hardware or software)[3]
- CV/Gate data on the analog sequencers[4] and possibly others (via CV/Gate interfaces)
- Automation data for mixing-automation on the DAWs,[note 2][5] and the software effect / instrumentplug-ins on the DAWs with sequencing features
- Audio data on the audio sequencers[6][note 3] including DAW, loop-based music software, etc.; or, the phrase samplers including Groove machines, etc.
Alternative subsets of audio sequencers include:
Digital audio workstation (DAW), Hard disk recorder — a class of audio software or dedicated system primarily designed to record, edit, and play back digital audio, first appeared in the late 1970s and emerging since the 1990s. After the 1990s–2000s, several DAWs for music production were integrated with music sequencer. In today, 'DAW integrated with MIDI sequencer' is often simply abbreviated as 'DAW', or sometimes referred as 'Audio and MIDI sequencer',[7]etc. On the later usage, the term 'audio sequencer' is just a synonym for the 'DAW'. |
Loop-based music software — a class of music software for Loop-based music compositions and remix, emerging since late 1990s. Typical software included ACID Pro (1998), Ableton Live (2001), GarageBand (2004), etc. And now, several of them are referred as DAW, resulting of the expansions and/or integrations. Its core feature, pitch/time manipulation allows user to handle audio samples (loops) with the analogy of MIDI data, in several aspects; user can designate Pitches and Durations independently on short music samples, as on MIDI notes, to remix a song. This type of software really controls sequences of audio samples; thus, possibly, we can call it an 'audio sequencer'. |
Tracker (music software) — a class of software music sequencer with embedded sample players, developed since the 1980s. Although it provides earlier 'sequence of sampling sound' similar to grooveboxes and later loop-based music software, its design is slightly dated, and rarely referred as 'audio sequencer'. |
Phrase sampler (or phrase sampling) — similar to above, musicians or remixers sometimes remixed or composed songs by sampling relatively long phrases or part of songs, and then rearranging these on grooveboxes or a combination of sampler (musical instrument) and sequencer. This technique is possibly referred as 'audio sequencing'. |
Beat slicing — before the DAW became popular, several musicians sometimes derived various beats from limited drum sample Loop by slicing beats and rearranging them on samplers. This technique was popularized with the introduction of 'beat slicer' tool, especially the 'ReCycle' released in 1992. Possibly it may be one origin of 'audio sequencing'. |
Also, music sequencer can be categorized by its construction and supporting modes.
Realtime sequencer (realtime recording mode)[edit]
A realtime sequencer on the synthesizer
Realtime sequencers record the musical notes in real-time as on audio recorders, and play back musical notes with designated tempo, quantizations, and pitch. For editing, usually 'punch in/punch out' features originated in the tape recording are provided, although it requires sufficient skills to obtain the desired result. For detailed editing, possibly another visual editing mode under graphical user interface may be more suitable. Anyway, this mode provides usability similar to audio recorders already familiar to musicians, and it is widely supported on software sequencers, DAWs, and built-in hardware sequencers.
Analog sequencer[edit]
An analog sequencer
Analog sequencers are typically implemented with analog electronics, and play the musical notes designated by a series of knobs or sliders corresponding to each musical note (step). It is designed for both composition and live performance; users can change the musical notes at any time without regarding recording mode. And also possibly, the time-interval between each musical note (length of each step) can be independently adjustable. Typically, analog sequencers are used to generate the repeated minimalistic phrases which may be reminiscent of Tangerine Dream, Giorgio Moroder or trance music.
Step sequencer (step recording mode)[edit]
A step rhythm sequencer on the drum machine
A step note sequencer on the bass machine
On step sequencers, musical notes are rounded into steps of equal time-intervals, and users can enter each musical note without exact timing; instead, the timing and duration of each step can be designated in several different ways:
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- On the drum machines: select a trigger timing from a row of step-buttons.
- On the bass machines: select a step note (or rest) from a chromatic keypads, then select a step duration (or tie) from a group of length-buttons, sequentially.
- On the several home keyboards: in addition to the realtime sequencer, a pair of step trigger button is provided; using it, notes on the pre-recorded sequence can be triggered in arbitrary timings for the timing dedicated recordings or performances. (See List of music sequencers#Step sequencers (supported on).)
In general, step mode, along with roughly quantized semi-realtime mode, is often supported on the drum machines, bass machines and several groove machines.
Software sequencer[edit]
Software sequencer is a class of application software providing a functionality of music sequencer, and often provided as one feature of the DAW or the integrated music authoring environments. The features provided as sequencers vary widely depending on the software; even an analog sequencer can be simulated. The user may control the software sequencer either by using the graphical user interfaces or a specialized input devices, such as a MIDI controller.
Numerical editor on Tracker | Score editor | Piano roll editor with strip chart | Audio and MIDI tracks on DAW | Automated, software studio environment including instruments and effect processors | Loop sequencer | Sample editor with beat slicer | Vocal editor for pitch and timing |
History[edit]
Early sequencers[edit]
Barrel with pins on a large stationary barrel organ
Music roll
on barrel organ
on barrel organ
The early music sequencers were sound producing devices such as automatic musical instruments, music boxes, mechanical organs, player pianos, and Orchestrions. Player pianos, for example, had much in common with contemporary sequencers. Composers or arrangers transmitted music to piano rolls which were subsequently edited by technicians who prepared the rolls for mass duplication. Eventually consumers were able to purchase these rolls and play them back on their own player pianos.
The origin of automatic musical instruments seems remarkably old. As early as the 9th century, Persian inventors Banū Mūsā brothers invented a hydropoweredorgan using exchangeable cylinders with pins,[8] and also an automaticflute playing machine using steam power,[9][10] as described in their Book of Ingenious Devices.In the 14th century, rotating cylinders with pins were used to play a carillon (steam organ) in Flanders,[citation needed] and at least in the 15th century, barrel organs were seen in the Netherlands.[11]
Player piano (1920) controlled by piano roll.
RCA Mark II (1957),
controlled via wide punched paper roll
controlled via wide punched paper roll
In the late-18th or early-19th century, with technological advances of the Industrial Revolution various automatic musical instruments were invented. Some examples: music boxes, barrel organs and barrel pianos consisting of a barrel or cylinder with pins or a flat metal disc with punched holes; or mechanical organs, player pianos and orchestrions using book music / music rolls (piano rolls) with punched holes, etc. These instruments were disseminated widely as popular entertainment devices prior to the inventions of phonographs, radios, and sound films which eventually eclipsed all such home music production devices.Of them all, punched-paper-tape media had been used until the mid-20th century. The earliest programmable music synthesizers including the RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer in 1957, and the Siemens Synthesizer in 1959, were also controlled via punch tapes similar to piano rolls.[12][13][14]
Additional inventions grew out of sound film audio technology. The drawn sound technique which appeared in the late 1920s, is notable as a precursor of today's intuitive graphical user interfaces. In this technique, notes and various sound parameters are trigggered by hand-drawn black ink waveforms directly upon the film substrate, hence they resemble piano rolls (or the 'strip charts' of the modern sequencers/DAWs). Drawn soundtrack was often used in early experimental electronic music, including the Variophone developed by Yevgeny Sholpo in 1930, and the Oramics designed by Daphne Oram in 1957, and so forth.
Analog sequencers[edit]
Earliest commercially available analog sequencers (bottom) on Buchla 100 (1964/1966)[15]
Moog sequencer module (left, probably added after 1968) on Moog Modular (1964)
During the 1940s–1960s, Raymond Scott, an American composer of electronic music, invented various kind of music sequencers for his electric compositions. The 'Wall of Sound', once covered on the wall of his studio in New York during the 1940s–1950s, was an electro-mechanical sequencer to produce rhythmic patterns, consisting of stepping relays (used on dial pulsetelephone exchange), solenoids, control switches, and tone circuits with 16 individual oscillators.[16] Later, Robert Moog would explain it in such terms as 'the whole room would go 'clack - clack - clack', and the sounds would come out all over the place'.[17]The Circle Machine, developed in 1959, had dimmer bulbs arranged in a ring, and a rotating arm with photocell scanning over the ring, to generate an arbitrary waveform. Also, the rotating speed of the arm was controlled via the brightness of lights, and as a result, arbitrary rhythms were generated.[18]
Clavivox, developed since 1952, was a kind of keyboard synthesizer with sequencer.[verification needed] On its prototype, a theremin manufactured by young Robert Moog was utilized to enable portamento over 3-octave range, and on later version, it was replaced by a pair of photographic film and photocell for controlling the pitch by voltage.[17]
In 1968 Ralph Lundsten and Leo Nilsson had a polyphonic synthesizer with sequencer called Andromatic built for them by Erkki Kurenniemi.[19]
Step sequencers[edit]
Electro-mechanical disc sequencer on early drum machine (1959)
Eko ComputeRhythm (1972),[20][21] one of the earliest programmable drum machines
Firstman SQ-01 (1980),[22] one of the earliest step bass machines
The step sequencers played rigid patterns of notes using a grid of (usually) 16 buttons, or steps, each step being 1/16 of a measure. These patterns of notes were then chained together to form longer compositions. Sequencers of this kind are still in use, mostly built into drum machines and grooveboxes. They are monophonic by nature, although some are multi-timbral, meaning that they can control several different sounds but only play one note on each of those sounds.[clarification needed]
Early computers[edit]
CSIRAC played the earliest computer music in 1951
On the other hand, software sequencers were continuously utilized since the 1950s in the context of computer music, including computer-played music (software sequencer), computer-composed music (music synthesis), and computer sound generation (sound synthesis). In June 1951, the first computer music Colonel Bogey was played on CSIRAC, Australia's first digital computer.[23][24] In 1956, Lejaren Hiller at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign wrote one of the earliest programs for computer music composition on ILLIAC, and collaborated on the first piece, Illiac Suite for String Quartet, with Leonard Issaction.[25] In 1957 Max Mathews at Bell Labs wrote MUSIC, the first widely used program for sound generation, and a 17-second composition was performed by the IBM 704 computer. Subsequently, computer music was mainly researched on the expensive mainframe computers in computer centers, until the 1970s when minicomputers and then microcomputers became available in this field.
In Japan, experiments in computer music date back to 1962, when Keio University professor Sekine and Toshiba engineer Hayashi experimented with the TOSBAC computer. This resulted in a piece entitled TOSBAC Suite.[26]
DDP-24 S Block (expansion card rack unit) that is assumed the A/D converters used for GROOVE (1970) by Max Mathews.
In 1965,[27] Mathews and L. Rosler developed Graphic 1, an interactive graphical sound system (that implies sequencer) on which one could draw figures using a light-pen that would be converted into sound, simplifying the process of composing computer generated music.[28][29] It used PDP-5 minicomputer for data input, and IBM 7094 mainframe computer for rendering sound. Also in 1970, Mathews and F. R. Moore developed the GROOVE (Generated Real-time Output Operations on Voltage-controlled Equipment) system,[30] a first fully developed music synthesis system for interactive composition (that implies sequencer) and realtime performance, using 3C/HoneywellDDP-24[31] (or DDP-224[32]) minicomputers. It used a CRT display to simplify the management of music synthesis in realtime, 12bit D/A for realtime sound playback, an interface for analog devices, and even several controllers including a musical keyboard, knobs, and rotating joysticks to capture realtime performance.[28][32][29]
EMS Sequencer 256 (1971), branched from Synthi 100.
Digital sequencers[edit]
In 1971, Electronic Music Studios (EMS) released one of the first digital sequencer products as a module of Synthi 100, and its derivation, Synthi Sequencer series.[33][34]After then, Oberheim released the DS-2 Digital Sequencer in 1974,[35] and Sequential Circuits released Model 800 in 1977 [36]
Synclavier I (1977)
Fairlight CMI (1979) supporting MCL (sequencer)
Music workstations[edit]
In 1975, New England Digital (NED) released ABLE computer (microcomputer)[37] as a dedicated data processing unit for Dartmouth Digital Synthesizer (1973), and based on it, later Synclavier series were developed.
The Synclavier I, released in September 1977,[38] was one of the earliest digital music workstation product with multitrack sequencer. Synclavier series evolved throughout the late-1970s to the mid-1980s, and they also established integration of digital-audio and music-sequencer, on their Direct-to-Disk option in 1984, and later Tapeless Studio system.
Page R on Fairlight
In 1982, renewed the Fairlight CMI Series II and added new sequencer software 'Page R', which combined step sequencing with sample playback.[39]
Yamaha's GS-1, their first FMdigital synthesizer, was released in 1980.[40] To program the synthesizer, Yamaha built a custom computer workstation designed to be used as a sequencer for the GS-1[citation needed][not in citation given]. It was only available at Yamaha's headquarters in Japan (Hamamatsu) and the United States (Buena Park).[citation needed]
Standalone CV/Gate sequencers[edit]
While there were earlier microprocessor-based sequencers for digital polyphonic synthesizers,[note 4] their early products tended to prefer the newer internal digital buses than the old-style analogue CV/Gate interface once used on their prototype system. Then in the early-1980s, they also re-recognized the needs of CV/Gate interface, and supported it along with MIDI as options.
Roland MC-8 Microcomposer (1977)
In 1977, Roland Corporation released the MC-8 Microcomposer, also called computer music composer by Roland. It was an early stand-alone, microprocessor-based, digital CV/Gate sequencer,[41][42] and an early polyphonic sequencer.[43][44] It equipped a keypad to enter notes as numeric codes, 16 KB of RAM for a maximum of 5200 notes (large for the time), and a polyphony function which allocated multiple pitch CVs to a single Gate.[45] It was capable of eight-channel polyphony, allowing the creation of polyrhythmic sequences.[46][41][42] The MC-8 had a significant impact on popular electronic music, with the MC-8 and its descendants (such as the Roland MC-4 Microcomposer) impacting popular electronic music production in the 1970s and 1980s more than any other family of sequencers.[46] The MC-8's earliest known users were Yellow Magic Orchestra in 1978.[47]
MIDI sequencers[edit]
In June 1981, Roland Corporation founder Ikutaro Kakehashi proposed the concept of standardization between different manufacturers' instruments as well as computers, to Oberheim Electronics founder Tom Oberheim and Sequential Circuits president Dave Smith. In October 1981, Kakehashi, Oberheim and Smith discussed the concept with representatives from Yamaha, Korg and Kawai.[48] In 1983, the MIDI standard was unveiled by Kakehashi and Smith.[49][50] The first MIDI sequencer was the Roland MSQ-700, released in 1983.[51]
It was not until the advent of MIDI that general-purpose computers started to play a role as sequencers. Following the widespread adoption of MIDI, computer-based MIDI sequencers were developed. MIDI-to-CV/Gate converters were then used to enable analogue synthesizers to be controlled by a MIDI sequencer.[42] Since its introduction, MIDI has remained the musical instrument industry standard interface through to the present day.[52]
Personal computers[edit]
In 1978, Japanese personal computers such as the HitachiBasic Master equipped the low-bit D/A converter to generate sound which can be sequenced using Music Macro Language (MML).[53] This was used to produce chiptunevideo game music.[26]
Moog Song Producer (1983) MIDI & CV/Gate interface on SynAmp
It was not until the advent of MIDI, introduced to the public in 1983, that general-purpose computers really started to play a role as software sequencers.[42]NEC's personal computers, the PC-88 and PC-98, added support for MIDI sequencing with MML programming in 1982.[26] In 1983, Yamaha modules for the MSX featured music production capabilities,[54][55] real-time FM synthesis with sequencing, MIDI sequencing,[56][55] and a graphical user interface for the software sequencer.[57][55] Also in 1983, Roland Corporation's CMU-800 sound module introduced music synthesis and sequencing to the PC, Apple II,[58] and Commodore 64.[59]
The spread of MIDI on personal computers was facilitated by Roland's MPU-401, released in 1984. It was the first MIDI-equipped PC sound card, capable of MIDI sound processing[60] and sequencing.[61][62] After Roland sold MPU sound chips to other sound card manufacturers,[60] it established a universal standard MIDI-to-PC interface.[63] Following the widespread adoption of MIDI, computer-based MIDI software sequencers were developed.[42]
Tracker software
In 1987, software sequencers called trackers were developed to realize the low-cost integration of sampling sound and interactive digital sequencer as seen on Fairlight CMI II 'Page R'. They became popular in the 1980s and 1990s as simple sequencers for creating computer game music, and remain popular in the demoscene and chiptune music.
Visual timeline of rhythm sequencers[edit]
Mechanical (pre 20c) | Rhythmicon (1930) | Drum machine (1959–) | Transistorized drum machine (1964–) | Step drum machine (1972–) | Digital drum machine (1980–) | Groove machine (1981–) | “Page R” on Fairlight (1982) | Tracker (1987–) | Beat slicer (1990s–) | Spectrogramediting (1994) | Loop sequencer (1998–) | Note manipulation on audio tracks (2009–) |
See also[edit]
- List of music sequencers – related article split from this article
- Combination action#Sequencers (for organs)
Notes[edit]
- ^ On WhatIs.com of TechTarget (whatis.techtarget.com), an author seems to define a term 'Sequencer' as an abbreviation of 'MIDI sequencer'.
- Margaret Rouse (April 2005). 'Define sequencer'. WhatIs.com (whatis.techtarget.com). TechTarget. Archived from the original on 2015-06-27.
In digital audio recording, a sequencer is a program in a computer or stand-alone keyboard unit that puts together a sound sequence from a series (or sequence) of Musical Instrument Digital Interface ( MIDI ) events (operations). The MIDI sequencer allows the user to record and edit a musical performance without using an audio-based input source. ..
- Margaret Rouse (April 2005). 'Define sequencer'. WhatIs.com (whatis.techtarget.com). TechTarget. Archived from the original on 2015-06-27.
- ^Automation parameters on the DAW are often interoperable with MIDI messages (Control Changes (CC) or System Exclusive (SysEx); in that case, it can be controlled in real-time via pre-assigned MIDI messages generated by MIDI controllers or MIDI sequencers, etc. And even more, on the several DAWs, automation parameters are explicitly recorded as MIDI messages on their embedded MIDI sequencers. (See Price 2006)
- ^ The term 'audio sequencer' seems to be relatively new expression and seems to be not clearly defined, yet. For example, 'DAW integrated with MIDI sequencer' is often referred as 'Audio and MIDI sequencer'. However, in this usage, the term 'audio sequencer' is just a synonym for the 'DAW', and beyond the scope of this article. In that case, please check Digital audio workstation.
- ^ In 1974-1975, Australian computer music engineer Tony Furse developed the MC6800-based Qasar M8 with a software sequencer MUSEQ 8, with a minimum price of $8,000. In 1976, it was licensed to Fairlight Instruments Pty Ltd., and eventually Fairlight CMI was released in 1979. (For details, see Fairlight CMI)
Also in 1975, New England Digital released original microprocessor-based ABLE computer (utilizing mini-computer architecture) as a future migration target of Dartmouth Digital Synthesizer. Their commercial version of digital synthesizer, Synclavier I was first shipped in 1977. (For details, see Synclavier)
References[edit]
- ^Pejrolo, Andrea (2011). '1.7.1 The Primary Goals You Want to Achieve with Your Audio Sequencer'. Creative Sequencing Techniques for Music Production: A Practical Guide to Pro Tools, Logic, Digital Performer, and Cubase. Taylor & Francis. p. 48. ISBN978-0-240-52216-6.Note: an example of section title containing 'Audio Sequencer'
- ^'Cubase 6 screenshot licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0'. Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. Archived from the original on 2011-11-09.
- ^Rothstein, Joseph (1995). MIDI: A Comprehensive Introduction. Computer Music and Digital Audio Series. 7. A-R Editions, Inc. pp. 77, 122. ISBN978-0-89579-309-6.
- ^Pinch, Trevor. J.; Trocco, Frank (2009). 'Buchla's Box'. Analog Days: The Invention and Impact of the Moog Synthesizer (reprint ed.). Harvard University Press. pp. 55–56. ISBN978-0-674-04216-2.'Subotnick suggested that using a light source to control sound might be promising. .. Later he [Buchla] turned this into an electro mechanical sequencer by introducing step relays and a dial. .. Buchla, like Moog, realized that voltage control .. But Buchla was after something different; .. Buchla was led to the electronic sequencer—a device that later was used to make much influential pop, rock, and dance music. A sequencer produces predetermined control voltages in a cycle or sequence and can endlessly recylce ..'Note: for a sequencer using a light source, see 'Circle Machine' on #Analog sequencers and Raymond Scott#Electronics and research.
- ^Price, Simon. 'Using Mixer Automation In Reason - Reason Tips & Techniques'. Technique: Reason Notes. Sound On Sound. No. September 2006. Archived from the original on 2016-03-10.'Controller Data Vs. Automation / .. sequencer package such as Logic or Pro Tools, .. are akin to automation on professional hardware mixing consoles, .. This type of automation system is different to using MIDI Continuous Controller [Control Changes] (CC) data, .. In Reason, automation is MIDI Controller [Control Changes] data, but with some specialised tools for handling the data and playing it back. ..',
'Recording Mixer Automation / As automation in Reason is MIDI CC data, it must be recorded on a sequencer track.' - ^Pejrolo, Andrea (2011). '1.7.1 The Primary Goals You Want to Achieve with Your Audio Sequencer'. Creative Sequencing Techniques for Music Production: A Practical Guide to Pro Tools, Logic, Digital Performer, and Cubase. Taylor & Francis. p. 48. ISBN978-0-240-52216-6. (sub-section title contains the expression 'Audio Sequencer')
- ^MusE – The open source sequencer,
MusE is a MIDI/Audio sequencer with recording and editing capabilities ..
- ^Fowler, Charles B. (October 1967). 'The Museum of Music: A History of Mechanical Instruments'. Music Educators Journal. Music Educators Journal. 54 (2): 45–49. doi:10.2307/3391092. JSTOR3391092.
- ^Koetsier, Teun (2001). 'On the prehistory of programmable machines: musical automata, looms, calculators'. Mechanism and Machine Theory. Elsevier. 36 (5): 589–603. doi:10.1016/S0094-114X(01)00005-2.
- ^Banu Musa (authors) (1979). Donald Routledge Hill (translator) (ed.). The book of ingenious devices (Kitāb al-ḥiyal). Springer. pp. 76–7. ISBN9027708339.
- ^Schlesinger, Kathleen (1911). 'Barrel-organ' . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 432–434.
- ^'The RCA Synthesiser'. 120 Years of Electronic Music (120years.net). Archived from the original on 2011-10-26.—(PDF versionArchived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine is available)
- ^'Das Siemens-Studio für elektronische Musik von Alexander Schaaf und Helmut Klein' (in German). Deutsches Museum. Archived from the original on 2013-09-30.
- ^Holmes, Thom (2012). 'Early Synthesizers and Experimenters'. Electronic and Experimental Music: Technology, Music, and Culture (4th ed.). Routledge. pp. 190–192. ISBN978-1-136-46895-7. See also excerpt from pp. 157-160 in Chapter 6 of Early Synthesizers and Experimenters.
- ^Holmes, Thom (2008). Electronic and experimental music: technology, music, and culture (3rd ed.). Routledge. p. 222. ISBN978-0-415-95781-6.
Moog admired Buchla's work, recently stating that Buchla designed a system not only for 'making new sounds but [for] making textures out of these sounds by specifying when these sounds could change and how regular those change would be.'
- ^'Wall of Sound (sequencer)'. RaymondScott.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-13.
- ^ abMoog, Robert. 'Memories of Raymond Scott'. RaymondScott.com. Archived from the original on 2011-11-06.
- ^'Circle Machine'. RaymondScott.com. Archived from the original on 2011-09-27.—includes 2 sound files: Raymond Scott's demonstration, and commercial soundtrack for new batteries of Ford Motors.
- ^Städje, Jörgen (2012-10-06). 'Andromatic, den automatiska andromedaren'. International Data Group (IDG). Archived from the original on 2012-10-07.
- ^'EKO Computerhythm (1972)'. Jarrography - The ultimate Jean Michel Jarre discography. Archived from the original on 2012-05-03.
- ^'EKO Computerhythm'. SynthMaster.de. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
- ^'Multivox International'. SYNRISE (in German). Archived from the original on 2003-04-20.
- ^'CSIRAC: Australia's first computer'. Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Archived from the original on 2007-11-16. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
- ^Fildes, Jonathan (2008-06-17). ''Oldest' computer music unveiled'. BBC News Online. Archived from the original on 2009-01-11. Retrieved 2008-06-18.—another oldest known recording of computer realized music played by the Ferranti Mark 1, captured by BBC in Autumn, 1951; the songs Baa Baa Black Sheep and In the Mood.
- ^Hiller, Lejaren (Winter 1981). 'Composing with Computer: A Progress Report'. Computer Music Journal. 5 (4).
also available inCurtis Roads (ed.). The Music Machine: Selected Readings from Computer Music Journal. MIT Press (1989/1992). pp. 75. ISBN978-0-262-68078-3. - ^ abcShimazu, Takehito (1994). 'The History of Electronic and Computer Music in Japan: Significant Composers and Their Works'. Leonardo Music Journal. MIT Press. 4: 102–106 [104]. doi:10.2307/1513190. Retrieved 9 July 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^Ninke, William (1965), 'Graphic 1: A Remote Graphical Display Console System', Proceedings of Fall Joint Computer Conference, 27
- ^ abHolmes, Thom (2008). 'Digital Synthesis and Computer Music'. Electronic and experimental music: technology, music, and culture. Taylor & Francis. pp. 254. ISBN978-0-415-95781-6.
- ^ abRoads, Curtis (Winter 1980). 'Interview with Max Mathews'. Computer Music Journal. 4 (4).
inCurtis Roads (ed.). The Music Machine: Selected Readings from Computer Music Journal. MIT Press (1989/1992). pp. 5. ISBN978-0-262-68078-3. - ^Max V., Mathews; F.R., Moore (1970). 'GROOVE—a program to compose, store, and edit functions of time'. Communications of the ACM. 13 (12).
- ^Nyssim Lefford; Eric D. Scheirer & Barry L. Vercoe. 'An Interview with Barry Vercoe'. Experimental Music Studio 25. Machine Listening Group, MIT Media Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31.
- ^ abBogdanov, Vladimir (2001). All music guide to electronica: the definitive guide to electronic music. Backbeat Books. pp. 320. ISBN978-0-87930-628-1.
- ^Hinton, Graham (2001). 'Synthi 100 (1971, formerly Digitana, aka the Delaware)'. Electronic Music Studios (Cornwall). Archived from the original on 2013-10-31.
- ^Hinton, Graham (2001). 'Synthi Sequencer 256 (1971, formerly Synthi Moog Sequencer)'. Electronic Music Studios (Cornwall). Archived from the original on 2013-10-31.
- ^J.Michmerhuizen; Thomas E. Oberheim (June 1974). DS-2 Digital Sequencer Instruction and Service Manual(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 2011-12-18. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
- ^'Model 800 Sequencer'. SynthMuseum.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-11.
- ^'Synclavier Early History'. Synclavier European Services. Archived from the original on 2016-11-14.
- ^Chadabe, Joel (May 1, 2001). 'The Electronic Century Part IV: The Seeds of the Future'. Electronic Musician. Archived from the original on October 2, 2009.
In September 1977, I bought the first Synclavier, although mine came without the special keyboard and control panel .. (see Fig. 1 on the page).
- ^'Fairlight- The Whole Story'. Audio Media. No. January 1996. Archived from the original on 2017-05-04.
Fairlight launched the CMI Series II in 1982, which incorporated their now legendary Page R, the first serious music sequencer, which, according to Paine, 'simply blew people away'.
- ^Roads, Curtis (1996). The computer music tutorial. MIT Press. p. 226. ISBN0-262-68082-3. Retrieved 2011-06-05.
- ^ abRuss, Martin (2008). Sound Synthesis and Sampling. Focal Press. p. 346. ISBN0240521056. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
- ^ abcdeRuss, Martin (2012). Sound Synthesis and Sampling. CRC Press. p. 192. ISBN1136122141. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
- ^Paul Théberge (1997), Any Sound You Can Imagine: Making Music/Consuming Technology, page 223, Wesleyan University Press
- ^Herbert A. Deutsch (1985), Synthesis: an introduction to the history, theory & practice of electronic music, page 96, Alfred Music
- ^Reid, Gordon. 'The History Of Roland Part 1: 1930-1978'. Sound On Sound (Nov 2004). Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-06-19.
- ^ abChris Carter, ROLAND MC8 MICROCOMPOSERArchived 2017-04-20 at the Wayback Machine, Sound on Sound, Vol.12, No.5, March 1997
- ^Yellow Magic Orchestra—Yellow Magic Orchestra at Discogs
- ^Chadabe, Joel (1 May 2000). 'Part IV: The Seeds of the Future'. Electronic Musician. Penton Media. XVI (5). Archived from the original on 28 September 2012.
- ^'Technical GRAMMY Award: Ikutaro Kakehashi And Dave Smith'. 29 January 2013. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016.
- ^'Ikutaro Kakehashi, Dave Smith: Technical GRAMMY Award Acceptance'. 9 February 2013. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014.
- ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2017-07-12. Retrieved 2017-05-17.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ^The life and times of Ikutaro Kakehashi, the Roland pioneer modern music owes everything toArchived 2017-04-03 at the Wayback Machine, Fact
- ^Kunihiko, Nagai; Teruhiro, Takezawa; Kazuma, Yoshimura; KaTsutoshi, Tajima (April 1979). 'Micro computer BASIC MASTER [MB-6880]'(PDF) (in Japanese).
2.特長 .. (4) スピーカーを内蔵しており、プログラムによる音楽の自動演奏が可能である。 / 表 I 「ベーシックマスター」の主な仕様一覧 .. 音楽発生機能: 5ビットD/A変換のスピーカー再生 / 4.3 音楽発生機能 ..
Published on: 'Special Features: Micro computer and its application'. Hitachi Hyoron. Japan: Hitachi, Ltd (April 1979). Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017. - ^Martin Russ, Sound Synthesis and Sampling, page 84, CRC Press
- ^ abcDavid Ellis, Yamaha CX5MArchived 2017-10-26 at the Wayback Machine, Electronics & Music Maker, October 1984
- ^Yamaha Music Computer CX5M Owner's Manual. Yamaha. Archived from the original on 2015-10-22. Retrieved 2018-12-26.
- ^Yamaha (5 May 1984). 'Yamaha CX5M Music Computer Flyer (GB)'. Retrieved 5 May 2018 – via Internet Archive.
- ^Roland CMU-800Archived 2017-06-04 at the Wayback Machine, Vintage Synth Explorer
- ^Happy birthday MIDI 1.0: Slave to the rhythmArchived 2017-10-26 at the Wayback Machine, The Register
- ^ abMIDI INTERFACES FOR THE IBM PCArchived 2015-10-21 at the Wayback Machine, Electronic Musician, September 1990
- ^'Programming the MPU-401'. www.piclist.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
- ^MIDI PROCESSING UNIT MPU-401 TECHNICAL REFERENCE MANUAL, Roland Corporation
- ^Peter Manning (2013), Electronic and Computer Music, page 319, Oxford University Press
Further reading[edit]
List of papers sharing a similar perspective with this Wikipedia article:
- Arar, Raphael; Kapur, Ajay (2013). 'A History of Sequencers: Interfaces for Organizing Pattern-Based Music'(PDF). Proceedings of the Sound and Music Computing Conference 2013 (SMC 2013), Stockholm, Sweden. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2015-04-02.
Note: although this conference paper emphasized the 'Ace Tone FR-1 Rhythm Ace', it is not a music sequencer nor first drum machine product.
External links[edit]
Look up sequencer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Music sequencers. |
- 'History of electronic musical instruments and sequencers'. 120 Years of Electronic Music (120years.net).
- 'Early sequencer controllers'. Vintage Synth Explorer.
- Richmond, Leigh (11 November 1974). 'Computer hums its own music'. Evening Times. Melbourne, FL. p. A1. (1974 newspaper article about digital sequencer)
- 'Search results of 'audio sequencer'', Google.com
- 'Amazon.com: Audio Sequencers: Musical Instruments', Amazon.com
- 'German National Museum of Musical Automata in Bruchsal palace', website of the Badisches Landesmuseum
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Music_sequencer&oldid=887072494'
Let’s get your grooves on point with the best sequencer software plugins for music production.
We’ve honed down a giant collection of sequencers, and now present to you 5 of which we’re certain will make you happy.
Quick answer: Sugar Bytes Thesys is top choice here, followed by Consequenceby the same plugin makers.
The cheapest ones are Inertiaand Array, both by Sinevibes.
The rest of this plugin guide will look at these plugins with a little more detail, so you know what you’re getting into before you get your next plugin.
Let’s take a closer look ?
Table of Contents
- Sequencer Plug-In Buying Guide
Find more great gear here:
Sequencer Plug-In Buying Guide
What is a Sequencer?
A sequencer is a tool that allows you to process sound via a series of steps or sequences. You can use this to make beats, grooves, melodic patterns, or shutter and sputter effects.
Similar in concept to how MIDI and audio sequencers trigger events along a musical bar or measure in your DAW piano roll, sequencer effects plug-ins introduce different values at every step. This is where they become very useful, as they result in continually–and sometimes radically–evolving rhythmic phrases.
With these particular sequencer plug-ins, effects such as filters, distortion units, and gate circuits are modulated on a step-by-step basis. This makes it possible to transform even the most static audio tracks into extremely gated and stuttering rhythmic patterns.
You can read more about how they work from this Wikipedia article on audio sequencers.
Features to Look for in a Sequencer Plug-in?
Control is key when talking about sequencer plug-ins…
… and you definitely want plenty of control over as many different parameters as possible.
Some of the best tools can modulate effects and parameters to a very precise degree, letting you generate everything from subtly evolving washes of sound to massively glitched-out rhythms.
Choosing the Best Sequencer Plug-in
When choosing a sequencer plug-in, you definitely want one that shapes your audio in ways that are subjectively pleasing to your ear, or at least is going to give you the result you want.
Not all glitch effects are usable in the context of a mix, even though they may sound pretty impressive when soloed.
In general, you want a sequencer plug-in that lets you get as extreme–or as subtle–as you want depending on the task at hand.
Best Sequencer Software Plug-Ins
Sugar Bytes Thesys
Sugar Bytes Thesys is an impressive 32-step sequencer. It has a number of essential music-creation and sound-mangling features.
It’s ideally suited to real-time pattern manipulation, so it has a useful randomization feature and a built-in synthesizer that lets you generate fresh new ideas on the spot, or bring new life to tired old grooves.
Specs and useful features
- Powerful and versatile 32-step sequencer
- Pitch recorder
- MIDI control over pattern selection and triggering
- Pattern sequencer facilitates creation of longer passages
- Real-time pattern manipulation
- Internal synth engine
- Randomizer feature
- Independent loop lengths for all sequencers
- 18 sequencer lanes
User impressions
Users expecting to make use of Thesys’ arp functions were more than a little surprised at how much more capable it was than they thought. Although the plug-in is frequently used in studio settings, some users reported using it to great effect during live performances.
Admittedly, some prep work is necessary in order to make full use of its capabilities in live settings. With a bit of preplanning however, Thesys can definitely enhance even the most mundane instrument parts.
Bottom-line
For the price, Sugar Bytes Thesys packs an almost unbelievable amount of value. Even if it were priced a couple of hundred dollars more, it would still be worth the cost given all the features and functionalities that you get in return. And with the ability to mutate your tracks beyond recognition, this is a sound tweaker’s dream come true.
Demonstration
Sinevibes Array
Sinevibes Array is billed as a “spectral animation” plug-in, a description that provides a mere hint of potentially awesome capabilities.
Audio is treated in eight different bands, each of which can be filtered and/or muted in a most impressive manner. Whether you want a quick way to freak your loops or you want more detailed control over how your audio is chopped up and glitched, Array is a worthy addition to the collection of sound-shaping plug-ins.
Specs and useful features
- 32-step sequencer
- Variable duration, division and swing ratio
- Eight -24 dB/octave filters
- Output gate sequence for each filter
- Parameter snapshots for real-time switching and automation
- Syncs to host with tempo and time signature support
- Multi-touch gesture and force touch device support
User impressions
Many users of Array appreciate being able to take their music to pretty complex extremes via the apparently modest set of controls. Many also appreciate the tight and efficient workflow that the plug-in encourages, citing its ease of use in creating even the wildest sequences.
Bottom-line
Sinevibes Array would be a pretty good deal even if it cost a few hundred dollars more than it does. As it is, the price is almost too good to believe considering all the features that you get in return. Equally capable of subtle modulations and extreme glitching, it is the perfect antidote to bland and boring musical parts.
Demonstration
Sinevibes Inertia
“Advanced audio level shaping” is the claim to fame of Sinevibes Inertia, and it certainly does that job admirably. Up to 32 envelope generators can be triggered in time with your host’s tempo, each with its own set of envelope shapes. If rhythmic tremolo and intricate gating and stuttering effects are your thing, Inertia definitely delivers the goods.
Specs and useful features
- 32-step sequencer
- Variable duration, division, and swing ratio
- Multi-envelope generator
- 11 envelope types
- Parameter snapshots for real-time switching and automation
- Syncs to host with tempo and time signature support
- Multi-touch gesture and force touch device support
User impressions
Sinevibes Inertia has won praise for its wide range of modulation capabilities, which make everything from rhythmic tremolo to hard gating possible. Many users feel that the plug-in’s simplicity is especially impressive given the wide range of features available. This is due in part to the color-coding and subtle animations that make it easy to see exactly what the plug-in is doing to the audio.
Bottom-line
Inertia is quite an impressive sequencer plug-in that does so much more than you would initially expect. Rhythmic tremolo seems to be its main area of specialization, although it can easily switch character and crank out a plethora of chopped and stuttered riffs. The plug-in is further enhanced by the live audio waveform and real-time visual feedback that lets you know how your audio is being sliced and diced.
Sugar Bytes Consequence
To refer to Sugar Bytes Consequence simply as an arpeggiator would be selling it short. Although it does a bang-up job of performing standard arpeggiator duties, you’ll find that it’s capable of more sound-shaping and mangling tasks that what you expect.
The chord sequencer is especially noteworthy as it’s largely responsible for generating the broad pallet of sounds possible with the plug-in. Sound designers will especially appreciate the depth of the modulation section, which provides powerful pattern-based control over the synth engine, as well as the filter and effects.
Specs and useful features
- 32-step sequencer
- Three oscillators
- Easy creation of complex sounds and rhythms
- Hundreds of sound samples
- Versatile multi-effect section
- Individual envelopes per instrument
- Onboard kick drum
- Polyphonic triggers per step
User impressions
Some of the features that user love about the Sugar Bytes Consequence are the step sequencer that can be set to as long as 32 steps, the control over sequence duration, timing, and swing, and the snapshots that allow for quick recall and creative ‘scene switching’. The availability of nineteen effects processors also makes it a popular choice among sound designers.
Bottom-line
Sugar Bytes Consequence will find plenty of use as an inspiring and creativity-inducing production and songwriting tool. It’s pretty encouraging, taking your music to unexplored territories, it almost seems to force you into adopting a more creative and wildly-experimental approach to creating music. And for the price, that is definitely a good thing.
Demonstration
Sinevibes Sequential
Sinevibes Sequential is a dynamic multi-effect module that continues on where other sequencer plug-ins leave off….
And continue on it does, talk about a host of sound processing and synthesis algorithms that transform your audio into numerous rhythmic iterations. 19 specialized effects that filter, distort, gate, and shape your audio in various ways, this is an essential tool for sound designers, groove merchants and beat makers alike.
Specs and useful features
- 14 effects processors, including filter, phaser, wave transformer, sample rate and bit depth reduction, analog drive, ring modulator, and more.
- Five audio-controlled generators
- 32-step sequencer
- Variable duration, timing and swing
- Eight snapshots for switching and automation
- Randomization feature
- Syncs to host with tempo and time signature support
User impressions
Some of the more avid users of Sequential praise its ability to make a wide variety of glitch sounds out of most any audio material. They cite its value as an idea generation tool, many users have good things to say about the randomization feature, which frequently comes up with interesting and usable results. Still other users report using the plug-in to “glitch up” tracks and bring new life to tired old loops.
Bottom-line
Like all the other Sinevibes plug-ins, Sequential packs a whole lot of functionality and tasty sound-altering capabilities in an intuitive and easy to use package. From its effects section to the 32-step sequencer and useful chordmaker, it’s a good bang for the buck.
Demonstration
Final Thoughts – Which to Get?
Considering that every plug-in in this roundup is endowed with so many excellent features, it was pretty difficult to choose the one that deserves the top slot.
All things considered however, Sugar Bytes Thesys deserves special mention for the ability to shape the sound in so many weird and wonderful ways, while still remaining remarkably easy-to-use. For sheer power, flexibility, and intuitiveness, Thesys is a pretty tough act to follow.
But follow they do, and the company’s own Consequenceprovides some stiff competition to Thesys. With five sequencers pushing and prodding the audio in wonderfully freaky ways, Consequence also has a startlingly deep modulation section and a fully-stocked sound library that further add to its appeal.
The cheapest plug-ins in this lineup are Sinevibes’ Inertiaand Array, but don’t think that they are anything less than fully capable. These two are every bit as effective at cranking out unique grooves and pulsating rhythms as the best of them, and only their price sets them apart from the other costlier options.
In fact, you might add Sinevibes’ own Sequential to the mix, and have yourself a trio of highly-effective and totally inspiring sequencer plug-ins that provide excellent value for the money.