Sequencing Modular - The Guide

Hello,
I am struggling a bit with a good workflow to sequence modular.

What is your experience? What do you own? How is the setup / workflow. Why?
- How you use it
- Sequencing Melodies versus Drums
- Sequencing on rack versus MiDi / DAW
- Recording and recalling CV param.
- If you have any opinion about a specific device or Brand
- also what did not work for you and why?

🙏🏻 Thank You

Hi CBD1000,

Sequencers is a large chapter on its own... that's never going to be easy and to be answered in just a few sentences or even in a few messages...

Having said that, let's give it a try :-)

I have intensively checked sequencers for Eurorack and I came to the conclusion that the ideal and perfect sequencer doesn't exist, same as the ideal and perfect synthesizer doesn't exist.

For details on my post regarding sequencers please check out this one:
https://www.modulargrid.net/e/forum/posts/index/7899

For an interesting list of sequencers, check this link:
http://doudoroff.com/sequencers/

I ended up (after about one-and-a-half year of checking!) with the Five12 - Vector and the Five12 - Jack Expander module combination and so far I am extremely happy with it. It has a very direct control of it, almost no menu diving and still it's very clear what one is doing, changes have immediate (happy) effects, it's just a great thing to use. There is only one big con with this suggestion and that's the finance of it... other than that I can recommend it without any hesitation.

Good luck with it and kind regards, Garfield Modular.

👋 Hey thank you. These are quite some very compelling lists not just for sequencing. Great work!

Can you let me know why you opt in for an ER sequencer instead external with MIDI > CV? I am thinking about using my Circuits which I find quite intuitive to use. They also allow MiDi parameter recording and I would free up some space on my rack. Same probably goes for sampling and mixing using external gear. ✌🏻

Here is what has really worked well for my workflow on modular and sequencers of which I have quite a few now:

drums/percussion
- trigger sequencers are great with pattern save and recall: WMD Metron, Winter Modular Eloquencer

melody, pads, ambient:
- having ability to quantize to scales is super important! I love my IME/Harvestman Stillson Hammer because it has this feature plus internal clock option and 4 channels of CV control. I also use my Winter Modular Eloquencer as that has 1v/oct CV capable features like quantizer and scale modes

• ratcheting feature is super nice because you can get that Tangerine Dream sound going with duplets and triplets in sequences for melody.

A good central clock to tie them together and keep in sync is very important. I use either Pamela's New Workout or Mordax Data for my master clock to ensure the sequencers keep in time and sync.

Hi CBD1000,

Well my name is Garfield Modular, so I prefer a modular solution if it's somehow possible within acceptable reasoning ;-) That's the reason why I not really looked outside of the Eurorack for sequencers... having that said... I actually did a bit. I have an Elektron - Analogue Four Mk II and though it has a great sequencer, the issue with that one is that it has only one direction type and that's forwards... now I also like to have a sequencer that can go backwards or can do random, the Five12 can do that not the Metron from WMD ;-) Just teasing you Sacguy71 ;-)

I also had a look at the Arturia - Keystep Pro but I preferred an "in the rack" solution hence my choice for the Five12 - Vector sequencer. If you use the Jack Expander extension module from Five12 then you can have MIDI in and out as well. Without that extension module you have two MIDI out (3.5 mm mini-jacks). The Vector has USB MIDI as well, so that's yet another MIDI connectivity you have with the Five12 - Vector sequencer (also without the extension module). I am not using it yet, but it's all possible, just download the manual from the Five12 website and check it out.

Good luck with the search for the "perfect" sequencer, once you have decided please let us know and kind regards, Garfield.

@sacguy71
Thanks that are quite some good tips. Pamela seems a rack-must have, as it is quite popular. The sequencers you recommending are quite advanced. Did you try out some rack space friendlier sequencers that offer quantisation + randomisation and scales (e.g. Scales from Intellijel)? For drum sequencing how important is accent for you? (e.g. Erica Drums have it but I could not find other sequencers that have this besides trig).

@Garfieldmodular
Ok, I understand. I checked the Five12 handbook already. Very deep functionality indeed. I had a bit the feeling that there is a lot of menu diving, but you already mentioned it isn't. What do you mean when you are saying you are preferring the "sequence-on-rack solution" among external gear? Is it about the distance or switching between devices or more a philosophic question?

I tried Elektron machines as well, but I am not fast enough on them to keep my musical rhythm flowing.

How many voices do you have usually running at the same time on your sequencer? Did you consider/trying the concept of a small sequence module per voice instead the all in one solution? As you have been researching a lot, can you please name a few sequencers you tried out and what you did not like about them? I would like to understand a bit why you ended up with the Five12.

Enjoy your weekend.

EDITED Feb 6th 2021, 18:43

Hi CBD1000,

Indeed, the Five12 is less menu diving then I was hoping for, there is a little bit if it comes to global settings, then you have a few pages of settings. But important things like: pitch, gate, groove, velocity, (gate) length, repeat, ratcheting and chance are very direct. These buttons are on top of the module, just press one of those and you can directly set that corresponding setting. An example, you are at part 1 and you press the pitch button, then directly those 8 encoders below can be used to set or change the pitch for the first 8 steps. With the Prev & Next buttons you can then walk through your part if it's longer than 8 steps. Works very practical.

If you press the Part button and then let's say 4 then you get part 4 and then press the gate and you can directly change all the gates of part 4. It's really direct, at least that's how I feel it and I am not much a fan of menu diving. But I have to be honest here the Global settings is a bit of menu diving, still kind of okay for me.

It wasn't distance or switching reason for me to decide to go for a in-rack-solution for the sequencer, it's just that I love modular so much that I try to avoid as much as possible (well within certain reasoning/limits) the external device stuff.

I know what you mean with the Elektron, it's less direct control of your sequence. You can do a lot with it but you need to take your sweet time. For that purpose I am not saying the Five12 is a million times better however it is certainly directer in use than the Elektron is.

I just got that Five12 very recently, so currently I am using 4 voices at the same time, still wondering what I am going to do with the left over two voices, but no worries, I will find good purpose for them :-) I just managed to get the drums work via the Five12. That was, in my opinion, a bit difficult to understand from the manual. The manual could be a bit more extensive in my opinion but if you read carefully, most of it has been mentioned somehow... it's just... the manual is a bit too compact for my taste.

Once you know it though, it becomes clear, it's logical in use and it's just a pleasure to use it; it was just the initial setup for the drums section that was a little struggle because the manual is so compact that I had to read it thrice or something like that.

Well... I like to make things complicated. Simple things are pretty fast pretty boring to me, so I was on purpose looking for a sequencer that could do quite a bit but if possible with not too much menu diving, like this Five12 for example. My initial requirements where something like this: at least 4 voices, at least 8 triggers for drums/percussion, at least repeat & ratcheting functionality, at least possible directions: forwards, backwards, ping-pong and random, and a few other stuff but that were my main requirements. If you check that then against all sequencers, not many sequencers are then left to choose from.

Pity, I actually like the concept of the WMD - Metron, it can be easily extended with extension modules, I like that concept, however it only can run forwards... I have already a sequencer that only can run forwards, hence the Elektron - A4, that's the reason why I didn't took the Metron since I didn't want yet another sequencer that only can run forwards.

My very first choice was initially the Endorphin.es - Ground Control, I am interested in that sequencer since about early summer 2019 however after about almost one-and-a-half year of waiting and the Ground Control is still not available, I gave up on that one...

So that's how I end up with the Five12 :-)

I'm using the Erica Black Sequencer. LOVE it. Super-intuitive. Not much menu-diving, which was a firm requirement for me.

Hi Shakespeare,

It's good to hear you love the Erica Synths - Black Sequencer. When I was checking around after my first choice (as mentioned the Ground Control from Edorphin.es), my second choice would have been this Black Sequencer but both sequencers have been announced a long time ago and when I made my decision both still were not available.

So I bought the Erica Synths - Drum Sequencer, it's indeed even a slightly bit more direct than for example the Five12 (which doesn't mean the Five12 is not direct in usage). I am happy with it as well, pity though that just shortly after I bought the Drum Sequencer, the Black Sequencer became available :-)

Anyway, I am happy with the combination of the Drum Sequencer and Five12, not much left to wish for. Kind regards, Garfield.

@CBD1000,

You are welcome, glad to help as I am fairly new to modular as well since diving in last year. The Varigate 4+ is only like 12HP and offer a lot of features in smaller sized space including scales/quantizer and multiple modes plus can save patterns for later recall. Plus you can use CV and gate modes. Not as precise as the Eloquencer but smaller size. It was my first modular sequencer and I still use it. But if space is issue you could get like a 40HP palette case with a larger complex sequencer like the Vector, Eloquencer or Erica Black Sequencer and use it with multiple setups on the go.

As for accents, I find the Axxent module with my Metron sequencer very nice touch. To me accents put a lot of flair and spice to drum sequences. I also use them with Eloquencer in ratcheting mode for melodic composition.

@Garfield- hehe well actually the WMD Metron does have random and probability modes! So yes, it does not have reverse or ping pong modes but for percussion is pretty awesome. BUT of all the modular sequencers that I now have in my setups, the Eloquencer is the best one. The display lets me view all 8 channel of tracks sequenced in one clear window plus easy to program and save for later recall and I can do 8 CV and 8 gate/triggers so it is a lot of power. Plus random, forward, reverse, ping pong and ratcheting plus lots of quantized scale options make for a great sequencer. If I get another eurorack sequencer, it would have to have similar capability. I can only think that Vector with expander can do these things unless Erica Black Sequencer adds an expander since that is limited to 4 channels of CV/gates and I'd need to buy two of these to do what my one Eloquencer can do.

@GarfieldModular
Thank you for your detailed explanation. Really helps a lot. I will have a look at those you mentioned. I am guessing the WMD is a good choice for me now to control drums and use 2 send/returns for better live performance noodling.

@sacguy71
Will have a look at the Axxent mod and the Eloquencer. I am sure there will be more expander solutions in the nearby future. Thanks for sharing your experience here.

If there is anyone else who has using an external device for sequencing modular please let me know your experiences. Would really help to make a final decision.