Sequencer search, with repeat option

I've got a sinfonion too - absolutely love it - currently feeding it with a combination of sequencers - Marbles, BSP and a Pico SEQ (for changing song part - clocked from gate1)

I have just ordered a Tesseract Modular Fader Step - similar to Metropolis/RYK in lots of ways - but comes as DIY kit with smd pre-soldered for €120 - it has repeats like Metropolis from what I have heard - if I don't like it as a melodic sequencer (I can always use it for sequenced modulation) - no quantization afaik - but it's going into sinfonion anyway

I will report back once I have it and it is built (also on the tex mix, which I ordered at the same time)

I've only played with a Metropolis once for a few minutes in a shop, liked it, but always a lower priority than other things

Hi JimHowell1970,

I am curious about your experiences with the Tesseract Modular Fader Step once you received it.

Ha, ha, yes, I have the same feeling/experience with Metropolis, I tested it at my local dealer, liked it but indeed so far haven't bought it. It's the steep price I guess and not sure for that price if one gets enough (i.e. doubting the price/performance).

Please keep us updated once you receive the Fader Step. Kind regards, Garfield.

I am leaning toward IME Stillson Hammer as it does lots of things and plays well with IME/Harvestman modules for techno and industrial plus less expensive than other complex sequencers. Plus I want to get a Hertz Donut and Piston Honda and larger case. WMD Metron and Eloquencer would be great for drums/beats.

Hi JimHowell1970,

I am curious about your experiences with the Tesseract Modular Fader Step once you received it.

Ha, ha, yes, I have the same feeling/experience with Metropolis, I tested it at my local dealer, liked it but indeed so far haven't bought it. It's the steep price I guess and not sure for that price if one gets enough (i.e. doubting the price/performance).

Please keep us updated once you receive the Fader Step. Kind regards, Garfield.
-- GarfieldModular

Fader Step has arrived - I got the smd pre-soldered full kit - there is a lot of panel furniture - so build still took a while (maybe 2 hours*) - still need to program the atmega chip** - couldn't get my macbook pro to recognize the port to send the hex file to - but didn't spend long on it - I will try again tonight - maybe that the cable is non-data

• I also built 2 tex mix 4*mono channels and a tex mix master (all smd pre-soldered) total build time about 4 hours

** turns out the atmega chip comes pre-programmed - although not really mentioned in the build docs!!! everything else was very simple and documentation is pretty good apart from that - I will get back to trying to program mcus next week though (Blue Lantern Basics via a FTDI Friend)

EDITED Oct 29th 2020, 16:13

Hi JimHowell1970,

Beside the good fact that the Atemga chip comes already pre-programmed, it's good to hear you got the SMD stuff pre-soldered too ;-)

Can't wait for you to finish it and hear about your first experience when using the ready module! :-)

Thanks a lot for keeping us updated, have fun with it and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi GarfieldModular

Everything is working - haven't checked all the cv inputs yet - just clock and outputs - but I expect all of those to work too

as a simple performance style sequencer it is great - I'm not going into details - you can read the manual (which includes the build docs - which could do with a little bit of an update, for clarity)

points to note - the repeat does not trigger extra gates - gate is only triggered when entering the step - so it's more of a hold function - but this is easy to patch round - mult the clock to an EG for example

is it a metropolis? no - it's much much simpler - no quantization (but sinfonion works well), no memory - but do you really need that, in a performance sequencer? and it must be remembered that a metropolis is over 600€ (new) and as a full kit this cost 120€ and took about 2 hours to build

Hi JimHowell1970,

Thanks a lot for your notes and your first impression and experience with the Fader Step. Of course with such a difference (Euro 600 versus Euro 120) one can't expect same functionality. I will keep this in mind.

May we hope for a nice track these days/weeks with your Fader Step to hear/see it? :-)

Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.

Vector or Eloquencer maybe Hermod or Metropolis for melodic stuff and WMD Metron for percussion/bass is what I would do at this point in time. I am waiting for the stores to get Metron back in stock as well as Doepfer monster base cases. Maybe for XMAS it will happen for me. For now, both my 6u racks are full of gear to use and learn.

Hi Sacguy71,

Yes, the Eloquencer, Hermod, Metropolis, Metron or the Five12 Vector are all indeed very interesting candidates. Not sure if this is important to you, however you might want to consider checking if running mode (as in running beside forwards, also backwards, ping-pong, random, etcetera) can be changed? If yes, some might disappoint (Metron does that to me a bit) because they only can run forwards (like those Elektrons).

Kind regards, Garfield.

@Mike,

What an amazing setup! I am waiting for IME Stillson Hammer MK3 to come out and see what Scott adds to it. I like Metropolis but it only has one gate output a deal breaker for me. Eloquencer has 8 gate outs and many features as does the 512 Vector. In the short term, I may get a Beatstep Pro and pair that with a Keystep external sequencer for drums to avoid having to buy another large case right now.

@Garfield,

So do you have experience with WMD Metron? Does it not have various operation sequencer modes like reverse and ping pong?
I am waiting for covid to end so I can visit a synth shop and try out various modular sequencers as I hate returning gear.

EDITED Oct 31st 2020, 03:33

Hi Sacguy71,

No, I don't have experience with WMD - Metron as such, however I did download the manual and read it about 2 till 3 times completely through and it's either my bad reading skills or this Metron only can run forwards... :-(

As you know I am also looking for "that perfect sequencer" (that doesn't seem to exist, not really surprisingly I guess), Metron was quite high on the sequencer-wish-list however when I discovered that it most likely only can run forwards then I decided to put it at the bottom of my top list of sequencers. I have already an Elektron that only can run forwards, so that's enough sequencer for me that can run forwards only ;-) I remember you got some Elektron stuff too, so you might want to check that out on the Metron at your local dealer once the situation allows you. Please test the Metron if it can run backwards and do random, if yes, I would be very much interested in the Metron; though it might come too late for me since I think I made my mind up on this matter.

I also had a look at my local dealer and the availability date of the Endorphin.es - Ground Control has once delayed again... now till mid of November. I think I am going to give up on the Ground Control and decide to go for another approach (regarding sequencers):

I will "split" my requirements into two sequencers. One for drum/percussion (I think that's going to become the Erica Synths - Drum Sequencer) and one for the voices, that one I am not 100% sure yet, but that might become the Five12 - Vector.

Busy with the last checks and kind of "final decision" but I think that's going to be it. Pity of the almost 1.5 year waiting time spent on the Ground Control...

Kind regards, Garfield.

I have been watching videos on Vector, WMD Metron and Eloquencer. Vector with the expander looks super awesome and with launchpad a winner. For pure beats, WMD Metron looks like the best. Especially when you add the Voltera and Arpitect quantizer and CV expander a real joy as it has touch pad buttoms to see all 4 channels at one place. Eloquencer looks cool but more menu diving. Ideally, I would love all three of these sequencers with expanders in a very large setup especially with ACL Sinfonion! But that would require two Doepfer Monster cases with bases and more complex oscillators and a lot of cash.

Hi Sacguy71,

ha, ha, yeah, all sequencers (that are interesting) together to "not need to decide which sequencer to take" is an option as well ;-) Expensive option though.

As mentioned already in another post but for completeness of this post regarding the Ground Control, my local dealer has now put the availability of this Ground Control towards mid February 2021... After one and a half years of waiting for the Ground Control, I had enough of it and I am going another road. Not sure which one yet but for the drum/percussion I got now the Drum Sequencer from Erica Synths. Didn't play much with it yet but so far the first impression is good. Easy to understand, easy to change things, so far it looks like a good choice.

Now I need to make up my mind for the "voice sequencer" that handles the voices, I am thinking of the Five12 - Vector + Jack expander. If the WMD - Metron had different direction running modes (which it doesn't have!) then I think I would go for the Metron but since it doesn't have that, I think it's going to be the Vector, but let's see. First I want to play a bit with the Drum Sequencer.

Good luck with your sequencer hunting :-) Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Garfield,

I watched some videos recently on using the 512 Vector and with expander it seems like the most complete sequencer out there now for modular world. Pair it with Novation Launchpad and you can a great performance setup. You can do a lot with it all types of random/reverse and various modes. It looks easy to use as well and crisp clear screen. If the new Erica Synths Black Sequencer and Endorphin.es Ground control are not out by mid next year, I probably will go with the Vector and Doepfer monster base case so I can stack my two Doepfer 6U cases on it and have 300HP of space. Even with the Vector/expander/Hexmixer, I would have room for plenty of support modules and a few more percussion modules, more FX unit, and few complex oscillators and filters. That would give me all needed for a polyphonic setup for live modular performance and recording while being portable. No rush, I spent a lot already this year on my first Eurorack builds and having fun with them learning to craft tones.

Hi Sacguy71,

Yes indeed, the Five12 - Vector seems to be the best choice so far, to me as well; pity it's so expensive together with that Jack expander...

Are you sure that's going to work the Novation Launchpad together with the Vector? That might be an interesting thought indeed!

I agree with most that you wrote except with this little tiny thingy... ;-)

"I would have room for plenty of support modules and..."

No matter how large your Eurorack case is, there is never really "plenty" of space ;-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Vector works with Launchpad. Steve Turner has a great video on it:

That is a game changer. Yes, expensive but no more than WMD Metron or Winter Eloquencer with expanders. All modular sequencers are super expensive. You are right, never enough room. I already filled 2 6U cases in first year working modular. Now want another 500HP new case space. Doepfer Monster base plus MDLR 14U case with 1u row of Intellijel tiles will help solve that dilemma for a while :-)

Hi Sacguy71,

Oh that's very interesting the Launchpad versus Five12 sequencer :-) I will keep this in mind, the launchpad might be indeed a good add-on for the Five12.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Garfield,

Yeah the Launchpad is not expensive either so a great combo with Vector. But I am waiting for Erica Synths Black Sequencer and Ground Control to be released next year.

Hi Sacguy71,

Indeed (regarding Launchpad).

Ha, ha, I waited since early Summer 2019 for both, the Ground Control (Endorphin.es) as well as the Black Sequencer (Erica Synths) but as mentioned Endorphin.es is not showing up till mid Feb. 2021 (and that's only if it's not then delayed yet again), though the Black Sequencer suppose to come by end of this month, so let's see...

Meanwhile, I wish you good luck with the waiting ;-) I waited for about 1.5 years and only then I gave up on the waiting part.

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Garfield,

Well right now I have plenty to keep me busy and also waiting for Doepfer monster base cases to arrive back in stock anyways. Will see if the new sequencers show up. Thus far, both Vector and Erica Synths Black sequencer look cool like Cirklon style which is nice.

Check out in the You section of this Forum for a first, quick and dirty demo of the Erica Synths - Drum Sequencer.

Thanks Garfield,

Actually I pulled the trigger so to speak and ordered a new WMD Metron sequencer and Doepfer monster base case! I need more of a trigger sequencer anyways for drums and bass lines. I will probably consider either the 512 Vector or some other melodic sequencer in the future to complement the drum bass sequencer. The cool thing about Metron are the expanders to use for cv and drum accents with Voltera and Axxent plus get Arpitecht for chord arpeggios similar to what Sinfonion does for way less cost and smaller size. I will post a video review once both arrive. Since I have a few percussion modules, it was important to use versus Korg SQ-1 and Varigate 4+ which are not ideal for complex trigger gate sequencing duties in rack.

Hi Sacguy71,

Oh yes! Finally you ordered your monster case and did you made a choice in the sequencer matter :-) Quite curious how you will experience the Metron. Did you already order the Voltera (how many) and Axxent extender modules? I can't wait for your review video :-)

Kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Garfield,

Yes, I pre-ordered Doepfer monster base case:
http://www.doepfer.de/A100_pictures/A-100PMB_front.jpg

I do have a new WMD Metron sequencer on order. Once it ships, I plan to get 2-3 Voltera extenders for CV control since each has 4 CV controls and 1-2 Axxent modules. I also want the Arpitect chord arpeggio module. Since I have 3 percussion modules and plan to get several more, this makes the best sense for my needs.

Hi Sacguy71,

Yeah, that sounds like a big monster of a sequencer setup :-) I can't wait for your video! :-D

Kind regards, Garfield.

Here is what I have planned (subject to change of course):

Then put a 12u monster case on top and never worry for long time about space needs. Then I would be well on my way to a wall of the Starship Enterprise command room of modular bliss. Buchla and Serge would be nice to add on day maybe a Volstock pin matrix modular system and Make Noise Shared System plus.

Oh yes!

I may swap out the WMD mixer for the smaller more affordable Befaco Hexmixer. I did make sure to add plenty of support modules and touch controllers and matrix mixer and logic modules. Once I fill this case, I will stack my two 6U cases on it and then save for an MDLR 12-14u portable case. or buy another monster base and two 9U cases.