Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum

[Kanta]

The sequencer.

Doh.


I use the one on the left.

The one in Reason hasn't got a name.

No Name Reason Sequencer.

[Dr. Who]

I use an ancient version of Cakewalk back from I think '98??? It's what I learned on and it gets all the basics I need. I import the midi into Protools and tweak velocity, sustain etc. in Protools.

I also use a simple hardware sequencer for some pieces. I love the drums on the MC-808. I program sequences on the 808 and use a preset patch that has zero sound for the rest of the tracks. Midi is routed from the 808 to a combi on the OASYS or multi on a TI2. The line out of the MC-808 only plays the drums since the patch sounds from the 808 have no sound; but I am able to tweak realtime sequences etc. using other boards sounds. So I get the great drum sounds from the 808 and use the sequncer to control better boards. It's just a workout since there are no multiple outs on the 808.

The last sequencer I use is when I'm in a bind and need to get something pushed out the door in a hurry. I'll use a Korg PA1x arranger and program a quick style (takes all of minutes to do), but I'll use the OASYS sounds in a combi. I don't even have the audio outs to the arranger sent to the mixer. I use the programmed style of the PA1X to drive a combi from the OASYS and then use an analog synth of choice for a lead, later dumping a few sparkly effect etc. Syncing tempo and using Karma can produce some rather incredible results with little to no effort. I only use this method when I have a deadline I don't see myself meeting. I kinda think of it as cheating. But no one ever knows.

[Cryptic Era]

I've used Cakewalk Pro 3 since 1995 (!!!). I used to have that on a 75 MHz PC, also running Turtle Beach Tropez sound card for all my .WAV sampling needs.
It was such a stable system (I still have that old PC baseunit in a box

Cakewalk 3 was probably the last great MIDI only sequencer and has run fine on all Windows versions from 3.11, 95, 98, 2000, XP and Vista ! (I haven't tried Windows 7 yet). My only grip is the .WRK filenames can only be 8 characters long (That's old DOS rules for you !). I use it on a Sony VAIO now. I might move that to a netbook and see if that also works.

You'll probably label me a dinosaur by not venturing into PC Virtual Synths & Effects, but Cakewalk has everything I've ever needed, especially as most of my gear is over 15 years old. My samples are now in an AKAI S6000 and editing is done using Goldwave (the best sound editor around - and it's totally free !

[matt222]

Akai ASQ10 Hardware sequencer. 1988.

So intuitive and easy to use. Does absolutely everything I want it to well and absolutely nothing I don't want it to.

A proper, rock-solid vintage chunk of brilliance that looks so much more inviting and attractive than a boring pc screen.

[qube]

Logic 9 on the Mac.

When I first started using keyboards I tried a number of different pieces of software, most I found obstructed the creative process. I used Cakewalk (version 3 IIRC) with a purely MIDI setup which I quite liked but with the advent of plugins and using the computer for recording audio I found that newer versions of the software just became too complicated to learn, this wasn't helped by the fact that the demands of the software far outstripped the capabilities of the hardware. I was in the market for a new PC and had an opportunity to obtain a PowerMac, not really used OSX before and as most studios seem to use Mac's I thought I'd see what the attraction was. The options were Logic, ProTools and Cubase/Ableton. Having never gotten on with Cubase (even back in the days of the Atari ST) and that PT was too expensive I tried Logic. Straight away I was able to write music as the interface was so intuitive and didn't need me to spend ages learning everything from the manual. I upgraded to a MacPro and L9, invested in a few plugins and took an evening class at the local music college. I think over the last 12 months I've been more productive musically than at any point in my life, I'd attribute that solely to finding software that works with rather than against me.