Well, here's a bit more on the advanced sequenecer mode.
I know that there are different types of customers out there that bought the HAWK-800 for different reasons.
Some of you bought the kit for the new sounds, some for the MIDI control, some because you just like to tinker with old kit.
So, for some of you that have more recent gear and a comprehensive studio set up, it doesn't make a lot of sense to do much to improve sequencer.
But for those of us who like to tinker or who don't have a big studio budget, the idea of improving the sequencer has some interest.
So with that in mind, I have approached the sequencer improvements with a kind of "live music" thought.
What if I wanted to produce live music with nothing more than a drum machine and a Poly 800 or two?
What is it that makes the existing sequencer so horrible that it is basically useless?
First of all, one sequence is quite awful. Fixed - there are now seven.
Second, switching from one sequence to the other while playing is a must - Done!
Third, I don't want to mess around the back to edit a sequence. Fixed - hold the "Write" button down and press "Start/Stop" .
Fourth, trying to work out what beat or bar I am at once you get up above 16 or 32 quarter notes is just about impossible. Fixed, you now set the number of quarter notes in a bar as a global parameter so that when you're in sequencer edit mode the display shows the bars and quarter note beat. This makes entering in sequences much, much easier than it ever was.
Fifth, I want to edit, play and switch sequences from my MIDI controller instead of at the Poly 800 itself. Done! Special MIDI controllers have been created that allow you to select sequences, drop in and out of edit mode and step forward and back in the sequence during edit.
With all of that completed, I took a Korg Electribe ER-1 (drum machine) and have been creating some musaq with that along side of an EX-800 and a Poly-800. With the new sequencer functions, the results have been quite pleasing.
Now, there are some other things to be done. But before I go anyfurther, I would be interested to hear if people are interested inthese features.
Or am I adding features that will just never be used?
Mike