Doepfer

Hi there everyone.

First post here. I have a question about Analogue Sequencers and would greatly appreciate if anybody could shed some light. (also: is there a search function for this group? So I can make sure I'm not asking a question that's already been answered? there is search groups but does that no search all groups?)

I have a dark time sequencer. Enjoy it a lot, considering one day getting a MAQ16/3 but would rather wait until I'm really good with the dark time.

There is a brilliant guide to electronic music which I am currently reading by Allen Strange "Electronic music:...." which I'm sure many of you have read, it's suggest on the Dark Energy manual.

I was wondering if there is anything similary indepth or even anything at all which is aimed at sequencing. i.e not drum step sequencing, but note sequencing cv/gate and/or midi.

I like tangerine dream type stuff and I've seen some things on youtube about 'ratchetting' etc, but is there any books that cover lots of tips and tricks for different rhtyhms and musical ideas, patterns, basslines, mid-range with delays, styles. That kinda thing.

I guess I mean composing ideas for analogue sequencers. I can do quite a few things by ear, but it'd be great to have a list or guide of techniques, rhythms, ideas, patterns and ideas of how to use them tonally, i.e. settings on synth and effects to go along with it.

If there's any book out there that covers some of this (surely there is one somewhere) it'd be great if someone could guide me towards this. I've been searching for a long time for guides online but with no joy. Problem analogue sequencer is often too vague as lots of people are talking about x0x style sequencers.

Cheers

Raccoonboy

also worth noting, it doesn't matter if there are things in the book that the Dark Time can't do, i.e. seperate timings for different rows, I can use a DAW to try these things out.

Raccoonboy

thanks some good advice. will try that  Melodyne program. A book as you describe with the history etc would be perfect, you'd think there would be one by now :\
 
Even if it's an indepth manual for an old sequencer with some good tips in it. I know a lot of the these sounds are simplistic and I definetly can pull them apart with time and patience, but a book would just make it that much more fun and interesting.
 
Raccoonboy
On Thursday, April 17, 2014 1:14 PM, "isoldeisobelle@gmail.com" <isoldeisobelle@gmail.com> wrote:
  
  
Hi,

I am a big fan of early TD - especially Zeit, but I also have a soft spot for their second phase: Phaedra - Encore.

Trying to emulate their style of sequences, I sampled and looped short pieces of their patterns in to my DAW and used Melodyne to discover the pitches and timing. They all appear fairly simple and often use two different patterns that interlock melodically/rhythmically.
Also the sequences themselves often run at a much slower BPM than what they appear at first, the use of triplet delays adding to the complexity and note repetition.
I have a DVD here someplace of the venerable Klaus Schulze describing how he uses a stereo delay set to two different values to create interest and poly rhythmic variation in his sequences... he sort of mumbles the actual values in a ''secret sauce'' kind of way... so, trial and error and experimentation is the key here.

Sorry that I can not be of much further help, I too would also love to see a book solely about sequencers - their history and  musical implmentation.
I use the Tip Top Audio Z8000 and the cv/gate out from my trusty old SH-101 sequencer to the Eurorack modular ...Eventide Time Factor and Boss Giga Delay in series for delay.

Hi

Am 17.04.2014 14:52, schrieb dom@del.co.uk:
> If your delay has milliseconds it's just maths to get some good
Get a delay that does clock based delaytimes, I have two Lexicon MX200.

The usage of a masterclock is important of course.

Florian

> A book as you describe with the history etc would be perfect, you'd think there would be one by now

You could always start a Wiki for such a thing.  The combined knowledge of everyone here would probably be quite a resource!

Thanks everyone.

Yes, I have delays with exact timings etc. I've got an MF-104m, it sounds great, especially when used with a mixer. Although it'd be good to get something like the MX200, especially for different timings etc, it does look good but if I were to get a digital effect processor that big I'd get something with multiple outs for mixer.

I'm sure I'll learn a lot from on here. I have had a good look around online for sequencer info including wiki and have not found much information as searching for 'analogue sequencers' brings up a lot of irrelivent stuff.
 
I'm using DT as master clock and midi splitting the signal into 6 and sent out to other devices, this works well at the moment.

The main reason I would like a book that covers the concepts of  'sequencing composition' is I like having excercises to work through, A to B, it just helps the way my brain works, whilst I like taking in info from all around the place I often find it helps to have something more focused. It's just more concrete in my mind this way, but I'm starting to think maybe a book like this doesn't exist.

Luckily I'm getting better at the art of analysing music, but it always helps to have examples to go through that are written down.
 
I will say thanks for the contributions so far though, it's all helping, I'll keep reading as much as I can online and experimenting and hopefully one day find a book that suits. I've found some pretty cracking books recently after years of searching about so maybe there's some out there.
 
Oh and thanks for the BPM calculator, pretty nifty
 
Raccoonboy
 
On Thursday, April 17, 2014 3:15 PM, Zoë Blade <zoe@bytenoise.co.uk> wrote:
  
  
> A book as you describe with the history etc would be perfect, you'd think there would be one by now

You could always start a Wiki for such a thing.  The combined knowledge of everyone here would probably be quite a resource!

Just had a wee look at Melodyne. So do you use the audio to midi feature or how do you use it?
I quite fancy giving this a go when I'm home

Raccoonboy

brilliant.

thanks for that :D

thanks.. I'll give that a go. Sounds good. Yes, the Berlin School, I forgot about that term. Will google it and see if there are any old school books that have ever been produced concerning it.

A wiki page would be great. :D

Raccoonboy

Just found a cool wee article. I think if I search for Moog 960 stuff I'm more likely to find some vintage magazines or books, but Amazon doesn't seem to be the place for rare old books.

Just found this cool we article http://www.studio250.fr/docs/divers%20synthese/sequencer.pdf.
Unfortunatley it would only work for sequencers with FM clock input. However this stuff is definetly up my street, love it, nitty gritty and intriguing.

Funny how most modern sequencers as far as I'm aware can not change individual note values and by that I don't mean gate length or note on/off. I mean, i.e. 3 notes are played as quarter notes then the following two as half notes etc.

Raccoonboy