The 'Right' Sequencer | Modular Composing | Episode 02

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"Your possibilities to compose on a Modular Synth are directly related to the sequencer you're using. So picking the 'right' sequencer for your work is an important task. Your biggest challenge would be to compose or arrange a full song with beats, bass, lead and maybe even chords. I thought it would be fun to use Kraftwerk's 1976 Trans-Europe Express as a 'benchmark', but it turned out a big challenge. It has a simple rhythm (no problem), a super simple bass, a lead and the characteristic 'note ladder' that jumps 5 semitones each 1/2 note. This takes 128 regular steps and sequencers ususally stop at 16, 32 or 64 (if you're lucky). Clock divisions could take care of that. But the song transposes to a different key when the 'note stairs' plays and you'll need a powerful sequencer to transpose all voices to a new key and then turn back. Ground Control and Westlicht Performer couldn't pull it off. I had zero knowledge of NerdSeq at the beginning of this video, but it turned out to be the only sequencer I know of that can do a full song. It's an incredible sequencer/tracker, but it also has a 100+ page manual.

Sequencers roughly come in three flavors: linear, cartesian and arbitrary. The most useful sequencers can do drums, strict patterns and generative parts. I've included Five12 Vector and Eloquencer in my overview, but I have no experience with them. My 'findings' in this video are biased by my own music and workflow and I double-checked the manuals of modules I don't know. It's possible I overlooked some features. I am aware Vector can do drums, but I felt you'd need a dedicated drum pattern editor to qualify as a drum sequencer.

00:00 Song Structure
00:22 Trans-Europe Express (TEE) - Ground Control
01:45 TEE - Westlicht Performer
02:48 TEE - XOR NerdSEQ
04:54 Separation of rhythm and melody - Metron & Bloom
07:30 Linear, Cartesian and Arbitrary sequencing
08:22 Generative Sequencing - NerdSEQ
09:44 Generative Sequencing - Bloom
10:42 Generative Sequencing - Westlicht Performer
11:25 Generatice Sequencing - Rene MK2
13:17 Arbitrary Sequencing - Frap Tools USTA
14:54 Melodicer short
15:18 Metropolis Family short
16:31 Scorecards"