Roland S-10 sampled bass

video upload by Espen Kraft

"When I sample sounds, on whatever sampler, I always test the samples in a musical context. How a bass sound sounds alone don't mean anything. A sound might sound awesome on its own, but in a mix it might be totally wrong. And vice versa.

I've always found the S-10 perfect for bass. A short sampling time, fast and easy to sample. Early Roland S-samplers have a sonic signature I've always liked. It sounds great while it can also cut through a mix.

Find my music here:
Bandcamp: https://espenkraft.bandcamp.com/"

Only one way to start this day 🙂

video upload by Retrokits

"Using only tracktrig mode and loop lengths on the RK008 to play the MB33 303"

A short RK008 Quantize grid example loop

video upload by Retrokits

"Recording realtime gives you complete freedom of playing - but sometimes a quantize grid can help you out, also production- wise.The quantize grid in the RK008 is capable of separately altering note on, note length or note off.

A note-off is part of the groove and you can use the grid options to tighten up sounds but also make the most of a synth with limited polyphony, timing note-offs perfectly before starting a new one.

PS: I'm focusing on the quantize grid here, you can also adapt the length of a note in a percentage of the original which is not shown in this movie. You can check the complete RK008 Quantize menu here:"

RK008 Menus: ALT+6 - QUANTIZE

video upload by Retrokits

"RK008 Menu 6 houses real-time Quantize transformations.
The first part (ALT+6) is for note-on quantize, straightening out played notes on a user-selectable grid:

Digit 1 to 6 select a timebase;
Digit 1 - 2 - 3: 1/64 - 1/32 - 1/16
Digit 4 - 5 - 6: 1/8 - 1/4 - 1/2
Digit 7 - 8 - 9: decrease - 1/16 center - increase
(inc/dec is also accessible via ALT+DEC and ALT+INC)

Tapping a digit multiple times will also allow you do select a dotted or triplet grid For example in case of a 16/th note-on Quantize(3):
1x tap: 1/16
2x tap: 1/16D (dotted, notes are 1.5 times a 16th note)
3x tap: 1/16T (Triplets, notes are 1/3rd length of a 16th note)

Pressing INC will slide to the Swing settings which have the same type of interface, selecting timebases with 1-6 and making adjustments with 7-9.

Pressing INC again will slide to the Note Length Quantize part. In this menu you will be able to quantize the note length to fixed length - or- only quantize note off fixed to a grid.

For example - on the 16th Note Length Quantize (3)
1x tap: 16th length fixed
2x tap: 16th- length staccato (length is cut just before the next 16th note)
3x tap: 16th+ length legato (length will just overlap the next 16th note)
4x tap: Q_16 note off length is snapped to a 16th note grid
5x tap: Q_16- note off length is snapped to a 16th note grid staccato style
6x tap: Q_16+ note off length is snapped to a 16th note grid legato style

The @EspenKraft video mentioned is here:" [posted here]

3 Reasons to Try DAWless

video upload by Jeremy Parker

"Here's my latest DAWless setup for live MIDI sequencing with my hardware synths. It centers around the Retrokits RK008, with my Nord Stage 4, miniKORG 700fs, Moog Minitaur and Elektron Analog Rytm MKII. Although I love using my main DAW, Cockos Reaper, for producing finished music, there are 3 advantages that this DAWless setup has, a couple of which were a little unexpected. And there is a bunch of good original music that came right out of this new setup, so enjoy!

A case/stand I designed for the RK008: https://www.printables.com/model/5981...
Check out all my original music here: https://soundcloud.com/user-801248952

00:00 Intro
00:55 The Setup
03:00 Portability
05:24 Practice tool
07:27 Songwriting tool
12:02 DAWless to DAW
13:15 Outro"

RK008 with an eeehr KO?... no.... OP-Z! 😊

video upload by Retrokits

"Just a quick demo on how to start a (perhaps not so fancy) song with the RK008 . Covering a basic beat, bass, chords and making a song structure."

RK008 Menus: ALT+7 - OUTPUT + ROUTING

video upload by Retrokits

"This menu is for routing the Tracks' MIDI data. Each one of the 8 Tracks on the RK008 can hold MIDI data (notes, pitch, CC's) for 16 MIDI channels at once but via the output menu you can reroute these:

1. MIDI Channel
By default it's set to ORG, meaning that there is no MIDI channel remapping done. Typing a MIDI channel here will reroute incoming MIDI from any channel to the set output channel. This way you can use the RK008 as a handy MIDI switchboard. Just by pressing a Track you can reroute to a predefined MIDI output channel.

2. MIDI Port
MIDI port selects the physical MIDI output to route the MIDI to. You can use the digits 1-3 to select a specific output (OUT1, OUT2 or the RK006 via USB), or press 0 to send to all. By specifying outputs you can potentially drive a whopping 48 channels of MIDI gear.

Read more about the RK008 in the page link below:
https://retrokits.com/rk008/

Bonus: You can download the little Dopplereffekt / Infophysix .mid file loop which I exported from the RK008 here to play with: https://retrokits.com/rk008/dopper_in..."

RK008 Clicktrack DAW (reason) Sync Example

video upload by Retrokits

"The sync input on the RK008 has different settings you can use to slave it to a clicktrack. Here's an example on how to get that done with basic devices on @ReasonVideoTutorials

PS: I also mention using HairlessMIDI for linking up complete MIDI communication to a DAW via the RK008 usbserial port, here's the link to that project for various Platforms (PC, MAC, Linux)

https://github.com/tyan0/hairless-mid..."

RK008 Menus: ALT+5 - TRANSFORM & ALT+4 - FILTER / VELOCITY SCALING

video upload by Retrokits

"The RK008 Transform menu can be used for transposing Tracks (according to global scale if desired) and Time shifts. Combined with Performance mode (ALT+ROUTE) you can even transpose according to MIDI Key input."

RK008 Menus: ALT+4 - FILTER / VELOCITY SCALING

video upload by Retrokits

"Not a big menu, but combined with the others in this row ( TRANSFORM / QUANTIZE) you'll find it a handy one.

The Filter menu modifies per Track MIDI IN and MIDI OUT. It houses a velocity scaler and a filter for MIDI Notes, Control Changes, Program Changes, Aftertouch and Pitchbend. It can change the way you play your keyboard but can also be used (in combination with ALT+3, MIXDOWN) to clean up your recording."

You can find additional RK008 Menus video posts here.

Nord Stage 4 + RK008 + Analog Rytm = DAWless powerhouse!

video upload by Jeremy Parker

"So I recently picked up a Nord Stage 4 as an upgrade to my Electro 2 from 16 years ago, as my main compact gigging keyboard. What I didn't realize was how powerful the multitimbrality could be when paired with a sequencer, like the Retrokits RK008, which I'm borrowing from my good friend "Cowboy" Ben Alman for our @TheEntireRobot gigs. I fairly quickly set up the sounds on the Nord and then played in some quick parts for an A and B section into the RK008. I'm reserving tracks 1 and 3 on the RK008 for my MiniKorg and Moog Minitaur, once I get the MIDI hooked up for those, so that will be next. I used 6 layers on the Nord, but technically I could have done 7 if I split up the organ into two separate manuals, etc. Anyway, this is a promising rig!"

RK008 Menus: ALT+3 - PART / TRACK MERGE

video upload by Retrokits

"With the Merge menu on the RK008 you can combine multiple Tracks into one Track and render realtime RK008 MIDI effects like quantize, transpose and velocity modifiers.
Of course you can also merge Parts, to merge a Part, just make sure there are no Tracks selected."

RK008 Menus: ALT+2 - PART / TRACK COPY, SWAP & EXPLODE

video upload by Retrokits

"ALT+2 means COPY: Operations where you can copy, swap and explode your RK-008 recordings.

(PS - I'll try to align the recording with the RK008 buttons next time, the video is not very helpful on led feedback this way...)"

RK008 Menus: ALT+1 - INDIVIDUAL TRACK LENGTHS (fw2.x)

video upload by Retrokits

"As of RK008 Firmware 2.0 You can now set a loop point on every individual Track in a Part so here is a little addendum on the ALT+1 tutorial we made earlier. Multiple Track lengths can be accessed by pressing the Track buttons while in the Length menu (ALT+1)
When a Track button is pressed in this menu you can type the Track length in to a quarter-note resolution, or just Shorten/Lengthen the Track with the ALT + ← or → keys.
If you want to set a very fine length for a Track you can go to the StepTime Editor (ALT+MODE) and navigate to any point in time and set/unset a Loop point with Digit 9"

RK006 Polychaining: PolyMUX

video upload by Retrokits

"Here a small configuration demo for setting the RK-006 into polychaining MIDI Devices or MIDI Channels.

Shown here on a Digitakt but you can apply this on other MIDI devices as well of course. In this case samples are set to the same sound but if you're in the mood; of course you can experiment with polymuxing all kinds of different sounds :-)"

Roland MSQ-700 | the most quirky and creative sequencer ever made

video upload by Espen Kraft

"The Roland MSQ-700 Midi sequencer has a very quirky quantization. Set the quantize to 16ths or 8ths and what comes out is chopped, moved around and definitely not what you'd expect. And that is a beautiful way of creating something new. I love this about the MSQ-700. Primitive AI quantize.

Howard Jones used the MSQ-700 for a lot of his album "Dream Into Action" and you can check out this interview here for more of his thoughts: https://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/sy..."

Retrokits RK-008 (and more) - Gesprächskonzert SUPERBOOTH23

video upload by Superbooth Berlin

"Retrokits present their RK-008: Real Time Multitrack MIDI Recorder and other MIDI tools during this Gesprächskonzert at SUPERBOOTH23."

Superbooth 2023: Retrokits - RK-8

video upload by sonicstate

"We spoke to Gerrit from Retrokits, makers of some of the finest and niftiest midi utilities and hardware. He gave us an update on their latest product, the RK8, a MIDI sequencer/recorder. Initially designed as a modern replacement of the MMT8, they have added a load of new features, including the much-requested multi-track length. You have eight tracks that can each hold 16 MIDI channels, and you can apply transformations to each channel individually. They have also added real-time MIDI recording, meaning that pitch bend and mod wheel changes can be recorded in addition to steps. The firmware has been updated to version 2.0, which now includes Bluetooth support, allowing the use of wireless devices.

Gerrit also demonstrated how the RK8 can be used as a master brain, as you can have up to 100 parts, each with different beat lengths, which can be changed seamlessly. You can mute and unmute parts, play with build-ups, and transpositions while playing parts. Gerrit showed us how it can be used in a performance and even connected it to an OP-Z, which received MIDI signals from the RK8. The RK8 can also send out DIN sync signals, allowing it to sync with older devices.

RK-8 Price: 359 Euros. RK-8 with wood panels price: 409 Euros"

Alesis MMT-8 recreated - The impossible dream? Retrokits RK-008 sequencer demo

video upload by Espen Kraft

"The iconic Alesis MMT-8 was the first midi sequencer for many people in the late 80s. A superb sequencer, very easy to use and a fantastic piece of kit. Now Retrokits has made a smaller, yet very inspired MMT-8 recreation, which captures much of the original magic."

🤔Those little cut-down track indicators… what could it be??

video upload by Retrokits

Unveiling the Incredible: What the Retrokit RK 008 MIDI Recorder Can Do

video upload by Perfect Circuit

"Hey, what's that guy doing playing those synths with a calculator? Oh whoops—well, you'd be forgiven for mistaking the Retrokits RK-008 for the common calculation machine...but in actuality, it's a powerful MIDI recorder/looper/sequencer. And in fact, it can easily be the brain of even the most massive of setups.

Capable of recording and looping any sort of MIDI data on any MIDI channel, the RK-008 is an unassuming way to take control of your entire studio. Sequence your synths or drum machines, or take hands-on control of your DAW! It's the perfect bridge between your favorite controller and any other MIDI-capable device.

RK-008 is available here: bit.ly/3U6Bvls
Read the review on our blog, Signal: bit.ly/3G8Sais"

RK008 Menus: ALT+1 - LENGTH

video upload by Retrokits

"What's under RK008 button number 1??
Part Length, Time Signature, Scales and Part Name editing. In this video I'll show you a thing or two - or.. ehr maybe seven.

https://retrokits.com/rk008/

Note that the Flex MIDI Time Stretch and Thin Track / Zap Double Notes are RK008 firmware 1.17+ additions."