Zoom ARQ-96 (synthesizer sampler sequencer)

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via this auction

You can find some demos of the Zoom ARQ-96 in previous posts here.

"Here’s what I think the pros are: 1) Sounds amazing. The sound quality is great, competitive with Roland gear. I was quite surprised at how hi-fi this machine sounds. 2) The round shape is effective. Takes up very little space, and really works well for sequencing. 3) Depth. This is a full featured synth with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. You will be able to record complex, full songs with this. 4) Price. For what I am asking, it’s an unbeatable amount of power for the money.

Now for the cons. 1) You will need a MIDI keyboard. For sequencing, the ring thing is fine. Try to play it like an instrument, it’s awkward and tricky. If you jiggle it too much (and you will) it will think you are detaching the ring and there will be an interruption. This is not wear and tear to this unit, it’s inherent to this design. It really demands that you play it with the ring detached, which is awkward. And to be clear: this controller design is not great for playing. Break out the trusty Keystep. That’s the biggest flaw I have found. 2) Menu diving. All that power comes with a learning curve. The menu is deep. This thing does a lot. You will be downloading a big old PDF and spending some time. (Nobody gives you a full print manual anymore, it seems.) This kind of learning curve is a hurdle for all of these do-a-lot devices. I just want to be clear that this is not an exception. 3) Zoom orphaned the line. You can find some tutorials, there’s a manual available, but that’s it. Zoom bailed on it."

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Two 80's Inspired Hardware Synth Tracks

Song: "Weather" - 125 BPM synth pop on ARQ-96, PEAK, Digitone, EX5 Published on Aug 16, 2019 Floyd Steinberg

"This song is called 'Weather'. It's my entry for the "808 sound challenge". I tried to to something in the style of 80s synth pop (OMD, Aztec Camera...). The whole thing was sequenced on the ARQ-96, which plays the 808 samples and some synth tracks, and also controls the PEAK and the Digitone. The song is made up from 12 different patterns of 2 - 8 bars length, which were arranged in song mode. I played that song back and did the filter & synth expression stuff on the fly, recording the whole thing on my Zoom R24, and added vocals, the EWI and the metallophone and that "Da" voice on top. I hope the lyrics are kind of humorous and I didn't mess up the pronounciation too much. It's a story about someone I met every morning until I didn't."


The Longest Summer - Digital/Analog Vintage Heartbreak Published on Aug 15, 2019 Espen Kraft

"The Longest Summer by Espen Kraft

Find the song here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1yevgk...
https://music.apple.com/mz/album/the-...
https://espenkraft.bandcamp.com/track...

When your girlfriend dumps you because you don't have any food in the fridge, or at least not the type of food she likes, then the only thing left is to write a up-tempo cheerful happysad song about it. This tells a true story btw."

KORG DW-8000, Yamaha DX7S, & E-Mu EMAX II

Track: "Believe" - 125 BPM synth pop on Zoom ARQ-96, Yamaha EX5, Piano

Published on Jul 17, 2019 Floyd Steinberg

"Here's a track done with the ARQ-96 and the EX5 (using my soundset ;-) ) The ARQ does all the important stuff here, sequencing, playing samples, filter movements, synth&drums. Most of the synth sounds are from the ARQ, pads and lead are from the EX5.

Tried to emulate the Pet Shop Boys' later releases a little bit, to be honest."

VMachine hardware VST player - still useful in 2019?

Published on May 15, 2019 Floyd Steinberg

Don't miss the fan noise at 10:15. Update: I asked Floyd if the fan stays on and he replied: "Unfortunately, it's on all the time. In this video, the noise might seem a little louder than it is in reality, but it's loud enough to bei recognized in a studio environment."

"VMachine hardware VST player - still useful in 2019? Table of contents below! This is a small box running Linux and WINE (a Windows Emulator) which runs a VST host software. In this video, I'm playing some sounds of the preinstalled VST plugins and try to install my own plugins, with mixed success. Also: How to reset this to factory defaults when it isn't booting.

Table of contents:
00:00 demo song, sequenced with the ZOOM ARQ-96
02:02 introduction
02:48 overview
03:06 how to get the software
03:39 creating a bootable USB stick for OS reinstallation
04:18 playing some sounds (Messiah VA synth)
09:40 installing VST plugins using the "VFX" software
10:49 demo'ing the built-in analog noise generator ;-)
11:04 demo: "General Piano" free VST plugin
12:46 bla bla

Links:
Unofficial support page
Official Page
Messiah VST
General Piano
USB writer"

Creating a synthesizer drone, but with an actual drone (Yamaha EX5, ZOOM ARQ 96)

Published on Apr 5, 2019 Floyd Steinberg

"I created a synthesizer drone sound, but with an actual drone on the Yamaha EX5, using it's sampler, wave & voice editor and effects section. The sound of the drone's spinning propellers lends itself to filtering, and the resulting sounds are surprisingly soothing and spacious. (Music begins at 01:58 - if you like it, you can download the track at https://floydsteinberg.bandcamp.com/t...)"

ZOOM ARQ-96 review (in a short, practical way)

Published on Sep 7, 2018 Alex S.

"A short review of the ZOOM ARQ-96 by recording a sequence with acoustic guitar, onboard and external synths like the Novation PEAK.

Table of contents:

00:00 unboxing
00:22 bla bla
00:59 recording audio
02:19 creating a pattern
04:17 adding a VA synthesizer track
08:07 adding vocals and global effects
08:49 controlling external MIDI devices
09:48 finished pattern sequence
11:01 conclusion / pros&cons"

Novation PEAK vs. ZOOM ARQ-96

Published on Aug 24, 2018 Alex S.

"Here's my first attempt at live sequencing with the ZOOM ARQ and the Peak. I'm quite impressed with the ARQ, it can do a lot of useful things. Maybe I'll post a review next week."

ZOOM ARQ! Making First Beat ( Unedited ) ZOOM0010

Published on Aug 25, 2017 VJ FRANZ K

"Celebrating Eclipse 2017 - here's the interesting "circle drum machine / groovebox" 8 - )

It's most similar in usage to an Electribe, but the 96 keys ( ! ) are around three edges of the wireless circle!
Full edited video soon, but I thought I'd show you some preview clips!

[ Filmed with Zoom Q8 camera, direct audio in. ]"

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ZOOM ARQ AR-96 Demo & Review

Published on Sep 5, 2016 musictrackjp

"ZOOM ARQ AR-96
DEMO by Katsunori UJIIE."