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I have been thinking in buying hardware to externally sequence the modx. This question applies to sequencing it via DAW or via hard.
I understand that I can connect an external sequencer to it and assign different sequences to different MIDI channels so if I create a new "multi / GM" performance I can make the sequencer use say the first 8 parts and sequence them at the same time.
The problem with this approach is that there are some multi part performances that are super nice (even a simple layered piano) and that is already 4 parts and I don't know if I can use all parts for 1 sequence. I believe that my sequencer should be able to send the sequence to multiple midi channels at the same time.
And I think that is it, I don't think I can have different sequences affecting multiple performances at the same time because a sequencer is simply sending "notes" to the MODX and the modx will play them, it cannot play multiple performances at once.
I really want to buy an external sequencer but I need to know its limitation so I don't make a bad buy. Any recommendation now that we are here? 😛
Posted : 12/11/2018 10:00 pm
I don't see why multi-track, multi-channel sequencers with adequate polyphony (both per track and when adding each track) could not control MODX in multi-channel mode and targeting instruments that are made up of many PARTs for a single instrument. You would simply sequence your track then copy the same sequenced track to the other tracks.
I don't know about specific sequencers. They can cost as much as another MODX. Then there seem to be many with low resources. A computer would always win - but may not provide the portability story you want. Maybe an iPad with the Cubase software would work. Not exactly a hardware sequencer - but total cost and flexibility has a nice ratio.
A tablet-style windows machine with a standard USB port is also an option with the same portability.
Posted : 13/11/2018 12:36 am
Topic starter
Thank you sir. I got a computer hooked up but managing this software with the mouse is a bit of a pain. I guess I can always buy a launchpad and use it to trigger sequences.
Posted : 13/11/2018 10:00 am
What you need to know about hardware sequencers and recording those “super nice” layered Performances is that in order to capture them as MIDI, you are transmitting on multiple MIDI channels simultaneously... so you will need to be able record multiple MIDI streams discreetly to each track.
You can easily understand why this is the case by recalling a Multi Part Performance that has Drums, Bass, Piano, Guitar... if you are performing on such a program you will want to capture each stream of MIDI discreetly.
This is a problem for some Sequencers that default to recording ALL incoming MIDI channels, and then they re-channelize the data on the way OUT. This obviously will NOT work... because in the case where each Track records all four streams and then squeezes them OUT on a single channel ... will be a disaster!
You must have each Track ONLY Record the one MIDI channel that you send IN from each active Part.
Posted : 13/11/2018 5:14 pm
Suggestion to use an iPad or tablet Windows (meaning, it has a touchscreen - like the MS Surface or similar) was intentionally steering away from requiring a mouse. Touch fully replaces a mouse under these environments. Certainly for iPad - and probably for the Windows-based tablets (or convertibles).
Even so, I'm kind of with you if you don't like touch screens vs. physical buttons. It's just easier to find something with the operational features in computer-land (if not the control surface) than in hardware-sequencer land.
Maybe someone is aware of a hardware sequencer that checks all the boxes.
Posted : 14/11/2018 7:45 am
