beyarecords wrote:In reference to the sequencer, it so happens to be a major part of my current workflow.
Mine, too. It may not have near the bells and whistles of Sonar, but I've been using the OASYS sequencer, exclusively, for the past year. If you bother learning it, it can do just about whatever you want.
My favorite hardware sequencer was the one in my Roland Fantom. Yes, 16 channels, per each Phrase track. However, it could only hold one Song. OASYS holds 200 Songs. When I sold my Fantom, I put 100 of its old songs into the OASYS. I can load them all at once.
What OASYS has over other hardware sequencers, is the advantage of the OASYS hardware interface of sliders, pots and switches. Unlike the Triton, it can record far more types of events. Thank KARMA for that implementation.
Let's say you record a synth line, but you want to play with its attack and release, filter, etc. Switch modes to Tone Adjust and you can add these in realtime to your sequence. Oh wait - was there a screw up? If you hit the wrong parameters, do you have to record from scratch? No. Press COMPARE and the sequence reverts to your original note data. Your performance is safe, now ride those parameters, again.
16 track limitation? Read this thread:
Multiple Combis to HDR tracks
The sequencer is tied into the HD recording functions, which can make it not so intuitive. On the plus side, you get way more functionality than say, a stand alone VS 1680. Everything can be automated - Effects' levels/switching, mixer sliders and pots. It can be as dynamic as you want.
Of course, if you want to keep it all in the MIDI domain, you can apply some workarounds, to achieve more sounds. You can set up various Left/Right combos, like tremolo strings left, on track 1; tremolo strings right, on track 2. How often are you using tremolo in that song? Insert a program change and put Brass or a Flute and Clarinet in those slots. You can even switch out FX. Take advantage of the many Song slots to keep your original setup, in a different slot, in case you need to revert.
beyarecords wrote:I want to be able to record into the sequencer a specified number of bars, be able to copy and paste that sequnce if I so choose
With COPY TRACKS (TRACK EDIT tab, then drop-down menu options), you can copy whole songs or individual tracks, at whatever measures you specify. Until we get a Cue List function, this is very handy.
If you want to work on Intro, Chorus, Bridge, Ending, then copy the same Song setup to 4 different Song slots. Now, work on the individual parts and use COPY TRACKS to move them wherever you want.
beyarecords wrote:and be able to assign each played/sequenced part to its own individual output so as to be able to route that into my mix desk.
Absolutely doable! You can send sounds directly to any output, without Effects...
...Or, with Effects:
Please read this thread, which covers that:
Routing to 8 outputs
beyarecords wrote:This whole process should just be intuitive and not convoluted, and more importantly for the label this machine carries 'worlds greatest Workstation', it should be doable!! Do I ask for too much here?!?
It is doable and the OASYS can be a great workstation, if you learn it. I won't say that it is intuitive, though, I had the advantage of coming from the Triton Classic and Extreme, so the workflow used the same logic.
Also, I do agree with a lot of user's request for sequencer enhancements. I want to see the screen follow the song data, left to right, the way a Roland or Yamaha sequencer scrolls. I want better Velocity and Gate options.
I certainly get what I want done, using MIDI EVENT EDIT. I use the filter, so I see NOTES only, which makes it a lot easier to get around. If I want to adjust a Sustain command, I can similarly check, just CONTROL CHANGE. But, yeah - some things could be improved.
. A great tool? Compared to what?