Using the step sequencer with pitch notes

DeltaJockey · Post by **DeltaJockey** » Sun Oct 18, 2015 6:32 am

Spending my early years building and playing analog step sequencers, I find it interesting that the popular term "step sequencer" seems to mainly these days only apply to percussion sequencing, especially when it comes to workstations like the Kross or microstation.

I know that the the arpeggiator is for producing pitch sequencing, but I find it limited by the preset patterns included. Unless I'm missing something obvious, is there any way to apply a pitched program sound to the step sequencer in the Kross? The matrix input method really makes easy work of producing step sequences and being able to interactively adjust the notes and syncopation. I find it tedious to play in a sequence on the keyboard, quantize it and try to adjust afterwards.
A user programmable arp would probably do the trick too, but there doesn't seem to be that either.
I know you can buy dedicated hardware step sequencers for this, but given all the programming power these workstations have, I'm amazed that there's no call for this application. The Kronos provides this functionality, using Karma and also in software, but the hardware step sequencer on the Kross really appeals to me as a quick matrix for launching an interactive pitch sequence. After all, that is the origins of what a step sequencer really was

charlieunicorn · Post by **charlieunicorn** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:05 am

If you go into Global/Media and then page over to the "ARP Pattern" tab, you'll be able to edit the different possible arp patterns with an interface that is essentially the same as the step sequencer. I don't think you can really utilize the 16 buttons for this--and I didn't really get a chance to mess with it myself, so I'm not sure if you can save user created arp patterns--or if you can write over the built in patters--but hopefully this will work for ya.

DeltaJockey · Post by **DeltaJockey** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:28 am

thanks for your reply,

gosh my post was some time ago!
I did realise immediately after I posted that the arpeggiator does have user presets. And yes there are user slots in addition to the factory presets.

However, I guess my concern still stands, as it is not quite the same convenience as being able to switch notes on an off with panel buttons while it is running, like the traditional analog step sequences.
Oh well, I was looking at just buying a dedicated hardware step sequencer in the end, when I get back into the mode of some serious step sequencing