Try the squarp pyramid! It's an awesome little machine that can sequence your whole studio at once! (Yes I'm a big fan) I don't believe you've ever done a video on it (which makes sense seeing you mostly like grooveboxes better ;) It's something between an mpc and a digitakt: 64 tracks, but purely sequencing. Great to sequence live to from any synth while playing, and you can choose if you want to snap a track to a grid or use other effects such as randomness, midi delays and so on.
Something that incorporates sync between DIN Midi and USB Midi would be interesting. In extension maybe the Sync 3.5mm Jacks on some devices and what the tricky moments here could be.
Arturia MicroFreak. I really love mine and the recent patch. Great video btw. I also think less is more sometimes. I like to have a great selection of synths so I can hook up the synths I want to use depending on the genre I want to make.
A video about the mc707 as the central hub would be interesting. Great sequencer and plenty of effects. I can't get the midi cc controls on my tb-3 or micromonsta 2 to work though.
I really appreciate that you showed how to connect everything from scratch and described each use for the hardware, something missing in most synth tutorials. Super helpful. Thank you!
This video is one of the reasons I just bought a Circuit Tracks, and a Moog Werkstat, and a Cre8audio Nifty Bundle, and an Arturia Microfreak. I just got the Werkstat working with the Tracks, and should receive the Microfreak tomorrow. People like you and Gabe Miller really are inspiring, and the Tracks is great to fiddle with in bed to lay out an idea, then hook up to the externals to get some big sound. Thanks!
Could you elaborate on how you’re connecting the Werkstatt to the Circuit Tracks? I’ve got a Werkstatt and thinking of picking up a used Circuit Tracks.
@@ianjojo The Cre8audio bundle is a modular kit, it has midi in and cv out, used that to the Werkstatt. For about $100 you can buy a midicv interface, or something like the microfreak which has midi in and cv out.
The last five minutes of this are super helpful. Trying to figure out the differences between all this kit can be pretty mind-blowing when you are starting out. Well done.
THANK YOU!! It's taken me so long just to learn what you explain in 20min. Nobody wants to teach the nitty gritty of what cables to use, how they connect, what's a brain, and how they are all related. Thank you Bo!
That would be cool. My setup is based around the Polyend Tracker, and the Wavestate is on my possible next synth list. I find linking the Tracker with other synths to be really easy, and sampling is a joy. I don't think I've ever enjoyed sampling so much in my life before. It's a phenomenal piece of kit in my opinion and it suits my work flow perfectly.
Fantastic video that explained the basics perfectly. One omission I noticed that I discovered too late, is the use of a song mode to take a jam/groove to the track level by programming intros, outros, breakdowns etc. I found the ability to perform this task varied greatly. The elektron model:sample kinda achieves it and also does seamless transition from one bank of samples to the next, but I wouldn't say it has a definitive song mode. The toraiz squid has a limited song mode that allows up to 16 different combinations to be programmed and triggered, but it just falls short at the finish line. 64 would have been more useable. Plus it cant seamlessly transition from one project to the next, stopping a potential work around. The korg electribe dont have song mode but you can theoretically created several projects that progress and play them one after the other as the electribe does a seamless transition. Haven't tried the sonicware liven series which can do 4 tracks of sequencing so I dont know how they perform. Hands down, and I'm only a recent convert, the best sequencer for song mode I've used is the mpc one. Ticks all the boxes for creating a fully fledged track .
My dawless setup consists of A digitone paired with either a Mother 32 or a microfreak !I'm really enjoying working this way :) i think more things would give me either a headache, or too much choice hehe
Great review! One thing I think could be mentioned as well (if it's for the beginners) is that you can connect a few devices without the midi splitter if they have midi thru (and many synths do have it) - so you can chain them one after another.
Ive never had any synths or grooveboxes but i picked up my circuit tracks and volca bass last night, i was more than prepared to get it running because of watching this before hand. thanks!
Am starting out in the world of synths and was a bit lost as to what sequencer I should be looking at. The Circuit Tracks looks a great place to start with my Mininova. Thanks for such an informative video Bo. Always good to be able to access your knowledge
We had a corona jam yesterday with Eurorack. We had the (discontinued) Polyend Anywhere modules and myVolts ripcords to power 2 Mother-32s, a DFAM, a Subharmonicon and a Black Sequencer. We used a few connected stackcables for clock and two bluetooth speakers to hear each other. We had about 4 meters between us in a wonderful park with amazing weather.
This video is super helpful! Is it possible to still play the actual instrument rather than playing it through the groove box? I just haven’t seen it at the time of writing this. Thanks!!
Hey, Bo! I personally use a Polyend Tracker and I'm pretty darn pleased with my user experience. It's a really fun sequencer that's very fun to just relax with. I originally thought that I'd feel limited and use that limitation to fuel creativity, but I'm increasingly finding it to be a powerful sequencer engine for an all analog setup: 303, 808, Korg Minilogue XD, Toraiz AS-1 for bass. With Behringer reissues or other similar gear, it's a fun budget all hardware setup for the price of, say, a nice guitar. I'd love for you to mess with the Tracker more!
BO ALWAYS TELLS WITH SUCH INSPIRATION ABOUT THE Music Production , THAT IF I WERE Cooking, I'M READY TO QUIT COOKING FOOD, BUY A LOT OF SYNTHESIS AND GO CREATE AND CREATE AGAIN!
It's as if you are answering my unspoken questions thereby enabling me to move forward in my quest. Thank you soooo much Bo great vid - brill that you included the Deluge 🙏🙏🙏
Like your channel Bo 👍👍👍I had a Mixer 2 turntables and 2 speakers like 20 years ago to mix a little bit but for the most time i simply used my setup to impress girls 🤣🤣🤣but never really got into music composition like playing a Piano or a Drum.. After waching some of your videos i thought.. you know what.. Buy a T-8 and a S-1 300 bucks screw it, and man it hooked me up bigtime.. then i realized it would be cool if i could record what i am doing, record some sounds, mix in some FX so i bought a SP 404 mk2 and now 2 months later i came accros one of your older videos here and now i am just realizing how smal versatile and powerful my little setup really is (S-1 and SP 404 mk2) specially since last few updates and also all the money i saved. You inspired and helped me alot with your videos so THANK YOU 👍👍👍
Having fun with Circuit Tracks, mono samples not so good with limited length. What about just using an ipad with Huang's FLIP for samples then send audio out of ipad into CT stereo / FX then you have a sampler (stereo) into CT to be sent out stereo? My other idea is a Modular Skulpt into the CT the out stereo. Right now I have a Lyria-8 and a Elmyra which has no midi.
This video was so helpful! I couldn't figure out how to get my hardware set up to midi, this made me realize I needed a dedicated sequencer. Would love to see a video where you're using the Machine + as the brain for the set up!
Great video and information. Big Jack and little jack is what I would call them too and I speak English natively and only English. Your English is excellent!
I’m starting to build something similiar using an op-z as The brain for a Volka Key, a Po Arcade and a Keystep (as a midi controller). Hope it works, it’s my first setup (I was an op-z only user).
Great video! I have Arturia Mikrofreak and was thinking of buying circuit to have fun with dawless setup. But on other hand i need to upgrade my PC, it is still my main production platform.
Keeping it simple is a really good tip. I think you also have to consider how portable you want your rig to be. When I look at gear I have half a mind on how easy it would be to get it to a gig and set up.
Nice video! The core of my compact/portable DAWless setup is the Model:Samples as sequencer brain and drum machine, and if I have room I'll bring along some Volcas (Bass + FM) and NTS-1. For a more sprawling home studio setup, I just got the Novation SL MK3 as companion sequencer to the Model:Samples, and the Minilogue XD is my flagship synth.
The circuit tracks is such and underrated groovebox. I team mine up with a Roland JDXI (or other synths) and it's absolutely amazing how much ground that can be covered with it. The fact that you can run another two channels of audio into the circuit and mix with it and add FX makes it a total DAW replacer when you add any type of recorder. I use a zoom handy recorder and it's absolutely all I need. I love that you can pan with it and can record automated panning. I didn't even realize that the inputs were balanced though, I thought they were mono! I can't wait to try sending some stereo inputs in because that means I can use Two external synths now
Trying to connect my Microfreak to my Circuit and maybe some other stuff. Do you use a TRS cable into and out of the tracks? The manual says the Tracks is unbalanced mono which I assumed was TS and then The Microfreak and the Zoom H6 are balanced stereo and my head is spinning now trying to figure out how to go stereo to mono and keep both inputs on the Tracks. From watching videos it looks like everyone just goes TRS regardless and it seems to work. I then figured I would go 2 TRS out to a Y TS to transport on my Zoom H6. Thoughts? Am I overthinking the connections? Just go with the TRS? Do you combine your channels from the Circuit into the Zoom or do you record each channel separately?
Thank you. This was very helpful. I'm just starting out. One thing that was unclear to me were the buttons on the "Groove Box". When I look at a keyboard with black and white keys, I know exactly what I'm looking at: chromatic notes a half step apart. When I look at the buttons on the "Groove Box", it's not intuitive (to me) what they mean or what sound (if any) they'll produce. Do you have any videos that goes into further depth on this? Thanks!!!
Yeah i have multiple videos on the Circuit tracks. Basically the white buttons represent either a keyboard in a scale or in chromatic mode. Or it represents 16 steps in a sequence
Thanks for your channel. Pressed go and expecting delivery on Monday of a micro freak to use with circuit tracks. Hoping to one day mix my acoustic instruments with digital. After hearing the price drop in hardware, I have had a voice nagging me to get some. Fell in love with synthesis’s.
@BoBeats Thanks for the informative video! An aspect I would like to hear more about is the speaker/headphone part - what would be the bare minimum, without just wasting one's money by buying junk?
Does look like a fun direction to go in a fully electronic hardware setup. Coming at it as an electronic enthusiast who's a keyboardist and also a guitarist and vocalist I wonder if there's a way to incorporate some ability to record audio from real instruments into a setup like this that doesn't just turn it into a massive headache.
Novation Launchpad Pro MkIII is an awesome 4 track, similar in work flow & layout to the Circuit Tracks. I use it with Nord Lead 4R, which is 4 part multitimbral = a perfect fitting hardware setup. In addition I use the Roland Sp-404MKII for sample playback and its latest software upgrade has a good sequencer.
Great Tutorial!!! i have not a mixer could i conect to an audio interface that is amplified? and other question is there any hardware alterntive to coencted in replace volca nubass? Thanks a lot!! Excellent channel!! Cheers from Argentina
Hello Bo, this is a very nice setup. The Bluebox, even if it is the top of the cool stuff, is extremely expensive compared to a regular Yamaha 6 track mixer and a Zoom recorder. The circuit tracks is revealed to me as the missing link between the electronic instruments! Time to get one!
Would like to see some Machina+ external gear connection options and sequencer compared to Circuit Tracks. Also to notice that you need to change the second midi channel output setting midi through to midi out. Otherwise does not work like in this video.
Tack så mycket! Very inspiring video. One question. If i got it right the digitakt cannot be used as a polyphonic sequencer rigth? I have the model cykle and I tryed to use it as external sequencer to a polyphonic synth. But MC is not polyphonic. I guess is the same with other elektrons gear?
Digitakt can sequence polyphonic but its not good at it. Its up to 4 note poly sequences, but its just not great at it due to how the sequencer is designed.
Thank you for posting this. Request: could you do a similar one but using a Maschine mk3 + Minilogue xd + bass synth while explaining what you mean by "make sure you set them up to midi 1 2 3..etc"..how do you set them to do that? I really appreciate you take the time for us noobs
Thanks a lot, Bo! This is like a blueprint to setup my first DAWless! Just one thing I cannot figure out - when pressing start on the Circuit how to prevent the Volca Bass from starting his own sequencer simultaneously?
if i dont misremember you have to either delete the sequence on the volca or turn of the circuit from sending midi clock start message. But I cant remember which solution i used. There is MAYBE a setting for the volca to about the sequencer starting. Double check manuals.
Hey, thanks for your videos, really helpful! I was wondering if there is a way to make the midi thru of the circuit into another in? Cause my 'in' is taken by the 505looper cause it needs the clock, but i also wanna be able to play notes into the circuit via keyboard..
My Moog Sub37CV and Polybrute are awaiting for Verselab :) (replacing Beatstep Pro or OP-Z or iPad on that duties. It could've been Circuit, if not mono/single sample on drum tracks)
Thank you for the great information! I am very new to synthesizers and sequencers so, I beg your pardon for my ignorance on the topic as I learn more about it. Perhaps I missed it in the video, but I am interested in making electronic music that has a Verse/Chorus/Verse or even Verse/Chorus/Break/Verse structure. Is there equipment out there that can help to do that? Can the equipment shown in this video do this? Thanks!
Finally coming back to this after getting a Circuit Tracks for Christmas. Is there a good tip for finding out what midi channels things are using/set to? I have a Korg Electric Piano and a Korg Volca FM and would eventually love to be able to do live lo-fi hip-hop jams (with say, a looper pedal on the piano so I can play bits that are usually samples)
Hi ! Really appreciate these videos, it is helping on what should i get for starts in the synth world. I have a doubt, it really looks cool to use the sampler to launch everything, but can i do the other way around, i mean play a line on the synth and make the sequencer play in order? i´m a bass player, so the idea for me is to play stuff in to the sequencer and vice versa.. Im really noob to this sorry .
Interesting and informative video. I'm trying to decide whether to go for a Circuit Tracks or MPC One. Every time I watch a video on either of them I end up changing my mind. Having never used either a Circuit or MPC product, I like the look of the simple intuitive Circuit Tracks approach and the two Midi channels and inputs, but at the same time, the MPC has a really nice sequencer, sampler and now a Drum synth (since preset shopping is a bore), but is more expensive, more hardcore prosumerish and lacks a bit in connectivity. I guess I have to decide whether I want room to grow (MPC) or immediacy (no menu diving and complicated setup) and jammability (Circuit Tracks).
@@BoBeats It should be a no-brainer for me to opt for the Circuit Tracks considering I'm not even remotely a musician, can pair it with a Microfreak, Volca FM etc (apparently I want to make hamfisted synthwave...) and probably wouldn't be looking to record/laydown full songs anyway. I guess I could re-sell it if it proves too limiting, although being in the UK, post-Brexit selling outside the UK is somewhat more complicated. I could I guess wait to see what the Circuit Rhythm turns out to be, considering it promises a sampler and better handling of drums, two of things I like about the MPC One. MPCs seem a bit DAW-in-a-box anyway, a slight move away from hardware towards software only.
Hey Bo, thanks for the great content! Could you have technically played the Minilogue using its built in keyboard and still benefit from the effects of the Circuit? Or do you have to play it using the Circuit's pads in order to hear the effects?
You can absolutely play from Minilogues keys and you could also record notes from Minilogue into Circuit using a midi cable from Minilogue output to Circuit input
Is this audio cable between between Circuit Tracks and Volca Nubass mono? If so, it makes short circuit between Volca stereo output right channel and ground and maybe not the best idea.
Hello! I'm confused, as a piano player, as to why you wouldn't use the keyboard on the minilogue to play its sounds, rather than the (in my view) inferior layout on the circuit tracks. Is this possible, is it just a question of preference?
Hey Bo!...I have a digitakt....Would it be "overkill" to have a Minilogue XD? being that it also has a sequencer? Any issues with that? Or would you just rec the basic Minilogue? I thought about the Digitone Keystep setup, I like the idea of a "traditional" keyboard synth... Thanks, love your channel!
Is the cable to connect Volca is 3.5mm TRS to 6.3mm TRS (stereo)? Or is it TS to TS (mono)? KORG does not recommend using mono cable on Volca, but I think using stereo cable and plugging it in into mono input still makes it sort of similar to using mono cable. Not sure can it cause damage over time though..
GEAR SHOWCASED (affiliate links)
Novation Circuit Tracks // 4 track Sequencer & Synth
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/512775?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/0kgRJ
US: bit.ly/circuittracksPC
UK: tidd.ly/4078BD4
Volca NuBass
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/465942?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/155XZd
US: bit.ly/nubassPC
UK: tidd.ly/43rhJW9
Original Minilogue
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/379052?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/2PbZM
US: bit.ly/3muL01i
UK: tidd.ly/3KvhIrw
Midi thru box - Kenton Thru-5
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/220156?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/LvenY
US: bit.ly/3zRPyC1
UK: tidd.ly/407Opkl
Bluebox Mixer
EU: thmn.to/thoprod/504944?offid=1&affid=623
US: imp.i114863.net/b4ELm
US: bit.ly/PS-1010
UK: tidd.ly/3KU8FSr
Try the squarp pyramid! It's an awesome little machine that can sequence your whole studio at once! (Yes I'm a big fan) I don't believe you've ever done a video on it (which makes sense seeing you mostly like grooveboxes better ;)
It's something between an mpc and a digitakt: 64 tracks, but purely sequencing. Great to sequence live to from any synth while playing, and you can choose if you want to snap a track to a grid or use other effects such as randomness, midi delays and so on.
Something that incorporates sync between DIN Midi and USB Midi would be interesting. In extension maybe the Sync 3.5mm Jacks on some devices and what the tricky moments here could be.
Your MIDI thru box link is broken :(
Arturia MicroFreak. I really love mine and the recent patch. Great video btw. I also think less is more sometimes. I like to have a great selection of synths so I can hook up the synths I want to use depending on the genre I want to make.
A video about the mc707 as the central hub would be interesting. Great sequencer and plenty of effects. I can't get the midi cc controls on my tb-3 or micromonsta 2 to work though.
Thank you! I'm almost into my 40's and I'm just realizing I need a synth in my life. This video was very helpful!
I really appreciate that you showed how to connect everything from scratch and described each use for the hardware, something missing in most synth tutorials. Super helpful. Thank you!
I so wish you had done this 4 years ago, it summaries in a few minutes what took me ages to learn by trial and error! great job.
This video is one of the reasons I just bought a Circuit Tracks, and a Moog Werkstat, and a Cre8audio Nifty Bundle, and an Arturia Microfreak. I just got the Werkstat working with the Tracks, and should receive the Microfreak tomorrow. People like you and Gabe Miller really are inspiring, and the Tracks is great to fiddle with in bed to lay out an idea, then hook up to the externals to get some big sound. Thanks!
Could you elaborate on how you’re connecting the Werkstatt to the Circuit Tracks? I’ve got a Werkstatt and thinking of picking up a used Circuit Tracks.
@@ianjojo The Cre8audio bundle is a modular kit, it has midi in and cv out, used that to the Werkstatt. For about $100 you can buy a midicv interface, or something like the microfreak which has midi in and cv out.
Thanks@@sunglint! I miss my microfreak - gonna try to find a used one!
The last five minutes of this are super helpful. Trying to figure out the differences between all this kit can be pretty mind-blowing when you are starting out. Well done.
THANK YOU!! It's taken me so long just to learn what you explain in 20min. Nobody wants to teach the nitty gritty of what cables to use, how they connect, what's a brain, and how they are all related. Thank you Bo!
Thank you for your videos. I love how you make videos accessible for non-professionals. Much love from Scotland.
I'd love to see a wavestate and polyend tracker setup!!
That would be cool. My setup is based around the Polyend Tracker, and the Wavestate is on my possible next synth list. I find linking the Tracker with other synths to be really easy, and sampling is a joy. I don't think I've ever enjoyed sampling so much in my life before. It's a phenomenal piece of kit in my opinion and it suits my work flow perfectly.
Fantastic video that explained the basics perfectly. One omission I noticed that I discovered too late, is the use of a song mode to take a jam/groove to the track level by programming intros, outros, breakdowns etc. I found the ability to perform this task varied greatly. The elektron model:sample kinda achieves it and also does seamless transition from one bank of samples to the next, but I wouldn't say it has a definitive song mode. The toraiz squid has a limited song mode that allows up to 16 different combinations to be programmed and triggered, but it just falls short at the finish line. 64 would have been more useable. Plus it cant seamlessly transition from one project to the next, stopping a potential work around. The korg electribe dont have song mode but you can theoretically created several projects that progress and play them one after the other as the electribe does a seamless transition. Haven't tried the sonicware liven series which can do 4 tracks of sequencing so I dont know how they perform.
Hands down, and I'm only a recent convert, the best sequencer for song mode I've used is the mpc one. Ticks all the boxes for creating a fully fledged track .
I LOST MY MIND ALREADY TRYING TO FIND A VIDEO LIKE THIS
THANK YOU BO BEATSSSS ❤️
This guy and Gabe Miller are my go to guys for this stuff!
My dawless setup consists of A digitone paired with either a Mother 32 or a microfreak !I'm really enjoying working this way :) i think more things would give me either a headache, or too much choice hehe
This is the video I was looking for! Thank you so much, I'm starting on dawless jams and this is the best video I've found.
Great review!
One thing I think could be mentioned as well (if it's for the beginners) is that you can connect a few devices without the midi splitter if they have midi thru (and many synths do have it) - so you can chain them one after another.
Ive never had any synths or grooveboxes but i picked up my circuit tracks and volca bass last night, i was more than prepared to get it running because of watching this before hand. thanks!
Happy to hear it!! Tag me on IG if you make some little jam or something :-)
Am starting out in the world of synths and was a bit lost as to what sequencer I should be looking at. The Circuit Tracks looks a great place to start with my Mininova. Thanks for such an informative video Bo. Always good to be able to access your knowledge
I LOVE the mininova!
@@scrundy3369 such a good piece of kit👍
“I don’t actually know the English word for it. “ Dude, you speak better English than 90% of Americans.
Aww thanks!!!
Factual.
Lmao, too true.
You literally speak better English than our last president.
Most educated foreigners do speak better English than Americans.
Yeah, dude's comfortable giving technical tutorials in his second language, something I'm not comfortable doing in my first.
We had a corona jam yesterday with Eurorack. We had the (discontinued) Polyend Anywhere modules and myVolts ripcords to power 2 Mother-32s, a DFAM, a Subharmonicon and a Black Sequencer. We used a few connected stackcables for clock and two bluetooth speakers to hear each other. We had about 4 meters between us in a wonderful park with amazing weather.
And a Korg NTS-1 and Erica Synth DSP modules for effects.
"You can get a lot done with a main sequencer, and one, two, maybe three, four"... Maybe Five, six, seven, eight, nine... @2:20
😂
Yeah I have GAS... Great Awesome Synths.
Makes me wish I were half octopus! haha
The music you put together on here is sick man. I love the compositions
Just what I've been looking for. Getting the Circuit Tracks in july/august
This video is super helpful! Is it possible to still play the actual instrument rather than playing it through the groove box? I just haven’t seen it at the time of writing this. Thanks!!
Such a great video - I just picked up the Circuit Tracks and am having a blast with it. Thanks for breaking this stuff down for us noobs. Cheers!
Hey, Bo! I personally use a Polyend Tracker and I'm pretty darn pleased with my user experience. It's a really fun sequencer that's very fun to just relax with. I originally thought that I'd feel limited and use that limitation to fuel creativity, but I'm increasingly finding it to be a powerful sequencer engine for an all analog setup: 303, 808, Korg Minilogue XD, Toraiz AS-1 for bass. With Behringer reissues or other similar gear, it's a fun budget all hardware setup for the price of, say, a nice guitar. I'd love for you to mess with the Tracker more!
BO ALWAYS TELLS WITH SUCH INSPIRATION ABOUT THE Music Production , THAT IF I WERE Cooking, I'M READY TO QUIT COOKING FOOD, BUY A LOT OF SYNTHESIS AND GO CREATE AND CREATE AGAIN!
It's as if you are answering my unspoken questions thereby enabling me to move forward in my quest. Thank you soooo much Bo great vid - brill that you included the Deluge 🙏🙏🙏
Finding the right sequencer for you is a personal quest and lots of kit flipping. Lol.
This is another video about how you get into hardware synths.....But nobody is making the video I need is "how you get OUT of it".
It's like the Hotel California. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...
I'll let you know if I find a way
You buy an iPad lol
Electronic music anonymous or synths anonymous. The 12 keys.
@@Oooo-bi7bi I tried those groups but just ended up at the back of the church making block rocking beat's!!!lol😁
Good tutorial. Would like to see more, what about an intermediate level tutorial and an advanced one at some later date.
Like your channel Bo 👍👍👍I had a Mixer 2 turntables and 2 speakers like 20 years ago to mix a little bit but for the most time i simply used my setup to impress girls 🤣🤣🤣but never really got into music composition like playing a Piano or a Drum.. After waching some of your videos i thought.. you know what.. Buy a T-8 and a S-1 300 bucks screw it, and man it hooked me up bigtime.. then i realized it would be cool if i could record what i am doing, record some sounds, mix in some FX so i bought a SP 404 mk2 and now 2 months later i came accros one of your older videos here and now i am just realizing how smal versatile and powerful my little setup really is (S-1 and SP 404 mk2) specially since last few updates and also all the money i saved. You inspired and helped me alot with your videos so THANK YOU 👍👍👍
Having fun with Circuit Tracks, mono samples not so good with limited length. What about just using an ipad with Huang's FLIP for samples then send audio out of ipad into CT stereo / FX then you have a sampler (stereo) into CT to be sent out stereo? My other idea is a Modular Skulpt into the CT the out stereo.
Right now I have a Lyria-8 and a Elmyra which has no midi.
This is a great general instruction video for plugging in midi for the newbie, it should be stickered.
Love the gear connection explanation
This video was so helpful! I couldn't figure out how to get my hardware set up to midi, this made me realize I needed a dedicated sequencer. Would love to see a video where you're using the Machine + as the brain for the set up!
This is exactly what I was looking for. I actually breathed a sign of relief when I found this video haha. Thanks!
Thank you for this video, it helped me to realize how off my settup was and how to improve it!
Thanks!
Very nice video, thanks. Would be nice to do a video on what DAWless hardware to record with..
Great video as usual! Thank you for taking time to make it!
The right video at the right time. So glad I found this
I've just bought a Keystep Pro, Minilogue XD and a Roland TR-8S. No idea how to use them yet so this video was really helpful. Thanks!
really sick track! nice job :)
Great explanation for beginners, all is concise and clear
Great video and information. Big Jack and little jack is what I would call them too and I speak English natively and only English. Your English is excellent!
Thank you!!
this video has enlightened me on the topic about daw-less setup. Found a nitty portable combo "Circuit Tracks" + "Modal CRAFTsynth v2.0" :D
Great stuff... lovely and simple. I managed to get my little setup working just how I wanted thanks to this!👍
I loved this video, gave me so many ideas for my Circuit Tracks! Thanks!
Very very very useful tutorial sir,,, lots of love from INDIA❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏
Thank you so much for the clear explanation! I was wondering which cables should I buy and you solved my problem thanks!
Exactly what I needed
I’m starting to build something similiar using an op-z as The brain for a Volka Key, a Po Arcade and a Keystep (as a midi controller). Hope it works, it’s my first setup (I was an op-z only user).
Great video! I have Arturia Mikrofreak and was thinking of buying circuit to have fun with dawless setup. But on other hand i need to upgrade my PC, it is still my main production platform.
Keeping it simple is a really good tip. I think you also have to consider how portable you want your rig to be. When I look at gear I have half a mind on how easy it would be to get it to a gig and set up.
Nice video! The core of my compact/portable DAWless setup is the Model:Samples as sequencer brain and drum machine, and if I have room I'll bring along some Volcas (Bass + FM) and NTS-1. For a more sprawling home studio setup, I just got the Novation SL MK3 as companion sequencer to the Model:Samples, and the Minilogue XD is my flagship synth.
The circuit tracks is such and underrated groovebox. I team mine up with a Roland JDXI (or other synths) and it's absolutely amazing how much ground that can be covered with it. The fact that you can run another two channels of audio into the circuit and mix with it and add FX makes it a total DAW replacer when you add any type of recorder. I use a zoom handy recorder and it's absolutely all I need. I love that you can pan with it and can record automated panning. I didn't even realize that the inputs were balanced though, I thought they were mono! I can't wait to try sending some stereo inputs in because that means I can use Two external synths now
Trying to connect my Microfreak to my Circuit and maybe some other stuff.
Do you use a TRS cable into and out of the tracks? The manual says the Tracks is unbalanced mono which I assumed was TS and then The Microfreak and the Zoom H6 are balanced stereo and my head is spinning now trying to figure out how to go stereo to mono and keep both inputs on the Tracks. From watching videos it looks like everyone just goes TRS regardless and it seems to work. I then figured I would go 2 TRS out to a Y TS to transport on my Zoom H6.
Thoughts? Am I overthinking the connections? Just go with the TRS? Do you combine your channels from the Circuit into the Zoom or do you record each channel separately?
Can you review the Arturia ‘beatstep pro’ ? No one had reviewed it properly. It is a good sequencer in a small package which can send CV.
I am doing a video with it ”soon” but it wont be super in depth tho
Thank you. This was very helpful. I'm just starting out.
One thing that was unclear to me were the buttons on the "Groove Box". When I look at a keyboard with black and white keys, I know exactly what I'm looking at: chromatic notes a half step apart. When I look at the buttons on the "Groove Box", it's not intuitive (to me) what they mean or what sound (if any) they'll produce. Do you have any videos that goes into further depth on this? Thanks!!!
Yeah i have multiple videos on the Circuit tracks. Basically the white buttons represent either a keyboard in a scale or in chromatic mode. Or it represents 16 steps in a sequence
You make it seem so easy! I really like it 👌🏻 Thanks for your enthusiasm and positive vibe (or should I say groove)
Thanks for your channel. Pressed go and expecting delivery on Monday of a micro freak to use with circuit tracks. Hoping to one day mix my acoustic instruments with digital. After hearing the price drop in hardware, I have had a voice nagging me to get some. Fell in love with synthesis’s.
@BoBeats Thanks for the informative video! An aspect I would like to hear more about is the speaker/headphone part - what would be the bare minimum, without just wasting one's money by buying junk?
Dude the track in 12 min of the video is sick 👌😍
Thanks for the vid. I’m pairing my Circuit Tracks with a Microfreak.
Does look like a fun direction to go in a fully electronic hardware setup.
Coming at it as an electronic enthusiast who's a keyboardist and also a guitarist and vocalist I wonder if there's a way to incorporate some ability to record audio from real instruments into a setup like this that doesn't just turn it into a massive headache.
at 6:49, is that stereo mini jack to mono 1/4 jack or stereo mini jack to stereo 1/4 jack or something else ... :?
Same question :/
I love how you learnt how to say digitakt correctly half way through recording a video
the swedish pronounciation is the right one ;)
THANKS! WAS LOOKING FOR THIS SETUP TUTORIAL!
Good advice as always. I find my MPC One as a good "brain". Esp since I can have lots of effects for the various midi and audio channels.
Awesome video cheers from Australia
Novation Launchpad Pro MkIII is an awesome 4 track, similar in work flow & layout to the Circuit Tracks. I use it with Nord Lead 4R, which is 4 part multitimbral = a perfect fitting hardware setup. In addition I use the Roland Sp-404MKII for sample playback and its latest software upgrade has a good sequencer.
Great Tutorial!!! i have not a mixer could i conect to an audio interface that is amplified? and other question is there any hardware alterntive to coencted in replace volca nubass? Thanks a lot!! Excellent channel!! Cheers from Argentina
Wow finally it's all laid out and explained.
Hello Bo, this is a very nice setup. The Bluebox, even if it is the top of the cool stuff, is extremely expensive compared to a regular Yamaha 6 track mixer and a Zoom recorder. The circuit tracks is revealed to me as the missing link between the electronic instruments! Time to get one!
So many cool devices!
Nice video, thanks for sharing!
Would like to see some Machina+ external gear connection options and sequencer compared to Circuit Tracks. Also to notice that you need to change the second midi channel output setting midi through to midi out. Otherwise does not work like in this video.
Yepp! Anyone looking how to do it I show it in my review. Its very easy
Tack så mycket! Very inspiring video. One question. If i got it right the digitakt cannot be used as a polyphonic sequencer rigth? I have the model cykle and I tryed to use it as external sequencer to a polyphonic synth. But MC is not polyphonic. I guess is the same with other elektrons gear?
Digitakt can sequence polyphonic but its not good at it. Its up to 4 note poly sequences, but its just not great at it due to how the sequencer is designed.
Thank you for posting this. Request: could you do a similar one but using a Maschine mk3 + Minilogue xd + bass synth while explaining what you mean by "make sure you set them up to midi 1 2 3..etc"..how do you set them to do that? I really appreciate you take the time for us noobs
Thats a good idea! Might do this
Omg the perfect video! Thanks Bo
thank you for the good explanation, also understandable for beginners 👍🏻
Could you send a thomann link to those cable holders/organizers behind you? Tack:)
Thanks a lot, Bo! This is like a blueprint to setup my first DAWless! Just one thing I cannot figure out - when pressing start on the Circuit how to prevent the Volca Bass from starting his own sequencer simultaneously?
if i dont misremember you have to either delete the sequence on the volca or turn of the circuit from sending midi clock start message. But I cant remember which solution i used. There is MAYBE a setting for the volca to about the sequencer starting. Double check manuals.
Hey, thanks for your videos, really helpful! I was wondering if there is a way to make the midi thru of the circuit into another in? Cause my 'in' is taken by the 505looper cause it needs the clock, but i also wanna be able to play notes into the circuit via keyboard..
Not that I know of an usually its not possible to turn an output into an input
great vid. Also that you cabled in in the vid.
My Moog Sub37CV and Polybrute are awaiting for Verselab :)
(replacing Beatstep Pro or OP-Z or iPad on that duties. It could've been Circuit, if not mono/single sample on drum tracks)
Thanks for making it more fun for me to setup my live stuff❤️🔥
Thank you for the great information!
I am very new to synthesizers and sequencers so, I beg your pardon for my ignorance on the topic as I learn more about it.
Perhaps I missed it in the video, but I am interested in making electronic music that has a Verse/Chorus/Verse or even Verse/Chorus/Break/Verse structure. Is there equipment out there that can help to do that? Can the equipment shown in this video do this?
Thanks!
That was really beneficial. Thanks!
Finally coming back to this after getting a Circuit Tracks for Christmas. Is there a good tip for finding out what midi channels things are using/set to? I have a Korg Electric Piano and a Korg Volca FM and would eventually love to be able to do live lo-fi hip-hop jams (with say, a looper pedal on the piano so I can play bits that are usually samples)
Check the programmer's guide :)
I'd love to see something like this but with the OP-1. A 'portable' DAWless synth setup?
Hi !
Really appreciate these videos, it is helping on what should i get for starts in the synth world.
I have a doubt, it really looks cool to use the sampler to launch everything, but can i do the other way around, i mean play a line on the synth and make the sequencer play in order?
i´m a bass player, so the idea for me is to play stuff in to the sequencer and vice versa..
Im really noob to this sorry .
Interesting and informative video. I'm trying to decide whether to go for a Circuit Tracks or MPC One. Every time I watch a video on either of them I end up changing my mind. Having never used either a Circuit or MPC product, I like the look of the simple intuitive Circuit Tracks approach and the two Midi channels and inputs, but at the same time, the MPC has a really nice sequencer, sampler and now a Drum synth (since preset shopping is a bore), but is more expensive, more hardcore prosumerish and lacks a bit in connectivity. I guess I have to decide whether I want room to grow (MPC) or immediacy (no menu diving and complicated setup) and jammability (Circuit Tracks).
Correct: thats the main thing you need to figure out. The limited but easy to use Circuit or the deeper much more feature packed Mpc One
@@BoBeats It should be a no-brainer for me to opt for the Circuit Tracks considering I'm not even remotely a musician, can pair it with a Microfreak, Volca FM etc (apparently I want to make hamfisted synthwave...) and probably wouldn't be looking to record/laydown full songs anyway. I guess I could re-sell it if it proves too limiting, although being in the UK, post-Brexit selling outside the UK is somewhat more complicated. I could I guess wait to see what the Circuit Rhythm turns out to be, considering it promises a sampler and better handling of drums, two of things I like about the MPC One. MPCs seem a bit DAW-in-a-box anyway, a slight move away from hardware towards software only.
Also have a look at the synthstrom deluge. It’s intuitive like the circuit, but has more features then the mpc one
@@bartjanc So many buttons...I'd be like Sandra Bullock in Gravity in the scene in the Chinese capsule randomly pressing buttons to see what they do.
Ok 😂. Mal klein anfangen, mehr wirds eh automatisch. Danke fürs liebevolle Zeigen
Hey Bo, thanks for the great content! Could you have technically played the Minilogue using its built in keyboard and still benefit from the effects of the Circuit? Or do you have to play it using the Circuit's pads in order to hear the effects?
You can absolutely play from Minilogues keys and you could also record notes from Minilogue into Circuit using a midi cable from Minilogue output to Circuit input
@@BoBeats IS THERE anyone that can tell me how to hook up roland jd-xi . I've copied this setup but getting no sound out the 2 midi tracks
Is this audio cable between between Circuit Tracks and Volca Nubass mono?
If so, it makes short circuit between Volca stereo output right channel and ground and maybe not the best idea.
Nice! Currently having a though time deciding .. thinking about the Digitakt + Microfreak .. I'm guessing that should do the trick?!
Love the Yellow digitakt 👌
Hello! I'm confused, as a piano player, as to why you wouldn't use the keyboard on the minilogue to play its sounds, rather than the (in my view) inferior layout on the circuit tracks. Is this possible, is it just a question of preference?
Hey Bo!...I have a digitakt....Would it be "overkill" to have a Minilogue XD? being that it also has a sequencer? Any issues with that? Or would you just rec the basic Minilogue? I thought about the Digitone Keystep setup, I like the idea of a "traditional" keyboard synth... Thanks, love your channel!
Is the cable to connect Volca is 3.5mm TRS to 6.3mm TRS (stereo)? Or is it TS to TS (mono)? KORG does not recommend using mono cable on Volca, but I think using stereo cable and plugging it in into mono input still makes it sort of similar to using mono cable. Not sure can it cause damage over time though..
Same question, that cable was shown way too fast
Could you possibly show how “the more complicated” version of this setup with being able to utilize the keyboard on the Minilogue?