It’s been a year of dawless music making, was it worth it? Check out my lessons learned and an update on my setup: th-cam.com/video/SWsc1Ob1e-A/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the video! I have a Circuit Tracks, and I've been wanting to pick up a sampler. The SP404MK2 is one I'm definitely considering. I'd love to hear more about how they sync - I found your video searching for setups using both.
It’s an incredibly powerful combo. I’m planning on creating a full live set with just those 2 pieces of gear. In terms of proper sync, you can definitely use the circuit as the brain and sync/control the sp on one of the circuits midi channels. I’ve done this as I like to keep them unsynced to add a little more humanity and variance. For me I just send the circuits audio into the sp and play them at the same time. I’ve had no problems and it’s a little more interactive and fun this way (at least imo). Hope that helps 😊
Hi! I have a similar setup: Novation Tracks, SP-404 MK2, Behringer TD-3 and a Minilogue. I have an issue with this setup. The problem is a really weak input on SP-404. It's gives really low volume disregard I pump up my Tracks volume up to maximum. Of course it sounds great, but the problem appears when I play my samples on the SP-404. They are so much louder than incoming stereo from Tracks that I lower all pads volume to 1 and they are still louder than input mix. I tried to put a compressor on input of my 404, but it's still has some amount of disproportion. Such a shame to have that power on hand and one weak point makes this setup unusable for me.
That's a real bummer, sorry to hear that. Sounds like you might have an issue with the line in's or the cables. Contacting Roland is probably the way to go. Are you sending the tracks through the top stereo line ins? If so, have you tried the other instrument line in on the bottom? While mono, it does have an input gain. That would probably help determine whether it's the top line ins, or something else
@@sunwarper Yep, it’s a top stereo thing. My cables are ok. So… it seems like it’s a common issue. I found a couple of threads with complains about the weak input. Just this night I found that when you send the signal to bus 1 or bus 2 you get a significant boost, but when you send it to DRY the signal is weak. Seems like you never get a perfect setup. Hehehe
Fun stuff my man. I like watching these vids. I have the Tracks, monologue, Reace CS, Volca Bass and PO33. Still new to all this as I’m trying to put it all together
Last, but not least: on your SP 404 how did you manage the bass part of this jam? did you put single bass notes on the pads of a bank and then arrange them in the pattern, as you did with single drum hits, or did you put a whole bass loop on a single pad and then trigger it into the pattern? I tried both ways and I can't choose which is best (or, less bad): if I play the bass part from single notes, it seems to me a bit too fake or mechanical, but it also gives me the chance not to spend a lot of ti,me composing fixed bass parts and throw them away if they don't fit.....Thanks!
I put a full bass loop I made in a DAW into a single pad and then programmed it in the pattern sequencer. I think both ways work in certain context, single bass notes that you sequence can work, especially if you do subtle volume/velocity changes and less quantize for each note. Doing a full loop is great but sometimes the sync can go off
There's a few different ways to approach sequencing with hardware and some that are specific to each piece of gear. The Circuit Tracks has a sort of song mode where you can load different pattern groups into "scenes" and switch between them, or set them to switch through each scene in order. The SP has an incredibly powerful pattern sequencer that allows for switching between patterns. While there may not be dedicated song modes, swapping between patterns in a more free form manner (and performing synths or samples on top of that) can lead to some interesting track developments. I've swapped from a DAW to this method of creating almost exclusively now. Hope that helps :)
Hi! after watching this, I'd like to ask for your opinion on would you set up my simple dawless system (for live), which seems to be really similar to yours... I've got a SP 404 SX and a 1010 Blackbox (my Brain). I want them to be synced (by MIDI, from Blackbox to the SP) and I want the SP to be last in chain, since I want to apply its effects (most of all vinyl and radio tuning) to the whole audio stream. How would you suggest to assign the samples? Would you store the groovy samples (drums, bass) on the SP and chords/pads/themes on the blackbox? Maybe in this way I could have drums and bass sounds common to all the songs (composing beats on the SP with the pattern sequencer). Or maybe the opposite is a better choice? Or, again, putting most of the stuff on the Blackbox and using the Sp mostly for some one-shot hits on the fly (dub delayed hits, single spare drum hits, some additional vocals?...) In general, I think that the SP should contain all the sounds which could be common and useful to all songs, while the Blackbox should be the songs and set list container, since it can save songs presets.... In addition, I also use the Keys feature of the Blackbox (kind of synth), with a midi keyboard connected to the USB port, to play additional riffs and themes. Thanks!!
Hey Manu, sounds like a great setup, those 1010’s look sick. I haven’t connected the sp through midi yet to my setup, I just send all audio from the circuit and synths into it for processing. Like your idea for the sx, is also use the sp to play more common samples or drums and I just try to sync the play times between the sp and Circuit. I think having a machine that can send midi to other instruments works great as a brain, and then use the sp for live effects work and additional performant I’ve samples. Let me know what you decide on 🙂
The tracks is pretty intuitive once it’s workflow starts to click. If you hit scale when you’re on a synth track it will pop up with a keyboard and you can select which key and scale you want, then each pad will be the 8 notes of the scale. There’s also a chromatic setting which lets you play all notes. Hope that helps, let me know if there’s anything in particular you want to know about. My songs from scratch playlist on my channel is all about the process of making songs on the Circuit and may be useful for you as well 🙂
@@sunwarper thank you my friend. That definitely will help o get into it. Just gotta make sense of the menus a little bit :) I’ll watch some more, this has turned into my hobby
It’s been a year of dawless music making, was it worth it? Check out my lessons learned and an update on my setup:
th-cam.com/video/SWsc1Ob1e-A/w-d-xo.html
💜 cool
I want SP-404
Cheers 🍻
It’s a great machine!
This is sick
Thanks for watching :)
Thanks for the video! I have a Circuit Tracks, and I've been wanting to pick up a sampler. The SP404MK2 is one I'm definitely considering. I'd love to hear more about how they sync - I found your video searching for setups using both.
It’s an incredibly powerful combo. I’m planning on creating a full live set with just those 2 pieces of gear. In terms of proper sync, you can definitely use the circuit as the brain and sync/control the sp on one of the circuits midi channels. I’ve done this as I like to keep them unsynced to add a little more humanity and variance.
For me I just send the circuits audio into the sp and play them at the same time. I’ve had no problems and it’s a little more interactive and fun this way (at least imo).
Hope that helps 😊
@@sunwarper thanks so much for the response!
Nice setup mate 👌👌
Cheers 😊
Nice setup.
Cheers, it's a lot of fun 🙂
Great! Subbed and will watch more as I almost have the same setup after my SP finally arrived after 5 months of waiting haha
Thanks for the sub! The wait for the SP was rough, but worth it. I had to wait about 5 months for mine as well. What other gear are you using?
Hi! I have a similar setup: Novation Tracks, SP-404 MK2, Behringer TD-3 and a Minilogue. I have an issue with this setup. The problem is a really weak input on SP-404. It's gives really low volume disregard I pump up my Tracks volume up to maximum. Of course it sounds great, but the problem appears when I play my samples on the SP-404. They are so much louder than incoming stereo from Tracks that I lower all pads volume to 1 and they are still louder than input mix. I tried to put a compressor on input of my 404, but it's still has some amount of disproportion. Such a shame to have that power on hand and one weak point makes this setup unusable for me.
That's a real bummer, sorry to hear that. Sounds like you might have an issue with the line in's or the cables. Contacting Roland is probably the way to go.
Are you sending the tracks through the top stereo line ins? If so, have you tried the other instrument line in on the bottom? While mono, it does have an input gain. That would probably help determine whether it's the top line ins, or something else
@@sunwarper Yep, it’s a top stereo thing. My cables are ok. So… it seems like it’s a common issue. I found a couple of threads with complains about the weak input. Just this night I found that when you send the signal to bus 1 or bus 2 you get a significant boost, but when you send it to DRY the signal is weak. Seems like you never get a perfect setup. Hehehe
Fun stuff my man. I like watching these vids. I have the Tracks, monologue, Reace CS, Volca Bass and PO33. Still new to all this as I’m trying to put it all together
Cheers! That’s a great setup, it took me a little time to get the hang of dawless but at a certain point it all clicks and feel like second nature
Last, but not least: on your SP 404 how did you manage the bass part of this jam? did you put single bass notes on the pads of a bank and then arrange them in the pattern, as you did with single drum hits, or did you put a whole bass loop on a single pad and then trigger it into the pattern? I tried both ways and I can't choose which is best (or, less bad): if I play the bass part from single notes, it seems to me a bit too fake or mechanical, but it also gives me the chance not to spend a lot of ti,me composing fixed bass parts and throw them away if they don't fit.....Thanks!
I put a full bass loop I made in a DAW into a single pad and then programmed it in the pattern sequencer.
I think both ways work in certain context, single bass notes that you sequence can work, especially if you do subtle volume/velocity changes and less quantize for each note. Doing a full loop is great but sometimes the sync can go off
Do you have any tips on going from loops to sequences? Since there is no song mode on those machines would that be a problem?
There's a few different ways to approach sequencing with hardware and some that are specific to each piece of gear. The Circuit Tracks has a sort of song mode where you can load different pattern groups into "scenes" and switch between them, or set them to switch through each scene in order. The SP has an incredibly powerful pattern sequencer that allows for switching between patterns. While there may not be dedicated song modes, swapping between patterns in a more free form manner (and performing synths or samples on top of that) can lead to some interesting track developments. I've swapped from a DAW to this method of creating almost exclusively now. Hope that helps :)
Hi! after watching this, I'd like to ask for your opinion on would you set up my simple dawless system (for live), which seems to be really similar to yours... I've got a SP 404 SX and a 1010 Blackbox (my Brain). I want them to be synced (by MIDI, from Blackbox to the SP) and I want the SP to be last in chain, since I want to apply its effects (most of all vinyl and radio tuning) to the whole audio stream. How would you suggest to assign the samples? Would you store the groovy samples (drums, bass) on the SP and chords/pads/themes on the blackbox? Maybe in this way I could have drums and bass sounds common to all the songs (composing beats on the SP with the pattern sequencer). Or maybe the opposite is a better choice? Or, again, putting most of the stuff on the Blackbox and using the Sp mostly for some one-shot hits on the fly (dub delayed hits, single spare drum hits, some additional vocals?...) In general, I think that the SP should contain all the sounds which could be common and useful to all songs, while the Blackbox should be the songs and set list container, since it can save songs presets.... In addition, I also use the Keys feature of the Blackbox (kind of synth), with a midi keyboard connected to the USB port, to play additional riffs and themes. Thanks!!
Hey Manu, sounds like a great setup, those 1010’s look sick. I haven’t connected the sp through midi yet to my setup, I just send all audio from the circuit and synths into it for processing. Like your idea for the sx, is also use the sp to play more common samples or drums and I just try to sync the play times between the sp and Circuit.
I think having a machine that can send midi to other instruments works great as a brain, and then use the sp for live effects work and additional performant I’ve samples. Let me know what you decide on 🙂
Actually, any tips on how to play on the Tracks? I don’t know what notes I’m playing and I can’t get the hang of not pressing or playing a keyboard
The tracks is pretty intuitive once it’s workflow starts to click. If you hit scale when you’re on a synth track it will pop up with a keyboard and you can select which key and scale you want, then each pad will be the 8 notes of the scale. There’s also a chromatic setting which lets you play all notes. Hope that helps, let me know if there’s anything in particular you want to know about. My songs from scratch playlist on my channel is all about the process of making songs on the Circuit and may be useful for you as well 🙂
@@sunwarper thank you my friend. That definitely will help o get into it. Just gotta make sense of the menus a little bit :)
I’ll watch some more, this has turned into my hobby
nice
Cheers 🙂