That's so sweet and has step recording now. Black Friday time I think I need to buy one lol. Looks like an awesome live machine. I know it's a bit different but far cheaper than the keystep pro. In my country. Virtually thesame prices new arturia 37. And always thank you for your awesome reviews and tutorials. They help so much. You do awesome critiques my friend. Oh, can you control rhythm tracks via MIDI please 🙏💜🐈
Hey ziv, picked up one of these the other day for giggles, there is a technique for utilising your tutorials. It goes, watch it, get item, watch it, unpack item and try it for first time, watch it again and actually understand what you were talking about, and then the coup de gras, watch it with the item, and do everything YOU do. So works. Cheers.👍
I don’t think I need this product, but again, your reviews and videos are pure gold. I’m sure that people save your videos and go back to them to discover features and learn their gear. You are a human user manual 👍🙂
I make literally ALL of my purchase choices based on your reviews. I just realised you could explain how to peel the paint off walls and I would take interest!! Keep it up man!!
@@andrewquicke1054 You mean like knowing what he‘s doing and delivering it in a way that is structured, competent and entertaining? Yep, that is professional in deed.
Just wanted to say that you really helped sell me on this. Needed something to sequence my 0 coast but now I’m finding myself using this to sequence drum racks in Ableton. The loop features are really useful for generating odd patterns and fills. This feels a lot like working with an Elektron box without the synth or sample aspect
I think I've watched this like four times meanwhile over the course of the last few months, and I'm always finding a new little thing I'd overlooked before. Great information as usual! It's really frustrating though that none of the software issues you've brought up are fixed meanwhile. Korg really should have released a firmware update for them by now.
@@2112jonr Yeah, who knows. A pity, I still like mine, but it is slightly more annoying to use than it could be with just some minor tweaks. There was a firmware update meanwhile, but it didn't add any functionality for the SQ-64 itself. It did add the computer application for some configuration. But just being able to batch edit pitches for a bunch of trigs at once would be sooo useful.
I’m really happy that there are so many HW sequencers available now. It was something that was seriously lacking 5-10 years ago, except from boutique manufacturers which were very expensive. BTW, and excellent video again.....a review but also an overview and instructional. Sequencers can be intimidating at first when you get it.
I had a hunch about 7 years ago that there was a huge untapped market for hardware sequencers, specifically ones that had randomization and probability features we were seeing in eurorack sequencers. I prototyped a few ideas for products, but I couldn't commit. I'm torn between feeling like I was right and seriously missed out being ahead of the curve vs hell yes all these ideas I had are coming to life and I didn't have to work on making any of them a reality!
@@BeniRoseMusic But the biggest problem is that your sequencer would have been in the boutique niche market, and it's price would have would been well over a thousand, putting you with the other out of reach sequencers. Don't kick yourself over it. 😀
@@satyanpatel6403 Yeah I thought about that after I hit send! I think if I had quit my job and invested in a company I would've felt I had to recoup my loses in R&D, but if I could make something of value in my nights and weekends I wouldn't feel the need to. Throwing an Arduino in a box with some pots and switches really shouldn't cost too much, but small batch full production is a totally different question!
@@BeniRoseMusic I feel you man. I thought about an awesome sequencer years and I mean years ago, that would be able to record like an old fashion tape deck, but I didn't want to quite my day job. Circklon has the best sequencer, but that price is out of reach for most of us. Korg and these bigger companies have the upper hand as far as keeping the price low and mas production.
The arp is for chiptune chords! It is a Japanese device after all :-) (Also good for approximating chords on your mono modular with a big reverb, I guess...) Great review again, thank you. I’m going to trade my BeatStep Pro for this - I don’t need the pads which just take up lots of valuable desk space, plus 64 steps without paging is excellent.
Not sure if anyone has come up with this idea yet, but note arpeggiation within a single-step can be adapted to play slower relative to other tracks by changing the signature of the track to 1/8 or 1/4, assuming the other tracks are set to 1/16.
Same with the Minilogue xd. So much potential left on the table and they went and designed the minilogue bass instead which is just a different color scheme and patch presets.
They already made three firmware upgrades, the Arturia Pro is still the King, so they will make improvements on the SQ64, even if once in a while and still haven't tackled the MOD CCs.
Can we just appreciate how great it is to have direct simultaneous(!) access to 4 "BeatStep Pro"-style sequencer lanes in such a compact entry level device? A live performance dream!
Wouldn’t say live performance dream mine came today and it’s deeply disappointing, sequence stops during playback when changing projects also any changes to the drum track is global to that track so you can’t even have different pattern lengths for each drum sound 😭 so close but yet so far. And the manual is a pos
@@gullyman777 did you keep it long enough to see if the firmware update addressed those issues? I ordered this yesterday but haven’t seen anything about what the firmware entails
@@Abyssolune nope it was utterly useless for me so sent it back before the return period ended. I use a wmd metron for drums and Ableton to sequence synth modules and modulation via my hermod. In the studio I’m using cirklon + metron
Thank you very much for this tutorial. I own for already 6 months this sequencer and still this is for me a difficult machine, mostly i use the doepfer darktime and the original Korg SQ 1 from the 70's. But this sq 64 is for me a little to hard to handle, in youre video you go a little to fast for me and i have always troubles with digital shit and small displays, maybe my age plays a roll in it 66 years yet. But i am keep on trying to get understanding this machine and so i will watch your video over and over again.😊😊
This is perfect for my current modular synth rack, which has three "melodic"/traditional voices (Basimilus Iteritas Alter, Manis Iteritas, and Erica Graphic VCO) and a "percussive" voice (Squarp Rample, which can even accept MIDI from the one of the MIDI outs on the SQ!). I'm so excited to get one. Plus, it's black/red/white and completely matches my whole rack (including my cables). Thanks Korg!!
SQ-64 Is literally a mash up of Electribe 2's sequencer plus Beatstep Pro and a bit of Elektron sequncer probability thrown in for good measure. I don't hate it, but given KORG's track record with firmware updates (looking at you E2S) I wouldn't hold my breath for extra features or quality of life improvements on the thing further down the line.
Exactly why I'm not getting it. I own an Engine, but was curious about scooping up two of these. They lost me on a dedicated only drum section, the way you enter note data, and the fact it's Korg who don't support their products.
As beautiful as this thing looks, the Electribe 2 out the box can already does 16 tracks with 64 steps, [which it does in 4 banks]. If you upgrade E2s firmware you can add pattern 'chaining' to that too. You could easily use the electribe to sequence external gear, plus its steps includes polyphony for chords etc. So yeah, dispite the sleak looks i have to say E2s has already been there. I like the probability stuff though. If only Loopop hadn't already convinced me to get a beatstep pro.... ;)
Your Channel is higly underrated. You explain the gears so well and detailed that I feel like I know the gear myself pretty well without even owning it. Keep it up man.
This review is really helpful! But I expect nothing less from your expertise! Superb job as always. With this particular device, I really want to buy it but I just don't know if I can deal with the arp only triggering for one step and the inability to tie steps without having to re-program the parameters of each tied step. If they ever update these functions, I could really see this being an asset! Keep up the great reviews, Loopop!
Outstanding review, as always Loopop! An interesting contender to the BeatStep Pro. I'll be watching this product for updates to see if they address any of the awkwardness you pointed out. For now, i feel like the BSP has the edge.
This looks great! I've been wondering why there wasn't something small and relatively affordable that just did poly sequencing without any of the other stuff, and this seems to hit the spot perfectly.
All Elektron needs to do is make a standalone sequencer with 256 steps, 32-64 tracks, 16 voice polyphony, chord and scale mode and overbridge compatibility and it would destroy the competition. Really can't see why they haven't done it yet. They have already got the technology to do so, we've seen it in Digitone's polyphonic sequencer.
Yeah I’m really wanting a sequencer only (don’t need it to sample etc) that can play more than 8 tracks. Would love an elektron to make one with at least 16tracks then I can route it into a multi timbral synth like a JV1080/Korg Triton Rack/Akai sampler and be completely dawless.
Yet SQ-1 is still cool and usable asf. Batteries, 2 rows of freely tunable gate / cv steps, immediacy and free flow of patterns right off your fingertips
SQ-1 is still one of my favorite sequencers. I had 4 at one point! I'm a little disappointed that the SQ-64 doesn't have a row of knobs like the SQ-1. While i wouldnt expect 64 knobs, having 16 across the top would have been great.
Exactly! I love mine and I was even thinking about getting a second one. I hate how companies are now cheaping out on basic features and accessories. More and more keybeds without aftertouch or even velocity (things we had in the freaking 19070s!), now not even a power brick and cables.
Thanks loopop. Always awesome. Re. Arp: if you switch track to 1/4 divisions it is quite usable. Especially when you throw in a few inversions. Hope this helps someone. Cheers!!!!!
I bought one of these because I'm at the very low entry level of understanding any of this stuff, and I saw that it has the words "Gate" and "CV" next to some phono jacks. That's all it really took to get this thing going, and I really like it so far. I'm glad to see that it can emulate a keyboard, as the one I bought is only functional as a software interface, which is why I went looking for stuff with the phono plugs/labels on it. Of course, now that I have something that can control a lot of drums with little effort, I'm going to need to assemble a drum synth kit, and get a home equity loan, and then buy a couple hundred bucks of wires, and then buy more modules, and then... Maybe I should start selling synth parts instead of buying them.
Nice outro, cheers, it reminded me soul of nujabes, it gives me instant tears when i hear his songs, same thing happened when i hear the outro, thank you.
Love a good hardware sequencer, and this is 100% a love letter to the Volca fans out there... I recently picked up the Polyend Tracker for the same price point after Loopop's review and I think for my workflow I'm set for hardware sequencers for a good while.
I saw this was on sale last weekend, and I was about to grab one. But didn't have time to watch your video. I'm definitely interested now! I ended up getting a used Roland Boutique JX-03 instead since I saw that and was interested after playing with it for a little while. Definitely like the analog synthesis aspect of that, but the sequencer still lacks. After watching this, I'm definitely interested. However, I'm going to keep reading and watching to figure out what I actually want to do with my set up. I'm currently on a DAW for my MiniLab mk2, and without for my JX-03, and I'm struggling to figure out how to get them to work together. I essentially want to go hybrid so I have some flexibility for moving around, but I think reading up a bit more would probably be my best bet before moving forward with more. Thanks for the awesome videos! I'm planning to watch so much more!
Sounds like you've not had the opportunity to play with a Sequentix.... Elektron OT is pretty good too. I was so happy to ditch Ableton and use something I could play rather than program. Getting rid of the PC was the best decision I made, though I am no longer a professional. If I was running a commercial project I would still use a DAW. Each to their own :)
It’s funny I’m used to retro gear so velocity and live playability doesn’t even bother me. This is gonna be a blast 😎 I’ll run this along side my Beatstep pro and have 7 instruments going at once. All without a computer in sight
64 available projects slots is rare. The korg software is timing-out on me on 2 different Mac OS or I could have many more projects I could call up. I like the SQ64 but lean towards Keystep Pro except that it only has space 16 projects. Instead of using a computer I like using SD cards for saving and expanding. Both are excellent products.
Loopop! I love your reviews or more like video manuals. I would be greatly indebted to you if you could cover the Volca Sample 2, which I see is featured in this video. Thanks for all your great videos!
With the arp like that, you could change clock division for that track. But they really need to tweak a few things, the note length being huge (and you should be able to stretch arps by stretching the note length too)
@@nahrky reading about people 'testing hands-on' before they buy, I'm reminded how crap our music stores are for synths. Wish I could have test-drives, heh...
This is probably the nicest outro ever, besides a brillant review as usual! @loopop is the 0-Coast playing those awsome chords/sound at the beginning of the outro or is it the Yamaha? Thanks!
I just want to say, thank you. I have been working on the MIDI/Synth setup for my album Cassiopeia, and the SQ-64 has been a stumbling block. I'm not there yet, but you have opened my eyes to additional MIDI potential from the SQ-64. Again, thanks.
When in CONTROL mode (5:52), do running sequences keep running as normal? You just mentioned it, and the manual doesn't specify. It'd be useful, for example, to control synth parameters in real-time while it plays the sequence. Thanks, and thanks for the review!
On the topic of velo sensitive pads and keys, Arturia or somebody needs to make a sequencer offering both keys *and* velo-sensitive pads. The most awesome would be a combination of keystep pro and beatstep, maybe an option of regular-size keys too for those who don't mind the extra space taken up.
After this great review (as usual) I would really, really appreciate a comparison between this and the beatstep pro (after updates). I don’t have either, but they strike me as very similar and within the same price range. I need to decide for one of them.
Thanks! A dedicated video isn't likely but I mention the top pros for BSP (dedicated per step knobs and velocity sensitive pads). This has polyphonic tracks and more of them than BSP. Plenty of other details but these are the top ones.
@@loopop You are right. After further investigation, I realized both sequencers are more similar in appearance than in capabilities. The SQ-64 is actually more comparable in features to the Keystep Pro (minus the obvious difference of the keys) than to the Beatstep Pro (IMO, the BSP looks very outdated now). For what I've heard about the price, it would be closer to the BSP, though. Well played by Korg!
@loopop after watching this video I totally have no feel if this device is useable in a “song mode” / song writing workflow rather than jamming workflow, and what are the pros /cons there. I mean, you mention that a project can have multiple patterns per track and that there is pattern chaining and ableton style pattern switching. I then wonder how the pattern chaining exactly looks, is it editable or do you have to re enter every thing once you make a mistake in the chain (that’s how pattern chaining works on an OP-Z). Are there 4 “chains” , for each track one? You mention sync options so I assume that a pattern in the pattern chain can repeat if a pattern on another track is longer? Can patterns be copy / pasted or do you need to start from scratch if you want to make a variation on a pattern? What are the pros/cons of songwriting on this sequencer as compared to for example OP-Z / MC-101 / Beatstep pro? Or is the song writing workflow actually almost completely absent and is it more about jamming with some options to start patterns in advance? Does the project / pattern / pattern chaining part of the software feel finished or is it an early prototype?
You can create different length chains for each track, and you can edit and delete individual steps in a chain as well as copy paste patterns. Detailed comparisons are beyond the scope of the comment section but always happy to answer specific questions.
4 bars (in 16th) that you can chain 16X even if you play the same pattern more than once. That's all you get as a "song" mode. So if you're working with complex song structures be prepared to change patterns manually or look for something else. If you find it, because that's how things go today: companies don't want you to use gear thought for electronic music if your approach is traditional. Who knows why they don't want our money...
@@loopop and @Paolo Moretti thanks for the extra bits of info. My apologies if it looked like I was demanding a whole slew of details in the comments. I think I just was looking for some positioning of the timeline/chaining/pattern features but I have a rough feeling what to expect now. The quality of your reviews are very high and I enjoy watching them. but I think this one would have benefited from one extra section as IMHO for a sequencer it is very defining what you can and can’t do on the song/project level.
Watch a LooPop upload in which he demonstrates the Korg SQ-64, he ends up selling me the Yamaha ReFace CP! Really cool setup with that combination you’ve selected!! Thanks again!
Great review as always. The manual mentions sending and receiving Midi Programm Change messages. Are these for patterns? Would this work for syncing pattern changes with an Elektron device?
i got one of these but the global midi mode is awful for the volca beats if i want to trigger it i have to assign midi notes. every time i do this and switch off the seq it loses the settings and i have to set them again why doesnt it save them ?
Potentially very powerful indeed, but it really needs a 100-page manual, not the ten tiny pages supplied- and this video could, and should, have been three or four times as long. A week with the SQ-64, the manual and this video enabled me to sequence a drum track in D and a melodic track in A. However, no combination of buttons allowed me to program melodies into B or C, and ‘keyboard mode’ is beyond comprehension Edit: I have found another video which focusses on the basic operations- one in which the YTer agrees with me that the manual is next to useless- and have managed to start to realise its potential. Moral? Watch EVERYTHING...
Hi, I've a question please: in main screen with the four sequences A B C D, how to auto scroll to see each page of 16 steps follow timeline when sequencer is playing in 64 steps for instance (4 pages) ? thanks :)
I think the Arp is broken - it makes no sense to me - but yes time divisions would sort that out. Also were you able to get Fill to work with CV outs A-C? I found it worked with MIDI and with the drums but not with the melodic tracks - weird.
Indeed like I mention in the video, the arp isn't useful as is - hopefully this will be addressed... I didn't try fill with the CV outputs. There were a few other bugs as I mentioned (sent a list to Korg) so this does need some more work before it gets released
Nice review. The one thing I was looking for that you didn't really get into on was the polyrhythm features of the SQ-64. I'm assuming setting up different numbers of steps per track is easy. However, can you also set up different beats per measure on a per-track basis?
Thanks. In the video I do address the polymetric/polyrhythmic features that I found: 1-64 steps in a pattern and 8 playback speeds (4 main speeds with a triplet option for each)
I feel this is not very easy to use. BSP, on the other hand, is much more accessible. However, I don't like large pads on BSP and these are much smaller.
I'd rather buy Keystep Pro, you get the velocit keyboard which enables far easier polyphonic programming... In the end, I'm using soft sequencer, in my opinion far superior.
@@kybernaut-is-my-name Definitely the software variant is superior in function. Especially for Drum sequencing, if you want to get a easy hand on "off-the-grid" sequencing. But I find some hardware solutions easier for live sessions rather than doing home studio production.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
UPDATE! Firmware 2.0 adds new features and fixes bugs:
► www.korg.com/us/news/2022/1018/
The best news i had today! And they actually added all missing features 🍻
Now it's totally worth the 199$ price.
That's so sweet and has step recording now. Black Friday time I think I need to buy one lol. Looks like an awesome live machine. I know it's a bit different but far cheaper than the keystep pro. In my country. Virtually thesame prices new arturia 37. And always thank you for your awesome reviews and tutorials. They help so much. You do awesome critiques my friend. Oh, can you control rhythm tracks via MIDI please 🙏💜🐈
@@New_Zealand_Music fyi its now $130 on korg warehouse reverb store. I just bought one!
And does it now work as advertised?
Hey ziv, picked up one of these the other day for giggles, there is a technique for utilising your tutorials. It goes, watch it, get item, watch it, unpack item and try it for first time, watch it again and actually understand what you were talking about, and then the coup de gras, watch it with the item, and do everything YOU do. So works. Cheers.👍
Thanks and nice to know :)
I don’t think I need this product, but again, your reviews and videos are pure gold. I’m sure that people save your videos and go back to them to discover features and learn their gear. You are a human user manual 👍🙂
A Humanual?
Revutorial
@@ben1210 ótimo nome para um canal no RUclips.
Hey ZAYAZ! Long time no see. Hope all is well!
@@loopop tutoreview
I make literally ALL of my purchase choices based on your reviews. I just realised you could explain how to peel the paint off walls and I would take interest!! Keep it up man!!
Loopop I’m always amazed how you memorize this stuff. It’s like you swallow the user manual 😀 top job.
Thanks! I do have notes I go through as I make the video though...
@@loopop then it 's a compliment onto your editing and intonation as the video feels like a seamless story 😁
I think he's being "professional".
@@Glycheer people don't send this man free gear for nothing. One of the best music production channels on the net.
@@andrewquicke1054 You mean like knowing what he‘s doing and delivering it in a way that is structured, competent and entertaining? Yep, that is professional in deed.
Just wanted to say that you really helped sell me on this. Needed something to sequence my 0 coast but now I’m finding myself using this to sequence drum racks in Ableton. The loop features are really useful for generating odd patterns and fills. This feels a lot like working with an Elektron box without the synth or sample aspect
I think I've watched this like four times meanwhile over the course of the last few months, and I'm always finding a new little thing I'd overlooked before. Great information as usual!
It's really frustrating though that none of the software issues you've brought up are fixed meanwhile. Korg really should have released a firmware update for them by now.
Maybe it's not selling because of the microUSB and they've abandoned it. I've seen lots of SQ64s going cheap on eBay.
@@2112jonr Yeah, who knows. A pity, I still like mine, but it is slightly more annoying to use than it could be with just some minor tweaks.
There was a firmware update meanwhile, but it didn't add any functionality for the SQ-64 itself. It did add the computer application for some configuration. But just being able to batch edit pitches for a bunch of trigs at once would be sooo useful.
@@2112jonr everyone has micro usb haha why do people even care about that.. I have 100 micro usb cables and like 2 USB c its not important
This is the sequencer I've been waiting for
I always come here before even considering a purchase. Another great review.
I’m really happy that there are so many HW sequencers available now. It was something that was seriously lacking 5-10 years ago, except from boutique manufacturers which were very expensive.
BTW, and excellent video again.....a review but also an overview and instructional. Sequencers can be intimidating at first when you get it.
Yes very intimidating: "Step sequencer, what are you doing?"
I had a hunch about 7 years ago that there was a huge untapped market for hardware sequencers, specifically ones that had randomization and probability features we were seeing in eurorack sequencers. I prototyped a few ideas for products, but I couldn't commit. I'm torn between feeling like I was right and seriously missed out being ahead of the curve vs hell yes all these ideas I had are coming to life and I didn't have to work on making any of them a reality!
@@BeniRoseMusic But the biggest problem is that your sequencer would have been in the boutique niche market, and it's price would have would been well over a thousand, putting you with the other out of reach sequencers. Don't kick yourself over it. 😀
@@satyanpatel6403 Yeah I thought about that after I hit send! I think if I had quit my job and invested in a company I would've felt I had to recoup my loses in R&D, but if I could make something of value in my nights and weekends I wouldn't feel the need to. Throwing an Arduino in a box with some pots and switches really shouldn't cost too much, but small batch full production is a totally different question!
@@BeniRoseMusic I feel you man. I thought about an awesome sequencer years and I mean years ago, that would be able to record like an old fashion tape deck, but I didn't want to quite my day job. Circklon has the best sequencer, but that price is out of reach for most of us. Korg and these bigger companies have the upper hand as far as keeping the price low and mas production.
To me, the most interesting thing about the SQ-64 is that the promotional photo of it shows it next to an ARP 2600 Mini.
This is something I didn't know I needed until now!
Then get a Beatstep/key step Pro. This thing looks terrible.
The arp is for chiptune chords! It is a Japanese device after all :-) (Also good for approximating chords on your mono modular with a big reverb, I guess...) Great review again, thank you. I’m going to trade my BeatStep Pro for this - I don’t need the pads which just take up lots of valuable desk space, plus 64 steps without paging is excellent.
No paging? You have to select and modify each of the subtracks on D individually my friend!
Not sure if anyone has come up with this idea yet, but note arpeggiation within a single-step can be adapted to play slower relative to other tracks by changing the signature of the track to 1/8 or 1/4, assuming the other tracks are set to 1/16.
The only review I need to watch for this sequencer! Again loopop great video!
My experience with the electribe is to never expect anything in firmware updates from korg. Buy it only for what it can do now
Same with the Minilogue xd. So much potential left on the table and they went and designed the minilogue bass instead which is just a different color scheme and patch presets.
They already made three firmware upgrades, the Arturia Pro is still the King, so they will make improvements on the SQ64, even if once in a while and still haven't tackled the MOD CCs.
We LOOOOOOOOVE the intro/outro track! Great job 🔥
best channel on youtube. each video is like u built the instruments by yourself. thx !!
Ok finally a video! Was searching for “Korg SQ-64 loopop” last week!
Can we just appreciate how great it is to have direct simultaneous(!) access to 4 "BeatStep Pro"-style sequencer lanes in such a compact entry level device? A live performance dream!
Wouldn’t say live performance dream mine came today and it’s deeply disappointing, sequence stops during playback when changing projects also any changes to the drum track is global to that track so you can’t even have different pattern lengths for each drum sound 😭 so close but yet so far. And the manual is a pos
@@gullyman777 did you keep it long enough to see if the firmware update addressed those issues?
I ordered this yesterday but haven’t seen anything about what the firmware entails
@@Abyssolune nope it was utterly useless for me so sent it back before the return period ended. I use a wmd metron for drums and Ableton to sequence synth modules and modulation via my hermod. In the studio I’m using cirklon + metron
Thank you very much for this tutorial. I own for already 6 months this sequencer and still this is for me a difficult machine, mostly i use the doepfer darktime and the original Korg SQ 1 from the 70's. But this sq 64 is for me a little to hard to handle, in youre video you go a little to fast for me and i have always troubles with digital shit and small displays, maybe my age plays a roll in it 66 years yet. But i am keep on trying to get understanding this machine and so i will watch your video over and over again.😊😊
Makes me appreciate the Deluge even more
If that damn NZD/ USD ratio would go back to march! It went from 975 to 1500 USD. Or I would had one 6 months ago... Why is it so good?
Yes, its good. Watch loopop on it
@@adfresh2266 Oh yeah totally... I meant that like in the screaming to the sky way. I just don't have 1500 to spend on it... unfortunately.
1500 way too much. Got mine for 900 this summer
@@adfresh2266 going for 1100 on reverb used.
This is perfect for my current modular synth rack, which has three "melodic"/traditional voices (Basimilus Iteritas Alter, Manis Iteritas, and Erica Graphic VCO) and a "percussive" voice (Squarp Rample, which can even accept MIDI from the one of the MIDI outs on the SQ!). I'm so excited to get one. Plus, it's black/red/white and completely matches my whole rack (including my cables). Thanks Korg!!
SQ-64 Is literally a mash up of Electribe 2's sequencer plus Beatstep Pro and a bit of Elektron sequncer probability thrown in for good measure. I don't hate it, but given KORG's track record with firmware updates (looking at you E2S) I wouldn't hold my breath for extra features or quality of life improvements on the thing further down the line.
Exactly why I'm not getting it. I own an Engine, but was curious about scooping up two of these.
They lost me on a dedicated only drum section, the way you enter note data, and the fact it's Korg who don't support their products.
Yep, that and the flimsy microUSB conncetor make it a total no-no for me. And I have LOADS of Korg gear, except it's robust, unlike this.
As beautiful as this thing looks, the Electribe 2 out the box can already does 16 tracks with 64 steps, [which it does in 4 banks]. If you upgrade E2s firmware you can add pattern 'chaining' to that too. You could easily use the electribe to sequence external gear, plus its steps includes polyphony for chords etc. So yeah, dispite the sleak looks i have to say E2s has already been there.
I like the probability stuff though. If only Loopop hadn't already convinced me to get a beatstep pro.... ;)
And you were right. They've done nothing other than one bugfix since release.
@@Johanthegnarler the marketing department must be sh**ting themselves mate!
Well Korg sent the SQ-64 to the right place!!!! As always, great review, and spot on explanations. You rock Loopop!!!!!!
Loving the 80s aesthetic.
Reminds me a bit of the Nakamichi tape decks. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakamichi_Dragon
Your Channel is higly underrated. You explain the gears so well and detailed that I feel like I know the gear myself pretty well without even owning it. Keep it up man.
I think it is very highly rated.
This review is really helpful! But I expect nothing less from your expertise! Superb job as always. With this particular device, I really want to buy it but I just don't know if I can deal with the arp only triggering for one step and the inability to tie steps without having to re-program the parameters of each tied step. If they ever update these functions, I could really see this being an asset! Keep up the great reviews, Loopop!
Outstanding review, as always Loopop! An interesting contender to the BeatStep Pro. I'll be watching this product for updates to see if they address any of the awkwardness you pointed out. For now, i feel like the BSP has the edge.
this is my ideal layout, 8x8 grids are nice, but 4x16 is much more visually pleasing and better for sequencing
I love your reviews. That's why I support you. Thank you!!!
I appreciate that!
loving your videos man
The design is so appealing, it looks very stylish
This looks great! I've been wondering why there wasn't something small and relatively affordable that just did poly sequencing without any of the other stuff, and this seems to hit the spot perfectly.
All Elektron needs to do is make a standalone sequencer with 256 steps, 32-64 tracks, 16 voice polyphony, chord and scale mode and overbridge compatibility and it would destroy the competition. Really can't see why they haven't done it yet. They have already got the technology to do so, we've seen it in Digitone's polyphonic sequencer.
yup check out the oxi its 128 step 32 track but its 600gbp
Yeah I’m really wanting a sequencer only (don’t need it to sample etc) that can play more than 8 tracks. Would love an elektron to make one with at least 16tracks then I can route it into a multi timbral synth like a JV1080/Korg Triton Rack/Akai sampler and be completely dawless.
Yet SQ-1 is still cool and usable asf. Batteries, 2 rows of freely tunable gate / cv steps, immediacy and free flow of patterns right off your fingertips
Amen
SQ-1 is still one of my favorite sequencers. I had 4 at one point! I'm a little disappointed that the SQ-64 doesn't have a row of knobs like the SQ-1. While i wouldnt expect 64 knobs, having 16 across the top would have been great.
It’s super hands on and easy to use. Battery powered which is perfect for volcas and even my little Yamaha MU-5. Sync to my Circuit and away we go!
Exactly! I love mine and I was even thinking about getting a second one. I hate how companies are now cheaping out on basic features and accessories. More and more keybeds without aftertouch or even velocity (things we had in the freaking 19070s!), now not even a power brick and cables.
An SQ-32 that is just like the SQ-1 but with 32 steps and knobs would be an insta buy for me.
Thanks loopop. Always awesome. Re. Arp: if you switch track to 1/4 divisions it is quite usable. Especially when you throw in a few inversions. Hope this helps someone. Cheers!!!!!
Korg is giving us presents in November :) Great review as always
This is gonna take over the modular world. The Keystep Pro is exactly what was needed for keys, but this is like a BSP on steroids.
How can one hook up multiple synths to this thing?
I bought one of these because I'm at the very low entry level of understanding any of this stuff, and I saw that it has the words "Gate" and "CV" next to some phono jacks. That's all it really took to get this thing going, and I really like it so far. I'm glad to see that it can emulate a keyboard, as the one I bought is only functional as a software interface, which is why I went looking for stuff with the phono plugs/labels on it. Of course, now that I have something that can control a lot of drums with little effort, I'm going to need to assemble a drum synth kit, and get a home equity loan, and then buy a couple hundred bucks of wires, and then buy more modules, and then...
Maybe I should start selling synth parts instead of buying them.
This thing looks pretty good but probably not enough of a improvement over my Beatstep Pro to warrant the upgrade for me. Great overview as usual.
Yeah I’m happy with my Keystep Pro too
Jam at the end is beautiful
Nice outro, cheers, it reminded me soul of nujabes, it gives me instant tears when i hear his songs, same thing happened when i hear the outro, thank you.
we ain't getting that electribe 3 huh
probably, but the deluge is probably what you want.
My first thought after this video. Still working my way around some of the old ones, so personally, I can wait
There's an electribe 3, except it was released by Roland and they called it the MC-707 🙃
I know that’s what I’m waiting too. It seems that we will not see it anytime soon. :(
@@_skysick_ i hate that you're right
The opsix and now this
Korg stepping up the game
Probably go well together, thinking step based modulation.
Excellent review. Amazingly detailed and informative
Intro track had me waiting for "Vsauce! Michael here!"
I love your channel and how you do your vids!! Keep it up man
Another 1st class video, thank you!
Excellent overview and demonstration, thanks.
Love a good hardware sequencer, and this is 100% a love letter to the Volca fans out there... I recently picked up the Polyend Tracker for the same price point after Loopop's review and I think for my workflow I'm set for hardware sequencers for a good while.
hey check out the squarp hapax. Sorry not sorry :P
Great review as always loopop, thank you 😊
Knew I was going to enjoy the music as soon as I saw the CP.
Loving the tune ❤️
I saw this was on sale last weekend, and I was about to grab one. But didn't have time to watch your video. I'm definitely interested now!
I ended up getting a used Roland Boutique JX-03 instead since I saw that and was interested after playing with it for a little while. Definitely like the analog synthesis aspect of that, but the sequencer still lacks.
After watching this, I'm definitely interested. However, I'm going to keep reading and watching to figure out what I actually want to do with my set up. I'm currently on a DAW for my MiniLab mk2, and without for my JX-03, and I'm struggling to figure out how to get them to work together. I essentially want to go hybrid so I have some flexibility for moving around, but I think reading up a bit more would probably be my best bet before moving forward with more.
Thanks for the awesome videos! I'm planning to watch so much more!
Don't know about the product but that jam hit me pretty good
Love the videos, thinking of going for this! The drumologue is also looking tempting. Got the minilogue XD already as my 1st synth
Drumlogue's sounds strongly resemble the Volca Drum. 😉
An MPC One is otherwise a better proposition for drums, if you live in the USA.
The more hardware sequencers I buy, the more I use Ableton.
That’s ok. I feel like the more I use hardware the better I get in the box, and vice versa. Just keep making music!!!
I agree, the best hardware sequencer is a laptop running Ableton!
Use both for what they excel at, a good strategy
I guess that they have helped me to understand which horse is for which course.
Sounds like you've not had the opportunity to play with a Sequentix.... Elektron OT is pretty good too. I was so happy to ditch Ableton and use something I could play rather than program. Getting rid of the PC was the best decision I made, though I am no longer a professional. If I was running a commercial project I would still use a DAW. Each to their own :)
When I'm stuck in a project: "Step sequencer, what are you doing?!"
About the arpeggiator: did you try it on a longer note ? I suspect it simply spreads the notes over the whole note length
It’s funny I’m used to retro gear so velocity and live playability doesn’t even bother me. This is gonna be a blast 😎 I’ll run this along side my Beatstep pro and have 7 instruments going at once. All without a computer in sight
Clearly this should of been built into the Prologue.
64 available projects slots is rare. The korg software is timing-out on me on 2 different Mac OS or I could have many more projects I could call up. I like the SQ64 but lean towards Keystep Pro except that it only has space 16 projects. Instead of using a computer I like using SD cards for saving and expanding. Both are excellent products.
20:38 BeatStep Bro
As always, I love your intro and outro jams. This time, the outro reminded me of Toto. I loved it.
Thanks! Just curious - which song?
@@loopop Africa, maybe?!
I don’t think so but ok!
@@loopop haha, I love your music anyway!
Loopop! I love your reviews or more like video manuals. I would be greatly indebted to you if you could cover the Volca Sample 2, which I see is featured in this video. Thanks for all your great videos!
Very good vidéo! Thanks a lot loopop!
With the arp like that, you could change clock division for that track. But they really need to tweak a few things, the note length being huge (and you should be able to stretch arps by stretching the note length too)
And here I was eyeing up the Beatstep Pro! Looks like this might be more fun and usable.
You'll find the Beatstep Pro way more immediate in my opinion, I'm looking at this and thinking I'd rather just get another BSP.
@@RANDOMLOOPGENERATOR Ooh, noted! I defs want to try them both hands-on before I take the leap.
@@nahrky either way you'll love having an extra sequencer, BSP has really helped breath new life into old kit. Best of luck!
@@RANDOMLOOPGENERATOR thanks! ☺️ My OG beatstep is ready for its sibling either way, lol
@@nahrky reading about people 'testing hands-on' before they buy, I'm reminded how crap our music stores are for synths. Wish I could have test-drives, heh...
Great video, as usual 🤘
i love good industrial design. this thing looks slick.
This is probably the nicest outro ever, besides a brillant review as usual!
@loopop is the 0-Coast playing those awsome chords/sound at the beginning of the outro or is it the Yamaha? Thanks!
Thanks very much! The chords are the Yamaha CP
@@loopop thanks :-)
I almost bought the beatstep pro. Thank you!!
I just want to say, thank you. I have been working on the MIDI/Synth setup for my album Cassiopeia, and the SQ-64 has been a stumbling block. I'm not there yet, but you have opened my eyes to additional MIDI potential from the SQ-64. Again, thanks.
When in CONTROL mode (5:52), do running sequences keep running as normal? You just mentioned it, and the manual doesn't specify. It'd be useful, for example, to control synth parameters in real-time while it plays the sequence. Thanks, and thanks for the review!
That 1010Music Bluebox off in the corner doing it's job
Looks cool ..love your video always
On the topic of velo sensitive pads and keys, Arturia or somebody needs to make a sequencer offering both keys *and* velo-sensitive pads. The most awesome would be a combination of keystep pro and beatstep, maybe an option of regular-size keys too for those who don't mind the extra space taken up.
Looks interesting thanx for the video. I liked the cp too
Might consider it if they revise the firmware to show 4 (x 2) drum tracks visible in the drum sequencer ... the current approach is weird.
Hey Loopop, loved the video
I'm curious to know, have there been any firmware updates since this video?
Thanks again for another wonderful video.
Thanks! Not that I have seen, but I didn't check recently
@@loopop Ok, thank you very much for taking the time to reply.
After this great review (as usual) I would really, really appreciate a comparison between this and the beatstep pro (after updates). I don’t have either, but they strike me as very similar and within the same price range. I need to decide for one of them.
Thanks! A dedicated video isn't likely but I mention the top pros for BSP (dedicated per step knobs and velocity sensitive pads). This has polyphonic tracks and more of them than BSP. Plenty of other details but these are the top ones.
@@loopop You are right. After further investigation, I realized both sequencers are more similar in appearance than in capabilities. The SQ-64 is actually more comparable in features to the Keystep Pro (minus the obvious difference of the keys) than to the Beatstep Pro (IMO, the BSP looks very outdated now). For what I've heard about the price, it would be closer to the BSP, though. Well played by Korg!
@loopop after watching this video I totally have no feel if this device is useable in a “song mode” / song writing workflow rather than jamming workflow, and what are the pros /cons there. I mean, you mention that a project can have multiple patterns per track and that there is pattern chaining and ableton style pattern switching. I then wonder how the pattern chaining exactly looks, is it editable or do you have to re enter every thing once you make a mistake in the chain (that’s how pattern chaining works on an OP-Z). Are there 4 “chains” , for each track one? You mention sync options so I assume that a pattern in the pattern chain can repeat if a pattern on another track is longer? Can patterns be copy / pasted or do you need to start from scratch if you want to make a variation on a pattern? What are the pros/cons of songwriting on this sequencer as compared to for example OP-Z / MC-101 / Beatstep pro? Or is the song writing workflow actually almost completely absent and is it more about jamming with some options to start patterns in advance? Does the project / pattern / pattern chaining part of the software feel finished or is it an early prototype?
You can create different length chains for each track, and you can edit and delete individual steps in a chain as well as copy paste patterns. Detailed comparisons are beyond the scope of the comment section but always happy to answer specific questions.
4 bars (in 16th) that you can chain 16X even if you play the same pattern more than once. That's all you get as a "song" mode. So if you're working with complex song structures be prepared to change patterns manually or look for something else. If you find it, because that's how things go today: companies don't want you to use gear thought for electronic music if your approach is traditional. Who knows why they don't want our money...
@@loopop and @Paolo Moretti thanks for the extra bits of info. My apologies if it looked like I was demanding a whole slew of details in the comments. I think I just was looking for some positioning of the timeline/chaining/pattern features but I have a rough feeling what to expect now. The quality of your reviews are very high and I enjoy watching them. but I think this one would have benefited from one extra section as IMHO for a sequencer it is very defining what you can and can’t do on the song/project level.
Can you create different length sequences with the sub tracks of track“D”?
After seeing this video, even if the product is not bad, I think Elektron should release a standalone step sequencer
Very impressive. Want one.
I love sequencer... all of them :)
That outro ❤
Watch a LooPop upload in which he demonstrates the Korg SQ-64, he ends up selling me the Yamaha ReFace CP! Really cool setup with that combination you’ve selected!! Thanks again!
The CP is indeed great!
could you do a video comparing this to Arturia KEYSTEP PRO . i think they may work very well together
Many thanks
Nicely done!
Thanks! Your CP sounds amazing BTW...
Great review as always. The manual mentions sending and receiving Midi Programm Change messages. Are these for patterns? Would this work for syncing pattern changes with an Elektron device?
I really like these Affordable nifty gears!!
i got one of these but the global midi mode is awful for the volca beats if i want to trigger it i have to assign midi notes. every time i do this and switch off the seq it loses the settings and i have to set them again why doesnt it save them ?
Potentially very powerful indeed, but it really needs a 100-page manual, not the ten tiny pages supplied- and this video could, and should, have been three or four times as long. A week with the SQ-64, the manual and this video enabled me to sequence a drum track in D and a melodic track in A. However, no combination of buttons allowed me to program melodies into B or C, and ‘keyboard mode’ is beyond comprehension
Edit: I have found another video which focusses on the basic operations- one in which the YTer agrees with me that the manual is next to useless- and have managed to start to realise its potential. Moral? Watch EVERYTHING...
I agree. The manual is worthless.
could you add link to the helpful video. thanks
Hi, I've a question please: in main screen with the four sequences A B C D, how to auto scroll to see each page of 16 steps follow timeline when sequencer is playing in 64 steps for instance (4 pages) ? thanks :)
Is it not a default, huh?
I think the Arp is broken - it makes no sense to me - but yes time divisions would sort that out. Also were you able to get Fill to work with CV outs A-C? I found it worked with MIDI and with the drums but not with the melodic tracks - weird.
Indeed like I mention in the video, the arp isn't useful as is - hopefully this will be addressed... I didn't try fill with the CV outputs. There were a few other bugs as I mentioned (sent a list to Korg) so this does need some more work before it gets released
@@loopop Cool. Ha, i always assume i'm being an idiot rather than seeing it as a bug :D
So are we all just going to ignore how cool this thing looks?!?!
It is funny, so other people are complaining it looks terrible. Opinions are like ...
@@josephwright5921 whaaaaaat? No way
Nice review. The one thing I was looking for that you didn't really get into on was the polyrhythm features of the SQ-64. I'm assuming setting up different numbers of steps per track is easy. However, can you also set up different beats per measure on a per-track basis?
Thanks. In the video I do address the polymetric/polyrhythmic features that I found: 1-64 steps in a pattern and 8 playback speeds (4 main speeds with a triplet option for each)
@@loopop Ahhhh... That what I get for watching a video first thing in the morning.
@@loopop can you set a different playback speed or length for a single step? Is there a way to pull off Reich-esque phasing between tracks?
I feel this is not very easy to use. BSP, on the other hand, is much more accessible. However, I don't like large pads on BSP and these are much smaller.
I'd rather buy Keystep Pro, you get the velocit keyboard which enables far easier polyphonic programming... In the end, I'm using soft sequencer, in my opinion far superior.
well, seems it's much easier to use than Elektron Octatrack MK2, when it comes to sequencing with propabilities and stuff like that.
@@kybernaut-is-my-name Definitely the software variant is superior in function. Especially for Drum sequencing, if you want to get a easy hand on "off-the-grid" sequencing. But I find some hardware solutions easier for live sessions rather than doing home studio production.