WHUUUUT. I want the Hydrasynth so bad! ... Anyways, I already meant to drop a comment that applies to all of your videos: Thank you, and I really mean it, for consistently producing *really* fun and lighthearted videos. I'll often just have a few minutes of spare time where I really just want something fun and bright to get me going into the next task at hand, and I don't even have to think about sifting through channels because I know there's always another great one from you. Thanks again.
Hey Novation, will we continue to see amazing (and much appreciated) updates for OG circuit now that Tracks and Rhythm have taken center stage? (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ
This is the box that really got me back into music and yes I ended up with two of them sequencing my other synths. I now have a Tracks and a Monostation in my set up. Keep up the excellent channel.
Florian, I saw your video on the JD-XI and thought “that’s not bad that’s exactly what I’m looking for” got a like new one today and took off the overlays to reveal its red on black glory. Also the gentleman who sold it to me drove 30 km in a monsoon on a motorcycle to deliver it. My bad gear score is now 3 out of how ever many episodes. skulpt, Electribe 2, and JD-XI.
My favorite ' bad gear' is my Roland Try 626. I'm blown away how the 505 and 727 are classics but the 626 is somehow still your dad's drum machine he gives you when he quits music. I feel it's the best of the 3. #626ismy808
I’m using the Novation 61sl mkiii to control my JDX-i and it works surprising well. Also, the JD-Xi comes with a 2 piece black and white overlay that sticks over the terrible red font. Not a great solution, but it’s fine for a desktop module.
The Circuit police: "good man." *reaches into earpiece* "He likes the Circuit, I repeat, he likes the Circuit." *Swat teams burst in, shake his hand and then leave*
By coincidence I rewatched a Ricky Tinez RUclips video last night from Dec 2019 where he goes through one of his DAWless setups using a Circuit, MPC1000 and a Moog Sirin, this for me is how to get the most out of a Circuit, it needs a few friends and is best used for improvisation as Ricky brilliantly demonstrates. I love my Circuit but the synth engine leaves me cold and more often than not mine is hooked up to other gear as a midi trigger with the 2 synth parts muted. I don't think I will sell it as the sequencer and drums are so addictive. Thanks for showcasing the Circuit, controversial but justified :-)
This is the "Tales from the Loop" of electronic music review channels. Every episode is a standalone but the same characters keep showing up again and again. Also, all of the technology is out of date. Love it.
I knew it was just a matter of time before my beloved Novation Circuit showed up here. This machine got me back to making music again after a long hiatus. Interestingly enough, I did buy a second one. I sold that one when I bought the Circuit Tracks, but I'm still keeping one of the OG Circuits.
I'm a curcuit lover, and all of the things you've said are true, both good and bad! Definitely feels a little light on its own, however, when I pair it with the previously Bad-Gear discussed e2, the two become a powerhouse together playing off each other's strengths and weaknesses. Awesome episode as always!!
I was wondering when this was going to pop up on the show! This thing is still the gold standard in my mind for groovebox workflow... Self explanatory but surprisingly deep. And yeah this thing is still super underrated for distorted, aggressive sounds.
🐶 One of the most memorable pieces in your ever growing, invaluable collection...Got my 2nd hand Circuit since last monday. I hope the upgrades works well with my unit. Best wishes from Madrid!
I was uninterested in the circuit until the release of the circuit tracks seemed to perfect the formula. I snagged one of those and have had 0 regrets. Great box.
@@AudioPilz Trust me my friend...You're definitely gonna wanna pick up a rhythm while you're at it...! 😄 Its a whooooooole different beast! The Tracks is sort of an idealized Circuit, but then the Rhythm is kind of a different instrument entirely.
@@AudioPilz i was in this position yesterday when I literally came BACK FROM BUYING A CIRCUIT FOR 60 DOLLARS USED in box. the batteries were still in their plastic!
It have a full mini nova inside, the synth is deep but you cant do it all on the device. Sample flip and using the drum track as extra sample player synth is another great thing.
It’s not quite a full mininova but it’s still great. The main difference is the availability of 2 oscillators on circuit vs the 3 oscillators on the mini and ultra nova.
Yeah deep... But the mininova is imho a bad synth all in of itself. Had an Ultranova briefly,.hated the sound and build so much I returned it within a week.
The speaker on the lower side is great. It creates this nice resonance when you have the circuit on your lab when you enjoy an extended session in the bathroom.
The immediacy and portability of Circuit is killer. Not to mention it’s a fun instrument to play. I bought mine in 2015 and with each update, loved the instrument more. I got Circuit Tracks when it was released 6 months ago too. I start every track by futzing about on Circuit. And my portable set up of Circuit Tracks, Roland JP-08, and Roland JU-06 is fully battery powered, sounds amazing, and fits in my backpack. I’ve taken them on flights, to the cottage, or just making beats in the backyard. I love everything about Circuit. Could ya tell?
Please do a Bad Gear about Novation's Mono Station. It was a good idea (analog Bass Station with digital Circuit UI + CV connectivity). In practice though, it didn't quite straddle the analog/digital or groovebox/CV bases.
I agree Dino. When I go on vacation I take a piece of gear that has been neglected because other solutions work better for me. This year it's the Circuit Mono Station because when the step sequencing muse strikes me my first reaction is to grab my SQ-1 and Neutron.
thanks for the great video! Got the circuit as my first gear and also struggle with the macro knobs. But still like it for the easy sequencing, expanded note view and portability. I was also impressed how much work went into the music video of your track. Really liked it.
A dear friend of mine was using it a lot, it sounded good in his end, especially when mix with other gear ! But the lack of individual outputs is a real bummer unfortunately :/ I scored 4 episode of bad gear today, thanks a lot for all your amazing and truly inspiring work :D !!
I love my tracks so much, and it’s soooo useful in sooooo many setups I grabbed one of these on Kijiji to just keep on my stack. Plus the old one looks cooler for some reason. It doesn’t work exactly the same but it’s actually kind of more useful in my opinion in some specific ways.
Novation I have grown to love over the years because they pack so many free updates into a lot of their gear. They did this to the max with the Bass Station 2. Which i can't see how it would ever end up on this channel. (i know the BS1 has been here for a while)
Oh man, this could go so many ways... Glad it went the way it did though. When I saw the notification my first thought was "gawds, he's got balls going after the Circuit" but you make many valid points for and against it, and why it's one of those it either works for you, or it doesn't kind of things. It's a piece of gear I've been tempted on and off by, but that temptation really kicked off when I started looking at what it would cost to start rebuilding some of the kit I used to have... And just how inexpensive they are, but powerful, if you're willing and able to work within it's limitations, as well as develop the muscle memory to use the device. Wish they were slightly cheaper though, because it would make the thought of picking up both of the new generation Circuits a lot easier - at present, the pair is slightly more than a Digitakt... Errr, actually it's $200 CAD more than the new Circuit pair due to an Elektron sale at my local shop *gulp*
I just got a circuit tracks and have contemplated getting rid of a lot of other gear afterwards since I enjoy using it more than anything else I have since it's so intuitive and the 2x midi tracks are super useful
@@linearfoldsmom it's limited in a lot of ways but that's part of what makes it enjoyable to me. I've been mostly paring it with my Bass station II for fatter bass and Digitone for the FM goodness
Been really wanting to add this to my groovebox collection. Just waiting to pull the trigger as I figured I’d be happy just grabbing this original model. That being said I’ve always wanted a Mininova in my setup, so a little concerned about the overlap there. Great stuff! This episode really speaks to me that this is not bad gear. 😎
The true power of Circuit only really shines when you start making your own patches in Components. It's never going to be a studio grade unit, but I've loved mine since I got it. It still feels a bit toyish to me, you're absolutely on the money with the criticism. I'm never going to get rid of mine, it's just too much fun.
Hi Florian, the Finale track it’s so good! One of the best upgrade on the Circuit OG it’s the “change” midi channel feature to control external (bad) gears. Novation it’s a great company and take care of customers, the Novation Circuit OG or the Bass station 2 updates are great examples of product evolution.
@limelight81 I'm an 81 as well, friend. :) Have you tried the Model Cycles? It does have a very small screen unfortunately, but it's very simple to understand once you get used to it... It might be a good fit for you. :)
Yay! I snagged one in ebay today! $190 with box & cables 👍😁🤘Great video, Florian. You got me excited to make noise with my new, old, not so Bad Gear. I wish you and everyone a very happy, healthy weekend.
I love it. It's so basic. Even my 4 year old son can use it, of course i make the patterns and sessions, but he is a great selector. 😀 Another great video!👍
Cut to me just fiddling on my op-z knowing that its a shoe in for a bad gear groovebox episode eventually. I'm actually surprised you haven't done it yet even just for build quality alone.
Man I would love the OP-Z SO much more if you could ACTUALLY EXPORT AUDIO LONGER THAN 10 SECONDS??? TBH the hopes that they'll resolve this in a firmware update is the biggest reason that I'm keeping mine around. (Well, that and at some point I wanna get the CV expansion)
Definitely missed out last year when guitar center was blowing these things out for cheap on Black Friday . Definitely need to pick one of these up used with and make sure it has all the new FREE firmware updates( thank you Novation) the circuit tracks looks nice as well. The portability factor is what I really like. Having one of these around to sketch ideas when inspiration hits, that’s a match made in music heaven
I accientally plugged in a 24V adapter that happened to fit instead of the 12V one into mine. Now it's paper weight since I am not able to get it fixed. I agree it's got great features but it always felt llike somthing is missing. A Volca Sample 1 with Pajen Firmware runs circles around this, it´s just much more fun.
@@InkyDaCaT contacted them but the unit is out of warranty due to age and there is no repair center close to me. Just sending a unit to repair costs about half of what a used one costs. Not worth it, since I believe it´s very likely not fixable. Weird to see such a devce not havin any protection for this... usually you´d burn some kind of protection, chang that and everything works but I opened up mine and seems like there's nothing protecting it.
@@alexwestconsulting tbf its horses for courses? If your takin just sampling at this price point voca sample wins...if you talking fun n groove box (as nd person grip here got volcas...mini jacks for audio ahhhhhh) no.... different things imho volca with say keys fm n pedal equals groove box...love both own both😉
Another great show with extra value from having to rewind to read those flashcards... have you considered the Korg Monotribe for your show? I've had a love/hate relationship with a few over the years, and it should test your theme tune skills!
hell ya, you did it again . I watched some of your vids from 6 months ago, and have seen your own evolution of videos, like the novation. and your video editing just keeps getting better. ... now if only you would just make that Pulsar 23 vid.. Vlad won't be mad..
In the future you should do a ThinkGeek double feature: review their Bliptronic 5000 (with no midi and an advertised max BPM of 160) and their playable drum machine t-shirt!
God I used to have their drum kit shirt. You could disconnect the speaker/battery unit from the pads and stick your thumb on the pins to short the trigger connections and make it FREAK out lol
It would be immensely fun to do a video of all the versions of the "little intro groove" with the names of the corresponding device (and some wisecrack for each of course). That would be highly informative because I only remember it's actually being done with the instruments reviewed when you mention it in the middle of the video. I usually go back to the beginning and today I'm like. Huh. Does this sound like my Circuit? Does it sound any more like my Circuit than if it had been done on anything else? Not sure really. If anything, it speaks to your ability to twist each voice into pretty damn close to identical territory.
Just bought a Circuit Rhythm this week. First time working with the Lite-Brite style of music-making and I just learning how to use it. Seems like a cool sampler. Didn't expect Circuit to show up on Bad Gear. :-o
The Circuit was different... still is. I love it because you can hand it to the uninitiated and just wait... Then give a few extra tips and wait again. It's kind of how the Circuits development went as well. It's sequencer is just fun like an 8-bit video game.
I loved my circuit! Granted the Tracks blew it out of the water for me but that's the point of me gear right? Btw to get around the 4 drum voice limitations you simply need to play out your drums smartly across all 4 tracks. You can have multiple samples on each track as long as you play them in mono.
ooooo noice its previous version of Circut Tracks. And only thing i am really sad about in tracks is that LEDs are not visible. Other than that - i was super scared to get a groovebox without any kind of display. After few months i spent with it (tracks, not og circut) i had more fun than two years playing in DAW. If ya heard my "music" its still shiet AF but definitely not because of the tools. And being a therapeutic hobby and not means to pay my bills I gotta say, tracks was best investment everrrrrr. OG circut tho... yea im happy i havent land on that landmine :D For you my dude, as always great episode, wishing you the best as always, thanks for the content, stay healthy stay safe :)
Great Jams as always! Also good timing as, like you mentioned, they're getting pretty cheap. Digging the groovebox videos lately as I've been in the market for my home piece
@@secretelitemusic Don't knock the Cheetah. My friend Tony Child aka 'Surgeon' made all his early tracks on 'Downwards' using the MD-8. It's a lo-fi (British) classic.
i just don't understand things that don't have piano keys. The mono station just broke my mind. I do envy this thing's sequencer though. Sometimes I wish the korg monologue (and many other synths) had a 64-step sequencer built in as opposed to just 16 steps (don't get me started on the korg SQ-1). The tune at 6:40 is so cool! And I loved you subtle post process jokes and little details you threw in in the editing.
Is it too early to do one on the MC101? I thin kit deserves the bad gear status for the awful patch management and limited synth features. The Circuit at least gives you the option to edit some synth patches without having to pay for an extra app subscription.
Mc-101 is amazing lol. It's just had a pretty steep learning curve. But it makes wonderful noise. I get the zenology pro frustration, but to be fair, it's some great software. And when I purchased mine I get a year of Roland cloud pro for free. When it's up I plan to just buy zenology pro as I actually use it in ableton.
@@Hoodyhoo504 Thats my problem. You can't just "buy" Zenology Pro. It's a sub and I'm not paying Roland a monthly fee for the privilege of editing some synth patches. Especially when something like the circuit does it for free with a web app.
When you mention about how companies release a device one way, then add features to it later as possibly good, possibly bad. I'd have to say I'm a huge fan of it. I absolutely LOVE hearing about how something I've already bought and paid for is getting a huge feature upgrade. Point in case, the MPC Live. Man, what that thing started as, and what it's become. I'm blown away.
I'm now two thirds of the way through this video and...you don't like how the macro knobs don't do the same thing for all patches. Fair enough - though why would you want to waste a macro knob on decay for, say, a xylophone patch? Why would you want a macro knob dedicated to highpass filtering when using a bass patch? I like how the macro knobs on the OGC are patch-specific.
Agreed - I quite like that I can turn a knob and listen to the change in sound without concerning myself with what it's actually attached to under the hood 👍 I think it forces me to think more musically about the sounds I want
Would love to see you keep the Novation content rolling and do a video on the Mininova! It's probably the most powerful, in-depth synthesizer I own, but there are so many narrow misses on its interface that leave key parameters stuck behind menu diving.
I have a circuit, was interested in the two powerful synths derived from the Mininova. Haven't delved into it as much as I should and had trouble integrating it into my DAW setup, but that's just me being a total newbie. I found the sound engines had great fidelity. Apart from being difficult to get a desired sound out of it, it is very powerful. Bought a piece of software that allows full voice creation on the synths well above and beyond the free novation software, it is extremely powerful. Not sure wot all the bitching is about. Again great ep. I agree with what Novation TV are implying - doesn't really deserve a spot on Bad Gear imo.
Man oh man your last two episodes cover gear I own I and actually enjoy. All your complaints about the mpx8 are so true though I just use it basically to trigger random sounds with my hands by loading it with weird samples. It is very picky about the wav files and I tried for like 2 weeks to get it to work with my beat step to no avail. Still use it for weird loops, strange samples often vocal or 8 bit sounds, or just little finger drumming when bored. The circuit is my first electronic music making gear I ever had that basically gave me faith I could make any form of electronic music, and is the thing I would recommend to anyone wanting to start making dawless music. People like to make it out like people love the circuit but even in it's own fb groups owners of it will talk about how they moved on to new things and then bash it, and I never understood that... it was like the most simplistic thing to use that might not sound the best but is easy to get results
I used to like it because of the fun factor. I even got to a point where I was able to sync it up with Reaper and record control changes and session changes. Then it suddenly developed this terrible freak-out issue, where it would completely lock up. The only advice to fix it was to give it a smack. At that point, I couldn't be bothered with it anymore. I'm playing a show and "hold on a second guys, the Circuit needs a quick spanking!" lol
The bad part of the Circuit was the Kensington lock, the glue that held in the metal plate would fail causing the plate to fly around inside and short out circuits. For me the I never quite liked the synth engine, something they unfortunately didn't update for the newer version.
I didn't buy one until most of the features were added by Novation. Then I also bought a Monostation when it was on sale. I sort of want to get an updated version, but I don't want to dump the old one for next-to-nothing. So adding a Monostation and/or a cheap Circuit OG is a good way to go for more tracks.
@@AudioPilz OK then, only mild torture and burning at the stake for you then. I guess the popular criticisms of the OGC were/are "where's the display?" and "Why no onboard audio interface to send stems digitally?" I sorta agree with the latter but totally reject the former.
I gotta admit, the super pristine digital sound was jarring with the extremely lo-fi video montage. I'm not sure if that was deliberate, but you either stumbled upon or architected a way to make my brain explode. Can you do it again?
Awesome review. Circuit is my main instrument in my live setup. It has the most fluent workflow and its the only instrument with which I can improvise during my live sets. And I am talking about 2-3h live sets in front of an audience 😀
Now I want to buy 1. Florian, the Moog Subharmonicon - the sound changes after you turn it off and turn it back on apparently. Can you borrow one of those? And the piece of gear with the steepest learning curve, so steep people apparently buyers sell it before learning how to use it, the DSI Tempest. Also pricey, so you can you borrow one of those too?
Since I seem to own almost every piece of equipment on your list, can we just get everything over with and do vids on the Alesis HR-16/HR-16B, the Roland JX-1010, the Yamaha REX-50, and a multi-piece review of bass-synth pedals? Maybe even the Yamaha TX81z, which is a classic for the LatelyBass preset but otherwise feels like a good addition to this list.
I was gunna sell my circuit but the rhythm and tracks have too much bugs with polyphony for me. This is a hell of a midi controller though for sequencing. Glad to see you are still out here making controversial videos, fingers crossed for some low polyphony dinosaur synths, keep up the good work!
I brought a circuit to a jam where people had an analog rytm and tr8 on stage... they all turned heads when I dropped a pattern from the circuit.. it holds up to big boy gear with the right samples and tweaks :)
I don’t think I ever owned anything that was so intuitive to use, at its most basic level. As with anything that gets so many upgrades becomes harder to use as they try to cram all the features in to the original UI. I sold mine the week before they upgraded to allow tied notes over multiple patterns, which is why I sold it. 🤷🏼♂️
Can I handle some Good Gear as well???🤔🤔🤔
ruclips.net/video/J9xP_nfCh0M/видео.html
You defenitly can! But i actually enjoyed your bad gear jam from last year better ;P
And what about a BetterGear?
ruclips.net/video/sVG6MOvNVZo/видео.html
I'm sure you already knew about.
Yeah, you jam out with everything in different genres, mixed in with your humor and references...your really make the best out of bad gear...!
WHUUUUT. I want the Hydrasynth so bad! ... Anyways, I already meant to drop a comment that applies to all of your videos: Thank you, and I really mean it, for consistently producing *really* fun and lighthearted videos. I'll often just have a few minutes of spare time where I really just want something fun and bright to get me going into the next task at hand, and I don't even have to think about sifting through channels because I know there's always another great one from you. Thanks again.
@@sergiolecuona6132 already did a Better Gear about it;)
Wait. What?
You're in good company;)
Hahahaha it's okay Novation, we still love you.
Lol watch the whole video....hes going to DOUBLE your sales🤪 I got 2😉
Hey Novation, will we continue to see amazing (and much appreciated) updates for OG circuit now that Tracks and Rhythm have taken center stage? (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ
@@Phoenix_2A Glad to hear! 🙌🙏
This is the box that really got me back into music and yes I ended up with two of them sequencing my other synths. I now have a Tracks and a Monostation in my set up. Keep up the excellent channel.
Thank you! Stick around!!!
yeah man, this is the machine that pulled me away from the DAW. such a fun device!
LETS GO!! I just sold my circuit so looking for some confirmation bias here FRIDAY TIME
At your service;)
Seller's regret?
Keeping mine forever or until it dies. It’s too handy
thanks for selling this classic, we need more for sale!
@@sheepkillindog Its great controller for Live
Florian, I saw your video on the JD-XI and thought “that’s not bad that’s exactly what I’m looking for” got a like new one today and took off the overlays to reveal its red on black glory. Also the gentleman who sold it to me drove 30 km in a monsoon on a motorcycle to deliver it. My bad gear score is now 3 out of how ever many episodes. skulpt, Electribe 2, and JD-XI.
Nice setup!!!
I sold my JD to buy an MC-707, but I really miss that vocoder some days
Sometimes the provenance of the gear, no matter how objectively "bad", makes it a very worthy member of the ensemble.
My favorite ' bad gear' is my Roland Try 626. I'm blown away how the 505 and 727 are classics but the 626 is somehow still your dad's drum machine he gives you when he quits music. I feel it's the best of the 3. #626ismy808
I’m using the Novation 61sl mkiii to control my JDX-i and it works surprising well. Also, the JD-Xi comes with a 2 piece black and white overlay that sticks over the terrible red font. Not a great solution, but it’s fine for a desktop module.
The Circuit police: "good man."
*reaches into earpiece*
"He likes the Circuit, I repeat, he likes the Circuit."
*Swat teams burst in, shake his hand and then leave*
🤣🤣🤣🤣🙌🙌🙌
Bo Nurmi already sent me his Swedish assassins. The left some meatballs
@@AudioPilz 🤣🤣🤣
@@AudioPilz did they also leave Lingonberry sauce 😉.
@@AudioPilz just continue to be nice or they won't tell you about the surströmming cans they left behind before they swell up and explode.
By coincidence I rewatched a Ricky Tinez RUclips video last night from Dec 2019 where he goes through one of his DAWless setups using a Circuit, MPC1000 and a Moog Sirin, this for me is how to get the most out of a Circuit, it needs a few friends and is best used for improvisation as Ricky brilliantly demonstrates. I love my Circuit but the synth engine leaves me cold and more often than not mine is hooked up to other gear as a midi trigger with the 2 synth parts muted. I don't think I will sell it as the sequencer and drums are so addictive. Thanks for showcasing the Circuit, controversial but justified :-)
Thanks for watching!!!
I love this channel because gear doesn't always disappear after you review it. It's great seeing things like the DSI Morpho popping up months later.
Happy to hear that! Thanks!
This is the "Tales from the Loop" of electronic music review channels. Every episode is a standalone but the same characters keep showing up again and again. Also, all of the technology is out of date. Love it.
Thank you!!!
I knew it was just a matter of time before my beloved Novation Circuit showed up here. This machine got me back to making music again after a long hiatus. Interestingly enough, I did buy a second one. I sold that one when I bought the Circuit Tracks, but I'm still keeping one of the OG Circuits.
Two is the absolute minimum;)
I'm a curcuit lover, and all of the things you've said are true, both good and bad! Definitely feels a little light on its own, however, when I pair it with the previously Bad-Gear discussed e2, the two become a powerhouse together playing off each other's strengths and weaknesses. Awesome episode as always!!
Want to borrow an extra one😉💗🙌
Thank you! Nice setup!
@@InkyDaCaT OH SNAP!! Don't tempt me L!
I noticed that as well. There's no groovebox as good as TWO grooveboxes.
@@Stadsjaap Yes!!!! So many possibilities.
I was wondering when this was going to pop up on the show! This thing is still the gold standard in my mind for groovebox workflow... Self explanatory but surprisingly deep. And yeah this thing is still super underrated for distorted, aggressive sounds.
Hehe…. I Never expected to see the circuit in an episode of bad gear. I Knew your comment had to be around here somewhere, :P
Haha yes ;-)
Agreed, IDM drums for days!!!
Hahaha... I was wondering how quickly the man himself would show up! 😆🖤🤘
Was wondering if you commented, and had to scroll a bit but definitely glad to see you had a hunch it might show up on here at some point.
🐶 One of the most memorable pieces in your ever growing, invaluable collection...Got my 2nd hand Circuit since last monday. I hope the upgrades works well with my unit. Best wishes from Madrid!
I was uninterested in the circuit until the release of the circuit tracks seemed to perfect the formula. I snagged one of those and have had 0 regrets. Great box.
I sold my Deluge and grabbed a Circuit OG and a TRACKS. No regrets too ;-)
Tracks seems super interesting!
@@AudioPilz Trust me my friend...You're definitely gonna wanna pick up a rhythm while you're at it...! 😄
Its a whooooooole different beast!
The Tracks is sort of an idealized Circuit, but then the Rhythm is kind of a different instrument entirely.
I love your musicality, you always seem to get the very best out of gear with probably very limited gel time.
Thank you!!!
The "very tempting" picture joke at 5:04 is priceless.
We all know that feeling;)
@@AudioPilz i was in this position yesterday when I literally came BACK FROM BUYING A CIRCUIT FOR 60 DOLLARS USED in box. the batteries were still in their plastic!
It have a full mini nova inside, the synth is deep but you cant do it all on the device.
Sample flip and using the drum track as extra sample player synth is another great thing.
Agreed!
It’s not quite a full mininova but it’s still great. The main difference is the availability of 2 oscillators on circuit vs the 3 oscillators on the mini and ultra nova.
Yeah deep... But the mininova is imho a bad synth all in of itself. Had an Ultranova briefly,.hated the sound and build so much I returned it within a week.
@@blindguitarfox Let's not forget the Mini's vocoder.
You are hurting my wallet just the right way. But the finale jam with 80's visuals was the best moment...man it took me back
Thanks and sorry for your wallet;)
I swear those jams just get better. I've said it before but you need to release these bad boiz on an album!
Thanks! Working on it!
Join the Patreon! There is a mid tier that releases all the songs individually.
The speaker on the lower side is great. It creates this nice resonance when you have the circuit on your lab when you enjoy an extended session in the bathroom.
No pictures please;)
@@AudioPilz I have audio
The immediacy and portability of Circuit is killer. Not to mention it’s a fun instrument to play. I bought mine in 2015 and with each update, loved the instrument more. I got Circuit Tracks when it was released 6 months ago too. I start every track by futzing about on Circuit. And my portable set up of Circuit Tracks, Roland JP-08, and Roland JU-06 is fully battery powered, sounds amazing, and fits in my backpack. I’ve taken them on flights, to the cottage, or just making beats in the backyard. I love everything about Circuit. Could ya tell?
Nice setup!!!
Please do a Bad Gear about Novation's Mono Station. It was a good idea (analog Bass Station with digital Circuit UI + CV connectivity). In practice though, it didn't quite straddle the analog/digital or groovebox/CV bases.
Great input, thanks!
I agree Dino. When I go on vacation I take a piece of gear that has been neglected because other solutions work better for me. This year it's the Circuit Mono Station because when the step sequencing muse strikes me my first reaction is to grab my SQ-1 and Neutron.
I got one cheap at the start of lockdown, being a. BS2 lover. I didn’t like it at all.
Nice review! That Finale video was surprisingly amazing 😦
Thank you so much!!!
I thought this was supposed to be "Bad Gear", not "you're going to want one of these by the end of the video."
🤣🤣🤣🙌
The Bad Gear fallacy
thanks for the great video! Got the circuit as my first gear and also struggle with the macro knobs. But still like it for the easy sequencing, expanded note view and portability.
I was also impressed how much work went into the music video of your track. Really liked it.
Thank you!!!
A dear friend of mine was using it a lot, it sounded good in his end, especially when mix with other gear !
But the lack of individual outputs is a real bummer unfortunately :/
I scored 4 episode of bad gear today, thanks a lot for all your amazing and truly inspiring work :D !!
Thanks!!!
Yessss!!!, covering another synth on my rig. I feel blessed :D
Always a pleasure, thanks for watching!!!
Loved that Oblique Strategies reference. "Gardening, not architecture" lol
Most important piece of gear;)
I love my tracks so much, and it’s soooo useful in sooooo many setups I grabbed one of these on Kijiji to just keep on my stack. Plus the old one looks cooler for some reason.
It doesn’t work exactly the same but it’s actually kind of more useful in my opinion in some specific ways.
Novation I have grown to love over the years because they pack so many free updates into a lot of their gear. They did this to the max with the Bass Station 2. Which i can't see how it would ever end up on this channel. (i know the BS1 has been here for a while)
I think the BS2 is safe;)
riiiiiiiight@@AudioPilz
Oh man, this could go so many ways... Glad it went the way it did though. When I saw the notification my first thought was "gawds, he's got balls going after the Circuit" but you make many valid points for and against it, and why it's one of those it either works for you, or it doesn't kind of things.
It's a piece of gear I've been tempted on and off by, but that temptation really kicked off when I started looking at what it would cost to start rebuilding some of the kit I used to have... And just how inexpensive they are, but powerful, if you're willing and able to work within it's limitations, as well as develop the muscle memory to use the device. Wish they were slightly cheaper though, because it would make the thought of picking up both of the new generation Circuits a lot easier - at present, the pair is slightly more than a Digitakt... Errr, actually it's $200 CAD more than the new Circuit pair due to an Elektron sale at my local shop *gulp*
Yeah, Digitakt is really expensive (but also really good;)
I just got a circuit tracks and have contemplated getting rid of a lot of other gear afterwards since I enjoy using it more than anything else I have since it's so intuitive and the 2x midi tracks are super useful
The midi tracks are certainly a nice addition
I love the tracks. I actually sent back back the rhythm, and I still liked that too.
i know you may not see this, but what synths would you recommend that sound best with the instrument or make up for places it is lacking
@@linearfoldsmom it's limited in a lot of ways but that's part of what makes it enjoyable to me. I've been mostly paring it with my Bass station II for fatter bass and Digitone for the FM goodness
video and sound are very good quality on the highest resolution on youtube now. good work
Thank you! Nice to get feedback!
That finale demo gave me chills. Thinking about getting one of these mainly for its drum capabilities
Thanks! Great drum machine!
Great vid once again. I love that 'Masters of Synth' vid. I re-watch it from time to time.
Thanks! I have to watch that at least once a week!
Been really wanting to add this to my groovebox collection. Just waiting to pull the trigger as I figured I’d be happy just grabbing this original model. That being said I’ve always wanted a Mininova in my setup, so a little concerned about the overlap there. Great stuff! This episode really speaks to me that this is not bad gear. 😎
One man's Bad Gear;)
6:36 is sooooo phattttt! Love your videos, and the music you make in them is awesome 🔥
Thanks!
The true power of Circuit only really shines when you start making your own patches in Components. It's never going to be a studio grade unit, but I've loved mine since I got it. It still feels a bit toyish to me, you're absolutely on the money with the criticism. I'm never going to get rid of mine, it's just too much fun.
Yeah, Components is essential to exploit its full potential
This show is sooo good ! Thank you Florian!!
Thank you so much!!!
Hi Florian, the Finale track it’s so good!
One of the best upgrade on the Circuit OG it’s the “change” midi channel feature to control external (bad) gears. Novation it’s a great company and take care of customers, the Novation Circuit OG or the Bass station 2 updates are great examples of product evolution.
Thanks! Yeah, that is a real improvement. Would love to see that on the ET2
This is BoBeats’ best friend. The lack of a screen is what has stopped me from going after this device. Good video 👍🏼
The lack of screen is part of the experience.
Thanks! Didn't really miss a screen on this one...
@limelight81 I'm an 81 as well, friend. :)
Have you tried the Model Cycles? It does have a very small screen unfortunately, but it's very simple to understand once you get used to it... It might be a good fit for you. :)
Love my circuit. If i could only have one piece of gear this would be it.
Yeah, definitely a desert island piece of gear
Yay! I snagged one in ebay today! $190 with box & cables 👍😁🤘Great video, Florian. You got me excited to make noise with my new, old, not so Bad Gear. I wish you and everyone a very happy, healthy weekend.
That was my exact plan for years - wait for the upgrades, and buy an OG once the price drops under $200.
Thanks! Nice deal!!!
@@AudioPilz It won't stay cheap for long. We should horde them 😂🥂 Próst to Bad Gear!
It seems adding just a 2-line LCD display to tell you what did you just change/click would double the value of the whole device.
TBH I didn't really miss a display on this one
And once again my "on my need list" grows. I'm going to need a bigger studio if I keep watching you
Yeah, no gear shortage here either;)
I love it. It's so basic. Even my 4 year old son can use it, of course i make the patterns and sessions, but he is a great selector. 😀 Another great video!👍
Thanks! You're a good parent!!!
Better and better every week dude! Keep it up!
Thanks!
Cut to me just fiddling on my op-z knowing that its a shoe in for a bad gear groovebox episode eventually. I'm actually surprised you haven't done it yet even just for build quality alone.
TBH I have considered putting it on the show 😉 Thanks for the suggestion
Man I would love the OP-Z SO much more if you could ACTUALLY EXPORT AUDIO LONGER THAN 10 SECONDS??? TBH the hopes that they'll resolve this in a firmware update is the biggest reason that I'm keeping mine around. (Well, that and at some point I wanna get the CV expansion)
Been waiting for this one.
Thanks for your patience!
Definitely missed out last year when guitar center was blowing these things out for cheap on Black Friday . Definitely need to pick one of these up used with and make sure it has all the new FREE firmware updates( thank you Novation) the circuit tracks looks nice as well. The portability factor is what I really like. Having one of these around to sketch ideas when inspiration hits, that’s a match made in music heaven
Currently thinking about getting a second one;)
I can't believe I've only just subbed. Love the content
Thanks!!!
I accientally plugged in a 24V adapter that happened to fit instead of the 12V one into mine. Now it's paper weight since I am not able to get it fixed. I agree it's got great features but it always felt llike somthing is missing.
A Volca Sample 1 with Pajen Firmware runs circles around this, it´s just much more fun.
Contact Novation, they are pretty good for fixing things. But you will have to pay as well it was user error?
😢
@@InkyDaCaT contacted them but the unit is out of warranty due to age and there is no repair center close to me. Just sending a unit to repair costs about half of what a used one costs. Not worth it, since I believe it´s very likely not fixable. Weird to see such a devce not havin any protection for this... usually you´d burn some kind of protection, chang that and everything works but I opened up mine and seems like there's nothing protecting it.
"A Volca Sample 1 with Pajen Firmware runs circles around this, it´s just much more fun." Fun, yes. "runs circles around this". Ummmmm, no.
@@alexwestconsulting tbf its horses for courses? If your takin just sampling at this price point voca sample wins...if you talking fun n groove box (as nd person grip here got volcas...mini jacks for audio ahhhhhh) no.... different things imho volca with say keys fm n pedal equals groove box...love both own both😉
Was hoping for this to happen since mc-303 episode. Thank you!
Thanks for watching!!!
Another great show with extra value from having to rewind to read those flashcards... have you considered the Korg Monotribe for your show? I've had a love/hate relationship with a few over the years, and it should test your theme tune skills!
Thanks! I tried to find enough hate on that one but most people just love the hell out of it
Hey you've got 44.1k subscribers as I type this, congratulations on achieving CD quality!
Thanks! Heading for 48k...
If I didnt had one allready, this review would definitely make me buy one.
Happy to hear that. Thanks!
hell ya, you did it again . I watched some of your vids from 6 months ago, and have seen your own evolution of videos, like the novation. and your video editing just keeps getting better. ... now if only you would just make that Pulsar 23 vid.. Vlad won't be mad..
Thank you!!! Is there anyone hating the Pulsar 23?
In the future you should do a ThinkGeek double feature: review their Bliptronic 5000 (with no midi and an advertised max BPM of 160) and their playable drum machine t-shirt!
Great input, thanks! I'll take a closer look!
God I used to have their drum kit shirt. You could disconnect the speaker/battery unit from the pads and stick your thumb on the pins to short the trigger connections and make it FREAK out lol
I've had a Bliptronic for a while, they're like some kinda weird, pre-cambrian Circuit.
Great vids, I really want a tour of what’s on that book and media shelf behind you, too.
Thanks, that's moving up my priority list!
It would be immensely fun to do a video of all the versions of the "little intro groove" with the names of the corresponding device (and some wisecrack for each of course). That would be highly informative because I only remember it's actually being done with the instruments reviewed when you mention it in the middle of the video. I usually go back to the beginning and today I'm like. Huh. Does this sound like my Circuit? Does it sound any more like my Circuit than if it had been done on anything else? Not sure really. If anything, it speaks to your ability to twist each voice into pretty damn close to identical territory.
There are quite a lot of intro tunes on my Patreon (shameless plug;). TBH it was quite challenging to use the Circuit in this application
Just bought a Circuit Rhythm this week. First time working with the Lite-Brite style of music-making and I just learning how to use it. Seems like a cool sampler. Didn't expect Circuit to show up on Bad Gear. :-o
No one's safe;)
The Circuit was different... still is. I love it because you can hand it to the uninitiated and just wait... Then give a few extra tips and wait again. It's kind of how the Circuits development went as well. It's sequencer is just fun like an 8-bit video game.
Agreed! And it doesn't even have a screen!
Beautiful demos this week. Thank you !
Thanks!
I loved my circuit! Granted the Tracks blew it out of the water for me but that's the point of me gear right? Btw to get around the 4 drum voice limitations you simply need to play out your drums smartly across all 4 tracks. You can have multiple samples on each track as long as you play them in mono.
True that, same like on the Digitakt!
Parameter locking samples on fewer tracks can just make a better drum beat. Simplify#
Estoy muy feliz con mi Circuit y me encanta que haya un episodio en Bad Gear. Saludos desde Chile!!
Gracias!!!
The Novation Circuit - the No Man's Sky of grooveboxes.
Nice analogy
ooooo noice its previous version of Circut Tracks. And only thing i am really sad about in tracks is that LEDs are not visible. Other than that - i was super scared to get a groovebox without any kind of display. After few months i spent with it (tracks, not og circut) i had more fun than two years playing in DAW. If ya heard my "music" its still shiet AF but definitely not because of the tools. And being a therapeutic hobby and not means to pay my bills I gotta say, tracks was best investment everrrrrr. OG circut tho... yea im happy i havent land on that landmine :D
For you my dude, as always great episode, wishing you the best as always, thanks for the content, stay healthy stay safe :)
Thank you so much!!!
Great Jams as always! Also good timing as, like you mentioned, they're getting pretty cheap. Digging the groovebox videos lately as I've been in the market for my home piece
Thanks! That one is a nice bedroom groovebox!
def check out Model:Samples - its so much fun
I always enjoy watching your Bad Gear Videos! Have you tackled Behringer?
Thanks! I have to talk to my lawyer about that;)
This will be a controversial episode
Sure will.
Not every episode can unite the Gearverse like the MPX-8 one;)
@@AudioPilz can you unite us all again with the E-mu systems MP-7???
@@AudioPilz One day, you will discover the Cheetah MD 8 "digital drum machine". In a parallel universe it might even be functioning.
@@secretelitemusic Don't knock the Cheetah. My friend Tony Child aka 'Surgeon' made all his early tracks on 'Downwards' using the MD-8. It's a lo-fi (British) classic.
i just don't understand things that don't have piano keys. The mono station just broke my mind. I do envy this thing's sequencer though. Sometimes I wish the korg monologue (and many other synths) had a 64-step sequencer built in as opposed to just 16 steps (don't get me started on the korg SQ-1). The tune at 6:40 is so cool! And I loved you subtle post process jokes and little details you threw in in the editing.
Thank you so much!!!
The later versions circuit tracks or circuit rythm have made some great improvements
Yeah, I still have to check them out (maybe not for the show;)
Just noticed that you have 44.1k subscribers. Can't wait for 48k!
Heading for 96k;)
Is it too early to do one on the MC101? I thin kit deserves the bad gear status for the awful patch management and limited synth features. The Circuit at least gives you the option to edit some synth patches without having to pay for an extra app subscription.
MC-101 is on top of my list! Thanks for the suggestion!
Mc-101 is amazing lol. It's just had a pretty steep learning curve. But it makes wonderful noise. I get the zenology pro frustration, but to be fair, it's some great software. And when I purchased mine I get a year of Roland cloud pro for free. When it's up I plan to just buy zenology pro as I actually use it in ableton.
@@Hoodyhoo504 Thats my problem. You can't just "buy" Zenology Pro. It's a sub and I'm not paying Roland a monthly fee for the privilege of editing some synth patches. Especially when something like the circuit does it for free with a web app.
I love your videos man, amazing.
I hope you'll do the MC-808 eventually.
When you mention about how companies release a device one way, then add features to it later as possibly good, possibly bad.
I'd have to say I'm a huge fan of it. I absolutely LOVE hearing about how something I've already bought and paid for is getting a huge feature upgrade. Point in case, the MPC Live.
Man, what that thing started as, and what it's become. I'm blown away.
5:04: Prices for the General Lee have become very tempting. 😁...that 2nd Jam is dope tho.
Wrong car color;)
@@AudioPilz Still just as tempting 😁
Man, I thought this thing sounded like shit, but your ending jam has completely changed my mind. Amazing job
Thank you!!!
I'm now two thirds of the way through this video and...you don't like how the macro knobs don't do the same thing for all patches. Fair enough - though why would you want to waste a macro knob on decay for, say, a xylophone patch? Why would you want a macro knob dedicated to highpass filtering when using a bass patch? I like how the macro knobs on the OGC are patch-specific.
Great for experimenting and if you know all your patches well
I like predictability, myself. But you make a good point.
you can customize the macro's to whatever parameters you want.
Agreed - I quite like that I can turn a knob and listen to the change in sound without concerning myself with what it's actually attached to under the hood 👍 I think it forces me to think more musically about the sounds I want
Would love to see you keep the Novation content rolling and do a video on the Mininova! It's probably the most powerful, in-depth synthesizer I own, but there are so many narrow misses on its interface that leave key parameters stuck behind menu diving.
Thanks! That one is on my list!
I have a circuit, was interested in the two powerful synths derived from the Mininova. Haven't delved into it as much as I should and had trouble integrating it into my DAW setup, but that's just me being a total newbie. I found the sound engines had great fidelity. Apart from being difficult to get a desired sound out of it, it is very powerful. Bought a piece of software that allows full voice creation on the synths well above and beyond the free novation software, it is extremely powerful. Not sure wot all the bitching is about. Again great ep. I agree with what Novation TV are implying - doesn't really deserve a spot on Bad Gear imo.
It's not a reflection on the product or vendor, it's the amount of bitching on the internet that qualifies a product for Bad Gear.
Didn't know about that one, thanks for posting!
Link to the software?
Thanks for reminding me I have this device. I might as well take it for a spin tonight.
Highly recommended!
Man oh man your last two episodes cover gear I own I and actually enjoy. All your complaints about the mpx8 are so true though I just use it basically to trigger random sounds with my hands by loading it with weird samples. It is very picky about the wav files and I tried for like 2 weeks to get it to work with my beat step to no avail. Still use it for weird loops, strange samples often vocal or 8 bit sounds, or just little finger drumming when bored.
The circuit is my first electronic music making gear I ever had that basically gave me faith I could make any form of electronic music, and is the thing I would recommend to anyone wanting to start making dawless music. People like to make it out like people love the circuit but even in it's own fb groups owners of it will talk about how they moved on to new things and then bash it, and I never understood that... it was like the most simplistic thing to use that might not sound the best but is easy to get results
It surprises me how Novation turned it into an extremely powerful tool and still kept the lightness and simplicity alive
@@AudioPilz makes a pretty good sequencer as well
@@AudioPilz incorrect
amazing episode this week. such an interesting little box.
Thank you!!!
I used to like it because of the fun factor. I even got to a point where I was able to sync it up with Reaper and record control changes and session changes. Then it suddenly developed this terrible freak-out issue, where it would completely lock up. The only advice to fix it was to give it a smack. At that point, I couldn't be bothered with it anymore. I'm playing a show and "hold on a second guys, the Circuit needs a quick spanking!" lol
That would be of comedic value, tbh 😂
Great. Your Intro is awesome!
Thanks!
@@AudioPilz You're very welcome! If you dare take a look at my channel. There is a lot of Novation stuff 2! Greetz from Germany! 😉
The bad part of the Circuit was the Kensington lock, the glue that held in the metal plate would fail causing the plate to fly around inside and short out circuits. For me the I never quite liked the synth engine, something they unfortunately didn't update for the newer version.
Didn't know about that issue, thanks for posting!
Ahh yes I fished that little plate out of mine
I didn't buy one until most of the features were added by Novation. Then I also bought a Monostation when it was on sale. I sort of want to get an updated version, but I don't want to dump the old one for next-to-nothing. So adding a Monostation and/or a cheap Circuit OG is a good way to go for more tracks.
Two of them are certainly a powerful combination and you even got a backup in the club;)
I'm currently halfway through this video and you've yet to point out one vaguely negative thing about the Circuit. Where is this leading?
I'm not hating, just reflecting on hate of others...
florian announcing a his new position at novation XD
@@AudioPilz OK then, only mild torture and burning at the stake for you then. I guess the popular criticisms of the OGC were/are "where's the display?" and "Why no onboard audio interface to send stems digitally?" I sorta agree with the latter but totally reject the former.
@@conk971 Ha! That'd be cool - as long as they hired Gabe Miller first though.
Daaaamn YT finally put one of these episodes in my feed shortly after release. Praise the Algorithm!
Wow, great to hear that!!!
7:49 this montage was dope
Thanks!
I gotta admit, the super pristine digital sound was jarring with the extremely lo-fi video montage. I'm not sure if that was deliberate, but you either stumbled upon or architected a way to make my brain explode.
Can you do it again?
Working on it;)
Awesome review. Circuit is my main instrument in my live setup. It has the most fluent workflow and its the only instrument with which I can improvise during my live sets.
And I am talking about 2-3h live sets in front of an audience 😀
Nice! It will be in my future setups too!!!
Now I want to buy 1. Florian, the Moog Subharmonicon - the sound changes after you turn it off and turn it back on apparently. Can you borrow one of those? And the piece of gear with the steepest learning curve, so steep people apparently buyers sell it before learning how to use it, the DSI Tempest. Also pricey, so you can you borrow one of those too?
Great suggestions, thanks!
The groove box that birthed a thousand RUclips channels.
And definitely a missed opportunity to crossover with @bobeats summer of synths
Maybe @bobeats crossover with the Tracks;)
Since I seem to own almost every piece of equipment on your list, can we just get everything over with and do vids on the Alesis HR-16/HR-16B, the Roland JX-1010, the Yamaha REX-50, and a multi-piece review of bass-synth pedals? Maybe even the Yamaha TX81z, which is a classic for the LatelyBass preset but otherwise feels like a good addition to this list.
Nice input, thanks!!!
I was gunna sell my circuit but the rhythm and tracks have too much bugs with polyphony for me. This is a hell of a midi controller though for sequencing. Glad to see you are still out here making controversial videos, fingers crossed for some low polyphony dinosaur synths, keep up the good work!
Thanks!
I brought a circuit to a jam where people had an analog rytm and tr8 on stage... they all turned heads when I dropped a pattern from the circuit.. it holds up to big boy gear with the right samples and tweaks :)
Nice, happy to hear that!
I don’t think I ever owned anything that was so intuitive to use, at its most basic level. As with anything that gets so many upgrades becomes harder to use as they try to cram all the features in to the original UI. I sold mine the week before they upgraded to allow tied notes over multiple patterns, which is why I sold it. 🤷🏼♂️
I can relate to that but I think they were able to strike a balance between ease of use and depth of the sequencer
Hey, very nice video! Van you tell me where you got the video footage at 07:50 - 08:20?
Happy to hear that, thanks! It's some old NASA footage
Love my Launch Pad Pro ❤️❤️❤️🤟🏻🤟🏻
I've yet to try one of these;)
@@AudioPilz it’s so much fun