Sequencer vs recorder

joey2000

New member
Keyboards for dummies question: for all intents and purposes, what's the (practical) diff? I get that a sequencer is recording the MIDI data, not the sounds themselves, but if I record something with a keyboard's sequencer or with its recorder and play it back, it would be the same...is the only diff that with the sequencer I can capture and edit it because it's MIDI and not recording the actual sounds? If so, what's the advantage to having a recorder?
 
A sequencer can be a recorder, also. But, its either MIDI, or, audio you work with. With a arranger/workstation-type keyboard, you can do about everything with the MIDI sequencer. You've got a song sequencer, as opposed to a couple bars of on/off switches repeating itself

I don't have anything that will record audio, but its probably out there.

Working with a DAW, I want tracks for MIDI and the Audio
 
A sequencer only works with midi. As soon as you want to add vocals or other nonmidi instruments, you need a recorder.
 
A sequencer just runs through some ordered programming - like on a LP record. In the synth world, its just switching like on this old Korg;
1200px-Korg_SQ-10.JPG


With MIDI, they got around to making straight-out recorders. Like with my Korg SQD-1, the REC button is right there : )
$_1.JPG


So, that is, basically, a song sequencer vs a pattern sequencer. A recorder is, usually, MIDI
 
I kind of doubt that is the type of sequencer he was talking about.

Modern keyboards and old keyboards aren't strangers over here. I just don't have any analog (only) sequencers as I love my MIDI. I will be getting the $100 Korg analog sequencer they introduced for the Volca series as I slowly creep into budget Modular, but no rush on that. Outside of MIDI, one can use the LFO to trigger another OSC as a simple sequencer. On my Kastle, on the lower right, there is patch pin out for LFO square and triangle wave out. That is old school sequencing
img_0290.jpg


EDIT; In the context, we make the Low Frequency OSC into the Beat generator - sequentially triggering your kick, or, snare, etc..
 
But again, what does any of that have to do with the original post/question?

We all understand that you have a vast collection of equipment that most people on this board never knew existed, but for this person asking this question in that context, a 40 year old analog sequencer, or its modern cousin is not what he is referring to.
 
I told him in message #2 that a sequencer can be a recorder

Message #3 says this;
"A sequencer only works with midi. As soon as you want to add vocals or other nonmidi instruments, you need a recorder."

Un-informed response
 
You are fighting with a mix of old and new terms. A sequencer used to just record, manipulate and replay MIDI - in from a keyboard, then out to a variety of other keyboards, synths and samplers. Nobody called them digital workstations. Then (using Cubase for me) the latest version recorded MIDI and Audio - audio in from the sound card, then via the sound card, out again. I had 16 channels of digital audio from two 8 channel Soundscape cards - and at first it recorded and played - then did some eq, then sends, using the 16 in and 16 out - so you used your old fashioned analogue interface. Then they started making plug-ins and you could do stuff inside the computer. My cubase system is still a sequencer, it's now a DAW too, and probably a recorder, although I've never called it that. If you buy a modern workstation, you can do it however you like.

As for keyboards that record - my Korg does it. It has a record button, and apparently I can even plug a mic into it. No idea how it works because Cubase does all these things better. None of my kind of audio recording and editing would be possible on a keyboard.
 
I told him in message #2 that a sequencer can be a recorder

Message #3 says this;
"A sequencer only works with midi. As soon as you want to add vocals or other nonmidi instruments, you need a recorder."

Un-informed response
I used the terms he used, as he used them, so he could easily understand the response. By the very nature of his question, he doesn't realize that most platforms these days do both, so you rarely have to choose between the two.
 
I used the terms he used, as he used them, so he could easily understand the response. By the very nature of his question, he doesn't realize that most platforms these days do both, so you rarely have to choose between the two.

Well, the term IS the Roland term. If they used Recorder, they can do that. They also have sequencers they just call sequencers. On the fp-30 ( I think) at a bargain price, they just have a basic MIDI recorder. There is no 14-track like on my Casio,.I almost bought my first Roland last year, the JD-Xi. I told my friend in Germany it was in my cart but I will think on it for a day. hahaha It's still a very sexy keyboard and a 4-track pattern sequencer is still useful (if you don't have one)

Someone recently just mentioned their old Cubase and sequencing on the Atari 520. I think the early Tomita stuff had to be all programming ?
 
Like I said, I was trying to communicate with him as he understands the concepts.

Everything mentioned in this thread records something, so they are all technically recorders of some sort. He was making the distinction between a sequencer and a "recorder", it was obvious what he meant.

Do you really think that going on about 40 year old analog sequencers is actually going to help this guy out?
 
I'm saying Roland calls his sequencer a recorder. Most MFG can say 7-track sequencer and we know this is for composing a tune with seven parts. He is thinking at the time of the post that the usage of sequencer and recorder are the same, but wants the lowdown;

"but if I record something with a keyboard's sequencer or with its recorder and play it back, it would be the same"...
 
I told him in message #2 that a sequencer can be a recorder
Only in the broadest sense and I think it's obvious that's not what I'm talking about, as Farview correctly realized.

Message #3 says this;
"A sequencer only works with midi. As soon as you want to add vocals or other nonmidi instruments, you need a recorder."

Un-informed response
No, that would describe your replies. Note this is in the keyboards section and it's how I started out my post, so it's clearly not about sequencers in general or in a broad sense, but those which record MIDI and are used with (and often built into) keyboards.

But I'm not faultless here as I wasn't clear that I was talking in terms of recording only the keyboard, not vocals or other instruments. This question came about as I'm looking at keyboards and wondering how important either a sequencer and/or recorder might be in my purchase decisions.
 
Like I said, I was trying to communicate with him as he understands the concepts.

Everything mentioned in this thread records something, so they are all technically recorders of some sort. He was making the distinction between a sequencer and a "recorder", it was obvious what he meant.

Do you really think that going on about 40 year old analog sequencers is actually going to help this guy out?
That clearly doesn't matter. No worries, I've got the garww filter on now :)
 
I don't think I was confused. It's the same question from 30-years ago.

I considered he may have been thinking about keyboards with sampling, but I don't think he has gone anywhere close to that

A sequencer may, or, may not be important to you, but you can have all the composition parts right there depending on how sophisticated it is. If you just want to free form noodle around, a simple beat sequencer might do.

A regular song sequencer will just record MIDI 'til it runs out of memory. A lot of the newer stuff, more so with synths, will be an extended pattern sequencer that you can play onto as a record function. It still has 16 lights that light up as it goes through the pattern

So, my Casio has two rows of eight lights - probably a pattern sequencer
My toy Yamaha featuring the Yamaha Grand has none of that, but a transport and track and song selection - probably a song sequencer
 
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