u/Independent_Fan525

Curious to hear from people doing DAWless production: would you use an arranger as a multi-timbral sound module, or would you still prefer several dedicated synths/grooveboxes ?

I've been wondering about this for a while.

We spend quite a bit on synths, grooveboxes and sound modules for DAWless setups, but modern arranger keyboards can have 1,000–1,600+ voices, drum kits, effects, multiple MIDI channels and a huge variety of usable sounds in one box. Yet I rarely see arrangers being used as multi-timbral sound modules in DAWless sequencing setups.

So I decided to try it.

I connected my Yamaha arranger keyboard to GrooviXBox, the standalone MIDI sequencer I've been building, and started sequencing the Yamaha externally selecting sounds and using it alongside the rest of my MIDI gear.

It made me wonder: why don't more people use arranger keyboards this way ?
Is it because of MIDI implementation, workflow, sound quality, the size of the keyboards, or simply because arrangers are marketed toward a completely different audience?

The video shows my setup and how I'm sequencing the Yamaha from GrooviXBox.

 Hi all. I've been working on my next project GrooviXBox V2, a MIDI step sequencer . It runs on a Raspberry Pi (or any Linux machine) and uses an APC mini mk2 as the pad grid and an Akai MIDI Mix as the fader surface for CC control. Just off the shelf hardware. If you already own those, you already have the hardware.  I wanted most of the features of the expensive standalone sequencers without the cost, tiny screens or menu diving.

What it does

- 32 tracks × 32 patterns, up to 256 steps per pattern
- Chords of up to 4 notes per step, on a scale-aware keyboard on the bottom half of the grid
- Per-step velocity, gate (a sixth of a step up to a full bar) and ratchets
- Per-step probability (6–100%) and micro-timing, including exact triplet positions
- Swing, plus a per-track arpeggiator (7 modes, 1/8 to 1/64T, 1–4 octaves)
- Pattern switching you can play live, 32 scenes that launch on the next bar, and a song mode that chains scenes
- 8 MIDI output ports with a channel per track
- 512 pre-sets per track ( Bank Switch with Program Change )
- Sends MIDI clock or follows an external one (INT / AUTO / EXT)
- Faders and knobs send configurable CCs
- 512 project slots

What It does not do

- No sound engine. It's a sequencer that drives your synths and drum machines over MIDI.

I'd really like feedback, especially from people who use hardware sequencers every day. What do you think is missing ?

My Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@GrooviXLabs

HI,

I see most producers calling auto generated music as slop. I was wondering when sample based synths came along and a producer could generate any instrument be it guitars , Violin, flute , Trumpet or any instrument, by just "pushing buttons on a keyboard". Did the contemporary musicians who spent decades learning the nuances of playing each instrument react the same way as the producers are doing now ?

The same is true for Drummers, when drum machine came along you no longer needed the drummers. Of course Drum machine was "Not Human" was "Robotic" did not have "Soul" etc all the stuff we hear now about generated music.

I remember old time music composers used to employ so many people , one person for each instrument like for just a cowbell :) etc.

Just wondering , How everyone overcame the Criticism , please chime in.

Hi DJs,

I am aware that DJs hate automation and would like to do things manually and by ear. If there were to be a software that would allow you to automate your mixes live , where you are still in control of the set and choose what comes next each time, but don't want to keep fiddling the knobs and focus on creative talent side of things.

What keys would you midi map on a controller to those functions , would it be the Pads and crossfader . So if you feel the mix needs a Tempo (120-125) , LF and MId transition , How would you prefer to toggle those (say using the pads) and proceed with the transition (say using the crossfader) ?

I wanted to understand how such a workflow would look like . Would love some feed back.

Thanks