Retrokits RK008 - midi recorder/sequencer

The Lounge Other Gear
#61

This an a Torso T-1 would be an awesome combo i think

#62

Yes, no, maybe . Possibly.

Quite a long response ā€¦ in general your correct. Iā€™ve had pyramid, other sequencers , use a daw , mostly elektron and inbuilt sequencers ( 303, 101 etc ) ā€¦
I have too much gear atm , not sure I need this but as more details are announce Iā€™ll keep an eye on it.
I have one of their midi cables. , the company produce nice things.

I presume you know elektron boxes can do midi chords and control midi ccs etc ā€¦ not limited to mono ā€˜note only ā€˜ basslines

#63

All notes in a chord on Elektron sequencers have the same start point and the same velocity, though. Theyā€™re also step sequencers, you can get finer resolution by setting a track to double tempo for example, still theyā€™ll record only onto steps with microtiming. Thatā€™s where a linear sequencer has an advantage. They record exactly what you played, when you played it.

But you can also record and playback cc automation, not quantized to steps.

#64

Sure , I get that.
Iā€™ve been ok for 25+ yrs ā€¦ Iā€™m ok
Letā€™s see how this develops.

1 Like
#65

Of course, but Iā€™m specifically talking about strummed chords with slight offsets and different velocities, not chords played with all notes hitting at the identical moment with the same velocity. Elektron machines are pretty simplistic poly sequencers in this specific way, and yeah I used to use multiple MIDI tracks with micro timed notes to work around this limitation (and still do sometimes), but then youā€™re programming, not playing. Not saying thatā€™s necessarily bad but it is very different.

Also yes Elektron boxes can do MIDI CC, but only if you configure ahead of time on the Elektron machine itself, and the changes are stepped, not smooth. If you want to turn a knob on an external synth and have that turn recorded, an Elektron is not the tool for the job (at least not the ones I own, maybe some of them do have this ability but Iā€™m not aware of them). Itā€™s a pretty large distinction in my experience (my setup is Elektron boxes in combination with two Bastl Midiloopers). Not trying to debate you or anything, just clarifying why this might be useful for you.

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#66

midi fx suite please

#67

They will probably tell you to get this

Then download MIDI apps/FX whatever from here

#68

yeah, not gonna be able to do thatā€¦ I need convenience

#69

There are a lot of RK-002 users here who can help.

I could be wrong too - maybe theyā€™ll design the RK-008 to also load those RK-002 apps.

Donā€™t forget they also have the hub

1 Like
#70

RK-008 appears in latest BoBeats video, andā€¦

it does have the step sequencer

Roland SP-404 Mk2
#71

I think all we know for sure is that note entry (with velocity) can be done in step mode. Not sure about correcting or replacing notes in a sequence. However one of the videos illustrates selectively erasing one CC within a whole track, so note editing might possibly (I guess ?) be a hidden feature.

#73

Not sure everyone would agree about ā€˜fully fledgedā€™ but title amended.

2 Likes
#74

This is where you subscribe to news on the RK008:

(donā€™t think this has been linked so far)

1 Like
#75

Oh neat, itā€™s also a USB midi host.

#76

when will this launch? is there an early manual somewhere?

#77

Iā€™ve been hoping for the same thing, a manual or more detailed specs. I think I remember from one of the videos that we shouldnā€™t expect it this year. I donā€™t think theyā€™d even finalised the case design at the time of the show.

#78

i really hope they can produce enough. the rk005 was sold out quickly.

1 Like
#79

From retrokits:

still pushing for January for the first batch

3 Likes
#80

There is now.

Weā€™ve whipped up a first and incomplete draft, you can look at it here: https://retrokits.com/rk008/RK008_manual_beta.pdf

(From Facebook)

3 Likes
#82

wow!

We have 16 Songs which each can hold up to 100 Parts and each Part contains eight Tracks.

MODE
Sets the RK008 in Part or Songstep mode. In Part mode you can record your musical Parts, in Songstep mode you can chain these Parts together.

LOOP
Depending on the RK-008 MODE state, LOOP will repeat current Part or the current Songstep.

it does exactly what i want. instant purchase.

moreover,

Look forward to hearing more about step-edit mode, this is what I was hoping for.
Retrokits
it is basically inputting notes which then automatically advances the playhead by a given timebase. You can enter any (multiple) midi event you want at a given time and it will auto advance e.g a 32th note or a 16th, 8th, triplet,ā€¦ for you to enter the next midi event. Easy for entering hihats - or maybe more advanced: precisely timed volume or program changes.