Retrokits RK008 - midi recorder/sequencer

Not sure…

no sign of it shipping yet

just found an email I had missed, as of Feb 20 they were hoping to have it shipping in a few weeks.

Also they were expanding the software, but no detail of how.

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From the specs it looks way more fully fledged than the Bastl MIDI looper - which I own.

I’m really interested in the feature-rich RK008. But somehow I also like the simplicity of the BML. Not so many buttons, easy shortcuts, etc. I sometimes feel 3 channels are not enough, but on the other hand it forces me to keep things simple.

For now I live happy with the Bastl looper (which has become central in my setup), but I’m looking forward to seeing how people like the Retrokits looper.

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Same, no shipping email yet.

I have the BML. Can’t really compare it fully since I don’t have the Rk 008 yet but I will report back when I do.

I also fell in love with the simplicity of the BML but found it hard to integrate into a larger setup. I was originally worried it would be hard to navigate and would have too many shortcuts, but Bastl really nailed that. It’s really easy and fun to use, so the rk 008 has a pretty steep hill to climb in that department.

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Yeah, I forgot to mention I had to resort to two MIDI Solution converters to fully integrate the BML in my setup. Doing so, I was pleasantly surprised that it could handle as much as 4 different inputs and as many outputs without any problem.

Anyway, from what I know of the RK008, you would also need MIDI boxes to handle more than the 2X inputs/outputs it features.

shipping notification email has arrived!

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Ah yes. I have heard they are going to have it USB midi compatible with the rk 006. If you aren’t aware it is reteokits trs midi merger/splitter/USB midi hub with 2 ins and 10 outs

I own an Rk 006 so I am so excited about this. If I understand it correctly, you essentially just connect the two via USB and the Rk 008 becomes a 4 in 12 out trs midi beast. :crossed_fingers: You can still add a USB hub on them to add USB midi devices into the mix

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Hey hey, sounds good…

Seems shipments are on the move - due imminently to a doormat near you!

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Yea, I got the shipping email also!! So pumped

Looking forward to hearing what you think of it

just received the shipment! I just found that this little thing also can be battery powered.

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Congrats! Let the video come… :wink:

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If any of y’all have a Linnstrument or another MPE controller, I’d love to know how well it works with looping MPE.

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it’s here!!!
Probably won’t get a chance to really mess with it until the weekend
My only impression so far, smaller and lighter than expected. Even with a battery it feels like holding nothing at all.

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Mine is stuck halfway… so courier has been tantalising with nearly there messages.

Nice that it is so slim. Hoping it lives up to its promise as the ultimate simplicity in undistracting midi riff looping.

Me too.

Posting mine on reverb for the next week before i return it to Retrokits in case someone has the same cant wait syndrome i suffer from.

Hello there!

So?

Any first hand feedback on this?

What’s fun about this thing, what’s not?

Care to share?

I like it.
Super tiny, works great with the nokia battery in.

Unsurprisingly, it is really down to workflow.

Does exactly what it says on the tin - want to play a keyboard and make improvisational midi loops and retakes with a really small brain to capture it all across channels that you can jump between easily - it is by design very undistracting as one click and it’s doing it - 10/10 if that’s what you want.
Plus it has a decent selection of tools to correct or adjust what you’ve played. No editing but that’s not what it’s meant to be for.

My use case is connecting it up to my old electric piano in another room and noodling around. If I make something I like using a few channels and I can then head back to my ‘studio’ and use the tracks with swanky vsts or whatever.

I expect others might get more mileage at having it as a centrepiece with a number of devices and making a multi-track midi jam in an organic way with no screen in front of them and just doing it by ear.
It is anti-daw and of course based on the MMT8 so a tried and tested cut-to-the-chase approach.

I expect it has other interesting uses sitting beside the likes of any multi-track midi sequencer that might be awkward to export from to capture midi output in a handy way, or as a replayer for a performance.

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