ohhh that’s super exciting. yeah, sometimes it just takes thinking about an instrument on its terms rather than comparing it with the functionality in other things.
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It’s interesting, I submitted a feature request mid November asking for per drum-lane and per automation lane, length and/or elasticity. Jean from Squarp responded and said that it’s not possible due to the Hapax architecture.
Since then, I’ve seen several forum comments hinting that it may happen. The optimist in me is over here hoping that you’re a beta tester and this is an upcoming feature that you’re teasing. I don’t believe in prayer or manifesting destiny, but I’m like 100% trying to will this into existence. Lets go!
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Me neither, I’ll join in as well, though.
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sorry to disappoint, but i’m not a beta tester and i have no idea what their plans are regarding those kind of features!
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Don’t worry, reality won’t be able to withstand our combined power of thought. I can feel it happen.
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Ah so drum lanes can’t have different lengths within each track? If you wanted a snare track length to be 12 steps long and a kick to be 16 you’d have to use multiple tracks?
Edit: Been digging into the Squarp forum and this seems to be the case for sure. I guess using multiple tracks is the way to go. Good thing you have lots of tracks!
This isn’t going to be the all in one solution that gets me off the Oxi though. I was excited about the larger screen / seemingly better UX, but there are some killer Oxi features that are missing here. Will keep following for sure though!
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new firmware (1.13) is out today with some bug fixes, and a few other things.
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Many other gear threads on here are very active but this one seems quiet…. And this is a recently released item.
Why do you think that is? I’ve seen people say Hapax is better than a Cirklon so you’d think people would be taking a lot here…
Is something wrong with Hapax?
The Squarp forum is more active and the place to talk about it, I think. Also the Hapax is fun to play with, so less need to go procrastinate in a forum. 
And obviously it doesn’t make sounds, so not as inviting to post demos.
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I’m enjoying my Hapax a lot.
PROS
- Lots of great UI thought went into it, very very quick to navigate and get done what you need to get done.
- Easy to name and manage projects
- Great workflow enhancements like undo, copy, paste, clear…very well implemented
- tons of ins and outs…including a USB host port that works great.
- never had a sequencer before with Ableton-style session view and clip launching. It’s lovely.
CONS
- mute buttons are tiny, way better to rely on clip launching matrix to just play cue up and blank patterns when you want to mute
- all the buttons are really kind of squishy. I’m downright spoiled by Native Instruments Maschine…the grippy, rubberized buttons with perfectly balanced clicking feedback should be the industry standard. Or nice 1980s clicky 909 keys.
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honestly other than a few quibbles here and there about functionality (would prefer to have an arranger view in Song Mode rather than just launching muted/unmuted patterns sequentially) there’s not much to talk about from a new user’s perspective at the moment. Squarp seems to have built on their years of experience developing Pyramid in designing Hapax, so it’s already pretty refined even in its first iteration. basically if you got on with Pyramid, Hapax is largely that same workflow but made easier with the grid layout
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Bought one today as last purchase for while to glue my studio together since the Cirklon wait list is 3 years and I need more tracks on one sequencer than what I currently have in my setup.
that is fantastic as I came from an Ableton Push controller setup before going DAWless and enjoyed that a great deal. Looking forward to my Hapax when it arrives early next year.
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I’ve had Hapax for a few months now and not really used it much due to life, procrastination and fear of not being able to use it, as it seems overly complex at first. I have this relationship with most gear that I buy - of course this is all in my head!
This Christmas I dedicated a day to watching tutorials from Loopop, Red Means Recording and Technobear, and actually USING the Hapax whilst learning to ensure it sinks in.
I just realised how powerful and actually relatively straight forward this thing is to use, even with a complex set up. Not sure I’ll use any in-built sequencers again from any of my existing kit, as Hapax is that good.
The only element I need to get focused on is midi definition files. I wish Squarp had them available to download for most mainstream hardware, or at least have a detailed video explaining how to create them. I know there are quite a few definition files on the Squarp forum, but some don’t work and most of my kit isn’t covered there.
I’m sure I’ll get over it and figure it out 
Here’s a pic of my set-up. I’ve got a Sherman Filterbank on order, and then the final piece of the jigsaw 
(), the Waldorf Iridium, will come in the next few months.
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definition files are created by users, not Squarp. a template is available in the Hapax manual, so if you are familiar with your gear’s various parameters you might be in the best position to create one for other users (it’s coding tho):
Instrument Definitions
Intro
Instrument Definitions are a fast and easy way to setup a track to work with a given instrument. Here is a non-exhaustive list of their features:
- Give CCs names
- Set the input and output MIDI port and channel
- Set up the drum lanes of a drum track
- Give PCs names (to save your favourite presets)
- Create empty automation lanes
Instrument Definitions are UTF-8 encoded text files, with the “.txt” file extension.
They should be stored in the HAPAX folder of the SD card, alongside the projects.
How they work
The file is broken up into several sections, e.g. one for naming CCs, one for setting up drum lanes, etc. Each section contains keywords, known as commands, followed by values to set a given property.
Almost all commands are optional, and most values can be set to not overwrite the current state of the track with the keyword “NULL”. Note: This can be particularly useful to reuse an instrument definition where the channel or port might regularly change from project to project.
All text to the right of a ‘#’ character are comments, and have no effect.
The syntax is quite simple, and self-documented in the examples below.
Download examples
The following examples are heavily commented to document the syntax of Instrument Definitions.
All commands and sections are there, but are empty or NULL.
Drum track setup, CC definitions, DUAL CC definitions (14bit CC), PC, assigns and automation.
CC definitions, PC
Example 3 : Novation Circuit Tracks (synth1)
CC definitions, NRPN definitions
Drum track setup, CC definitions, PC
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Thanks Chris, I’ve read the manual and seen the templates. I understand that users need to create these files, but it would be great if Squarp made some to make it easier for users.
The coding comes across as being quite complicated. I appreciate that I need to spend some dedicated time to understand this properly.
Cheers
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They’re really simple to throw together, just a bunch of lists of values - if you grab one of the examples/one for another instrument, it’s pretty easy (but tedious) to replace the details with the ones for your gear. It’s a really worthwhile investment though, it really streamlines the workflow of using Hapax in your setup. There’s also this git repository which has a bunch, possibly some of your gear is on here? https://github.com/endlesscoil/hapax-instruments
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Thanks very much for the guidance and GitHub link, that’s really helpful, kind sir. Totally agree at how it streamlines everything, so I’m motivated to learn this process. It’s just seeing code and mind over matter stuff etc.
cheers!
Thanks @Jimbo for this. I also have a complicated relationship with my gear, and even my whole studio setup. I love having the studio and everything in there, but sometimes fear using it (them). My partner reminds me that I am (sometimes furiously) impatient with bad UI design. I expect stuff to work in an intuitive way and when it doesn’t (looking at you OT), I become frustrated and eventually bored. I do not fear complexity. I loathe unnecessary difficulty.
For the Hapax, if you want a really straightforward and basic set of tutorials, I highly recommend checking the ones that Ron Cavagnaro did. Ron Cavagnaro’s Hapax VideosThe Loopop, RMR and Technobear are great videos for all the things the Hapax can do. Ron’s videos, while lacking the polish and depth of the others, very clearly tells you HOW to do some of the basic but truly awesome things the Hapax can do. I just followed along, repeating everything he did, and in 2-3 hours over a couple of days, finally felt like I knew how I wanted to use it. I am completely comfortable now using the sequencing tools of the Hapax and like you, the only things I haven’t delved into (but will) are the instrument definition and automation.
Last thing–as to UI gripes (above), far and away THE BEST SYNTH UI I have seen in 25 years of playing with synths is the Waldorf Iridium. A close second is the Hydrasynth. The workflow, immediacy of features and feedback, especially given the depth of this machine makes it truly inspiring to use. This is my way of saying: “good choice on ordering the Iridium.”
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Thanks so much for your comments. I saw the Ron C video briefly but haven’t watch it yet - will certainly check this out.
I sold my second OT a few weeks ago - I knew how to use it but it seriously lacked immediacy, especially in such a complex studio environment. I ended up getting an MPC One instead for sampling duties.
I’m glad you say the things you have about Iridium, as I get good feelings about this synth. I’d considered the Hydra, but believe Iridium will be the better all-rounder. The only issue is that I’m totally out of space, so will need to pole mount it on a VESA mount. I’m also running out of midi ins and outs on the iConnectivity MioXL!
First world problems.
update : the Ron Cavagnaro videos are very helpful indeed. Thanks again @michaeljk1963 !