Korg CV Sequencer And Sync Box SQ1

I’ve used an SQ-1 for a while now, and I’ve just ordered a second. My son already has three of them. And we use them far more than any other sequencers. But I wouldn’t be likely to use them for live gigs – for that I’d go for something like my Beatstep Pro for the ability to reproduce (multiple) full arrangements on cue. The SQ-1 can’t do that, and it is quite fiddly – it’s almost impossible to dial in exactly the notes you want in a hurry and, instead of arrangements of multiple patterns you only get one 16-step or two 8-step patterns. And the manual is just a single page – it tells you what all the controls are for but there’s very little explanation of what you can achieve with them.

On the other hand. First, it’s well-built, feels solid and so far, they’ve all been completely reliable (unlike, say, my BSP). And it’s actually very easy to use when you start getting into it. It’s more about getting hands-on and experimenting. It really doesn’t matter if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing at first, it might even be an advantage in some ways. For example, I switched it on yesterday with no idea what was set up on it. So I connected it up to a little Model D synth – and clicked round playing all the notes in a zig zag pattern first, then first row followed by second row, backwards and forwards pendulum, rows separated (so I only heard one of the two 8-step patterns at a time – I think row two must have been a bassline, with higher notes on row one) and random order (my favourite, especially when I’m using it for modulation). Then I played with the speed, clicked the synth up and down octaves – and, as always, ideas just started falling out of it. Ideas I would never have dreamed of using a standard sequencer. Ideas in spades too – some very weird, some very musical. From there you start changing the odd note here and there, and shaping things more to your taste. Or taking steps out to experiment with different time sigs. And, when you hit on something you really like, it’s easy enough to recreate the sequence in another sequencer or a DAW for re-use.

Plus you can send the outputs to anything you like. So it’s very well suited to a modular environment where you can have your gates routed to clock a Sample & Hold, or use them to trip switches and have CV controlling the speed of an LFO, or modulation intensity (anything with a socket…) rather than just the pitch of a VCO. (Using one row for pitch, and the other for accents – routed to, say, cutoff frequency or envelope intensity – can create a lot of dynamic movement in a simple bassline and funkify it all up) I use it with my Doepfer modular a lot, but it’s also been a particularly good partner for Korg’s MS-20 and Odyssey, Behringer Neutron, MakeNoise 0-Coast, etc.

You can even get sequences to change key – run both rows in parallel, use row one for your basic sequence, then activate one note at a time manually on row two. Add the two CVs, feed that to your oscillators and by changing which step on row two is active, you get key changes. For a low-cost unit that gets you into step sequencing and gives you a wealth of possibilities to explore and experiment with, there’s nothing to beat it. But if you’re used to sequencing on a DAW and expect something similar, you’re more likely to be disappointed.

I don’t understand how this is so affordable. It’s one of the unsung hero’s of so many studios.
It’s like….”if you know…you know”.
Built like a TANK (not plastic) and so easy to use. I use it for making music, but also just as an easy way to test synths, and connections, voltage flow in modular, etc, etc. Perfect studio companion for so many uses.
WELL DONE, KORG.

I have two of these SQ-1s now, and potentially see more of them in my future. They’re affordable, simple, hands-on sequencers that afford quite a bit of flexibility in a small package. The small package is a blessing and a curse, I suppose – the patch panel can be a little cramped, and the knobs are tiny. I have itty little fingers, so the knob size doesn’t exactly bother me, but visualizing the rotation of a given knob is quite difficult. The rubber on/off buttons could stand to be a bit more tactile as well, but they are pretty mashable. Row B is obviously easier to get to, and thus better suited for things that one may wish to change on-the-fly.

The sequencer runs in a few different modes. You can do some random step selection and some back-and-forth stuff, but the primary modes in my opinion are: two sequences of 1-8 steps, one sequence of 9-16 steps, or one sequence of 1-8 steps with either variable duty cycle or variable slide. Voltage settings (1, 2, 5, or 8 lin) and quantizing (off, minor, major, chromatic) are set on a per-sequence basis, so you can (for example) feed an MS-20 mini w/ an 8v quantized melody sequence while also controlling a linear 5v clock multiplier.

Sync in/out works flawlessly between units, and integrates well enough with other equipment also. Sync out is 5v, and while the manual does not seem to specify what sync in needs, I would guess it expects 5v as well, and I have had to amplify LFOs and such to get a reliable sync. I have not and likely will not use these boxes for MIDI, so cannot comment there.

There are only a few global settings that require a cheat sheet, everything one would need to know for actual sequencing/performance is very clearly labeled on the panel. This makes the whole thing very easy to use, and very immediate feeling. While the knobs are knobs and are obviously not reset on power-down, the on/off states of the buttons in their various modes is not saved, which can be a minor inconvenience. Sequence settings (Voltage/quantization) are saved.

All in all, I love these little sequencers. I have thought about tossing a Ryo Penta or something in my rack, but for the cost of a cheap ‘extra’ sequencer, I can ultimately just keep adding SQ-1s. The cost of these little boxes truly belies their utility.

Simplemente conecta, asegúrate de que tus canales MIDI están correctos y en menos de 5 minutos estarás disfrutando. Lo más divertido no es programarlo, es tocarlo en vivo.