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“Step Up” with the SQ-64 Polyphonic Sequencer

Korg’s SQ-64 Polyphonic Sequencer: A Brief Overview

Description
The SQ-64 is an incredibly powerful and compact polyphonic step sequencer with amazing hands-on intuitive controls and deep editing options to give you all the flexibility and sequencing power needed for all your musical projects. With its 64 step pad matrix, crystal-clear OLED display, sturdy and elegant aluminum body, a wealth of connections and a variety of modes and features, the SQ-64 will become the central piece of your music studio providing total and seamless control over all your instruments.
Well Connected
Despite its compact size, the SQ-64 has unparalleled connectivity and will allow you to easily control, connect and make the most of all your analog and digital gear. MIDI IN (x1) and OUT (x2), micro USB type B, Sync IN & OUT, 3 Melody tracks each with MODULATION, PITCH and GATE outputs and a DRUM track with 8 individual trigger outputs for controlling analog synths, Eurorack and drum machines.
Each of the Melody tracks (x3) has 16 Patterns of up to 64 steps each, and the Drum track (x1) has 16 Sub-tracks also with up to 64 steps each, that can be played, chained and edited in a variety of ways. Melody tracks and patterns can be edited in several modes (GATE, PITCH and MODULATION) so you can alter the information sent by your sequencer on each of these steps in many interesting ways. The DRUM track outputs can be fine-tuned to match the polarity and voltage of your connected device(s).
Its audio Sync In & Out connections will allow you to seamlessly control all your other Korg gear such as the volca synthesizer series, minilogue, monologue, minilogue xd, prologue and many others.
One to Rule The All
Whether you are into analog synths, Eurorack semi-modular synths, digital drum machines, or do everything on your DAW with digital plugins, the SQ-64 will give you instant and precise hands-on control of each and all of these.
The SQ-64 has 64 beautifully LED-lit step button pads that not only let you see the whole picture at once, but also allow for super-fast and satisfactory editing with its encoder knobs and dedicated mode buttons that will simplify and speed up your workflow. Each step has graduated lighting; the higher the modulation value, the stronger the button lights up to give you a clear visual on what’s going on in the sequence.
The OLED Display is crystal clear, bright and visible from any angle, so you can have access to all the information you need no matter whether you are making music at home, in the studio or playing live.
The 3 melody tracks include a MODULATION output, so every step on your sequence can be creating complex modulations on your gear of choice, greatly expanding your options and possibilities for sound creation. It's easy to create polyphonic chords patterns, melodies, complex poly-rhythms and modulations on the fly and record them as data on each of the 64 project slots available.
Real-time Control
The SQ-64 won’t just allow you to create incredible sequences; it packs several features and modes that will let you edit on the fly and play any of your gear real-time.
The 64-pad Matrix can be also be used as a keyboard, allowing for several layouts to be used for maximum flexibility (several scales can be assigned to any of these and a number of other parameters can be easily changed)
Keys: Your traditional piano layout
Isomorphic: the notes are displayed symmetrically in rows, you can easily transpose the same chord pattern up and down without changing its shape
Octaves: one scale displayed in 3 different octaves on each row
Go Deep
With its powerful built-in Arpeggiator you can easily bring to life and create interesting patterns out of any of your soft plug-ins, analog or digital synths, for immediate inspiration.
Break free with 4 alternative sequence playback modes. Reverse, Bounce, Random and Stochastic can be selected independently and on the fly to each track to add variety and intrigue.
All your patterns can also be freely chained and looped, making this the ultimate device for machine live.
Sleek, Rugged Design
Despite its wide array of features, controls and connections, the SQ-64 is just 18 mm thick (38 mm including the knobs and rubber legs) and is housed in a highly portable and elegant yet robust solid aluminum body that will provide years of reliable service. The SQ-64 sequencer is powered through USB or external 9V DC adaptor, a choice of power options offer both versatility and flexibility.



Features
- Four sequencing parts; the last part being 16-channel D-Sub for drum module/single note triggering
- Audio Sync Feature-daisy chain with other KorgSynth products for seamless time-based syncing
- User-friendly interface – all switches intelligently light to show you what’s going on
- OLED screen shows you all values on a crisp, neat display.
Specs
- Four-part Note, Mod and CV/Gate Sequencer
- D-Sub Part provides 8 parts of CV and 8 MIDI notes
- 3x Pitch, Gate and Mod out
- Pitch, Gate, and Mod for each part A –C
- MIDI I/O/O (2 dedicated outs) + Audio Sync I/O
- 64 LED-backlit soft touch buttons
- Project Memory; save and recall all your sequences
- Keyboard mode – play and record in real time
- Supports all standard voltages and can be biased as well
- All-aluminum chassis; solid desktop design
Reviews
2.8
5 Reviews
40%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend
- improvising1
- sequencing1
- Paper weight1
- Trash1
- Difficult To Use3
- Not Functional2
- Poor Quality2
- steep learning curve1
- Bad manual1
- Experienced3
- Professional Musician2
- Functional2
- Good Quality2
- Easy To Use1
- improved workflow1
Reviewed by 5 customers
Almost returned... So glad I did not.
submitted3 years ago
byBrendan
fromModesto
So I spent about a day fiddling with this device and almost returned it because I could not even get a sound out of abelton live while following a review. However, once I updated the firmware, it worked like a charm. It is super powerful and I am learning more and more everyday.
Overlooked…not sure why.
submitted3 years ago
byLeo
fromChicago
I am not sure why people criticize this sequencer. It's amazing. I would much rather use this over the Arturia alternatives. I mean it's polyphonic on every channel. The form factor is compact yet fluid and like any other device, I don't care what it is, there is a small learning curve but once you get the handle of it…damn it's good!
A complete disaster
submitted4 years ago
byEric
fromSan Fransisco, CA
If you're using a eurorack or synths or something maybe you'll like this, because maybe it'll actually work for you. Personally, I'm a computer musician, and this may as well be a brick with a cable plugged into it as far as I'm concerned. The way this thing syncs MIDI is horrible, terrible, awful, worthless, useless, offensive... pick your word. This isn't my first sequencer and I found that I was able to figure out about 75% of the features right away so it's not like I'm just incompetent. The manual is bad but not as bad as many reviews online say. It's really the product itself that's bad and the manual just reflects that same laziness, lack of effort, and smug disdain for the customer. You can program all the songs you want on this garbage, you'll never be able to record it into your DAW even CLOSE to accurate. Make a simple 4 on the floor drum pattern and this thing will have the first note hit twice, the second note hit a full beat late, the third note hit a full beat early, the last note hit halfway between.... you get the idea. I have probably spent a good 10-20 hours since I got this thing just SOLELY focused on trying to get it to record even close to accurately in any DAW or software known to man. Can't be done. I'm sorry I wasted time learning how to use it and make sequences before testing this. In my mind it was simply beyond the realm of possibility that they'd do such a terrible job on the most basic functions of a sequencer. Korg used to be a company that made good products many many many many years ago, so I wouldn't have thought they'd sell me something that on the most basic fundamental level does not work. I was wrong. The song AKA pattern chain mode does not work at all either. The arp mode is really a strum mode, but they implemented it in the laziest way possible with very little customizability. It's a hassle to navigate menus. The software editor for control mode sucks. You can't offset individual chord notes and recording live into it has no editing or quantizing capabilities, you either get the perfect take first try or you're out of luck. There are a lot of other gripes I could list but none of them really matter because the sync timing on this is just such a complete disaster that if they fixed everything else bad about this device it would still be completely unusable unless you're trying to make, I dunno, experimental outsider art style random arhythmic noise music. I've used sequencers before, never had a problem recording Arturia Keystep 37, for example, sequences into a DAW. This thing.... wow wow wow. If you use hardware synths, maybe it'll work. I can't test that. But if you are a computer musician and make music in a DAW you'd have to be a complete sucker to buy this product. Cherry on top? Had to e-mail Korg customer support five times for them to reply to me once and all they had to say was "read the manual." lmao ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I will never buy a Korg product again, I been burned too many times now. It's taken a lot of restraint for me to return this product and get my money back... I feel like running over it with my car or smashing it with an aluminum bat. It'd work just as well afterwards as it did before.
Barely works at all
submitted4 years ago
byEric
fromsaint louis
WOW is the sync on this thing off. I've spent hours and hours trying to get it to sync right with any DAW and am convinced that it can't be done. This thing is such a nightmare, clearly an unfinished half-product rushed out by apathetic developers. Save yourself the headache. Awful!!
Eh…
submitted5 years ago
byJake O.
fromPasadena ca
Has a steep learning curve. Constantly have to change midi channels when using external keyboard. Too many sub menus. Manual is very cryptic.
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