composer pro [canceled]

[jasonw22]

Very intriguing!

Early discussion on lines and elsewhere and I’m already hearing wishes for more audio i/o, and I imagine the wishes for cv/gate will pipe up too (oh hey, there I did it).

It’s a prototype right now? Any chance for hardware changes based on feedback?

Really exciting, can’t wait to see this develop!

[gminorcoles]

I recently bought an MPC 4000 after trying the MPC live and I did not like it. I also have some MIDI loopers and plenty of DAW-based sequencing using the piano roll in FL Studio, Logic, Live or Reaper.

I would try the composer pro if it had, instead of all the step buttons, a touchscreen the size of what is now the entire button area, and a piano roll or some other sequence editing interface that allows to choose the level of quantization - from “step” up to 980 ppqn or so. This change would facilitate different styles of music and workflows.

Also, how many step/pattern sequencers have rolled out the last couple of years? I know that piano roll or whatever the word is, is a dirty word in hardware, but I find it odd that people want to make just straight grids of music ( I myself do this a lot, but by choice - I can also edit things to sound completely natural, to the naked ear).

The MPC live attempts to bridge this gap and almost makes it, but it does too many other things and doesn’t focus enough real estate or feature focus on sequencing only so it fails, but I think the idea is valid to enable more-detailed midi sequencing in hardware than regular step sequencers.

[naxuu]

Watching with great interest. This appears to do most everything I love about the various bits of programmable gear I’ve had - Organelle, Norns, Monome Grid… along with others I’ve wanted - Deluge. The fact that ORAC 2.0 works right out of the box is a strong plus for me.

Strongly consider adding a CV port. Look to the one on Empress Zoia if you need inspiration - it just works, and quite wonderfully. Almost everyone in your target market is playing with modular in some fashion.

Oh, would also love a second row of (assignable) knobs. Playing with the Organelle for years has led me to the conclusion that 4 knobs is limiting for most intensive applications. Yes, you’ve got that big, beautiful grid, but don’t discount the appeal of turning a knob and having values change

[Gagagas]

Hello!
I rarely join company forums but this is very intiguing. I hunted for the right advanced hardware MIDI sequencer for a couple of years before coming to the realization that only the expensive and unavailable Cirklon will do. Maybe Dada Machines can offer an alternative that rivals it in sequencing power. It sure has the spec for it!

My number one wish is a cheaper version of the Composer without a sound engine, only the sequencer part but with added support for MIDI 2.0 spec. Someone has to get the MIDI 2.0 ball rolling… Either way, please make sure the clock sync is tight! (sync via incoming audio pulses would be super)

After that, if the open source nature of the machine would allow us to change the sequencer’s functionality to suit our particular needs, or at least allow people to write alternative firmware for it, that would be the ultimate solution to the “doesn’t do what I want” problems that always come up with hardware sequencers…

3rd request would be to please please use a higher resolution screen… Those pixelated fonts are tiring.

4th and final for now would be user input Instrument Definitions (MIDI CC assignments and parameter names) for all our MIDI gear. The screen should be able to display synth and parameter names without tiresome abbreviations… So that creating a MIDI track would present a menu with all defined instruments for quick and easy setup.

The hardware is probably fixed now so this is just thinking aloud: more knobs and no soft rubber buttons (if that’s what you’re using) would be a worthwhile upgrade IMO. Silicone rubber buttons do not belong in serious gear.

Thanks for reading
Following with interest!

[klaustrophil]

My number one wish is a cheaper version of the Composer without a sound engine

Having multiple hardware versions makes development, production, testing and support more complex. Dadamachines seems to be a small company so it’s all about focusing on the right thing. Despite that:
Based on the available hardware specs, I also think that some of the sequencer logic and most of the user interface as well as the audio engine is located on the RasPi. However, the RasPi itself is not a big cost factor but the software is. Since the software will be open source I don’t see the point in offering a “lite” version without developing a second core component which will add complexity… read my first sentence again

But I also hope that the focus is on the sequencer part. It’s time for a serious, modern, clip based hardware sequencer.

3rd request would be to please please use a higher resolution screen … Those pixelated fonts are tiring.

There will be a HDMI output. Is 1920x1080 pixels enough?
If it’s not you might have a problem. 4k output for the RasPi is possible but only with low framerates.

4th and final for now would be user input Instrument Definitions (MIDI CC assignments and parameter names) for all our MIDI gear. The screen should be able to display synth and parameter names without tiresome abbreviations… So that creating a MIDI track would present a menu with all defined instruments for quick and easy setup.

Stuff will be open source. As you said:

that would be the ultimate solution to the “doesn’t do what I want” problems that always come up with hardware sequencers…

Can’t wait to fork that stuff on Github

[klaustrophil]

Oh, would also love a second row of (assignable) knobs. Playing with the Organelle for years has led me to the conclusion that 4 knobs is limiting for most intensive applications. Yes, you’ve got that big, beautiful grid, but don’t discount the appeal of turning a knob and having values change

Yeah, maximum physical access is great but I fear that it might be too late for such hardware changes. But let’s see! Since there’s the possibility to plug in any MIDI controller via USB, I’d be ok with assigning stuff to a MIDI Fighter Twister or some Fadefox controller.

[solipsvs]

hi there. this looks extremely interesting. is it in production at the moment?

[joris]

Is any progress been made? I could think of this machine as a dream come true (I’m a coder, and synth head, I want to touch and automate my music)

Any clues?

[johannes]

Hi everyone,
some of you might already have guessed.
As I didn’t follow up here for a long time.
The project as originally planned is now officially canceled.
Starting the new year & decade with a clean slate.

• Johannes

[MarshawnL]

I wish you the best going forward and know there will be other inspiring developments from you, but I want you to know I was really looking forward to the composer pro. Not just as a musician, but as a hobby hacker. I hope it surfaces one day!

[joris]

I wonder what happened to the project?
Could you give us some background @johannes?

Thanks,
Joris