I know that the title is pretty similar to part of the title of the video by Knobs, which I hadn't seen until after finishing this video. I double checked, and his video goes in a pretty different direction, and is well worth a watch: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eM2UqqiLmLCWnJs.html

I’m a guitar live-looping hobby artist, and ‘ve never been into the electronic music world. I was looking for a machine to make beats to play along with, and your channel sold me on the Circuit. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m having so much fun with it and it fit and enriched my guitar playing significantly. I’m not too good at sound design or finger drumming or whatever else electronic producers do, but this device is so easy to use for a newcomer like me that it does not matter. It’s capabilities grow along with my skills and I would instantly buy Circuit 2 if it is ever released. Your passion is contagious. Keep on keeping on, man!

Daw in a box? MPC. They are far more than hiphop machines. The ability to have midi over USB makes it an ideal brain for your synths. Quickly recording, Undo or overdubbing are so awesome to have and help just trying things until it works.

Check out the Polyend Tracker. I love it and it just got a major update.

Great video! As much of a fan of the Electribes as I am, I’d say one negative is Korg’s lack of ongoing development in this line. Still, they are wonderful machines.

Gabe - I love your videos. You are very thorough but also quite a natural at spinning all this tech into a story. It makes it very enjoyable to learn about gear. Keep up the great work!

Great video, i really love your style!

Honestly GarageBand is super innovative and way underrated and I really hope they make something like a GarageBand groovebox with the ability to load new synth and drum sounds on top of its large library in the future.

I said it before, but we gotta find a way to get you a Synthstrom Deluge man. As a Circuit-lover, I think you'd dig it (although it doesn't have velocity sensitive pads). Otherwise I think you could do some real damage with it.

For me the Akai Force (especially since october) is the “groovebox” i always dream, its incredibly powerful for performing, and for secuence complete songs and at the moment is pretty cheap, check it men. The macros function is mind blowing. The “downside” could be that this machine is huge and heavy (but i dont care really), its the real Daw in a Box.

The BEST the "ABSOLUTE BEST" groove box without question is the synthstrom Deluge. No other groove box comes close. mine has changed my life and made a one man band an actual achievable goal. If you play guitar bass and piano with vocals and midi synth you NEED a deluge.

let's see, maybe Novation will finally launch newer & greater Circuit ))

If you get the money together for a Deluge, it's definitely worth it. The workflow is actually really good - you have to dedicate a bit of time to learn it of course. Once you know it, like Circuit, it becomes really fast to put a track together. Anyway, whatever your next groovebox will be, I'm sure you'll put it to great use!

He's a real good communicator. I like his vibe, easy going young man. He's obviously very knowledgeable in the creation of music through grooveboxes and beat machines. I'm also impressed by the quality of these videos, they are very professional. Merry Christmas 🎅.

Just got the new circuit tracks!!! I LOVE IT!!! this IS my perfect groove box. i would like to thank you and bo beats for helping me decide.

great video man

Was originally looking at an OP1 however the price was off putting, watched a lot of your videos and chose to go with the Novation Circuit, have had it for about a week now and am starting to get to grips with it, i appreciate the library of information you have put out about it and tutorials, they have been really helpful.

I'm in love with the Deluge rn, and I think it's a great pick if you have any other hardware synthesizers. I use a mixer to bus 2 external synths into the Deluge's stereo line input, that way I can put sidechain compression on them within the Deluge for extra slappp.

I'm getting a Novation Circuit next week as my first Groove Box and i am very ecxited about it :)

Today the algorithm was good to me. Loved the video, subscribing. Looking forward to future content!

Really good Gabe. Great Video. I made albums this year on Korg Volcas , Model Sample, Model Cycles and just finished an album on the MC 101. Still love the samples best as the packs are cheap and make it really punchy. Never had a circuit so maybe I should get one next and take your advice on how good it is. Keep these great videos up. Regards AL

Hey Gabe, as always, great video. It provides a really nice overview of some of the more modern grooveboxes today. I would say I have about 15years on you, but we are similar in preferring hardware based setups. I’ve used the previous generations Electribes (with the tubes) for everything. What stopped me from getting the newer models was the lack of a song mode. Now the thought is that when I pick one up, I know that luck will have it that Korg releases a new one. Lol. However, about a month ago I did pick up a Circuit. This purchase was largely inspired by your videos. There actually was a pretty big learning curve for me because the Electribes were all I knew. Upon getting over the curve I have to say that I’m absolutely in love with the Circuit. It’s just immediate, it makes sense, mistakes can be rewarding, the amount Novation has put and continues to put into it is unbelievable (session chain PLEASE!), but most of all it has broken my routine for creating music and re-inspired me again. So if I had to pick just one groovebox right now, It would definitively have to be the Circuit. (But yes, everything about the Deluge makes me drool uncontrollably. Lol)

I'm a new hobbyist who was looking for a drum machine to add to my DAWless setup. The more I look, the more I think I should just get a groove box that I can use as a drum machine that will work on it's own as well. Not sure yet which one I'll go with, but the videos on this channel are certainly helping along with my decision. Keep up the good work!

I really appreciate your videos and input ! I really feel at home with the MC101, I think it help it's my first real first groovebox (unless Twisted Electrons Hapines Slim counts) since I have 0 point of reference. Coming from a bass player background the 4 tracks and portable factor are awesome to work song ideas on the go! :D

Nice round up, for me though the best groovebox is the Synthstrom Deluge, by a long shot :) The quality and capability of the device is matched only by how well supported it is. It has transformed the way I make music, then transformed itself again in terms of what it is now capable of due to some unbelievable updates. If you haven't tried it I sincerely recommend it. 👍 Keep the vids coming, love your output!

Hi there, great video! I also love grooveboxes, bought an MC-303 in 1997 as one of my first electronic instruments, then had an MC-505 and a 909, a Korg EMX and ESX and many more... I made KZfaq tutorials for the Korg EMX and the Roland MC-505. If you're looking for best value for money, in my opinion nothing beats the MC-505! They are probably considered vintage by now, released in 98 and they have quirks, (you might have to get the screen repaired) but they sound amazing if you make your own sounds instead of relying on presets! The sequencer is more powerful than in most modern devices (like the Electribes or Digitakt), flexible grid programming, (also unquantized if needed) and comes with many fun features like a complex arpeggiator, groove templates, D Beam can act like a theremin for any of its sounds... There is a learning curve but well worth it! If I was looking for something new I'd probably go with the MC-707 though.

my favorite box is 707. little self-contained machines are cool, but sometimes you need a bigger one to pair with some analog synth(s).

You should check out the Polyend Tracker, it’s amazing!

You know your stuff. I like that. Keep it up. Thank you.👍

Deluge!

I really wanna watch this guy react to the Roland MC-303 (literally the first groovebox ever made)

I have my MPC One and i love it. although the learning curve is super steap, once you get into it, it might be most powerful device on the market especially for that price range (almost half the price of the machine+) . It‘s also great for sequencing other stuff and akai is really committed to keep improving the software.

I was in the same boat as you for many years. Bought a few Groove box's and for me so far I would have to say that the MPC1000 with JJOS was the one I have been using for a while now. It has it's limitations but it gets the Job done. The step editing is my favorite feature. Well good luck on your search.

Deluge is amazing. You'll love it

I love my Electribe 2. I've had a MPC One now for about 2 weeks. Wow! It is literally a DAW in a box. Fantastic bit of kit.

Great video. I use an MPC live 2 and am very happy with it.

Circuit is a great device especially find it useful when start struggling with ideas in the box, the way you can play around with sample and making it completely different and unique is amazing

I have the sampler version of the Electribe. Even though it is limited in synthesis (Only 16 Oscillators, 3 BP filters), the ability to tweak samples in thousands of new ways is fantastic.

the new features on the MC-101 with upgrade 1.6 are amazing. Love it.

Hey Gabe! Congrats! I searched "Groove Box" and your videos popped up first! 🙌

Yea baby! Great video! You are on the right track avoiding DAWs to make music. I have made 70 albums in the last 4 years using ALL hardware, including a 24track hardware recorder. Total number of albums made with a DAW previously = none. My first CD was produced on an old Roland VS880 hard disc recorder before the DAW age. I too went on the quest for the perfect groove box and found total frustration. I was ready to give up and take out a loan for a MPCx, and discovered high end arranger keyboards have pattern sequencers that you can program from a blank, they ARE the most powerful sequencers on the market allowing me up to 32 measure long sequences and much more (that is continuous 32, NOT a song chain)........BUT....still not sufficient to complete a pro recording. So the next discovery was; "there isn't the perfect grove box"!! You found out too. Combining just the right groove boxes and using the strengths of each one, plus the big sound of laying and now, I (you) have the perfect groove boxES!!. My music is diverse from all original; ambient to classical to EDM. So my groove combination is: 1) KorgElectribe2Blue 2) CasioMZX500 3) 1010MusicBlackBox 4) Casio XWP1 synth. Plus other synths played live for chords and melody as needed.

Great video. Can I ask a stupid question (or 2...sorry, I'm a newbie). Can I import midi files from my DAW into any of these groove box (for example my kick midi track and snare midi track from a song I did on my DAW and want to work on / play live from the groove box? Also, is it possible in any of these to import a super long sample (like 5 minutes) of a full backing track, trigger it on beat one of the first bar to play all the way through and "play the groovebox" on top of it? (or is it only short sound samples that can be assigned to pads?

Great presentation. I have the old MC-303, while the sounds are pretty dated the actual workflow and processes are real deep. I bought the MC-303 in1997 and never read the manual ( big mistake ) until recently, after reading the manual you can do so much with it, the arpeggiator and sequencer is amazing, I plugged in my Blofeld and my mind was blown. There are so many features in the MC-303 that I wish to see in contemporary grooveboxes, it seems some basic functions have been forgotten. I recently bought a MC-101 and love it, it would have been so good to have the same recording functions as the MC-303, in particular, the loop/rest at the end of the sequencer recording so you know when the recording bars have finished which is then blended seamlessly into a loop.

Thank you for posting! I have yet to jump into the groove box/drum machine yet. Oddly I thinking of diving into the deep side of the pool with the Native Instruments Maschine + (for the self contained groove box and the normal NI control interface for Maschine....). I see and know the advantage of an interface for a DAW, but there is something more “Real” for myself to have a groove box... that and my computer is often doing video editing and rendering, and when I do that.. obviously using a DAW at that time would be sluggish beyond reason. That or a 2nd newer computer for music. The roland gear looks great.. I have been looking online at Roland’s TR8 when it came out, and the TR8-s... now their other newer products.. I have the Roland VT-4 which is a great voice changer box (all live, no recording then playing with filters in post) so I can change my tone live and adjust the filters/reverb etc live. For me more enjoyable than recording 10 versions and then playing with 10 versions with 20 different filtration paths in post. I’ll look closer at the Novation as a stand alone starter groove box as well. Thank you again for posting...

Hey Gabe! I've got an Electribe 2 Sample and am Looking into getting the Circuit to pair with it. I was curious on your set up when using these two devices together. Do you use the Electribe as the "brain" to control the two or do you keep them separate and just clock sync the two?

As a beginner I'm stuck with this exact question so I can't wait to watch this. Thanks!

The Deluge?

No er-1, no ELECTRIBE sx? Ouch!

Thank you for helping people find groove boxes. I need to find an inexpensive one to start my musical journey

I’m on the same quest man. I repeated buying and selling my electribe2 for three times! I wanted to fall in love with it but the limitation in voice and the slightly heavy formfactor plus six AA battery just didn’t cut. I’m revisiting the daw less game now in 2021 where there are more options in the market. Just bought circuit tracks yesterday. I’m excited to make it my all in one hardware music production system! Thanks for the video,

Can I récord external audio signals to the electribe , like a guitar or a micro Korg to sample?

You should look into to bigger Elektrons. The Rytm is super versatile. Analog4 Synthesis puts almost everything to shame. And the Octatrack is its own cosm

hey gabe miller with roland mc 101 can export on wav or mp3 format ?

I'm fairly new to all of this. However I'm not a young person. I was around for the birth of alot of electronic sound. I use cheap gear and still have muddy mixes, however I am aware of this and plan to fix that. Which is half the battle. Thank you for the video. I have the same gameplan as you do. Trying my best to keep it "LIVE". Respect to that.

I have been on a similar journey and ended up with the Digitone as I found I really enjoyed the sound design aspect, it ticks most boxes for me except for the samples, but you can easily hook up and have audio through with the Circuit and Electribe to make up for that.

Have you ever thought about the Polyend Tracker? I don't know if trackers are something you'd be interested in. I've been eyeing one and kind of find the workflow interesting.

Can I connect a MIDI keyboard to the Novation Circuit? I am interested in the Circuit, but I want to be able to expand and use an actual keyboard in my music production.

Nice video ... I used to have A Groovebox back in the 90’s that is worth checking out if you are able to find one ... the Roland MC303 ... From what I remember it’s the one that started it all ... there was also a Groovesynth range (JX-305 & EG-101) Currently I still have a MC-808 and a Electribe EM-1 (might be worth looking in to those classics as well) The Electribe’s from the past were made to all work together since they were similar but different (synth EA-1/ER-1/ES-1) The closest Groovebox to a full Daw would in my opinion Be the MC-909 but it’s not that portable as units are nowadays

The best is the Akai Force now that the 3.0.5 update is here, this unit is very under rated.

I love the immediacy of the model:cycles. No sample juggling, just paramaters and enough knobs. But imagine: Just use it as a sequencer. You'd have a 6-track mono sequencer with LOTS of controllers PER TRACK, but you could control other virtual or real instruments with it. And you could multiply the instruments by making use of arp vsts or hardware, like the NDLR. You can feed the NDLR with a tone and it makes cords, arps, drones etc from it. This, maybe, could also be done with pure software.

What U think about the Akai Force ? Would Love to see u making a Video about the Akai Force.

I only recently became interested in grooveboxes, first mainly in software ones. I am beginning to look at hardware ones and I bought an Elektron Model:Samples, I am still learning it, it seems pretty cool. I am tempted by the MC-707 but I was not able yet to convince my wallet (or credit card) to go for it . The deluge you mentionned looks very intriguing.

@gabemillermusic what is the device in the upper left hand corner @1:32?

Great video. The circuit is great but i like your openness to try other instruments. I’m a keys player not previously a drum guy- DX7 (from birth), Motif, MODX, Virus TI, Kronos X, JD Xi, Mininova, Kharma)... So not a drum guy... However, I had a circuit...use launchpad app on the iPad, Reason etc. I have Ableton live 10, Reason 11... But I bought the Akai Force ..updated to OS 3.05. This is a gamechanger. It is now my standalone production hub. I am going to buy an MPC One now too. But I really think give Force a try. You wont regret it. Great workflow but KZfaq helped. Thank you for your videos. Superb.

Good video, Gabe! 👍 I don't know about you, but I'd have to say The best groovebox is really the tracks we made along the way. 😇 (I debated whether to put "tracks" or "friends" in that spot, but music production won out. 😂) Also, if I had to pick one device, I have a positive association with The Circuit and Gabe Miller, And the Maschine+ is German, so one of those two would probably be what I'd pick out. 😁 That being said, I don't know if a groovebox is really my thing, so I'm just fine with whatever.

Heya! Im would like to start my journery into this groovebox club! But unfortunately finding a circuit is almost as expensive as buying the mc-101. I already own a roland VT-4. Would it be beneficial to stick to Roland? I am a bass head like you and that lack of bass worries me. I would like to see a video of performing the same track on both to see the differences in sound?

jesus thank god i saw your latest upload. I've been sitting here theory crafting a move from Ableton and I have fallen down a 12 hour rabit hole. I told myself fuck it, I'm doing it your way. I gotta start somewhere. Korg Electribe II (synth version) and the circuit.

Great breakdown. My mouth dropped almost permanently open when I first saw the OP-1. Had to have it. Got it-but for this Logic Pro X head, it was a weird workflow. Then a chance download of the iMaschine OS app and the sound packs that came with that thing 🤯 ...made me buy a Maschine Mikro. I’ve barely touched Logic since. Never been more creatively prolific or produced better sounding stuff. Toyed around with the Circuit, eventually sold it. Wasn’t a live jammer per-se. So coming from using an 8-track Ensoniq ESQ-1 and all those limitations in the late 80s, now at 53, I don’t know if I’d have the same life if I had these tools back then. You young lucky bastards😂😂😂😂😂😂👍🏽

I run a music programme focussed (though not exclusively) on teaching disablwd people how to make music on electronic music tools, and have large variety of tools for it. The Electribes are by far the best, with JDXis in second slot. Far less complicated/distracting than using the DAW, and a really nice amount of knobs per function and clear if this/then that. Tons of fun.

Have you had the chance to experiment with the 1010 music Black Box, it really seems to be the DAW in a box you are talking about

Sure glad they were able to revive the groovebox movement 20yrs after the first generation. Roland (in my opinion) won that battle -Korg has always had rough parameters with their gear. Looking forward to future developments

Just one note, you can laod either firmware on the electribe so you can switch from sample to synth and reverse.

Good discussion, also look into the Synthstrom Deluge and the Isla S2400, smaller companies, big possibilities!

Hi Gabe. I am looking in your channel ... i don't find akai force and Roland sp404mk2. I would like to buy and learn to use one of these machines for producing music and for DJ performance (maybe) too. I have a question for you. Wich one could be the easyier? I never used any DAW and i only used a jurassic (as i am) a QY700 by Yamaha wich is a gorgeus midi sequencer that i own since 1996 (maybe you was not born yet :-D ).

Synthstrom Deluge. Absolutely changed my life. Think you'd enjoy it.

Thanks for sharing! You mentioned if you were starting from scratch you'd get an Electribe 2 along w/Novation Circuit (now Tracks, NCT). Now that the Novation Circuit Rhythm is out, would you pick E2 plus NCR, or, stick to the E2 w/NCT? I already have an E2, trying to decide between the other two. Thanks!

I gotta say the Korg ESX is still my favorite. Such a versatile machine.

Yeah so I've been searching for a groovebox that would go well with my mpc 1000, would love an op-1 but the price is just daft so I went for the new novation circuit, we will see how it goes

Haha, yeah, me, I placed an order for another sort of MIDI controller: An eDrum set and now besides playing the edrums and being blown away by drum sampler software like Toontracks EZDrummer2, I have a Novation LauchPad Mini and the AKAI MPK MK3 here ... I completely fell in love with MIDI and samplers and nice RGB blinking buttons and I am DIYing edrums. Yeah! Subscribed!

I'm on the quest now, I have an EMX-1, an MPC One, Pocket Operators, Model:Cycles. I'm digging my model cycles and I love my EMX-1, i'm definitely getting an ESX-1 eventually but they are kind of big. MPC Im still figuring out but i use it a lot from drums and now i'm figuring out how to use it sequence other gear, but the cycles has been a lot of fun and i'm considering more elektron. Maybe a digitakt.

Enjoy my Circuit and MC-707, but Maschine Plus is now my go to unit. Definitely get your hands on one for a week!

I appreciate you sharing your perspective, Gabe. I'm perhaps a different viewer, finding myself going "wow, I'm old enough now that people much younger than me can still be old enough have a lot of knowledge to share!" And I very much dislike edm. Not what I enjoy listening to, or making. I'm more bedroom strange, and uneasy sounds. All that said, I very much enjoy and appreciate your vids, and learning from you!

This is the first comment I've ever made on a youtube video and I'm 47 and have been on here for 15 years. My favorites at this time #1 Korg Volca Sample, #2 Akai MPC 1000 and #3 Korg Electribe Sampler Black.

I have been checking the mc 101 since a couple of days. Should I get it?

"Daw in a Box" 100% get a MPC one

thoughts on apps like gr-16, electrics wave, and drambo

OP-Z hands down. Shelved my circuit after using them both for some time.

I'm a big fan of my Roland MC-707 as a main brain / sequencer for my other synths. It's also got awesome built in synth engines but I have a lot of hardware so I just use it as a very good sequencer for now.

I've also been on the quest for the best groovebox for two years and i think i found my perfect one with a combo : digitakt + mpc1000 (JJOS2XL). I use the mpc for everything sampling related (which is unmatched by any other groovebox imo) through the digitakt sequencer which brings in all the programing and randomness i enjoy. Also with the ability to Parameter Lock a single step through cc command directly to any of my synth, i can sample it back into the mpc, chop it to the mpc pad and sequence them back throught the digitakt, it's my dream come true. I don't even have to mute/unmute tracks, the combo plays by itself with the probabilty trigger.

sold my circuit finally, but I'll never ever part with the OP-1 - too much fun. however, judging by your preferences, I think either the Akai Force or the MC-707 will eventually win your derby. also, I do think more is coming...hoping Yamaha jumps back into the game. a modernized RS7000 could be a competitor in this space.

I cant believe this hasn't been metoned, but I believe, by far, the best "groovebox" currently available new, is the ROLAND JD-Xi. It gives you the feeling of stepping into a music store in 2002, and just getting into every groove box on display, along with the JP8000 that was usually sitting there next to them. I use mine with an MPC500, and a microkorg s on the side. No DAW about it! I highly recommend checking it out, if only it didnt come with the keyboard....haha!

Gabe...great video! I own both the electribes and they are fab...the synth especially sounds great to my ears - but the "functionality" is restrictive (no MIDI thru..damn!). You answered your own question... DAW in a box for not a lot of cash (well, way less then an OP1..) is the Akai MPC ONE. Polished? Yes. Rough? Yes...if you want it to be... Deep? Definitely! (still learning mine!). Bugger the rest, get the best...

nice review - the better Electribe was the EMX and for sampling the ESX or SP-404 as a companion for now the true DAW in a box is the Akai Force with Ableton features (and some cool new update features), 8 tracks of audio (samples/loops/tracks), internal VSTs, full MIDI and CV/gate modular connectivity, 128 MIDI tracks, etc. - lots of stuff - it's big but with a decent case, a 19.6V bpwerbank, and a few accessories it's a true mobile studio Machine+ and MPC Live or One are close, but the force is pretty impressive I'm an original Circuit guy too (and Circuit analog companion) so I appreciate your tips and demos - thanks Elektron Digitakt and Digitone are a perfect combo if you want to get more of that type of stuff - I got one used pristine for cheap and one new with a coupon so the prices weren't bad :-) my OP-1 finally needs some servicing after 8 years o so but it's great - the OP-Z can be even more fun once you grasp the flow and it's smaller and IMHO more powerful than the OP-1 but I like them both - check out my demos on YT under SynthAddict

I have the MPC one and it is a complete dawless, with dirt adding, sound shaping, plug-in effects, all. If you don’t care about some limitations on the audio track numbers, it will satisfy your search.

What's up Gabe, I feel like there is no definitive groovebox to suit everyone's needs and that's okay because we all make different music. We're the same age, but older samplers/grooveboxes kinda suit my style of workflow. I am currently using the MPC 500 to make my beats. While the workflow can be tedious by today's standards, I find myself paying more attention to detail by listening to the music rather than looking at a screen. Definately excited to see what companies are creating in the future, as I really like creating music in these self contained devices. Peace and nice video ✌

Had them all as well, except for the mc101. My searched stopped when I got an mpc live. 1010 blackbox is close 2nd. 3rd to the opz for extreme portability. Sold my op1 but don't regret it

Nice video Gabe. Similar to yourself Im a big groovebox fan and have built up a nice little collection over the years. For me the Octatrack is probably my favourite as it just gets me to those weirder, more abrasive sounds in a way that no other devices can compare to. With a little creative thinking it can also be used in ways that go beyond its typical use, such as using it as a wavetable synth or granular synth. All by being a bit creative with the loaded samples and how they're modulated. Saying that, the workflow doesn't suit everyone, and nowhere near as quick and effortless as the Circuit to get up and running. Akai Force and MPC-X are also great fun, especially with the newer firmware and all the goodies that brings to each device. Ultimately its a great time to be a consumer in the market for a good groovebox. There's never been as many fully featured and highly capable devices on the market as there are these days.

My personal Groovebox is a Yamaha reface dx providing FM duties MIDI controlling a Roland MC 303 with a vocal sample midi’d up to for good measure.

I share your fascination with the perfect groove box, and the circuit is also my favorite. The Elektron and MC-101 both lack song mode, which is an issue if you play other instruments along with it. The Elektron boxes also really struggle with music that changes keys frequently - no way to easily transpose, like with the circuit. Overall, dig your channel.

Great video as always Gabe! If you are looking for a DAW in a box, try the Maschine+ and let us know your findings 😊