Yamaha SEQTRAK - My biggest PAIN POINT (so far)

Рет қаралды 5,428

Күн бұрын

A few days ago I received a Yamaha SEQTRAK 'music production studio'. Don't understand me wrong: I do like it, I'm gonna keep it, I don't regret that I've bought it, I would buy it again - but I would do something different than I have actually done. What? Please watch the video and I explain it to you (and how you might avoid making the same mistake).
I am wondering if designer ever use the things they designed. I believe they don't.
This video is not sponsored, and the gear is bought by myself from my own money.
#yamahaseqtrak

Пікірлер: 68

@tyr10n1 5 ай бұрын

Very nice input on the device. You raise points and elements of the device i had not considered. Thank you brother.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Thank you for your nice comment. I had not considered that before my order, so I hope to help others in their decision.

@chrisward000 5 ай бұрын

I tried one of these and sent it back. Mostly the cheap, brittle plastic and nasty keys put me off - a very toy-like feel. Agree also that the tiny text is very hard to read, I need my glasses on to use it. I did have the black,one too, and agree maybe the white is easier to read. I just I found myself using the app for everything because it’s easier to find the function there than remembering a cryptic button chord, and squinting at the tiny text (and it meant I didn’t have to touch that horrible plastic!). Of course in that case I might as well just use a phone app without the actual device. Honestly, I’d rather they had priced it a bit higher, but made the build quality better.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

I fully understand. The plastic might be a problem. And yes, I will use the app, too. I like the idea of such a music tool and hope it will work fine.

@michaelkonomos 5 ай бұрын

Curious about what makes the plastic so horrible. Most things are made of plastic so can you describe what makes it feel cheap? Does it flex or something?

@chrisward000 5 ай бұрын

@@michaelkonomos Yes, a bit, there’s kind of a seam between pieces at the front where there is a gap. I mean hard to explain how something feels, but it just seemed flimsy to me. The buttons are the worst part, clicky but not in a nice way like a mechanical keyboard, just “cheap” feeling. It’s small enough to throw in a bag, but I’m worried if I did that it, it’d break in two. Don’t let me put you off if you like how it sounds, but I’d suggest to try to get hands-on before you buy.

@michaelkonomos 5 ай бұрын

Thank you@@chrisward000 that is very helpful! Yes, I hope a local store will have one. The concerns about build quality do give me pause - the whole reason to get hardware is for it to feel good!

@Javeton 3 ай бұрын

@@michaelkonomosIt's very thin and wobbles. But the device itself is good. Just a few cons.

@ALTARBEATZ 5 ай бұрын

Good points there.. Pretty helpful for people who still think about buying this thing.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@ildarkinildarkin Ай бұрын

Fair review

@RainerMuenz Ай бұрын

Thank you

@kasimasi6747 5 ай бұрын

!Excellent!

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@davlippo7 3 ай бұрын

Yeah well this is very likely for younger people and hip kids and young adults. I'm 55 and can't see well either but I'm only using mine for a rompler so I may not care too much about reading it beyond selecting favorites. It's cool for kids you can toss it in a backpack or bookbag or purse or lay in bed going to sleep with it. It was likely inspired by the synth made by the students whatever that's called. It's really not intended for older people but I don't have mine yet it's on the way.

@RainerMuenz 2 ай бұрын

Very interesting thoughts. I am 55, too. Last month I had two unplanned eye surgeries and can't make music at the moment, no matter what gear I would use. Just recovering and I can already say that the Seqtrak will be the hardest instrument to use in the near future although I expect getting my previous vision back.

@nmusic65 5 ай бұрын

Excellent point, and easily overlooked, I have a Korg MicroX excellent versatile synth but the screen is red on red and unless you are on top of very it tough to read, so it has to be front and centre in my setup. It frustrates me that manufacturers don’t make better usability decisions, and this device has no screen so of course you need to be able to see the information on it.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

I fully agree. Interesting info about the Korg MicroX. Good to know.

@matthewgaines10 5 ай бұрын

May you have a swift recovery. I’d send it back and get the lighter color scheme if I were you. I have a black on order and good close in vision so I’ll likely work with it. It really isn’t for me and my style of music but got it to play around with. The thing that scares me it I heard some good sound demos with the YE KO II and mostly mediocre demos of the SeqTrak.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Thank you. My recovery is on a good way. The SEQTRAK is not gear that I will regularly use, so I can organize good light when working with it. I have just bought an Akai MPC Key 37 which seems to fit much better to my needs. The SEQTRAK will be added to the setup when I want to use Yamaha Motif sounds in addition. That's the main reason why I bought it.

@thomaswaldron310 5 ай бұрын

So memorize it in the light?

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Yes, that's what I think.

@DirkFellhauer 5 ай бұрын

Hallo Rainer, danke für das Video! Ich sitze mittlerweile auch oft mit der Lesebrille vor meinen Synths, aber Du hast recht, die Schrift auf dem Seqtrak scheint wirklich zu klein zu sein ubd farblich ungeschickt gelöst. Aktuell hadere ich noch mit mir, ob ich mir so ein Teil zulegen sollte… Du hast den Circuit Tracks schreibst Du. Daher meine Frage: was gefällt Dir „aus dem Bauch heraus“ besser: Seqtrak oder Circuit? Mir geht es nicht um die Features, sondern um Dein Bauchgefühl. Danke!

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Hallo Dirk, danke für Deine Eindrücke. Ganz schwer zu sagen, was mir besser gefällt. Verarbeitung, Spielgefühl: eindeutig Circuit Tracks. Workflow: Circuit Tracks erscheint mir intuitiver, komme da leichter rein. Leistungsumfang: SEQTRAK. Ich denke, ich werde beide nutzen, vielleicht auch kombinieren, wenn ich das schaffe. Wenn ich nur einen kaufen dürfte? Wahrscheinlich SEQTRAK wegen der Synth-Möglichkeiten, die mir mächtiger und reichhaltiger erscheinen.

@DirkFellhauer 5 ай бұрын

Vielen Dank Rainer! Die Synths von Circuit sind natürlich nicht wirklich sooo toll, aber da ich es nur unterwegs nutze, bleibe ich dann doch dabei. Ursprünglich wollte ich den Circuit verkaufen und in den Seqtrak „reinvestieren“. Dein Video und Deine Antwort haben mich jetzt überzeugt, beim Circuit zu bleiben. Beste Grüsse und weiterhin gute Besserung!

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

@@DirkFellhauer Ich nehme an, dass Du auch den Circuit Rhythm hast. Weil der SEQTRAK ja auch noch den Sampler eingebaut hat. Tracks & Rhythm ergeben dann ja quasi den SEQTRAK, vielleicht nicht ganz so gut (das kann ich nicht wirklich beurteilen), und mit externen Synths fährt man dann halt eh besser. Kann Deine Entscheidung gut nachvollziehen und freue mich, wenn ich helfen konnte. Schönes Wochenende!

@kirkwilliams4942 4 ай бұрын

Like the orange white one much better, and easier on the eyes.

@Fr4nkju5tFr4nk 5 ай бұрын

Ich hab die orange-graue Version, die ist finde ich etwas besser zu lesen. Mit der App als Screen aufm iPad ist das sogar noch besser ;). Aber das ist ja ein lösbares Problem. Roland hatte mit dem JD-Xi am Anfang auch ne unlesbare Beschriftung und dann nachher Folien mitgeliefert.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Interessante Idee mit Folien. Und ja, die App hilft natürlich. Der Screen ist immer lesbar. Ich wollte zwar möglichst viel ohne machen, aber das klappt dann halt nur tagsüber oder bei gutem Licht.

@gs_f 5 ай бұрын

Very interesting, because that's exactly the question I was asking myself (between the two available models): which version is more "legible" in low light? But strangely enough, looking at the photos and videos, I'd come to the conclusion that the orange writing (on the black model, that is) would be more legible in low light than the grey writing on a white background...), in terms of contrast and legibility. Don't you think? Und gute besserung!

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Danke. When I made the video the light was good and I was able to read orange on black. However, when I unpacked the item it was darker and my first test run was almost impossible to do. So I do think that the orange version is probably easier to use in the dark. Just my guess. I can't compare it.

@gs_f 5 ай бұрын

@@RainerMuenz I'll ask a youtuber/tester (e.g. hardware vendor) who has both versions! Because I want to know before ordering one!

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

This would be very interesting. If possible, please share the result here, too.

@gs_f 5 ай бұрын

@@RainerMuenz if I manage to get a satisfactory answer, I'll be sure to do so! Personally, I'd rather have the black model too, even if the other one looks good too.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Thank you. I prefer using the black version and learn which button to press even if I can't see it in the dark :-)

@igotbit9454 4 ай бұрын

I’m thinking of getting this… can you hook a mic up to it?

@RainerMuenz 4 ай бұрын

It has an internal microphone for recording samples. I guess that's not what you need. Also, there is an input for external gear, 3,5 mm stereo jack. If you use a xlr to 3,5 mm TR or TRS you might be able to connect a microphone. Not sure about signal strenghts. I would use my Zoom V3 vocal processor in between, just going from its 6,3 mm L/R outputs to 3,5 mm TRS. To be honest, the SEQTRAK is a gear that I never really used as I bought an Akai MPC Key 37 soon after it, and well, this is so fantastic that it fills the gap that I had.

@roseutterback5755 5 ай бұрын

Get the ko133 I love mine soooooo much I’m not even into samplers but I can’t put this thing down

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

It's a great piece of gear but not exactly what I want. I have the Novation Circuit Tracks and Circuit Rhythm. When the Seqtrak came out I was especially interested in the combination of functions plus the Yamaha synth sounds that I like. So the decision was this one or nothing.

@junelopez9520 5 ай бұрын

Bro

@cresshead 5 ай бұрын

re your eyes - swap it for the other color version then

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Probably you are right...

@cresshead 5 ай бұрын

it does seem the logical move if you like the product but have vision issues with dark grey (un lit) text on a back background. @@RainerMuenz

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Yes... right, on the other hand I don't have this issue when there is enough light in the room, daylight or a lamp nearby. I guess it's not only me having issues here. Orange on dark grey/black doesn't have a high contrast. When I check the orange/white version I am absolutely not sure if the contrast between colour and writing is really much better in a darker room. I would like to get my hands on the other version for a direct comparison.

@djkanyon 5 ай бұрын

On yellow on it's even worse i can barely see a thing

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Really? Thanks for info!

@djkanyon 5 ай бұрын

@@RainerMuenz tried at my friend's... he sent it back. It seems like some designers ignore the folks who wears glasses for the most part of their life...

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Indeed... but I don't think that this is a problem for people with glasses only. But sure, glasses and age might have an influence.

@homerdus9668 5 ай бұрын

Other color, send back and get it

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Maybe. I am not absolutely sure if it will help (but probably yes).

@Flava_Clown 5 ай бұрын

@@RainerMuenzprobably not. If I understand you correctly then your problem is with the not active (not lid) text for the effects which is the exact same thing with the other color option. Once active you'll be able to read it. To cycle through the options doesn't seem to be that difficult or problematic.

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

It's both. The orange on black writing is a problem when it's getting darker in the room.

@perruschke6691 5 ай бұрын

Send it back and buy some very well made glasses!

@RainerMuenz 5 ай бұрын

Not sure if glasses will really help. With the light in the video I can read the orange texts, but when it's getting darker I can't. I do have 100 % vision on one eye (with glasses) and it's still impossible.

@antenorguillaume 5 ай бұрын

😂

@VJFranzK 2 ай бұрын

😵‍💫🔎🎛 True, better memorize the location of everything before a dark show! Hard to read in any case, side buttons hard to press, easy to mix up! (The Mute is right next to the Delete! Better back up your tracks. The swing is by the BPM, which should have a knob of course.) Definitely use the App to see the details when possible!

@RainerMuenz 2 ай бұрын

Absolutely right.