Music Sound

In the field of electronic music, a sequencer was originally any device that recorded and played back a sequence of control information for an electronic musical instrument. Nowadays, the term almost always refers to the feature of recording software which allows the user to record, play back and edit MIDI data. This is distinct from the software features which record audio data.

Early analog music sequencers used control voltage/trigger interface, but were replaced by digital hardware- or software-based MIDI sequencers, which play back MIDI events and MIDI control information at a specified number of beats per minute.

As computer speeds increased in the 1990s, audio recording, audio editing, and sample triggering features were added to the software. Software so enhanced is called a digital audio workstation (DAW). DAWs almost always include sequencing features but, strictly speaking, go beyond what a sequencer is.

Many sequencers have features for limited music notation, or are able to show music in a piano roll notation. (For software designed specifically for music notation, see the scorewriter article.)

Though the term 'sequencer' is today used primarily for software, some hardware synthesizers and almost all music workstations include a built-in MIDI sequencer. There are also standalone hardware MIDI sequencers.

Music can also be sequenced in a using trackers such as ModPlug Tracker, and some of those are able to sequence MIDI events too.

A drum machine can be viewed as a specialized music sequencer.

Software sequencers / DAWs with sequencing features

Cakewalk's Home Studio 2002

Steinberg's Cubase VST

For a list of trackers, see the tracker article.

In alphabetical order:

Ableton Live
ACID Pro [1]
Anvil Studio
Ardour
AudioDesk a simpler form of Digital Performer
Cakewalk range of software (e.g. Sonar)
Cubase range of software from Steinberg
Digital Performer
EnergyXT [2]
FL Studio
GarageBand
Jazz++ [3]
Jeskola Buzz
Live Step Sequencer [4]
Logic Pro from Apple
Logic_Express from Apple
Magix Music Maker [5] (also supports video sequencing)
Magix Music Studio [6]
MIDI Maker
MidiNotate Composer
Mozart Music Notation Software [7]
MusE (not to be confused with MuSE, the streaming audio engine)
Musicator [8]
MusicPhrase music sequencer [9]
Nuendo
Orion Platinum from Synapse Audio Software
PowerTracks from PG Music
ProTools from Digidesign
Psycle from your contributions
Pyramix from Merging Technologies [10]
Reason from Propellerhead
Rosegarden
Sagan Technology Metro
SawStudio [11]
Seq24 [12]
Techno Ejay [13]
Tracktion [14]
Vision, AKA Studio Vision - from Opcode Systems. (Once-popular Classic MacOS MIDI/audio sequencer)
Yamaha SOL2
Yamaha XGworks ST
Zadok Audio & Media Products' WinAudio

Hardware music sequencers

In alphabetical order (and by no means exhaustive):

Clavivox, keyboard synth patented in 1956 by Raymond Scott
Doepfer MAQ 16-3
Doepfer Schaltwerk
Doepfer Regelwerk
Fairlight CMI
Frostwave Fat Controller
genoQs Octopus
Infectionmusic Phaedra
Infectionmusic Zeit
Manikin Schrittmacher
Moog 960 Sequential Controller -- part of the Moog modular synthesizer system, and possibly the earliest sequencer.
Radikal Technologies Spectralis
RCA_Mark_II_Sound_Synthesizer. Room-filling device built in 1957 for a half-million dollars. Included a 4-polyphony synth with 12 oscillators, a sequencer fed with paper tape, and a shellac record lathe for output.
Roland MV-8000
Roland SB-55
Roland TB-303
Roland TR-909
Sequentix P3
Yamaha QY10
Yamaha QY700
Yamaha RM1x

External links

• Early Roland sequencers (1977–1984)
• Early sequencer controllers from the Vintage Synth Explorer
• Audio and MIDI sequencers Keith Gemmell's Music Technology Site - Excellent resources