Yamaha Takes On Teenage Engineering With Its Colorful SEQTRAK Groovebox
Yamaha is a mainstay of the electronic music world, but is perhaps best known for its stage synthesizers and studio monitors. That may change today as the company introduces the SEQTRAK (“Sik-Trak”) slot box. Let's get the obvious out of the way first: Yes, it looks like Yamaha had a meeting and decided to give Teenage Engineering a chance. SEQTRAK (RIP my Shift) takes inspiration from Swedish company OP-Z's portable studio, and also features the company's beloved gray/orange style (though SEQTRAK is also available in charcoal/black).
SEQTRAK includes a drum machine, sampler, FM and sample-based synthesizer, semi-sequencer, internal battery (approximately 3-4 hours of playback) and internal speaker, making it a portable, self-contained unit. . . It comes with a cross-platform companion app (Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android) that provides more visual control, deeper customization, additional sounds, and even a video viewer. Physical MIDI and wireless connections, as well as USB connectivity, along with a built-in interface promise to make this a versatile machine that can sit on your desk.
The drum section consists of seven tracks, each of which can contain up to six sounds. There are plenty of preset drum samples that you can edit and customize to your liking and then paste into the sequencer section below. A pattern can contain up to 128 steps/8 bars, and the substep feature lets you trigger sounds multiple times in the same step, so your rhythms get rich and full-bodied.
Given the company's history in synthesizers, it's no surprise that the DX series has a strong presence here. The SEQTRAK FM synthesizer has four operators and eight-note polyphony. Meanwhile, SEQTRAK's sample-based AWM2 synthesis engine has been trimmed down to 128 polyphonies. If you like live samples, you can record audio at 16-bit/44.1 kHz resolution. Use the built-in microphone, USB, auxiliary input or oversample playback.
The SEQTRAK's footprint is slightly larger than the slim OP-Z or even the larger OP-1 Field, but it still has a sharp silhouette. The step sequencer/keyboard section benefits from the extra space, although it will be interesting to see how well those keys work. The lack of a screen is not unusual for this form factor, and apps are definitely there if needed (again, just like the OP-Z). Many will remember the QY series of portable workstations, and its spirit lives on here, but with an exciting new design direction. There will no doubt be plenty of comparison videos with its teenage tech rivals upon its launch (no word yet on when that will be).
The main difference from the OP-Z is the price. While you can buy it for $499, the starting price is $599. However, SEQTRAK is available for pre-order at retailers for $399, making it a pretty good deal. Of course, there are many differences between them. On the one hand, a slightly larger size will please or reduce depending on your needs and playing style. The OP-Z is portable, sure, but very “spot and bite” in terms of customization and performance. SEQTRAK's sampler options also seem stronger than those of its Swedish competitors, with 500MB of free space compared to 24MB for the OP-Z (or 64MB, in this case, for the dedicated KO II sampler).
Is it enough to have the same number and level of fans? Time will show. In the meantime, you can register your interest on SEQTRAK and wait for more information to be revealed at NAMM next week (we'll be there!).
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