In very broad terms you can probably divide electronic musicians into ‘players’ and ‘sequencers’. Particularly in recent years, I fall into the latter category; letting what abilities I had as a guitarist or keyboard player turn to rust in favour of tinkering with triggers, gate lengths and timing divisions. Traditional musicians might scoff at this - and, full disclosure, my laziness when it comes to practising is a factor - but there’s something I find inherently fascinating and satisfying about creating music with sequencers. There’s just something about being able to construct a fully layered creation of interlocking elements and then sit back and tweak sounds while you let the patterns run.
This issue’s cover feature is for all the sequencers out there. Join us on page 26 as we explore ideas and tips to help make your patterns pop and help your rhythms hold your listeners’ attention.