Sequencing from the 1980s

Question 1

What were the 2 main drum machines in the 1980s?

Answer 1

• Roland 808 (analogue), made using waveforms.
• LinnDrum (digital), made from samples.

Question 2

What was so significant about the Atari ST?

Answer 2

It was the first commercially available computer that sequenced.

Question 3

What is MIDI?

Answer 3

Musical instrument digital interface. A means for different pieces of digital equipment to communicate with each other.

Question 4

What is General MIDI?

Answer 4

A standardised specification for electronic music instruments that respond to MIDI messages.

Question 5

What are some key points regarding General MIDI?

Answer 5

• Requires that all MIDI instruments meet a certain minimal set of features (e.g. being able to play at least 24 notes simultaneously).
• Attaches specific interpretations which were left unspecified by the previous spec.

Question 6

What is sequencing?

Answer 6

Programming and playing back sequences of notes, rhythms, and effects automatically.

Question 7

How did sequencing change music?

Answer 7

• Cheaper / more affordable.
• Didn’t need to be able to play instruments.
• Didn’t need to hire musicians and play live.

Question 8

What is CV/gate?

Answer 8

Control voltage / gate. An analogue method of controlling equipment with external sequencers (e.g. synths, drum machines, etc).

Question 9

What sort of features did sequencing bring to producers?

Answer 9

• Quantisation + humanise
• Velocity
• Automation

Question 10

Disadvantages of sequenced music?

Answer 10

• Lacks a ‘live’ element.
• Lacks a human feel due to quantisation.
• Limited by hardware specification.
• Potentially repetitive (loops).

Question 11

How do you choose the most appropriate quantise value in Logic?

Answer 11

Find the shortest note value in the piece.

Question 12

In which decade did sequenced music first become popular?

Answer 12

1980s

Question 13

What are the disadvantages of sequenced music?

Answer 13

• Lacks a ‘live’ element.
• Lacks a human feel due to quantisation and same velocities.
• Limited by hardware specification.
• Potentially repetitive.

Question 14

What are the advantages of sequenced music?

Answer 14

• Ease of use (step sequencing).
• Enhanced accuracy due to quantisation.
• Easy to edit sounds.
• Wider variety of timbres than with live.
• Easier to fix / edit errors.
• Leads to many new genres.
• Don’t need lots of high end / expensive kit.
• Wider accessibility for non performers.

Question 15

Sequencer technologies from the 1980s?

Answer 15

• MIDI.
• Drum machines (TR808, Linn Drum).
• Atari ST.
• Fairlight CMI.
• Synthesisers.
• Hardware sequencers (MC-500).

Question 16

How can (drum) sequencing be varied?

Answer 16

• Different samples for sections.
• Different loop lengths.
• Rests / dropping out / missed beats.
• Scratch samples.
• Additional samples layered in sections.
• Rhythmic fills / transitions.
• Varying note velocity.
• Change quantise rhythm.