Hey guys are you using the hapax with Roland grooveboxes??I have the mc 707 and would love to combine this two boxes. Any thoughts? Experience tips is appreciated.
Yes I have Hapax combined with MC-707 and TR-8S and a couple of synths. Still figuring out the best routing (both audio and midi), but it all works great!
Using the MC-707 l as a mixer with fx for the external synths and for sample playback and a few synth lines.
I sequence everything of the MC-707 with Hapax. I keep the MC-707 sequencer off, so I can load projects while still running the other synths and the TR-8S. The MC-707 does not glitch the external inputs, so as long as you have the same volume for both projects, you can make seamless transitions 
Since I send midi for multiple tracks to the MC-707, it is important to connect it through usb, so it can handle a lot of notes/data simultaneously.
The TR-8S does glitch/goes out of sync when you send it a program change. So I do that manually on the box, then it keeps sync.
Not sure if I should make the TR8S master clock or the Hapax… Also not sure wether I will sequence the TR-8S with its own sequencer or from hapax. Both have pro’s and cons, but I think it will be the TR-8S’ own sequencer, so I always have direct access to the mute knobs and can use step loop etc.
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Thanks for the feedback Maarten. Now I just need to wait till the hapax comes end of June.
@Maarten I’m currently trying to get this connection to work. I’ve got a USB cable running from the host jack in the Hapax to the USB of the MC-707.
I have the track on the Hapax set to output USB Host on channel 1
To test it, I have track one on the MC-707 as a tone track, Rx on channel 1
So far, nothing is coming from the MC-707
I’ve had the MC-707 working before, using DIN from the Hapax
Anything special you did to get this connection to work?
Thanks!
yea… this is kind of maddening because the TR-8S can change kits/patterns without missing a beat on the device itself, but using a PC message always messes it up.
I only sequence it from the Hapax now. I love being able to see all (or 8 anyway) drum voices on the grid together. Also, the MIDI FX work great… LFOs going to TR-8S CCs!
I wish there was a CC for manually triggering the scatter effect 
So annoying! Have you filed a bug report with Roland? When I did that they had some follow up questions and didn’t seem to have heard of the issue. Maybe some additional reports help.
Btw when I tested it a while ago, I think it didn’t go out of clock sync (anymore?), but you do get a very short fade out and fade in of the audio output of the TR-8S. And only if it chances the kit IIRC.
It is workable if you just be aware of it. You can also just use the TR-8S itself to switch pattern+kit. I think the reason that works is because it allows for some loading time before it actually starts to switch pattern+kit. If you send it a program change, it immediately changes.
nah its pretty old news and i doubt Roland will ever fix it. it’s been thoroughly discussed on the gearspace thread about TR-8S. Roland absolutely has to be aware of it.
It should just work like that… Maybe double check your settings on the MC-707?
I have a TR8S. Now Hapax is here, I just use it as a sound source. Much easier to keep all my patterns on the Hapax drum grid. Works great.
I do wish Hapax drum grid could handle more instruments. Why is it limited to 8? Regular tracks can scroll vertically, why not drum tracks?
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I’d prefer to program the patterns on the TR-8S mostly to save tracks on the Hapax but also because the TR-8S doesn’t offer accent via MIDI. The predecessor TR-8 did…
Also, seamless kit+pattern switching via Midi would be cool, not least because you can change the output routing via a kit change. Together with two external input channels which can be panned, fx’ed and routed everywhere as well, that would allow for interesting things. (So please, please, please bother Roland about it. They don’t read until page 5221 on some GS thread with miles and miles of random bickering).
This is exactly what I was looking for! Been staring at a brick wall for a week trying to work out how the hell I should do it
My situation - I have 2x mc707 why? Because you need to stop sequence to load new project and for me each project is a song so when I play live I want to load the nest song. It’s overkill and I never use the 2nd 707 until the gig so a waste of money.
I couldn’t work out how to use 707 as a sound module as you need to stop sequencer change projects and it kept going out of sync with hapax but now using your method you just keep it stopped all the time and send it note data so you can load new projects I.e in my case the next song!
Genius thank you!
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I play in clip mode on the mc 707. That allows you to play endless sets. Each row is a song and each clip is a instrument track.
Yes I’m thinking about doing that as well. You can then even send program changes from Hapax to the MC-707 to change clip (thus change the sound).
The only thing is: you will not be able to easily change other things like track EQ, master fx, etc.
mfx and EQ Change with the new clip. just not the track EQ. 
I’m not talking about the mfx but the master (project) fx
Are you using tracks in track mode or clip mode?
Clip mode allow you to play endless sets. Now I play mostly in clip mode because it’s more versatile. I’m channel 1 and 2 drums, 3 bass 4 keys (chords) 5 lead 6 FX and so on.
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But you are limited to a set amount of clips per project in the 707 so you would need to know still which “patches” you want saved in a project as program change doesn’t allow you to recall patches directly
But you can load clips (with their sounds) or complete rows from other projects while the sequencer is running on the MC-707