Had the Tonverk for a week now, and It’s a great - modern polyphonic multitimbral sampler/synth/sequencer with audio routing, processing, and six outs. But here’s the thing: the Elektron sequencers operations are black pilling me more each day.
Copy, paste, erase - basic stuff that should be straightforward feels convoluted. Sure, the trig automation is cool for random happy accidents, and I like that. But realistically? I don’t need glitchy trig automation on every instrument in a track.
Original plan was Tonverk + Roland TR1000 (definitely grabbing one when they’re back in stock). Will be a great combo, but I’d be stuck juggling two sequencers, which I don’t want. So now I’m thinking Hapax running both as sound modules. Tested the Tonverk with Ableton Live sending MIDI - works fine, but I’m trying to stay DAWless.
Hapax looks promising on paper but we all know it’s in the details. I’m not expecting DAW-level control, just something that won’t trap me in menu-diving and induce Loopitis. Because that’s exactly where I’d end up with the Tonverk - endless button clicking, loopitis and lost moment/vibe.
So, just looking for opinions on will the Hapax do the trick. I’m not expecting Daw level of easy use but I do want basic stuff covered very well. Oh, and I don’t need to create songs. I just need some patterns and I do my arrangements live recorded to stereo track tweaking as I go along
caveat: I’ve not owned the Tonverk but I’ve owned Octatrack, Keys, Four, and still own Rytm II
My suggestion would be to keep plugging away at the Elektron workflow. (Sorry, Squarp.) One week is not that much time to really learn the pros/cons of a sequencing workflow if the Elektron workflow is new to you. I don’t find it particularly off-putting. In fact, a lot of the Hapax functions are pretty similar to the Elektron approach. Some are actually easier on the Hapax, but the trade off is that on the Tonverk the sequencer is already directly tied to the sound engine–no need to map, consider tracks and channels, etc.
I’d say give it a few weeks to see if you’re still struggling rather than jumping to the conclusion that another piece of complex gear will make things easier for you.
for certain, midi and cv automation is far beyond any any elektron device. i have respect for elektron sequencers but i find hapax to be capable of expressiveness that elektron cant touch. i have never wondered if it was a good buy or if i would be better off with another sequencer. they all have their strengths and special features for certain but hapax in my opinion has the best features of any of them and is quite enjoyable and everything is classy and graphically easy to understand. even if you warm up to elektron’s sequencer style, theres room for both. youll get unique results from either. my feeling is hapax is the superior all things considered.
i use an older mpc alongside hapax and can edit using an event editor once i record from hapax. i can also perform from mpc using its conventions which i find easy and intuitive. i also can use its song sequencer which is unique and super easy. so a combination of gears is often a big advantage.
to me hapax can do more advanced midi tricks than any other sequencer ive tried with the possible exception of the cirklon. its more expensive and too clinical in my opinion however.
Yeah I am plugging away and there is a possibility I could gel with it. I wouldn’t be buying a Hapax for some weeks anyway so I have plenty of time to work with the Elektron sequencer. For me the issue with the Eletron is the basic stuff is convoluted. Copying all tracks data from lets say bar 1 and repeating that bar three times cannot be done in one go if I had previously recorded data on the 3 bars after bar 1 - this is very frustrating and I was blown away it cannot do such a simple operation. This means an enormous amount of button clicking to do a single operation like that. That alone is likely a deal breaker and there are more gotchas. Something like you dont find out from reviews, its when you buy it and then you uget that Gotcha..
I have read some of the Hapax manual which thankfully revealed it now does Auto Quantise. I read a post in this forum where it wasnt implemented. That would have been a deal breaker for me. Simple basic stuff most of us use without thinking wasn’t implemented in the Hapax until an update.
I make 4/4 Techno and 100% of the time I quantise. I will often move notes around a bit but I need that auto quantise every time.
some of what you’re saying I had an inkling about. I do have a sense going by the videos and the physical aspects of the machine I will get in with it better than that Elektron. Im keeping the Elektron as its going to be a fine multitimbral polyphonic sampler/drum machine/router/fx box and, going to get a Roland TR1000 when available. They’ll be plugged in to an analog console along with a couple of other bits i have and I need a sequencer for all this stuff that I can do everything I need to and currently I just dont see the Elektron sequencers as being the one because I get a very strong sense of loopitis when I use it and it seems many Elktron users are stuck in loop mode. Not saying the hapax definitely will work out for me, and if it turned out it dint then I will simply use a DAW and send out midi to the hardware. Already tested that with the Tonverk and it works fine but I want to ditch the brain distracting PC screen if possible