Alesis MMT-8

I cannot imagine a sequencer easier to use. After 17 years of using it, I can do exactly what I want without thinking of technic.

This is a 8 tracks sequencer. You choose a track, press record, and
play. That's it. Of course there's some details, like assing the midi channel, or setting the tempo, but that's all. This is an old
piece of gear, 1988 I thing, so the memory is'nt very large and you
can store via "tape out", it's not quick but it works. For electronic
music, it's the perfect tool. I record sequences and copy it by itself, transpose, cut steps and copy it again, assing program change, or merge. Generally, 8 tracks are enough. All the features of editing are quickly assimilate.

What you play is what you get. You can of course slow down the tempo
and recording a difficult part.

After 17 years, I never found any trouble with midi sync. I use it
with a lot of other gears, specialy a Roland VS 840 and I never noticed delay or bad reliability.

I use it since so many years that I can imagine compose without it. So I bought another one last year ($75). After three or four years,
the switchs broke and I simply(not so simple) put real switchs directly on the circuit board and it works perfectly since that time.
This is the brain of my system. Others gears: Roland JX-8-P(PG-800),Alpha Juno-1,MKS-30(PG-200)VS-840, Korg M3R,MS-2000, Alesis HR-16B,Yamaha Tx81Z, TG-77,A 3000,midiverbII, Mu-tron Bi-Phase. You can
listen it at: www.soundclick.com/andrevezina

Found it (!) while cleaning out long forgotten Stroage space in Studio. Was doing some research on it before actually using it. Now I see what all the fuss is about! It's Version 1.10, and the thing was barely touched. I initialized it, and got to work. First I was dropping drum hits on separate tracks, then I got going on Music arrangements. After about 2 weeks, I was ripping through this thing, talk about easy! Manual available on the 'net, and many resources are available for the novice user. Even if there was no manual, the Flip-Top Instructions are there for reminding you how easy it is to work. Simple as it can be - Arm a Track, Record!

The Capacity is approx 11,000 Notes, Not including Pitch Bend and Aftertouch. I use it with a CZ-1000, so no Aftch, but I do utilize the pitch bend at times. I wouldn't pack the thing silly until you're at 25% capacity, for it WILL CRASH. Actually, I just experienced my first the other night - luckily I back up the sysex's Every Time I Futz around. It was wiped Clean... Just like That.

8 Tracks, that can hold up to all 16 Channels! Tracks can be muted on the fly, for building progressive hits. MIDI In/Out/Thru jacks, Tape in/out, Footswitch Jack for Handless Starting/Stopping. All buttons are labeled for their exact function, lots of good use will wear the Black Print off. Bright LED's so you know. Quantizing option is tight, you can quantize either Note Start, End, or Both, and even Preserve the Duration of Notes. I don't use Quantizing that often, when recording some keyboard, it's nice to have little "Human" nuances at times. 99 parts can be arranged for 99 songs. Track Merge bounces down 2 to 1 or more, but I haven't tried that yet. Audible, Loud Click track for Either Record or Play or Both. Tempo Adjustable on the fly. MIDI Filter Enables/Disables Note record, Aftch, Pitch Bend, Sysex. MIDI Echo is the 'Soft-Thru', and helps. The Detailed Part editing is excellent when you get used to it, you can shift notes around, Change notes, delete, insert, change volume, pitch bend, all the stuf can be manipulated easily, I get confused with the PGup, PGdn, FF, REW, +/- buttons, I was accidentally shifting notes when I shouldn't have... All in all there's enough to use to get your ideas down fast. I have yet to be horrified by the "Bad Button" disease. Loop button for on the fly looping. Internal or Midi clock, I sync this with ACID 3.0 to fool around.

No Sounds. I use this with an ol' Proteus FX, so that's the staple sound synth. I would like to use this with an Orbit V2 to hit the rave scene. No FX, No Nuttin' Just your Standard MIDI Data Recorder.

Tough one. MMT-8 Users will swear by V1.11, the most stable. I crashed, did you (yet)? Again, Please Backupayou Sysex. Shell out the eBay $ for a MIDI->PC cord, Download MIDIOX and Save yourself a headache. I have used this on several gigs, and It's good, as long I don't jump aroung with songs and parts. Just get your Song up, and Play. I noticed that the reaction time from doing editing functions slows when getting close to Meltdown State. I think a decent investment would be to get an Alesis DatDisk Module, Just in Case!

Nothing Yet

I would be upset, some of my best arrangements and compositions are on this thing. I guess I wiould have to find another closet to raid, or fight with other eBayers. I seen that a Black V1.11 goes about $125+, and Most Grey ones are iffy, some don't have the plug (10VAC), and most won't tell you about the "Buttons". I use it for keyboard work, I tried recording a Roland TD-7 Drumset into it, but the TD-7 Has it's own sequencer, anyway. Next I want to integrate the ol' Prophet 2002 and get crazy. It does assist me in the composing, I can hear all the garbage loop over and over so I know what to fix. I wish it had larger memory capacity, I'd prob'ly port all my loops into it. I redid a song on this, I guess it worked out OK. Good for startes, but nothing like the Fabled MPC n000.

Version 1.10 is what I'm using right now... I'v had it and abused it for almost 6 months and it only crashed only 2 times, only when I'm recording a sequence with multi midi channels into one part. But I lerned my lession, and just record one midi channel track at a time and bouce it down to one track...

This machine is Idiot proof, if you can operate a VCR, then this would be as easy to use... All parimters are in its little flip top on the top.

The manual is killer... It briefly explains all features and history of Midi..

My favrote features is that it has a good paper weight flip top so you can stash your bills in there, and it also makes for a great mouce pad on your rig. (I got a lazer mouse so I can record and edit from puter while playing my keys from the other sied of room)

I use this in conjounction with a 305 and Yammie RM1x, all are great seuqnecrs.

You also have a dedicated ECHO THRU BUTTON! No scrooling for this handy feature...

Sequencing wise, I recomend you get One MMT8 for every two Pieces of gear with 4-8 Channels altogeather, I use it to seq Ms2000r and OB12. I set part 1-4 OB12 Parts, 5-6 MS2000 Parts and 7-8 Insta Fills/Intro/Outro parts with muti channel. I like the Milti Channel Track feature is a Life Saver....

I typicly use 4 bars for most tracks, and play my leads and solos on top of that. But there are those times I gotta use 16 bars... No problemo... You can have up to about 248 Bars (or 999 Beats) per pattern, but thats un practical.... So save memory, I only transmit Program changes on all channels on part 8 where the Fill sequence is at.

I dont use it for CC,RPN,SYS Ex ect... for two reason - 1)It hogs lotsa memory 2) I can do my transformations manualy

Theres also a micro step edit function is strikingly simalar to XP-50 series sequecing browser function (hmm I wonder where roland got their ideas?)

Well anyway I use parts 1-4 so sequence 3 midi channels on my OB-12 Part 2 - 3 - 4 and Typicly its a seq 2-3a : 2-3b : 4a : 4b and seq 3-4a fill and 3-4b fill. So I use only one or two Ob tracks at a time... Likewise, I use only one (sometimes two) midi channels for Korg Ms2000r channel 2 , on MMt8 parts 5 and 6 with 2a-2b or 1-2a:1-2B and 2a fill and 2b fill on parts 7 and 8 shared with OB12 parts....

I like to do very fast arpeggio and syn drums for GOa and Drum n Bass, this is very good for that job!

I use muting fuction to change variations of a track. For instance I can Mute Korg and OB-12 Parts Individually on my Mider or on the rack or keyboard surface... and mutate those sounds tip it reacts with the fill A with any parts muited out or null while I instantly switch back to PartB or a new pattern... I normaly use 4 bar sequences, and there is sooo much you can do in 4 bars its unbeleiuveable.. Butthere are occasion where I use up to 16 bars, but I limit myself for the sake of memory and transmission...

I took the time to open it up and I can tell you its sturdy, the previous owner fixed it up with new screws and fixed the buttons, made this thing like new... The case is solid also...

I wouldnt hurt it a bit if you droped it on solid concrete... my MMt8 decided to jump off a pully while exiting a shage to go back into the van. And it went "WHAM" then I was liek "Oh shit!" but pluged it no, no problems... Odd thing is there is not a singe scratch as a result of the MMt8s suicide attempt... God has blessed the MMT8 and gave it meaning to live to another day... For that my MMT8 relized His wrong ways and started becoming more and more self rightious!

Dammit Alesis... make a MMT-2000, make it have all the features and user friendlyness of Fr777,Xbase09,Electribe EA-ER Step/Grid, karma super elongated arpeggio/sequences, DX/AN200 playset seq features ,RM1x Pattern Switch/Sect/Midi Delay+effects, MC505 Megamix/RPS, MPC2000 VelocityPadGroove, and Origonal MMt8.


The super MMT2000. Midi 2 Inputs 2 Outputs 2 Thru 32/16 Midi Channels. small 16x3 step/mute/seq/play edit pads, 16 Knobs on top for insta Sequenceing and midi effects. Oh I almost for got the Big LCD and a BPM/PATRN/MES LED... Then you got me sold!!!

Oh wait Im only fantisizing here, why dont these dreams ever come true??? Oh the agony...

If someone stole this I would gouge out their left eye socket and skull fuck them!

Well this is what I currently use for my set... Alesis MMT8, Electrix MOFX WARP FiltaQueen EQKilla, Korg EA1 ER1 MicroK D16, Roland D2 JX305 SP505, Yamaha DX200 RM1x CS6x, Viscount OB-12,

Units I sold or used in my production
Akai MCP2000:) Moog MiniMoog MemoryMoog, Roland Alpha1:) JP8000 MC505, Yamaha EX5+ AN200 :), Korg MS2000r, Boss/DOD Pedalz
Well that about sums it up... I would say that mmt8 has some unique faster hands on approach to creating tracks than say RM1x, where it can be a bit tedious to do fine step editing!, However RM1x s like a MMt8 mutated little brother, with more hands on approach once you get to the live playing and progressions!

Version 1.11 The manual is pretty basic and straightforward, covers every aspect you'll need, very informative. Very easy to use sequencer, a good introduction to sequencing. Basically just press two buttons, play a few notes on the kyboard hit stop, press play and VOILA! If your interested in an MMT-8 do yourself a favor and hold out for a black one with OS 1.11

Its a pattern sequencer...Very good for techno and loop based music.
Quantize, loop, and just regular playback modes.
DOESN't FEATURE step sequencing which is a real drawback for getting a machine like this, unless your into an Electronic genre that doesn't require in depth editing and precise programming. No disk drive.

A good hardware sequencer for beggining stages of your music career, or for loop/pattern based music production.

I haven't had a problem with it in the 2 months I've had it...But the box is almost toyish, i wouldnt drop it!

Never dealt with alesis.

I've sold mine, been playing and LEARNING for 8 months now. The MMT-8 is awesome for what it does and you can't beat it anywhere for price/performance ratio. But there are better sequencing/compositional tools out there. Pick one up if you want to make quick tracks on the fly, but dont expect this to be a sequencer for inricate compositions.

Version 1.10 - no presets, this is a hardware sequencer. As far as editing patches, you should get your MIDI 1.0 spec out and your keyboard's implementation chart. Unless your keyboard automatically outputs a bank select and program change before you start playing, you'll be inserting these channel events on the track once you have it laid down. The built-in editing tools are easy to use but you need to know the codes which represent bank select and program change which you get from your keyboard's implementation chart. As far as the manual, go to http://www.mmt8.com and download the free manual. It is incredibly complete. Apparently this unit is/was so popular that there is an MMT-8 subculture out there keeping its legacy alive. I wanted it for its ease of operation in laying down ideas, which I can then transfer to Cakewalk Home Studio for further processing. You can back it up to audio cassette tape or SYSX dump via MIDI out. I prefer the latter and I use MIDI-OX as the preferred SYSX management tool.

This is an 8 track sequencer. Each track can record up to 16 MIDI channels so it can theoretically sequence up to 128 simultaneous channels (8 x 16), but only has one set of MIDI in/out/thru. It is not expandable - internal storage is about 9000-11000 notes. It allows recording "parts", and you can assemble "songs" as lists of parts. It basically records anything at its inputs except poly pressure and note-off velocity. What do you want for circa 1989? As far as how easy it is to use, once you've stepped through the manual, it's incredibly easy. My test was to play one of the pre-recorded songs from my Yamaha onto one of the MMT-8's tracks, split it up and reallocate the channels to individual MMT-8 tracks. The copying facilities allow a whole track to be copied to another track, and then specific types of information to be deleted (note, channel, control, etc) making it quite easy to take a track containing multiple channels of information and split it back out. There is also a track merge facility. Again, considering this was state-of-the-art in 1989, Alesis engineers thought a lot of how people needed to use it while still considering what MIDI provided.

This is a sequencer, so this section really doesn't apply. As stated above, it records everything at its inputs except poly-pressure and aftertouch. Considering its vintage, its implementation is quite complete.

I've heard and read both sides of the argument - rock solid, and can crash resulting in data loss without warning. Considering its popularity, even 13 years after its last production, I'd lean toward the rock-solid side of the fence. Data loss is not a problem if you dump your work out the MIDI port via a SYSX dump to some hard drive storage. The limited memory necessitates this if you are using live (which most people buy it for, due to its reliability and simplicity). If you carry a laptop with SYSX dumps containing your various songs in it, a reload only takes about 20 seconds.

This unit is out of production. I've had two inquiry e-mails to Alesis tech support and they gave me the impression they didn't really care about this unit anymore and wished I would just go away - responses were terse and to the point. However, there is enough of a subculture out there which has formed a "grass-roots" support network, and the legacy is very much alive - http://www.mmt8.com was put together by one of the people in this subculture and they and the surrounding user's group have been very helpful, both pre- and post-purchase. Mine is at version 1.10. The last production version was 1.11 which fixed a few obscure bugs, but finding an EPROM here in the US is difficult. It might be another grass-roots support thing to find it, although you have to have very specific conditions to trigger the bugs, which may or may not occur depending on your intended use. My rating for this section is not for Alesis but for the grass-roots support network centered around http://www.mmt8.com.

As I've read, it's easy to get hooked on this thing. So far, so good - I'd look for another one if I could get it in as good condition as the one I have. This is a "vintage" sequencer and the price was right. You can find them on e-Bay along with others by Roland and Yamaha as well as a few obscure brands (Brother, etc), but none as well supported and documented as the MMT-8. I found mine in a music store on consignment with the owner asking $100. It was sitting there for about 4 months though, and the EPROM is not at the latest production version - I negotiated the owner down to $60 through the store and got it. My studio consists of a Yamaha PSR-GX76, Casio CTK-551, Behringer 802A audio mixer, Compaq Presario 850 MHz PC with Cakewalk Home Studio 2002, and now the Alesis MMT-8

Hey this is 2002,
And people still pay UP BIG for reliability.
This machine is incredibly easy to use and program.
But you must get your rubber pasds cleaned FROM THE INSIDE.
I did it with a non-alcohol based cleaner and the buttons work fine.

GOOD ACTION NOW THE BUTTONS ARE CLEANED.
Forget about stressing looking for the black models (..Black Daleks
were cool too I guess!), just clean the buttons yourself and you'll have a clean running machine.

Reacts to velocity.

Could take it on stage if needed but I trust my samplers hard drive a
bit more!

Never dealt with Alesis. Their products are hot potatoes here in Australia. Just Ask any dealer! I did! Almost as untouchable as Ensoniq stuff pre-1993.

I'd pay the same price for another one.

I am not sure which version I have but its a 1989 model. (it is in storage at this time but I used it a LOT in the 80s /early 90s)

Before I got a computer this was the ULTIMATE machine to make music with! I loved it almost as much as my synths!
VERY easy to use, in about 10 minutes anyone can be making cool tunes with this!

8 tracks
Records everything that comes out of a MIDI port except poly aftertouch
simple controls
virtually idiot-proof

n/a its a sequencer, duh... :)

This thing is VERY dependable, I have had a couple of crashes, and only one of them lost data, but I had the data backed up on DataDisk so it was no major deal.

Never had problems with the buttons, though others have said they fail.

I have gigged with this and did nt worry at all about it.

Alesis is great. Period.

GET ONE OF THESE! great MIDI tool and no computer necessary! Mine has been in storage for several years, and now I think I am gonna pull it out and sequence with it again :)
I originally got a [Yamaha] QX5 and smoked my brain figuring it out. Returned the QX the next day, got my hands on the Alesis and was HOOKED! So SO easy!
Great Bang for the buck! We're talking pennies per nuclear blast here folks!

too easy. it turns my friends into vegetables. makes a dance god in seconds. beats the hell out of those internal sequencers.

hey, it's got a midi through. it may be eight track, but link two of these suckers up, do it on the fly, and the rest is history. the dj will be jealous that you keep the beat so fresh.

that's what your keyboard and computer are for, dumbass

this is the best kept secret out there for the techno inclined.
i cannot believe i am letting the word out

it broke once and i lost everything. probably years worth of crap that no one will ever care about. but they fixed and i trust it again.

play with it everyday. a definate ten. i want another for the dueling mmt-8 thing. Seriously, Moby may think he's sonic, but if I had three of these, damn, his music is just samples, and anyone can push a button. And the rubber on these things, it's like the first and best time.

This is THE easiest sequencer to use--hands down. Ive worked with many different ones and this one is CAKE!! (fun too!!)

Well, it doesnt have 16 tracks (only 8) but it has every thing else you could want in a sequencer pretty much. Cool muting buttons, great looping and quantization. Midi Echo, and great editing too.

n/a --its a sequencer

Solid. Mine was made in '92 and still goin strong!!! Never had a problem with the buttons. This is the BLACK unit (newer version)--most of em are grey colored. And mine has the 1.11 OS which is the latest OS. This baby runs like a dream.

They are very cool. If you want you can send in an MMT-8 and have it totally rebuilt like brand new for about $95. WOW!! Thats cool!!

This unit is an AWESOME sequencer for LIVE use or studio. You must get a black-faced one with the 1.11 OS. That is a MUST. Do NOT get a grey one with the old l.07 or 1.09 OS and do NOT even get a black one with 1.09. The "older" versions of the MMT-8 have PROBLEMS. But if you can get Black-faced with 1.11 OS---you will have problem free 100% primo functioning. You will pay more, but its worth it. Dont even bother if its not black with 1.11 OS. VERY IMPORTANT. Ive owned many of them. Same thing with the HR-16. Dont get the grey one!! Go for the BLACK HR-16B with more sounds and better functioning all the way.
I LOVE these units!! They are KILLER machines!! Getting harder to find in good condition. Remember BLACK ONLY with the latest OS and you will be fine. :-)))

I have the bios rom 1.10 .. i hear there is a chip with 1.20 on it that fixes some of the button problems, but i have not had any problems, so i dont really care to hunt for it. The mmt-8 first appeared in 1988, and i'm sure finding a upgrade rom for it would not be very easy. No presets, this is a sequencer. It's a classic though... after you break the learning curve on entering notes (which you might not use anyway) it's very easy. It really accells at looping patterns and playback. Track mute is killer as is follow-through pattern switching. No instructions even.. they are on a flip up panel on the case. You cant beat it.

8 tracks - not bad, 16 would have been oh so nice
note entry - ok.. but could be much better. like when you insert, it should use settings from last note, and ther eneeds to be a global set (set all volumes or notes on track x to y)
display - real nice, 2 lines, not hard to figure out
buttons - i hear they flake out alot, but mine have been fine
midi - does midi echo, record, clock sync, and clock gen.. all quite nicely + sysex pattern dump

all in all there are some ommissions, but on the whole it is very pleasing. great for techno.

records well and on time
quantize is reasonable, not exceptional
otherwise this catagory doesnt really apply i dont ghink

again there are complaints of loosing data... i've turned mine off again and again, sometimes in mid-edit and i never loose my data. i must be blessed with a good machine. this thing is made for gigging. live work is it's forte.

never talked to them
i doubt they would be interested in talking to you abou this this 12+ year old box

this is a classic.. if you need a sequencer, easy to use, especially if it's pattern/loop based (techno techno techno) get it if you can. you won't be dissapointed!