Sequential Circuits Multi-Trak

Easy to program (much easier than my Kawai) even for beginners. It has 4 rows of 10 parameters, just select the parameter you want to edit and turn the knob. This is more of a true synth it is not sampled patches. You actually build the soundwave by adjusting the various parameters.

6 note polyphony, key action is fair, not great. Not as versatile as the new synths, but well equipped for a mid eighties unit. It has an apreggiator and a sequencer. The sequencer holds up to 6 tracks/1600 notes.

I use it mostly for vintage moog type synth sounds, which it does very well. It has a Glide (portamento) feature which is really nice, and my new keyboard (Kawai KW5000) doesn't have. It also has really nice strings, bass and percussive sounds. I can get some wierd sound effects with it as well. I use it as a backup because there are some sounds it does that I just can't get with my other keyboard.

Definitely would not use without a backup. Sometimes the oscillators drift out of tune. It has a tune feature which usually, (but not always) brings it back to pitch. It seems to be sensitive to temperature extremes. I let it warm up for a few minutes before I play, and I turn it off between sets so it doesn't get too hot. I don't think the sequencer works anymore but I don't use it anyway. The pitch wheel and mod wheel went out. I probably need to have bring it to someone to have it serviced.

Sequential Circuits is out of business, but I hear there are some good info websites out there

It does vintage synth sounds for a fraction of the cost of a Moog. I actually got it for free and paid $100 to get it working. I will continue to use it as long as it works. If it dies, I will have to decide whether to fix it or breakdown and buy a Nord or something.

Editing is fairly quick and easy by selecting parmeters using buttons on the edit grid and using a single control knob. Creating stacks takes a little more patience. You do need to download a manual to access the hidden midi functions ect.

Has 6 note polyphony or less if you create up to 6 Osc stacks or a unison patch. It is midi contolled, so you can sysex dump any of the 100 stored patches or 10 stack/splits. It also transmits receives velocity data which can control amp, filter or modulation depth. multitimbality is also possible in midi mode 4 (each Oscilator plays of a stack plays on a different midi channel. The sequencer wouldnt be very much use these days. The assignable arpegeiator is good and can be latched and transposed up and down in real time. Overall it has alot of features for an early analogue midi synth.

It is capable of a wide range of sounds probably best suited to Electro, ambient or techno. Its speciality tends to be making blips, zaps, analogue percusion and sound effects. Capable of sounding very spacey and weird. There are alot of editable parameters. The oscilator can mix saw, traingle, square, pulse and noise. There are 3 envalopes and a single square or tiangle LFO up to 20Hz.
The triangle oscilator can also be used to modulate the filter.

Does a few odd things....Sometimes wont make a sound when you switch on, so you have to switch off and on again and the it works. Can get stck notes. The buttons can be fiddly as with many old synths

Sequential circuits no longer exist but its possible to get manuals, patches, spare batteries parts from a company on the net.

A good all round synth.

3.0 - bought it used, so don't know - editing is easy - the manual is ok for somebody who reads manuals, could be more detailed

6 voices - keyboard cheap but useable - chorus is awful much to noisy - expansion i don't think so - the midi implementation is standard, but if you have or had a 6-track you will be shocked, you can't control the sound so easy with midi-controllers anymore - the sequencer is fun, but simple

the sound is the main shock - i bought mine 'cause i thought it has a curtis chip, like a lot of reviews say, which is not true, so if you are coming from a 6-track, you will cry a river - on the other hand for electro, 80ties revival and things like that it's a good choice

i have it only one week - it arrived with one voice broken - i would never use anything for a gig without a backup

there are alot of tec-guys who can repair it - i know that john bowen works at creamware/germany maybe i ask him

it depends - it's a very good looking synth - slim, elegant, great colors - the prices in germany are high - people are really freaks here - and pay much to much - maybe - i hate that it doesn't sound like my 6-track - i reminds me more to a casio - as i said a goog gear for retro stuff - the six outputs are fine to produce a good soundlevel

This board is fairly easy to navigate...there is not a sexy array of
knobs or anything, just a matrix with one parameter knob.
I got mine used so perhaps the variety of quality presets is to the
previous owners credit, but man, some refreshing sounds are within this
piece! I've surveyed the manual, but it's not vital unless you plan to
rock the onboard sequencer which is supposedly real nice..

The key action is average. The chorus is noisy. The midi implementation
isn't the greatest, but the wide variety of sound options more than
makes up for that. A very cool feature is the option to build 'stacks'
with different voices...

Alright, all the Juno-over-doers or just-over-the-juno heads pull up a
chair...Seq. circuits created this guy in the same era to combat the
'other guys'...the term that comes to mind is SECRET WEAPON..
you got your tones made for minimal styles as well as your flamboyant
80's pads for electro, etc.

Oh yeah, built in San Jose, CA (wink)

Wine Country Sequential...all you'll ever need.

Underrated, overlooked, and extremely powerful...
if you're reading this with possible intentions of buying one...
allow me to be that devilish figure on the left side saying,
"do it. do it..."

I saw that Harmony Central was missing a review on this interesting
machine and decided to write one.

Editing on this synth is done with one knob, and the parameter
you are changing is selected via the control matrix which is
clearly laid out on the front panel. You select a row and a column
with the LED-equipped buttons, and the intersection gives you the
parameter. It's all clearly labeled and I found that jumping
from one parameter to another is quick and simple. The current value
being edited is displayed in the LED display.

Some of the MIDI functions are activated by pressing two buttons
simultaneously, and you would need a manual to figure that one
out. So I can't give it a 10.

You have 6 oscillators, whith individual VCA and VCF envleopes and
LFO modulations of both (and the pitch). Routing of the LFO is rather
limited. Total polyphony is 6, which can be multitimbral if you
activate the "stack mode", so it's 6-note/6-voices. Or, you can
have the unison mode where all 6 sound detuned, for that fat
analog sound.

Each oscillator can have pulse, saw wave, triangular and noise
wave forms, or any combination thereof.

There is one onboard effect, the chorus, and it sounds sweet but
is really noisy, so I often disable it and use an external effect unit.

There is a primitive arpeggiator and a multi-track sequencer onboard,
which I never use since a have a PC. Syncs to external MIDI as well.

Analog!

Despite its simple architecture, the synth is very versatile. It does
nice basses, dark intriguing drones, metallic clangs, percussion and
much else. It sounds warmer than my Oberheim Matrix-1000, and by
the same token does not have the same grit and power.

I was surprised by the quality of string pads (probably
presets; I bought mine used).

The filter on the Multi-Trak is manageable and has character.

All in all, in terms of versatility it covers more ground than
Nord Lead II.

I didn't own it long enough to tell, but the previous owner
was pretty happy with it. The power cord on mine was replaced.

N/A

I would buy either a Multi-Trak or a Six-Trak, because it's a good
value for the money. I can't think of any other analog (or virtual
analog) in this price range, and the Multi-Trak is a versatile
and useful synth. In many applications it will sound as good or
maybe better as very expensive machines.