Techno Break with Metropolix / Is this the best Eurorack Sequencer for Techno?

[@balancespring]

Thanks for sharing this, exactly what I needed right now as I’ve felt a bit stuck with the Metropolix and there’s not much content out there on it besides Loopop’s tutorial. What I learned is I need to change my workflow a bit and get both tracks (voices) patched up and ready first, build a shared sequence then little by little start differentiating them with the slew of mods available. Metropolix is such a beast and done of those modules that you need to spend time with to learn especially if you’re coming from the world of traditional step sequencing (which I am). Would love to see more of this in future vids! Great job!

[@IhorMedia]

Oh yes! Agree 100%! Metropolix is such a weird one when you look from the more traditional step sequencing perspective. For me it clicked better when I started thinking in "stages and pulses" instead of steps. And then this tiny little differences that you make for those 2 tracks! And there are modulation tracks, presets, probabilities, and so on! I think I'am going to share many more use cases about it in the future! Thanks for kicking in and leaving this comment! I appreciate you! ✌️

[@looseyfur74]

Mylarmelodies has a good metropolix vid as well as this one

[@Hrotti]

great video... feel free to jam more in the end... I love that part, where it all comes together and you're just exploring the track

[@IhorMedia]

Thank you! I am always like "the content is finished, let me wrap up", but I got your point! Will try to jam more in my next videos!

[@kr61ab67]

Hi, I just got to know this channel because I bought a Metropolix and was looking for tips to get started. I have a huge modular that has grown over the years, perhaps too much .... I am an old dog of age but I try to stay young in ideas and enthusiasm, always ready to learn. Exploring your videos I have discovered a lot of clarity of ideas and intelligence, transmitted naturally and pedagogically. Thanks for your tips. Congratulations and good luck. Ferran

[@IhorMedia]

Hey Ferran! Thank you very much for your kind words. I can't express how much it means to me to receive such feedback! Glad you found my videos useful! I wish you the best luck too!

[@praveensharmanyc]

One of the best demos I’ve seen

[@Nuke_Skywalker]

you can get the 16 steps without math by pressing the LEN button twice and setting the pulse count to 16. it will automatcally add or subtract

[@richarquis]

Oh, Ihor, you did it! You made the pulse count switches ("Creating melodies" section) make sense! Mylar Melodies said this was the best sequencer for creating structured grooves, rather than random generative stuff, which, honestly, is really not my thing. His video made it look exciting, but it wasn't until this video that it made sense. Cheers!

[@IhorMedia]

Glad to hear that! Thank you! ❤️

[@richarquis]

@@IhorMedia Not at all! I subbed to your channel a couple of months back, I'm watching a fair amount. Clear and concise, lots of variety in your sound and ideas, and you're good at engaging your audience. Thanks so much.

[@IhorMedia]

@@richarquis thank you so much for these kind words! It means a lot to me, really!

[@ScottMFR]

Nice demo! Looking forward to seeing you dig deeper into Metropolix in future videos. So much to explore with the CTRL knobs and mod lanes... BTW, if you don't want to worry about the math of your pulse counts, you can set total pulses of each track to the length you want. For example, you could set track 1 to 16 and track 2 to 12, then the pattern will just loop using the active stages until it reaches that pulse count limit before reseting.

[@IhorMedia]

Thanks Scott! ✌️ Oh yes, I am digging slowly and it is such a sequencer… man, I love it! Thanks for the tip about the pulses length! I think it was just introduced in the newest version, right? Dope!

[@weskoopmans]

@@IhorMedia Total Pulses (for the whole track) is new; but the the track pulse length (LEN>Pulses) has been there since MetropoliS

[@IhorMedia]

@@weskoopmans I shall try that one! Thanks!

[@troyouttram]

Great stuff once again and I really liked the jam at the end 🔥. I don’t have any modular but find it interesting to watch.

[@IhorMedia]

Thanks Troy! I appreciate it! Glad you liked the jam too! ✌️

[@adolfnoise4673]

yeah same here. excellent stuff, the jam could be instantly played at any serious party as a live set for 6 h+ from 5 am on...but this stuff pushes me closer to the edge to go modular, which is bad if you suffer from GAS...💸💸💸...subscribed anyway, fun is better than money!

[@dmytroromaniv7917]

the best chanel for audio geeks

[@IhorMedia]

Thank you my friend! ✌️

[@fleximarvellous]

Man, I was looking for tutorials about how to set the Metropolix "Run" triggered by external input. thank you!

[@iamsushi1056]

Putting your VCA before the filter makes for some fun stuff when you add resonance

[@ronsone8373]

Thanks for inspiring me to go modular! Bite the bullet and the case and first modules are on its way ❤️

[@-ukiyo]

We will talk later… Maybe just after you sold your family car, for that last extra row of modules… Just kidding :) Have fun !!

[@ronsone8373]

@@-ukiyo I AM getting pretty close to that already 😂. Good thing is I love DIY projects so that saves me a few bucks

[@-ukiyo]

@@ronsone8373 gets you a few extra modules is what you mean ;)

[@IhorMedia]

I remember somebody told "Modular is an investment"! I believed it. Never seen any money back in profit tho 😂 I appreciate you, my friend! ❤️ Congrats with first modules!

[@ronsone8373]

@@IhorMedia its all about having fun right?😂

[@bjondersson]

They should add displaying the active pulse count on the display. That would make it easier to make good beats and wouldn’t interrupt the creative flow that the manual counting somewhat does.

[@r-omega]

Dope jam at the end!

[@This_Kid_Got_Moxie]

Great video, very helpful tutorial on the Metropolix!

[@IhorMedia]

Thank you Simon! ✌️

[@LordFolkien]

Hello Ihor, first of all thx a lot for your great work and your great way to explain what you do with the modular. For me you explain the perfect way and the perfect speed how things work and what they do. Cherry on the cake: the music you make to demonstrate, is realy great and dancy (not the standard on explantations/tutorials videos). You should release videos/streams of complet sets of your music so we can enjoy your creations and watch you play music more seriously

[@IhorMedia]

Thank you very much for your comment. Really good quality feedback. I appreciate it! It really means a lot to me! ✌️ I am planning to have some live concerts / streams. Let's say this project is in progress! Stay tuned!

[@desperatehouseflies]

Sick sounds!

[@freiksenet]

Great video! They really need a counter on screen with total track length cause this math is hard :D

[@IhorMedia]

Haha! Thank you! ✌️

[@time4anew1]

on the old one you could limit the # of steps/stages independent of the sliders. So for example you create 19 based on sliders but it's limited to 16. I assume the new one does this too.

[@CliffHines]

Thanks for this video! Want to chime in from the Vector gang, five12 Vector Sequencer does all this and much more! More hp, esp. with expander... but it does everything metroplix does and way more (lots of elektron style per step probability and chance, plus an internal sub sequencer, plus internal resets so you don't have to worry about doing the "math" of adding up to 16 steps), and is perhaps more intuitive and musical, also can use launchpad to connect and make it more controllable. Loving all these comments though, wanna dig into the eloquencer + nerdseq, and other possibilities.

[@IhorMedia]

Thanks for sharing some thoughts, Cliff! I appreciate it. I am a little afraid of Nerdseq and it's "tracker" nature! I might get addicted haha. I must check it out at some point.

[@CliffHines]

@@IhorMedia I have the same thoughts about Nerdseq haha, but trackers sure intrigue me. I use hybrid set up with ableton, so i'm able to use midi looping / programming in ableton to satisfy those needs, and output midi-cv to my modular. But I'm sure for people who are looking for all of that firepower without a computer, i can see Nerdseq being a worthy tool.

[@duncanbroadbent]

Another very insightful video Ihor, i love your stuff, so well prepared and explained I've just got the Eloquncer which I really like, although it's pretty much fixed at 16 steps per track unless you chain your patterns together. Quite interested now in Metropolix, seems that it's fast pitch changes and variable stage numbers can bring something new and immediate to a live jam

[@IhorMedia]

Hey Duncan! Thanks for your kind words! Metropolix is indeed quite playable in live situation, I think. Plus you can quantise pitch sliders to a certain scale. Very very powerful sequencer!

[@77377]

Watching this for ideas what to do with the metropolis/metropolix clones in vcv rack. (: Your tips translate quite well. Cheers!

[@martintaylor9205]

Ihor ACE yet again but bamboozled by the arithmetic of setting up this latest module that I won’t be starting as I now have enough modules to learn as well as Digitakt I need less headaches at moment 😄🤕🤕🤕but superb demo👍👍🆒

[@IhorMedia]

Haha Martin! Sure my friend! You don't necessarily need exact module for doing something similar! It is all about experimenting with whatever you have at time! Take your time and learn, and never be hard on yourself! Enjoy! ✌️

[@TerekkiTerekki]

Nice work

[@IhorMedia]

Thanks!

[@dani538]

Glad I found your channel man. It is very dope! Where you from?

[@IhorMedia]

Thank you Daan! Glad you like my content! I am from the south of Ukraine. Now I live in the Netherlands ✌️

[@dani538]

@@IhorMedia You are very welcome! Veel plezier in Nederland ;-)

[@IhorMedia]

@@dani538 hartelijk bedankt!

[@lastnamefirstname6035]

Hello Ihor! Thanks for the cool Metropolix demo. I'm very keen on getting this, but it seems to be more specified to generate harmonic/melodic content. I'm wondering if this sequencer is also useful to use as a drum sequencer? Maybe in combination with the Gx Expander? What is your perspective on this?

[@IhorMedia]

Thanks for watching! Glad you liked it. Disclosure: I am not using modular for drums that much. But I'd share my thoughts. In my opinion Metropolix wouldn't be a good fit for sequencing drums. You might need something with more channels like Pam's Workout. Or even something more straight forward like Steppy. Metropolix with Gx, may work. If you send different clock devisions into Gx's outs. But at the first place you are right, it is for more harmonic/melodic content.

[@lastnamefirstname6035]

@@IhorMedia Thank you so much for this insight! I will take this into account when I research a little further into it. Have a great day!

[@richarquis]

@@lastnamefirstname6035 The GX gate expander is supposed to be great for drums, they tie in completely with whatever's going on in the sequence. I'm waiting on new stock of the main unit, and will be buying the GX with it.

[@lastnamefirstname6035]

@@richarquis let me know what you think when it arrived and you got to play with it 😊! By this time I've found a different way to do my drum sequencing which is the Intellijel Steppy! Nonetheless still interested in how the [Metropolix + GX] handle business.

[@richarquis]

@@lastnamefirstname6035 I will try to remember! I have the Intellijel Scales, which has it's own kind of mini Steppy built in, but it's not something I have yet used.It just looks like the GX and Metropolix pair absolutely perfectly.

[@thibaudkellerhals2938]

Holy fuck that was gooooood !

[@EnviroDouglas]

I want to hear more of the track!

[@IhorMedia]

Got it! ✌️

[@peladoclaus]

this is good music!

[@perseus-vanlife1763]

New shirt! Siiiiik

[@IhorMedia]

Haha! It has been there in a few videos before! Thanks for kicking in!

[@perseus-vanlife1763]

@@IhorMedia oh! i’ve missed a few while traveling! about to be at Moog and Make Noise headquarters:)

[@IhorMedia]

@@perseus-vanlife1763 Check 'em! ✌️ Curious about what are you doing there? if I may ask!

[@perseus-vanlife1763]

@@IhorMedia just visiting, I picked up a Ripples module at the moog shop. Make Noise was closed to public.

[@IhorMedia]

@@perseus-vanlife1763 nice! Ripples must be fun to play with!

[@TheRhomb]

Hi Ihor, I recently discovered your video's and I really like them. If you could chosse one sequencer, which one would you choose, the Mimetic or the Metropolix? I'm kind of torn between the two. I really like the concept of the Metropolix to do Fugue machine style sequences, but I'm afraid it's a bit too much. The Mimetic seems like a great sequencer, plus it takes a lot less space. Curious about you opinion! Ps. since you live in Amsterdam, your jam reminded me of De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig - Shenkie :)

[@IhorMedia]

Hey Erik! Thanks for your kind words. Mimetic and Metropolix are too different to compare, honestly. Metropolix is a complex "one stop shop" sequencer. It can do so many complex things, honestly, that I wouldn't be able to list (cause I don't really know all of them). Important thing is that it is Gate and Pitch sequencer first of all. I can do some modulation too, but not too much. Mimetic on the other hand is kinda simple. You have 16 steps x 4 tracks of CV values. And it is just great for modulation automation. And randomisation. Patch the gates in, 4 outs into filters, folders, distortions and whatnot and it will throw you into a parallel sonic universe. I think Mimetic and Metropolix complement each other greatly! But they do not compete.

[@jonaseggen2230]

Hi. Just want to say that some prefer to use several small sequencers, maybe quantizers to. The advantage of this is that you get many more routing possibilities, like sequencing a sequencer for example or using sequencers for other things than pitch and gates. From a research and find perspective, something I believe is a great part of the modular journey for most, and to sort of build a unique synthesiser, a complex patch and find new uses can be as much fun for some as actually making music. The disadvantage of this approach is the cable salad and lack of overview. When I started with eurorack I soon realized that simpler modules without menus gave me a better overview, but now that I know more, more complex modules often means less cables.

[@ADHDev1234]

@@jonaseggen2230 maybe use tendrils ;)

[@markbooth]

Is Quadrax into simple 1U vca into another vca as a mixer better that just going straight to the mixer vca? Just interested why you wanted the extra step

[@IhorMedia]

Hey Mark! Technically it is not better. Same. Just more handy for me! You may laugh, but more handy because of the knobs. This is where the size matters lol. If I'd patch straight into the uVCA I'd have to control volume of the channels with those little knobs that controls CV amount. But when you use it as a mixer only, then the bigger knobs are in charge. And since I anticipated to control volume frequently on the go, I needed bigger knobs for this. There you go!

[@markbooth]

@@IhorMedia I feel the same with mixer control and cannot manage the range of QuadVCA. Whatever we need for performance is correct. Would love to try a dual patch with you some day!

[@Richie086]

Do you have a patreon? I’d gladly throw you a few bucks to make some longer form, more in-depth videos. You are quite good at taking a simple concept and building things up until you end up with some very listenable music.

[@IhorMedia]

Hello! Thank you very much for your kind words and the idea. It means a lot to me! I don't have a Patreon at the moment, but I am thinking about it. A few people asked this question already. So maybe it makes sense.

[@Richie086]

@@IhorMedia as long as you can commit to doing some deep dive videos I would totally support that. For example if you could do a deep dive for metropolix, pams new workout, intelijel tete and tetrapad, intelijel ShapeShifter. Those modules are all very complicated but have so much potential. I have a bunch of ideas for videos that are currently lacking on KZbin.

[@vincmentaria]

this case do how much HP?

[@IhorMedia]

104HP

[@vincmentaria]

@@IhorMedia ok^^

[@MrMarcLaflamme]

oooohhh Accum is niiiice! Run the bassline at a slower timing (scale)! :-) Ihor I almost gave you a thumbs down for leaving Mimetic unloved (but I didn't...hah)... It should never become unplugged from whatever NE oscillator is in the case.

[@markbooth]

lol totally agree. Mimetic will electrocute you on your next patch in revenge 😂

[@MrMarcLaflamme]

@@markbooth Hey I just discovered your channel! Great stuff :-)

[@markbooth]

@@MrMarcLaflamme nice one thanks. I’m trying to document my my journey learning modular and to help others

[@IhorMedia]

Slower timing! Yes! I think it is going to work awesome! And agree with you for 100% about Mimetic and NE Voices! It is such a good rhythmic modulation source! Next time I wont forget to do that! Thanks for kicking in! ✌️

[@cedric2280]

@@IhorMedia with the lastest firmare you can really play with accum reset & count pulses & now you can chain patterns

[@FastRCToys]

Nerdseq is way better than any other eurorack sequencer IMHO

[@IhorMedia]

Never tried it! But I've heard so much good about it.

[@FastRCToys]

@@IhorMedia Of course, it's big. I'm using it for 12 CV / Gate ...

[@IhorMedia]

@@FastRCToys yo... this is huge

[@Tofu_Pilot]

Intellijel, freakin mad scientist Canadians! This is literally overstuffed with features. On a side note, are you safe from the flooding? Seems your part of the world is having some terrible weather disasters.

[@IhorMedia]

Yo man! Thanks for kicking in! ✌️It’s all fine here in Noord Holland. The southern parts of the country are flooding terribly tho. And parts of Germany too. Hope all will be fine soon!

[@vertigev]

Man, I'm really not feeling the Metropolix.. So much hp for so little functionality compared to other sequencers of that size. Great video though!

[@IhorMedia]

Totally get it, man! Which one is your favourite then?

[@vertigev]

@@IhorMedia Right now it's the Eloquencer. 8 gate tracks, 8 CV tracks with probability, scales, live recording, fills, LFO's, song modes, etc.. It's almost like the Digitakt sequencer in modular format. I also like the Ground Control sequencer but while it's easier to play live (keys are bigger), it's way too big and only has a few cv tracks. At the end of the day I so think it's about what works for each person, I just don't jive with the Metropolix :)

[@IhorMedia]

@@vertigev thank you very much for your reply! I will have a look at those out of my curiosity!