Unveiling the Incredible: What the Retrokit RK 008 MIDI Recorder Can Do

[@jmichell1880]

This description needs a correcton: parts don't just handle 1 of 8 midi channels, EACH of the 8 parts can hold 2 banks of 16 channels. So the 8 parts can hold (in whatever combos you want to split them up for mutes) a total of 32 SEPARATE CHANNELS! This is an incredible amount of sequencing power.

[@leftmono1016]

It’s like the old MMT8. 8 sequencer tracks, but each track can record and play back 16 midi channels.

[@MLochMusic]

Hi mate I was thinking this. Why stunt it at 8 channels. I need 16. So this will suffice?

[@jmichell1880]

@@MLochMusic it will!

[@MLochMusic]

@@jmichell1880 Only issue I can see is you cant mute 16 channels independently.

[@stefpir]

incredible. those last weeks i was looking exactly for a very simple midi or audio tool like this one. thanks

[@g3cd]

Well, it's not "simple" as it's not transparent what it does - it's all keys with very limited visual information. If you really want to know what you're doing, buy a Squarp Hapax.

[@Givemeapps]

@@g3cd The squarp sequencers and the majority of their contemporaries are not "linear" sequencers which SUCKS. The RK008 is at LEAST an attempt to bring a LINEAR sequencer to market. I hope a modern Roland MC80 or Yamaha QY700 finally comes to market soon with 16 tracks.

[@gagealbright]

​@@Givemeapps whats a "linear" sequencer? Thanks

[@Ancaja123]

@@gagealbright Real Time sequencer, like an MPC. While you can enter notes in, you're meant to play a keyboard into it in real time

[@channelite]

I think I would have liked to hear a beat so we know how things are recorded. Looks cool.

[@gagealbright]

I agree @ a beat

[@GertBoers]

If you connect the excellent RK-006 (also from Retrokits) to one of the out ports, you can connect to way more than 'only' two devices. ;)

[@DesertNinjaX]

Love the Rk006. I can't fathom why more people don't own one of those.

[@r.e.d.62]

I'm guessing my hapax has this covered...?

[@rdean150]

@@r.e.d.62 The RK-006 is also useful with Hapax. It's essentially a super compact, 2-input, 10-output MIDI hub/router. So it lets you physically connect a bunch more instruments to the Hapax (or any MIDI sequencer) without the added latency of daisy chaining. And it's about the size of a deck of cards. Suuuper compact.

[@r.e.d.62]

@@rdean150 thank you...I should have mentioned that I'm getting the Kenton thru 25 which will have me well set up.

[@rdean150]

@@r.e.d.62 And in terms of the RK-008 shown here, it's really much closer to the Pyramid than the Hapax. It's basically a subset of the Pyramid feature set, but at a fraction of the size. Almost the same price tho lol. Retrokits are a boutique shop that cater primarily to people who seriously value portability.

[@jamespetersen8112]

I've had this for 3 weeks...love it.

[@laurencecaronmartin3929]

Is there a probability (or randomness or "humanise") function with the rk-008 that can be added in the loop like with the Bastl midi looper, I don't see it in the manual or in tutorials... Maybe I missed it, or it's named differently... Someone?

[@TronDawg]

This is a top-notch video. Retrokits is truly building some of the best gear around. Love seeing a sequencer used as a complex and editable multi channel looper. Beautiful sounds. Thank you

[@eancurtis9333]

This thing has song mode!!!!!!!!! Awesome!

[@Strafuzz]

Kinda off topic but I really like your jacket. Lovely colour.

[@romi2910001]

Hi, it looks pretty awesome, just want to make sure. Lets say if on my synthesizer i play with the reverb, filters, lfo, etc , it will record and play back all those midi cc changes??

[@Digiphex]

Vs Dirtywave M8 would be a cool comparo.

[@StephenDruesedow]

This looks awesome, the set up with the arturia midi controller and virus synth is awesome. The thing I'm really concerned about with a MIDI sequencer is the power of its clock and the stability of its timing. I don't know how strong that little guy is but I'm sure it would be fine for lofi and ambient stuff where timing isn't as much of a concern.

[@leftmono1016]

Most midi sequencers are rock solid. Never had any issues personally.

[@StephenDruesedow]

@@leftmono1016 Yes, most hardware sequencers are pretty good and usually better than software sequencers when it comes to timing. There is a range of quality though among all sequencers when it comes to timing, and a lot depends on how many tracks you're running and what tempo. The elektron box that you've got has rock solid sequencing for sure. I'm usually making psytrance which has a lot of tracks at high tempo and the roland mc 500 sequencer I had couldn't handle the higher tempo complex stuff.

[@leftmono1016]

@@StephenDruesedow - I think the only issue I had was with an MPC500 which has a ‘soft’ thru. Years ago I’d daisy chain multiple synths/modules with no problems, although I wasn’t recording lots of CC data. These days everything is connected to an old MOTU midi interface which I simply use as an 8x8 merge box. Works like a charm and really cheap if you get the parallel port ones, no need to connect it to a computer.

[@StephenDruesedow]

Yes, I used the MOTU midi interface with a computer and thought it was solid. What I'd really like is the Cirklon.

[@HeegeMcGee]

YOWZERS that price tag

[@jmcoffin1]

I’d like to see a demo that includes recording and playback of MPE instruments… Assuming it can handle that level of data.

[@politesociety]

It can handle it perfectly, but only up to 64k of data per song, before reporting 'bummer dude' (seriously).

[@sillyworm]

What 2 synths do you have hooked up here?

[@kh485]

Can it import midi files? Can you edit midi files to create midi loops on the fly?

[@NullStaticVoid]

I have no need for this. I have 5 different Elektron boxes that all sequence in their own slightly different ways. But I want it because it's so damn cute. In other words you had me at Alesis, the HR16B was my first drum machine. Ps you guys gotta work on your website. Tried 5 times to add this to my wishlist, no luck.

[@EVILJAMARR]

Why didn't I think of this! So cool

[@AndrewAHayes]

Playing an extremley simple pad to demonstrate a MIDI recorder is not IMO the best way to demonstrate this kit, a piano legato piece with lots of notes would be preferable to see how accurate it is.

[@politesociety]

Very importantly though is each song is limited to 64k of data, so no good for large compositions, or for songs with large amounts of CC/pitch modulations, especially when using MPE. Which is a shame, because otherwise it is pretty amazing.

[@pauldablue]

- Yeah I just found that out after recording some cc's tweaking the cutoff on my TB-03, do you think it only has 64kb per song to be backwards compatible with an MMT-8 ? It's just ridiculous in these days of cheap RAM.

[@politesociety]

@@pauldablue I thought it was a faithfulness to the emulation, but checking the teensy 4 specs, it looks like it's cache is 65k, there may be a legitimate limitation due to the keeping the song loaded in memory.

[@pauldablue]

@politesociety - I've just been chatting with Gerrit and the Memory limit is faithful to the MMT-8 memory chunks, and the RK-008 is not intended to be used like a DAW, the limitations are a feature, I worked it out that a song can contain a maximum of 10240 notes as each note = 5 bytes = 64kb. So no recording lots of filter cutoff cc's on my TB-03 or SH-01A 😕

[@politesociety]

@@pauldablue well that's potentially something that they'll change later. It certainly kills some of my use cases for it, as it was potentially a perfect midi looper for my linnstrument with perfect unquantised articulation but I have to turn off everything except note and velocity if I don't want to live in fear of 'bummer dude'.

[@pauldablue]

​@politesociety - Thing is I had an MMT-8 back in the day so should have been aware of its memory limit, I've only had it a few days, I'm gonna give it a few more days but I'm already considering sending it back and getting a Squarp Pyramid.

[@sonicultura]

I want this!!!

[@tomblaze2]

I want to see these pictures see with a more elaborate synth- sampler- drum machine rig

[@PrimitiveInTheExtreme]

WoW!!!!

[@Adams420]

Can it send midi via USB?

[@paulsarodh5460]

Super ROCKIN 💢💖👌

[@kisho2679]

in which use cases is it more powerful than the Squarp Pyramid?

[@doranstewartstewart6521]

This might be the last piece of gear we (or I) need

[@g3cd]

All keys, mouse-sized display ... and no explanation in the video what it actually does. MIDI effects can be anything from arpeggiators to pitch change to chords and a lot more - no idea if it can do those or how it informs about what it does. On the other hand, the "perfect circuit expert" pointed out multiple times that it can address SIXTEEN midi channels, whoa, great news! 😂

[@FursAndMasksMusic]

It's a MIDI recorder, it records MIDI. It says it in the title. He basically spends the first three minutes explaining the feature set.

[@christopheronald]

does it quantize incoming notes you play? if so can you turn that off if needed?

[@jmichell1880]

You can turn quantize on or off after you record and it's non-destructive

[@Ancaja123]

@@jmichell1880 wit can you really not turn it on while you record????

[@jmichell1880]

@@Ancaja123 you record the notes first. Then decide if you want them quantized or not, and like I said it's non destructive, so you it saves your original timing and you can switch back and forth between quantized or unquantized playback. I don't really use it for live performance, so I'm not sure if could instantly quantize live notes as they come in or not. I'm not aware if any device does this tbh. Here's the manual retrokits.com/rk008/RK008_manual_beta.pdf

[@pauldablue]

How would that even be possible?, think about it, if you're playing slightly late nothing but a time machine could shift the notes to before you actually played them, in real time.

[@christopheronald]

@@pauldablue it would put the note played in the next note spot 😑

[@_fig.8]

why did i think this couldn’t quantize? immediate yes!

[@EnviroDouglas]

I own a Nina and TI2. It seems inappropriate for a recreated, budget sequencer to be paired with what I consider to be middle-range, high end synths. With that being said, this seems to pair well with volcas, all the mini reissues/copycats, and the like. Also, a drum computer/module would’ve helped in the demo.

[@BijouDrains]

Very inappropriate. Very inappropriate indeed. Have the butler turn the car around. I will not be seen in a place like this.

[@sillyworm]

Love this ambient.

[@RonaldFigura]

Timbre = tahm- bur. Save the timber for the lumberjacks...

[@Hellseeker1]

Hmm, it’s not for me so I’ll hold my tongue. I’m sure someone will find a use for it.

[@Hellseeker1]

Psst, it’s just an arduino shoved into a calculator case then they asked for almost $500. I can’t imagine anyone using it unless you got a ton of out dated synths your trying to run. Niche on top of another Niche. I hate to be mean but it seems like a rip off to me.

[@pauldablue]

•Edit• I have the RK-008 now and I stand by this comment, this thing can do SO much more than what this guy is poorly demonstrating, yes it's not cheap but it is quality, the only negative I can think of is it really should have more memory or an SD card slot, yes you can back up songs via the Web/Offline app, but in these days of cheap memory it seems a little limiting. - The RK-008 is a really nice thing, but I give your demo of it 1/10, really was the RK-008 even necessary for that plinky plonky nonsense you were doing?

[@eladreltuc]

ok grandpa

[@bravooooooooooooooooooooo]

Sounded good to me.

[@recsund]

i liked the track , it allowed me to stop procrastinating and focus on my job at hand :P

[@Jin-Hu]

Plinky-plonky-nonsensewave is my jam

[@trevor4835]

was your negativity even necessary?

[@SonicVibe]

Interesting 🧐

[@partymarty6969]

$500 to record midi when you can hook up a midi controller to your iPhone to record midi on the go.

[@partymarty6969]

Use iRig Midi 2 to export midi to hardware synthesizers with midi in

[@boeiend100]

whats the point of this? For less then $75 you can pick up any roland mc300/500/50 which does the same thing

[@rexcellencemagee6729]

Again, another device that all that money could go towards an IPad that will do more, do it better, after reading the specs, there is nothing this does my IPad won’t! At $500 with tax that would cut the cost of lower memory brand new one in half. I’m not saying this isn’t a great product but like everything nowdays it just cost too much! Spend $50 on an IO instead.

[@LaurentDiscShowMan]

Hahahahahaha...hahahahahaha...reminds me of 35 years ago with so many MIDI-switched devices to make music...I'm glad that everything goes well and that you understand well the things that I'm explaining to you...