Why Novation Circuit Rhythm is my groovebox recommendation for guitarists

[@timeconsumer325]

Love seeing these types of applications for groove boxes. Nothing against EDM, IDM, drum and bass, etc, but there’s so much more these things can do!

[@tjguardino]

Thanks so much!! Yes, grooveboxes are so much fun for guitarists!

[@TheMikeHaskew]

I’ve had one of these for years and have never thought to use it like this. Brilliant and so well presented, I think you just convinced me to keep mine and start using it again. Great vid and playing!

[@tjguardino]

@@TheMikeHaskew wow that’s awesome!! It’s such a fun box, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it if you bust it out again! Thanks for watching :)

[@phillippotterart]

Wow, the universe is strange. Great video, anyhoo, this is your old neighbor. KZbin put you back in my scope. I am going to grab a Circuit tracks to add to my drum machine and MircoFreak for my doom thing I am doing and KZbin brought up your vid! Keep up the good work. Thanks for the past video info on a loop petal, I have been needing one!

[@tjguardino]

OMG that's wild!! So good to hear from you hope you guys are doing so well! And yes, your setup sounds awesome and Circuit Tracks will be the perfect compliment. What drum machine are you using?

[@phillippotterart]

@@tjguardino I am running a volca Drum because I wanted the sound sculpting ability, but it is a bit contankerous.

[@tjguardino]

@ ahhh so I’ve heard 😅 Have you ever tried a Volca Sample? One of my favorites :)

[@phillippotterart]

@@tjguardino Not yet, but hoping to add to my Volca collection.

[@Imetalman2000]

Wow. Thank you for that looping tip.

[@tjguardino]

Glad I could help!

[@ChromaticFramerø]

I agree with you, and Rhythm is great for live audio instruments. It was my first groovebox and I loved my time with it. If the threshold adjustments, being able to add effects to incoming audio, and tweaks to the "live looping" functionality was changed. I think it would be an ideal companion for many. I used it together with a loop pedal with piano and bass. But in the end switches both the looper and the Rhythm out for a Deluge. Which does everything the Rhythm does and more. But it's more obtuse and complex, and much more expensive so it's not necessarily comparable to the Rhythm. But I'm very happy with my choice. And if you are new to the groovebox world, and want something that will grow with you. The Deluge is ideal, while the Rhythm can be something you grow out of. But if you're just looking for a companion for drums, and maybe some extra sounds to play along with. It's great.

[@tjguardino]

Nice!! Yes those improvements would make Circuit Rhythm unstoppable! Deluge seems really cool and ticks a lot of boxes, it's high on my list of groove boxes to try!

[@DeGroove]

I’m a guitarist, been using this for a while now in combo with a Yamaha THRII30 for home jamming. It’s perfect. Output goes to the aux in of the THR, line out of the THR goes back to the input of the CR. Recording time is limited though, depending on how many samples are in your project. Great stuff indeed. Thinking about hooking a midi pedalboard up with it…

[@tjguardino]

That’s awesome!! I’m curious about the THR… gotta try one soon! Thanks for watching :)

[@Saint.questions]

This is the guide i needed thanks!

[@tjguardino]

You got it! Glad it could help :)

[@RJ_Eckie]

I love how much overlapping gear we have 😅 I put in a pre-order for the NTS-3 the day it was announced. Sadly I've not been able to spend a lot of time with it so far but the price/functionality ratio is just incredible - even just as a midi controller it's pretty unique and cheap! I think the Circuit Tracks was my first electronic music device, coming from piano and acoustic guitar. I couldn't really make it work for me. Also, I think this was before Novation did a whole bunch of very cool firmware updates on these. I'm specifically liking the performance fx you're showing here on the external inputs. I'll remember the Rhythm in case a situation comes up where I need something very portable to take with me - in size/price/workflow I'm not sure there's anything better!

[@tjguardino]

Haha awesome. NTS-3 is so cool. Circuit tracks is cool but I think the Rhythm is a great choice for recording yourself as an instrumentalist!

[@LeonardoDaSidci]

Love all your videos TJ. I’d love to see your take on a Digitakt II and guitar only workflow excluding the blackbox (granted every time you post I’m super tempted to pick one up). I love my DT2 and as a beginner guitarist that’s interested in jamming and looping but hasn’t tried before, I’d love to see how you’d go into that. Keep up the great work!

[@tjguardino]

Thanks so much!! You must’ve read my mind.. that’s my next video! Alas the Digitakt 2 can’t live loop but it is really good at recording guitars over your sequence :) thank you for watching and much appreciated!!

[@LeonardoDaSidci]

@ I rewatch your videos all the time. Literally the perfect channel for me. As a beginner to guitar and grooveboxes, trying to find a way to write and jam with the tools that appeal to me, you’ve nailed it. Looking forward to the Digitakt + Guitar video. Holla when you launch a Patreon, I’ll be there!

[@tjguardino]

@@LeonardoDaSidci wow thanks so much that means so much!!! I’m so glad you’re finding it useful, that’s all I can ask for! Love this kind of stuff, could talk it about it forever 😎

[@chrisb3389]

Good recommendation for that instrumentalist getting into the groovebox world. As a guitarist, I jumped into the deep end by getting an MC707. I liked its depth and synth engine and still use and love it and the Verselab I added. However, for price, simplicity of sampling (easier than Roland boxes) and easy access to useful knobs like distortion, hard to beat the Circuit Rhythm.

[@tjguardino]

Thanks!! I've heard great things about the MC707, I'll try one eventually!

[@bananaghost427]

If you're a fan of the Digitakt (I am), an option that's more affordable and more portable is the Sonicware Lofi 12 XT. It can do a lot of what the Digitakt can do, and even a few things it can't. So far for me, it's been a great little device. I am still very interested in the Circuit Rhythm though. I appreciate your introduction to it here. Thank you. :)

[@tjguardino]

That’s awesome! I am a Digitakt fan :) Ive heard so many good things about the sonicware boxes, I’ll need to get my hands on one soon!

[@electromajick]

I am interested in the rhythm and have the LPPro but I also own a Model:Samples. I haven't seen a comparison of these two drum machine/sample players.

[@tjguardino]

What’s the LPPro?

[@eightsprites]

On Swedish Amazon it’s currently on sale for $240. Other stores has it for $270 for black Friday.. If I didn’t already own it.. I would soooo buy it. I got both Tracks and Rhythm. Would want a mk2 that combines the two, but with more control of the synths than what the tracks has. Maybe put in a tiny screen for knob assignments. A way to show the full sequence, without the sample selection part would also be nice. No need to press the 1-16,17-32 button. I do really like these devices, and would recommend them to anyone.

[@tjguardino]

Woaaaah that’s super cheap!! If I lived in Sweden I’d buy another one :)

[@stefanhenning1151]

Nice vid! would that also work with the circuit tracks? I’m thinking about buying one 🤔

[@tjguardino]

Thank you! The functionality is a little different with the tracks.. you wouldn’t be able to do the live looping tricks and no performance effects but your input signal would route to delay, reverb, and sidechain!

[@chili1500]

😍😍❤

[@tjguardino]

Thanks for watching!!

[@Bonedriven1984]

Apart from the direct sample recording, what does the rythm have over tracks (from guitarist perspective)? Did you have a chance to play with tracks? Are drums in tracks lacking somehow compared to rythm? I'm thinking guitar---multueffect processor--novation tracks/or/rythm---looper, for a simple play at home solution, and I can't choose between tracks or rythm... If tracks had the sample recording function that would sell it for me, but i doesn't.

[@tjguardino]

I have used Circuit Tracks! Not being able to record into the sequence was a deal breaker for me. Other than that, you wouldn’t be able to do the live looping tricks and no performance effects.. but your input signal would route to delay, reverb, and sidechain! So if you’re just jamming and not recording it’s a good choice!

[@Iggxzy]

I'm sorry but how is it better than SP404 mk2 for guitarists?

[@tjguardino]

It’s not! I explain in the video this is my rec for a FIRST groovebox/sampler for guitarists (that’s the question I get a lot). I love the SP. I also wouldn’t recommend it to a beginner.

[@Iggxzy]

@@tjguardino fair point!

[@lucasrreboucas]

@@tjguardino How do you think the SP404 would be better than the CR? I have a Smpltrek and getting into sampler's world. Loving it, but also looking for a upgrade and the SP is on sight. Would like to hear your take about it.

[@tjguardino]

@ Nice!! So particularly for guitarists there are a few huge upgrades with the 404 mkII. I should do a video on it 😅 Here’s a few: Instrument input with proper impedance for electric guitar Built-in amp sim Input signal can be routed through FX busses and performance FX Built in looper that functions just like a looper pedal That being said, I personally don’t always get along with the workflow on the 404 😅 I find it difficult to internalize which is why I don’t recommend for beginners. It’s a commitment!

[@lanceholland]

Nice video. I have a question regarding the CR for live performance. I'm a guitarist but I play sample parts as an instrument for some of our cover songs. I had been using an MPC One for this. I download/copy sounds/sample from songs and assign them to pads where I can play those samples as an instrument. So, I'll find the keyboard sounds that we need and play them like a pseudo keyboard. Can CR play multiple samples at the same time?...e.g. chords?

[@tjguardino]

Oooh unfortunately the CR can is monophonic per-track. So one note at a time (per track) 8 notes total across all tracks, but no easy way to play chords unfortunately!

[@lanceholland]

@@tjguardino Bummer. The MPC was great for this but ridiculously complicated and heavy. I recently got an Ableton Move and it can do this but there's no performance effects (yet?). I picked up one of those Korg NTS-3s as a work around but was hoping to keep my live rig as simple as possible.

[@tjguardino]

@@lanceholland ha! I also use the NTS-3 with my Digitakt :)

[@lanceholland]

@@tjguardino there's one in the mailbox right now. It should do the trick. I only need some filter effect and the NTS-3 can do that and a lot more. BTW - it's more $$ but using the Abletone Move is sh*t simple. I've messed around with copying what you are doing with the Circuit Tracks and it works in a similar way. Lots more exploring to do...

[@lanceholland]

Just unpacked the Kaoss pad and plugged it in. Perfect. Super simple.

[@NewKilnStudios]

🎉🎉 had the tracks but sold it to get the digitakt. Awesome wokflow tho

[@tjguardino]

Ahh good trade-off though!!

[@ptrckc]

do you have an amp sim at the end of your pedal chain going into the CR?

[@tjguardino]

Yes! Just using one pedal actually but it has an amp sim in it.. the HX Stomp

[@jackson7078]

What do you think about Ableton move?

[@tjguardino]

I haven’t had a chance to try one yet! Is it good for this kind of thing?

[@jackson7078]

@@tjguardino looks like it could be pretty solid. Also haven't gotten to play with one yet

[@86owen]

sugary riffs brother

[@tjguardino]

🍩🍭🍫🍬 thanks for watching :)

[@dennox1]

Seems to be really dropping in price. I have just bought one in UK for £200 $250 new. Looking forward to getting to grips with it. I have tried with ableton but my lack of music production knowledge means I’m out of my depth. Play a bit of bass guitar and just getting the Japanese instachord guitar.

[@tjguardino]

Woaaah that’s crazy good value! It’s such a good box, I think you’ll really enjoy it!

[@HilkanaCastro]

Why would you choose this over Ableton MOve????? I'm looking how to create a clean simple live looping set up with loopy pro on my iPad. Thank you, This my be perfect so I dont have to set up an audiointerface and get an external groove box

[@tjguardino]

I actually haven’t had a chance to use Move yet so I couldn’t say! The CR does have full size 1/4” in compared to the 1/8” on the move though which is nice

[@HilkanaCastro]

@@tjguardino Thank you! Sorry to ask another question. I just quite tire to buy intruments and return them because it's not what I see on internet hehehe.. What do you think about the TR6s?? have you try it??? Basically the drum part it's what Im musing the most for a solid solo show

[@tjguardino]

@@HilkanaCastro oooh I’ve never tried the TR6s!

[@TheJoYo]

lately ive been jamming with my dfam.

[@tjguardino]

Nice! DFAM looks really cool, I want to try one!

[@kublathemuse]

Your noise gate is

[@tjguardino]

?

[@savoirfaire8979]

Are you running an amp simulator?

[@tjguardino]

Yes! HX Stomp under the desk