I feel you. Personally I think the metropolis is a classic, but I think buyers these days crave features for larger modules that may cost as much as a poly synth. It’s only natural to daydream about what you can add. And they probably will, at some point, come out with another big sequencer with tons of features, but I hope they always keep the original in production.
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What types of things would make you want to use a sequencer over the original Metropolis?
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Well the downside of the metropolis is that you can’t really store patterns, but just about everything else about how it is designed make it s great for modular. The parameters you can control with external CV are well thought out and allow you to create melodic variations generativity while still feeling like you are sculpting the melodies by hand with the switches and sliders.
But I don’t actually own one, rather I get to use the ones at my friend’s house and that might play into my opinion on it. I associate it with fun times messing around on large systems.
While I don’t know of anything that beats the Metropolis for noodling and performing, I currently have my Metropolis removed from my main rack and stored in a 4MS Pod, because its features are too limited to justify its size for more deliberate composition.
Two features would probably change this for me, and I believe they can both be achieved via firmware update:
(1) The ability to load a new saved pattern via CV.
(2) The ability to configure Metropolis so when a new pattern is loaded (either using the physical interface, or via CV as per above), it starts playing the new pattern after the current pattern is finished, and not immediately.
This way I could load Metropolis with eight different patterns and use a different sequencer/controller (such as my Tete/Tetrapad) to control the order that the patterns are played, as a kind of voltage-controlled song mode.
That said, I suspect that Intellijel regards Metropolis as “finished” with regard to firmware. There hasn’t been any updates in a long time, and the module doesn’t facilitate easy updates anyway, so I expect that creating a new update probably isn’t worth the effort and trouble.
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This is why I opted for an elektron sequencer plugged into a midi to CV module. Weirdly, this also removed the feeling that seems to be around that Metropolis’
I rarely use it for composition, except for recording 4-bar snippets and layering them on the OT.
Also I think sequencers present a special challenge to module designers, because a sequencer that is played live needs to be big, and if you start to store patterns then the knobs and switches may not represent the pattern that is loaded.
These is actually one of the gripes I have with the Varigate 4+, the module is so small you can only edit one parameter field at a time, and the sliders almost never represent the value of their position. I mean you get used to it, but then you use a Metropolis and realize that maybe Intellijel knows what they are doing.
Cleary Intellijel have the chops to make another big sequencer, and it seems like they have been paying close attention to what people want in the eurorack community. It will be interesting to see what they decided to do with the design.
I’ve been using the Omsonic Stochastic sequencer for a while, and I’ve gotta say, it’s reaaaaaally interesting. Not as linear/predicable as the Metropolis, but the ability to set probabilities for notes within a scale, as well as probabilities for rhythms, is extremely useful.
I love my Metropolis, won’t get rid of it any time soon, but would love to see some of the probabilistic elements from the Omsonic (or now the Vermona as well) get incorporated.
Plus 16 steps. We really need 16 steps.
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Technically speaking, one could argue that the Metropolis does 16 steps: set “STAGES” to 16, and get there through pulse repeats or looping around through the beginning (or ping-ponging, etc.). I’ve certainly done this more than once.
But yes, I agree, having 16 independent steps would be nice, as long as it doesn’t compromise interface too much. Otherwise I’m fine with it as-is.
Yep. That was honestly one of the main things to consider with these mockups, and why I opted for the Tetrapad-like touch areas with LEDs. That way the panel can easily show the state, which then allows for loading, switching pages, or even using the touch area to represent other things.
Hardware faders are great for being tactile and fast to use, but unless you’re going to use motorised faders, I think the only decent option is to move to touch + LEDs. If you have other suggestions, I’d love to hear them!
Yep! The mockups above allow for 8 pages of 8 steps without much trouble (64 steps). It’d be pretty easy to add even more, but it depends on how cumbersome you want the editing to be.
Yeah, probability would be great. (Please see the mockups above on how this could be done.)
Is there anything else you’d like?
That’s a pretty cool and interesting approach to a sequencer. Cool stuff.
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I am pretty satisfied with the electron approach of having rotary encoders that always correlate to a value on a particular spot of the display, and directional pad to move a cursor. You can make the encoders velocity sensitive so you can sweep a lot of values by turning quickly, but zero in on a value if you need to trim something by modding the knob slowly.
What’s your opinion of the elektron sequencer?
I own an Analog Four MkII and I find their controls and UI to absolutely amazing. I haven’t actually used the sequencer yet! I sequence the Analog Four via MIDI. I should give it a spin.
The main thing I love about the Metropolis is that it’s all so immediate and everything so easy and quick to get to. Hopefully that spirit has been captured in the mockups in this thread.
What if there was a single encoder and a bunch of buttons for each step, with LEDs to show the value?
The pitch, pulse, and probability buttons switch the value shown and being edited by the step encoders. Accessing other values (bpm, steps etc) would be done by pressing or holding shift, then turning the respective encoder.
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2 handed operation should be avoided
I agree, but it could work in a couple of ways:
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Press shift, then turn the encoder.
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Hold shift, and while still holding shift, turn the encoder.
That allows for quick access in cases where two hand operation is possible, while also allowing for single handed use. It’s no more steps than are currently required for the Metropolis to do things like changing the key, bpm, swing and other options — right now you have to press a button, then turn the main encoder. As I have it set up, you’d have to press shift, then turn the relevant encoder. It could even be set up to work by pressing the encoder, then turning as well.
I’m all for chorded actions as shortcuts, while also allowing for slower, but more obvious access to features.