Hi, I didn’t find any specs about the midi sequencing capabilities. How many midi tracks? How many midi channels? Will it be possible to sequence external hardware with the 2400? I saw just a midi out port so I suppose there will be the classic 16 channel… maybe we will be able to use an USB port to connect midi interfaces in the future?
Just curious to know what will be the basic midi features and maybe some ideas for the future.
Thanks!
hey muteosc
you can’t find the midi specs as they are not published yet but we will be able to use as midi sequencer yes
how is yet to be ascertained/confirmed but it will be there, CC too which has been confirmed and midi will NOT steal audio tracks i was told by Brad 
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I was just wondering today how audio/MIDI tracks would be handled by the sequencer. was prepared to have to divide them between the 32 pads/sounds, but all the better if that is not the case.
was Brad referring to polyphony or sequencer tracks? I would assume the latter, but I wonder how MIDI tracks will be accessed independently by the pads and sequencer.
I really want to know its’ sequencer abilities too for external gear.
I’ve already pre-ordered and plan to just use it synced to my MPC60 (MPC handling external synth duties and sequencing). But, if someday in a future FW, if the S2400 can do the basic external sequencing of an MPC60, then I will be happy to slang/replace the 60 and have the S2400 as my new centerpiece/main-sequencer.
Not asking/needing for much (nothing like a modern Elektron nor Maschine, nor even a modern MPCxxxx)… just super basic, simple MPC60-like (I happily/contently use version 2.02, lol) external gear sequencing - record midi tracks/patterns of external gear with keyboard-controller, and arrange those patterns/tracks in a song mode, with basic editing/copy&pasting/deleting/etc…
My centerpiece/main-sequencer is an MPC60 (I don’t use DAW), a JV for keyboard controller, and around 7 external synths/romplers/S950/FF (of course, some those racks can have up to 8-16 [iirc] separate assigned midi channels inside each too).
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well i would expect/hope midi poly will be separate from audio poly, but yes i asked specifically about us losing an audio track just for midi like Roland famously did of late with the 707 , crazy idea sacrificing an audio track for a midi track but we will not suffer that terrible fate thankfully
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I just read an older post on the Gearslutz forum, where Brad said the sequencer will be based on the Alesis MTT-8… so, I’ve been researching info and watching vids of the MMT-8 all day, haha.
I’ve always heard of it (as it’s a legendary, inexpensive sequencer)… but never had one before.
Sounds like great news to an MPC sequencer user like me; as the MMT8 sequencer looks very similar to an older MPC - assign tracks, record the parts/sequences/patterns, then string them together in song mode.
Sounds like it can replace my MPC60 as main-sequencer and be able to make a full jam with it (for us that are OTB, non-DAW and use an MPC, MMT-8 or other similar hardware sequencer).
MMT-8 (if I’m not mistaken): 8 tracks (16 channels ea = essentially 128 tracks), 100 parts(sequences/patterns), 100 songs.
Differences to MPC60: 8 physical, on-the-fly and recordable button mutes. editing is difficult. Inaccurate clock timing. Always need to manually quantize every track/part (I read this is frustrating)?
I’m sure Isla will improve upon this though, and perhaps even add more features.
MPC60: 99 tracks (1 channel ea), 99 sequences(parts/patterns), 20 songs.
Differences to MMT-8: Shuffle, rock solid timing, editing is very easy.
Any other sequencer differences between those two?
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Great find! I’m just praying that MIDI patterns can be stored on the SD card and for some kind of import/export over USB function. Nothing too fancy, just a practical way to integrate/extract pre-recorded data from other sources to the 2400 and vice versa. Do I ask too much?
IDK. From all the demo videos, it is clear the S2400 sequencer is definitely based on the SP1200. The MTT-8 has a very different workflow.
but you haven’t seen the midi seq: yet 
and this has been said by brad about the way it will manage midi, i think the words can be taken incorrectly and yes it won’t match the mmt8 obviously, he just sees it as working in that kind of way
we shall see
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I guess most people are ITB/DAW nowadays?
I do all OTB, computer only for recording a stereo-mix from an old Mackie desk (used to record to R2R, and would happily do tape again if I had it again… could even just use a handheld Zoom audio recorder instead of a computer)… so any new S2400 midi-sequencer info is the most interesting stuff I’m waiting for atm. Crossing my fingers that it can replace my MPC60 as main sequencer.
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i imagine most are yes but there are certainly a hell of a lot us who still prefer the OTB method and use something like a daw or sound forge as a 2 trk, sound forge for me
i open cubase occasionally if i actually feel the need to properly multitrack
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Nice! I use freebie Audacity myself for 2-trk recording, lol.
For multitrack recording, I just do the same - stereo-mix out of Mackie into Audacity 2-trk… but record the tracks individually (mute everything else, or solo).
Only reason I save the individual tracks, is for any possible future use by professional-mastering people. For myself, I don’t use them, as I don’t know how to mix in a DAW, since I don’t use DAW.
Anyways… I just realized Sunshine Jones is a beta-tester.
That’s great news in regards to the midi-sequencer!
I read he used a pair of Alesis MMT-8 as his main sequencer/s for 20-30 years… so for sure he’ll have some great advice for Isla for its’ development. Exciting!
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You should give Reaper a try. It’s only $60. Technically you can use it for free indefinitely but you’ll honestly want to pay the developers for the awesome software they created. There are tons of skins you can download to overlay it. I found one that’s like an old console. Looking at software that behaves like a physical board helps out tons for my workflow. It’s the only DAW I’ve found that I completely enjoy and understand. Huge online community for help with stuff too.
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i have spent over 25 years with cubase but maybe one day reaper gets a whip as it does look cool , i need a computer that is more than the equivalent of an speccy 48k before i try another daw though 
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Have you considered Luna? Seems like it could be the perfect “digital tape recorder” for you. You might like the skeuomorphic, familiar console interface and feel comfortable learning to mix with it.
I think you told me elsewhere your OS is Windows, but here’s a suggestion: find a used mac mini to and pick up a UAD Apollo Solo interface.
Granted, those two would set back ~£750, maybe more. Then wait for sales get the Studer A800 and Ampex ATR-102 extension/plugins, maybe the Neve summing as well and get them 1/2-off. That would be another ~£400. Those plugins can be “set and forget” if you find presets or tweak and save the settings yourself, so you wouldn’t have to do too much ITB production at all. Just set levels and roll “tape” as you normally would.
Maybe by the time you decide to upgrade your primary PC, Universal will have ported Luna to Windows and you can skip the mac mini? Certainly not cheap either way, but I wonder what it would cost to invest in a clean 1/4" reel to reel these days. Plus the cost of tape, maintenance, etc.
Sound’s like you’d prefer a simple, all analog OTB solution for its workflow, but the sound of this Universal isn’t just hype. I’ve only ever used cassette/portatrack for analogue, and your experience may tell you otherwise but I have the UAD tape plugins and to my ear they’re really, really good @192/24.
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Yeah, I know many people that use Cubase and Reaper for a while. They def seem like the classic go-to DAW and can’t go wrong.
I’ve only heard about Luna recently. Looks and sounds awesome from what I’ve shortly researched about it!
I’ve just always been kinda hesitant and scared of mixing on DAW, as there’s so many features. So, I’ve always just mix-down on an old Mackie 24ch (16ch when I first started), lol.
But, then again, DAW sounds awesome, as it will forgo many problems that sometimes arise while doing a final mix-down - like occasionally/commonly finding crackly faders, pots, 1/4” sockets, etc. here and there, and always needing to use DeoxIT or troubleshoot/track the source of crackling and/or bad connections.
Though, for multi-track DAW/Luna recording, don’t I need to buy a more complex interface with several channels/inputs? I’m kinda avoiding buying more stuff.
Or, can I just record/enter individual tracks/layers inside it, mix it all down, then output that multi-track final mixdown through its’ tape-plugins as if I’m recording the multi-track mix through tape?
Call me a n00b, but I don’t really know/understand the usual workflow for DAW/Luna multi-track mixdown recording (lol) …let’s say if one only had a 2ch interface (do people usually just record/enter individual tracks in the DAW?)
If anything, if I ever got a new DAW/Luna, I’d probably? still just do simple 2-trk or mono/individual-trk recordings from the Mackie (or, skip Mackie, and directly from individual instruments?), since I only have a cheapy 2ch interface (2i2).
I was the same way for a long time. I even went back to ADAT for a minute before finally recording in a DAW. Once you understand the basics you’ll only go back to analog recording for niche projects. Anything I’m aiming to get pressed on vinyl is all recorded to 1/2" tape. Everything else like stuff for the web is all recorded digitally. Digital has much more advantages than drawbacks. Seeing EQ visually has helped my mixes so much and honestly some of these console emulators are becoming so damn good we’re going to reach a point where the difference is no longer discernable.
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Ah, haha… I’ve never used ADAT, but heard those early '90s units use super high-quality components and converters, even by today’s pro standards, and are a good bang for buck these days.
But, I’m not gonna get into ADAT, lol. I’m cheapy nowadays, esp since I haven’t even been making music lately anymore. Only reason I got a new piece of gear for the first time in 8+ years, the S2400, cuz ya know, it’s super fascinating as we’re all aware.
Def miss my Otari 5050. Had it serviced and maintained by a really good, old Otari specialist in LA and it was running like new. Regret selling it, as I’ll never have one again - I probably won’t find another mint one again for a fair price, and the service/repair specialist I knew is perhaps retired or gone by now.
I’m def interested in DAW or Luna recording though, esp for the tape emulators. Maybe someday hopefully… expense tho, lol.
Also, still kinda confused how do you integrate/record into a DAW from a full OTB setup, running into a small 2ch interface. Care to help me and summarize the usual common process?
Let’s say I have a 15 track song, all tracks and synths/samplers connected to and running into my Mackie 24ch. Since only using a 2ch interface, I assume you record individual solos/tracks into the DAW from the Mackie? Then final mix down within the DAW, correct? I’m so n00b, lol. But I can’t see how let’s say a 15 track song (or a 24ch mixer’s individual channels) can be put into a DAW with all those individual tracks/layers at once, through a 2ch interface… unless my old Mackie was replaced with a new-school USB mixer that integrates with a DAW.
yes just bounce down a stereo or 2 mono track at a time if it only has a stereo input or 2 or 4 depending the output on your mixer to the interface - best to think of a daw as a multitrack tape machine if you are new to them, if you have 24 inputs on your tape machines you can have 24 tracks recorded at once, if you only have 1 you can record 1 and have to multitrack which is fine anyway, it just takes a little longer
some interface will transfer many tracks at once but that interface needs had inputs obviously
modern analogue and digital mixers have multitrack interface inside them, i can record 18 tracks at once via 1usb cable, with each track onto its own track into cubase if i need to
my digi interface is a behringer xr 18 and i run two of these right now - each has a 18 in 18 out interface inside it from one usb cable, super quality, very small , lots of ins and out - no faders but it can be used with an ipad as a controller or on the pc
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