Music sequencer

In the field of electronic music, a sequencer was originally any device that recorded and played back a sequence of control information for an electronic musical instrument. Nowadays the term refers almost always to computer software for recording, playing back and editing MIDI and/or audio data.

Related Topics:
Electronic music - Electronic musical instrument - MIDI

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Early analog music sequencers used control voltage/trigger interface, but were replaced by digital hardware- or software-based MIDI sequencers, which play back MIDI events and MIDI control information at a specified number of beats per minute. As computer speeds increased in the 1990s, audio editing was added.

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Most sequencers now handle both MIDI and audio. Many have numerous further features such as sample playback, effects, and limited music notation. (For software designed specifically for music notation, see Scorewriter.)

Related Topics:
Music notation - Scorewriter

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Though the term 'sequencer' is today used primarily for software, some hardware synthesizers and almost all music workstations include a built-in MIDI sequencer. There are also standalone hardware MIDI sequencers.

Related Topics:
Synthesizer - Music workstation

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Music can be sequenced in a sense using trackers such as ModPlug Tracker, and a drum machine can be viewed as a specialized music sequencer.

Related Topics:
Tracker - ModPlug Tracker - Drum machine

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