Eurorack Pitch + Gate Sequencer Module Comparison

Martin Doudoroff

Related discussion thread: heavy duty pitch + gate sequencer module comparison (MuffWiggler forum)

Latest

2021-01-23 minor updates
2021-01-03 added Intellijel Tete+Tetrapad
2020-12-19 added D&D Modules Heaven 16
2020-12-12 added Extralife Super Sixteen, other updates
2020-10-25 added Ladik S-280
2020-08-01 added SDS Digital Sequarallel
2020-07-21 added (with misgivings) Behringer 960 and 182
2020-04-29 added the RYK M185
2020-03-30 reworked the Gate Handling column
2019-12-30 minor updates
2019-10-28 added Befaco Muxlicer
2019-10-27 added Qu-bit Bloom to the comparison, updates
2019-10-15 removed Pittsburgh Sequence Designer
2019-10-13 minor updates
2019-09-30 added Tesseract Sequencer
2019-09-30 added Oakley Sequencer
2019-09-06 added Octone, other updates
2019-09-05 added WMD Metron+Voltera
2019-05-13 added Erica Black Sequencer, Livestock Shepard
2019-05-08 added Endorphin.es Ground Control
2019-05-03 added USTA, release years
2019-02-13 added CFM1
2019-02-10 stubbed out Per|Former (DIY)
2018-09-19 added René 2
2018-07-30 added Pittsburgh and Random Source sequencers, misc updates
2018-04-26 misc updates, added Red Light District, Varigate 4+, and Lifeforms Micro Sequence
2017-11-01 updates to FLXS1, added Squarp and 1010Music Toolbox
2017-08-15 NerdSeq updates
2017-07-03 Corrections
2017-06-29 Added column on gate sequencing features; added Rene, Popcorn and Mattson sq816
2017-06-19 Various tweaks and additions
2017-06-18 Rough draft
Show full revision history

Introduction

It is important to understand that this comparison is quite picky, focusing on complex, all-in-one (“battleship”), melodic-oriented sequencers with fairly complete gate sequencing ability. It includes pretty much everything at the “high end” and excludes pretty much all simpler “utility sequencers”.

The Eurorack market offers a huge number (dozens, even hundreds) of comparatively simple “utility sequencers” that vary wildly in design and features. None of them are included in this comparison. Some of these “utility sequencers” store or generate variable CV levels, while others specialize in gate generation (gate sequencers). Any “simpler” sequencers can be patched together with each other and in combination with virtually any other Eurorack utility modules to create a custom pitch and gate sequence, often with interesting and idiosyncratic characteristics that cannot be achieved by relying on the all-in-one tools listed here. This modular, patching-centric approach to creating sequences can be more hands-on, immediate, and rewarding. So, please do not assume that you need any of the products listed on this page in order to make melodic music with your synthesizer.

This comparison can never be more than a starting place for further research—these modules are amongst the most complex in Eurorack and they are extremely hard to compare fairly and accurately—they each have design biases reflecting different priorities and ideas about “process” (how you work with them). Most of these modules have tons of features that I cannot even begin to describe here. Do your homework. Sequencers are intensely personal tools.

The Steps (UI basis/max pattern length) column describes the number of steps the interface facilitates for editing at one time versus the (max) number of steps in a pattern. This provides a clue about how “playable” or how much “windowing” is going on working with and navigating your sequence.

The UI Style column is an attempt to broadly categorize the operational styles of these different designs:

• classic means you have dedicated, separate pots/sliders for each step, yielding an operational style comparable to the vintage analog sequencers of yore
• hybrid means there are pots/sliders for each step, but they get used for different modes and often are not accurately reflecting the current state of what you’re looking at
• x0x generally implies a row of light-up buttons for choosing a step and a row of buttons similar to an octave of a piano keyboard for choosing notes—the working style popularized by the Roland 303 etc. in the 1980s
• Cirklon-ish is a more modal push-button UI, often with lots of menus that remap the meaning of the buttons
• per-step window means a form-like interface that focuses on the parameters of a single step, with no overall reperesentation of the sequence available
• GUI means an interface focused on a computer-type display, generally with lots of menus and modes
• Tracker is a specific GUI interface similar to a spreadsheet

The Gate handling column is an attempt to characterize how the sequencer treats gates. All these sequencers emit (or at least pass through) gates of some sort, but they vary wildly in capabilities and style. Perhaps most critically, many attempt to provide per-step control over gate length. Per-step gate length can be critical for use with ADSR- and ASR-envelopes, but this capability often implies a more complex, programmatic user interface for the sequencer.

A few sequencers even provide for variable step length, meaning each step can have a duration of variable length, and within that duration, a gate of variable length. This approach, while more complex, makes more sophisticated phrasing (or “groove”) possible. Some of these designs will use the term “stage” in place of “step”.

Below the comparison is a directory of additional tools of potential interest that do not fit in the comparison.

Comparison

Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
1010Music Toolbox 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI	64	8	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length per step		4 assignable	26	Yes	600	MIDI interface rhythm sequencer function generators (LFOs) cv recorder
Audio Damage Sequencer 1 2014 Modular Grid > Web site >		x0x	16/64	1	1 pitch 3 cv 1 gate 1 aux	variable gate length per step; accent	ratcheting	2 assignable	36	(discontinued but readily available)	699	lots of internal modulation options
Bastl Instruments Popcorn 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8	1	1 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step; global variable gate length		1 assignable	10	Yes	263	requires external clock dual clock inputs supports bi-directional clocking cv and expanders available chain two for 16 steps
Befaco Muxlicer 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8	1	1 cv 1 gate (but there’s more to it than that)	gate on/off per step or half-step length on/off per step	ratcheting	various, patch programmable	16	Yes	225	combines eight step sequencing with bi-directional sequential switch functions, gate generation, and clock generation
Behringer System 100 – 182 Sequencer 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8 or 16	1	1 or 2 cv 1 gate	manual gate length knob			16	Yes	99
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Behringer System 55 – 960 Sequential Controller 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8	3	1 cv	variable stage length per step (via third row of knobs), but no gate/trigger bus			56	Yes	140	separate gate output at each step and clock output, but no real gate sequencing features third row can control stage length pairs with 962 Sequential Switch to create 16 or 24 step sequences
Circlefade CFM1 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI	16/64	6	configurable	variable gate length per step			52	Yes	370	touchscreen UI MIDI sequencer
Copper Traces Seek 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		x0x	1/64	1	1 cv 1 gate 1 accent	gate on/off per step; accent			12	(discontinued)	299	extensive randomization features
D & D Modules Heaven 16 2020 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8 or 16	1-2	1 cv 2 gates	clock duty cycle		transpose	27	Yes	360	cycle repeats two gate buses
Detroit Underground DU-SEQ 2016 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8/8	1	1 cv 1 gate	pulse, ratchet, hold or pass-through per step	repeat	2 playback modifier gate ins	30	(discontinued)	500	analog no built-in quantizer or storage
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Doepfer A-155 2012 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8/8	2	2 cv 1 gate 3 trig	trigger and/or gate on/off (three trigger buses) per step			50	Yes	375	analog expander available glide features no built-in quantizer or storage
endorphin.es Ground Control 2019 Modular Grid >		x0x	64/64	3 (plus 8 triggers)	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length per step, TBD	TBD	4 assignable	42	No	TBD	quantized mutes extensive MIDI support including recording 2 octave “keyboard”
Erica Black Sequencer 2019		Cirklon-ish	16/64	4	1 cv 1 gate 1 mod (assignable including envelope generation)	variable gate length per step, TBD	ratcheting, repeat	TBD	38	Yes	610	MIDI support including recording microtonal tunings pattern chaining
Extralife Instruments Super Sixteen 2020 Modular Grid > Web site >		x0x	16/64	1	1 cv 1 gate 1 velocity	variable gate length per step	beat-repeat and stutter “effects”		20	Yes	350 (or DIY)	open source/open hardware swing randomization
Five12 Vector 2018 Modular Grid > Web site >		Cirklon-ish	8/16–64	2 to 6 (plus MIDI)	1 cv 1 gate 1 mod (with some assignability)	variable gate length within variable step length per step; velocity	ratcheting, repeat	2 assignable, plus assorted trigger inputs on expander	42	Yes	700	extensive MIDI support including two additional MIDI-out-only tracks chord sequencer drum sequencer expander adds more track outs and gate outs built-in Launchpad support
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Frap Tools USTA 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		hybrid	16	4	2 cv 2 gate	variable gate length within variable step length per step	ratcheting	2 assignable	36	Yes	750	fully-independent tracks cross-pattern looping scale/root quantization microtonal support cv recording
Golt Red Light District 2018 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	12/32	2	1 cv 1-2 gates	gate on/off per step (three gate buses)		play mode	84	Yes	900	MIDI clocking focus unique gate timing features
Industrial Music Electronics Stillson Hammer Mk II 2015 Modular Grid >		hybrid	16/16*	4	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length per step; delay	ratcheting	1 tempo, 2 assignable, 1 cv record in	32	Yes	666	per-step delay cv outs can double as gate outs for up to 8-tracks of drum sequencing *sliders do not always reflect state
Intellijel Metropolis 2012 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8/8	1	1 cv 1 gate	pulse, ratchet or hold per step	repeat	2 assignable	34	Yes	580	shuffle transpose
Intellijel Tetrapad + Tete 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI	256	1	1 cv 1 gate plus many more depending on mode	variable gate length per step	looping	3 assignable cv, 3 assignable gate	28	Yes	600	4 position- and pressure-sensitive pads per-step sequencing or real time recording/looping chord generator many other functions out of scope of this document
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Ladik S-280 2020 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8/8	1 or 2	2 cv 2 gate	variable gate length per step or per sequence	repeat		32	Yes	260	basic semitone quantization available on-board
Livestock Electronics Shepard 2019		x0x	16/256	6	4 assignable	TBD	TBD	4 assignable	28	No	650 (approx)	each track has four assignable outputs PER STEP (pitch, arpeggiators, gates, triggers, synced lfo, free lfo, adsr envelope or ad envelope) mutes
Make Noise René 2012 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	16	1	2 cv 2 gate (sort of)	pulse or pass-through per step (see notes)		6 multipurpose	34	(discontinued but readily available)	500	requires external clock dual clock inputs supports dual-axis sequencing more a gate processor than gate sequencer (conditionally generates pulses or passes through and merges externally-generated gates) separate aux cv output (arcane)
Make Noise René 2 2018 Modular Grid > Web site >		hybrid	16	3	1 cv 1 gate	trigger or pass-through per step		5 multipurpose	34	Yes	525	requires external clock(s) multiple clock inputs supports multi-axis sequencing z-axis supports sequencing through states
Malekko Heavy Industry Varigate 8+ 2016 Modular Grid > Web site >		hybrid	16/16*	2	1 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step; delay	ratcheting	1 randomization gate, 1 cv record in	26	Yes	549	provides additional six gate-only tracks probability features *sliders do not always reflect state
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Malekko Heavy Industry Varigate 4+ 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		hybrid	8	2	1 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step			12	Yes	279	can be four gate channels, four cv channels, or 2 gate+cv channels integrates with Varigate 8+ and Voltage Block
Mattson sq816 2013 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8 or 16	2 or 1	1 cv 1 gate plus extra per-step gate outs	pulse, hold or pass-through, globally		1 transpose cv, 1 clock rate cv	52	Yes	970	midi output gated run control
Modcan Touch Sequencer 2012 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI	8/64	4	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length within variable step length per step		1 assignable	21	Yes	600	touchscreen UI (some users may need a stylus)
Monome Teletype 2015 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI/Tracker	64+	4	1 cv 1 gate	programmable	ratcheting, repeat	1 assignable trigger, 1 assignable gate	18	Yes	480	additional outputs per track available with expander reliant on external QWERTY keyboard for programming (included)
Oakley Eight Stage Sequencer 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8	2	1 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step (two gate buses)		2 transpose	50	Yes (DIY)	280	multi-step “parallel loading” feature
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Ornament & Crime 2016 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI	16/64	2	1 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step; global gate length		4 assignable	14	Yes (DIY)	300 (approx)	requires external clock includes other sequencing-related programs
Orthogonal Devices ER-101 2013 Web site >		per-step window	1/99+	4	2 cv 1 gate	variable gate length within variable step length per step	ratcheting, repeat (de facto)	various part selection, assignable modulation and cv recording options with ER-201 expander	26	Yes	600	requires external clock ER-102 expander adds addressable parts, CV modulation, various CV recording features, and SD card storage
Pittsburgh Lifeforms Micro Sequence 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		hybrid	8	1	2 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step	ratcheting	1 assignable gate input	10	Yes	199	various playback modes, including self-transposition
Qu-bit Bloom 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		hybrid	8/32	2	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length per step	repeat	transpose, various inputs for controlling and navigating pattern variations	16	Yes	330	derives recursive, ephemeral, navigable melodic variations on a seed melodic pattern
Qu-bit Octone 2016 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8	1	1 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step; global gate length	ratcheting		10	Yes	330	quantizer special features when two Octones connected together
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Random*Source Serge Sequencer 8 XL 2018 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8	2	1 cv shared gate	pulse per step		direction, hold	42	Yes	630	per step gate outs
Rossum Electro-Music Control Forge 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI/per-step window	8	1	1 cv 2 trigger/gate	global gate length	arbitrary behavioral logic	yes (it’s complicated)	22	Yes	499	really an arbitrary function generator, but can be operated as a step sequencer
RYK Modular M185 2020 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8*	2	1 cv 1 gate	hold, off, or various patterns per step	various patterns		30	Yes	590	MIDI clock and out supports microtonal scales can sort of do 16 step sequences by chaining the two tracks also available DIY
SDS Digital Sequarallel 2020 Modular Grid > Web site >		Tracker	64/2000+	4	1 cv 1 gate 1 mod (or 12 drum triggers)	variable gate length per step	various ratcheting behaviors	2-3 assignable	8	No	240	extensive MIDI I/O features including recording probability features
Squarp Hermod Modular Brain 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		Tracker	1-256	8	configurable	variable gate length per step	ratcheting	four configurable inputs	26	Yes	460	tracks can be configured for polyphonic or velocity/aftertouch use so-called cv effects MIDI interface cv recording arpeggio features
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
Tesseract Modular Step Fader 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8/16	1 or 2	1 cv 2 gates	gate on/off per step (two gate buses)			26	Yes	200	glide feature can run as two separate sequencers, one sequencer with two cv rows, or as a single 16-step sequencer
Transister Sound Labs Stepper Acid 2014 Modular Grid > Web site >		x0x	16/16	1	1 cv 1 gate 1 accent	gate on/off per step; accent			32	Yes	395
Verbos Multistage 2014 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8/8	1	1 cv 1 gate	gate on/off per step			30	Yes	549	analog no built-in quantizer really an arbitrary function generator, but can be operated as a step sequencer
Westlicht Per|Former 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI	16/64	8	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length per step	ratcheting	4 assignable	34	Yes (DIY)		MIDI modulation tracks deep feature set
Winter Modular Eloquencer 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI/x0x	16/256	8	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length per step	ratcheting, repeat	2 assignable	38	Yes	616	extensive random/probability features MIDI expander available
Product		Style	Steps (UI basis/max pattern length)	Tracks	Per track outs	Gate handling	Ratcheting/repeat	CV ins	HP	Shipping	Approx. Price (USD)	Additional Notes
WMD Metron + Voltera 2019 Modular Grid > Web site >		x0x	16/256	4 to 64	1 cv (see notes)	variable gate length per step	ratcheting	2 assignable	40	Yes	850	sophisticated gate sequencer with cv track expander (4 channels per Voltera expander) note that gate and CV tracks are independent—Metron has 16 gate tracks, plus 16 accent tracks with the optional Axxent expander up to 64 cv channels possible with additional Volteras optional scale quantization
XAOS Moskwa 2012 Modular Grid > Web site >		classic	8/8	1	1 cv 1 gate	variable gate length per step			20	Yes	349	no built-in quantizer two units can be chained with expander for 16 step sequences
XOR-Electronics Nerdseq 2016 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI/Tracker	16/64	6	1 cv 1 gate 1 mod (assignable including envelope generation)	variable gate length within variable step length per step	ratcheting	4 assignable	32	Yes	590	probability additional CV output expanders MIDI I/O with expander subsequencers (tables) includes sample playback feature and synthesizer cartridge-based voice expanders Launchpad and game controller support with expander
ZetaOhm FLXS1 2017 Modular Grid > Web site >		GUI/x0x	16/64	4	1 cv 1 gate 1 mod	variable gate length per step	arpeggiation	4 assignable	26	Discontinued	699	extensive arpeggio features LFOs tracks individually clockable MIDI I/O

External and partially-external alternatives with direct Eurorack integration

There are, of course, a zillion MIDI solutions available for Eurorack and related ways to control one’s rack. These are a selection of alternatives to either a heavy-duty sequencer module (per above) or a straight-up MIDI-style approach (i.e., these can all produce CV):

• Analogue Solutions Generator (direct patch)
• Arturia Beatstep Pro (direct patch)
• Arturia Keystep (direct patch)
• Arturia Keystep Pro (direct patch)
• Grp Synthesizer R24 (direct patch)
• Kilpatrick Audio Carbon (direct patch)
• Koma Komplex (direct patch)
• Korg SQ-1 (direct patch)
• Make Noise Music 0-Control (direct patch)
• Monome Ansible w/Grid or Arc (direct patch)
• Novation SL MkIII (direct patch)
• Sixty Four Pixels Serendipity (direct patch)
• Squarp Pyramid (direct patch)
• Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator Modular 16 (direct patch)
• Polyend SEQ (w/Poly MIDI-to-CV interface module)
• Sequentix Cirklon (w/CV output module)
• Signal Arts TetraMAPS (Lemur/TouchOSC eurorack hardware + iPad solution)
• Social Entropy Engine (w/CV expander)
• uCApps MIDIbox SEQ (DIY MIDI sequencer with extensive analog CV bus)

Additional Eurorack modules

Finally, the modules below don’t quite belong in the above comparison but have been pointed out as being of potential interest:

• Analogue Research (ARC) Serge TKB (touch activated keyboard sequencer)
• Catalyst Audio Time’s Arrow (random melody-focused 16-step sequencer)
• Frequency Central Polygraf (16 step CV sequencer with novel addressing scheme)
• Malekko Heavy Industries Voltage Block (8 independent tracks of quantizable 16-step CV sequencing, but no gates)
• Noise Engineering Mimetic Digitalis (novel compact cv-only grid-based sequencer with four outputs)
• OK200 Degree (novel quantized performance controller & sequencer)
• Percussa SSP (multi-function device that, amongst other things, can run a flexible number of 64-step cv+gate sequencers)
• San Pedro Labs Klee Sequencer (teensy-based module with various sequencer programs)
• TiNRS Tuesday (algorithmic melody-focused sequencer)
• Tiptop Z8000 Mk2 (novel cv-only grid-based sequencer with many outputs)
• Twisted Electron Cells (compact grid-like, dual sequencer)
• Vermona meloDICER (probability-focused musical phrase generator)

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