Interested in Purchasing

[totheatom]

Hi, all.  Very interested in purchasing this lovely product, but would like to ask an honest question:

I've been in need of a hardware sequencer and just recently decided to purchase a new Squarp Pyramid, which is inbound from France.  I only just yesterday became aware of the NDLR courtesy of the loopop video.

Not sure how familiar you all are with the Pyramid, but can you please honestly comment on what kind of overlap this has with that product.  This just being a modest home hobby, I can't afford to purchase anything too redundant.  However, if this provides its own form of creative expression completely, I think I can talke myself into it - doesn't usually take much.

Thanks so much for your input!

[oldgearguy]

Hi, all.  Very interested in purchasing this lovely product, but would like to ask an honest question:

I've been in need of a hardware sequencer and just recently decided to purchase a new Squarp Pyramid, which is inbound from France.  I only just yesterday became aware of the NDLR courtesy of the loopop video.

Not sure how familiar you all are with the Pyramid, but can you please honestly comment on what kind of overlap this has with that product.  This just being a modest home hobby, I can't afford to purchase anything too redundant.  However, if this provides its own form of creative expression completely, I think I can talk myself into it - doesn't usually take much.

Thanks so much for your input!

I used to own a Pyramid (and Deluge and Cirklon and MPC and Kordbot and Zillion and Cyclone and ...)

The NDLR *is not* a sequencer like the other more traditional definitions of a sequencer.

I'd say the NDLR *pairs well* with a sequencer, but IMHO you could not use it as a multi-channel, standalone, run your rig and play multiple songs kind of sequencer.

Think of the NDLR as your creative brain and another sequencer (or DAW) as the pen and paper that captures your ideas.

There's no real concept of creating a 2/4/8 bar pattern and looping it n times and chaining that to another pattern to create a track and then arranging multiple tracks.  That's not what was intended with the NDLR.  It spits out cool stuff you can use live or capture with another device to be edited/augmented later.

Adding the NDLR to any setup provides another take/another view on the notes and rhythms you are using and provides the ability for you to play along (in key!) with it all.  The Pyramid can (if I remember) do multi-timbral recording, so it could capture all 4 NDLR parts on 4 different tracks/channels.

[Darryl]

Agree with oldgearguy, he's had a lot of experience with sequencers and pretty much nailed it. If you are looking to compose music/songs, then get the Pyramid. I've not use one, but if I was shopping for a powerful sequencer for composing its one I would be seriously considering. The NDLR is best for jamming and experimenting, generating melody ideas, and having fun with your synths while keeping you in key.

[totheatom]

I hope you get a commission fee because you both just sold one. Excited to receive it in (hopefully) June! Thank you very much for sharing your insight.

[totheatom]

If I may pose one more question (post-purchase)...

Trying to understand where to place the NDLR in my MIDI chain. Presently, I had planned on the following:

MIDI keyboard -> Squarp Pyramid -> Kenton MIDI Thru -> (1) Pioneer Toraiz AS-1, (2) Audiothingies Micromonsta, (3) Nord Drum 3P

Where would you recommend placing the NDLR, etc.?

[oldgearguy]

If I may pose one more question (post-purchase)...

Trying to understand where to place the NDLR in my MIDI chain.  Presently, I had planned on the following:

MIDI keyboard -> Squarp Pyramid -> Kenton MIDI Thru -> (1) Pioneer Toraiz AS-1, (2) Audiothingies Micromonsta, (3) Nord Drum 3P

Where would you recommend placing the NDLR, etc.?

I would put it parallel to the MIDI keyboard, feeding into the Pyramid.  If you're not interested in purchasing a MIDI patchbay, you could run it like this:

keyboard -> NDLR -> Pyramid.  The NDLR will pass notes through so you can play/record from the keyboard into the Pyramid and still use the NDLR to generate cool stuff and send it to the Pyramid as well.

As your system grows (and it will), you'll be tempted to buy more MIDI Thru and MIDI Merge boxes to continue patching the system.

My advice is to avoid that and buy a decent 8x8 or similar MIDI patchbay that lets you route/merge/split data more easily.

[bobfamiliar]

I have had the Pyramid for a little over a year and love it. I also recently received my NDLR and am learning it now. They are different systems of control and I am looking forward to combining them to see where that takes me. If you are in need of a powerful hardware SEQ to control hardware and software synths and have the ability to create more complex arrangements and songs, then the Pyramid is a great choice. The NDLR at the moment for me is a fresh approach to creating compositions using ARPs and SEQs. As pointed out above I use MIDI THRU and MERGE boxes to manage the communication between all the hardware. Midi Solutions T8 and M8 are my MIDI patch bay.