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.

Early analog music sequencers used control voltage/trigger interface, but have generally been replaced by digital sequencers utilizing MIDI. A MIDI sequencer plays back MIDI events and MIDI control information at a specified number of beats per minute.

Some synthesizers and almost all music workstations include a built-in MIDI sequencer. There are also standalone hardware MIDI sequencers, such as the Yamaha QY700 .

Software music sequencers run entirely on personal computers. These come in two varieties- pure MIDI sequencers and MIDI/audio sequencers. The former only allows the recording, playing back and editing of MIDI data. The latter adds the ability to sequence MIDI data alongside audio data.

Music sequencing software

• Ableton Live
• Digital Performer (also see MOTU's page for Digital Performer )
• Emagic Logic
• GarageBand
• energyXT
• FL Studio
• Rosegarden
• Sonar
• Steinberg Cubase
• Tracktion
• MusE (not to be confused with MuSE, the streaming audio engine)
• Ardour
• Propellerhead Reason
• seq24
• SawStudio
• Acid Pro 5 (For Win2k and Win XP Pro)

Hardware music sequencers

• Yamaha QY10

Similarly, 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.