Yamaha SEQTRAK is a new portable groovebox with a built-in sampler and synths reminiscent of the Teenage Engineering OP-Z.
The Groovebox market is highly competitive. Novation with Circuit series, Teenage Engineering OP-Z, the various Roland grooveboxes, Deluge, and many more. The customer has a huge choice in 2024.
Now Yamaha, another big player, is also getting involved. For the upcoming NAMM 2024, they are announcing the SEQTRAK, a new groovebox with sampling and synthesis.
Yamaha SEQTRAK
When the news reached me, I immediately thought: ooh Teenage Engineering has renewed its multimedia Synthesizer OP-Z. Maybe, this time without the banana effect. Until I saw the company, it was from Yamaha, and it’s not an OP-Z v2.
The SEQTRAK is a new mobile, sleek groovebox. Just like the OP-Z, the SEQTRAK does without a display but has more menu controls, such as touch knobs and buttons. Intriguing design decision. So it should be very intuitive and hands-on.
The core of the sound engine is a mix of Yamaha classics and includes four different sound sections to play with. They are split into synth and drum machine parts.
Synths & Drum Machine
On the synth side, it features a DX-style 4-operator FM Synthesizer and two AWM2-powered engines with up to 128-voice of polyphony, known from the Montage or MODX.
Then, it also offers a built-in sampler with live sampling functionality (16-bit/44.1kHz) from an external source, via USB, the built-in microphone, or via re-sampling.
SEQTRAK also hosts a complete sample-based drum machine with seven sound slots: kick, snare, clap, two hats, and two general percussion sounds. A classic drum machine layout. Additionally, sounds can be loaded using the built-in library with over 2000 internal sounds. They offer very long jam fun.
Effects are also board with delay, distortion, modulation, reverb, compression, and more. It has effects on the individual sound parts and the entire mix.
The good thing about the SEQTRAK is that you can tweak sounds per section directly on the interface. They grant you access to functions like pitch, volume, pan, filter, and envelope. With the SEQTRAK app, available for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows), you can also dive deeper into sound design.
Sequencing
Just like any other groovebox, Yamaha’s new release also has a built-in sequencer. Without it, it wouldn’t be a groovebox. Dedicated sequencers are available for every synthesizer part as well as for the drum machine.
It works in monophonic, polyphonic, or in chord mode, and has up to 128 steps. It has pattern chaining, song mode… There are also different scales and an arpeggiator. The sequencer also sub-steps, parameter lock, probability and more.
Connectivity
Like on the Teenage Engineering OP-Z, the connections are on the side. It offers a USB-C port for audio & MIDI, a phone socket, an audio input for sampling, and MIDI In/Out.
Further, it includes Bluetooth MIDI, also made for communicating with the app, a WiFi module for sample transfer, and a rechargeable battery. So you can make music on the go.
First Impression
A surprise from Yamaha. From the initial information, videos, etc. I believe this will be a success. Yes, it is very reminiscent of the concept of the OP-Z but it looks easier to use even without an app.
I’m curious how flexible it will be. For the asking price, it will be an interesting groovebox that rivals the Novation Circuit and others.
Yamaha SEQTRAK is available now for pre-order in black or orange for $399/399€. It will be available end of January 2024.
More information here: Yamaha
Available for pre-order at my partners
fabulous to see more products like OPZ out there, especially from Yamaha with their legacy of top-notch sound quality.
however, it would be nice to see more grooveboxes with screens! (or just something new from Elektron) …Roland and others need to upgrade their tiny LCD to more detailed and visually appealing OLED displays.
Agree with you.
Cant see too much difference from op z
my wallet can feel $100 heavier
BUT WAIT!: In the official Yamaha link it say $599 msrp, but in Thomann, Sweetwater and this article it say $399…
MSRP prices are always different than the street prices 🙂
It’s rectangular and small. Apart from that, it doesn’t share much similarity.
How do you come to this? I think it’s extremely similar to the OP-Z. Step sequencing, sampled drums, built-in synth that’s further edited via an iOS or android app. Internal sampling, audio over usb, small buttons for keys.
It will likely be a higher quality build.
How many sequencer tracks?
4 tracks what I understood: drum machine + 4OP FM synth + 2 AWM2-based synth tracks
So probably one or more of those tracks may be muted, to drive external synths.
I’m asking because my Circuit Tracks has 2 dedicated sequencer tracks for external MIDI devices (in addition to “internal” tracks).
I don’t know, the groovebox is very nice, but 4 tracks… OK for internal sounds, maybe a bit scarce if one wants to drive other hardware.
Another device with built-in obsolescence. The manual says: “If SEQTRAK cannot be charged due to battery failure or other reasons, the top LED lamp of the Global Meter flashes in red.” But who cares, for only 400€…
You can almost assuredly get a replacement battery, whether it’s official or not. The original Roli Seaboard keyboard had a “non-replaceable” battery and people quickly realized that there are baby-monitor batteries on Amazon that are the exact same voltage/size, easily replaced. It’s not like it’s an AirPod that can’t be opened…
Yes, this “solution” is what customers seem to prefer now, well done industry! There should be special name to categorize these devices, then I’m not triggered so fast to write hater comments. How about “HIP*BRICKS”?
I’m fine with a machine not having a screen. It’s good to give your eyes a break from screens. If LED’s can display the information well enough, that’s great. Probably improves efficiency and battery life as well.
great to see that yamaha is biulding performance gear ´´like that again´´. i still like my rs7000, an200 & dx200. so can´t wait to try that one too. definitely much more portable as my rs7000 😉
i personally don´t see much similarity to a op-z. maybe its my age 😉 first thing that came in my mind was a modern looking portable workstation. after reading and listen to some stuff the last minutes. i´m pretty sure i will buy it. looks like fun and sounds good to me. but will see after i tried it.
It should be available end of week / beginning of next week in Europe (I am sure for France)
Just pre-ordered. For that price definitely a no-brainer.
Hopefully they will implement features like probability in the near feature. Really looking forward to this device. Could be the perfect holiday companion 😆
probability is already available as well as sub-steps, parameter locking… 🙂
the difference to the OP-Z? The SeqTrak doesnt bend like a banana 😅
Haha, my thoughts exactly! TE should’ve just tripled the thickness of the OP-Z and totally avoided that mess.
Sorry if this question is daft: it looks like there is no audio out. How does one use this in a live performance? Do you have to use the head phone out? The description says something about usb-c for input and output… how do you run audio into a mixer with usb-c? I have no usb ports on any of my mixers…. Am I missing something?
yeah the phone out is the main output. But you also have audio over USB means you connect it to your computer, iOS or Android device and it appears as an audio interface
Quite a few people seem to have already received theirs, and quite a few people are getting theirs with a broken key. Others on Reddit are saying the build quality feels cheap. I just cancelled my preorder.
Let’s see how many will have these problems.
The device is poorly made and people are having serious issues, so be careful people
Got mine yesterday from Thomann and i can confirm it’s indeed very cheap plastic but nothing is broken. The workflow is very fun and intuitive.
got my ST today, made immediately spontaneous and demo track and loaded up on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lMnlA2D-5Fk?si=YNWzQsVYx19LWWrR
it’s easy to use, sound very good, but it’s haptic cheap, but who cares when the output flatters my ears?👂
Received mine today and no problems so far, all keys work as expected.
I think it’s a brilliant machine has everything you desire for this price.
The user interface is excellent ( for a screen less that is)
Sure it’s made of hard plastic but I can careless about that.
Definitely not an overpriced hipster toy like many shit of T.E.
thanks for linking my last SeqTrak jam video! 🧡