Bad Gear - Kindergarten Engineering
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- Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
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Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most-hated audio tools. It's Kindergarten Engineering !!! I’m still coping with NAMM 2024 PTSD and I wasn’t even there. Korg released the successor to a synth the world forgot, Uli is getting really good at selling faster horses and Moog decided to save the important announcements for a much bigger show.
Yamaha - on the other hand - returned from a groovebox hiatus of over two decades only to release a display-less Lego cigarette trying hard to catch up on a trend based on a device that was announced at Messe 2009. Yamaha - It’s good to have you back.
Teenage Engineering
Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:55 Overview Yamaha Seqtrak
01:42 Drums
02:10 AWM Synth Engines
02:36 Yamaha DX FM Synth Engine
02:52 Scale-based "Keyboard", Chromatic Keyboard
03:08 Arpeggiator, Chords
03:19 Sample Player, Sampling, Microphone
03:31 Sequencer, Parameter Locks
04:00 Pattern Selection
04:09 Mixer Mode, Send FX
04:18 More FX
04:25 Software Editor, Visualizer
04:59 Midi, USB, Speaker, Build Quality
05:38 Hate
06:03 Jam 1 (House)
06:51 Jam 2 (Downtempo)
07:52 Finale (Drum'n'Bass - ROMpler Edition)
08:23 Verdict
Audiopilz: *slaps roof of YT channel*
Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/audio.pilz/
I'm not a fan of the Yamaha thingie either, but I gotta say, what you made with it sounded really good!
Have been wondering for a long time: Wouldn’t it be easier to not have a roof at all if you keep slapping it off every week? No rebuilding costs, less muscle sore. Etc. 😋
"That's what you get when you order an OP-1 from Temu" - thanks mate, I am dead
Always a pleasure;)
This has me properly laughing out loud
Mozart and Beethoven didn't need screens. And they made the best post-trance retro-wave dark-ambient dub-techno the world has ever heard.
Beethoven didn’t even need ears
They did have a keyboard that worked well for all the features they needed
@MaxOakland They had such incredible internal hearing that they could compose without keyboard. Lots of classical composers tbh. Training internal hearing is part of any classical musician’s education.
❤️❤️❤️
''displayless lego cigarette'' LoL
;)
That's why I got mine in black/grey
I can't unsee this now
Flimsy keys ✔️
Gaudy colour scheme✔️
Almost affordable ✔️
Totally surplus to requirements ✔️
I just don't know why I haven't got one yet. 😂
Lol, total instabuy;)
Checking all the BG boxes
The price of this junk just really turns me off. Especially because it doesn't provide anything that your computer can't do. Rich brat toys
@@luke144 I am a rich brat. I do like toys. Perhaps I should get one. 🤔
@@lairdkilbarchan I'm rich as well. Like in the .000001%. My house is built out of lambos and l wear nothing but pure gold. I bought a UFO the other day from the Mormons. They're the one's flying tic tacs everywhere. I got it in pure gold obviously. I only wipe with Louie Vuitton suede and silk. I wouldn't be caught dead with one of these things. Someone might think I'm middle class. I only play Moog and Nord. I run all the DAWs ever made down on the NSAs hyper computer. I'm in every secret society and have an IQ of 200++. I can walk on water and perform miracles. I bleed sky blue blood. I drive a new Lamborghini everyday. I build everything out of lambos. I own an ancient pyramid complex in South America where we sacrifice the poor. I'm obviously a reptoid. We just got done eating the queen.
There should be a logo for "direct to bad gear"
Great idea, thanks!
i think Roland would challenge their logos usage in court though
Yeah! My idea was: is this the shortest time from release to market to videos on Bad Gear?
@@AudioPilz suggestion for potential phrasing in inclusion of such,.." Bad Gear Bound "
@@ultrapim1 lol
Dunks mercilessly on the gear but still makes bangers. This is why Bad Gear is #1!
Thank you so much!!!
I'm not even OCD, but that tag sends me up a wall.
Triggered!!!
@@AudioPilzIf only we could say the same about its keys.
The Seqtrak progression: (1) That looks like an interesting groovebox. (2) Using my phone, which I always have with me anyway, as a better screen than it would have otherwise is brilliant. (3) Wait…I could just do all this on my phone alone, right?
We call it evolution;)
Yep, your phone is not just a better display: it's a better synth, sequencer, sampler, effects rack, multitrack recorder and computer than whatever hardware and software these knobly boxes have inside. You just need to attach whatever knobly midi controller you want to it.
"But limitations breed innovation and inspire me!". Yes, yes. At this point, there are music making apps that sound good at all levels of complexity, and most of them have their quirks and features - from abstract generative synths to VL-1 emulator to performance samplers to full DAWs, just pick one or three.
Plus ton more;) not to mention better audio quality🤣 and much more versatile
@@PaulSpadestbf using a phone is the limitation anyway
Hard to deny this: 4:26 "This overwhelming feature set is barely controllable using the physical UI of the instrument."
I think Yamaha knows...
I mean: 12 knobs to change 6 patterns?
17 knobs in total and you can only use 3 of those to swipe the sound?
@@eaman11the knobs are actually quite brilliant. You can switch to a different pattern on each track without leaving the main sequencer. Something You can’t do on for example the Circuit Tracks. In addition, patterns can be combined into scenes and chained. I think the pattern knobs for each track are Seqtraks best feature. The four knobs used for sound shaping are the real issue. They’re like shittier versions of Qlinks on an MPC. You constantly need to cycle through their functions with a small button on the bottom and the led illuminated strip of what each does is barely readable and a really poor design choice.
@@eaman11 No, it is 6 patterns for each knob, 11 voices, 6 patterns each, then the 12th knob is the "All" knob which allows you to change the pattern of all the voices at the same time instead of individually.
@@amconsoleI don't agree: knobs are linear, you don't skip clips in a linear way. Also there's no much use in having the launcher independent when you are left with just one octave to perform.
I'd rather have 8 knobs to tweek the sound and the launcher at the same time. Heck the Circuit gives you up to 4 octaves to perform and it's velocity sensitive.
Some products take 20 years to make it onto Bad Gear, others take 20 days 😂
I had all the hate comments ready in 2h;)
🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@AudioPilz 😂😂
Mr. Florian, I enjoy your show since the UA-cam algorithm had recommended it for me in September 2020 (good old days😄). And as a big fan, I really enjoy the fact that the show become more and more recognised among the hardware manufacturers and this particular episode is the finest example of it. No kidding! Yamaha music division bosses finally decided to put an end on Roland’s new “direct to Bad Gear” line success story and make the competitive product themselves. Well, they certainly succeeded😆
The blessings of competition;) Thanks!!!
What does “direct line to bad gear” mean
@@MaxOaklandit’s the new trend here
I poked at one of these at my local music store and accidentally turned on the sequencer, resulting in a tepid fart-like anti-melody coming from the built in speaker and me desperately hitting every button on the thing to try to turn it off. Took me way too long to notice the 'play' button was on the side. Brilliant user interface design.
Crouching tiger hidden menu 🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂
“Crouching trigger”
OP 1 from Temu is an iconic line 😂😂
;)
And the winner is...... Roland S-1 ;-)
The proprietary TRRRS adapter gave me shivers
Was that real? I thought it was a photoshop joke 😧
Abominable!
Personally, I don't mind 3,5mm TRS-midi. The synths that I have that uses 3,5 works flawlessly. I make my own trs to 5-point adaptor cables instead of using dongles, but there is no way I'm going to successfully solder a TRRRS jack.
The horror…
I gagged and threw up a little bit
Bad build aside… getting a drum machine, a real Yamaha fm synth and their awm2 engine with over 2000 sounds with quality multi samples and more sounds incoming, for the price is great. I use it with my Novation mk3 and have a workstationesque experience. One of the great features is I can make music without relaying on a screen for basic operations but have the option to go deep with a screen if I want.
AWM2 is 30+ years old at this point! (It's Yamaha jargon for 44.1 khz, 16 bit samples).
@@lundsweden Yes, I agree totally. I would really want the big Y to up the resolution and rates to an awm “3”. I kind of hoped they would cease the moment when they made the Montage m.
Ok, but... why does it sound so good? Headroom for days.
Headroom certainly helps a lot!!!
OK that mad-as-a-box-of-frogs music video at 7:53 has just made my day. Florian, I hope you take a lot of pride in the joy you bring to people. Much love.
this thing was made for Bad Gear in the Yamaha RND department. "OP1 from Temu"- I am still chuckling.
USB host capability is a nice surprise, which I hope to see in a wider array of products.
Agreed, top feature!!!
I can't wait for the imminent TE KO II episode. It's going to be brutal for sure.
KOII is awesome. Sold all of my other TE gear after getting it
Same here;) let’s see…
You're trippin the koii is fucking sick
This is my favourite piece of Bad gear I've ever owned!
Up there, certainly. It’s not without jank and some weird design choices, but is actually very powerful. I don’t even mind the proprietary midi to 5pin cable, since it’s included and works fine.
@amconsole Perfect companion for my 404mk2 as "in the Car Production" That is basically all I need!
Nice!!!
Maybe I wasn't the most informed customer when I bought my CS1X over 20 years ago, not being aware of the very distinct plasticy and bumpy sound of Yamaha rompling, but after having played if for all this time, I am now as close to an expert of instant Yamaha-sound recognition as one can be. And those are some prime example Yamaha sounding tunes in here. Very nice.
I really enjoy your videos on a Friday evening,you seem to make all the bad gear sound really good
Thank you!!! Have a nice weekend!!!
I'm glad we didn't have to wait for this one.
The time was right!!!
Yamaha did a Bad Gear Speedrun with this 🤣
Great vid as always, you always make a great track no matter how challenging the gear can be to work with
Thank you so much!!!
For every dune reference I love you even more my dude! Long live the fighters, happy and comfy weekend to you!
The sleeper has awakened!!!
It was also “straight to b-Stock” at Thomann :)
Waiting for the C-Stock
@@AudioPilz Ciggy stock
Same with me .. tried it 2-3 hours .. laughed and asked myself what went wrong with my brain to buy this wobly garbage in the first place 🤔 .. this thing would last max 2 days on tour 🤪
Waiting for the d-stock
Forget blue chip stock. This is COW chip stock.
Jam at 7:07 takes me back to GoldenEye on the N64 big time!
Thank you so much!!! Loved that era of game music
Yes!
Very good demo track as usual ! Master audio pilz
Damn, you were savage on this one. I'm still getting one: my OP-Z needs a new buddy. I think this is going to be a big hit for Yamaha. They pulled a Behringer, moving in on someone else's market, but without actually resorting to just copying. Kudos to Yamaha on it.
Grab a KO2. It pairs nicely with the OP-Z and you get the bonus of one of the two devices having something resembling a screen.
I actually like the sound a lot. If the quality was better or the price tag lower it’s an instant buy for me.
Volca price range would be awesome
If the AWM side was fully editable (even via the app) I'd be more keen. Quite a bit of power is locked up under the hood.
Yes, it sounds good, but build and price tag are way off…
How long before someone gens up a kit to mount one inside a Novation Launchkey so's you can have a real keybed and some knobs and faders for tweakery? I'd buy THAT for a dollar!
@@darwiniandudeThe AWM side might actually be fully editable, judging by the long list of SysEx-controlled parameters in the Data List on Yamaha's website. They look very similar to what some fully-editable Yamaha products have. The only problem is Yamaha's app doesn't let you control any of these parameters as far as I know, and the physical controls don't either of course. But maybe Yamaha will update the app, or someone else will make their own editor. I suspect the fact you can download new instrument sounds to the device is related to this.
Just 10 minutes but never a minute wasted. Thank you so much! ❤
Ok, dude. The Korg comic at the beginning made me clutch my chest while laughing out loud. Big win.
Thank you!!!
Yeah that was awesome but so accurate 😂
Midlife Underengineering.
They could have just hit Roland up for one of their wonderful displays.
lol
Screen = computer = bad
Thanks for the upload my man! 👊🏾
Always a pleasure!!! Thanks!!!
Your intros are always great, but this one was something else 🔥
Thank you so much!!!
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!!!!
It was about time!!!
Waiting two weeks 😂
@@pulpero666kinda knew it would make it here when the augmented reality was one of the most talked about features 😂😂
This is the first time an episode of bad gear hasn’t made me immediately pick up the gear in question.
Absolute travesty
I think it's just a phase;)
@@AudioPilz I’ll be buying Mitsubishi only from now on
Maybe if it had a better colour scheme, like brown and purple I might be tempted
It’s 350 euros and does more than pretry much any other groovebox for the price or even double the price. The UI is a bit of a pain to learn and the plastic is cheap, but Yamaha did not hold back on the featureset. Each of the 7 sample slots actually has it’s own sequencer track, so You get not 11, but 17 tracks, and an ability to resample. The App is great and solves most of the UI shortcomings. I wish OP-1 had the sequencer of the Seqtrak and all the included Yamaha sound patches. It’s main drawbacks are the cheap plastic body and the lack of a small OLED screen next to each of the 4 sound parameter knobs (like on an MPC X next to each Q-link knob). Not a fan of holding the small buttons scattered around the unit and turning knobs at the same time, but that I can get used to.
I got you homie
This thing is absolutely fascinating from a user interface perspective. It has been a long time since I saw anyone put so much fail into a single UI.
A deservedly hilarious and scathing romp. Thanks!
that final track is great
Thank you!!!
This feels like Yamaha has put all Ableton samples and presets inside a box
Lol, shots fired;)
Excellent jams as usual, buddy!
Love the sounds of this Seqtrack! I definitely want to take one for a spin ever since release and initial review vids. Maybe next year.
Thank you!!!
You're making lovely music with this!
Thank you!!!
The part of the video comparing the visual design to a orange cream sickle was the toe tag of this review 🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂
OP-1 from Temu had me dying
😀😀😀
awsome review !!
I knew it! I knew this video will come. I got my Seqtrak a few days ago, I turned it on and after an hour I had the Bad Gear theme music playing in my head.
I can’t help wanting one. I know how many drawbacks it has but I just…UGH I like how it sounds in its cheap way. I hate myself for it too.
I also want to link it directly with its ancestor the Tenori-On which arguably came out ahead of its time compared to this. I feel like that kind of combination is inevitable, especially given the fact the Tenori-On also came in a white and orange colourway.
Why orange? What is it with Yamaha and orange?? Look up the TNR-O and tell me you don’t see a resemblance??
I want a Tenori-On so bad!!!
@@AudioPilz I have one of the original white LED ones in magnesium body that I spent a majority of my college loan on when it was new, because somehow I thought that was a good idea. I already have a Bad Gear episode written in my head surrounding it.
@@AudioPilz it’s a piece for an episode of Bad Gear for sure! Hope You can find someone to borrow it from.
You've definitely gotta cover one of the Yamaha QY models. I feel they are a bit more capable than the Seqtrak in places, especially when acting as the main mastermind for jams
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
Brilliant as usual
great video! im glad someone is finally taking this down with truth, ive seen so many youtubers hype for this thing and im like "seriously bruh"
Fantastic video… I haven’t laughed so much in a long time … brilliant 👍☢️
Thank you so much!!!
Korg needs to get back into the groove box game. I still feel that the Electribe EMX was the best ever
truth right there bro, nothing was even close
I want an ET3 too!!!
I had such high hope for this but its managed to fulfil my every fear.
Same here!!!
Now I want one!
😀😀😀
I got one and i like it very much…..for me its a „on the sofa sitting to lazy to Go into my Studio but still wanna work-out some basic ideas machine “
It’s my little Frankenstein for a no brainer price!
👍👍👍
You didn’t consider the Roland MC-101 instead?
Exactly for this, I have my Roland MC-101. And yes the MC-101 comes with MIDI! And Display!
@@asleeds nope don’t like it. iPad and seqteack lovey duo…🎉
What I think is funny is how right now you're here complaining about a device that just came out and how awful it is - you absolutely have no idea what it can do because this thing is pretty deep and addictive to use. Not to mention it is def going to improve because that is the way YAMAHA does things. The future of this device will be interesting to see - I have a feeling it's going to be one of those devices that people don't care about until it's too late and then some musician will release a track that will make everyone think - oooh wow what synth did they use for that... AND BAM - it'll be the SEQTrak... I mean, did you realize that the 7 drum tracks can be used with samples not just he preloaded drums, or that tracks can be easily bounced down to samples to use within a production - you can easily get a LOT more out out this device than it is spec'd for... The knobs (on mine) are not wobbly and the keys - well you know you win some you lose some - but the pressing buttons and them not working is more of a "knowing how it works" reminds me of a tape recorder kind of... I have case mods in mind for this device but I will have to see (need to get a second one first to mod I don't want to put my main unit in a state of repair)...
I totally agree. Furthermore, Yamaha probably spent more money developing the app than the device itself. Developing such a complex app that works on all operating systems is not a simple thing. But these detractors definitely get TE's products for free, otherwise it can't be explained... ;)
You guys to know this his shtick right? He just complains about all the worst parts of the gear in a funny and likable way, then usually shows how fun or great the gear can be despite its limitations….
Thank you for the feedback!!!
I am thinking of getting one.
There are so many people labelling it as a piece of shit, useless, cannot do what a DAW does!!!!! Blah blah blah.
If you are a DAW lover what the hell are you watching this for?...just to put it down and be counted?...to be the chosen one?
Duh!!!!!
For what it can do, how it sounds and the price its fair game.
Cheaper than an OP1.
Rich kids toys?... Are' nt they all?
There are so many " experts" giving out the bad vibes about kit that they have not actually tried and are biased just for the hell of it.
Sod the bad comments.
I am getting one!
Hilarious, as always. Also informative, well-studied, and decisive.
Thank you so much!!!
always on point
Thank you!!!
Thank you for saving me money! This channel just keeps on giving :D
❤️❤️❤️
Ahh, lovely timing: mine is showing up today! :D
Nice!!!
@@AudioPilz I think I'm in the same spot. I actually rather like the track I've made thus far; just didn't enjoy the act of making it, haha.
Sounds great in your hands 😁👍
AudioPilz does it again with a new banger
Thank you so much!!!
Maybe it's a sign of my lack of youthfulness but despite it sounding ok I really couldn't be arsed to go up that learning curve! Thank you for saving me from this anti-Reface!
Always a pleasure;)
I imagine when this came out you were like "oh no, but I already scheduled my videos a month in advance!"
Believe it or not, this was EXACTLY what happened;)
The string ROMples in the DnB jam were surprisingly awesome?
Yeah, really liked these too!!!
Wonderfully brutal. I have to say, though, that the music on this episode is some of my favorite ever from you. Worried that might sound like a backhanded compliment, but I think it says more about me than it does you. 😍
When I first saw it I thought it was a Teenage Enigeering product. I expect there will be some heated debates, shock and horror in Teenage Engineering's board roam as Yamaha cuts away a slice of their market with a cheaper (reasonably competitive for the price) product. They pretty much pulled off an Uli Xerox on this one😄. The Seqtrack is a very value engineered product under the hood. A quick flick throught the data manual reveals that the DX engine in the Seqtrack is no other then the Reface DX with some familair looking preset names disguided in a Teenage Engineering style package. Seeing those preset names in combination with the specific parameters was a dead giveaway to me that they repurposed the engine of the Reface DX. That's it's secret weapon! It is a very cheecky product.
I'd LOVE to have this engine in a real groovebox tho;)
These review are very informative and HILARIOUS.
Thank you so much!!!
Ok it’s build quality is very plastic, but if mine would break I would order a new one in a heartbeat. It’s a very fun machine with nice sounds and great effects, the distortion on the drums sounds really fat. Ideal companion for the livingroom 🎉❤ love you videos always great laughs 😅
Agreed - I own a lot of gear but this thing is the most fun machine I’ve bought in years. I’d buy another for sure
❤️❤️❤️
Great video.
Your editing is incredible 😂
Thank You!!!
re: 2:27, if you dive deep into the Data List, it looks like there's tons of SysEx-controllable sound design parameters for the synth, drum and sampler tracks that Yamaha's app doesn't expose right now. Maybe they'll update the app in future to provide more options, or maybe someone else can make an app that does. It looks like sounds are built up from up to eight layered samples, for example.
Thank you for the heads up!!!
It’s quirky, I like it
👍👍👍
*Marge* I just think they're neat!
After watching this, I got left with the feeling of wanting one of those...
I can’t believe how mellow it is how can the make something that can’t get crazy
The big difference will show when people start dealing with Yamaha customer service vs TE. I suspect the big company might be a bit better at that kind of thing.
They actually have customer service?🤔🤔🤔
@AudioPilz "they" who? I know yah can get a Yamaha snowmobile fixed if you need to. Not sure about the Swedes though.
@@CatFish107 That's what Florian was referring to.
@@jimbotron70 I get it. Just wanted to nonsense riff a bit. Hope you're having a good Friday. 🍻
If you get it from Sweetwater they “personally” warranty it for 3 years so…
Very entertaining, as you bash it. But I still like it.
Thank you!!!
perhaps your finest intro visuals to date
Thank you so much!!!
The Spice must flow! Nice Auto-Dune Intro!!!
3:57 I like being in depth.
Orthography is so overrated;)
My problem with this episode is that most of the bad comments come from people that don't have experience with the device. Maybe wait a bit longer and gather more actual user feedback before making a Bad Gear episode on a new device.
Great feedback, thank you!!!
Yamaha employee detected 😂@@AudioPilz
I had mine for half a month, believe me he was being nice with some issues he didn't bring up
Need MOAR! Do the Korg Z1
This seems an unusual direction for Yamaha to go in. As per usual you make it work in your jams, which is good.
Folks, go build a synthesizer as functional as this, then come back here, with a video reply to this video, showing everybody how good your scratch-built synth works, with a comment or two about how this synth sucks, while yours kicks ass... 😀
When I can get one used, for a bit less, I'm definitely considering adding it to my groovebox collection.
Maybe we should reserve that arena for international megacorporations and Scandinavian startups;)
😄 Have you ever built a synth? I have, but only in Nord Mod G2, and NI Reaktor. A bunch, at one time. It's not easy to make complex grooveboxes, especially when they employ multiple forms of synthesis, and sampling. I couldn't do sampling in the G2. It's fun, seeing what kind of crazy machines can be created.@@AudioPilz
@@DetroitMicroSoundsomewhere along the way I believe you missed that this is mostly satire. It’s just a cheeky product review/opinion. Just enjoy the show.
🤣I'm long aware.@@JamesPery
0:55 OMG a Hainbach action figure, I'm dying right now!
I want one too!!!
Hai, I'm Hinback. It's good to have you bach
Must be a fake as it doesn't have a fancy sweater.
That one round led button key triggers me so much.
Bad Gear or not, you managed to squeeze a few delicious jams out of it. More a testament to your skills than Yamaha's ill-conceived design.
But it ticks so many boxes? It has boxes that tick?
You had me at boxes. And ticking
An OP-1 from Temu was simply hilarious! 😄
😀😀😀
Never thought I'd see a Red Green Show reference, 8:47 as meme in any of your videos. Happy Canadian here
Man your videos just crack me up the little jokes always land on me
If Behringer would have released that, haters would be all over the place 😂
Lol, so true!!!
Ye cus it would cost like 6$
Wanted to like this as an affordable OPZ/OP1 alternative, but you hit the nail on the head: sequencer is great, sound is only decent, physical controls are wonky at best (cheap at worst), and so much of the real estate is dedicated to the drum samples and so little to the synths. Thanks for another fantastic review!
Thank you!!!
Contender for best "at a first glance" line
Leave it to Audiopilz to rip apart a piece of gear then make an absolute banger on it.
Thank you so much!!!