This was an interesting period in Sequential's story. They had a series of poor sellers and ultimately went under, but they were, somewhat ironically, delving around in areas that would become the norm years later (synths designed to interface with computers / digital workstations and samplers). I've tried a Sixtrak and MAX but never a Multitrak. Was very happy to see your demo pop in my feed. Cool sounds as ever. 👍
thanks Alex! Yes, exactly, those years were hard for Sequential, struggling with Japanese competition. Indeed was the Six-Trak very forward having sysex abilities and no tape interface. But the Multi-Trak has a tape interface, but not sysex. I could not transfer my Six-Trak patches to the Multi-Trak...
@@AnalogAudio1 Didn't realise that on the sysex thing! That is kind of odd. Guess they were inventing "norms" as they went along. The Prophet-3000 was also way ahead of its time too. It was basically Kontakt / NN-XT but 15 years earlier! Glad to see Sequential back nowadays, although I guess Dave never went away. :)
AnalogAudio1 Thanx for the always great demos! The multitrak should have sysex also ... maybe you have to change the device id in the sysex to let the multitrak accept sixtrak patches ? (F0 01 05 to F0 01 09 )
Dave Smith eventually sold Sequential to Yamaha, but Yamaha did not do much with the technology, and only recently gave the Sequential brand back to Dave Smith Instruments / Sequential. Dave is the father of MIDI!
@@AlexBallMusic Uhhh...It has SYSEX. I've owned a Multitrack for 30 years. It doesn't have MIDI CCs. This mod adds them: www.tauntek.com/SCIMultitrak.htm
I had a Sequential Circuits Multi-Trak a few decades ago. I got it around the late 1980s and loved it. A very flexible and advanced multi-timbral synth that was very advanced for its day. Dave Smith was and is an amazing man to have founded SCI and then worked with mostly the Japanese synth manufacturers to come up with the MIDI specifications! Until recently, I did not realize that the Multi-Trak had only been produced in very limited numbers, like a few hundred or more. Given that the mid to late 1980s saw the release of digital synths like the Yamaha DX-7 and other digital wave-tables synths like the Korg M1 and Roland D50, it suddenly became a tough time for analog synths like the Sequential Multi-Trak. The last 50 years have included so very many cool synthesizers. With the 6 voice multi-timbres, sequencer and 6 individual audio outputs, the Sequential Multi-Trak has always been one of my favorites!
LONG TIME fan of the multi trak here - most people just sort of slag them off because they heard others doing so - and those that do just turn the unit on and play a few keys/presets without really understanding anything about how it works or how to tweak ... SO UNDERRATED!!
The piece starting @1:55, when you slow down the arpeggiator speed, is my personal favorite portion of this demo. Sequential said, ”be a Trak Star”. You did some “Trak Star” playing there, for sure!
Very interesting. I like the split capabilities of this demonstration of the Multi Trak. Sounds great for 6 voices and 1 VCO. You always find some great vintage synths and demonstrate them so well.
One of the best demos I’ve heard, on UA-cam, of this synth. I’ve had my Multi-Trak for over 7 years. Mine has a very low serial number. Was bought from Wine Country, back in 1999, by the previous owner. Still has the Wine Country sticker on the back panel. I was just playing on it earlier today.
I feel like DSI remade this in the Tetr4; the combo mode has 4 channels of things you can multi-track. All you need to do is set it in Combo mode and program each track to play a different timbre. Now if only it were possible to have something like the REV2 with 16 voices have an assignable voice count! That would blow my mind.
That sound that comes in at 3:33!!! Very nice demo, thank you for sharing! I like the patch at 4:59 with the added delay, reminds me of some of my DW8000 patches...and those pad sounds are epic!
The Mix A and B output jacks have stopped working on my Multi-Trak.. 😢 The individual 6 voice output jacks are all still working. Turning the Chorus Off or On makes no difference. I’m guessing something has failed in the Mixer circuitry.
After sitting unused for 18 months, I got around to opening up the Multi-Trak to investigate the dead mix output problem. Visibly, I couldn’t find anything wrong. I completely removed board three, the voice board, from the synth and examined both sides of it. Then I reseated the board on its multi-pin connectors. Then screwed it back into place on the standoffs. Put the synth back together, fired it up and both mix outputs were working again! I guess it was a loose contact on one of those multi pin connectors.. Now I have a fully functional Multi-Trak again 😊.
One of the last analog synthesizers manufactured in the 1980s, when synth giants like Roland and Korg were getting ready to go digital, regarding synthesis in the world of music. Shame this instrument never had much exposure, as musicians preferred digital music around the mid-80s.
6 voices multitibral, 6 individual outs, and stereo out with stereo chorus, did I mention velocity sensitive keyboard, multi split keyboard? Highly underrated synth. Still have mine, second owner since 1985.
@@AnalogAudio1 What really sets the Multitrak apart from SCI's other 1-VCO synths is the sequencer. Recording sequences was similar to programming drum machines from that time. It was so easy to record, delete, punch in, etc. I miss mine sometimes. Then the coffee kicks in and I'm fine.
I loved my Multitrak....I had it 3 months and then it died...took it back to Music Ground in Doncaster and swapped it for a Korg DW6000. Bad move in some respects, but I still own the DW6000 and it still works so....
And a real keyboard. I played this in the store when it was new but ended up with a DW8000 probably because of the aftertouch and built-in digital delay. Guess I've always liked the darker creamier sounding synths.
I was literally just thinking about your drum course on berklee right before seeing your comment, haha. I haven't taken it, but considered it to get more comfortable with programming.
@@nathanfichter8629 That's funny. I show up in the oddest places, ha. It is a fun class! We cover a ton of time tested beat production and programming techniques.
Interesting, a bit vocoder like effects from the modulation. And at one point it sounds like a famous synth sequence from Jam & Spoon, and they had the same distorted filter sound in some other track, too. I've never heard that same sound anywhere, but here in one point. 4:02 for example. Sounds like a great one to create 70's scifi. This sounds new and old at the same time. Special!
Pro-8 and Split-Eight are mostly the same synth, first for Japanese market, second for US market. All of the following Sequential synths used the same CEM 3394 chip: Six-Trak, Max, Multi-Trak, Pro-8/Split Eight. Each chip contains one VCO, VCF & VCA. This chip was originally designed for coin operated arcade video game use. During the same time period, AKAI also made a few synths that used the same chip.
I have a Multi-Trak but never use it on account of having "better" synths in my arsenal. I'm always surprised at how good it sounds. Minus the steppy filter that seems to have plagued SCI synths of that era and annoying interface, this synth is definitely worth persuing.
Two years after I bought my Multi-Trak, I bought a TOM drum machine. I bought it specifically to use with the Multi-Trak. Together they are the “Trak Star” dream team! SCI was on the right track, it’s just most others were on the digital synth track by that time. But we all know how the digital synth track panned out..
This was an interesting period in Sequential's story. They had a series of poor sellers and ultimately went under, but they were, somewhat ironically, delving around in areas that would become the norm years later (synths designed to interface with computers / digital workstations and samplers).
I've tried a Sixtrak and MAX but never a Multitrak. Was very happy to see your demo pop in my feed. Cool sounds as ever. 👍
thanks Alex! Yes, exactly, those years were hard for Sequential, struggling with Japanese competition. Indeed was the Six-Trak very forward having sysex abilities and no tape interface. But the Multi-Trak has a tape interface, but not sysex. I could not transfer my Six-Trak patches to the Multi-Trak...
@@AnalogAudio1 Didn't realise that on the sysex thing! That is kind of odd. Guess they were inventing "norms" as they went along.
The Prophet-3000 was also way ahead of its time too. It was basically Kontakt / NN-XT but 15 years earlier! Glad to see Sequential back nowadays, although I guess Dave never went away. :)
AnalogAudio1 Thanx for the always great demos! The multitrak should have sysex also ... maybe you have to change the device id in the sysex to let the multitrak accept sixtrak patches ? (F0 01 05 to F0 01 09 )
Dave Smith eventually sold Sequential to Yamaha, but Yamaha did not do much with the technology, and only recently gave the Sequential brand back to Dave Smith Instruments / Sequential. Dave is the father of MIDI!
@@AlexBallMusic Uhhh...It has SYSEX. I've owned a Multitrack for 30 years. It doesn't have MIDI CCs. This mod adds them: www.tauntek.com/SCIMultitrak.htm
I had a Sequential Circuits Multi-Trak a few decades ago. I got it around the late 1980s and loved it. A very flexible and advanced multi-timbral synth that was very advanced for its day. Dave Smith was and is an amazing man to have founded SCI and then worked with mostly the Japanese synth manufacturers to come up with the MIDI specifications! Until recently, I did not realize that the Multi-Trak had only been produced in very limited numbers, like a few hundred or more. Given that the mid to late 1980s saw the release of digital synths like the Yamaha DX-7 and other digital wave-tables synths like the Korg M1 and Roland D50, it suddenly became a tough time for analog synths like the Sequential Multi-Trak. The last 50 years have included so very many cool synthesizers. With the 6 voice multi-timbres, sequencer and 6 individual audio outputs, the Sequential Multi-Trak has always been one of my favorites!
Me too! Every time I play mine, I rediscover how good it sounds.
LONG TIME fan of the multi trak here - most people just sort of slag them off because they heard others doing so - and those that do just turn the unit on and play a few keys/presets without really understanding anything about how it works or how to tweak ... SO UNDERRATED!!
I like the synth too! I've made a sound demo of mine : ua-cam.com/video/ARHx4om4uhA/v-deo.html
The piece starting @1:55, when you slow down the arpeggiator speed, is my personal favorite portion of this demo. Sequential said, ”be a Trak Star”. You did some “Trak Star” playing there, for sure!
Very interesting. I like the split capabilities of this demonstration of the Multi Trak. Sounds great for 6 voices and 1 VCO. You always find some great vintage synths and demonstrate them so well.
thanks :-)
I love my Multi-Trak !
One of the best demos I’ve heard, on UA-cam, of this synth. I’ve had my Multi-Trak for over 7 years. Mine has a very low serial number. Was bought from Wine Country, back in 1999, by the previous owner. Still has the Wine Country sticker on the back panel. I was just playing on it earlier today.
Yeah, a nice synth
Excellent demo of a gorgeous synth.Any 90 second section of that could be a brilliant theme to a sci-fi show from the 80s!
thanks!
Beautiful synth and sounding.
VERY VERY VERY UNDERRATED synth - can be INCREDIBLY thick sounding!!!
I feel like DSI remade this in the Tetr4; the combo mode has 4 channels of things you can multi-track. All you need to do is set it in Combo mode and program each track to play a different timbre. Now if only it were possible to have something like the REV2 with 16 voices have an assignable voice count! That would blow my mind.
That sound that comes in at 3:33!!! Very nice demo, thank you for sharing! I like the patch at 4:59 with the added delay, reminds me of some of my DW8000 patches...and those pad sounds are epic!
Thanks for the demo! Nice playing :)
yeah, thanks for watching
The Mix A and B output jacks have stopped working on my Multi-Trak.. 😢 The individual 6 voice output jacks are all still working. Turning the Chorus Off or On makes no difference. I’m guessing something has failed in the Mixer circuitry.
After sitting unused for 18 months, I got around to opening up the Multi-Trak to investigate the dead mix output problem. Visibly, I couldn’t find anything wrong. I completely removed board three, the voice board, from the synth and examined both sides of it. Then I reseated the board on its multi-pin connectors. Then screwed it back into place on the standoffs. Put the synth back together, fired it up and both mix outputs were working again! I guess it was a loose contact on one of those multi pin connectors.. Now I have a fully functional Multi-Trak again 😊.
One of the last analog synthesizers manufactured in the 1980s, when synth giants like Roland and Korg were getting ready to go digital, regarding synthesis in the world of music. Shame this instrument never had much exposure, as musicians preferred digital music around the mid-80s.
What a machine!!
I suddenly wish to purchase this
Thinking about Selling mine hmu
@@konradhausmann6359 If only I could afford one. Ooof
Sounds so good
beautiful
The sound at 5:35 is awesome!
Finally a great demo of this underestimated synth. I own one of these and just love it! Thanks :)
thanks!
I used to have a Sixtrak, but always hoping to get one of this, hope I find one not so expensive!
How much is not so expensive to you?
I'm Thinking about selling mine (located in germany)
Konrad Hausmann how much?
Here in The San Francisco California area I got mine around 2018 fir $700.
Hi! I bought this synth few weeks ago and I need the factory presets. Do you have it? If so, can I buy them? Thank you! :)
don't have them, sorry. But you can download the manual, the sound settings of every single preset is stated there
6 voices multitibral, 6 individual outs, and stereo out with stereo chorus, did I mention velocity sensitive keyboard, multi split keyboard? Highly underrated synth. Still have mine, second owner since 1985.
Great! It sounds good on paper, but I like the Six-Trak more, it has faster envelopes and CC access, so you can use a hardware programmer.
@@AnalogAudio1 the Multi-Trak has a hardware programmer built in. It's very easy to use, but CC access would be nice.
@@AnalogAudio1 What really sets the Multitrak apart from SCI's other 1-VCO synths is the sequencer. Recording sequences was similar to programming drum machines from that time. It was so easy to record, delete, punch in, etc. I miss mine sometimes. Then the coffee kicks in and I'm fine.
I loved my Multitrak....I had it 3 months and then it died...took it back to Music Ground in Doncaster and swapped it for a Korg DW6000. Bad move in some respects, but I still own the DW6000 and it still works so....
It's like an analogue Microkorg
this is real analogue
@@AnalogAudio1 It most certainly is, sir
And a real keyboard. I played this in the store when it was new but ended up with a DW8000 probably because of the aftertouch and built-in digital delay. Guess I've always liked the darker creamier sounding synths.
Love this synth! So 80s looking too :-) Thanks for the demo.
I was literally just thinking about your drum course on berklee right before seeing your comment, haha. I haven't taken it, but considered it to get more comfortable with programming.
@@nathanfichter8629 That's funny. I show up in the oddest places, ha. It is a fun class! We cover a ton of time tested beat production and programming techniques.
What if it has no sounds in it. How to restore
Check the backup battery
Interesting, a bit vocoder like effects from the modulation. And at one point it sounds like a famous synth sequence from Jam & Spoon, and they had the same distorted filter sound in some other track, too. I've never heard that same sound anywhere, but here in one point. 4:02 for example. Sounds like a great one to create 70's scifi. This sounds new and old at the same time. Special!
thank you :-)
want this now - i had the max which was real crappy - ie it was presets and v few of them
I always thought this would be an interesting board to have. Could definitely benefit from some effects pedals (as you have done). Very nice though!
chorus is built-in
4:20 5:08 6:02 6:40 7:08
I had a Japanese Pro-8 for awhile. Is it the same synth architecture?
I don't know
Pro 8 is same architecture as the Split-eight.
Pro-8 and Split-Eight are mostly the same synth, first for Japanese market, second for US market. All of the following Sequential synths used the same CEM 3394 chip: Six-Trak, Max, Multi-Trak, Pro-8/Split Eight. Each chip contains one VCO, VCF & VCA. This chip was originally designed for coin operated arcade video game use. During the same time period, AKAI also made a few synths that used the same chip.
Omg arpegiation THEN another patch on top???
Exactly!
Beaucoup de caractère. Ce qu'il manque parfois sur les synthés modernes ou les Plug-ins.
Lovely demo! I cant help but to think this might have been used by the hip hop family Newcleus in the 80's on their Jam On Revenge album
pretty unlikely as this album was released in '84 but they might have used another sequential synth as they all had kind of similar basic sound
@@diluxtube did a little digging and turns out it was a Pro One along with Roland TB-303 and RS-09
not to forget 808, 101, juno 60 and a dmx ;-)
I have a broken on that’s been sitting on my repair bench for 7 months 😪
i have two or three that have been sitting for that many YEARS - now im inspired to take another crack at it!
Mine has needed a battery replacement since the Nineties. Might be a good project for the Covid-19 self isolation period.
WINE Country Sequential in northern California fixes em.
Excelente.
you should make a sound set and sell them ;)
only a few hundred units were built, it's a rarity. Wouldn't make sense, since a sound set makes a lot of work
@@AnalogAudio1 fair enough
It is perfect for the production of new wave 80's
sympa
J'en avais un. Je l'ai troqué contre un Juno 106.
Hey hey hey...
I have a Multi-Trak but never use it on account of having "better" synths in my arsenal. I'm always surprised at how good it sounds. Minus the steppy filter that seems to have plagued SCI synths of that era and annoying interface, this synth is definitely worth persuing.
Nice but with all those external FX it’s really hard to picture what this synth really sounds like.
Actually not, just a little reverb and partly a delay on the right channel. It's like adding salt to a pizza
It has chorus built in and switchable.
@@AnalogAudio1 people add salt to pizza? 😮
@@Brendan-Black I was talking about a self made pizza 🙂
won't ever sell mine
SCI was on the wrong track...
in their ad they said "be a Trak star" :-)
Two years after I bought my Multi-Trak, I bought a TOM drum machine. I bought it specifically to use with the Multi-Trak. Together they are the “Trak Star” dream team! SCI was on the right track, it’s just most others were on the digital synth track by that time. But we all know how the digital synth track panned out..
VERY FAT SOUNDS ...🤗🤗💗💗....!!!....
Poor sound. Would not even consider buying it.
consider kronos or motif maybe
Must be deaf