Korg SQ-64 Polyphonic Sequencer,

The manual is almost useless, and there’s very little in terms of supporting video tutorials on the net.A very flimsy micro USB connection on what is a fairly heavy device for its size does not bode well. No power adapter provided and without it, it’s near impossible to read the buttons, or see which steps are active etc (also no midi cables or patch cables!). A steep learning curve for a sequencing novice! Would not buy again, it might well end up on eBay…….

A complete disaster

If you're using a eurorack or synths or something maybe you'll like this, because maybe it'll actually work for you. Personally, I'm a computer musician, and this may as well be a brick with a cable plugged into it as far as I'm concerned.The way this thing syncs MIDI is horrible, terrible, awful, worthless, useless, offensive... pick your word. This isn't my first sequencer and I found that I was able to figure out about 75% of the features right away so it's not like I'm just incompetent. The manual is bad but not as bad as many reviews online say. It's really the product itself that's bad and the manual just reflects that same laziness, lack of effort, and smug disdain for the customer.You can program all the songs you want on this garbage, you'll never be ... MoreIf you're using a eurorack or synths or something maybe you'll like this, because maybe it'll actually work for you. Personally, I'm a computer musician, and this may as well be a brick with a cable plugged into it as far as I'm concerned.The way this thing syncs MIDI is horrible, terrible, awful, worthless, useless, offensive... pick your word. This isn't my first sequencer and I found that I was able to figure out about 75% of the features right away so it's not like I'm just incompetent. The manual is bad but not as bad as many reviews online say. It's really the product itself that's bad and the manual just reflects that same laziness, lack of effort, and smug disdain for the customer.You can program all the songs you want on this garbage, you'll never be able to record it into your DAW even CLOSE to accurate. Make a simple 4 on the floor drum pattern and this thing will have the first note hit twice, the second note hit a full beat late, the third note hit a full beat early, the last note hit halfway between.... you get the idea. I have probably spent a good 10-20 hours since I got this thing just SOLELY focused on trying to get it to record even close to accurately in any DAW or software known to man. Can't be done. I'm sorry I wasted time learning how to use it and make sequences before testing this. In my mind it was simply beyond the realm of possibility that they'd do such a terrible job on the most basic functions of a sequencer.Korg used to be a company that made good products many many many many years ago, so I wouldn't have thought they'd sell me something that on the most basic fundamental level does not work. I was wrong.The song AKA pattern chain mode does not work at all either. The arp mode is really a strum mode, but they implemented it in the laziest way possible with very little customizability. It's a hassle to navigate menus. The software editor for control mode sucks. You can't offset individual chord notes and recording live into it has no editing or quantizing capabilities, you either get the perfect take first try or you're out of luck. There are a lot of other gripes I could list but none of them really matter because the sync timing on this is just such a complete disaster that if they fixed everything else bad about this device it would still be completely unusable unless you're trying to make, I dunno, experimental outsider art style random arhythmic noise music.I've used sequencers before, never had a problem recording Arturia Keystep 37, for example, sequences into a DAW. This thing.... wow wow wow.If you use hardware synths, maybe it'll work. I can't test that. But if you are a computer musician and make music in a DAW you'd have to be a complete sucker to buy this product.Cherry on top? Had to e-mail Korg customer support five times for them to reply to me once and all they had to say was "read the manual." lmao ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!I will never buy a Korg product again, I been burned too many times now. It's taken a lot of restraint for me to return this product and get my money back... I feel like running over it with my car or smashing it with an aluminum bat. It'd work just as well afterwards as it did before.

Barely works at all

WOW is the sync on this thing off. I've spent hours and hours trying to get it to sync right with any DAW and am convinced that it can't be done. This thing is such a nightmare, clearly an unfinished half-product rushed out by apathetic developers. Save yourself the headache. Awful!!

Eh...

Has a steep learning curve. Constantly have to change midi channels when using external keyboard.Too many sub menus. Manual is very cryptic.

Firmware update 2.0 has brought this back from the dead!

Any review of this thing over 6 months old really should be disregarded.... why? Because the most recent firmware update for the sq 64 has sorted out the vast majority of the issues that people had... I too, was on the verge of giving up on this device but not anymore... its like a completely different device now. It is true, the manual is horrible so you'll probably need to refer to other sources. For the price, this sequencer is really powerful.... note, you'll need to get 2 1/8 in to 5 pin midi adapters as well as 1/8 in patch cables to really utilize this thing. It also doesn't come with power adapter but the included USB cable will power it.

Handy Sequencer

I originally had an SQ1 so I thought I would upgrade for more functionality. Totally worth it, I’m sequencing a Microfreak and Minilogue XD with the clock coming from an MPC one, there was some noise which appears to be related to the leds but I solved that with a ground loop isolator on the MPC output, overall I’d recommend it!

Overlooked...not sure why.

I am not sure why people criticize this sequencer. It's amazing. I would much rather use this over the Arturia alternatives. I mean it's polyphonic on every channel. The form factor is compact yet fluid and like any other device, I don't care what it is, there is a small learning curve but once you get the handle of it...damn it's good!

Perfect Companion to SQ-1

Great little sequencer, easy to get to grips with, direct CV out makes it great for working with analog and modular gear. I already had the SQ-1 for this reason, and whilst this isn't as immediate as the SQ-1, it has lots more functionality, and is enough to do compositions on its own overall excellent.

Smart and sleek sequencer

Love this new sequencer from Korg. Its very well put together and weighs a lot more than you'd think. Once I got to grips with the workflow it was easy to set up a couple of patterns. Will be mainly using it for MIDI gear rather than CV, although I will be putting my Moog Werkstatt through it. The display could be a little larger, and Korg could have provided at least one Type A mini MIDI cable with it, but on the whole its a very smart, sleek sequencer, and is a worthwhile alternative to the other established sequencers around at the moment in this price bracket.

almost perfect

After waiting a bit (eight months after paying) I got mine this week.... Amazing to me. I wish it had rubberized buttons. I wish it had backlights like a rainbow. I wish it wrote songs...nah. What it does have: Robust build that says quality, solid feel to it/ it is teeny weeny...if you have giant hands, i dunno. r It beats my CV sequencer from anothrt company hands down. It feels like the SQD1 I once treasured, (all 15k midi events) which allowed FSK keying so easily...beats the MC50 MK2 as far as fast and reliable usage. The MK@ from roland (circa 1992) has an astounding pulses per 1/4 note of 480/ I enjoy the resolution. But the 3.5 inch drive and the bells and whistles makes it hard to program lines in a rapid style. The FSK....yumm, never giving it up. ... MoreAfter waiting a bit (eight months after paying) I got mine this week.... Amazing to me. I wish it had rubberized buttons. I wish it had backlights like a rainbow. I wish it wrote songs...nah. What it does have: Robust build that says quality, solid feel to it/ it is teeny weeny...if you have giant hands, i dunno. r It beats my CV sequencer from anothrt company hands down. It feels like the SQD1 I once treasured, (all 15k midi events) which allowed FSK keying so easily...beats the MC50 MK2 as far as fast and reliable usage. The MK@ from roland (circa 1992) has an astounding pulses per 1/4 note of 480/ I enjoy the resolution. But the 3.5 inch drive and the bells and whistles makes it hard to program lines in a rapid style. The FSK....yumm, never giving it up. (workarounds exist!) The roland MX mixer talks to it, it can run a bunch of lines ranging from midi to CV. You get a deluxe machine. One amazing item regarding the basic construction is the fact that it was designed by KORG, engineered by Korg and built in a communist country. Since China is a fairly well established producer of Behringer gear ( Behringer ciry!) it seems natural that Vietnam makes this. One of my friends is Vietnamese director Tiana Alexandra and she says Vietnam is becoming a world power manufactuer. Shoes, tools and now synth stuff. Beats a freaking political war all to heck. The US Government outsources as we all must if we are to be a part of a success story when risking our hard earned cash. Until I see synth gear from , say, Texas or Nebraska, it is a given tat I will get that if it pleases. This Vietnam made box from korg is an instant winner for many users. It makes sense and lives right beside my other exellent sequencers. Lets get along, eh? The nearly year long wait was worth it, even if I suspected my order gathered a little dust. How could this be improved? Hmm, another few rows I think. * would be good, I would LOVE 16. I would pay a grand for that baby. If only KORGS new keyboard stuff was as solid! My wave station was a tank and the YAMAHA action was fantastic till UPS mishandled a front end loader on top of it. The new Wavestate is not very sturdy as far as collecting it for the next few dozen years. But the sound of KORG is MIGHTY nice! Control surfaces rule!