Last week, Korg launched an exciting new altered FM synthesizer called the Opsix. But that's not all the brand is bringing to market before the holidays. Today, Korg announced a super cool, feature-packed, compact, and affordable step-sequencer called the SQ-64, which is available for preorder now.
The new Korg SQ-64 Polyphonic Sequencer is a huge evolutionary step beyond the brand's last affordable (and popular) step-sequencer, the SQ-1. While that truly bite-sized machine gave players just 16 steps to play with, the SQ-64 is a 4x64 polyphonic grid.
The SQ-64 features 64 project memories. A project comprises the machine's three melody tracks (each of which has its own dedicated pitch, mod, and gate CV outputs, or up to eight voices of polyphony when connected via MIDI) and its drum/sub track (featuring 16 trigger outputs—eight CV gates and eight more via MIDI—for 16 monophonic voices), and a project can have up to 16 patterns with each pattern having up to 64 steps.
For inspiring creativity, the SQ-64 offers lots of randomization options for sequencing: reversing the play order of the sequence, varying the next step of a sequence from four possibilities, and either randomizing the entire sequence or just its first step. Control voltages can also be morphed, and the sequencer features a built-in arpeggiator as well. Additionally, players can use the matrix grid of pads as a keyboard for playing and recording in real-time.
Visual cues all over the machine make it very live-performance-friendly—each of the 64 step pads are backlit, with graduated LEDs to indicate control level. There's also a bright OLED screen to make monitoring what you're doing at any given time a breeze.
Check out Korg's teaser video above to get a quick first look at the new sequencer. You can also click here to preorder the Korg SQ-64 Polyphonic Sequencer for $299 USD right now, or add it to your Reverb gear feed for notification upon its full release.