This is a classic sequencer. It has 3 main mode's: Pattern, song,pattern chain. Song mode is completely linear. Pattern mode lets you create patterns of whatever length you'd like. So, if you program some drum patterns in pattern mode you can chain them together in pattern chain mode and then in song mode lay down the melodies and harmonies while adding additional flourishes to the drum parts. The record mode's are:standard, overdub, punch, step, and step grid. Standard mode is straight ahead real time recording. overdub speaks for its self as does punch. With step mode you have a 32 step grid on the lcd screen; you use a knob to scroll down the grid and then press the key on your board or one of its 16 pads to enter that note. This is quite useful for drum parts and with 32 steps you can do triplets which is kind of difficult with 16 steps. The sted-grid is your "xox" style programming however its poorly implemented. Basically on an electribe you have your 8 sounds and can quickly change sounds by pushing 1 button. With this its just stupid since your scrolling through so many sounds and it feels clumsy. I think good ol' grid mode offers more detail with its larger grid and I always use that or use a drum pad. The 16 pads on the rm1x are not velocity sensitive btw. As for editing your sequence's, there is a menu called "jobs" with many functions allowing you to cut and paste every which way. if your used to software its a drag since its not drag and click, but if you can count and remember what measure's go in which place you'll eventually overcome the awkwardness of it and be flying around like nothing. Also, you can split the note's from one track, like a drum track into many tracks if you like. And, of course you can quantise(duh). The synth engine is crap, you cant really make patches which layer sounds. It has 2 outs. It uses standard midi file's so its easy to switch between a pc and rm1x. You can easily assign the knobs to control another synth. Only one midi i/o. The effects are o.k but I never use the rm1x's sounds, and therefore I don't use its effects either.

Price paid

$400

UTILIZATION

Well this baby follows a yamaha line of logic which in some ways is incongruent with whats usually considered intuitive. But, after a certain point you simply learn the machine and it become's your instrument, you automatically know where everything is and you do your job.

This baby is robust! The case is like a tank. Be careful though because the knobs can fall off and the pads are kind of cheap.

SOUNDS

Some of the pad sounds are cool. I dislike the drum sounds. The synth engine is weak sauce. For me this is strictly a sequencer.

OVERALL OPINION

This is an ill piece of sequencing hardware. I could blabber on about it, but it is what it is and that is that.

Originally posted on FutureProducers.com
Posted by: Unknown (January 0-, 2002)