How to SEQUENCE without boring everyone 

If you'd like to learn more about some of the composition concepts that have helped me the most over the years, I made this free guide for you: bit.ly/FREEcompositionguide

One name comes up in my mind immediately: Caterina Barbieri. She is imho the queen of sequencing. Her use of seemingly repetitive patterns is just brilliant. Also how she uses delay and reverb and filters. She starts with a minimalistic, quite dry sequence. But soon the sequences expands into space and time, sometimes it feels like infinity, really impressive. Of course, what she does is not really new, Terry Riley and Steve Reich come to mind. Everybody who loves ambient music should check her out. So, enough fanboy talk now 😆

genuinely some of the best edited music content on the web currently. your humour really shines through each video. great work

After 10 years of sound & music as a hobby, I just learnt that the 3rd dictates if it's a major or minor. I mean I knew how to play a major and a minor, but I couldn't say it in musical terms. Cheers for that JNJ. This will help me in my "minimal theory musical journey".

Great series. Love how it all ties together from one to the next. love the niche you are carving out that no one else is doing.

Thank you so much for this series! I definitely find myself caught in the "oh this is a nice 4 bar loop" situation all the time, looking for ways to break out of it!

I really enjoy your stuff. Please continue the sequence of stuff.

I almost never use sequences because of the problems they bring, but your video inspired me to experiment!

Some sequencers - I've seen this in software, but I'm sure there are hardware versions of it - allow you to randomize particular steps within a sequence and it's usually in combination with what key you set it. In this way, you can make certain steps consistent - usually the 1st or 5th scale degree - whilst the other ones can be random. In fact, any sequencer that can allow for randomization of different parameters - velocity, direction, etc. - will help. Then there's usually employing of various effects to give dynamic character to a sequence over a period of time (flanger, for an example, and that was a go-to for the Berlin School types).

My best layering of sequences seem to be having a 4/16 locked kick drum and literally everything Else at an odd step count like 5,7,9,15. Model cycles excels at this and taught me the value of both polyrhythm and polymeter This is easier for me to accomplish with drums but I'm starting to figure out how to use it in synth sequences as well

One of the most important things you said in this video: "...a lot of this is trial and error.". Adsolutely agree. I do appreciat your videos. Thanks for taking the time to do it.

Regarding not pinning yourself down with harmony. I’ve found thinking in terms intervals instead of whole chords helps. After all harmony is just a combinations of intervals. Another thing that is interesting the tetra chord concept. Tetra chords can be combined to create different scales, and you can swap between the two. Another similar concept is pentatonic pairs, where you play two different pentatonic scales depending on the register.

Excellent info. Great sequences too

Man, this video came in clutch. As a composer who relies heavily on sequences to build out my tracks, monotony is a constant risk. This was truly helpful. Thank you.

Man when you said too many harmonics can lock you into a key I know exactly what you mean. You have to be absolutely sure that you want to do and know how to exit that circle to expand on the musical ideas in the track.

Klaus Schulze used a sequence in his track "crystal lake" that might be ... at a first glimpse ... boring. As for me this sequence was truly fascinating (and my personal "door opener" to synthesisers and electronic music). But nevertheless I enjoy your excellent lessons to bring musical theory to those of us who were pure hobbyists 👍.

I feel like music today has been shifted completely on the sidelines of people's attention, even though it's everywhere and there's more of it than ever, you almost can't escape it. It has the role of filling the air, and it doesn't seem to be a window to the vastness and beauty of the human soul for most people. It's a lot of people's passion and many, if not almost all musicians, hope to be heard and understood by a great number of people, but few actually do get heard. People then get discouraged and make music only for themselves or expand it into avenues that are preoccupied with thinking about music, not the actual music, in the name of love for music. WHERE THE FUCK DO WE LIVE WHAT IS THIS NOTHING MAKES SENSE

Love these videos. Thanks for doing them.

Inspirational. I was expecting tips for making my synth arps and sequences better, but of course this applies to ostenatos and other types as well.

another great video

You give really good advices!

very good content, always!

Very cool thanks

Excellent content and perfect length! So much information distilled into a fine port!

I just like to make da filter go WEEEOOOP

5:21 Those chords sound gorgeous.

@1:59. Wow. Very nice.

It's all about staying at it and trial and error.. read it again..

I liked the "go over the bar" point (and I like Prokofiev but wasn't aware he used that technique). I had tried that before, but very often, the very nature of the "song mode" of some hardware sequencers (1010 blackbox, Squarp Hapax) make this next to impossible. Going back to the Polyend Seq now as it's the most intuitive Sequencer I ever had (and sold), it can do 8 patterns all at different lengths and speeds, so this should help 😅

Nice video thanks . Subbed

really good video !

Ambiguous harmonies, chord shapes, melodic lines, rhythms is something I continue to try but fail to learn. Any chance for a video or pdf on it, or suggestions for literature? I have a couple of books on composition and harmony, but they frankly don‘t say much about the sounds that inspire me (Come to think of it, I should probably search for something by or about Debussy)

The sequence of Ridley Scott’s alien franchise has become a mystery to me

I’ve been consistently disappointed in my sequences. Hopefully this will help.

fresh

Wonder if you tried Harmony Bloom, from Mario Nieto. I think it is a very cool (newish) plugin to create less static sequences/poly rhythms.

10:22 THIS

You get some epic sounds out of the pro 3😢

The track that starts around 00:50, what is it? Absolutely beautiful.

Great content. Question: if you could pick just one hardware synth that is the best/easiest at creating sequences which one would it be? Thank you

That sequence on your Pro 3 sounds insane! How did you set it up :)?

That short piece of music at around 5:20, what is that? Is it released anywhere? Sounds really good, would like to hear the entire piece. I've listened to the other pieces you usually use in your videos as well. Great sound. Also 7:15 as well, such a pleasant combination of sounds. Which project do they belong to?

errrr..... great as always, but what is that black rectangle frame thing moving around behind your head??

@JamesonNathanJones Have you used a Moog Subharmonicon or written/programmed with the theory it's based on?

How about that EastWest Orchestrator, yeahhh…

Yeah, sequences are almost as cheezy as auto-comp arranger keyboards :O Steve Porcaro is the master, blending together 3 different sequences from Roland MC500, Oberheim DSM and a Sequential Circuits thing ;P

What do you mean exactly when you say take away the third to create ambiguity? How do you do this, is this in the ebook as well?

I might’ve missed it but it seems like you’re talking about how to use this this thing but you don’t really explain what a sequence is