I’m Still Using the Circuit Rhythm!! 

I filmed this before the Rhythm's recent firmware update, check this video if you'd like to see my coverage of it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8ZkjIkCfLTo.html

As a blind user, I have no choice but to use the rhythm. There are not a lot of hardware sampling groove boxes that are screenless and accessible. It's far from my dream sampler but compared to my Casio SK1 it rocks!

I've just started to pick up music production and I got a Circuit Rythym because it was portable, had analog in and out, had no screen, and doesnt need to be used with anything else to make a song. I much prefer the intimate and tactile nature of using something like the Circuit Rythym, havent even touched a DAW yet.

I adore my Circuit Rhythm, its great for recording full tracks live in one take, Boom Bap, Lofi Hip Hop, Techno and Electro, unbeatable workflow, I like the delays and reverbs, not a fan of the effects but Vinyl Sim is good, one day the Circuit Pro will arrive, with the sampling capabilities of the Rhythm but with synths too like the Circuit Tracks, bring it on can't wait !!

I suppose I am rather entry level beatmaker. I had had no experience with other DAWless stuff, been attached to DAW and extremely tired with working by the computer. When I got to know about Circuit Rhythm, thought that it is versatile and affordable enough for me to get started with DAWless. When I watched some videos (mostly yours) to make sure that it's not a piece of sh*t, I decided to buy it. And honestly - I don't regret. Had short moment of feeling limitations, but started exploring chopping-based stuff, prepared sample packs on Components and felt like the world is my oyster. So thanks so much for your piece of advice and I am looking forward to seeing more about Circuit Rhythm from you :)

The workflow of the Rhythm makes it hard for me to leave out of any set. I use it as a drum machine, most often. Still learning how to get everything out of it. You really know how to maximize these devices.

I use it all the darn time. It really was the beefed out PO-33 I wanted and getting down looping on it is really great. Love this thing ❤

You mentioned your $5 sample pack in a few vids so I decided to get it, especially since you updated it for the Rhythm. I'm very happy with it, as you really nailed some great, useable sounds that enhanced my creativity a lot. It's a joy to use your pack in music creation! So, thanks!

if I hadn't already had the Tracks, I would have swapped it for something like a 404 shortly after getting it. But between the grid effects and the workflow they both share and how fun it is to use them together, I'm more than happy keeping the pair of them around.

I can't STOP using my Rhythm! The new update has some super cool additions.

My dawless set up is the tracks (and sequenced synths) into the rhythm. Rhythm mostly for drums and resampling and chopping my synth parts or to bounce a part from a synth so I can use a different patch. Sometimes I'll chop samples on it and use it instead of slicex in FL or simpler in ableton. Either way, it is a huge part of my set up and I've released and spun tracks in the club made with it.

Thanks Gabe for keeping the Rhythm content going for us in that niche ✌ The Rhythm has been invaluable and very inspiring to me and the perfect companion instrument to an MPC One for full compositions or live for the past year, I love the thing. They complement each other perfectly; Rhythm with the screenless simplicity, fast sampling, great step sequencing and immediate hands on control with the MPC's full featured song making potential, connnectivity, performance controls, flexibility but poor step sequencing. I see the creative potential of both these devices almost limitless to my experimental composition style and I still have many songs and genre-less creations I haven't tried so I can't imagine considering making another purchase in my setup. New or more expensive gear is always exciting and I'm sure constantly upgrading is fun and accesible for some, nevertheless I wish more content was made to keep people inspired with the potential of what they currently own instead of constant gear lust.

I feel similarly about the Rhythm. Lately i've seen a lot of them being sold for around 200 bucks, so i was wondering why people don't like them. Also it's been on sale many times for around 240-260, so sales must be pretty low. I kinda get it, the sample mangling capability is pretty low and it always leaves you wishing for more. It's all about the hands on and super intuitive workflow. It's just so easy to get something started. Unfortunately, i don't think any of the stuff I make on the Rhythm will be made into a track. I really use it just for jamming. Also as a DJ appreciate the possibility to use grid fx on external audio. It's also a pretty nice midi controller. But I would have a really hard time to recommend it to my friends :) Until Novation makes a Circuit with 4 synth and 4 sample tracks, this will be my go to fun sketchpad after work.

ive had it since last year, the updates workflow love it got a og circuit to go along with for synths its all i use now! good video!

As the beatmaking element of a larger and/or more eclectic setup, this is an extremely useful device. My first style of music was rap beats on FL Studio, and this is a great and responsive way to connect things that are very ungridded and loose (guitar, weird synth freakouts) with a more rhythmic pattern. I imagine if I only used the Rhythm, though, I'd get bored of my work quickly.

Thank you for talking up the Rhythm. I finally got mine a couple of months ago and I so far use it as drum and bass machine to build bases for my songs, hardly any sample flip or automation, or other cool features, just super basic use so far with dedicated tracks that are the same for each song. I was waiting for a machine like this for some years. It would be cool to start a friendly petition campaign to Novation asking for specific improvements on the rhythm. I think people did that for the Electribe and saw some of their wishes implemented by Korg in time, maybe even engaged them in conversation. Of course Novation is really good with maintenance and meaningful upgrades of their own accord anyway. The key improvements to the Rhythm for me would be, highest priority first (mixing potential software upgrades with stuff that would require a new hardware version): - Polyphony - More than just 6 microsteps for more functional "unquantized" at slower tempos - Hard drive with all the sampling time you need - Time Stretching - Beyond what I know exists now in terms of default and endorsed packs, a Novation online sample library of bread and butter sounds with some categories/curating/browsing/preview system. Whether they charge for this or it becomes a bonus as part of the Circuit Rhythm line would be fine either way. - The awseome scales functionality of the OG Circuit and Tracks (best implementation, why o why did this have to get scrapped here) - Onboard mic (some small mics sound great even on vocals) - Arpeggiator (I have no idea why no Circuit has arp functions, seems kind of weird, they must not be into it musically) I'm also imagining a different instrument, a 16 track version which also means you'd get 16 function encoders and maybe could tie tracks together as a way of getting polyphony. And have like acoustic pianos rhodes etc all programmable like the one shots but polyphonically.

You are still using it, I still need to get one, I am a 'few' years behind but love the Novation gear. And your little jams sound fantastic, not bad for noodling on the couch!

"The Circuit Rhythm is a Digitakt for Zillenials" is a perfect description! Saving that one.

Nice :) It‘s also a good companion for live loopers, who create tracks on the fly, who needs Bass and Percussions. I combine mine with the blackbox of 1010music. So I have a perfect easy to use midi controller/sequencer and the grid fx, and can sample beatvariations of Rythm into the blackbox.

I kind of slept on it, but picked one up recently and I love it. It’s a joy. So accessible but quite deep. Like all the circuits.

Have you ever done a video where you connect Rhythm and Tracks? Directly sampling Tracks into Rhythm opens up a whole new 🌍

Thank you so much 💫 I am watching you and thanks to all your videos 💌 GOOD LUCK and HAPPINESS ... 😀

I’m buying one of these because of your videos. It’s a nice hardware. I work my 925 on a computer and can’t make music on a computer anymore because I hate the computer lol

Nice. I still use me OG circuit. It’s not my go to, but always fun to use.

I know you don’t tend to use a lot of external MIDI gear, but I’d love to know more about the Rhythm’s MIDI control. I think one of the secret superpowers of the Tracks that aside from the 2 MIDI tracks, you do also get 2 more MIDI channels on the synth tracks, and one more on the drum track, giving you 5 total. But from a quick read, I think the Rhythm beats that and gives you 8 MIDI channels. That could make it a complete beast of a MIDI sequencer for its price. I keep wondering if I’ve missed something because it almost seems to good to be true if that’s right that you could get 8 tracks of 32 step MIDI sequences out of it. Obviously even more of a niche.

Circuit Rhythm sent my MV-1 back to its box if I'm honest. I love it!

Picked up a Rhythm a few months ago and I've tried so desperately to love it, and it's close. But, lack of time stretch, mono sampling, no polyphony, and clicking noises on overlapping bass hits are making it real hard to use for anything outside a 'beat'. Until they somehow patch some of the issues I can't see it as anything more than an upscaled 8 track Pocket Operator. Unbeatable workflow though, if these issues do get patched it'd be a force to be reckoned with.

I wanted a sampler but rather than just get an MPC, so that I could have something hardware wise to use because as much as I absolutely LOVE Bitwig Studio, I find it almost has too many options for when I wanna make boom bap / Kanye West style beats... I ordered a used Korg Electibe Sampler and Novation Circuit Rythmn, however, the Circuit got lost in shipping.... so I just had the electribe for a bit, which having to manually load my samples into slots makes working on a track in multiple sessions such a headache, however, it does export Ableton files (which are generally bitwig compatiable, yet aren't, but i can still track in the multitracked stems ) then I finally bought the circuit rythmn and I absolutely LOVE it.... it's ONLY downside is it doesn't have a multichannel export feature (that I'm aware of) .... anyway, Gabe's vides on the Rhythm are a huge reason I got it... so I wanted to say thank you. Honestly, I find myself on my hour lunchbreaks at work eating in the first 30 minutes and spending the second half making beats.. It makes me fully understand Swiss Beatz saying it takes him 10 minutes to make a beat, because when you have a tool like this and your samples already prepped, it's so easy to just get right to work.

Love your vids, dude. Just got inspired and bught this. Do you know if I can play from my Roland TD-25 and into the groovebox?

I sold my rhythm, I could not gel with it somehow. I love the circuits (i also have the tracks & og), but the lack of scales and polyphony in the rhythm bugged me way to much. Also still miss the nudge from the og circuit.

Is there any interesting usages for dual Circuit Rhythms? I'm about to get one and watching all your series pre-emptively

Still using it, I am tempted to switch it out for something else but I am hesitant to learn a new workflow. I usually just use it as a drum machine paired with the tracks.

5 months on and I even made my first track at 125BPM after 13 years in my Hip Hop comfort zone

I’ve had some luck making synthwave with it. I think of it as a custom drum machine rather than a sampler.

It's great. Works best with a dedicated drum machine (a la how the hip hop greats paired an mpc60 with an akai950 or SP1200 with a TR808). I only have two significant gripes with the CR: 1) low note resolution (only 24ppq) and 2) Having to use the proprietary Components webware to transfer samples (as opposed to simply copying random wavs to an SD card). Remember though that the CR only costs like 300 bucks which is considerably cheaper than the Roland MV1 or any current MPC.If you want a proper full-on sampler, get Isla Instruments' S2400 (1500 bucks). Also be mindful that this is a sampler and not a clip-player or a multitracker. Easy Mo Bee, The Rza, Pete Rock et al made their hits on machines with secondds - not minutes - of sampling capacity.

Dope track, Gabe! Though I almost bought the circuit rhythm, I knew the features I felt were missing would leave me disappointed, I have s sp404 mk2 now. Has novation shown love to the Circuit Rhythm with a firmware update since its release?

I actually used this to make some tracks I published (with some external effects and mastering with my PC). I also used it in a live performance, alternating between this and my SP 404 to perform the tracks and applying some effects on the tracks played on the Rythm

hey Gabe! I'm a high school student that wants to take a carrier path in music production. I've be looking into buying a circuit, I've seen all your videos on the differences between them but I'm still having trouble deciding which one is best for me. I've started to get into making house music and I wanted to get a circuit as my first hands on gear. I enjoy sampling a lot but I also want to start to into synths more. do you have any suggestions on what would be better? The Tracks or the Rhythm? (I'm also just looking for something that I could bring anywhere and make music) love your videos, thanks for the helpful content!

I still use it, to play live to trigger risers, and fxs, etc… not much to sample but to trigger such

I love the Circuit workflow but just couldn't pull the trigger with all of the limitations. Ended up getting a 404 and so far love it, although it's quite the beast to master. Any plans on making a 404 video?

I use it a lot these days for synthwave hehe... load up some Juno samples and good to go :)

Can this also be done on the Circuit Tracks if we create a pack with samples? Can we do motion recording?

I recently updated the firmware to my rhythm but after I did that it stopped sampling how it used to and I can’t figure out how to record samples. Any help?

Can you use it the way people use the sp 404. Im really interested in both Circuits for some reason. I just bought a MPC One bc I wasn’t a fan of Native Instruments hardware and they way they run things. So I want something cool to pair with MPC One and Bitwig.

As a Guitar Player trying to get into DAWless Music Production one major thing I notice all major "reviewers" seem to omit is how to hear the sound without headphones. Coming from Guitar I know it goes My Guitar > Pedalboard > Amp. Trying to venture into DAWless production that signal chain is not as straight forward. How do I get the sounds from my Novation Circuit Tracks (for example) "into speakers" and what other equipment would I need to be able to hear my sounds through those speakers? Also what kind of speakers? Thanks -Sean

This or Akai mpc studio 2 or aura ?

I sold mine

Hey Gabe, the Mpc plug-in collection that was 499$ is now 200$. Think it’s worth it or nah?

Seems like a neat little beat machine, but I have the MPC Live 2, I don't see a need for one of these when I have that.

Does the CR work like simpler in that it expects your samples to be pitched at C3 or does it figure it out? I own one, but I honestly don’t know the answer and I e added mostly packs

Can anyone tell me how to record my beats on my mac? What hardware and software do I need?

When you get home?... Wait, you have a day job!? 😉 P.s. 11:42 Bless you.

this thing was killed by its mono sampling and limited memory because it was launched right before the new SP404. That sort of killed it in its crib. I still own one but thinking its past time to sell. Its not that you can't make music on it, its that its not as good as its competition at its price point. The onboard sample manipulation has been pretty disappointing to me - I don't like the filters or knob-related 'effects'. If you love circuits its a circuit interfaced meh sampler. If you're looking for a sampler its hard to recommend over its competition.

I'm the fourth person that like it 🤖

As excited as I was about the latest update, I sold my Tracks and Rhythm last week for a MC-707, and don't regret it one bit. Finally some EQ, better effects, drums don't need 3 or 4 tracks anymore, only one, don't need to link patterns before recording something live, clip launching, better quantizing, audio out per track over USB... Or when 8 tracks is not equal to 8 tracks... Unless someone just wants to play around, I can't recommend the Circuits anymore. Compared to actual grooveboxes like the MC-101 or 707, MPC devices, or Elektron, they're just toys...