Learn about MIDI sequencers and whether they make sense for you based on your music objectives. Many popular brands including Yamaha, Korg and Kurzweil have built in sequencers today but vary in the degree of complexity. This article explores what sequencers are and how you can use them.

Do I need an integrated sequencer in my keyboard?

When you are considering purchasing a keyboard you need to decide what functionality you need. Before you decide whether you need a keyboard with a sequencer it is useful to understand what a sequencer actually does, and the different types of sequencers available.

The purpose of a sequencer is to record ‘performance information’, or in other words everything that goes into making a sound, but not usually the sound itself. To playback the recording, a sequencer needs to work with a MIDI-equipped instrument which makes the sounds, following instructions from the sequencer.

Once you have recorded the performance information you can edit it in a number of ways. Sequencers make it possible for you to correct mistakes, speed up or slow down a piece of music, or change the key. Performance information can be downloaded onto disc to be played back at a later date.

There are three varieties of sequencer available; hardware, software and integrated sequencers. Many high spec digital keyboards including Yamaha keyboards, Roland Keyboards, and Korg Triton keyboards contain powerful integrated sequencers, but are these really necessary?

If you have an existing keyboard that does not have an integrated sequencer you could purchase a hardware sequencer to use it with. These are relatively cheap and highly portable. If you already have a MIDI keyboard linked to a computer, you could purchase a software sequencer to make the most of your existing equipment. This is a low cost option and software sequencers quite often have the greatest variety of recording and editing features.

If you want everything you need to record, play back and play along with your music in the same place, then you really do need to invest in a keyboard with an integrated sequencer. The main advantage of this is portability. Unless you choose a very high spec keyboard, the integrated sequencer probably will not be as powerful as a software sequencer and the viewing screen is likely to be fairly small.

Sequencers are capable of recording individual musical parts, possibly using different voices, and layering them on top of one another to build complex musical arrangements. Each part must be set to an individual MIDI channel and the maximum number of channels is 16. Keyboards that are capable of playing the full 16 tracks are described as 16 parts multi-timbral. If you are buying a keyboard with an integrated sequencer, you need to check whether it is multi-timbral, and to what degree.

If you want to hear more than 16 parts concurrently you will need more than one sequencer. Some keyboards, such as the Korg Pa1X Pro Elite have two sequencers so you can play up to 32 parts. Alternatively you can play one sequencer whilst the other is loaded and blend between the two.