MIDINA Expressive Linear MIDI Sequencer

Posting on Gearspace, Funky Cold Machines announced a new 16-track sequencer. Although ultimately customizable by builders, I'm loving the pictured design elements like Cherry MX keycaps & transparent knob caps! The announcement is chock-full of details, so here are a few highlights:

MIDINA is made of 128 Songs.
Each Song contains up to 16 Blocks in the Block Order.
Each Block contains 16 Tracks.
Each Block has its own Lifetime and BPM. Block Lifetime can be from 16-2048 Steps.
Each Track has its own Lifetime, unique per Block. Track Lifetime can be 4-2048 Steps.

When a block lifetime expires, the song automatically advances to the next block. You can toggle "Loop" On/Off to stay looping within any given block. You can manually jump between any blocks in the block order at any time. Each block can have up to 48 program change messages assigned. If there are program changes assigned to a block, they will be sent out to the assigned channels when the block is selected. Program changes won't be sent more than once if you are working in Loop mode.

Each track has its own lifetime, which is the measure of recording length and loop length for the track sequencer. Each track can be anywhere from 4-2048 steps, unique in each block. Each track has 16 program change Favorites that can be applied. Each track also has 8 CC macros that can be applied.

Songs, Blocks, and Tracks, Favorites, and CCs can all be easily renamed with an on-screen keyboard for custom labels.

The sequencer supports pagination up to 2048 steps, and has a few modes of input.

The first is POLY mode. In POLY mode, whatever step you are on will write any incoming notes to the current step while it is active. To change active step, simply press one of the 16 buttons on the current page. You can also send MIDI CCs to sequence control change data. Note data and CC data are represented by different colored steps.

The second is PERC mode. In PERC mode, the sequencer remembers the last note that was received. Then, any step you press will automatically get that note assigned. In PERC mode, pressing a step which already has a note assigned will remove the note. This allows you to create rapid percussive changes while also controlling notes along the way.

The third is Live mode. This is a traditional live input recording. Playback your notes or modulations in real time and see them recorded into the sequencer.

The eight knobs that are attached to the touch-screen act both as controls for the MIDINA application, as well as assignable CC knobs for each track. The knobs will automatically update their labels and values based on the application state. You can toggle between being in "operation" or "CC" state by pressing the hot button "CCs". Assigning CCs to the knobs is simple - in the popup just press the knob you want to assign, and then select the CC value you want, and done. It automatically saves your assignments so the next time you power up, they're still assigned to that track. Each track has 128 CC assignments, broken in to 16 pages of 8.

There is an Arpeggiator that can be triggered at any time.

MIDINA makes no sound. It is a box dedicated to recording and sequencing MIDI.

This looks like an intriguing and powerful instrument! For more details and prototype pics, check out the project's Kickstarter page: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/midina/midina-expressive-linear-midi-sequencer

Posted by MagicalSynthAdventure an expert in synthesis technology from last Century and Amiga enthusiast.

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