7 ms·

Sequence8 – a music sequencing toy in PICO-8

129 points by tomduncalf 4y ago

arbol 4y ago
This is incredible. I would use this for actual music composition if it was a plug-in for Ableton
kamranjon 4y ago
This is really cool, really intuitive and fun to play with right off the bat. I think it's really cool to see stuff like this, it's really good example of what you can accomplish with a clean UI, even in a constrained environment.
kitotik 4y ago
Nice work! This is a take on the Yamaha Tenori-on[0] style of sequencing which is legendary(but sadly no longer made). I’m surprised there aren’t more software clones of this available. Even the official iOS app clone was discontinued a few years back. It’s such a fun and highly creative way to sequence, though better suited to melodic phrases than rhythmic patterns imo. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Tenori-on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Tenori-on
- debugnik 4y ago
  Pretty sure I've seen multiple people doing step sequencing like this in software with the Monome Grid and similar software-driven grids. No idea which application or plugin were they using, though.
- Bjartr 4y ago
  Did a brief Google and didn't find anything describing how the tenori on sequencing style differs from other grid based sequences. Mind going into some detail on that?
- _qxjp 4y ago
  I think a similar style is the Tones.fm website (https://tones.fm https://tones.fm). I recall it was even posted on this site when it first launched, many years back
- pwenzel 4y ago
  I remember getting into the Monome ecosystem around 2005 (also a grid-based device) and being surprised by Tenori-on coming along and making something so visually similar. I guess grid-based tools feel natural to a lot of people!
rcarmo 4y ago
Nice. Reminds me of Xynthesiser in iOS.
conconio 4y ago
That's very cool, reminds me of the sequencer at https://tones.fm https://tones.fm, but with an 8-bit aesthetic.
GaryPalmer 4y ago
If you do chords it sounds kind of bad and I miss a hihat. Other than that pretty cool! good job.
harryvederci 4y ago
I love how all the comments on that page seem like people lost their minds. (They're their copied sequences, which you can paste in the editor to load them.)
- flohofwoe 4y ago
  Notably, on macOS, use Ctrl+V to paste, not the standard Cmd+V (understandable, because clipboard support in browsers is a royal pita). PS: Hmm, or first Cmd-V and then Ctrl-V? PPS: Yeah... apparently first Cmd-V to activate the browser's paste function, and then Ctrl-V to paste into the sequencer.
el_nahual 4y ago
I would love a hardware version of this made for kids.
agentwiggles 4y ago
I recently got an Anbernic RG351V, a really fun little handheld retro console. This is the first thing that made me really interesting in purchasing the Pico-8 emulator, which is supported on the console. However, I don't see a way to download the "cart" for this game so that I could play it on my handheld. I might just be missing something about the Pico-8 ecosystem. I'd be happy to pay the $2 for the download if that would get me a copy of the cart. Anyone know if I'm barking up the right tree?
- diimdeep 4y ago
  Many authors do not release carts in an attempt to guard code, graphics etc. [0] I asked dev about cart for fake-08 emu, but got no reply so far [1] [0] https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=45337 https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=45337 [1] https://twitter.com/diimdeep/status/1612690066907844610 https://twitter.com/diimdeep/status/1612690066907844610
  - agentwiggles 4y ago
    Ah, I was worried that might be the case. Guess for now I'll save my 15 bucks on the emulator! I also wondered if there might be a way to extract a cart from the binary distribution, but that sounds like a side project for another time. Edit: another thought is that since the RG351 platform runs on Linux, I might be able to use the Linux binary he provides to run it on the console. Not sure how that would work out with the 351's built in gamepad, but I bet it could be worked out. Might have to play around with that idea.
- packetlost 4y ago
  Yeah, I wish I could get my hands on the cart. I'd love to play this on the RG351M that I have
shaftoe444 4y ago
Very cool
kgwxd 4y ago
Super fun! The copy feature is really nice. What does the label that looks like "Y22" mean? I skipped over the link a few times because I thought it was the picoSYNTH[0] again which was up here a few weeks ago. It was free to download then but looks like you have to buy it now and I don't see a place to try it online. Think I'll grab both, need to put my PICO-8 to some use. [0]https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34097936 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34097936

129 points by tomduncalf 4y ago

This is incredible. I would use this for actual music composition if it was a plug-in for Ableton

This is really cool, really intuitive and fun to play with right off the bat. I think it's really cool to see stuff like this, it's really good example of what you can accomplish with a clean UI, even in a constrained environment.

kitotik 4y ago

Nice work! This is a take on the Yamaha Tenori-on[0] style of sequencing which is legendary(but sadly no longer made). I’m surprised there aren’t more software clones of this available. Even the official iOS app clone was discontinued a few years back. It’s such a fun and highly creative way to sequence, though better suited to melodic phrases than rhythmic patterns imo. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Tenori-on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_Tenori-on

debugnik 4y ago
Pretty sure I've seen multiple people doing step sequencing like this in software with the Monome Grid and similar software-driven grids. No idea which application or plugin were they using, though.
Bjartr 4y ago
Did a brief Google and didn't find anything describing how the tenori on sequencing style differs from other grid based sequences. Mind going into some detail on that?
_qxjp 4y ago
I think a similar style is the Tones.fm website (https://tones.fm https://tones.fm). I recall it was even posted on this site when it first launched, many years back
pwenzel 4y ago
I remember getting into the Monome ecosystem around 2005 (also a grid-based device) and being surprised by Tenori-on coming along and making something so visually similar. I guess grid-based tools feel natural to a lot of people!

rcarmo 4y ago

Nice. Reminds me of Xynthesiser in iOS.

conconio 4y ago

That's very cool, reminds me of the sequencer at https://tones.fm https://tones.fm, but with an 8-bit aesthetic.

GaryPalmer 4y ago

If you do chords it sounds kind of bad and I miss a hihat. Other than that pretty cool! good job.

harryvederci 4y ago

I love how all the comments on that page seem like people lost their minds. (They're their copied sequences, which you can paste in the editor to load them.)

flohofwoe 4y ago
Notably, on macOS, use Ctrl+V to paste, not the standard Cmd+V (understandable, because clipboard support in browsers is a royal pita). PS: Hmm, or first Cmd-V and then Ctrl-V? PPS: Yeah... apparently first Cmd-V to activate the browser's paste function, and then Ctrl-V to paste into the sequencer.

el_nahual 4y ago

I would love a hardware version of this made for kids.

agentwiggles 4y ago

I recently got an Anbernic RG351V, a really fun little handheld retro console. This is the first thing that made me really interesting in purchasing the Pico-8 emulator, which is supported on the console. However, I don't see a way to download the "cart" for this game so that I could play it on my handheld. I might just be missing something about the Pico-8 ecosystem. I'd be happy to pay the $2 for the download if that would get me a copy of the cart. Anyone know if I'm barking up the right tree?

diimdeep 4y ago
Many authors do not release carts in an attempt to guard code, graphics etc. [0] I asked dev about cart for fake-08 emu, but got no reply so far [1] [0] https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=45337 https://www.lexaloffle.com/bbs/?tid=45337 [1] https://twitter.com/diimdeep/status/1612690066907844610 https://twitter.com/diimdeep/status/1612690066907844610
- agentwiggles 4y ago
  Ah, I was worried that might be the case. Guess for now I'll save my 15 bucks on the emulator! I also wondered if there might be a way to extract a cart from the binary distribution, but that sounds like a side project for another time. Edit: another thought is that since the RG351 platform runs on Linux, I might be able to use the Linux binary he provides to run it on the console. Not sure how that would work out with the 351's built in gamepad, but I bet it could be worked out. Might have to play around with that idea.
packetlost 4y ago
Yeah, I wish I could get my hands on the cart. I'd love to play this on the RG351M that I have

shaftoe444 4y ago

Very cool

kgwxd 4y ago

Super fun! The copy feature is really nice. What does the label that looks like "Y22" mean? I skipped over the link a few times because I thought it was the picoSYNTH[0] again which was up here a few weeks ago. It was free to download then but looks like you have to buy it now and I don't see a place to try it online. Think I'll grab both, need to put my PICO-8 to some use. [0]https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34097936 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34097936