Novation Circuit Tracks Review: Why It's Brilliant

A super in-depth review of the Novation Circuit Tracks, including a description of how it works for beginners, the pros and cons, and a hands-on demo of the updated features.
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00:00 Intro
00:56 Overview for Circuit newcomers
03:34 What’s new in the Circuit Tracks
17:39 The biggest upgrade

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Social media:

[GabeMillerMusic]

Full disclosure: Novation did send the Circuit Tracks over for review, but they had zero control over the content of this or any other video.

[nanomancer]

"The ability to absorb other synths and steal their powers" 😀😅 Absolute classic!

[kipzter]

Good luck staying minimalist with your gear. I really tried to keep with a small setup but it’s like an unstoppable rash, the collection keeps growing. Its partly your fault I ordered the Tracks as well.

[fernandomercado]

One thing that I love about circuit is that Novation are the absolute best with continued support for older gear like the Circuit and Bass Station.

Even the discontinued Circuit Mono Station got a great update with patch flip.

That, to me, is really important when comparing products.

I can see myself getting another Novation synth like the circuit or summit and the sampler. They’re so much fun.

[akdm]

I love your idea to sketch out a track using the internal Synths and then using an external synth later, so you can just use the Tracks to begin with and keep it portable.

[commanderdnb]

I’m listening to this rn at work and keep forgetting it’s a tutorial because you’re beats are bumpin! Keep it up friend

[DrugiZane]

Fun fact. I bought a Volca Keys to mess about with a couple of months ago because I'm bored with lockdown (I can't play music).

I then saw @Gabe Miller Music mucking about with a Volca Keys and the OG circuit.

The Circuit Tracks arrived today I have no idea what I'm doing but it looks pretty and makes doof doof noises 😅

[rideon]

MicroFreak and Circuit Tracks is absolutely a killer setup. It is really amazing what can be accomplished these days with a couple of devices. As usual, great video, keep them coming, they are very motivating!

[henryalfaro]

Hi ! I’m a 41 year old fader !! For some reasons I still don’t understand I bought a Medusa last year . I have been playing around with it and I really like this “thing”of synthesizer, and I was looking for something to add to my minimal set up.
Thank very much for your young energy presenting and explaining this synthesizer to people like me.

[scottnelle]

I've been watching a lot of your videos to decide between this and the Circuit Rhythm. I was leaning toward the Rhythm but two things have me settled on the Circuit Tracks. First, the ability to make other synths better by bringing in their audio and adding effects (what a huge setup enhancement!) that you explained at the end of this video. Second, I watched Novation's video walking through the synth engine and it really clicks for me. The flexibility is on par with a (lightly) stripped back version of Serum or Vital. I wish it had full on-board editing like the Microfreak, but I can live with that compromise. Thanks for all your work showing these units off!

[iluzionistslv]

Great review ;)
After watching your videos I ordered OG Circuit. Sad on new Tracks there is no replaceable battery and built in speaker anymore. Cant wait what features will be on next Circuit release

[jnspincliffe]

Gabe you sold me on the Circuit Tracks. Honestly this thing is ingenious and so well priced compared to other standalone grooveboxes (cough Mpc, maschine)

[TilliKommunikation]

I should have seen that in time. Until now, I thought the Novation Circuit was some kind of MIDI controller.
But it's a great piece of hardware.
Great video, thank you!

[emilhaller]

Dou really sold this little monster to me, your various sound demos helped me decide a Thanks for the effort!

[sinewaymusic]

Would have been nice with a Synth 3 / Midi 1 combo for at least one of the midi tracks for those who aren't interested in buying when more hardware but still want to build tracks with a bassline, arp and some pad chords all playing at once.

[Johnatomy]

So funny story. I had my circuit tracks for a day and the first night I took into to my bed and jammed with it a little. I fell asleep and just placed it on my bedside table. In the morning my 3-year-old son poured juice onto it. The juice got far enough to stop the buttons from triggering sounds so the next day I voided my warranty and cracked it open. Very easy to take apart and put back together. Simple to clean and if you want I have a picture of the insides on my phone. Gabe, let me know if you want and I can talk you through it. There are five screws on the case in total that you have to remove.

[thepith]

Thanks for all of your tutorials with this device. It’s really opened up different ways of approaching music. I hope they continue to update the software. An undo function seems like a bit of an oversight (unless I’m missing it). It would also be good to add some transitions similar to the 101s ability to flood everything with effects at the press of a button. There’s something oddly satisfying about the limitations that keeps me coming back to it though. It must be Stockholm Syndrome.

[kosmischhascher]

Excellent presentation man, just ordered one!

[martindu]

20:14 - That was the key defining moment of this review. Thanks a lot.

[slinkytrips]

I agree about the battery. Keeping it AA would have reduced the cost by having no battery and no charging included. It would also be useful for people who have it in a permanent setup as the USB for powering it would end up keeping the battery at 100% charge and wear it out or cause it to swell. I'm surprised they did not include any wireless in it, wireless sample/patch upload, midi or Ableton Link would have been handy.

As for the styling it's more Ableton Push than Maschine. I just wish they had more consistency when it comes to connectors, it floats between USB C / USB B and 5 din midi / TRS midi in various combinations across the current range.