Novation Circuit Rhythm vs Tracks

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00:00 Intro
00:41 What’s the same?
01:18 What’s not the same?
01:39 Synth patches
02:33 Sample flip
03:42 Mapping and processing samples
06:46 Monophonic vs polyphonic
09:28 Building full tracks
10:19 Sample chop
10:57 Target demographics
12:19 Sidechain, scales, and grid FX
13:38 Inputs and outputs
14:46 Connectivity: Circuit Tracks
17:35 Connectivity: Circuit Rhythm
20:19 Overview
21:51 Outro

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[scorpthe]

I have both of them but love Rhythm way more.

Advantages of Rhythm:
1. Sampling synths without keyboard.
With Rhythm you can trigger notes via MIDI from any portable external desktop synth e. g. Typhon
(!) while recording a sample (!)
Assign synth to a specified MIDI channel, pick blank sample, enable threshold mode, press rec, go to notes page, trigger sounds and press stop. You can also sequence sounds from external synth via MIDI and resample this.
2. Lack of polyphony is not an issue when you have resampling. Even your mono synth can now sound like a poly. Also theoretically you can build up a bunch of 8-note chords using 8 tracks, resample it and use these huge chords on each of 8 tracks then resample and so on... 🙃🙂
3. Granular synthesis.
4. Circuit R is simply standalone. Circuit T forces you to use laptop to make new synth patches and load samples.

Small disappointments in Rhythm:
1. Lack of "time stretching with no pitch changing".
2. Start and length in "loop sample mode" are not smooth enough to sync a points and prevent a click. Crossfade function would be even better.
3. Lack of stereo recording.

[michaelihde]

Why don’t they just call them „circuit synth“ and „circuit sample“ 🤷‍♂️

[mightyshenanigans]

The value this guy provides is insane!

[jmichell]

Very helpful breakdown. I ended up getting a circuit tracks, bc I can connect it via USB to an android running Koala Sampler and basically have a close enough hacked version of the circuit Rhytm for my needs but with unlimited sample time, Koala's amazing Samurai chopping mode, hands-on cropping with a little waveform visualization, etc etc but most impotent to me: POLYPHONIC chromatic pitched keyboard instantly for every sample as one of the Midi tracks. It's unreal that a $13 pro version of an android app ticks off so many "wish list for a future firmware update" items. Take note gear manufacturers! 🙂

[_P_M_]

I picked up a Rhythm due in large part to this channel. It's a new way of working for me but I really like it. I was eyeballing a Volca Sample2, but really wanted sampling and chopping. The MPC One was too much of a workstation, with more features than I wanted to deal with and higher cost. Circuit Rhythm was right in the sweetspot. Very impressed with the build quality. Very solid and knobs and buttons are great to work with. MIDI In, Out, Thru full size MIDI jacks is great. Wish list so far would include; Time-stretching, a screen-saver mode, Linux support for the Components app.

[KeithMeyer]

Congratulations on the sponsorship! I needed this video, just a simple compare and contrast. :)

[ChromaticFarmer]

The Rhythm speaks to me, I mostly play piano and bass running through a mixer and some pedals. Having something to loop tha with and add some drums to sounds like a dream. If only the midi out was polyphonic so I could add a desktop synth without the need for a midi controller further down the line.

[RomanWave]

Thank you, very clear comparison! Exactly what I was looking for to understand the difference.

[benjaminbrodie]

Excellent demo Gabe! You sold me on the Rhythm. Cheers!

[baltimega]

I love that there are stereo inputs on the rhythm. I often use the iPad as a sound source for the tracks, so I use the iPad as stereo with the midi controlling synths in AUM, then I put the audio out from the tracks into the rhythm and use them both as one machine. The circuit is master clock for the rhythm and I have program change on so when I select a project slot on the circuit it selects the same one on the rhythm. Then I have the circuit going through the sp 404 for additional live effects, sometimes recording, or compression

[Viennatom.]

Dear Gabe, thank you for this great explanation of these two Novation devices. You were the only one who showed me these differences between this gears in such a short time. It was very helpful for me, THANK YOU! Best greetings from Vienna.

[ilikeitdark]

Damn, that was fantastic...might be the best comparison I have ever watched...thanks!

[Armandote]

10:29 damn that simple reason is holding me to buy anything else but the circuit Rhythm, its an amazing and simply way to chop samples specially for those who are new on sampling and chopping samples, that chopping is pure fire

[__Jan___]

You getting sponsored by Novation, you did it! :D

[stevenharris]

brilliant pal appreciate the time you take to advise, you have such an in depth knowledge and understanding

[matszh]

A Novation Circuit Pro isn’t a bad idea. Including chromatic and polyphonic sampling abilities, with sampling from inputs, two stereo inputs and 16 tracks, would make me push the trigger. Perhaps also including the speaker from the original.

[truthseeker]

Thank you Gabe Miller and Thumbs up! 👍

[TheExileFox]

What would be cool and probably very doable would be an "Firmware switch upgrade" that turns the Circuit Rhythm into a Circuit Tracks or vice versa for a one-time fee. Then you can flip back and forth between the two as you need to. It wouldn't be possible to switch on-the-fly but it would certainly not take long to reprogram either device with the other ones firmware assuming the hardware is nearly identical (which it should be, as only the button labels and faceplate should differ.)

[KingWalterDeuce]

The fact that you can play chords on one and not the other is a no brainer to buy the circuit tracks. 💯

[lecliche]

So basically I want some things from the Tracks and some from the Rhythm so I have to purchase both, when the hardware seems to be basically the same, right? I have the Tracks (as well as 2 Base Stations and a Mono Station, plus various controllers, all from Novation) but I really want to play my samples across the keyboard (like that 'analog' synth patch you play on the Rhythm in the video is super cool - I want to be able to do that on the Tracks). So do I wait for a possible update that will enable chromatic sample playing on the Tracks - but that would eliminate the main differentiating factors between these two products and the main reason why anyone would purchase both? That update is highly unlikely. Anyway, why purchase both models when I can get a MPC One for less and which does all of this and so much more.
Thanks for the video Gabe. Highly entertaining as usual.