Comments on: Dr. T’s KCS Keyboard Controlled Sequencer

By: wire to the ear » Blog Archive » Label Label

wire to the ear » Blog Archive » Label Label — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 11:43:51 +0000

[...] I used DR. T’s KCS and a Roland Juno-106 I would create a sound then slightly change it, save it over 16 patch [...]

By: kev

kev — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 01:14:37 +0000

I’ve been thinking of posting a video for the curious kiddies whom I love and have much respect for! I don’t bother with the ST and just use the C64 which I think sounds better. True, the ST omega version has PVG but I do fine with KCS/TIGER. I’ve tried Cubase and Logic which I thought were ok but like KCS. Who knows, maybe as mentioned here the reason I like Ableton is how it reminds me of KCS. Why should I pay lots of money and have to worry about keeping up with updates and buying a new computer every few years. There are too many other musical toys out there to have to put all my hard earned dollars into the latest tech fetish to worry about that.
A computer is a computer is a computer no matter what fancy new dress it wears. American engineers like Dave Smith, Yannes, and others put more attention to the quality of chips. To make costs affordable while not skimping on quality they merely stripped machines down by eliminating knobs and faders in favor of a keypad, all which serve the same purpose. With a hundred dollar bcr2000 and any place to dump memory and save patches, anyone can have access to the potential to what a real synth does.

By: kev

kev — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:48:22 +0000

That’s cool. I’ve never found I needed a modern DAW to do anything besides mastering the pure sound good equipment offers me. I have 8, 12, 16, and 24 bit gear and seems to work for me. Even though it is more work extensive, I just prefer the creative process and having creative control over what I do.

By: yeathly lyle

yeathly lyle — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:35:35 +0000

i must thanks dr T for this sofware which were my sequencer long years ago, before to come to pc. with it,with its philosophy I learned all is need for understand well midi protocles.
i ask if young people , today, who buid midi music with the new sequencers with ergonomic and graphic interface can understand as well we done the midi events

By: Oliver Chesler

Oliver Chesler — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:28:14 +0000

That’s great you still use KCS! I should get an old ST off eBay and try and get a KCS set up going. I agree on the softsynth part but since I record a lot of vocals I need a modern DAW.

By: kev

kev — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:37:26 +0000

actually I still primarily use dr t’s kcs. I like the atari st but to use prefer the c64 version with full SCI synth and drums setup. For under $500 I still have yet to see anything today that beats this hardware/software setup. Ableton is cool but softsynths VSTs and DAWs are overrated and overpriced, less fun to use, make users lazy and less creative. Seems more people today have the keeping up with the jones tech fetish. just me opinion

By: wire to the ear » Blog Archive » Steinberg Museum

wire to the ear » Blog Archive » Steinberg Museum — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:17:35 +0000

[...] a Ableton Live fanatic. That is true however I once loved another. After my early days with Dr. T’s KCS on Ataris and Amigas I went Mac and Cubase VST. Cubase VST was the biggest revolution in music tech [...]

By: wire to the ear » Blog Archive » Old Roland Hardware Tricks

wire to the ear » Blog Archive » Old Roland Hardware Tricks — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:43:49 +0000

[...] 16 slightly different patches on a Roland Juno-106. Next, I would create a 16th note pattern in Dr. Ts KCS. Here’s the trick: I would then put a different Program Change (number) on each of the steps. [...]

By: Oliver Chesler

Oliver Chesler — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 12:05:55 +0000

Ableton’s Session View brings a lot of what I liked about KCS to me.

By: yeathly lyle

yeathly lyle — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:19:01 +0000

kcs was my first midi sequencer on amiga, between 87 and 91. after, bars and pipes took the place. now playing with cubase5, i never retreive the philosophy and the possibilities of those sequencer in any sofware on PC