NAMM 2024: Yamaha SEQTRAK Ideastation - Sand, software and sound

Remember, folks, you saw it here first in October 2023. 🙂

As I mentioned way back when, Yamaha SEQTRAK™ comes in two color schemes: black and orange/grey. Yamaha did a decent job on the price: $599 USD (MSRP) and $399 USD (MAP). It’s available for pre-order at on-line retailers.

The front panel is divided into three sections: Drums (left), synth and sampler (middle) and sound design/effects (left). (Click image to zoom in.)

The Interwebs are absolutely plastered with Yamaha SEQTRAK news, so there isn’t any need for a long screed. Just the facts:

Four track types: Dum, synth, DX and sampler
Eleven tracks: 7 Drum, 2 AWM2 synth, 1 FM synth, 1 sampler track
Eight (8) projects
128 sequencer steps
Two AWM2 synth engines (128-note polyphony total)
One 4-op FM synth engine (polyphony: 8)
2,032 preset voices
Built-in sampler (44.1kHz, 16-bit)
A/D input (stereo 3.5mm mini jack)
Built-in speaker (1W 2.3cm) and microphone (MEMS)
AUX audio IN (3.5mm mini jack)
USB-C power MIDI to host, MIDI to device, and audio
Bluetooth MIDI and Wi-Fi (for big data like WAV)
Headphone output (stereo mini jack)
MIDI IN/OUT using the included converter cable
Internal rechargeable Li-Ion battery (estimated life: 3-4 hours)
13.5″W x 3.8″D x 1.5″H, 1.1 pounds (0.5kg)

SEQTRAK is positioned as an anyplace, anywhere, all-in-one music-making production tool. Yamaha are calling it the “Mobile Music Ideastation”. It is supported by the SEQTRAK app which adds more functions: Visualizer (visual effects), hands-on tutorial and so forth. Detailed sound-editing depends upon the app.

Wonder if they will trademark “Ideastation”?

Here is the SEQTRAK Walkthrough video. In the end, it comes down to workflow and sound. I don’t think Yamaha are breaking new ground with AWM2 and FM, tho’. Kinda tame.

For once, Yamaha got smart and announced a major product just before NAMM. (NAMM 2024 starts Thursday, January 25, 2024). Maybe the early announcement will overcome the big yawn of Prince’s purple piano and flagging NAMM attendance?

Oh, yeah, here’s the spy photo one more time…