Control Your Drum Machines & Synths With Pioneer DJ’s Toraiz SQUID Sequencer

Pioneer DJ Just announced SQUID, a new entry into its Toraiz series of production gear. SQUID is a sequencer that sits at the heart of your music production rig, controlling up to 16 pieces of hardware that you’ve got connected to it via Midi such as drum machines, samplers (like the Toraiz SP-16), synthesisers (like the Toraiz AS-1) and even your laptop running a DAW.

It’s got 16 LED backlit velocity-sensitive pads that you can use to trigger sounds and create patterns, and you can also use them to create harmonies and chords via the Harmonizer pad mode. SQUID can also “fill in” patterns via the Interpolate pad mode, letting you create variations easily.

Other performance-oriented features include Speed Modulation which lets you fluctuate the playback speed of a phrase for glitchy effects (think Aphex Twin or Authechre), Running Direction which lets SQUID create new patterns out of a sequence, and Groove Bend for modifying the trigger timing of the sequence. SQUID also has the Time Warp feature that lets you recall a previous phrase you created, perfect for when you’re just jamming out ideas.

We love the Toraiz series (the SP-16 sampler gets used quite often here at our production studio) and SQUID looks like an awesome way to take control of your other hardware production kit via Midi. Apart from being a production tool, it also looks like great fun when used in a live performance setting, especially one where you’re creating parts on the fly ala Richie Hawtin or KiNk. Watch out for our review of it soon.

Check out the promo video below.

Promo Video

Photo Gallery

• Toraiz SQUID is available now for US$599. Check the Pioneer DJ site for more details.

Do you use any outboard gear or hardware when producing music? Do you use drum machines and synths when DJing or performing live? Would you want to add this to your set-up? Let us know below.