Novation today introduced its 8th free firmware upgrade for the Circuit groovebox synthesizer, adding four user-requested features:
- Non-quantized recording – With firmware v1.8, you can capture synth and drum tracks directly to microsteps, instead of quantizing your performance to the 16-step grid.
- Synth microstep editing – As well as recording your synth lines to microsteps, you can now also edit them at the microstep level. With six microsteps to every full step, you can program subtle timing tweaks, fast triplets and more.
- Per-note velocity tracking – Now, not only will notes recorded over other notes on the same step maintain their velocities independently, but you can manually edit those velocities after the fact.
- Assignable MIDI channels – Firmware v1.8 lets you set Synth 1, Synth 2 and Drums to any MIDI channel between 1 and 15, for increased flexibility when integrating Circuit into your broader studio setup.
The Circuit v1.8 firmware update is available now as a free download in the Components content manger.
Oh man!! Assignable midi channels!!?? That’s huge for me. I’ve been waiting for this update!! Thanks Novation 🙂 I’ve owned mine since shortly after it came out, and I love the amount of attention they still pay to this product.
This is so great! I love my Circuit as a polyphonic sequencer and this update adds so much valuable features.
Wonderful. PioneerDJ please note for your Toraiz line!
Great care, but except midi channels change, I would welcome more pattern speed dividers 2x-16x, some notes performance control, and ideally shift=second page of macro parameters
This is how to make customers love your company!
Seriously, every update they do makes people more likely to buy more Novation gear.
I’d like two a few features I haven’t seen mentioned – ratcheting with probability, gate probability and ‘patch flip’ for the synths. Those would take an already awesome groovebox epic.
Also, I’ve been so happy with the free updates that if they at some time decide to do a truly massive update, I’d be fine paying a small amount for it (like $20-30). ‘Pro’ features, like adding some of the probability aspects of Elektron’s sequencers would totally be worth it for me. I’d also happily pay for an iPad app that tightly integrated with the Circuit and basically became a display for power-editing patches, samples and sequences.
Keep the updates coming!
this looks not bad but after repeated fights with their non-class compliant “midi” controllers (Launch* series) and freezing crap drivers it would take wwwaaayyy more to convince me to ever touch anything Novation again.
Does non quantized recording mean non quantized to 16th note? By recording to microsteps aren’t you quantizing to the microsteps by default making it still quantized?
Isn’t any MIDI recording quantized to the resolution of MIDI?
Recording in a sequencer, freeform, will play back the note exactly where you hit it, which is why quantize is needed to tidy it all up. This update indicates that playing freeform in circuit will result in the note playing back on the closest microstep point to where the note was hit, by default quantizing playback to that exact position. I’m not sure if I’m explaining it correctly or if I’m missing something and I’m not ungrateful for the update, but really would love the sequencer quantize to be switched off so it plays the note exactly where I hit it.
All sequencers use some quantization, even when quantize disengaged. Look for a high PPQN (parts per quarter note). I think the MPC live is 960 ppqn. The Elektron stuff is 96, which will still disappoint if you’re after a really realistic response.
Everything is quantised in digital gear. Heck, nature itself is quantised…
The updates have made this instrument ever more wonderful and capable….hats off to novation, although I would liketo see the a2d converter inside used for “in the box” sampling. It only needs a few more components
and a bit of firmware to make it happen. Maybe it will happen in Circuit 2,0 . Still, thank you very much novation :))
lucidia x
Thanks Novation!
Would still like a MiniNova editor that’s on par with circuit’s.
I’m still waiting on the Circuit MKII that will compete with the Deluge and the new Akai Force which looks promising. It’s nice to know that all these updates will be included in the next version Circuit.
With nothing new at NAMM I’m hoping Super Booth..
Thank-you Novation for continuing to evolve this awesome product. It continues to be the best “bang for buck” (value and capability for money) product for its purpose. I couldn’t imagine anyone ever regretting owning one of these.