Pioneer DJ's new sequencer SQUID wants to be the centre of your studio

Pioneer DJ have announced Toraiz SQUID: Sequencer Inspirational Device. The 16-track sequencer is designed around jamming and performance with a host of features to create 'happy accidents' and trigger random sequences, modulations and chords. There are 16 RGB pads for playing in your melodies and beats, and up to 64 patterns per each of the 16 tracks. There are eight notes of polyphony per track too, and a Harmonizer section to quickly input pre-determined chord shapes into your pattern, with up to six saved chords.

The Speed Modulation section allows you to temporarily interrupt the tempo of the pattern to create unique grooves, while the 'Interpolation' feature will 'fill in' the steps between parameters across the sequence. That means that if you set a parameter – such as filter cutoff – on step one as 10 and the cutoff to 100 on step 16, SQUID will automatically scale the cutoff from 10 to 100 across the steps in between. 

The direction in which the sequence runs can also be easily adjusted with the with reverse, random, upside down and alternating left and right all options to create happy accidents and less predictable sequencers. The Groovebend is a spring-loaded crossfader to add extra swing to the pattern, either slowing down or speeding up a groove.

Round back there are two Gate and CV outs, MIDI DIN, USB for MIDI and project/pattern transfer but crucially, there is no audio output. SQUID is exclusively a sequencer and doesn't store any sounds on the device itself, which goes a long way to explaining the low price of £519. We'll have a lot more info and a full review once the SQUID lands. 

Unlike the Toraiz SP-16, the SQUID doesn't feature Pioneer DJ's ProLink clocking connections, so you can't connect directly to a CDJ, but considering the much lower price, it's not that surprising.