Chapter 4
The Zaquencer
Four tracks of up to 32 steps: step and track settings, chords, ratchets, scales and drums.
How the Zaquencer works
Press 1ZAQ/CTRL until the keys glow pink. The sequencer has four tracks of up to 32 steps. In the main view encoders 25–56 are steps 1–32, reading left to right, top row first. 21–24T1–T4 pick the track you’re editing: a flashing key is the selected track, green means unmuted and red means muted. You edit one track at a time. Source: Official
The basic move: press a parameter key (5–20), then turn the encoder of the step you want to change. Source: Official
Key combinations
- 21–24T1–T4
- Selects the track to edit.
- 5PITCH, then turn ENCODER
- Sets that step’s note.
- Hold 5PITCH + turn ENCODER
- Shifts every step’s pitch together.
- Hold 59EDIT/GLOBAL + turn ENCODER
- Moves all steps at once (the manual’s other method).
- Hold 63< + turn ENCODER
- Shows the encoder’s value without changing it.In Global
- 68PLAY/STOP
- Starts and stops sequence playback.
- 67RESET
- Sends a running sequence back to its first step.
Step parameters (keys 5–14)
Each of these keys puts the 32 encoders into one parameter for the selected track; turn a step’s encoder to set it. Source: Official
| Key | Sets, per step |
|---|---|
| 5PITCH | Note. Every step starts at C3 (MIDI 60). Global encoder 29 switches the display between note names and MIDI numbers. |
| 6VELOCITY | Velocity, default 100. |
| 7MUTE | Silences the step but keeps its place in time. |
| 8DELAY | Timing offset, −5 to +5 (push/lag). Negative values put the note ahead of the beat, positive values behind it. |
| 9LENGTH | Note length, from a 96th note to 4 beats including triplets. Default is a 32nd note. |
| 10MIDI CTRL α 11MIDI CTRL β | Two automation lanes per track. Each holds one value per step (Off or 1–127), not a curve. Each lane’s type is set in Global: α on encoders 49/51/53/55 and β on 50/52/54/56 for tracks 1–4. The types are Off, Delay, Ratchet, Program Change, Aftertouch, Pitch Bend and CC 0–127. |
| 12WAVE GEN | Writes a waveform across the steps of a parameter (see The wave generator). |
| 13CHORD | Chord or interval built on the step’s note. Off plays a single note (see Chords). |
| 14STEP SKIP | Removes the step from playback entirely, so the pattern gets shorter. Mute leaves a rest instead. |
Track settings (keys 15–20)
These keys set how the selected track plays as a whole. With keys 15–17 the step encoders pick the value; keys 18 and 20 use SELECT instead, and 19 uses encoders 30 and 31. Source: Official
| Key | Sets, per track |
|---|---|
| 15SEQ START | First step played. |
| 16SEQ LENGTH | Length in steps. Give tracks different lengths for polymeter. |
| 17SEQ OFFSET | Shifts the track’s playback position against the others. |
| 18CLK DIVIDER | Clock divider, set with SELECT: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 (default), 32, 24, 12, 6 or 3. The BCR2000 manual calls the last four triplet values. Source: BCR2000 Zaq |
| 19SHUFFLE | Swing: encoder 30 sets the even-step amount and 31 the odd-step amount (0, 16, 33, 50, 66 or 83). |
| 20DIRECTION | Direction, set with SELECT: Forward, Backward, Pip 0 (pendulum that repeats the first and last steps), Random, Pendulum. Per the BCR2000 manual, Pendulum doesn’t repeat the end steps. Source: BCR2000 Zaq |
The wave generator
Hold 12WAVE GEN and set the wave on encoders 33–36. Still holding it, press the keys of the parameters to apply it to: pitch, velocity, mute, delay, length or either automation lane. Source: Official
WAVEFORM
Random, sine, triangle, saw, ramp or rectangle.
Encoder 33
Key combinations
- Hold 12WAVE GEN + turn 33–36
- Sets the wave’s shape, gain, rate and offset.
- Hold 12WAVE GEN + press 5PITCH, 6VELOCITY, 7MUTE, 8DELAY, 9LENGTH, 10MIDI CTRL α or 11MIDI CTRL β
- Writes the wave across that parameter’s steps.
Chords
Set Track Mode to Chord in Global (encoders 37–40, one per track). There’s no separate mono/poly switch: a step with 13CHORD set to Off plays one note, and anything else plays a chord built on the step’s note. Source: Official
The chord list runs from Minor, Major, Diminished and Augmented through seventh chords such as Minor 7th, Minor 7th ♭5, Minor-Major 7th, Diminished 7th, Major 7 and Major 7th ♯5. Every chord is also available an octave below or above the root, and there are two-note intervals starting at a minor 2nd. Source: Official
Ratchets and note delays
Ratchets aren’t a step parameter of their own. In Global, set one of a track’s lanes to the Ratchet (or Delay) type. Source: Official
Each step’s value on that lane then picks a mode and repeat count. The BCR32 manual doesn’t list the values, so use the lookup table in the Zaquencer manual. Using a lane for ratchets leaves that track one automation lane. Source: BCR2000 Zaq
Scales
Global encoder 30 picks the scale and 31 its root (C to B). Choices include Major, Minor, the modes from Dorian to Locrian, Whole Tone, two Octatonic scales, Major and Minor Pentatonic, and a User scale. Source: Official
- The scale is usually non-destructive: it shapes what plays without rewriting the stored notes. Source: Official Drum tracks ignore it. Source: BCR2000 Zaq
- To apply it permanently, press 10MIDI CTRL α and 11MIDI CTRL β together. This rewrites the notes of the current pattern and can’t be undone. Source: Official
- To edit the User scale, hold 10MIDI CTRL α in Scale mode and set its 12 notes with encoders 41–52. Source: Official
Key combinations
- 10MIDI CTRL α + 11MIDI CTRL β
- Applies the scale to the current pattern’s notes permanently.
- Hold 10MIDI CTRL α + turn 41–52
- Sets the 12 notes of the User scale.In Scale mode
Drum tracks
Set Track Mode to Drum (Global encoders 37–40). A drum track has 16 voices, each with its own MIDI note. Source: Official
- To set the notes, stay in Global, hold the track’s key (21–24) and turn encoders 25–40 for voices 1–16. Source: Official
- To program steps, press 65INST SEL, pick a drum with keys 5–20, then turn the encoders of the steps where it should play. Source: Official
- Hold a drum key and turn any encoder clockwise to fill every step, or counter-clockwise to clear them. Source: Official
- To scatter the selected drum across random steps, hold 65INST SEL and press 12WAVE GEN. Source: Official
Key combinations
- Hold 21–24T1–T4 + turn 25–40
- Sets the notes of drum voices 1–16 on that track.In Global
- 65INST SEL, then a key 5–20
- Picks the drum to place on steps.Drum track
- Hold a drum key + turn ENCODER clockwise
- Fills every step with that drum; counter-clockwise clears them.Drum track
- Hold 65INST SEL + 12WAVE GEN
- Scatters the selected drum across random steps.Drum track
The mixer and note repeat
66MIXER opens only while the sequencer is stopped. It mutes whole tracks with keys 21–24 and single drum voices with keys 5–20. Source: Official Mutes are saved with each pattern. Source: BCR2000 Zaq
Key combinations
- 66MIXER
- Opens the mixer.Sequencer stopped
- 21–24T1–T4
- Mutes or unmutes a whole track.In the mixer
- Hold 64TAP WRITE + turn ENCODER
- Sets a Note Repeat rate, from 96th to quarter notes; then press a track or drum key to repeat it.In the mixer
Recording live
Press 65INST SEL to enter real-time programming. 64TAP WRITE cycles three modes: NOTE (play freely), MONITOR (play along with the running pattern without recording) and RECORD (notes from the keys or from external MIDI land on the nearest step while the pattern plays). On a chord track, keys 6, 7, 9–11 and 13–20 become a small keyboard. Press 65INST SEL again to finish. Source: Official
Key combinations
- 65INST SEL
- Enters and leaves real-time programming.
- 64TAP WRITE
- Cycles NOTE, MONITOR and RECORD.Real-time programming
- Hold 63TAP DELETE + a note or drum key
- Erases that note or drum from the steps as they pass.RECORD