LinnSequencer

The LinnSequencer is a rack-mount 32-track hardware MIDI sequencer manufactured by Linn Electronics and released in 1985 at a list price of US $1,250.^[1] An optional Remote Control was available. Like the LinnDrum Midistudio, the LinnSequencer used the same flawed operating system used in the ill-fated Linn 9000,^[2] released in 1984. As a result, both machines earned a reputation for being notoriously unreliable.^[3][4] In addition, the optional LinnSequencer SMPTE feature could not be deployed due to flawed circuit design. The last LinnSequencer operating system released by Linn Electronics was version 5.17.^[2]

LinnDrum Sequencer
LinnSequencer - rack mount 32 track hardware MIDI sequencer
Manufacturer	Linn Electronics
Technical specifications
Polyphony	16
Input/output

Remote Control

When Linn went out of business in 1986, Forat Electronics purchased Linn's remaining assets^[5] and completely revamped the Linn 9000 and LinnSequencer operating system. They fixed all the bugs^[6] and added some new features to the LinnSequencer. The Forat LinnSequencer was released in 1987 by Forat Electronics at a list price of $1,000 (including all fixes and upgrades). The Forat LinnSequencer was manufactured and sold as a new complete unit.^[1] Forat also offered software and hardware upgrades to existing LinnSequencers.^[7] Forat discontinued manufacturing new complete Forat LinnSequencers in 1994. However, at the time of writing (2015), Forat still offers the LinnSequencer software and hardware upgrades to stock LinnSequencers.^[7]

Features

The LinnSequencer is a state-of-the-art composition and performance tool for the professional musician. It is extremely powerful and simple to learn and use.

Features added by Forat Electronics include:

• 40,000-note capacity (four times the original)
• MIDI clock
• MIDI song pointer

Features of the original Linn Electronics LinnSequencer that are retained in the Forat LinnSequencer include:

• Operation is similar to a multi-track tape recorder with PLAY, STOP, RECORD, FAST FORWARD, REWIND, and LOCATE controls
• Each of the 100 sequences contains 32 simultaneous, polyphonic tracks. Each track may be assigned to one of 16 MIDI channels. Simultaneously plays up to 16 polyphonic synthesizers
• 3.5-inch floppy disk drive stores complex songs and holds over 110,000 notes per disk
• One or all tracks may be TRANSPOSED at the touch of a key
• Real-time ERASE function expedites editing
• REPEAT function automatically repeats any held notes at a pre-selected rhythmic value
• TIMING CORRECTION works during playback and operates without "chopping" notes
• Optional remote control

Brochure (1985)

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