Groovebox

A groovebox is a self-contained electronic or digital musical instrument for the production of live, loop-based electronic music with a high degree of user control facilitating improvisation. The term "Groovebox" was originally used by Roland Corporation to refer to its MC-303, released in 1996.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The term has since entered general use,<ref>Sound on Sound articles on grooveboxes</ref> and the concept dates back to the Movement Computer Systems Drum Computer in 1981 and Fairlight CMI Page R in 1982.

A groovebox consists of three integrated elements.

• One or more sound sources, such as a drum machine, a synthesizer, or a sampler
• A music sequencer
• A control surface that is a combination of knobs (potentiometers or rotary encoders), sliders, and/or buttons, and display elements (LEDs and/or an LCD screen)

The integration of these elements into a single system allows the musician to rapidly construct and control a pattern-based sequence, often with multiple instrumental or percussion voices playing simultaneously.

These sequences may also be quickly chained together into a song in a live performance. Grooveboxes allow sequences and songs to be saved, retrieved from memory, and inserted into the current performance whilst playing. In some cases, an entire musical performance may be created by a single player with a single groovebox. In other cases, the groovebox is simply one instrument amongst many. This is reflected by the large variety of grooveboxes available, ranging from Roland's lower-end MC and SP products which include basic sequencing and sampling capabilities, to Akai's flagship MPC 4000 and 5000, Yamaha's RS7000 or Roland's own MV-8800 which include features such as high-end sampling, high-polyphony synthesizers, and extensive sequencing, connection and storage possibilities.

Groovebox style instruments have facilitated many performers, both amateur and professional, who may have previously been unfamiliar with electronic music, to explore the genre. Whilst some in the genre initially derided these instruments (in particular the MC-303) and the opening of the field as leading to a drop in standards, they are now generally accepted as having a legitimate place in the form. In addition, many performers and bands from outside the electronic community have integrated groovebox instruments into their shows, as a convenient way of incorporating electronic sound into a more traditional format. The sequencer and control aspects of a groovebox may be used to control an external instrument over MIDI, and the internal voices may similarly be controlled by external equipment.

A groovebox is similar to a music workstation. The general differences are that it will often omit, or include only a simplified keyboard, is designed to be portable, and will usually include more user controls. Whereas a workstation is often targeted towards studio musicians and composers, grooveboxes are designed more to suit the needs of live performers. However, units matching either description are used both on stage and in the studio. A defining characteristic of a groovebox is the ability for the performer to alter both the sequence and the sound parameters in real time, without interruption of the performance. Units marketed as such, which have failed to implement this feature correctly, or at all, have not been well received.Template:Citation needed

The Roland Groovebox may also be compared to drum machines such as the earlier Roland TR series (606, 808, 909 etc.), or to their TB-303, and the term has retroactively been applied to such units.

Models

In the entry order of each manufacturer:

• 1972: Electronic Music Studios (EMS) Synthi AKS (analogue synthesizer with an embedded digital music sequencer and a touch-plate keyboard for input)
• 1980: Firstman SQ-01 (step sequencer with embedded analogue synthesizer and knob controllers)<ref name="synrise-SQ01">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• 1981: Movement Computer Systems's Movement Drum System I Template:Smaller, Movement Drum System II Template:Smaller
• 1983: Roland Corporation's MC-202 Template:Smaller<ref name="emusician">Roland MC-202 MicroComposer, Electronic Musician, November 2001</ref> (analogue synthesizer based on SH-101 with an step sequencer and a push button keyboard for input)
• 1984: Linn Electronics's Linn 9000 Template:Smaller
• 1986: Sequential Circuits Studio 440 Template:Smaller
• 1986: E-mu Systems SP-12 Template:Smaller, SP-1200 Template:Smaller, Launch-Pad Template:Smaller, Command Stations XL-7, MP-7, PX-7 Template:Smaller
• 1986: Korg DDD-1 Template:Smaller, Electribe series Template:Smaller, Monotribe Template:Smaller, Volca series Template:Smaller
• 1986: Yamaha RX5 Template:Smaller, RX7 Template:Smaller, SU700 Template:Smaller, RM1x Template:Smaller, RS7000 Template:Smaller, DX200 Template:Smaller, AN200 Template:Smaller
• 1988: Akai's MPC series — MPC60 Template:Smaller, MPC60 II Template:Smaller, MPC500 Template:Smaller, MPC1000 Template:Smaller, MPC2000 Template:Smaller, MPC2000XL Template:Smaller, MPC2500 Template:Smaller, MPC3000 Template:Smaller, MPC4000 Template:Smaller, MPC5000 Template:Smaller, MPC One Template:Smaller, MPC Live Template:Smaller, MPC Live II Template:Smaller, MPC X Template:Smaller
• 1996: Quasimidi QM-309 Rave-o-lution Template:Smaller
• 1996: Roland Groovebox MC-303 Template:Smaller, MC-505, MC-307, MC-09, D2, MC-909, MC-808, SP-404, SP-606, SP-808, SP-555, MV-8000 Template:Smaller, MV-8800 Template:Smaller, EF-303, SH-32, MC-101 Template:Smaller, MC-707 Template:Smaller
  Note: Roland's trademark "Groovebox" has been used since 1996, that is ten years after the establishments of generic Groove machines E-mu SP-12 in 1986.
• 1997: Ensoniq ASR-X Template:Smaller
• 1998: Boss Corporation's SP-202, SP-303 Template:Smaller, SP-505 Template:Smaller
• 1999: Zoom Corporation Sampletrak ST-224 Template:Smaller<ref>

 Template:Cite journal</ref>

• 2004: Elektron Monomachine Template:Smaller
• 2004: Radikal Technologies Spectralis 1 Template:Smaller, Spectralis 2 Template:Smaller
• 2009: Native Instruments Maschine Template:Smaller
• 2010: Beat Kangz Electronics's Beat Thang Template:Smaller
• 2015: Novation Circuit
• 2016: Pioneer DJ (with Dave Smith) TORAIZ SP-16 Template:Smaller,<ref name=MusicRader2016>

 {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }} </ref> TORAIZ AS-1 Template:Smaller<ref name=DJMag2017>

 {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>