Novation announces the Circuit Tracks – a ridiculously powerful, fully-featured and inspiring groovebox. It’s a revitalised and updated version of the hugely popular Circuit, which still has a thriving community behind it. Long after the Circuit’s launch, Novation updated it with new features and capabilities – all of which are present in the Circuit Tracks and have been made a core part of its workflow. That’s not all, as Novation have also given the Circuit Tracks a tonne of new features and capabilities – making an already fantastic machine even better!
The Circuit Tracks is effectively an all-in-one production studio that’s small enough to fit into a backpack! Novation have used their decades of experience creating innovative instruments to jam pack the Circuit Tracks full of hands-on controls and inspiring tools, allowing you to create flowing and dynamic arrangements with ease.
Let’s take a look at what the Circuit Tracks has to offer:
Two Polyphonic Synth Tracks
The Circuit Tracks is equipped with two digital polysynth tracks. Once you’ve selected a synth preset, you can control it with the velocity-sensitive pads and the eight macro knobs (which are handily labelled with synth parameters so you can see what you’re adjusting). The macros are pre-assigned to key parameters such as Filter Resonance and Modulation, so you can quickly and easily customise it to your taste. With a whopping 16 different scale modes to choose from, creating interesting musical results has never been simpler.
These are full-on synth engines, with plenty of scope for tweaking and sonic exploration. All you have to do is connect the Circuit Tracks to the free Components software to see how all the parameters of a synth patch interact with each other as well as change how the knobs are mapped.
Novation have also vastly increased the number of available internal patches, giving you 128 synth presets per Pack. Each pack contains 64 projects as well as sample and patch data. Plus, if you connect a microSD card you can have access to up to 32 packs! With the Circuit Tracks, your creativity can be truly boundless.
Two MIDI Tracks
Now featuring two MIDI tracks, the Circuit Tracks can become the centrepiece of your setup. These tracks can transmit MIDI notes and CC automation, allowing you to use the Circuit Tracks as the primary controller and sequencer for your external hardware (including synth modules and drum machines).
Using the Components software, you can save up to eight presets of custom CC mappings for rapid recall.
Four Drum Tracks
Just like the Circuit, the Circuit Tracks features four sample-based drum tracks which you can use as the foundation for your grooves. Using the re-designed Sample Flip workflow, you can create multi-dimensional drum patterns by assigning a different sample per step in each of the four Drum tracks. What’s more, sample changes can be automated for even more variation. The possibilities for creating otherworldly beats is huge!
Loading in custom samples is lightning-fast thanks to the new microSD card slot and the slick Components software.
Powerful Sequencer
At the core of the Circuit Tracks‘ workflow is its wonderfully immediate sequencer, which makes programming and performing your music an effortless experience. Novation have completely upgraded the Circuit Tracks‘ sequencer, giving it each track eight 32-step patterns. These can be chained up together for up to 256 steps per track, allowing you to create long and evolving sequences if you so choose.
Performance-wise, there’s Probability (applies a chance that a step will be triggered) and Mutate (which shuffles steps to create entirely new patterns).
If you want to get loose and unpredictable with your grooves, you can use Unquantised Record and Micro Steps. These features give you the ability to take your patterns off-grid, rapidly re-trigger notes and strum chords.
Using Sync Rates and Play Order, you can play back your patterns faster, slower or with triplet rhythms on an individual basis as well as play them forwards, backwards, ping-pong or randomly.
Upgrades For Days
If you’re a Circuit owner and want to know why you should upgrade or are simply looking to find out what all the fuss is about, check out the other ways Novation have taken the Circuit Tracks to the next level.
- Click Track – A huge advantage over the original Circuits that makes staying in time a lot easier.
- Twice as many projects per pack – Now you can let your creativity run wild without having to worry about running out of space, as the Circuit Tracks allows you to save up to 64 projects per pack.
- Expandable via microSD card input – Gives you access to up to 32 Packs at once, that’s a lot!
- View Lock – Lets you edit parameters that aren’t currently playing, a great feature to have during a live performance or jam.
- Enhanced connectivity – Full-size MIDI I/O, USB C, CV Sync Out and dual mono inputs for processing other gear with the built-in effects and using external effects in the main mix.
- Built-in rechargeable battery – The Li-on battery provides you with up to four hours of on-the-go jamming.
- Side Chain Source Selection
- Pan Automation
The Novation have done it again with the Circuit Tracks, which is sure to become another fan favourite and a future classic. We highly recommend it if you’re looking for an inspiring and intuitive machine that you can just pick up and play with anywhere, anytime.
Buy a Novation Circuit Tracks from GAK today with 6 months interest-free finance!