We may earn a commission from links on this page.
In 2025 I tested a ton exotic smart glasses, e-bikesand other Lifehacker gear, but the technology that has most updated and improved my daily life is a more niche product. I'm a (very) amateur musician, and Yamaha's Sectrac my favorite thing this year. It's an “idea”, a music production studio small enough to fit in a backpack. Look how tiny this thing:
Credit: Steven Johnson
What can Sectrac do?
There's so much music crammed in here it's almost ridiculous: it's a full-fledged drum machine with eight drum tracks, a step sequencer, a synthesizer with three separate tracks and hundreds of preset sounds, and a sampler – in other words, everything you need to create any music from scratch, in seconds. It's even battery powered and has a built-in speaker so it's completely portable.
Even with all these features, it's incredibly easy to use to create basic music, even if you have literally no musical knowledge. Here's what you need to create a basic bit out of nothing in about 90 seconds:
This is just the surface. Everything is completely customizable. You can customize every aspect of the presets and effects, add sequencer steps, play around with the arpeggiator, record or import your own samples, and distort sounds with countless synth parameters.
Go deeper with the companion app
If you want to go deeper, there's a companion app for tablets, phones and PCs that syncs with Seqtrak and gives you access to all the built-in controls so you can change anything. The app is a must for beginners: Seqtrak has 32 input buttons, 17 dials and three sliders, but it doesn't have a display screen, so being able to see what you're doing is a must until you understand the controls.
The screenshot below is just one of dozens of pages of elements you can tinker with to customize sounds and effects:
What are your thoughts so far?
Credit: Steven Johnson
It can't do Allbut you can import your project from Seqtrak to another digital workstation for more advanced mastering or effects, and you can control Seqtrak through an external MIDI device if you need more capabilities than it offers out of the box.
Seqtrak – my new desktop companion
You can use this equipment to create detailed beats and even full songs, use it to accompany yourself live (though it's not the most robust piece of equipment), or integrate it into your larger music rig using MIDI, but I mostly just keep my Seqtrak next to my desk and play it with a MIDI keyboard—seven small plastic keys aren't optimal—because it reduces the friction between having an idea and bringing it to life. It's much easier and faster to launch this groove box than to start a new project in FL Studio or anything else. Plus, it's true perceptible– Physical dials and buttons are better for creativity than sliders on a computer, even if they control digital output.
I don't use Seqtrak to complete albums or create perfect mixes. I use it because it makes messing around with music easy and fun again. This is a gadget that gives you endless possibilities without getting in your way.
