What I strive for, and what I don't

I guess I should provide some examples of the music and styles I'm talking about...

Here's a typical Redshift track that exemplifies Berlin School sequencing. Note in particular the 'ratcheting', especially at 11 mins, 15 secs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU4tHA-KgOQ

In this live version, there is some nice ratcheting at 6 mins 30 secs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbVwhMZWI0U

I'll be talking a lot about 'ratcheting', but in summary it's when a repeating sequence suddenly has a coughing fit, and previously individual notes in the pattern are replaced by multiple shorter ones. Redshift use ratcheting a lot, and so did TD in the good old days.

Redshift make a point of having sequences run, but altering and evolving them in real-time. This is in contrast to Klaus Schulze who is a master of sequencing, but he tends to just let the sequence run and run unchanging, and in this extract we see he takes a literal 'hands off' approach:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvhxqZkZdJo

I consider Klaus a genius, but there's no point trying to emulate him, it would just be embarassing, he's too close to perfection. It's no surprise there are no Klaus Schulze tribute bands; nobody else can get close.

Speaking of embarassing, here's what has become of Tangerine Dream, even when they play some of their classics:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPUomQU0Wkg

I especially enjoy the drummer who has no sense of timing, and that fact that they all look as if they are having dental surgery.