Polyend Tracker

The Lounge Other Gear
8689

A couple of my buttons stuck, but it’s gone away over time.

I find it a little unfortunate though… I’ve gotten to where I appreciate the ‘Instrument’ button sticking so it don’t have to hold it down while cycling through instruments.

The ‘Play’ button on the other hand was quite annoying

2 Likes
8690

Already pretty impressed with how quick you can make stuff on the Polyend Tracker, and on how versatile it is. Amazing for generative and ambient, but also for techno :wink:

https://instagram.com/stories/fraktallatkarf/3227127044797275056?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng==

2 Likes
8691

With piano, the second part of a song that i´m building

6 Likes
8692

Anyone experience with the Max For Live Controller?

8693

Are the clicks fixed with the newest update?

1 Like
8694

I feel like it’s much better now, but not perfect. I still got some clicks here and there, but way less than on 1.6… Or maybe I just got faster working around them…?

1 Like
8695

The problem before was if you’d lower the volume of a sample and program a note into the seq, the volume would kick in milliseconds late and would generate a click. This was remedied by adding a bit of silence before the transient. It was basically a pain in the ass.

1 Like
8696

Maybe it has been posted already. Polyend tracker was on sale for 399 EUR at thomann (now not available anymore). Until yesterday musicstore.de had one in stock, also for 399. It is still possible to order at that price.

I haven’t used mine so much lately. Was rather surprised about the new products (mini and play) and a bit disappointed to see the developmental resources being allocated there and not refining the workflow (like making a normal songmode with patternnumber | number of repetitions - better with mute states for each track and maybe even transpose for each track - I don’t even ask for a more efficient song mode like in furnace tracker or defle mask tracker or JCH tracker), AFAIK there are still no sophisticated jump/loop commands (like often used in classic Amiga mods).

Great to see, Polyend has a backstage forum (that looks just like this one from the GUI) where they communicate with the users. Although topics seem to get closed pretty quickly.

Hope they find the Elektron way - where every machine is unique in its capabilities and they finally listened to the users and gave us a great song mode for the new black trinity (or silver right now).

https://sidpreservation.6581.org/sid-trackers/

2 Likes
8697

I pulled out my Tracker yesterday for the first time in months and i’ve been struggling to put it down since. It has crashed though while I was playing one of my projects, so it still has some bugs, but quickly fire it up again and it’s all good.

I think everybody should have one, especially if you love the old school club sounds of the late 80s-early 90s as it isn’t the best sounding piece of gear by a long shot, but for creating that retro sound, I don’t think anything does it as well and so quickly.

5 Likes
8698

The Tracker is not listed anymore by Thomann. Do you think it is out of production?

Thomann:
“## The product Polyend Tracker is regretfully no longer available.“

Musicstore:
“available soon, estimated to be in stock: Dec 9, 2023”

8699

Don’t think so:

  • At their website it is still available (for the full price).
  • And you can still order for 399 at musicstore.de
  • And in August they wrote they want to develop 1.8:

However, from a pure business perspective,

  • two similar products may cannibalise the profit and
  • I could understand if they
    • go the M8 way and focus on their mini (game console like interface, batteries) and
    • ditch the PT.
      • Although that would be a bit strange and a bad business decision IMHO, because the M8 is better in many ways for a portable tracker.

For me, the original Polyend tracker had it because of

  • the heavy wheel,
  • the big screen and
  • dedicated buttons
    • (However, I am still puzzled about the UI design which gives dedicated buttons to rarely used functions and puts often used functions to shift…).
8700

I can see them releasing an updated OG tracker to fall in line with the beefed up specs of the mini, at some point. it would make sense. when that may be tho is a mystery :slight_smile:

8701

What’s different? They stuck to the Midi-B :face_with_symbols_over_mouth: non-standard. :sweat_smile:
Still no headphones out - but the connections are in the front… (lower edge). I guess, I will slowly and curteously step away from Polyend. A company that gives that much power to this UI designer is (fill in whatever you think fits best) - and they „doxed“ the real name of youtubers and artists in their product… :flushed::weary:

8702

I do wish theyd hire some better devs. their software ain’t the may west.

still, my replacement tracker mini arrives tomorrow. the build is so bad but even so I really like it. the interface is very enjoyable handheld. & the mic is a 10/10.

8703

As bad/sad as it sounds: an old MacBookAir 11“ or some old Thinkpad on Linux plus furnace tracker or defle mask delivers better, has better UI and you could even use the original protracker or fasttracker of you wanted, too :dizzy_face:‍:dizzy::sob: (crying because I want to love the Polyend tracker so much).

1 Like
8704

What do you by that last sentence?

8705

One thing that is odd is that it won’t do pitchbend. Internally and also not as a MIDI command.

With this in mind, I wonder if it passes through the pitchbend message. As I read that the MIDI out acts as a THRU.

Can anyone check if it passes through pitchbend (MIDI in to MIDI out) while using the Tracker as a MIDI sequencer?

8706

I just want to love it, but I see all the red flags and know it’s going to end badly or not end and make me not happy - PT and me. Guess I love what I see in it (potential or what it could have been) - not what it is.

8707

I meant this

8708

Sorry, didn’t see it was a follow up to the other post. Guess they were fine with it, because Cookoo‘s real name was not exposed. Edited it and put „“ in. Else: see PM.