#1

This is starting to get interesting.

31 Likes
Trackers!
#2

I must admit this looks great, Polyend are kind of on fire latelyā€¦ Also, sound demos that are not fancy visual FX, catchphrases, and weird sound design tricks with risers and subs all over, and that actually sound like youā€™d be interested in listening more of it ? Anytime please.

7 Likes
#3

Iā€™ve been so good this year re: gear, inspired by 1- Iā€™m just really happy with my hardware setup? After a couple years of experimenting I have a pretty solid idea of what, for me, works as hardware and what works as software; 2- my partner & I just bought a house, so less money to throw around without seriously re-considering my setup at every step, butā€¦ Iā€™m excited about this.

I just started a few weeks ago to use Renoise as a tracker (as opposed to a DAW, if that makes sense), as I quite enjoy the tracker-method of sequencing drums.

I hope it supports a keyboard input and doesnā€™t try to abstract away the need for that entirely with its interface. Although at that point, why not just use software, assuming Iā€™m not trying to construct songs on it alone (and I doubt I would be)?

5 Likes
#4

I have been pretty eagerly awaiting more reveals about this since itā€™s been teased. I have found I more prefer the tracker method of composition and drums (since I actually never really enjoyed piano rollsā€¦). This program appears to be something I could really get behind. Basically Renoise in a box! The grid below actually could be a pretty clever method of input, the built in synths are a great plus and depending on the IOā€™s, this could be the main brain of my work station. Renoise rules, but I find myself recording out stems and playing with them in Ableton anyway. To instead just sequence equipment and then record that would be wonderful.

Also, Polyend mentioned in an interview that they built this new product like an OS, and that thereā€™s hooks for third party scripts and tools. Crow and monome support anyone?

4 Likes
#5

Am I the only one considering this for live use ? Thatā€™d be my main use case for it anyway otherwise I think I donā€™t need more music making hardware in my life (to some degree Norns + Any controller / Grid is enough for 10 years worth of nice music work). But for live use, Iā€™m still trying to find the most versatile, creative, and clear interface / hardware. Also waiting on Dadamachineā€™s Composer Pro although it seems to be on hold. But I love what those two companies are doing (and they both to my eyes kind of follow the legacy set by the monome ecosystem so thatā€™s great)

1 Like
#6

I could see this being useful in that way too. I am extremely excited about this product and actually think I might put my OP-Z on the market to fund this.

#7

I canā€™t compare the size of this to that of the OPZ (which is its biggest feature with its live sequencing capabilities) so I wouldnā€™t do that personally but I get the point though, this seems like something Iā€™d like to take everywhere.

#8

trackers are in the air i guess.

building a native norns tracker presently, have been designing for months.

113 Likes
#9

Yeah, Iā€™ve loved my OP-Z for that reason, but I have been finding it a bit lacking in inspiration for me. I might keep it for a bit longer alongside something like the Tracker, but weā€™ll see.

I have mainly used this the OPZ as a step sequencer for my rack. Itā€™s nice, but much of that functionality feels like an afterthought. The Tracker having a battery is nice for me considering my current lifestyle, since my portability is needed more around my home to move away from my work station and be by my infant son. Plus, it could very well play nicely with my OP-1.

But letā€™s be honest; Iā€™m never very good at selling equipment; Iā€™ve had a uO_c next to my rack for weeks that I have no intention of putting back in, yet I donā€™t have the heart to let it go

2 Likes
#10

So the grid also responds to the context buttons, not just the jog wheel? (See eg 7 seconds into the video.) The tracker meets monome meets video editing (jog + context) meets tablet (large screen + context controls) UX seems like a superb way to bring intuitiveness into the kind of workflow payoff of Elektron style 2 handed menu button + x hardware interface.

1 Like
#11

I know itā€™s a much more niche product with a much higher learning curve, but this could very well be what ends up replacing my Digitakt. Which I have no major complaints with, to be clear, but Iā€™m dreaming of how much more I could do with this. ā€œWish Digitakt had a song mode? HERE YOU GO [unfurls a whole in-depth tracker workflow]ā€

(Am I correct in thinking that the famous Elektron ā€˜parameter lockingā€™ will be well-implemented throughout, albeit in tracker fashion? From what I understand, Elektron was influenced by trackers to a large extent when developing that aspect of their sequencers)

1 Like
#12

i canā€™t be the only one wishing those rubbery looking transport/command buttons were mechanical keys, eh?

@tehn looking forward to your tracker!!!

3 Likes
#13

Iā€™m typing on an ErgoDox keyboard, so I clearly wish everything was a mechanical key. But, I do hope that the pads are velocity sensitive, and translate the play (if desired) in to velocity or volume information. That would be nice.

And I second this tracker excitement brought on by @tehn!!

#14

I was actually wondering if those pads are MPE-capable. Polyendā€™s last few products have emphasized MPE, and Medusaā€™s grid buttons were MPE-capable, so it wouldnā€™t be out of the questionā€¦

1 Like
#15

all those keys are mechanical! slim but satisfying. the grid pads are the only rubbery ones. (iā€™m a beta tester)

24 Likes
#16

Sweet Moses on the river! Are the pass velocity sensitive?

1 Like
#17

hah i actually donā€™t know and the draft of the manual i have doesnā€™t mention! iā€™ve only been using it standalone, not sending midi out, so when recording live with the pads it only tracks note and timing. volume (or whatever else you would typically assign velocity to) can only be edited per step as one of the two parameter lanes you get per channel, and of course you get an overall volume control per channel.

6 Likes
#18

Interesting, 2 channels of parameters is a bit limiting. As opposed to the usual dedicated delay and volume channels. But thanks for the info! Gosh, I truly have a lot of questions! Are there any particular limits to what you might be able to answer? Such as, maybe, number and types of In/Out ports and such?

#19

Interesting, 2 channels of parameters is a bit limiting

With velocity being one of these, yeah, this is an understatement. For the record, Renoise has an arbitrary number of parameter lanes per channel (you can simply add more with the ā€œ+ā€ sign). Have to admit this gives me pause. I donā€™t need or expect an arbitrary amount, but more than 2 would be niceā€¦

2 Likes
#20

Sorta my thoughts. A dedicated volume and delay would be nice with two optional FX parans