Polyend’s Tracker+ is it a serious improve to his highly effective (if barely anachronistic) sample-based groovebox, the Tracker. What made the Tracker so distinctive, in addition to complicated, was that it was a tracker (a small one), however in {hardware} type. Trackers have been an early type of music creation software program that appeared within the late 80’s. They have been initially used primarily for online game music, however ultimately discovered favor with a sure group of digital musicians, most famously Aphex Twin.
Nonetheless, they’re very a lot a product of their time and designed to get across the limitations of late twentieth century private computer systems such because the Amiga. The brand new $799 Tracker+ has developed to benefit from at this time’s expertise, however its interface stays true to its predecessor. One of the simplest ways to explain the tracker is that it resembles a spreadsheet in Excel. They’re vertically scrolling, spreadsheet-like units of letters and numbers that may simply postpone a novice. However persistence will reveal a stunning quantity of flexibility.
Fundamentals
Let’s get into all of the specs first. The Polyend Tracker+ is a 16-track groove field. Eight of those tracks can assist stereo samples with varied playback strategies, whereas the remaining eight tracks can management exterior units by way of MIDI or one of many 5 built-in digital synthesizers. Patterns could be easy single-line or looped; you’ll be able to slice loops and even load them into granular and wave engines for sample-based synthesis.
All tracks are unison. So taking part in a chord will eat up a number of tracks in the event you do not use a chord pattern. However the tracks aren’t devoted to any specific instrument, so you’ll be able to mix kicks and snare drums on the primary observe and possibly squeeze the bass between the hi-hats on the second observe.
The tracks themselves can encompass 128 steps, and every step comprises instrument and observe knowledge, in addition to two FX slots. “FX” on this case is not refrain or reverb, however issues like likelihood, microtiming, and rolls. These two results slots are the important thing to creating certain your music does not sound prefer it was written on a spreadsheet.
Along with elevated pattern reminiscence, digital synths and stereo sampling, the opposite massive improve over the unique Tracker is USB audio assist. This implies you’ll be able to join the Tracker+ to your laptop and get 14 stereo tracks straight into your digital audio workstation (DAW). This makes it straightforward to place the ending touches on the association you have created on Tracker+.
In use
Picture: Terence O’Brien
For those who ask me, Polyend virtually nailed the {hardware} with the unique Tracker. Tracker+ has some minor tweaks, however it’s principally the identical. It is lighter and simpler to place in a bag, however appears sturdy sufficient. The buttons are barely clicky, however have a brand new end that’s smooth to the contact. The bigger encoder has a bit extra resistance and the display is brighter.
The grid of 48 pitches is similar and stays usable at finest. For those who plan to make use of the built-in synthesizers, I like to recommend connecting a MIDI keyboard. The pads are tiny, not velocity delicate, and do not feel significantly pure to play. The standard of the {hardware} is vital right here, because the interface can appear to be an workplace job. However the really feel of the keys and the resistance of the press wheel are extremely satisfying.
Polyend put lots of thought into the interface to maintain issues from getting too tedious. There are shortcuts for rapidly filling the info with complete tracks. For instance, you’ll be able to rapidly create a four-beat sample on the ground with only a few button presses, generate a melody quantized to a selected scale, or randomly modify the pace of a hi-hat to present it a extra pure really feel.
