Wow – this sounds like a lot of fun for layering performances with other gear!
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Yeah I guess it is.
Mixed feelings with the interface. Some things feels like they are not at the right place.
For instance, if you want to add aftertouch for a voice, I would go to MOD but it’s not available as a source. In fact it’s in “Macros”, but then I find it super weird because it feels global to the scene but it’s not in the case of aftertouch : you have to select the engine first, other than than you have no clue for what voice you edit it.
The whole “Main Menu” is confusing in terms of architecture. Some settings are for the Scene, some for the Synths, some for the whole instrument…
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Are you serious?
I could tell you, I’ve tried many combinations never get it to run that when I play grid lines on the Synth and recorded it as a sample in Ableton Live (and it doesn’t matter which is master, tried both ways) and sending it back to the Synth without problems! It’s not buggy - it’s not finally developed and ready to sell!
Recording notes and play it back is the common way how everybody is producing music with external gear. And this simply doesn’t work.
I’m not a beginner. I am producing electronic music since over 25 years that I have comprehensive equipment.
Does anybody know if a comprehensive manual is planned for the Synth? I have a hard time figuring out what this thing is actually capable of, and the videos I’ve encountered don’t seem to cover more than the basics of the algorithms, and don’t say much about MIDI, or modulations etc.
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Why the attitude though. He’s just trying to help you. Sandroid has been beta testing and working with polyend machines for a long time and knows quite a bit as well.
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Yeah i was serious, how am i supposed to know who you are or what you do / what you know based on one message?
So your setup is as follows:
- Synth does USB MIDI to/from your DAW
- You record MIDI Data to your DAW (and audio maybe at the same time)
- When you play the recorded MIDI Data you could capture the audio to your DAW
As you say - a very common approach. Do i have this setup right?
If so, i can confirm this works fine for me using Bitwig (i don’t use Ableton). If you need proof, i’ll gladly provide it.
But more importantly i’m just trying to help solve whatever is happening for you. Either you want my help or you don’t 
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I think Polyend has stated somewhere that the full manual should be done soon 
In the usual super nice quality that we’ve come to expect from SynthDawg 
If there are any questions you’d like answered you can always join us/me on the unofficial Polyend Tracker Discord. You’ll find me and other Synth users there , happy to support you in real time. Or of course here.
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There’s a Polyend Synth facebook group now too just starting out. Only 4 members so far if anyone does facebook forums too - Redirecting...
Not a single synthesizer I’ve own has problems playing back notes from external sequencer, instead of Polyend Synth (no matter wich dive has internal /external clock).
I’ve just connected via usb-c to my Mackbook, it’s not rocket science. Ableton Live recorded the Grid play lines correctly but the Synth is not able to play it back (of course in correct midi channels) .
Have you tried it with an external synth not computer? I’m curious to know because that’s how I would use it.
Of course I’ve tried it. Via Din midi, it’s the same mess
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Nice, the lastest version of the S-4 manual that dropped last week is really good.
If you don’t mind I’ll ask them here, Discord is not my thing, I spent enough time in the Torso Electronics Discord to figure that out 
Besides, there might be other people interested here.
So, from the top of my head:
- can it be controlled from an external sequencer, and which parameters/functions can be controlled via MIDI (7bit or 14 bit, CC or NRPN, relative control?)
- are the effects and mixer parameters available as modulation targets and/or macro targets
- which engines have only a limited set of filters types, and specifically is the resonator only available in PMD?
- what other engines besides GRAIN and PMD have limited polyphony, and how do these limits (can I have 3 GRAIN synths with 1 voice each, can I have 3 PMD synths with 2 voices each)
- the FAT is described as a 3 oscillator synth, but apparently no direct control over oscillators, instead it has parameters like Fatness, Brightness, Timbre. So what does it do?
the PMD apparently has 3 generators, what are they exactly (bowed string?, something that is struck with a mallet, something with an air column?)appears to be MI Elements- grain density: how many grains can one GRAIN synth spawn simultaneously
- grain window: what shapes does that morph through when turning the dial
grain size: what’s the minimum and maximum grain size10ms to 1s- can the GRAIN device spawn forward and reverse grains simultaneously?
- I seem to recall that a video mentions it’s possible to use the GRAIN engine paraphonically. In that case: does it stack the detuned samples and grains are taken from that (like the S4), or a are grains extracted for each voice and tuned accordingly (like a GR-1)
- are presets copied into a scene (like on a Digitakt), or only referenced by a scene (like in the SH-4d)
- does an effect preset contain all 3 effects, or are there individual presets for each effect type
can it output the synths independently via USB audio (like the Elektron devices or the SH-4d)apparently not
Ok, that was more than I expected, so don’t feel obliged to answer, I can understand if that number of questions is overwhelming
Still, I do think that a manual that explains all that is available at product launch. That’s all basic stuff a user would want to be able to look up.
Edit: found the answers to a couple of questions above.
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Thank you for providing some more Detail.
So i’ve hooked up my Polyend Synth to an Apple Macbook Air M1 (2020) via USB-C using a USB-C to USB-C iPad cable i had laying around. Again - i use Bitwig, but i don’t think that should make any difference. Clock is being sent from Bitwig to the Synth.
- I can play on the synth and the MIDI is correctly recorded to Bitwig
- The recorded MIDI is played back correctly on the Synth
- I can sequence something manually in Bitwig and it works just the same (of course)
- This works for simple notes and arpeggios. As far as i know sequences are currently not supported via MIDI, those only trigger on the device itself.
Again - i’ll gladly provide a video if you want me to.
So i don’t know what is going on for you.
One thing you have not answered is if you are running 1.0.0 or 1.0.1.
Maybe you have a defective unit?
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I originally had a pretty tersely worded bit I was going to say here, but I don’t think addressing what I perceive as poor behavior with equally poor behavior really solves anything.
What I will say is this is a place for people to talk about gear. You had the good fortune to get the attention of a person who is knowledgeable about a product you are having issues with, but Sandroid did not make Polyend Synth, nor is he Polyend made flesh. He is just a guy with a good bit more knowledge about the product in question than most of us and he wanted to help. If you can’t respect the product or company, at least be respectful to the person who is trying to help you.
That is all, we don’t have to be Reddit or Twitter people here, and that is something we should all be thankful for.
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Woah there - that is quite a list 
i’ll try to answer as many as i can!
Yes via regular CC so 7bit, absolute control. So whatever you send will be set from 0 - 127 not taking into consideration what the intial value was. Controls include engine parameters, ADSR and filter.
No but that’s actually a pretty neat idea! I don’t know if this is on the roadmap, but if not it might be worth creating a wish for on Backstage!
The filters can differ quite wildly depending on the enigne. Here’s a list (just the names, i think they are pretty self-explanatory):
- ACD =
LP SV12,LP SV24,LP RD3 - FAT =
LP MG24,LP OB24,LP OB12 - WAVS =
LP MG24,LP B24,LP OB12,LP SV24,LP SV12,HP OB24,HP OB12,HP SV24,HP SV12,BP OB24,BP OP12,BP SV24,BP SV12,Notch SV24,Notch SV12 - VAP = same as WAVS
- WTFM = same as WAVS
- PMD = as you mentioned has a Resonator not a Filter per se
- PHZ = same as WAVS
- GRAIN =
LP SV12,HP SV12,BP SV12,Notch SV12
So yes - long story short. The Resonator is exclusive to the Physical Modelling Engine
I’ll gladly link to a video (timestamped to the relevant part) that Aisjam made, where he goes into the details of the FAT Engine. Demonstrated on the Tracker+, as FAT is available there as well.
Correct, PMD is based off of the Mutable Instruments Element code.
Up to a 128
By default it is in center position, which offers you smooth start/end curve so most likely Gaussian or a Hann Window. Leftmost has a fast attack and smooth falloff, while rightmost has a slow attack and a sharp falloff. I honestly do not know what the actual shapes are. So i’m basing this on what i can audibly hear. It interpolates in between of course.
Correct.
Yes, by default they are playing forward (right most position). In the center they will spawn randomly, playing forward or in reverse. Left most is of course reverse. Everything in between is an interpolation again.
I am sadly not very familiar with the capabilities of the GR-1 or the S4 (i do know the devices roughly though from watching videos about them). But yes, the GRAIN engine runs paraphonically. And there is a detune spread parameter that will take care of tuning or detuning individual grains as you wish.
A preset copy is stored inside the scene. This is the way 
They are stored per effect, not combined. Again - this is the way
Correct, there i sno USB Audio in this device. I have no knowledge if this will ever be added or not. So always assume that it won’t.
Holy cow! I think i made it? 
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1.01, sure I’ve updated.
Now I’m slowly starting to understand what you’re getting at. Of course you can record individual notes externally in the sequencer and play them on the synth (when sequences and arpeggios are deactivated). But, and now the big thing, you can’t play the harmonized sequencer/arpeggios grid lines on the synth, record them externally and then play them back. To do that you have to deactivate the sequences on the three different instruments in the menu beforehand, because the individual notes are played and the sequences are no longer triggered! What nonsense is that!?
It’s no more necessary anymore for giving me tips, I’ve sent it back today. Again, Polyend, after The Medusa, Tracker 1 and Play one - they lost me finally. Thanks for trying
You know what? Good riddance.
I see there is a language barrier, so i’ve given you the benefit of the doubt.
But in hindsight, trying to help someone with your attitude is a waste of time.
Should have known the moment that you had to boast how long you’ve been in the business 
Tempers were clearly up between both of us, but we managed to resolve it further down. Keeping the above though for transparency.
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It’s a shame that you deleted the confirmation that the harmonised / chord grid lines are not able to play back via midi. Polyend should definitely be so honest and make this clear publicly.
That was the most important fact for me.
And that’s why this device makes absolutely no sense because Polyend advertised this as a USP.
What sense does it make when you cannot record it?
I’m glad you had fun with this conversation. I told you that I experienced many years because many manufacturers providing absolutely beginner tips often when someone is complaining.
I’m sorry when someone is offended by these words that was not my intention
There’s no fun in helping someone that doesn’t appreciate the help, that’s for damn sure. Your attitude has been uncalled for the entire time.
Next time you have an issue, email polyend directly and see how much time they give you with that type of attitude.
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Please show me where exactly this is advertised as a USP?
Or is this just an assumption of yours?
Here is what i wrote before i removed it:
I think i’m starting to see what you’re getting at as well.
By harmonized grid lines you mean, chord modes and followers?Yeah those don’t work via MIDI In again. As currently MIDI In is interpreted as normal midi data. And not as PAD data.
Unless i still don’t understand what you mean.
To me this is absolutely logical that it would act that way. Maybe eventually we will see that MIDI In could be interpreted as Grid Data instead of actual MIDI Data. But right now that is not the case. And i have not seen anywhere where this is specifically advertised as such.
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