Hi Elektronauts !
In my previous post I was questioning if the Octatrack would be the one and only choice as a Center piece between my Digitakt and Digitone and actually according to everybody there was no doubt about it.
However, the last few days I have been digging more into the Polyend Tracker and its possibilities.
Moreover since the last update 1.20
Tbh, I am more and more intrigued by this piece of gear.
First of all, I think the Tracker is more comparable against the Digitakt than the OctaTrack. The Octatrack offers far more features than the PT.
saying that, there are also some features on the PT that I really like, with a lot coming from the last update:
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I really like the Tracker workflow. I think I can Gel with the Rolling spreadsheet way of working, and to be able to see all the information visually step by step, including the automation lanes.
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The new update brings new performance controls. Now in Song mode, you can switch easily between pattern playing and songmode. Meaning, during your live performance, you can stay and loop ad hoc in a pattern, and then pickup and continue the song where you were at. This is so convenient, as you always have a safetynet. So when your band missed or forget the Pattern you are at, you can always go loop the current pattern, and when everybody catched up, you continue the song again.
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The performance mode also offers a CTR ALL function like on the digitakt. You can completely destroy your pattern and revert back to the original immediately. Also in performance mode you can select which track in the pattern should be modified/destroyed. Actually you can also destroy other tracks in a different way without interfering with the other destroyed tracks. But it is by far not the scenes function as in the Octatrack.
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the Fill function is very handy. You can fill your track for the pattern at once with parameters as randomized notes between D and F# for instance, or create a polyritmic hihat, or generate a bassline in Cmin. Not as intuitive as the Eucladian function in the Squarp Pyramid, but I think you can come across many happy accidents.
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If I am not mistaken, the update also offers resampling your current recording while its playing and use the sample in the mix.
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better sample editing tools than the Digitakt, like slicing and other more sophisticated sampling features.
So there is much to like about the Polyend Tracker. At least it has the Perfomance controls I was looking for in a center piece.
Of course there are also some cons, when comparing to the Elektrons.
- Octatrack has the fader, where you can slowly fade inbetween scenes. on the PT this is instantly and you might come across some unhappy accidents suddenly
- Also you can not create and save scenes.
- Only 90 secondes samples per project
- Only Monosamples (Digitakt offers the same)
- Only 8 tracks and that inludes the midi tracks. (Digitakt has 8 audio + 8 Midi)
(but the midi sequencing on the PT is crazy fast, I have seen videos of the PT sequencing several midi gears in one track, and program changing each midi gear per step without any lag)
What are your thoughts ? Any Polyend Tracker owners here ?
I am really curious.
thanks!