I essentially accepted that this is the way to go thanks to iOS.
I like to let the box/app do what it’s best at and then switch things over to the DAW for it to take over and do what it’s best at.
I was heading towards trying to replicate my DAW setup on iOS and came to this realisation. Any standalone device is going to massively struggle to compete with a DAW. And the reason we love them is often because they aren’t DAWs and therefore provide respite or an alternative experience to a DAW.
When I came into music making the process was to make things on an MPC and then track it out at a studio and/or in Pro Tools. I view this as essentially the modern version of that.
That is a huge issue of course, and easily fixed once the track is stemmed out and moved into the DAW, so for me that wouldn’t be a problem.
This is an issue that is less easily rectified in the DAW, and a bit of a shame. I wonder why they can’t just make it better, this is hardly a technically challenging task and it has been done hundreds of times in other synths and grooveboxes already.
Given that the Polyend has limited headroom and lacks proper EQ, that seems given, yeah. And it will more or less be true for any other groovebox.
It’s a shame about the filter, I’ve heard that complaint more than once. Of course you could use filters in the DAW, but the envelope-controlled filter per sound is not easily replaced.
In theory, depending what DAW filters you have, you could use an envelope follower to trigger the filter and get the same effect. The Arturia MS-20 filter has this option, for example (although I’m sure you could do it by combining Live stock devices too)
that creative spark, a different workflow that leads to different ideas (in the case of a tracker, that might be the generative/random aspects and many other things in not too familiar with yet) - and of course
the accessibility outside of a laptop or studio environment. This is especially true with a portable groovebox that you can carry with you when traveling.
But mixing and adding final touches is best done in the DAW. That’s certainly true with my Syntakt creations. They sound at least 20% better after some further mixing, eq:ing and compression in the DAW.
What’s harder to fix in the DAW is any inherent characteristics baked into the sound, such as the filter envelope. There, you basically have to live with what the groovebox is giving you. So if that’s a weak area of the Polyend, that’s a shame. On the Digitakt, that’s rather a strength.
Honestly don’t understand the disdain for the filter on the Tracker. It’s definitely not a character filter but it does it’s job as a filter. I would say the Digitakt filter is definitely a lot better but the Tracker filter isn’t bad. Honestly I wish it was a bit worse if anything. Give me aliasing and shit, I guess that would give it character lol.
The worst parts of the Tracker are probably just that it feels like a baby tracker if you’ve used other trackers. Both the M8 and NerdSeq are much deeper and also fill rolls that standard computer trackers don’t fill (portability in a small product and being a cv sequencer respectively). Polyend Tracker is a non-portable tracker with less features and less effects (and FX) then what you could have out of your computer that’s probably sitting in the same room. It’s a nice piece of hardware and the wheel and button layout is probably the most intuitive thing Polyend has made but it does beg a question of “why?” I realize it was successful and all but Digitakt is still the better option of the two.
Probably gonna sell mine too but gonna sit on it for that new update and see what that’s like first but I highly doubt it’s gonna change anything for me.
And keep in mind, my negative viewpoint comes largely from the fact that I got the M8 first and have had a Digitakt for many years and both are simply better devices in my opinion.
Yeah I guess that’s what I keep hearing: the filter lacks character.
As someone who has the Syntakt already and love that workflow, I’m specifically looking for something more portable so in my case it would be the Mini and it wouldn’t compete with the DAW in the studio, it would follow me when I travel. I just asked about the filter character here because no one has the Mini yet.
Yeah, that will be less of an issue for me, probably, because I’ve never used trackers. But I understand where that criticism is coming from for sure.
If the Digitakt had a smaller and portable handheld brother with built-in mic, stereo sampling and other fun stuff built in sturdy, durable plastic, it would be a no-brainer purchase for me. For now though, the new Tracker is the most interesting option for on-the-go sketching.
It is definitely possible to get a decent mix on the Tracker. I have been very outspoken about the mini and lack of FW updates, but getting a good mix is not one of my complaints.
I agree it can take more work than on an Elektron device though. And part of getting a good mix on the tracker starts at the samples you choose to upload.
A good mix is a subjective subject anyway. My reasoning for saying yes you can get a good mix is: I’ve played multiple live shows with trackers and crowd was dancing, I’ve had my Tracker tracks played by a few well known DJ’s and the crowd was dancing/there was no noticeable difference in sound with the tracks that came before and after mine.
Mixing is giving your track character, not a set of milestones you MUST achieve before a track is considered good.
I’d argue that the Tracker’s Performance mode is its single most powerful feature. It’s the only thing it has that all other hardware tracker devices lack. If Polyend could ever make it where performances could be recorded into a pattern as automation, then I’d definitely be back on the Tracker again.
…I realize that the issue with this (other than processing power) is the fact that Polyend would have to add more FX lanes in order for it to be compatible with the level of control found in Performance Mode. Maybe this would be feasible down the road though…
I think if they took 6db off the level when you loaded a sample half the complaints would evaporate.
You just need to be aware that if you slam a load of level you will make things clip.
I’ve never had a problem and while I’m not a pro I’ve made stuff on the tracker that’s got votes in the hiphop and DnB challenges so it can’t sound totally shit.
Another thing I think people miss is that the amp volume is also controlled in the amp envelope page. Adjusting the amp env parameter allows for more control over the sound. I usually put the amp env amount to 50%
I’ve gathered together a bunch of tracks that I’ve written with the Tracker over the past few years, and compiled them into an album. Here it is for all of you fine people to love/buy/rip to shreds.
p.s. very conveniently it is Bandcamp Friday. Legitimately a total coincidence.
The only new feature I want is program change receive. I would like to change tracker patterns via midi with my elektron gear. It is pretty lame that that wasn’t ever implemented on a groovebox style device from the start.
That brought back some very old and warm memories about my time with my Amiga (My Computer route being Vic20, Commodore 64 then Amiga before the dullness but necessities of PC’s took over!)
now this is the kind of communication regarding the offline EQ that makes me frustrated with polyend. one would think that if it was intentionally imperceptible for some reason, they would have cleared it up a long time ago. this just feels dishonest. not to mention the weird gaslighty “more subtle than you are used to” as if there is some kind of secret EQ that adjusts a frequency range by +/- 12db with no audible effect
