The Polyend Tracker Is Weird And I Love It 👾 | Review & Demo

[@VenusTheory]

Sorry about the re-upload 😅 KZbin finally decided to make this version HD after 4 tries! ▼▼▼🎹 Get a Polyend Tracker 🎹▼▼▼ bit.ly/3hbw5mK

[@pidof]

My name is Cameron too. From one Cameron to another: get a theory board. From IRIJULE

[@hblomqvist]

Brings back memories from the late 80's on the Commedore Amiga 500 with Soundtracker/Noisetracker/Protracker.

[@DeanGvozdic]

OctaMED was my favorite tracker back in those days

[@jamescuttsmusicjcm5013]

it does!..... i am not sure i'd want to go back there though. ahahaha. ummm.

[@GabeMillerMusic]

Glad you're digging it! I've had a harder time really getting into the flow with the Tracker myself, but the features built into this thing are surprisingly powerful.

[@Polyend]

Thank you Cameron!

[@wizetek]

🤘

[@VenusTheory]

Thank you for making such a cool device!

[@charliehill8068]

Hi polyend, don’t know if you’ll read this but please please please mak your granulator polyphonic - it would make this instrument the perfect musical hardware out there

[@dhonkeypunch]

as an old ModPlug Tracker afficionado i must say that I hate myself for being too poor to buy your wonderful apparatus! i dont mean its too expensive, it cant be, just that i wish i could afford it but I accidentslly bought a Roland Phantom before i learned about your device from a video about which software and hardware aphex twin used

[@michaels5166]

I got one,and I am in love..It's NOT what you think if you have MPCs and DAWs,and you can take it anywhere.You can take it on a bus/train,sit in the park,and use a powerbank..amazing...

[@graoogroo6955]

For people with little time for composition; there is an in-unit mod option. You just have to compose with octomed, renoise or others via your computer / convert it / upload in tracker and let's go. I think tracker with tempera (granular) can be a great combination.

[@artsolomon202]

I dont know how one would want to stretch the word sounddesign, but for me its the righ tool for it and recently i decided to buy the mini to, its even better and to have them both is a creative inspiration for me, that will last a long time.

[@JosuaKarlson]

The performance features of the tracker are really dope! I come from Elektron devices and it definitely reminds me of the Octatrack how you can completely go nuts with fx performance!

[@garethc4135]

Only had mine a couple of weeks and I've only had limited time on it although I'm getting my head around it quicker than i thought. I used Octamed as a kid in the late 80s on my Amiga so the workflow isn't totally alien to me. The best thing out it is ironically it's limits. When i used a DAW with limitless, channels, fx, plugins etc, etc I'd get lost tweaking superfluous stuff for hours. With the Tracker you know when the limit has been reached and you don't end up going down a rabbit hole needlessly tweaking stuff like you would on a DAW.

[@strangersun7721]

Agreed. Polyend is criminally underated. Their hardware is top notch, the features are interesting, the support is great. They are the real deal. I resisted getting the Tracker at first, but man I'm I glad I took the plunge. Got me excited about recording again.

[@JamesRamboPearce]

I love the tracker it literally has been my go to for making tunes and music when I don't have time to get stuck in! I also take it on walks and jam in the countryside which is super refreshing, sometimes even bringing a microphone to record stuff. Really great review and you made so e lush stuff straight away, would dig a Blofeld and tracker performance full video!

[@gt9443]

Sunvox is also a good modern software tracker 👍

[@scottmcdiarmid8196]

Learning the Elektron workflow made the transition to the Tracker much easier, also the Polyend YT tutorials are clear and quick per function. I can create some really whacky/bizarre sequences, very keen to hook it up to other midi synths to see what comes out and resample live into my 1010 Blackbox and OT Mk2

[@orbitfold]

Since I used trackers alot in my teens it felt like home. There's a reason this idiom was so popular.

[@jeremyfox7599]

Always superb content, thank you. Also, it's cool that you mentioned Ricky Tinez - I had no idea that you knew one another but strangely I always list Venus Theory and Ricky Tinez as two of the best youtube music production channels, you both have different styles but both share the same superb energy and top quality content which is often way ahead of the game when compared to other youtubers in the same category. and always with the super pro tech details and pro opinoons that we all love. Thank you

[@doctorauxiliary]

I cannot believe it has taken me a year to watch this vid!! really great coverage of one of my most beloved magickal gadgets. bravo, polyend!! bravo, cameron!! yaaaay!!

[@insektgod]

I love the Polyend Tracker... got it just before firmware 1.4 dropped... I was holding off since I was also considering the the Dirty Waves M-8 tracker... the larger screen and Performance Mode won me over to the Polyend Tracker. Still throwing side glances at the M-8 as it has the Mutable Braids engine... and has a 3 FX slots and is much more portable/pocketable... the support for tracker tables is also a big addition. I was using NitroTracker 0.4 on the Nintendo DS-Lite a whole bunch on the go... and decided I wanted a tracker with actual MIDI connections. Performance Mode is the Polyend Tracker's killer feature that ultimately pushed me over the edge. I'm in the 7.6% of your demographic chart... so I remember the 80's. NES ROM support might also have given the Polyend a slight edge... but in that regard the DS-Lite will play Kirby's Adventure while the Polyend Tracker said "Defender 2 and Joust are good enough for you, now go make some music."

[@stogertone]

if you're curious about the m8 but unsure about pre-ordering you should look into the headless option as a way to try it out. I recently received mine though and it has actually become my preferred workflow to my daw and I definitely would say it was worth every penny and minute i waited.

[@ruscular]

version been updated to 1.51 and I hear is very good. I just got it yesterday and so thrilled with it. I love that its so portable, that it could be use for busking a back track for your performance, and that it has 8 assign Midi command for the Midi foot switch. Looking forward to try that. I cant wait to try the chord mode. Which was the main reason I wanted this.

[@hiding_my_name]

It took me a while to unlock the power of the tracker, but once I figured everything out, I really love it. To get the most out of the wave table synth, you have to assign an envelope or a LFO to the wavetable position.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

The granular mode too. It’s my favorite thing on this box (besides performance mode which is bonkers).

[@hiding_my_name]

@@sub-jec-tiv I really wish there were multiple grains to work with.

[@KevinMarlow_uk]

​@@hiding_my_name I recently saw a great video/ tutorial showing how to get the most from the granular by using multiple tracks, each with different settings. Can use it as a single timbre instrument like that or resample into a single track.

[@hiding_my_name]

@@KevinMarlow_uk yes sir. You certainly can. I've bounced it out to a sample so as to only use one track after getting the sound I like

[@bahutu802]

For me personally, the kind of microscopic control the Tracker workflow is offering is exactly what I was kind of craving for on other devices (like the MPC). I mean, I also enjoy jamming intuitively with analog instruments in a band, or digital ones in the studio, and give myself away to just let music evolve. Yet, when it comes to actually arranging a song idea, I really enjoy to go into all those nitty gritty details. Maybe it satisfies a slight OCD tendency inside myself 📎 + there seems to be something inherent in the workflow + randomization features etc. which facilitates reproducible happy accidents; which one can then decide to eliminate OR to evolve further. I really like that.

[@iamsimonmorris]

For a non Music noob who just bit the bullet........wow... I am still so excited and happily surprised at how my 'F#-"*- Ups' can still come together. Mistakes can be magic and the standalone Tracker is a wonderful product for doing just that. Explore and be amazed...

[@kenflagg]

Wait, I don't have to remember the HEX codes for each instrument and effect?

[@nomad1517]

I will say. I love their aesthetics. It's very modern and clean with some warmth to it. It looks like a modern art piece. I love the colors they chose. You really want to make something with it.

[@marcelmachedanz1056]

I startet my productions at 98 wir an Amiga 2000 and octamed , it was the same 😉🙏

[@Farold_Haltermeyer]

Amazing how many of the issues you flagged got fixed. Bonkersly creative bit of kit for peeps looking to step off the beaten path

[@matthiasschaaff7083]

In Renoise (its Software!) for example you can have up to 12 Note Events per Track (Column) and an infinite amount of tracks in the project (maybe its not inf. but you can go way beyond 8). The Polyend Tracker has a certain amount of CPU Power and Memory. So they have to limit the Trackcount and everything else. Its a different approach to a DAW but once you figured it out it can help your creative processes. I do like it... . Cheers

[@lokelosk]

Regarding "polyphony" in a tracker, I once heard someone saying that you can make "fake chords" by creating really fast arpeggios with the notes. I never used a tracker (although I know what they are and how they work), so I don't know how good are the results, but suddenly a lot of video game music from the 8 and 16-bit eras started to make sense.

[@vgaportauthority9932]

Some trackers let you make small arpeggios per step, that was often used in game music of the olden times. A lot of the weapon sounds as well. They're just chromatic flurries often.

[@reallivebluescat]

Thats what they did with super mario

[@ABunnyVTuber]

As of the time of this writing, they are on sale on Reverb (with the new Mini on the way). Looking forward to working within the confined spaces of the hardware tracker (get hit with paralysis quite a bit when there's too many options going on)

[@ecthroi]

really good video on this that managed to be more informative regarding real-world use than most.

[@Powhart]

I'm thinking about sampling Your voice and using it as a bass source on my next track... You have more bass than any of analogue tracks on my Syntakt...

[@Muntar]

Memories of OctoMED Tracker on the Amiga

[@brainbox9219]

I have never developed workflow so getting this and learning it can’t and probably won’t hurt me 😎

[@sugarhigh4242]

I don't think you mentioned what is imo the biggest limitation of the Tracker: sample record stops playback. So when you're doing that generative vibe on the Blofeld, you would not be able to capture it and manipulate it in the Tracker without some additional recording device. Overall I agree with your review, the Tracker has become my go-to music gear to take on the go despite its limitations. As a sample-based production device, it makes more sense to me than an SP-404.

[@bluebull399]

As someone who used trackers religiously. I can confirm, you absolutely need to have 16 tracks. One way round it would be to sample your chords (as they did in the amiga 4 channel days). However, this was very limiting and a lot of tracker musicians would not want to go back to these limitations. I'm really surprised at the 8 channel limitation as there's no reason why modern hardware couldn't do more.

[@Jin-Hu]

Mate, beautifully filmed video!

[@brianr5975]

OK. Take note, Polyend. And thank you Mr. Theory. I’ve watched more than several videos about the tracker and THIS is the video that made me purchase it. Should be arriving within 18 hours. Like a lot of others here, a tracker will be a whole new dimension for me. I have always resisted DAWS and I am hoping that with its seemingly more intuitive (albeit unique, ahem) interface and all of its creative and tactile mangling capabilities, my inspiration will once again ignite. Though a whole different animal, don’t pardon the pun, I recently returned the Pioneer Toraiz Squid because, despite all of its sequencing possibilities, not having any on board sound design tools just killed the creative flow for me.

[@omnifvck2596]

I have the pre order model, It's fun in so many ways. Once you know where everything is and start getting the muscle memory down, you start to flow.

[@bluebull399]

Did you ever give reason a try. This was the obvious step for me moving from trackers. I liked the fact everything was built in like the tracker and better still, every knob on every instrument could be programmed. It was very familiar however, instead of using effect commands, you woukd draw the envelopes using the mouse.

[@audiosourceunknown2673]

How have you been getting on with the Tracker?..

[@brianr5975]

@@bluebull399 Sorry I didn’t respond earlier. I forgot to mention that I am pretty fiercely anti-software as far as music creation goes. I’ve always needed the tactile surface of hardware.

[@brianr5975]

@@audiosourceunknown2673 Thanks for asking. I do love the tracker and I find it very inspirational. As others have mentioned, its “limitations“ are a source for great creativity. When I feel like just flipping on a unit and banging on some keys or twisting some knobs, I have my hardware synths. When I am in a mood where I’m down for some in-depth creative sound design where I have very precise control, I can utilize the tracker AND those synths all at once to achieve a sort of balance in my technique.

[@stogertone]

Sick to see someone shout out the Nerdseq when discussing the polyend as i feel the nerdseq had gotten a bit overshadowed, and I dig their rack version with it's expansion modules. However, (and perhaps you're still waiting to get your hands on one) but the Dirtywave M8 tracker is definitely very powerful, fairly unique, and deserving of a mention if not an entire video. I definitely recommend looking into the m8 headless option to try it out if you're either not keen on waiting or are currently waiting for one. Digging your videos, man. Cheers!

[@mb2776]

The option of another hardware tracker like the polyend is great, good that it exists. I had high hopes for it, but the workflow with the pads and stuff just isn't for me. That's why I probably get a M8. I'm also really familiar with LSDJ so I guess that helps too.

[@beatbuilder4366]

renoise daw is the same shizzle, funny to see the late 80s stuff coming back in 2020+ with a update

[@volsteh]

There's also Dirtywave M8 Tracker

[@RikMaxSpeed]

Excellent overview - particular appreciate your practical and musical insights. Thank you.

[@Hoptronics]

It's like a hardware version of the old scream tracker.. man the good old days of trying to sample notes of all the greats . I spent a long time getting Randy Roads' guitar into a sample to make iron man. Lol. I just realized that subconsciously I'm making a midi version of this exact thing. Multiple notes/midi events for step..

[@richardcnrd8302]

Ove had one for a year but i want ti say awesome review and simple explanation of what the tracker is and iant

[@thomasmattphoto]

Very clearly explained stuff ! If only everyone made such informative videos about gear - world would be nicer place haha - Well done dude!

[@spaceranger145]

The only thing this really needs imo is the option to switch tracks from being an audio voice to being a FM synth voice

[@VenusTheory]

That'd be great to see!

[@dpomberger]

Yeah, it's back. Very curious about the Polyend Tracker!

[@subiesojourner777]

I was very close to purchasing one and then I checked their website and see that it even though it has midi capabilities you cannot load standard midi files and they also state there are no plans to implement that. I have a slew of midi files from my now defunct Yamaha QX3 that I would like to import, but I guess I'll keep looking. Oh, I thought about getting another QX3, but so far the ones I've found are priced similar to this tracker, and most QX3' have the crap beat out of them. I do have a pre-order for Dirtywaves M8, but that is more for mobile use.

[@stefanherzog]

Another box to try (also very good for noodling around): Synthstrom Deluge

[@VenusTheory]

It's on my list! Been trying to get a hold of one to try for a while now, but no luck quite yet haha.

[@25adbond]

Def concur on that. I thought it would be like my circuit but its a box of surprises and I am writing 70% worth of a song on it before bouncing to a daw

[@peterfarr9591]

Cool to see a hardware tracker get released. It seems considerably less feature rich than Renoise if I'm being honest - although still nice to see new tracker technology getting released

[@GreggSteinerguitar]

You should be on the radio with that voice!

[@weepwow]

Just watched this (2 years late). Great overview. Do you still have/use the Tracker? Just bought mine again for the 2nd time, metal gray version; also thinking of trying the Polyend Play as well. Thanks

[@toddphonic]

As both a tracker owner and Beagle dad, I demand to know where you got that shirt.

[@VenusTheory]

Got it as a gift from my lovely wife haha - asked her and she said she found it on Amazon!

[@ak99uk]

There can only be one... I was lucky enough to get "Best Dad" again this year. I've never been even 2nd, which is cool.

[@TokyoScarab]

People over here complaining that 8 tracks ain't enough.😂 Look at all the amazing Commodore 64 music that's out there! That's all done on THREE TRACKS and sounds like it's on 8! Trackers can be incredibly powerful if you know how to utilize the power they're presenting you with. If you can't do what you want in 8 tracks, then most likely you're wasting space in your tracks with stuff you don't need.

[@jameshumfry1256]

Love your content dude!

[@sossa57]

i got the tracker mini version . Game changer

[@ernieficklin3593]

Dude….you should be a DJ. I assume you do Voice Over work. If not…you should. Great voice for it. Love your videos. Great info!

[@VenusTheory]

Glad you dig the channel! I don't do voiceover stuff regularly, but it is something I do every once in a while!

[@djfeisar]

do you have a tutorial to show me how you set up the polyend with the blofeld in multi

[@sakachi242]

great video! thanks for the info :)

[@haus_cat]

Worth a buy then? I'm digging the layout and features from what I have seen so far.

[@prinzbach]

Tracker is great (I have one... I love it and I hate it) but somehow... the OP1 is still my best DAW. It's all taste in colors I suppose... I love the structure of it, I hate the rigidness of it... Give it a try tho! They are cheap and you can't go wrong, really.

[@ultrajayme]

crazy question but can you run other hardware gear straight in for live recording or sampling such as synths?

[@harveytherobot]

You absolutely can. But not for long periods of time. 45 seconds max. But it’s not really designed for recording long tracks. You can sample external audio and chop up loops (or not) or sounds to turn into instruments. But you can also sequence external hardware and run the audio through the tracker in stereo.

[@ultrajayme]

@@harveytherobot thanks

[@russellwoodstechno]

i’m gonna sample my Pocket Operators into it if i get one. no more worrying about syncing and volume levels.

[@TerenceKearns]

Great review. I wonder how you would feel about diving into Renoise now that you have spent quality time tracking.

[@VenusTheory]

Might check it out at some point! Just need to find the time to really give it a proper go

[@Artersa]

@@VenusTheory Renoise only gets better and better.

[@TheCrowningOfTheBard]

shoutout Elijah Craig, that's good hooch

[@TonyThomas10000]

Isn't that essentially Renoise or SunVox in a box?

[@zetrel]

Yeah but quite limited. Still, I can imagine playing with a hardware tracker would be infinitely more fun than sitting behind a computer monitor.

[@simonchristian2264]

Hi Cameron, have you ever tried Renoise?

[@alexiwiedemann]

Nice video , relly like the way you aprroached. Due to the fact you are user of hooktheory, what do you think about creating like melodies and chord progressions there and them some how reflected here, do you think is it something doable? any suggestion to use it in tandem with hookpad?

[@evolgenius1150]

My buddy Mesmer almost soley uses a tracker and hes making bangers.

[@MsChronicChronicles]

So happy I found you

[@Beautyoutofruin]

Did you have a trim over the top of the Blofeld? lol

[@Dolores5000]

Dang son love your soothing voice you need to read Audiobooks Also I need that tracker too! Ha!

[@haslo_]

I'm sorry. If you can please show your face a bit more often. Your voice and face match really well for me so it really makes me want to watch. That is the reason for my like. Thanks for the tracker review. Very useful.

[@VenusTheory]

God tier comment

[@gullahgeeche5702]

LOL

[@brownfox1540]

Can you share how you do your vocal processing for your videos?

[@VenusTheory]

Recently covered that in my 'making of a video' video!

[@ikuona]

I wonder is there any updates on this device

[@channelite]

Thanks for your review of the Polyend Tracker. I'm considering trading my Digitakt for this tracker.

[@BendApparatus]

Did you do it? I don't think that'd be an upgrade... The Digitakt is powerful...

[@channelite]

@@BendApparatus I never sold my Digitakt, still in a box in my closet. I still like trackers, though I spent some money the Bitwig 4 upgrade and I'm into that at the moment. The Polyend Tracker would be awesome if it were sitting on my desk.

[@BendApparatus]

@@channelite lol yeah I want a polyend myself. I've never owned an Elektron device. I've heard their workflow is completely different than anything else. I have a Novation Rythm and a Circuit. I'm hesitant on the tracker because like mentioned it supposedly makes more sense to people who are decent at math... something I'm trash at... But I would like a more powerful tool than the 2 aforementioned devices... Like apples and oranges, the 2 I'm heavily considering between is the Polyend and the Akai Force... The force supposedly uses a simple clip/loop based workflow... The only thing I've ever produced an entire song in was that old MAGIX studio software...which was basically editable loops... Of course...1 is $500 the force is 1k...😬

[@insidestraight4659]

Is it possible to sequence midi and record the incoming external audio at the same time? One of my frustrations of sampler workflow is having to prepare everything on a computer beforrhand

[@yarko_on_the_go]

It can sequence midi, but the tracker itself won't record incoming audio.

[@VenusTheory]

I suppose you could by sending it to a synth and outputting the synth to the line-in with an adapter. Not sure how that works in practice as I haven't tried it, but I'd assume it's possible.

[@insidestraight4659]

@@VenusTheory I just received a tracker, so I will try tonight, from the reading the new manual they describe this exact workflow so I am hopeful

[@MarcShake]

As a renoise-Freak, I feel this is my safespace now :)

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Your radio voice rules

[@OriginNowSound]

Good job on your delivery buddy. It takes effort to make decent video.. bravo

[@ywenp]

Re. apples and oranges, the Deluge maybe?

[@vectorjoe]

And next, get an amiga emulator and try the original protracker. 8 bit samples, 4 voices. 512Kbyte ram...

[@dodzidenudzakuma]

Have you seen Ahoy's video on the history of trackers? kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKClnJpjnrWlmNk He just released it today.

[@VenusTheory]

I have not - thanks for the recommendation! Will add it to my playlist.

[@arthurhiroa4238]

Instead of more tracks I feel like an ability to play different patterns at the same time would be welcome. So you can combine one pattern with just drum elements with another pattern of synth elements. I think you could do some cool live things that way. Would be especially cool if you can assign these patterns to the pads (activate/mute or unmute them that way).

[@burprobrox9134]

It plays 8 patterns at a time, which can be either drums or synths, samples, whatever.

[@arthurhiroa4238]

@@burprobrox9134 Oh, wait. So I can actually play 8 patterns of 8 tracks at the same time on this machine?

[@LurkingCrassZero]

I've seen this listed used for as little as £350. Worth a punt or not?

[@VenusTheory]

That's a pretty damn good deal I'd say haha - the only 'word of warning' with the tracker that I can think of is that you just need to be fairly open-minded to alternative approaches and workflows especially if you've never used a tracker before. Very fun device though, and I really love using it for some generative sequencing stuff with my other hardware!

[@LurkingCrassZero]

@@VenusTheory I missed out on the £350 deal:-( Cheers for the info and vid. Really got me wanting one now. lol

[@EaselCat]

Check out the Dirtywave M8 another amazing tracker at a great price.

[@joonglegamer9898]

Well that explains it pretty neathly thank you. It's a Sound Tracker who's married to Audacity.

[@slomellos]

Syntronik Free by IK MultiMedia is nice. You sound make a video on it.

[@VenusTheory]

I'll note it down!

[@OriginNowSound]

Haha I knew you would like it lol 😆

[@bfolkens]

I miss ScreamTracker 3 ;)

[@ChR_is]

i feel inclined to leave a comment to counteract yt algo

[@Skyverb]

Word

[@VenusTheory]

Hopefully the re-upload doesn't hurt the performance too much. Already seems like the traction is dead but fingers crossed!

[@TuzXMr]

Latest firmware is a killer too

[@RolyGuacamole]

Damn, you're just like me, two dudes whose voices match not our outward appearance. Onward my Deep voiced Glasses wearing brotha!

[@nochan99]

Jeskola Buzz for lyfe!

[@juanperezaure]

Not having the possibility to out the project at higher resolution than 16bits 44.1 khzs makes the machine not really usable for professional lets say album making... So sad, since this issue is really keeping me not buying the Polyend Tracker.

[@nomad1517]

Fun fact: You can play NES games on this thing. It's nucking futs.

[@hanomagallrad9597]

TOP!

[@Muovimaailma]

[@lin31932]

why does it look like an expensive piece of hardware used for an old fasttracker software that was made when the Amiga computer was made

[@VenusTheory]

Well, because I suppose that's more or less what it is haha. Definitely an oddball of a unit, but quite a bit of fun!

[@jeroendeclercq7580]

Indeed. The hardware looks sweet. They need a ui designer and a step sequencer mode!

[@NH-gz2kh]

and...it'doesnt play stereosamples and converts AND resamples to mono

[@awmmboy_]

Love the copy and paste …. There is truly nothing like this piece of Gear in the world. Won’t be the brains of any set up | but she is covers a lot of ground. Excited for more Firmware. ( needs horns) and trumpets

[@MatteoMi]

Uh.. a hardware amiga protracker? 😀

[@alexanderbaulin6714]

Oh, mod tracker reinvented: "now without bulky IBM PC 486 with tube monitor". Welcome to new 90s. But why keep prehistoric style UI? To please tech history geeks?

[@VenusTheory]

But hey I suppose you could always go out and get some big-ass CRT monitors to stare at anyways. I would guess the UI is just to call on nostalgia/familiarity for those who know trackers. Otherwise, it's a nice way to remove traditional workflow ideas and practices for newcomers I think!