Polyend Tracker Mini Sequencer

General

Quite a while back, the Polyend Tracker was unleashed on the world: a specialised desktop groovebox that boasted phenomenal tracking and since became the unit that many a producer literally grew up with. Because the original model came loaded with so many buttons and controls, it was limited to in-studio use, but now, with the release of the all-new Polyend Tracker Mini, musicians and producers are offered something far more compact and easy to travel with.

The Polyend Tracker Mini

Don't let yourself be fooled by the word 'Mini', because what lies under the hood of this slimmed down groovebox is anything but mini. In fact, this smaller tracker actually offers a bit more than the larger Polyend Tracker. There is now a built-in rechargeable battery; a built-in microphone; more onboard memory space; a bigger sample memory; stereo sampling support and support for audio over USB. Above all, this unit comes pre-wrapped in a protective hard case - fully confirming that it's been set up for mobile producing or even touring. Of course, since this is the Mini edition, a few details had to be trimmed away, but they're minimal. So, this unit doesn't come with the integrated FM radio that the original did, it no longer has backlit buttons, the jog wheel has been removed and the display screen is a little bit smaller (it is still 5 inches wide), but if you can live with these small tweaks then the Polyend Tracker Mini might just be your new go-to production buddy.

What is a Tracker?

To keep things simple: a tracker is a sort of two-dimensional grid divided into tracks onto which notes can be placed. In terms of navigation and the way of thinking, it's a actually a bit like a spreadsheet. Where a standard DAW program has a similar thought-process behind it as a tape-machine, where real-time recordings plays an important role, the tracker is a much more nerdy way of writing score. Classical musicians who want to place notes in precisely the right place without needing a metronome will probably find they work much better with a tracker than they'd first expect. Another hallmark of trackers is that they allow you to place notes incredibly quickly, much like typing a chunk of text into a word processor. This is the difference between a tracker and any standard DAW, where the interface is designed with a focus on using a mouse, and supported by masses of graphic menus while an experienced tracker user will simply type their notes in with the kind of rapid keyboard chatter worthy of a '50s newspaper reporter on the edge of a deadline.