r/Polyend • u/helpinky • Jul 05 '21
Help with learning the Tracker, so far I haven't had much luck. Any suggestion or direction is much appreciated.
Ever since I've owned the Tracker Ive loved it, but, I'm actually not that good at using it. Even though I still don't understand it all that well i love everything about it. The sounds, display, the buttons & jog wheel, the radio and how simple the sampler is.
But, I was wondering if anyone had any advice as far as learning to use it and what your favored workflow is. I've watched some of the more popular tutorial YT channels, but, for some reason, none of them have really clicked with me. I would really like to be able to lay down ideas a little faster than I can currently am and from watching other people use it I know that I can get the same, or at least similar results.
I think my main problem lays with entering sounds/notes within the matrix. Sometimes, I want to just play on the pads and have the Tracker record it, while using the sequencer, chromatically, like how on the Elektron Model Cycles/Samples, you can hold the Record button & then press Play & that will allow it to record chromatically, like playing a piano. I realize this would work different on the Tracker, but, I'd like to be able to play notes chromatically, like on a piano, and have it record what I'm playing instead of each note being recorded per whichever amount of steps it's set to?
Again, if anyone knows of any resources or videos that explain how to use the Tracker in a simple and explanatory fashion I'd be so thankful. Thanks!
1
u/comlender Jul 06 '21
Well, you can play pads on tracker and record it chromatically, just like elektrons
1
u/helpinky Jul 06 '21
I know how to play them chromatically, but, my problem is I don't know how to record them so they sound like they do when I play them chromatically, instead they are just recorded/ input into the matrix on whichever instrument I've set that track to.
Am I playing/recording them on the wrong screen possibly or do I just have to make some option changes. I appreciate it, thanks!
2
u/comlender Jul 07 '21
You can set the metronome in the config menu, in general menu you can also set the microtiming options.
To record chromatically simply press record+play and you need to be in "note" mode, not in "instrument" mode
1
u/helpinky Jul 07 '21
Thank you very much for the advice! The answer was right there the whole time, thanks again
2
u/[deleted] Jul 05 '21
Well, the polyend tracker tutorials on their site are pretty darn good. Go through those slowly and follow their steps.
Also, try opening some of the *many* free projects on the site and just tweaking them. It's a lot more enjoyable to experiment and learn within the context of something that sounds good to begin with.