Alternate Note Entry Mode

Just my two cents. This is my #1 wish for the Mini, but I really wouldn’t use the Chromatic scale as the default mode. It seems much more logical to me that it defaults to a folded scale that you select (e.g. C minor) so you can actually noodle within a scale and even play chords without a lot of shift commands.

Then on sliced instruments, the 8 buttons would obviously be mapped to the first 8 slices instead.

So, great general idea of leveraging the 8 buttons for a simple one-octave keyboard, but please consider Chromatic a secondary feature and allow the user to set the scale. Perhaps +/- jumps octaves and ++/-- jumps between scales.

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User definable notes would be the most practical to me anyway … Just add user slots to scales or as instrument data … aslo really hope the play will get a user definable keyboard option for microtonal input

Thought about it some more. The mockup in the original post is effectively showing a scale mode, it’s showing C major. (If it were chromatic, why would it skip certain notes that only apply to a certain scale?)

So I think of of the mockup as actually showing a scale and the idea is that you can hold Shift to go outside of the set scale. That makes sense.

Suggestions for shortcuts:

  • Outer +/- buttons: jump octaves
  • Inner +/- buttons: change root note (C, C#, D, …)
  • D-pad left/right buttons: change scale (Minor, Major, Dorian, Lydia, Chromatic, etc)
  • Shift + Note: enter/exit this note entry mode.

Additional suggestions:

  • Make it remember the chosen scale per instrument.
  • Intelligently pick the C2 root note and Chromatic for Slice instrument so that the buttons correspond to the first 8 slices. Pressing the outer +/- buttons in Chromatic jumps only 8 semitones, not a full octave.
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Hello. The idea of using the 8 buttons is really great and I was hoping that this would have come with the 2.0 update. Unfortunately none. I don’t think chromatic input is important either. Basic Scaling would be enough for me. To be honest, even one one Note would be enough for me. The main thing is real time.

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Being able to record notes live is one of the thing that I miss the most in the mini.

And as it is a portable unit, it’s a bit of a bummer to have to connect an external controller. I mean why putting a battery in then ?

Regarding chromatic mode, it does still make sense even with only the 8 buttons. Left arrow keys could be used to shift the keybed to the remaining notes in the chromatic scale. Of course that doesn’t allow crazy multi-note performances but if we can overdub then we can progressively input all the notes of our melody/bassline.

Of course scale filtered input would also be more than welcome and some scales would then fit well with the 8 buttons we have.

Fact is that live input pretty much changes the game for the tracker in terms of workflow as it’ll be less difficult for some to adapt to a tracker workflow if they can still input the traditional way. And I know that Polyend has put a lot of focus on making trackers simple and easy to understand, up to even providing a horizontal tracker view.

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Big upvote from me on this.

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The idea is so brilliant so I was hoping this would be implemented in 2.0 update. Didn’t loose hope yet!

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Fantastic idea…as a new Mini user this (note entry from pads) is the only thing I am really missing from the OG…PLEASE do this Polyend!

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I just got a Tracker mini and would love a better way of entering notes. Using the 8 screen keys just seems like a no brainer to me and I’m surprised it doesn’t already work like that. Personally I prefer the idea of a folded scale and/or user defined scale for the 8 keys rather than a chromatic version. Please add this Polyend!

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For me it would be the best update that could have happened to the mini tracker. I pray that it happens one day

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It got so convoluted to use mine to input notes that I stopped using it!

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Hello, with the Tracker OG it is possible to play the different samples on one track at the same time in instrument mode with the build in pads. For example with drums, base snare, high hats etc. Is it also possible with the Tracker Mini? So can you do it via an external keyboard?

Are you refering to beat slice instruments?
Or do you mean when you have the cursor on the instrument part of a step?

Hello Sandroid. I mean the second option. Then you could play beats live and record the different samples on different steps in one recording session. On the Mini I now always have to do the bass drum first, then the snare, etc. one after the other. That works too, but it’s less fun and less intuitive. I haven’t tried slicing on the Tracker Mini yet. It’s not really my thing.

Ah no, currently that’s not possible sorry. Except with the Beat Slice Instrument.
I think beat slicing is absolutely worth it, you should have a look.
Create one sample with all your drum instruments in it and slice them. It takes a bit of setup but is practical afterwards.

You can do that on the device directly. Just create a pattern with all the samples in it and render it. And voila - you’ve got a sample that you can slice :blush:

Thanks Sandroid. Yes, that would be a possibility. Unfortunately, it doesn’t fit my workflow. The great thing about the Tracker is that you can edit the individual samples later. But whatever. Hopefully something will come along. Preferably with the eight on-screen buttons. I’m not giving up hope. If Polyend can do that in combination with note input in the future, the already good Tracker Mini would be my favorite instrument!

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Hello everyone, you can try it @here :slight_smile:

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Hello. With the new Beta it works now too! Sample 1 starts at D8 and so on. It’s simply amazing what Polyend has come up with!

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