What is the problem?
Most people today have loads of ‘boxes’
Each being able to do
- either a heap load of things each not so well
- or more rarely; few things really really well
So ‘most’ people end up having boxes that overlap each other in what they can do all together
A few examples being
- sequencing
- effects like reverb etc.
One good box though that’s hard to find is a ‘Finalise’ Box
-
Say I’ve made tracks on the Polyend Tracker
Then I’d like to add
- a guitar
- or a vocal
- or Synth parts (maybe made on the Polyend Synth)
- or percussion made in another box
- or wotnot
I’ve made my sounds all ready
- The Tracker got effects & level-settings
- I have EQ & external effects (boxes) coming out all my body holes ! ;O I can use on outboard gear
BUT I do NOT have a simple place to make it all come together !
-
A DAW is annoyingly complex and not tactile in my opinion
-
besides myself - on various forums many people request;
something that ‘constitute’ a modern equivalent to the 8-track tape or cassette recorder
-
In essence; I do my mixing/mastering outside the ‘Finalise’/‘Recorder’ Box while the ‘Finalise’/‘Recorder’ Box records what goes into it - and nothing more !
And no; in my opinion; others have completely misunderstood what a good solution would be !
I believe that PolyEnd could make an OUTSTANDING solution would they decide to do it ! 
What should this feature achieve?
My suggestion is based on following premises;
- one have plenty of boxes able to make ‘final’ sounds
- one is committed to the sounds one thus have made all ready !
So as I see a good ‘Finalise’ Box could be;
- same form factor as Tracker/Mess etc (size & maybe NO screen ?)
- running on 5V USB
- 8 tracks to record (could be simultaneously as well as less than 8 e.i. 1 - or more)
- buttons to select track(s) - backlit ?
- 8 inputs ? - dual 1/4" jack/xlr ?
- level-in adjusting + VU-meter
- a counter which can be re-set to start from 000
- ability to rendering the tracks down to 2 tracks mono or stereo
- no effects etc.
- ability to scroll the tracks with a jog-wheel (big knop with a dent to place tip of index finger) - select were to start rendering, recording, play-back & stop - scrolling needs to be with the sound on !!! The speed adjustable on the jog-wheel like it use to be on professional video-editing equipment - 12 o’clock is zero - going right starts slow & increments to x1 and maybe x4 as max - left is rewind with same increments. So the wheel sets the speed - back or forth - and then a backlit run-button starts the track(s). Adding a backlit rec-button to that; enables recording forward or backwards in speeds set by the jog-wheel
- NOT adding ‘stuff’ I won’t need (because most ‘items’ nowadays is multi-purpose so I’d only get doublets to what I all ready have !)
Adding to the above;
a price point that is below the €4-600 most ‘over’-qualified choices is priced at
-
In short; a ‘simple’ box were I make all the sounds I’ve made on other boxes come together right there on the floor were I sit & so simple; it don’t need a screen !
- it turns on instantly
- it all ways works without fiddling with prefs, updates & wotnot
- so simple it won’t need internet ‘help’ nor a manual - at the most; to explain that the set-in/set-out buttons sets on 1st click, cancel on 2nd click thus one can scroll and set a new point if regretting the first chosen one or wanna stop/start manually
If one wants a count in; one record ones hand clapping, use a drumstick or two, make 4 keynote-hits on a synth or strum a guitar … (which if made in the middle of the song on track with ‘room’; it can be erased recording silence over them)
Are there any workarounds?
–
Any links to related discussions?
–
Any references to other products?
I could ‘hint’ to products were Polyend could take inspiration from on how;
not to do it …
But I think it would be counterproductive in thinking new, out-of-the-box
and most importantly; I don’t wanna bash anyone
