Suggestions for the Play+

Hi everyone,

I’m new to the forum, so I hope I’m posting this in the right way.

I’ve had the Play+ for about a week now, and I’m really enjoying it! However, based on my workflow, I’ve noticed a few features I miss and would like to propose as humble suggestions:

Most Important Suggestion

It would be amazing to have the option to perform an entire live set within a single project. While the 64 MB of storage is limited, I believe it’s sufficient with careful sample selection. (For context, I’m also using a 1010 Blackbox, which complements the Play+ well thanks to its larger storage capacity.)

If the “variations” feature exists, it would be fantastic to allow:

  • Different FX settings (delay/reverb) per pattern.
  • Different tempos per pattern.
  • (Optional) Up to three synth presets per project, though I think this is less important compared to having unique FX settings per pattern.

Additional Suggestions/Complaints

  1. Add autopan as an LFO destination.
  2. Adjust the default volumes:
  • Synth presets are set too low compared to samples.
  • Percussion presets are configured way too high!
  1. Improve knob sensitivity:
  • Often, turning a knob results in accidental button presses, which makes adjustments frustrating. If this is something that can be improved via firmware, it would make a huge difference! I know that this option can be deactivated, but i like it!

Thank you for considering these ideas, and I’d love to hear your thoughts or if there’s any workaround for these issues.

Cheers, Marc :blush:

5 Likes

Yes!

I’ve been thinking how to deal with some of the things you say here.

Play+ it has her strengths and weakness, but I’ve managed to make an entire 30 minute set with only one project. It’s an awesome device. In fact I think it’s Polyend’s masterpiece, never get rid of mine.

For the different FX settings, you can , in a live set, have a dry signal only and go to settings and change parameters on the fly. Same for the synths. With one synth muted you can scroll and change preset. I’m not saying that it’s the ideal workaround but it would work on a live set.

For the tempo, there is no solution unless you speed up or down live

I agree with you with the volume of the synths, but this has been discussed and it’s for avoid clipping and distortion if I remember correctly.

As for the sensitive knobs, you can deactivate it in the main menu.

4 Likes

hey… i’m using Play+ for two months now, managed to play a couple of live sets combined with an Octatrack plus a Kaoss Replay and it works well on the sample department, but unfortunately the synth parts functionality is totally unusable since playing an entire live set with one project only meaning just three synths at once makes the whole thing very limited.

I’ve tried to change presets on the fly while playing but it’s annoying since volumes are not well set and the perc engine sounds very loud, besides, the lack of a fav folder to keep the preferred presets makes the whole process very tedious and unreliable for doing a serious live show.

So in this product having the synth gear it’s actually unusable which is a total pity and lack of vision as to consider Play as a real groovebox.

I read in the forum that Polyend policy is precisely not considering any feature including the option of having synth patches per pattern, which makes me now think about selling my unit.

Hope they can develop this kind of feature in an upcoming (and sooner) update, that would make this item much more usable and loved.

3 Likes

As a weird solution, i’ve using Perc synth to create good rythms… then i sampling it and using on the Blackboxs as a loops. But you’re right. Synth features could to be improved :sweat:

One of that features could be lower the volume of the samples automatically (by default) to compete with the synth part. Almost all the time I need to lower that volume on every sample.

1 Like

Has the storage memory been increased on the Play+? I didn’t think it was 64mb, whenever I’ve created any sample packs for a new project they top out at roughly 30-32mb depending on the sample rate I’ve had to convert some samples to.

I even queried this myself (Play+ sample memory expansion), as the Play+ seems to have the same memory as the OG Play, there was no memory improvements despite introducing stereo samples which take up more memory.

Thats one of the reasons I ended up going with a Digitakt 2 and just using the OG Play for drum and perc oneshots, cos the memory per project is terrible especially if trying to use stereo samples or longer atmos/pad samples.

I also created a wish for the volume issue (Change the default volume of audio sample tracks or add a basic mixer) - the audio samples are set way too high at 0db, so there is no headroom to begin with, that was last summer and it hasn’t been implemented.

2 Likes

hi . with my play + i made some livesets around 30-40 minutes long but they could be way longer if i just had builded more patterns and when i play i sometimes rush through so i think 1 hour is absolute no problem . but its depending on what u want to do and how u work to do this . im not taking it so serious at all and i really enjoy to play with the play . its a groovebox so its a thing for creating not so mega complex but complete tracks in a easy and fast way .
i had a roland mc 505 20 years ago that was also a groovebox and way more complex but every button had around 5 different functions depending on what menu u are in and the workflow was horrible compared to the play :slight_smile:
i understand that lot of users are kind of dissapointed about what the play cannot do but im happy with what it actually can . everybody has other requirements and standarts and would like to have this or that and we all can request wishes here and vote and whatever but in the end the chance that my wish is going to become true is really really tiny . even if a wish gets really much votes , there no guarantee that this feature will come since its polyends baby and they decide what , how and when :slight_smile: i read so much , if it doesnt do this and u dont make it doing this i will sell my device , thats ok i guess cause you should be happy with what it can cause you spend your money to get it . but if your not happy cause you spend your money for something that dont have function x snd never sayed it has function x then why people think it has :slight_smile: sorry i left my way about what i try to write .
i really enjoy playing play and in the future maybe some things get added but i dont wait for it and i see it as a bonus . i lost my point what i wanted to write here and sorry for that :slight_smile: wasnt mean to hurt anybody or so

1 Like

ahhh i wanted to write that u really have to try the usb audio connection to a daw . thats so amazing more possibilities there with effects . every track has its own channel in a daw . its a complete higher dimension with this feature . i tried it maybe a half year after i got my play and i was so flashed about . i mean i know that it was possible but somehow i just dont used it and i just want to say if you are new to play dont wait so long like me to test this its really cool !