Allow creating triggers on notes using the 48 pads. 48 pads means 3 bars. Use to lay down triggers like in the TR-8s. This will unify the workflow for the tracker and play.
What is the problem?
The tracker workflow is foreign to those used to a TR-Style workflow (like TR-8s). Currently in oder to put down triggers, one has to do a lot of scrolling with the arrow keys and jogwheel. Using the pads as a grid of events (TR-Style), we could speed up laying down triggers. This is also how one puts down triggers on a Polyend Play.
Problems solved:
TR-Style step sequencing that some are used to from Play
faster workflow
unify workflow between Play and Tracker
What do you want to achieve?
I want to help those used to a TR-Style workflow better get into the tracker world. This would also make the Play and Tracker similar because it helps to unify how one puts triggers.
If one is used to seeing triggers on a horizontal time-line of 16 triggers, the Tracker seems quite foreign. But since we already have the pads, lets use them to put down triggers
I could imagine each instrument/column would have it’s own pad-layout. Pressing a pad, then FX would change/add the FX at this step. Then pressing a pad and note, would allow to modify the note and so on…
My preference would be to have the grid view where one can move around with the arrow keys/jog-wheel as is. When you hit record, you this would turn the pads into a view into 3 bars of the current column you are in. Perhaps those 3 bars can be highlighted it the screen. Then I can put down triggers into those bards by pressing one of the pads which is not lit up. (A lit up pad means there is already a trigger here). This would put in that pad (and corresponding position in the grid) the currently selected instrument and default note of C3. If I want to change to note, I would press that pad, and the note key. This would place focus on the note and allow change of note with the jog wheel. I could press the same pad and press the instrument button and this would allow me to change the instrument on that location. Sure you can do this with the arrow keys and jog wheel… but… this would allow to build grooves quicker as I can see 3 bars and change anything in them quickly. Currently when we are in Record mode, you are modifying a single cell. And to modify another cell, I need to move to that cell with arrow keys. This gives me a quicker way to view and edit into 3 bars.
Another idea would be as follows: currently the screen shows 15 steps. We could change the screen resolution to 12 steps. Then each of the 12 buttons in a row is the 12 steps for a column. This would then show all the triggers in those 12 steps for 4/8 columns that are on screen. The arrow keys would then move this view of 12x4 triggers in the grid. Let me know and I can create some excel tables of how this would look.
Now here’s an idea i absolutely wasn’t expecting… ever , but thanks for sharing your idea!
So:
would this just be an alternate input method that creates the steps on a regular tracker pattern?
would this be an entire separate mode that you operate in?
How do you change pitch of the samples? via the joghweel while pressing the pad?
I think for this wish to make sense, there would have to be a lot more detail to it. A concept of how this mode looks and operates for the myriad of inputs and values that the tracker has at this point.
While i can understand that sequencing the Tracker-Way may be foreign to some. That input method is EXACTLY what trackerheads like me were looking for and the whole basis for the device. I’m not sure how much the device benefits from deviating from that unless this input-method also teaches the “ways of the tracker” in some form.
If you could jump between steps easily you could use the sequencer in a way similar to a TR-style sequencer while still having the benefits of control of a tracker. I am aware of the step jump function, but while this is an extremely useful tool, it is limited in a way that you can’t jump without inputting a note, instrument etc. and you can’t jump backwards.
The benefit would be increased speed for live pattern editing as you could select steps faster and more precisely than scrolling with the arrow keys.
I described a possible concept to do this in the wish that I linked to.
would this just be an alternate input method that creates the steps on a regular tracker pattern?
would this be an entire separate mode that you operate in?
I’m not 100% sure about this about this. I guess this would depends also on the excellent developers. Perhaps it’s easier to implement this as a completely new input method. Perhaps it may be easier to implement this as an alternative “view” into the grid.
My preference would be to have the grid view where one can move around with the arrow keys/jog-wheel as is. When you hit record, you this would turn the pads into a view into 3 bars of the current column you are in. Perhaps those 3 bars can be highlighted it the screen. Then I can put down triggers into those bards by pressing one of the pads which is not lit up. (A lit up pad means there is already a trigger here). This would put in that pad (and corresponding position in the grid) the currently selected instrument and default note of C3. If I want to change to note, I would press that pad, and the note key. This would place focus on the note and allow change of note with the jog wheel. I could press the same pad and press the instrument button and this would allow me to change the instrument on that location. Sure you can do this with the arrow keys and jog wheel… but… this would allow to build grooves quicker as I can see 3 bars and change anything in them quickly. Currently when we are in Record mode, you are modifying a single cell. And to modify another cell, I need to move to that cell with arrow keys. This gives me a quicker way to view and edit into 3 bars.
Another idea would be as follows: currently the screen shows 15 steps. We could change the screen resolution to 12 steps. Then each of the 12 buttons in a row is the 12 steps for a column. This would then show all the triggers in those 12 steps for 4/8 columns that are on screen. The arrow keys would then move this view of 12x4 triggers in the grid. Let me know and I can create some excel tables of how this would look.
How do you change pitch of the samples? via the joghweel while pressing the pad?
I am assuming you mean the pitch as in the note that the instrument is played with. I would change the note by pressing a pad and white it is pressed, hit the note button. Then adjust the note with the jogwheel.
@Nils you are right this wish is very much like your suggestion.
My main motivation for this wish is that pads are unused when laying down triggers, And I wanted to have a way to quickly lay down triggers in a way that I am familiar with.
Hey @saqib.rasul , thanks for the details!
Could you do me a favor and edit the original post with all the new details?
This will make it easier for the developers to scout/evaluate the requests.
Honestly I find the TR input style on the PT a bit out of context. I know that the TR style is familiar to most of the people (me included, I’ve used that for about 20 years), but after a couple of weeks on the PT I find the current input method very easy to get used to. Also having different input style on the same instrument I find it confusing IMHO.
While i fully agree that this wish seemingly not in-line with the vision or concept of the tracker, it is also not our place to decide or negate the wish.
Which is exactly why we urge you all to add as much detail as possible or to write a concise concept for any ideas / wishes / requests. This way Polyend gets a complete picture, that allows them to make a meaningful decision on our wishes.
@saqib.rasul thanks for contributing to our wishlist! Unfortunately, we have to reject his because it doesn’t fit our product design direction. Thanks for understanding and best regards.
, but thanks for sharing your idea! 
