Hello Backstage!
UPDATE: Tracker 1.7.1 firmware update is available
We’re super excited and honored to announce the official Polyend Tracker v1.7 firmware update.
NEW FEATURES
- New File and Project management
- Extended project filename length to support 32 characters
- Saturation modes on Master audio channel
- Extra headroom mode in Project Settings
- Hard Clip setting equals to Saturation being off (this is 1.6 behaviour and old projects will load with saturation off by default to keep sounding the same)
- Snap to zero crossing in Project Settings
- Detection of zero crosspoint in Sample Playback: start/end/slice markers turn green when set to points with amplitude 0
- Metronome and Metronome Config in Sample Recorder
- Preview Volume for samples from SD card in Sample Loader
- Improved Equalizer in Sample Editor
- Improved Limiter in Sample Editor
- Improved Compressor in Sample Editor
- Add Empty Slot in Song Mode
- Copy patterns in Song Mode
- When using arrow keys to navigate Qwerty keyboard, the focus key now wraps around the edges of the keyboard
- Build number displayed in Config > Firmware menu
- In Pattern editor each FX value is now represented with one pad only (instead of multiple pads)
- Improved Internal and MIDI clock stability and minimized jitter
- Redesigned ‘Clock sync correction’ parameter in MIDI config
- Note: correction is applied once only after restarting playback
- New pattern and step Numbering modes in Config
- Options for starting at 0, 1, or hexadecimal
- Pattern (on pad matrix) or track (in Song page) are now marked as non-empty when containing any of the following:
- Note
- Instrument
- FX1 / FX2
- MIDI Channel or CC
- FAD, CUT or OFF
- Updated text instructions in Config > Firmware update page
- Added access to the Instrument Synthesizer page in Instrument Parameters > More
- New behavior when receiving external MIDI Clock/Transport on Song page
- Song will start from the slot that contains the currently loaded pattern after the position which was last played. If the currently loaded pattern is not part of the song, a popup “Load pattern from song first” will appear.
- General UI improvements:
- New Pattern arrangement Config setting: Vertical revolver
- Sample Recorder: The physical Rec button starts/stops the recording
- Many other subtle visual changes of controls, colors and layout
- New Games page design: added exit (…) option, description and changed button layout
FIXES
- When using Filter in Delay effect, the first tap is not affected by the filter (1)
- Granular Loop plays higher pitch when it goes outside sample boundaries (start/end) (2)
- Reducing sound artifacts (clicks, pops) in audio signals especially when using Volume, Panning and Filter Cutoff Instrument Automation / FX or generally rapidly changing of Volume, Panning or Filter Cutoff (3)
- Pattern FX issues when used together with Roll FX (R) : FX1 was only applied on the first hit of the Roll FX2 (4)
- Crash when opening Note and Instruments menus in Sample Recorder
- In Instrument Synthesizer mode Tracker not responding to CCs assigned to Delay Send correctly
- Instrument volume set to -24.00 dB gives silent output
- Projects saved with long filenames are not displayed in browser and can’t be opened
- FX named Random FX (x) value changed to symbol x instead of f to distinguish it from MIDI CC F (f)
- Metronome getting distorted with Volume settings above 50
- LFO FX (g/h/j/k/l) value not corresponding with Instruments Automation LFO Speed values
- When inputting FX values using the pads in to the pattern, the values go out of sync (lagging behind, skipped)
- Various cosmetic text issues in Config menu and FX >> Description popup
- Pattern or track marked as empty when containing note only on the last step
- Issues with macOS metadata files: now hidden and ignored when browsing or loading files (samples, projects, mods, games, firmware)
- Bottom row on Instrument Synthesizer screen visually cut off
- Tracker song/tempo stops randomly at tempo change using Random Tempo FX
- When using Random FX Value (f) on Tempo (T) FX TSTP tempo value which would stop the sequence is excluded from randomization parameters.
- Line In audio interrupted when starting playback
BREAKING CHANGES
Following fixes will make previous projects/instruments using Granular sample playback, Filter in Delay, and Volume/Panning/Cutoff Instrument Automation/FX, repeats and Roll FX sound different:
- (1) Granular: when Position is close to the start/end of the sample it will result in different playback output, focused on maintaining the instrument pitch.
- (2) Delay: first tap of the delayed signal is now filtered but also the perceived duration of all echos, as they start getting filtered earlier, they will also fade out earlier.
- (3) Volume, Panning, and Filter Cutoff Instrument Automation / FX: Occasionally these introduced audio artifacts to transients like clicks and pops which might have been aesthetically desirable, but will now be smoothed out and reduced.
- (4) Pattern (audio) FX in combination with Roll (R) FX: when another FX1 was used together with Roll FX2 (R) on the same step, FX1 was applied only to the first hit of the roll. New behavior applies FX1 to each hit of the roll.
REMOVED FEATURES
- Mod and .it files no longer supported: Import Mod / Export As .it options removed from File menu
INSTALLATION GUIDE
- Download and extract the firmware file.
- Copy the .ptf firmware file to your Tracker SD card > Firmware folder
- Optional: save your current project to avoid any potential data loss
- Navigate to Config > Firmware > Update Firmware > .ptf file
- Press Select and confirm with Yes
- Navigate to File > create New Project to correctly initialize Config settings
Detailed changelog and the 1.7 firmware file are available:
For users who have Polyend ID and registered their Tracker under My Account
For non-registered users under the download section
Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all Beta testers who actively contributed through collaboration, engagement, and dedicated testing and discussions. We believe that the substantial improvements made are set to greatly enhance your workflow.
Video by @iso
Yours sincerely,
Polyend Team
But 3 crashes/freezes in one hour of use with the new firmware is quite a lot. It wasn’t possible to turn off the unit by switch. I had to pull out the power supply.