TRACKER XOX Grid

General
1

A wave of us potential tracker clientele stain away form trackers as we don’t gel with the : fax machine and an excel sheet wak in to a bar joke

… but the cool factor of the the matrix and that nostalgia of the 90s magnetizes one to always want to try the tracker.

To me the main concerns to not get a tracker is the click click clickery clicks around the grid that seam to be the mad max of workspeed

and I assure you after a few years on clikkery click push nr# 1 billion :kissing_heart: … you’ll tend to agree

So I am supposing a few recommendations for UI and enhanced workflow

XOX grid
Redux option
Punch in loop
Rotate tracks
Compress events
Expand events
Reverse events

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First there is the XOX grid
(4x4 pad on the left select tracks 1-16 (1-12 on mk1) then the other pads would be 4x8 lines of xox

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This addresses another thing: that is jumping from track to track , dunno, but from watching videos it seams like its just click click clikkity click or hold the arrow button down to switch tracks? Rendering this twice the choir in the + model with 16 tracks.

I d imgine youd jump into/ out of this mode via shift+record (or whatever the applicable modus operandi is) and the display would appropriate values and softkeys would access bar -/+ selection and appropriate commands… perhaps the note/instrument/ and FX 1&2 buttons could be functional etc etc

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A great addition to the sequencer would be the equivalent of Renoise ReduX which is an independent tracker lane (phrase) that can be triggered like an event inside a tracker lane (it can have its own independent resolution and length) I would suggest the option to sacrifice a lane to accommodate this feature as its that powerful.

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A quck way to loop a section (punch in /out ) or just trigger a pre-termin loop length= like shift+play loops 8steps at that “shift+play” point (or from the nearest strong beat) this is for micro edits when you want to get a roll or fill /sample chop or w@ever right and quickly on the fly

Rotate tracks is such a great feature (should be native)
Expand and Compress
(selected events in bar/s across destinated number of bars
Reverse, inverts events for playback (like backwards playback)

For your consideration I hope these bare fruits.
Thank you!

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2

Cool feature request, you might want to turn this into a draft wish though for Polyend to review and then allow to be voted on or declined for whatever reason.

5 Likes
3

i just wrote this to what would push me to buy a tracker /adressing workflow and workspeed.

I don’t have a tracker (don’t know what shift + button combos or the inner clockwork. Please feel free to do the honors or anyone for that matter … IMO team PE just have read this thread to visualize it …

Also Id like to add to the UI workflow a shortcut when selecting parameters via softkey menus by simply hold the softkey(menu popup) and press a pad to quickly select option.

So whilst holding the softkey the pads light up representing the command options in the popup menu, and once 2nd nature everything is just a click away instead of burning the data weel scrolling all the time :clinking_glasses: :v:

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4

best feature request ever. :heart_eyes:

1 Like
5

Just update the original post as some of it was already possible (expand, invert etc),

please feel free to open up a wishlist if your inspired to do so

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XOX grid
quick, easy, tactical and visual note/fx input and track select on a grid

IMO There are important workflow discoveries here by
switching into keyboard/ pitch or slices
via instruments button and then back into XOX via ‘‘Note’’ button,

An option where the 4x4 pads /for tracks could toggled between Track & Sound for 4x4 MPC pads is also an worflow discovery

. *I wrote a lengthy post about this but …
Im sure you’ll see the options one you imply the idea into this mode)

Additional XOX features

  • [First] [Last]
    (Loop Points) for trimming pattern

  • [Rotate+[Rotate -]
    features one can hardly live without once used

Additionally option for Rotating notes, /instruments, /FX 1 /FX2 independently is very exotic

  • Quick Loop

Realtime punch in loop: at any given point to quickly loop a section for fast view/audition of micro editing (configurable /to /or toggle between 1 bar or 1/5 bar)

Actually be my #1 feature,
a simple punch in/out loop that could be moved around the grid and turn on/off quickly during playback (not so far from how the TE KO2 loop setup but via real time punch in /out points.

[Resolution] of the grid also very big but for the sake of simplicity
I’d be fine with STEP FX that I will explain in next post :wink:

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6

On topic of Resolution

Step FX dedicated to creatively input notes between steps

A mix of Micro move and Roll

it inputs notes in: 24th 32th and 48th resolution in between 16th steps
has a version where it skips the trigger note on the fist step. :upside_down_face:

  • R24th
  • R32th
  • R48th

Pads in 24th (16 dotted)
Trigger note + two 24th notes
Trigger notes + only one of the 24th
this only uses 3Pads =

  • Step +xx
  • Step +x_
  • Step +_x

Second mode: R-3
Bypass the Trigger note!
3Pads =

  • No-Step +xx
  • No-Step +x_
  • No-Step +_x

Applies the same to 32th and 48th just with more divisions (pads)
R32 is 4 sub steps between
thats 11 pads for all the variation

Step+ xxxx
Step+_ xxx
Step+__ xx
Step+ __ x
Step+xxx_
Step +xx__
Step+x____
Step+ _ x__
Step+ _x_x
Step+ x__x
Step+ x_x _

then R3- another 11 pads for variation that dismiss the first/trigger note.

No-Step+xxxx
No-Step+_xxx
No-Step+__xx
No-Step+___x
No-Step+xxx _
… etc

*thats 25 pads total,… so perhaps populate ‘‘48th’’ with the most charming options as this resolution is close to the normal Roll FX

48th will have 8 sub steps

Step+xxxxxxxx
Step+_xxxxxxx
Step+__xxxxxx
…

And R4- without the first note

No Step+xxxxxxxx
No Step+_xxxxxxx
No Step+__xxxxxx
… etc

Step = Note Trigger

  • Arp FX
    without chord command and aplicable at anypoint during audio playback

I know its possible to do this via some Chop-Fu, but having this option ‘‘live’’ is next level

  • Tape FX

Audio Buffer simulating Tape loop (like OP-Z tape) to be triggered anywhere on sample audio playback

It be preferd if this is adjusted in % rather than beat division (feels more off the grid) but both options would be great… ) might need spacial playback mode /crossfade? …

IMO these two Step-FX and ‘‘Quick Loop’’ would be enough to rate the Tracker as a one of the greatest samplers ever… cough cough … just add usb-audio to eurorack output module :star_struck:

Instruments

  • LFO offset /pulsewith option.

  • Free running modulating source
    (stepped noise for example) applicable to tune, fine tune, pan, volume can be set to be triggered by note division

Modeled ENVELOPE types

  • Dynamic 1 (all stages are dynamically subtle) more loose feel

  • Dynamic attack (attack stage is dynamically changing slightly) can be set to note division

  • Dynamic Decay (Decay stage is dynamically changing slightly)can be set to note division

  • Vintage 1 (all stages are have fluctuations)

  • Vintage Broken (all stages with clear audible fluctuations)

  • Vintage Broken 2 (random envelope expression) can be set to note division

Filters

  • Keytracking

  • Filters selection from VAP

Visual

  • Font Colors for instruments and Tracks in song mode

:nerd_face: Okok… I know way too much time on my hands, I just really want someone to finally create my nearly perfect samurai sword :wink: and I really dig how tightly the grid and trim operates on the tracker … ohh that reminds me:

In Trim Window

  • Visual Time indicators in trim window bar to indicate step grid
  • BMP calculator
  • High quality Time-streach
  • Time streach by Pitch
  • Time streach by Grid /by steps

Thank you! :sunglasses: :vulcan_salute: :dizzy:

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