Greetings, I hope this post finds you well. Here we at the end of August and approaching the last quarter of 2024. I don’t know about you, but (as we often say) “Where did the year go?” As we approach September, I often think about what I need to accomplish in the last quarter of the year. One of those areas is music production tasks to “move the needle forward”. This post also serves with keeping the consistency of posting at least one blog entry per month. 🙂
My recording studio is built around a hybrid approach, that meaning I use hardware (drum machines and synths (rack mount and otherwise) along software digital audio workstation (DAW) software to compose music. With the apparent options given by taking this approach, prioritization, in regards to trying to stay familiar with the different features and functionalities of both sides, can become a challenge. One simple way to attack that is to touch as much as you can, as regularly as you can, but therein lies the same type of challenge.
I was reading a post in a music production subreddit I frequent and the OP was asking if he should purchase a hardware synth to use along side of Logic Pro X (a very popular music production DAW that I’ve been using since 2007). Many of the answers came back that were of a similar ilk – Logic Pro X has all that you need to continue your production journey, unless you just want a hardware synth to add a different composition workflow to what you’re already doing in Logic – otherwise, adding a hardware synth simply will not add anything significant in that respect.
The above paragraph led to where I am tonight in respect to using hardware syntthesis and sampling tools to produce tracks vs doing all “in the box” (i.e. composing music solely via the use of software). Tonight’s continual journey involves that of using the Polyend Tracker.
The short story is I purchased this unit in August 2021, after selling some recording equipment I was no longer using. Essentially, this is a hardware version that represents the software trackers, mod trackers, of the early 90s, but is on steroids regarding the advancements of employing audio sample recording and editing, wavetable technology and much more. A very nice, comprehensive video entitled Trackers: The Sound Of 16-Bit is available on YouTube, should you want to delve into the history.
The Polyend Tracker, while I remember toying with the mod trackers of the 90’s briefly, has a lot of appeal to me – everything from its aesthetics to its nod to a futuristic feeling/visual of composing via a black box (as do other hardware items today can embrace depending on your taste). I mention “futuristic” in the case because the default screen UI of sequencing partterns across tracks is vertical and somewhat reminds of the famous green screen scene from The Matrix.
That said, I was chatting with a good friend of mine, a fellow artist and music producer this evening who does everything in the box, with the exception of keeping a Nectar controller in his arsenal. He asked me (knowing of my hybrid setup), “Why the Tracker, do you plan to use it for certain projects?” The short answer I gave was not for certain projects, per se, but to specifically use for composing certain genres music which it’s design, workflow, and aesthetics draw me to doing, not to say that I can’t compose said genres on other hardware devices or even solely in software, but it’s more for the experience, journey, and experience this particular composition tool and approach brings.
So, I’ll continue over the next two days delving deeper and find away after August to carve out some consistent time to increase familiarity with it, amongst attempting to “move the needle” regarding other production projects currently in the works.
Yes, the options that can (or better yet drive) drive the challenges fo prioritization.
If you’ve made it this far, enjoy your time ahead.
Oceans of rhythm,
Fresh.
