Just FYI you can send midi chords on the Polyend Tracker to external synths as of one of the more recent updates which was a huge upgrade!

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

I missed that! Thanks for sharing my friend🙌🏻

@JamesRamboPearce

2 жыл бұрын

@@MidlifeSynthesist Anytime dude, great video!

@fluorophoremusic3679

2 жыл бұрын

Another reason I would never buy the Digitakt I guess. Just seems...backwards compared to even something like the Squid which is maybe half the cost used.

@JB-xz6dt

Жыл бұрын

@@fluorophoremusic3679 you can send midi chords using a single Digitakt midi channel as well. Been doing it for years

NOTHING beats the Tracker. It’s SO easy.

Very cool video, thank you so much!

Great rundown! Thanks for posting.

Very helpful information here! Thanks for putting this together-it is appreciated.

Thanks, very useful review !

"Baby poop brown"...that brings back memories :)

Great info! Love your channel!

Nice, quick ,informative video. The tracker looks like the best one for me.

appreciate for a practical comparison review.

Great video, thank you. Made my choice easier. Look forward to some more Tracker tips and tricks and pieces. Very inspiring

Thanks for this!

Would love a deep dive into sample management on the tracker. I bought a Polyend recently and I have fallen in love with it. Great video!!

Good review thanx

love my polyend. great review.

loved the video! but all it did was cement me further on the fence about which one to go with! I'd love any deep dive videos you have in mind

Looking forward to a midi comparison! Great video. Thank you for your lived in insight. I too second the sound mangling video.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the feedback! I’ll start working on it soon!

I love how you are doing your stuff.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much my friend!🙏🏼

Love your channel!!!

Thanks so much for taking the time and effort comparing these two wonderful devices,in this very nicely put together video. They're both very compelling. Very nice music created with these machines,by the way. Now,..which one to get?

Would super appreciate that in depth sample mangling comparison!

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

100%! Thanks for the feedback!

Thx for the excellent content

Thanks man! That deepness you mentioned is maybe what convinces me of the Tracker. Interesting thing is: you just made a video with the two machines which impressed me the most while searching for the right gear.

I'd for sure be interested in the sampling comparison between these two! And compared to the OT and deluge as well... I know you've done some of those comparisons already with your sampler wars videos. Might be interesting to do a video where you take one sample and try to mangle it in a similar though not identical direction on each device and see where the device brings you?

That was awesome thnx cheers from Australia

@MidlifeSynthesist

6 ай бұрын

🫶🏼🤩

Nice review. I’m thinking of exploring synth sound design and these two turn up frequently. This makes decisions much easier.

Cool review!

Great overview. Many thanks. Problem is, I now need both!!

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

GAS is a hell of a drug! Lol🤣

The Digitakt (and to some extent even more so the Digitone) are easily the most *fun* devices I've used for live performances. As a bedside music sketchpad device, they would have been just perfect if they could be powered through usb-c and have a battery compartment - and if the buttons weren't so clickery-clacky. The p-lock and ctrl+all features are just amazing. So immediate and so much fun. And, crucially, they're so musical. The reverb sounds amazing, as does the distortion. I created some of my coolest beats on these machines and really wish they would release a mk2 with the above things addressed. I don't really care about song mode because I do my production on my MPC One anyway. But for the much needed creative inspiration, the Elektron boxes are second to none.

@chareslamb87

Жыл бұрын

Can I ask how you do your production on the MPC? I got one to use just for that. But do you record your takt/tone directly in as an audio track? Or do you sample it in? Or record to daw through over ridge and then load up into the MpC? Thank you in advance.

Love the content for the Tracker.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you my friend!

thanks for this video !! keep up the good work:) :)

@MidlifeSynthesist

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Perfectly timed my friend. I am trying to decide between the two of these two groove boxes. Thank you for the wonderful video

@_Planeview_

2 ай бұрын

What did you pick?

@bailiff360

2 ай бұрын

@@_Planeview_ I got both the Digitakt and the Tracker at different times since this. Both have their charms and in my opinion aren't super comparable. I would say I like the Digitakt more between the two, but the Tracker is not without it's charms. The best thing about the Digitakt is that it plays well with your other gear and the sequencer is amazing. If I had to pick one that'd be my choice. I still loved the Tracker though

pls more tutorials on using these instruments...your videos over the last few years have convinced me to buy these cool toys and now im trying to learn them. you are a great teacher and id love to keep learning with you!

Would be great to see the deep dive along sample management on both devices 😅✌️

great video!

@MidlifeSynthesist

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!🙌🏻🙌🏻

Just bought the Digitakt again!

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Lol, ain’t that the way though? (That’s my second digitakt as well 😅)

Hey Dude, thanks for another interesting video! I already thought you are too deep in Elden Ring to make music. Sometimes I wonder where you find the time for all that. I have two daughters and next to the day job and family it is not easy to make time for music. Keep up the good work, a new video from you always makes me happy! Cheers from Germany!

Thanks!

@MidlifeSynthesist

Жыл бұрын

🙏🏼🙌🏻

This was great, thank you. Will you be doing the new polyend tracker plus anytime soon?

Great info and the best like and comment requests out there. Take note, interwebz

this was a big help

@MidlifeSynthesist

8 ай бұрын

🥰🤩

Can't listen to the radio on Digitakt ; )

😂😂 When you got into the back seat between two car seats! I felt that! 😂

@MidlifeSynthesist

3 ай бұрын

😂

Thanks.

I for one am down for the deep dive workflow comparison!

Thanks for this comparison. Is one more suited to Drum n Bass- style jamming/writing? PS Yes, please make a deep dive comparison.

My next buy will be the Digitakt. I bought the Digitone a few month ago and there is something about the Elektron methodology that is fun and inspiring. As a dedicated DAW user, this was a revelation. Loving your channel, both informative and entertaining.

@leftmono1016

2 жыл бұрын

I got a Digitakt a few years ago and it instantly clicked with me. So much so that I had a gear exodus to fund an Analog Four, Digitone and RYTM. Love them all 😀

@andrewmunsterman-wn7vv

7 ай бұрын

Get the digitakt

cool tune

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks bro!

Liked

I wasn't even considering a comparison of those two devices before I saw your video. I mean, the primary characteristic of a device is at the end the workflow. And with regards to that, the two devices couldn't be more different. It's a huge difference whether you input notes and FX through a spreadsheet and FX lists, or whether you just parameter lock something in a step sequencer. Sure, there is the Perform Mode on the Tracker, but it relies on already more or less finished patterns; so it is more about mangling your pre-programmed tracks while they are on playback; while with Elektron devices you might actually be able to start a track from scratch without listeners even noticing the pattern(s) were empty before you started. That is not to say that one or the other device was 'better' or so; just that it's like comparing a computer keyboard with a paintbrush. Nevertheless of course thanks for the video and all the helpful information!

I did own many of hardware synths and grooveboxes through last years, and two boxes that i found to be most flexible, easy and intuitive to use where Yamaha Rm1x and Polyend Tracker. Didnt own any elektron boxes so far so cant compare to Pt , but i'm always into searching gear that i can produce na entire track on and as far as i know this is basically more easy to achive on PT because of it's Song mode.

@peladoclaus

2 жыл бұрын

Song mode!!! Need to be able to play sets of continuous house music

Nice comparison - did my first sounds with a tracker back in the days on an Amiga. That concept was quite interesting for everyone who wasn't into keyboards... Guess I would get a tracker as software for my Mac if I ever feel like playing one again. But I will definitely get my Digitakt from the shelf and give it a go with some new samples. Thank you for that video.

Aye yoooo

The fact that the Digitakt was originally released in 2017 and can still standup against more contemporary competition is a testament to this thing's capabilities. Sure, it's missing some of the quality of life things that I'd maybe use once in a blue moon. But if you are going DAWless or hybrid, there is no better central brain to drive a hardware setup. Plus, the Elecktron sequencer is still one of the best around.

@punkassfunk

Жыл бұрын

It's only five years, not an old machine. And it is still being updated. If a machine is to be obsloete after only 5 years, it's probably a bad machine.

File management and menu driving are big items for me.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Huge! Seems like MPCs newest update will put them ahead of the game in the file management and menu diving arena🤟🏻 the tracker feels a bit more menu divey than the digitakt if you’re wondering😉thanks for watching!

Do you plan to do a comparison between the Tracker and Model Samples in the future? Great content btw! Also algorithm do your thing.

@MidlifeSynthesist

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for feeding the algo😜 I don’t have plans for the elektron samples but you never know! Thanks for tuning in my friend!🙌🏻

@treesurgeon2441

Жыл бұрын

The tracker has a lot more features than the Samples. The Samples has the great sequencer and it's sufficient for people who want a cheaper instrument and are dipping their toes into the Elektron workflow but the tracker is a deeper instrument once you master how trackers are laid out. Bare in mind I own the samples and am trying to upgrade to a Tracker.

@natancouchpotato6559

Жыл бұрын

@@treesurgeon2441 thanks a lot for the recommendation!

Yes please on sound design deep dives!!

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Will do! Thanks for watching my friend!

Great Video! My fav one is Octatrack, bit different then these two, but also a powerful toy. Do you consider making comparison of Analog Rytm vs. Other? Lemme now! Big Thumbs :)

Which model of Thule Gauntlet are you using with the Polyend Tracker ? Is it the 12” or the 13” model ? Thanks

I find the Tracker better for sequencing, and the Digitakt better for live performance and jamming. Both are great!

@SergeyCoder

Жыл бұрын

True. Thinking the same way. Tried to make several songs. DT is not a device that inspiring to make music at home. Every time I need to learn buttons combinations, repeating & fighting with DT workflow.

Thanks so much for the comparison my dude! This is a super cool comparison and really nice overview. I'll stick to my beloved Digitakt for now but keeping a close eye to all these new trackers out there - I'm not familiar to these workflows but it looks super interesting! Cheers buddy

@sinewaymusic

2 жыл бұрын

You're doing exactly what makes you so great at what you do: staying focused and going deeper with the stuff you own.

yes, deep dive, please.

This is a meaningful comment with content intended for humans and not merely driving traffic by way of indicating "engagement" to a robot

Where do you get those DigDug lights?

I have never been able to get my ripcords to work with the Digitakt or Digitone, with a battery or anything else. The Tracker seems to work perfectly plugged in to just about anything!

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

I love that they made it so easy to connect to any powersource with a usb c cable for sure!

so can the polyend go out on stereo or is there a way with other device to have 8 separate output lets say for a venue mixer???

¡Very interesting! I guess you will be probably thinking about a future video comparison between Polyend tracker and M8. I wanna buy in a future a brain dawless machine and I don't know what to choose: Deluge, M8 or Polyend tracker. I need one of them to join my Minilogue xd and the and my new "toy": Norns Shield (and a PO-33). :)

@NightCabbage

Жыл бұрын

M8 is smaller and more powerful than the Polyend, plus it has built-in synths. Easy choice for me :D (Deluge also amazing, but workflow is a bit different to a tracker)

hi algorithm

Main pros of DT - knobs & quick access to effects, shortcut-like (buttons combinations) production. Main pros of tracker - big screen, notes processing, it's like writing music book (very helpful if you know musical notation), simplicity. I tried both, but DT is look like device for live performance, feels like advanced pro tool with it's ecosystem. Tracker looks like workstation for music production from start to end. Yes, you can make music on both devices, but if we talking about simplicity & starting making music after device unpacking - elektron-way is more tricky & require more time to dive into full process. Also tracker is a device that I can take with me, it's compact & light. It's like an MPC, but way more portable.

can both machine "grab"audio? Sample? Thanks for your videos!

I sold my Digitakt and got the Tracker, largely because the 1GB max storage of the Digitakt just feels ludicrous.

Fluster that algorithm

I heard that the Elektron founders came up in the "demoscene" which was a community of tracker users.

@GeorgeLocke

Жыл бұрын

(Heard from an elektron employee in a Gaz Williams video in the digitone)

I don't have anything to say, i am here to add a comment to just trigger the youtube algorithm in your favour ... No, that's a lie, i really want to thank you for this video.

@MidlifeSynthesist

Ай бұрын

Thank you so much!🙌🏻 appreciate you my friend!!

Kinda hyped for the smpltrek like a Quarter of the size of these

@wariusgaius

2 жыл бұрын

Buy a pocket operator if you are concerned with size.

@SonicVibe

2 жыл бұрын

@@wariusgaius Sequencing on a pocket operators is a headache 🤕 I use mine mainly for loops or fx

@VIRALBEATS360

2 жыл бұрын

I am definitely waiting on that.

I’m flustering your algorithm

So tell me, which one is your favorite 8 track sampler? 🤩

@InkyDaCaT

2 жыл бұрын

Have you seen the Kickstarter from Sonicware smpltrek 😸 kzread.info/dash/bejne/eqKj2LyuXavLg8o.html

@Polyend

2 жыл бұрын

Ya know our answer :D

@InkyDaCaT

2 жыл бұрын

@@Polyend hehe

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

@@Polyend 🤣

@justinc9777

2 жыл бұрын

Polyend! They win my hard earned easy on this one

deep dive please!

Dirtywaves M8 or Polyend Tracker?

Flustering the Algorithm achievement GOT..

Trying to decide which one to sell? (Poke poke) ;)

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

🤣🤭

I am looking to add the Digitakt since Roland can't seem to supply any 404mkll(the last place I pre-order now says shipping in October). I never use Elektron gear before and heard it's a steep learning curve. Is it a 40/hr wk learning curve or less?

@derekgreenwood9672

2 жыл бұрын

It's my first groovebox/sampler and I'm an ageing, computer semi-literate piano player. I found Digitakt a little intimidating at first, but once you get used to the workflow it's a joy to use and sounds truly amazing. 40 hours?, yeh you should be able to scratch the surface of what this beast is capable of in that amount of time. Enjoy the ride!

@wren23_bass-synths

2 жыл бұрын

@@derekgreenwood9672 I use the 40/hr work week as a parameter to see if I can figure it out working on it a full time week. Like with my MC707 and MPC One, only took me a week each to wrap my head around the workflow of both.

After watching a bunch of videos and trying to get familiar with trackers, now I'm leaning towards the polyend. But the real question is for both sequencing external gear and sampling, MPC or Tracker?

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Both offer very different philosophies and purposes, so much so that I don’t think it would be fair to compare them. MPC has polyphony, 128 midi tracks + 8 audio in standalone, I/O, CV, internal synths, splice and ableton integration etc. Polyend is in the groovebox category while MPC is a full blown music workstation. Both are extremely fun and useful in their own ways. Hope that helps👍🏼

@deejaychainwallet

2 жыл бұрын

I dont even use my mpc any more but as a brain for a dawless setup its 100% the way to go. my mpc1k I wouldnt sell even if they go up to costing 1k. If you get a mpc1000 instead of one of the new ones get jjos (custom firmware thats worth every penny) and get the fat pads if you like programming velocity by pressure or have a velocity affected synth

@deejaychainwallet

2 жыл бұрын

i use my tracker more often (not just because one of my mpc buttons broke) purely because I just want a sketchpad and the .it exporting is great as I am a renoise user, but I wouldnt make it the main brain, especially with no individual outs and only 8 channels

I regret selling my tracker, I got renoise after the fact but now I miss it every since getting more hardware

On the fence between the polyend and the MPC. Is it a pain to load fresh drum samples into the polyend?

@MidlifeSynthesist

Жыл бұрын

Hello my friend! MPC is a full fledged workstation (think computerless DAW). Polyend is awesome, but it’s no contest with the MPC in terms of functionality and horsepower👍🏼 Re: polyend tracker is a pleasure to work drums with

@Trippergrind

Жыл бұрын

@@MidlifeSynthesist thanks brother, left you a follow and checked out a bunch of your other videos. Good stuff

hot and flustered algorithm! (e.g. don't kick the nice guy to the curb-especially with his synths!)

Sorry mate ... but you forgot to stipulate whether when having to commit to having your sample rendered through effect on the Polyend.. whether there is a Revert/UNDO? Are there even multiple levels of UNDO? Thanks

Digitakt🍻 Tracker sounds better imo. Master stereo spread fx is verry nice.

After taking the blackbox out (on a plane) for the first time, I gotta tell you, it's going to be difficult to beat that portability. As far as these particular gizmos go, I don't own either, but I think I favor the sound of the elektron. Getting either at this point would be a rabbit hole I prefer to stay out of, for the time being. I still have an MPC to dig into, that I haven't really touched yet, haha.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

100%! Although I always highly recommend having at least one elektron box in the mix for the sequencer, the MPC is more than enough to pump out entire albums by itself👍🏼 thanks for watching my friend!

Thanks for the video. I've owned both and I prefer the Digitakt as I find the sequencer more intuitive than the on the Tracker. I was spending too much time coding and being slightly confused on the Tracker even though I wanted to like it! Like you say they are really both good and suit different brains. I also love Overbridge and using the Digitakt as an interface with 2 external audio ins, 8 audio tracks and 8 midi tracks all live into Ableton for FX and mixing - very powerful! Look forward to the next one 👍

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

Overbridge definitely takes the Digitakt to another level❤️ thanks for watching my friend!

@Niko80s

2 жыл бұрын

Bro what coding are you talking about (on PT)? I own PT , never had any previous tracker experience and i find it's whole workflow ridicolously easy. You dont really need to pay any attention for all that letters and numbers while recording the sequence.

@whirrings

2 жыл бұрын

@@Niko80s by "coding" I suppose I just meant changing the values and scrolling through lists - like I say just didn't click for me - I'm glad it's working for you 👍

Dude swaying his head like Stevie Wonder!

1000 wait .. now 😀

You need over 2A power draw for the ripcord to power the Digitakt. Most USB ports throttle somewhere between 500ma and 1A.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

That explains it! Thanks for stopping by my friend!

@BrandonAaskov

2 жыл бұрын

@@MidlifeSynthesist I should also mention that if you got that cable a while ago, there's a chance it was part of a bad batch. MyVolts replaced mine when I had them check my order date to see if I was affected. If you're using a 2A+ battery bank and it's not working, definitely reach out to them.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

@@BrandonAaskov thanks! I’ll definitely check if mine isn’t faulty👍🏼

i have no need for portability, i don't need either of these, Octatrack has me busy, LoL

:)

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 жыл бұрын

❤️ thanks for watching!

Do you ever get a sore neck?

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 ай бұрын

That’s my secret captain, my neck is always sore

@alienanxiety

2 ай бұрын

@@MidlifeSynthesist it’s a real problem for me when I use these machines. Mostly Elektron. I can play for like half hour before my neck cramps up from looking down.

@MidlifeSynthesist

2 ай бұрын

@@alienanxiety absolutely agree. That’s one of the reasons I love the MPC X, it’s probably the most ergonomic beat machine out there🤟🏻

The midi is tighter on the polyend, for the people that care about this - you can test this yourself by recording and measuring midi jitter in between notes

he cute

Its basically a cheaper op1