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Introduction to the Polyend Tracker Mini as a modern hardware implementation of a classic software music application.
Sections are laid out to cover the full workflow with walkthroughs, step by step guides and tips.
Details the physical components and connectivity of the Tracker Mini device.
Guide to powering on and off the Tracker Mini, including charging and battery status indication.
Details common button commands that operate generically throughout the Tracker Mini.
Explains how to adjust parameter values using D-Pad navigation and +/- buttons.
Describes the 4 dedicated function buttons for quick access to pre-defined pages.
Guidance on applying quick start commands with factory projects for familiarization.
Explains Tracker Mini's 8 tracks and how patterns are built using steps.
Details the QWERTY keyboard layout for text editing and naming tracks.
Describes how each page displays information and control options for selected functions.
A typical journey for getting started with Tracker Mini is described below.
Assumes default assignment of function buttons [1] to [4] and D-Pad navigation.
Explains terminology associated with Tracker Mini to unlock its power and performance.
Diagram illustrating the audio signal flow and structure within the Tracker Mini.
Details the SD Card's integral role, format, and default file structure for operation.
Provides built-in tips and instructions for navigating and maneuvering through options and menus.
Diagram illustrating the main pages accessed under the [Menu] option.
Explains projects as the highest order structural element for managing, saving, loading, and creating songs.
Details how to create, open, and manually save projects, including prompts for saving changes.
Explains how to delete a project, noting that the active project cannot be deleted and deletion removes it from the SD Card.
Describes setting the overall tempo for a project, ranging from 40-8N0 BPM.
Details the metronome's operation, configuration, and selection for live recording.
Explains instruments as a prerequisite for patterns, based on samples and parameters.
Overview of options in the 'Config' menu, covering defaults for workflows and situations.
Explains patterns as combinations of 8 tracks with steps for melodies or beats.
Provides good practices for speeding up workflow and moving quickly to making music with patterns.
Details pattern and step editing in 'Pattern' Mode, covering pattern commands and options.
Explains how patterns can be copied and pasted between different pattern slots.
Describes how to invert a selected range of steps in a pattern to reverse playback order.
Explains how to change the pattern mode view, including vertical/horizontal and track view options.
Provides a quick start on step composition, covering adding, editing, and deleting steps.
Explains the four main components of a step: Note, Instrument, FX1, and FX2, each with a dedicated selection button.
Details sequencing steps into tracks, covering pre-requisites, first step, recording mode, and manual entry.
Explains toggling between playback and recording mode for creating, editing, and configuring steps.
Covers manually entering and editing steps in Pattern Mode, with options for note, instrument, and FX.
Explains using the Step Jump feature for defining intervals and speeding up workflow when adding steps.
Details the 'Fill' function for populating step ranges with defined criteria automatically.
Alternative to manual recording, integrating external MIDI controllers for programming steps in real-time.
Explains the Note component of a step, setting pitch or assigning samples for melodies or beats.
Details applying instruments to steps, based on samples and configured parameters.
Explains the two FX slots per step, populated from a library of effects with type and value.
Lists and describes the library of 37 FX effects, detailing their type and associated value.
Explains instruments as sound sources based on audio samples, configured with parameters and effects.
Details the two pages of instrument parameters for controlling sound, including general and automation settings.
Covers sample-based parameters like Volume, Pan, Tuning, Finetune, and Filter types.
Details instrument-specific effects like Overdrive, Bit Depth, and Send controls for Delay and Reverb.
Explains automation parameters like LFO and Envelope for creating movement and interest in instrument sounds.
Covers how samples are applied as instruments, including play modes and parameters.
Describes the basic play mode that plays a sample through once, start to end.
Explains three loop playback modes: forward, backward, and pingpong loop.
Details two slice playback modes: Slice and Beat Slice, used for pitch-based kits and drum hits.
Explains creating wavetable instruments using samples as the wavetable source.
Details granular synthesis, breaking samples into tiny slices for glitchy soundscapes.
Explains how instruments can be shared across projects or devices for developing libraries.
Details 37 effect types applied to step locations, with creative pattern generation possibilities.
Lists 37 FX types with their function, descriptions, and affects on audio, step behaviour, and structure.
Describes the 'None' FX type, indicating no effect applied to the step.
Explains the 'Off' FX type, which deactivates a previously triggered effect for the track.
Details the 'V' FX Type, applying volume level to individual instrument steps.
Details the 'P' FX Type, positioning audio within the stereo field per step.
Explains the 'M' FX Type for fine tuning pitch adjustment of step notes or MIDI output.
Details the 'G' FX Type for creating smooth pitch transitions over time based on glide time setting.
Explains the 'T' FX Type for applying a % tempo change triggered on the step.
Describes the 'I' FX Type for introducing groove or shuffle into pattern timing.
Explains the 'm' FX Type for applying a small offset to note steps, moving them forward.
Details the 'q' FX Type for adjusting note gate length and shaping sound over time.
Explains the 'C' FX Type for setting step probability, determining if a step will play or not.
Details the 'R' FX Type for repeating notes using step division for straight or evolving repeats.
Explains the 'A' FX Type for creating pitch-based melodies with MIDI chords.
Details the 'n' FX Type for randomizing note selection based on scale and range.
Explains the 'i' FX Type for randomizing instrument selection based on project list and range.
Details the 'f' FX Type for selecting a random FX value for the other FX slot.
Explains the 'v' FX Type for creating volume variations through velocity randomization.
Describes the 'r' FX Type for reversing sample playback, forwards or backwards.
Details the 'p' FX Type for setting sample start position for playback, especially for wavetables and granular.
Explains the 'S' FX Type for playing selected slices on triggered steps, used for drum hits.
Selects the rate for the instrument volume LFO, found in instrument parameters P2/2.
Selects the rate for the instrument panning LFO, found in instrument parameters P2/2.
Selects the rate for the instrument filter cutoff LFO, found in instrument parameters P2/2.
Selects the rate for instrument wavetable/granular sample position LFO.
Selects the rate for instrument finetuning LFO, affecting pitch variation.
Details the 'D' FX Type for selecting overdrive amount for specific steps.
Explains the 'L' FX Type for adjusting the instrument's low pass filter cutoff frequency.
Details the 'B' FX Type for adjusting the band pass filter cutoff frequency.
Explains the 'H' FX Type for adjusting the high pass filter cutoff frequency.
Details the 's' FX Type for setting the amount of audio signal sent to the delay effect.
Explains the 't' FX Type for setting the amount of audio signal sent to the reverb effect.
Details the 'E' FX Type for setting the bit depth for the step, affecting sound texture.
Explains the 'U' FX Type for adjusting the step tuning across a 4 octave range.
Details the 'F' FX Type for creating a pitch slide up from the current note.
Explains the 'J' FX Type for creating a pitch slide down from the current note.
Details CC messages for controlling external devices, including CC assignments.
Explains sending MIDI chords out, combining notes based on hexadecimal values.
Overview of audio's role in Tracker Mini, covering sampling, editing, performing, and routing.
Controls audio levels and master effects through three master pages: Mix, Track Mixer, and Global Mixer.
Details sources for audio input: Line Input, Microphone, and SD Card Samples.
Explains the two audio inputs for sampling and recording from external sources and the internal microphone.
Discusses principles of using short samples, balancing quality and file size for projects.
Details the 'Sample Recorder' page workflow: sampling, editing, and programming instruments into patterns.
Covers the sampling process, source selection, gain adjustment, and controlling recording.
Explains rendering audio at pattern or project level for stems, full songs, or track stems.
Details destructive editing options in the Sample Editor, including Normalizer, Crop, Reverse, and Amplifier.
Covers comprehensive destructive editing options like Bitcrusher, Chorus, Flanger, and Equalizer.
Explains sending audio out via USB to connected devices, requiring an aggregate device setup.
Step-by-step guide for setting up an aggregate device on a Mac for seamless audio integration.
Guide for setting up an aggregate device on a PC using ASIO4ALL for audio interface integration.
Details setting the project tempo within song mode pages and at step level.
Describes song structure variations for listener interest, with patterns defining sound and song mode handling structure.
Explains the song page interface, pattern assignments to slots, and track clip representations.
Details how patterns arranged in song mode appear in pattern mode and how edits link between them.
Guide to creating a song from scratch, navigating slots, adding, deleting, and editing track clips.
Explains playing songs in song mode and patterns, including playback behaviour and screen button functions.
Describes how songs and patterns integrate with Performance Mode for live effects and improvisations.
Covers common effects in the main audio chain, including insert and send effects.
Details the 3 mixer/master pages: Master, Track Mixer, and Global Mixer for effect settings.
Explains the delay send effect, its parameters, and how it routes audio to a common delay.
Details the reverb send effect, its parameters, and how it replicates space characteristics.
Explains the limiter's function to protect audio integrity by attenuating peaks above a threshold.
Describes simple effects adjusting audio out or preset settings for distortion, widening, and bass enhancement.
Explains equalization's role in shaping sound spectrum by adjusting frequency bands.
Covers config options for master effects, including limiter behavior and send effect modes.
Provides a summary of key MIDI terminology and technology relevant to Tracker Mini.
Details config settings for MIDI gear setup, dictating if Tracker Mini leads or follows clock and transport.
Shows various configurations for setting up MIDI gear, involving multiple devices or simple two-device setups.
Explains MIDI instruments assigned to steps, defining MIDI channel and parameters for output.
Details setting default velocity and applying step effects for specific velocity transmission.
Explains sending Continuous Control Change messages step-by-step to adjust parameters on other gear.
Describes receiving control change messages and mapping them to CC assignments in Tracker Mini.
Details Tracker Mini's ability to send program change messages to trigger external device presets.
Explains integrating external MIDI devices to control Tracker Mini's instruments and voice.
Introduces performance mode for real-time improvisation, live gigs, and punch-in effects.
Provides a quick start guide to performing live, applying parameter value variations as offsets.
Explains how to select tracks for performance effects, indicated in red, and how to mute them.
Details the four slots for effect values, triggered by [+] / [-] buttons, and MIDI CC control.
Covers setting up effects in record mode, with up to 12 effects from a library of 21.
Lists the 21 performance effects, detailing their name, range, and comments for parameter variations.
Explains how Tracker Mini can remix tracks live, using Pattern Play Mode or manual remixing.
Details assigning external MIDI controllers to control performance effects and track selections.
Explains simple and advanced pattern playback options, including on-the-fly changes.
Instructions for registering the Tracker Mini on the Polyend website for support and firmware updates.
Provides a generic guide for updating firmware, including downloading and installing the latest version.
Details emergency firmware update procedures using the recessed reset button.
Explains how to reset all configurations to default values if problems arise.
Allows changing display and pad style, including brightness, theme, and font.
Explains the 4 assignable function buttons for quick access to modes and pages, configurable in 'Config'.
Details the built-in feature to capture screen images and save them as BMP files.
Explains how to run NES ROM games from the SD Card games folder.
Provides important information on SD card compatibility, formatting, and backup procedures.
Explains changing between decimal and hexadecimal number formats for views.
Lists audio input/output specifications, including impedance, input level, and signal-to-noise ratio.
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