Polyend
A
lthough it might
be a bit premature
to call something
released just two
years ago a cult
classic, Polyend’s
esoteric Tracker is
certainly on course to earn the title.
Taking cues from software trackers,
Polyend’s performance sampler is a
bit of an oddity, but if the legions of
enthusiastic YouTube videos and
forum comments are anything to go
by it’s certainly found a dedicated
following. Play, the company’s keenly
computer or MIDI USB device. Play’s
rear panel also features mini-jack
ports for the stereo main output, plus
MIDI in and MIDI out, all of which
can come with included adapters
allowing users to connect a stereo
pair of jacks to the output and
full-sized MIDI connectors.
Unlike Tracker, however, there’s
no audio input here. Play features no
sampling capabilities itself, either
from an external source or internal
audio. Sample playback is fairly
straightforward too; whereas Tracker
offers loop slicing, wavetable and
granular modes, Play is a purely
one-shot affair. Play also trades
Tracker’s sizeable screen for an
increased amount of front
panel controls, making for an
all-round more hands-on,
performance-focused instrument.
The main action happens on the 8
x 20 grid of small, soft pads. This
acts as, among other things, Play’s
sequencer interface. The left-hand 16
columns control the main step
sequencer, while the final four are
function pads. As mentioned, the
sequencer runs left to right, which is
more intuitive than Tracker’s vertical,
numerical grid. However, while each
horizontal row of pads can, to an
extent, be thought of as a sequencer
‘track’, it would be a misnomer to
describe Play as a standard
eight-track sequencer.
Smart workflow
One of the key characteristics of Play
is that each step can be assigned its
own individual sample and parameter
settings. Play is hardly the first
groovebox to allow this – Elektron’s
various synths and samplers, for
example, allow users to automate
sound changes for each sequencer
step. Play goes all-in on this concept
though. Any new step added to the
sequencer, no matter the track, will
always apply the most recently
selected sample choice and settings
no matter what else is around it. If
this sounds a little confusing, it
doesn’t take long to get used to,
enhanced by some smart workflow
tools such as a simple one-touch copy
and paste function.
There are some ways in which
Play treats each horizontal row more
like a traditional sequencer track. To
the right-hand side, each row has four
function buttons that can be used to
control every step in a row at the
same time. The Select button here
allows for the entire row to be edited
simultaneously, a little more like a
traditional sequencer. Users can also
select multiple steps across different
tracks for editing by using the shift
key. The function buttons can also be
used to mute and solo all the steps on
each sequencer row. The final of the
four function buttons allows users to
create and freely switch between up
to 16 variations for each track.
The data input for each step is
controlled by the bank of 15 rotaries
above the sequencer grid. These are
touch-sensitive, so making contact
awaited follow-up, is more of a
conventional device than Tracker – for
one thing its sequencer runs from left
to right, rather than top to bottom –
but it still inherits a healthy portion of
its predecessor’s leftfield creativity.
This is a sample-based groovebox
and MIDI sequencer. The unit itself is
the exact same size as Tracker,
roughly 30 x 20cm and just over 3cm
deep, making it slim and highly
portable. As with that predecessor,
Play has a single USB port on the rear
used both for power – via an included
adapter – and connection to a
THE PROS & CONS
+
Powerful sequencing
tools that are great
for polyrhythms and
live performance
Sleek, portable and
USB-powered
Excellent stock of
included sounds/kits
-
Preset-focused
reverb/delay are a
touch limiting
Can’t import samples
directly via USB
Sequencer workflow
takes a bit of getting
used to
Polyend Play | Reviews
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