The Unperson Throws Down: Polyend Tracker+ From Zero To Chaos

Vertical Mayhem: Tracker vs DAW

The Polyend Tracker+ doesn’t just offer a new workflow – it grabs your linear DAW habits, spins them round and sends them down a rave bunker. Instead of the usual left-to-right scrolling, this bad boy goes vertical, stacking patterns in a way that makes your piano roll look like ancient history. With eight sample tracks and eight MIDI tracks, all marching in formation, the Tracker+ lets you program each step with wild precision and totally different samples, notes, and effects per lane.

If you’re bored of drawing boxes in Ableton or Logic, this layout is a breath of fresh chaos. Nested deep in its UI, you’ll find that even a single track can host insane complexity. It’s a proper street weapon for anyone who likes their beats dense, randomised, and just a bit unpredictable. Don’t expect hand-holding here – it’s all numbers, steps, and instant results, with the odd “wait, what did I just do?” moment thrown in for good measure.

First Steps: Instant Groove, No Safety Net

Despite never touching a tracker before, The Unperson jumps straight in and starts banging out beats with a confidence that’s equal parts naivety and stubbornness. Loading up samples is fast – just pick from the built-in packs, drop kicks, hats, and snares into your project, and you’re off. The workflow here is so direct you’ll forget you ever fiddled with mouse clicks and endless menus.

Recording patterns, adding swing, and duplicating sequences all happen in a matter of seconds. Need to stretch your patterns from 32 to 64 steps? One button and you’re there. It’s like the Tracker+ wants you to get weird and move fast, with no time wasted. If you’re after a groovebox that lets you build tracks on instinct, this thing is dangerously addictive.

"it's nowhere near as difficult as I thought it was going to be."

© Screenshot/Quote: Theunperson (YouTube)

Deep Cuts: Step Effects & Synth Power

"these synths are really deep. If we go into the edit patch, then we have absolutely loads of parameters that we can experiment with."

© Screenshot/Quote: Theunperson (YouTube)

Here’s where the Tracker+ flexes. Step effects give you surgical control – rolls, random notes, filter tweaks, you name it – all per step, all stackable. The Unperson shows off how you can layer these up for wild, glitchy results, turning basic patterns into utter mayhem with just a few tweaks. The master effects are another rabbit hole: set up 12 different FX, dial in pitch shifts, delays, and step repeaters, and then blast anything through them. If you like your beats twisting and mutating, you’ll find plenty to mangle here.

And just when you think it’s all about samples, the internal synth engines jump out of the shadows. Five of them: percussion, FM, virtual analog poly and mono, and an ACID engine for those late-night 303 vibes. Each one is loaded with parameters and patch slots, adding a new layer of filth to the Tracker’s arsenal. It’s not just a sampler – it’s a full-blown sound design toaster-fight.

Learning Curve: From Clueless to Hooked

The Unperson doesn’t sugarcoat it – picking up a tracker for the first time can feel like learning to ride a bike with square wheels. But once the muscle memory kicks in, the Tracker+ reveals itself as one of the most fun, inspiring boxes on the desk. Sure, there are moments when the manual comes out (and maybe a bit of swearing), but the payoff is music that sounds nothing like your usual DAW output.

It’s about breaking habits, smashing creative walls, and discovering new workflows that force you out of your comfort zone. The Unperson’s enthusiasm is contagious – you can tell this groovebox has already started to change the way they approach making music. If you’re willing to get a bit lost, the Tracker+ rewards you with new ideas and a proper sense of play.

See It, Hear It: Video Beats Text

Let’s be real: no article can capture the squelch, chaos and sheer speed of a Tracker+ session. If you want to see how these beats actually come together – and hear just how filthy the step effects and synths can get – you need to watch the video. Trust me, you’ll get more than just button pushes and menu dives; you’ll see a real-world learning curve in action, mistakes and all. Go on, give it a spin.