The Tracker mini from Polyend is the most fun thing you can do on the go. But what is a tracker?
Polyend Tracker Mini: A portable powerhouse
Tracker apps date back to the early days of computer music. They look like a cross between an Excel spreadsheet and something out of a 90s Hollywood hacker movie, but they’re anything but boring. Unlike most other music software, which tries to shape the computer to emulate existing music-making methods like multitrack tapes or musical scores, a tracker is what happens when you build a user interface around a screen and keyboard. And now Polyend’s Tracker Mini takes it to the next level, a kind of Game Boy for music.
"The Tracker Mini is simply beautiful, with nods to high-end early-digital gear," writes music journalist Peter Kirn on his CDM blog. "And it's truly handheld, allowing you to hold the device the way chip artists held Game Boys, albeit with a spacious control layout and large screen."
Before we look at Polyend's new Tracker Mini, a portable, battery-powered version of its desk-bound Tracker, let's take a look at how these things work. Check out this image of the Tracker Mini's screen:
