Hey, thanks for watching! I've added LINKS TO ALL THE PARTS NEEDED in the end of this comment and in the vid's description. Some things I'd like to point out: 1) This is one of the videos I made without a script, and I tend to pronounce things wrongly, haha. Please feel free to correct me, I'm always willing to learn and improve. 2) The picoTracker build guide contains some links to the components you need to buy on top of the PCBs. Here's the link: xiphonics.com/cdn/shop/files/picoTracker_build_guide.pdf and 3) as the Dirtywave M8 is mentioned in the comments - that machine is playing on an entirely different level compared to the picoTracker. It's more expensive indeed, but you'll get more CPU power, more RAM, curated samples and sounds, more features, and in general more polish both in hardware and software. Still, picoTracker is a super cool little device and having a hardware MIDI sequencer like this in that price range was practically unheard of yet Resources Build guide xiphonics.com/cdn/shop/files/picoTracker_build_guide.pdf The screen www.aliexpress.us/item/1005004628969756.html The battery www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006390258239.html Cherry Switches: www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007890552065.html (contains only 4 switches, you'll need to order 3) - PLEASE check the pin layout of the switches before buying Keycaps www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005513800132.html M3 4mm screws www.aliexpress.com/item/32810852732.html (be careful to choose the correct size here, M3 4mm) 3D printing can be done at PCBWay, for example
Great video, your last one convinced me to sign up to their mailing list and I ordered the kit early December along with sourcing the other parts needed. I persuaded my nephew to 3D print the case for me as a Christmas present. Apart from some soldering of the switches it was a very easy build. I've been tempted by the Dirtywave M8 or the Polyend Tracker Mini but wanted a cheaper option to try a portable tracker. I must admit I have had a couple of teething issues now it's built, however a quick email to their support email had a very rapid response. They think it's likely to be a faulty screen which I can replace quickly and easily. If anyone is considering getting one, don't be put off by having to source parts and assembling it yourself, it's not too challenging.
I love my v1 picotracker. V2 beta software working well on it so far. The v2 software is advancing daily, it is a very dynamic development team and process. Eagerly awaiting new midi features. I will certainly be buying the v2 hardware soon.
Ordered, thanks for the tip. Now to find suitable buttons and screen... will be a fun winter project, and I'm so not paying 800$ in Sweden for an M8 gameboy lol.
@@mr_floydst Did not find that link, but it's an LIP1708 battery and HP28008-D which adds another 100$ to the build... and thats not counting the case and cherry keys, it's gonna be a 300$ build for sure, still worth it.
I did the math before posting this video, you'll end up around $75. Here's the screen for example, www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804442655004.html - you'll need the "IPS No Touch" variant, which is $6.55 See their build guide, xiphonics.com/cdn/shop/files/picoTracker_build_guide.pdf
@@mr_floydst Different country I guess, mine came to a total of 20$ for shipping and that sceen, still 60 bucks cheaper than I found it myself, thanks ! Ordered. You search skills are better than mine.
This latest update isn't compatible with the DIY version. Well, the screen works, but after update it shows: NO CD CARD. Even thought the card is there. When unmounting the sd cand and mounting it back the screen is blank. Are you aware of any plans on making this conpatible with the DIY version?
There are two versions of the firmware - one for the newer hardware, one for the older. Both kind of work on the "wrong" hardware. That's what I'd check first. I installed V2.4 on the older hardware, didn't try 2.5 yet. Hope this helps.
@@LeRouxBodensteinPlus, the picoTracker software costs $0 of that price, versus the software development / releases and docs by Trash80 (M8 creator) is part of his living income, and his user support. And the M8 hardware is really nice, the case itself is a custom aluminum jobbo, it sounds wonderful too, and it's assembled, and tested.
M8 is built on the Teensy 4.1 MPU, while picoTracker is built on a lesser MPU. Running those 2 soft synths really taxes the CPU. Also, M8 is a much more refined product.
@@mr_floydstyes indeed, I know the M8 very well. It does have a metallic enclosure and a capacitive touch screen (even OLED in the V02) and I guess the assembling and special board to add USB-C to the Teensy add to the cost. The CPU as you say must also be way more powerful, for example, I don’t know if the pico will ever get usb audio class compliance as the M8 has.
@@alexandrosroussos Dirtywave's website says that it has a 'TFT IPS 3.5” Display'. I don't know where did you get that it has an OLED screen :P, although it would be great if they added it someday since in the dark OLEDs look much better.
If you're not too keen on MIDI and all the other stuff I showed in this video, then using a games console with a copy of LGPT is a great option indeed. (I made a video on that last year ruclips.net/video/NHEUVQPlquo/видео.html )
@@mr_floydst Yup, I remember that video. I just was surprised to hear retro handhelds described as more expensive than a $75 picoTracker, since the two most popular gameboy-style LGPT hosts, the MM+ and rg35xx, are usually about $30 to $50 including shipping.
@@ToyKeeper The RG35XX is around $90 where I live. (One can always resort to ebay etc, where they go for around $30 to $50) Anyway... ;-) Thanks for mentioning the cheaper console. I wasn't aware of that one. I'm sure some viewers will find that information helpful - on the RG35XX, the tracker is preinstalled, but somewhat hidden (you need to switch to GarlicOS first)
Great job in this channel. What the possibility of a VSTi host on a R-Pi using a platform of racks and scenes like Brainspawn Forte? Considering an example like SM Pro V-Machine...
Hi, I talked about this in several videos on this channel - please look them up on my RUclips channel page ;-) In short, running X86/64 (Windows) plugins won't really work. Native plugins, however, are no problem at all. One project that will most likely work for you is zynthian.org You can buy their kit or just download the firmware image and install it on a Raspberry PI 5 yourself.
I tried a lot of stuff and let me tell you: go get a used MacBook Air M1 for couple hundred bucks. The V machine was garbage (I have it, I used it, I suffered), any “alternative” solution is garbage You get an M1 Mac, get MainStage that already has a lot to good sounds in it, use the headphone output for audio (no latency and good quality, no real need for USB interface), and you got yourself a proper, functional audio module that weighs 2 pounds, can work on battery, will run just about any VSTi, sounds good, and can also be an FX unit if you add a USB audio input.
The V-Machine was very limited in what could it run, I ended up running Synth1 and a sound font sampler on it, It was barely useful in 2012, I was poor and could afford anything better. I had a workstation keyboard and needed to expand its function with some VA synth and a sampler, so V-machine fit the bill, it was super fiddly to set up, I spend A LOT of time getting some mediocre sounds out of it. After this experience, trying to set up stuff in raspberry pi or something, just to get much worse solution than GarageBand on my phone… no thanks.
The truth has been spoken ;-) However, a lot of people find fun in tinkering with Raspberry PI computers. If you're one of those people, Zynthian is worth a look. It's got a very good live looper sequencer (with lifts some ideas from ableton and its clips) and comes with tons of plugins preinstalled.
@@mr_floydst I've actually looked into it, I'm building my custom controller keyboard and figured I'd put an RPi into it and have some built-in sounds, for backup or quick jams. Still undecided because it's awful lot of work for something worse than a Korg Module app on my phone.
Its working great for me on old hardware. Back up your old sd card samples, and let the v2 picotracker software set up the folders on your sd card. Drag your samples and subfolders into the /samples folder on the sd card. You should now be able to load the samples into instruments ok.
The hardware has a MIDI in port, so I guess this will be possible at some point in the future. For now, I didn't find an option like this, though. It's possible to audition the samples before loading them, and pressing enter on any note will play it as well. But that's not exactly what you're looking for, I guess.
"just hold down this key here, then press that key here, and then the right key then the enter key" ... ok, not something I'm going to use. Reminds me of the Dilbert cartoon where Dilbert says "we can create a user friendly GUI or we can just have the users press the four corner keys and type the middle key with their nose" and the boss goes, yeah, let's do that second one.
It's not for everyone. This kind of tracker came about on the Gameboy, which has a D-Pad and two buttons (if I remember correctly). This is music for software developers, really. The original trackers in the times of Amiga & Atari where created to create games soundtracks more easily.
@@MrCimryadeal One of the pT team here. Some small corrections: it is not "literally" LGPT. The picoTracker firmware is *based* in LGPT as is stated in multiple places including at the very start of the picoTracker user manual. However the current picoTracker vs LGPT running on a PSP has: * TRS MIDI IN/OUT and USB MIDI out * SID and OPAL synth instruments * Scale mode * Remote UI over USB * Almost instant boot into Song screen * Note preview on Phrase screen * Boots into last open project * Project name & random name creation on project screen * Enhanced sample import file browser * MIDI VEL Fx command * colour theme editing on device * 2 selectable custom fonts * simple 1 step firmware install over USB * completely rewritten user manual As you can see, quite a few differences over running LGPT on a old PSP. While you could work on porting the firmware features to LGPT, infact some features like scales and random project names I believe are already in process of being ported to djmachines LGPT fork, to run on the PSP, things like TRS MIDI IN-OUT will not be so easy.
@@MrCimryadeal polyend is cool, but we need more APPS. ft2, protracker, renoise, openMPT, famitracker, and there are like 3 more :( instead of physical hardware I want more PC apps :/
If you aren't able to print it yourself or find a friend or nearby library or makerspace to print it, companies like JLCPCB and PCBWay (as well as many others) offer a 3D print service.
If someone was able to assemble with case and sell for $100, I’d buy one and I’m sure a lot of other people would likely be interested. I’ve been looking for something I can use as in ear drum track/midi guide track that also sends midi timecode to my loopers, battery power and a headphone jack makes something like this perfect for that use case. I’m not sure how stable the clock is but let’s assume it’s good, it’ll be work trying.
The entry process with unlabeled buttons seems insanely tedious and inefficient. I can see the hobbyist appeal of the kit, and using this as an alternate pattern source for my midi instruments could be interesting, but until there are external methods for creating and inputting patterns, no thanks.
The tracker workflow isn't for everyone for sure. But it's quite efficient once you've created your phrases - arranging them in the chain and song sequencer is a breeze (and opens up new ways of / perspectives on arranging music) I didn't show the MIDI in use in this video. Perhaps I'll do in a RUclips short.
My apologies - are you referring to the video or the device itself? You could use the screen export for a bigger display. (I also added that screen export in the right corner of the screen)
Actually there is a screen sharing function, you can duplicate the screen on your computer. Much larger and easier to read! Plug the picotracker into your computer and use Web browser to see the screen duplicated on your pc or Mac. Very cool.
I do appreciate open source projects, but it does seem like they are following along with the Dirtwave m8 as far as feature set they are adding. M8 is a bit of an investment for some people (and a good wait to get your hands on it) so I can't complain too much.... though there is the headless option to give it a test drive. This would be cool if they had done a more gameboy style button config to make it unique instead of using keyboard keys.
picoTracker was "derived" from an open source software named "Little Piggy Tracker" (and if I remember correctly, so was the M8). So having very similar ideas is part of the process, I guess. ;-)
Both are inspired by a tracker software for Game Boy called Little Sound DJ. Little GP Tracker was first made for the GamePark32 (hence the name, but nicknamed "Piggy") and later ported to various platforms and ultimately made open source when development stopped. PicoTracker is based on the Little GP Tracker source whereas M8 is a wholly different, original, project.
hard pass. a prebuilt version that works right out of the box would be more appealing. all these people are paying a small fortune in their time and frustration for a tiny fiddly underpowered piece of gear. not to mention scavenging the hardware from several places etc. however, if this represents fun for some people, then it is a good thing even though i would not mess with it.
This is a valid opinion. ;-) I agree, building has to be a part of the fun for you, otherwise don't buy this. I didn't mention that in this video because I already did that in last year's video. One thought worth pondering imo is that the last decade of hardware synths has seen most innovation in the field of "underpowered devices". Snack-sized synthesizer boxes like Volca, NTS-1 and all the other ones that loosely fit into this category are flying off the shelves, so to speak. The appeal of "the gadget" definitely is a thing.
@@mr_floydst re: low powered devices: yes and no. volcas are ready-to-run straight out of the box, so your point is sort of invalid. i have had a music channel for years (autistic einstein) and got to know a bunch of youtube synth people. most younger people arent rich so that's why they buy volcas. You dont need a dedicated set of electronics equipment and knowledge to use a volca. you just plug the volca in and away you go. this is also why behringer has dominated so many setups. this picotracker is beyond the average high schooler at any price. there is a philosophical element at play here that i first realized on a pc game board: the eternal conflict between the "farmers" or "grinders" vs the "swipers" who buy a lot of things to save time farming the stuff to build better gear or whatever. one guy said it was easier for him to work a couple extra hours of overtime to pay for some stuff that would have taken w/e 10 hours of in-game grinding to get the same stuff. that stuck with me. i still play the game and sometimes grind and sometimes just buy the stuff so i see both sides. i'm an EE by vocation and this stuff is all child's play for me if i had to do it. i have no desire to though because this is the result of a pack of rookies making this project.insanely more screwed up and complicated than it should be.. korg NTS1 is a build it kit that actually goes together smoothly and actually works. So IMO this is pure hobbyist stuff. a hobby is what you waste your disposable resources on (primarily time and/or money in this case) to have fun. this device is a deliberate complication to making some form of noise toy and is in no way similar to a volca, except maybe the raw processor power. i want to bust my noodle on learning how to use the synths i buy. i hope this makes sense. and i repeat: if you are into the chase, then this is great, but i don't respect this project's trajectory at all, so i have to pass.
@jjrusy7438 , underpowered? nah, you can make full compositions on this thing, as well sample playback, and quite a lot of MIDI control - including sending CCs to hardware, and there's even a issue on GH which may mean SysEx messaging in the future too - this is huge as hardly any gear provides this anymore! also, "all these people" probably enjoy the DIY aspect of it - the DIY synth/etc scene is thriving. anyway, there is a pT+ version coming out soon which looks to be sold as prebuilt, so you might be in luck :)
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey, thanks for watching! I've added LINKS TO ALL THE PARTS NEEDED in the end of this comment and in the vid's description. Some things I'd like to point out: 1) This is one of the videos I made without a script, and I tend to pronounce things wrongly, haha. Please feel free to correct me, I'm always willing to learn and improve. 2) The picoTracker build guide contains some links to the components you need to buy on top of the PCBs. Here's the link: xiphonics.com/cdn/shop/files/picoTracker_build_guide.pdf and 3) as the Dirtywave M8 is mentioned in the comments - that machine is playing on an entirely different level compared to the picoTracker. It's more expensive indeed, but you'll get more CPU power, more RAM, curated samples and sounds, more features, and in general more polish both in hardware and software.
Still, picoTracker is a super cool little device and having a hardware MIDI sequencer like this in that price range was practically unheard of yet
Resources
Build guide xiphonics.com/cdn/shop/files/picoTracker_build_guide.pdf
The screen www.aliexpress.us/item/1005004628969756.html
The battery www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006390258239.html
Cherry Switches: www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007890552065.html (contains only 4 switches, you'll need to order 3) - PLEASE check the pin layout of the switches before buying
Keycaps www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005513800132.html
M3 4mm screws www.aliexpress.com/item/32810852732.html (be careful to choose the correct size here, M3 4mm)
3D printing can be done at PCBWay, for example
Great video, your last one convinced me to sign up to their mailing list and I ordered the kit early December along with sourcing the other parts needed. I persuaded my nephew to 3D print the case for me as a Christmas present. Apart from some soldering of the switches it was a very easy build. I've been tempted by the Dirtywave M8 or the Polyend Tracker Mini but wanted a cheaper option to try a portable tracker. I must admit I have had a couple of teething issues now it's built, however a quick email to their support email had a very rapid response. They think it's likely to be a faulty screen which I can replace quickly and easily. If anyone is considering getting one, don't be put off by having to source parts and assembling it yourself, it's not too challenging.
Nice video as always. The new version looks great. Very interesting
Thanks for watching!
I love my v1 picotracker. V2 beta software working well on it so far.
The v2 software is advancing daily, it is a very dynamic development team and process. Eagerly awaiting new midi features.
I will certainly be buying the v2 hardware soon.
Ordered, thanks for the tip.
Now to find suitable buttons and screen... will be a fun winter project, and I'm so not paying 800$ in Sweden for an M8 gameboy lol.
Hi, thanks for watching - I think there's a link to a suitable screen on their webpage (link is in this video's description)
@@mr_floydst Did not find that link, but it's an LIP1708 battery and HP28008-D which adds another 100$ to the build... and thats not counting the case and cherry keys, it's gonna be a 300$ build for sure, still worth it.
I did the math before posting this video, you'll end up around $75. Here's the screen for example, www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804442655004.html - you'll need the "IPS No Touch" variant, which is $6.55
See their build guide, xiphonics.com/cdn/shop/files/picoTracker_build_guide.pdf
@@mr_floydst Different country I guess, mine came to a total of 20$ for shipping and that sceen, still 60 bucks cheaper than I found it myself, thanks ! Ordered. You search skills are better than mine.
I've added all the links now to the video's description and the pinned comment. ;-)
thanks a lot for links and video
Thanks for watching! :-)
This latest update isn't compatible with the DIY version. Well, the screen works, but after update it shows: NO CD CARD. Even thought the card is there. When unmounting the sd cand and mounting it back the screen is blank. Are you aware of any plans on making this conpatible with the DIY version?
There are two versions of the firmware - one for the newer hardware, one for the older. Both kind of work on the "wrong" hardware. That's what I'd check first. I installed V2.4 on the older hardware, didn't try 2.5 yet. Hope this helps.
How did they accomplish making almost an M8 with a fraction of the cost ?
Sale price has little to do with component cost for synths, especially niche ones.
@@LeRouxBodensteinPlus, the picoTracker software costs $0 of that price, versus the software development / releases and docs by Trash80 (M8 creator) is part of his living income, and his user support. And the M8 hardware is really nice, the case itself is a custom aluminum jobbo, it sounds wonderful too, and it's assembled, and tested.
M8 is built on the Teensy 4.1 MPU, while picoTracker is built on a lesser MPU. Running those 2 soft synths really taxes the CPU. Also, M8 is a much more refined product.
@@mr_floydstyes indeed, I know the M8 very well. It does have a metallic enclosure and a capacitive touch screen (even OLED in the V02) and I guess the assembling and special board to add USB-C to the Teensy add to the cost. The CPU as you say must also be way more powerful, for example, I don’t know if the pico will ever get usb audio class compliance as the M8 has.
@@alexandrosroussos Dirtywave's website says that it has a 'TFT IPS 3.5” Display'. I don't know where did you get that it has an OLED screen :P, although it would be great if they added it someday since in the dark OLEDs look much better.
Would it be possible to install M8C on the Pico?
Hi, thanks for watching - no, that's not possible. M8 is running on Teensy 4.1, which is is a much beefier hardware.
@@mr_floydst ok, thanks
Are there any one-stop shopping lists, kits, or kit group buys for this version yet?
None that I know of - I think the best bet is to join their Discord server and ask. You'll find the link on their web page.
@@mr_floydst
Thanks.
FWIW, the Miyoo Mini Plus retro handheld runs LGPTracker, and I've seen it new for under $30. It's a great option for a cheap portable tracker.
If you're not too keen on MIDI and all the other stuff I showed in this video, then using a games console with a copy of LGPT is a great option indeed. (I made a video on that last year ruclips.net/video/NHEUVQPlquo/видео.html )
@@mr_floydst Yup, I remember that video. I just was surprised to hear retro handhelds described as more expensive than a $75 picoTracker, since the two most popular gameboy-style LGPT hosts, the MM+ and rg35xx, are usually about $30 to $50 including shipping.
@@ToyKeeper The RG35XX is around $90 where I live. (One can always resort to ebay etc, where they go for around $30 to $50)
Anyway... ;-) Thanks for mentioning the cheaper console. I wasn't aware of that one. I'm sure some viewers will find that information helpful - on the RG35XX, the tracker is preinstalled, but somewhat hidden (you need to switch to GarlicOS first)
@@mr_floydst Yow, that's a lot. I see it for $39 brand new right now, straight from Anbernic. Somebody must be adding a big markup.
@@mr_floydst are there any handhelds with USB OTG capable of using MIDI with LGPT?
does anyone know where xiphonics is based? (Asking because of shipping :) )
My pT was shipped from the US.
Cool little gadget and nice video! What synth did you use in the background?
Thank you! That's a Montage M8X.
Great job in this channel. What the possibility of a VSTi host on a R-Pi using a platform of racks and scenes like Brainspawn Forte? Considering an example like SM Pro V-Machine...
Hi, I talked about this in several videos on this channel - please look them up on my RUclips channel page ;-)
In short, running X86/64 (Windows) plugins won't really work. Native plugins, however, are no problem at all.
One project that will most likely work for you is zynthian.org
You can buy their kit or just download the firmware image and install it on a Raspberry PI 5 yourself.
I tried a lot of stuff and let me tell you: go get a used MacBook Air M1 for couple hundred bucks.
The V machine was garbage (I have it, I used it, I suffered), any “alternative” solution is garbage
You get an M1 Mac, get MainStage that already has a lot to good sounds in it, use the headphone output for audio (no latency and good quality, no real need for USB interface), and you got yourself a proper, functional audio module that weighs 2 pounds, can work on battery, will run just about any VSTi, sounds good, and can also be an FX unit if you add a USB audio input.
The V-Machine was very limited in what could it run, I ended up running Synth1 and a sound font sampler on it,
It was barely useful in 2012, I was poor and could afford anything better. I had a workstation keyboard and needed to expand its function with some VA synth and a sampler, so V-machine fit the bill, it was super fiddly to set up, I spend A LOT of time getting some mediocre sounds out of it.
After this experience, trying to set up stuff in raspberry pi or something, just to get much worse solution than GarageBand on my phone… no thanks.
The truth has been spoken ;-)
However, a lot of people find fun in tinkering with Raspberry PI computers. If you're one of those people, Zynthian is worth a look. It's got a very good live looper sequencer (with lifts some ideas from ableton and its clips) and comes with tons of plugins preinstalled.
@@mr_floydst I've actually looked into it, I'm building my custom controller keyboard and figured I'd put an RPi into it and have some built-in sounds, for backup or quick jams. Still undecided because it's awful lot of work for something worse than a Korg Module app on my phone.
FWIW: in English, "pico" is pronounced "pee-ko".
Thanks! In theory, I know. But I tend to pronounce incorrectly when not writing/reading a script like in this video. My apologies for that :-)
I have the original, and with firmware v2 beta 5 I can't even manage to load samples into the project :'((
The folder structure has changes - you'll need to put all your samples into a "/samples" folder in the root directory now.
@ yea I was doing exactly that. On the GitHub they claim it now supports nested folders too. Still, not much luck. I hop stable v2 will be better.
Its working great for me on old hardware.
Back up your old sd card samples, and let the v2 picotracker software set up the folders on your sd card.
Drag your samples and subfolders into the /samples folder on the sd card.
You should now be able to load the samples into instruments ok.
Can you play the samples in real time instead of step sequencing, you could do this on amiga protracker, it was very useful
The hardware has a MIDI in port, so I guess this will be possible at some point in the future. For now, I didn't find an option like this, though. It's possible to audition the samples before loading them, and pressing enter on any note will play it as well. But that's not exactly what you're looking for, I guess.
"just hold down this key here, then press that key here, and then the right key then the enter key" ... ok, not something I'm going to use. Reminds me of the Dilbert cartoon where Dilbert says "we can create a user friendly GUI or we can just have the users press the four corner keys and type the middle key with their nose" and the boss goes, yeah, let's do that second one.
It's not for everyone. This kind of tracker came about on the Gameboy, which has a D-Pad and two buttons (if I remember correctly).
This is music for software developers, really. The original trackers in the times of Amiga & Atari where created to create games soundtracks more easily.
This is litteraly LGPT (even the samples feature some that came with LGPT). It runs on a modded PSP (30$) with no soldering to do.
OK LGPT doesn't have synths
@@MrCimryadeal One of the pT team here.
Some small corrections: it is not "literally" LGPT. The picoTracker firmware is *based* in LGPT as is stated in multiple places including at the very start of the picoTracker user manual.
However the current picoTracker vs LGPT running on a PSP has:
* TRS MIDI IN/OUT and USB MIDI out
* SID and OPAL synth instruments
* Scale mode
* Remote UI over USB
* Almost instant boot into Song screen
* Note preview on Phrase screen
* Boots into last open project
* Project name & random name creation on project screen
* Enhanced sample import file browser
* MIDI VEL Fx command
* colour theme editing on device
* 2 selectable custom fonts
* simple 1 step firmware install over USB
* completely rewritten user manual
As you can see, quite a few differences over running LGPT on a old PSP. While you could work on porting the firmware features to LGPT, infact some features like scales and random project names I believe are already in process of being ported to djmachines LGPT fork, to run on the PSP, things like TRS MIDI IN-OUT will not be so easy.
we need more tracker apps being made imo :(
@appakling I have Polyend Tracker. Perfect
@@MrCimryadeal polyend is cool, but we need more APPS. ft2, protracker, renoise, openMPT, famitracker, and there are like 3 more :(
instead of physical hardware I want more PC apps :/
nice machine, but the case is not offered any more, so without a 3d printer it is not possible to build.
Get an old Game Boy Color and hack it.
Or you could take a leaf out of the Pocket operator book and go bare PCB
I'm pretty sure you can order 3D prints online.
There are undoubtedly companies that will 3D print one-off prints.
If you aren't able to print it yourself or find a friend or nearby library or makerspace to print it, companies like JLCPCB and PCBWay (as well as many others) offer a 3D print service.
If someone was able to assemble with case and sell for $100, I’d buy one and I’m sure a lot of other people would likely be interested. I’ve been looking for something I can use as in ear drum track/midi guide track that also sends midi timecode to my loopers, battery power and a headphone jack makes something like this perfect for that use case. I’m not sure how stable the clock is but let’s assume it’s good, it’ll be work trying.
That looks REALLY sexy!
However, I already spent all my January fun money! Lol 😆 - Perhaps next month!
Thanks for watching! The picoTracker team will be delighted to read this. ;-)
The entry process with unlabeled buttons seems insanely tedious and inefficient. I can see the hobbyist appeal of the kit, and using this as an alternate pattern source for my midi instruments could be interesting, but until there are external methods for creating and inputting patterns, no thanks.
The tracker workflow isn't for everyone for sure. But it's quite efficient once you've created your phrases - arranging them in the chain and song sequencer is a breeze (and opens up new ways of / perspectives on arranging music)
I didn't show the MIDI in use in this video. Perhaps I'll do in a RUclips short.
Not for people with bad vision 😢
My apologies - are you referring to the video or the device itself? You could use the screen export for a bigger display. (I also added that screen export in the right corner of the screen)
@@mr_floydstthe device, your video was good .
Actually there is a screen sharing function, you can duplicate the screen on your computer. Much larger and easier to read!
Plug the picotracker into your computer and use Web browser to see the screen duplicated on your pc or Mac.
Very cool.
I do appreciate open source projects, but it does seem like they are following along with the Dirtwave m8 as far as feature set they are adding. M8 is a bit of an investment for some people (and a good wait to get your hands on it) so I can't complain too much.... though there is the headless option to give it a test drive. This would be cool if they had done a more gameboy style button config to make it unique instead of using keyboard keys.
picoTracker was "derived" from an open source software named "Little Piggy Tracker" (and if I remember correctly, so was the M8). So having very similar ideas is part of the process, I guess. ;-)
@@mr_floydst M8 is not derived from Piggy Tracker, but instead Piggy and M8 both are inspired by the UI design of LSDJ!
Software looks just like M8.
I think both were derived from an older open source software named "Little Piggy Tracker" which was quite popular in the early 2000s.
Both are inspired by a tracker software for Game Boy called Little Sound DJ. Little GP Tracker was first made for the GamePark32 (hence the name, but nicknamed "Piggy") and later ported to various platforms and ultimately made open source when development stopped. PicoTracker is based on the Little GP Tracker source whereas M8 is a wholly different, original, project.
hard pass. a prebuilt version that works right out of the box would be more appealing. all these people are paying a small fortune in their time and frustration for a tiny fiddly underpowered piece of gear. not to mention scavenging the hardware from several places etc. however, if this represents fun for some people, then it is a good thing even though i would not mess with it.
This is a valid opinion. ;-) I agree, building has to be a part of the fun for you, otherwise don't buy this. I didn't mention that in this video because I already did that in last year's video.
One thought worth pondering imo is that the last decade of hardware synths has seen most innovation in the field of "underpowered devices". Snack-sized synthesizer boxes like Volca, NTS-1 and all the other ones that loosely fit into this category are flying off the shelves, so to speak. The appeal of "the gadget" definitely is a thing.
@@mr_floydst re: low powered devices: yes and no. volcas are ready-to-run straight out of the box, so your point is sort of invalid. i have had a music channel for years (autistic einstein) and got to know a bunch of youtube synth people. most younger people arent rich so that's why they buy volcas. You dont need a dedicated set of electronics equipment and knowledge to use a volca. you just plug the volca in and away you go. this is also why behringer has dominated so many setups. this picotracker is beyond the average high schooler at any price. there is a philosophical element at play here that i first realized on a pc game board: the eternal conflict between the "farmers" or "grinders" vs the "swipers" who buy a lot of things to save time farming the stuff to build better gear or whatever. one guy said it was easier for him to work a couple extra hours of overtime to pay for some stuff that would have taken w/e 10 hours of in-game grinding to get the same stuff. that stuck with me. i still play the game and sometimes grind and sometimes just buy the stuff so i see both sides. i'm an EE by vocation and this stuff is all child's play for me if i had to do it. i have no desire to though because this is the result of a pack of rookies making this project.insanely more screwed up and complicated than it should be.. korg NTS1 is a build it kit that actually goes together smoothly and actually works. So IMO this is pure hobbyist stuff. a hobby is what you waste your disposable resources on (primarily time and/or money in this case) to have fun. this device is a deliberate complication to making some form of noise toy and is in no way similar to a volca, except maybe the raw processor power. i want to bust my noodle on learning how to use the synths i buy. i hope this makes sense. and i repeat: if you are into the chase, then this is great, but i don't respect this project's trajectory at all, so i have to pass.
@jjrusy7438 , underpowered? nah, you can make full compositions on this thing, as well sample playback, and quite a lot of MIDI control - including sending CCs to hardware, and there's even a issue on GH which may mean SysEx messaging in the future too - this is huge as hardly any gear provides this anymore! also, "all these people" probably enjoy the DIY aspect of it - the DIY synth/etc scene is thriving.
anyway, there is a pT+ version coming out soon which looks to be sold as prebuilt, so you might be in luck :)
@@jjrusy7438are you that really short guy in NY who walked Bob Dylan on stage?
@@big-smoke-rc talk to me after you grow up you little trollboi. adults debate opinions whereas low intelligence children get personal...smh