why trackers?

[kuniklo]

Trackers seem like a big step back to me compared to current hosts but their popularity endures. Why? Is it just a case of people sticking to what they know or are there advantages?

[VitaminD]

I started off in screamtracker 3.. I'd say its great for sample manipulation for one... 'total control' as I'd like to call it..

but I also see it as atari and 8-bit nintendo.. people still like using those systems even though we have 128-bit ultra superduper systems these days. The older ones have their own feel and as a result inhibit different feelings (and in the case of music creation could induce more creativity in some people)

just my opinions..

[Liquidclear]

One of the advantages of a tracker is the primarly keyboard and shortcut interface. Once you're familiar with that, it's blazingly fast to get a step sequence (and fx, volume, etc) input compared to using a mouse in a piano roll. IMO, this is very effective for complex drum programming.

[paulmerchant]

I can think of a few. You can more easily create music with QWERTY rather needing a midi keyboard plugged or always using a mouse. This QWERTY workflow makes it easy to compose on a laptop, say, while riding a bus (or while hiding in a closet or working at the office). Trackers are also quite precise and technical. A lot of composers like that. Some of us even like the vertical scrolling instead of the horizontal scrolling on traditional sequencers. I'm sure there are a lot of other things, but it's not a step back to use modern trackers like Renoise and Aodix when you have VST instruments and effects.

[jackson]

Nothing can come close to trackers as far as speed goes. Nothing. As LiquidClear states, once you learn the shortcuts, it's insane how fast you can lay down tracks.

I haven't used one in years apart from just messing around, but I always mean to get back into it for glitchy drum tracks.

[kuniklo]

Is Renoise pretty much the king of trackers these days or are there other ones worth checking out?

[VitaminD]

buzz is still interesting imo.. even with the bugs...

if you want to try one of the 'kings' of the tracker scene a decade ago then try Impulse Tracker and Fast Tracker 2 ... each had their own feel.. I've had IT working in WindowsXP with the use of vdmsound but otherwise it doesnt seem to want to run b/c they're DOS based

[VitaminD]

oh, yeah, there is also reVISIT.. a tracker VSTi plugin: http://www.nashnet.co.uk/english/revisit/

but its in alpha right now..

[shamann]

All of the positives described for trackers here I could easily apply to my trackerless rig (quick, precise, technical, sample control, etc). I'm sure a lot of others could, too, about their respective rigs. Methods change, but end results are pretty easy to come by given any advanced system.

One of the big reasons trackers endure is that there are whole sub-cultures devoted to them. Makes it desirable for some to join in on the fun, makes it easy to share projects and get support from other users/communities, perpetuates the availability of tools, etc.

Another thing, trackers stay pretty similar in use, despite platform changes and software attrition rates. Once you know how to use a tracker, you pretty much can use any tracker. Not always easy to say the same with other styles of apps.

And given the power of trackers (i.e. can still hold their own with a lot of newer systems, and have scaled well with newer technologies such as VST), a lot of folk who have found their groove with them aren't inclined to give up on them until they absolutely have to.

[soma]

Speed and control!

Why not:
Hard to read, slower for non-quantized info, only pattern based, worse midi integration

Whenever I have a song due in a week and haven't started, I ALWAYS break out Buzz and they are usually most complemented tracks.

[allofdrab]

I find I can often fit and see more information on the screen (i.e. notes, tracks).

if you want to try one of the 'kings' of the tracker scene a decade ago then try Impulse Tracker and Fast Tracker 2 ... each had their own feel.. I've had IT working in WindowsXP with the use of vdmsound but otherwise it doesnt seem to want to run b/c they're DOS based

Have you tried MilkyTracker, as a Fast Tracker 2 alternative?
I think Milky is a nice little app, but I've never used Fast Tracker 2.
http://www.milkytracker.net/about.html
How do they compare?

I've been using Mad Tracker a bit, ReWired through Bidule.
Works pretty well.

At quick glance, Mad Tracker appears to have a good community around it.
Is that an accurate observation?
How does the Mad Tracker community compare to, say, the Renoise one?
I own and like Renoise, but rarely visit the forums.

Mod Plug Tracker has this sample stretch feature which keeps me coming back to it to fiddle around.
I hope they keep developing it.

Anybody know what's going on with Skale Tracker?
Also, has anyone been using the VST versions of Skale Tracker or BeRoTracker?
How have they worked for you?

[allofdrab]

Ooh.. I just noticed there's a new version of Skale that works on Linux. I'll be trying that.

[fake]

Ooh.. I just noticed there's a new version of Skale that works on Linux. I'll be trying that.

I still ain't tried most of the Linux ones I already have..

Cheesetracker (Impulse tracker clone), Shaketracker (Midi tracker), Soundtracker (Fast tracker xi/xm clone) and KMiditracker (Midi tracker)

The only ony on I tried was Sountracker cos you can load xi or xm files, fun to mess with but I don't know how to use it.

fake

[sjm]

As others have said trackers are great speedwise; you can get an entire track laid out with different parts, verse chorus etc in about 10 minutes; another 10 minutes to add a couple of effects (delay tracks, second tracks an octave/5th higher, double speed whatever, fades, parameter changes). If it's mathematical in its approach, the tracker can do it for you really quickly; nothing beats a keyboard interface for speed when it comes to inputting lots of parameters.

Unfortunately there is a downside; actually going through the track and fine-tuning it (setting velocities, positioning hits so they don't fall exactly on the beat etc.) is a real pain up the backside. Whilst you can get the raw information out there in seconds, the UI isn't quite as friendly when it comes to fine tuning a few parameters. A GUI makes this a lot easier. I don't know whether there aren't trackers out there now that combine the two approaches though; I haven't used a tracker for about 5 years; the last was Buzz... (before that IT, ST3, and MED to name a few)

[allofdrab]

Unfortunately there is a downside; actually going through the track and fine-tuning it (setting velocities, positioning hits so they don't fall exactly on the beat etc.) is a real pain up the backside. Whilst you can get the raw information out there in seconds, the UI isn't quite as friendly when it comes to fine tuning a few parameters. A GUI makes this a lot easier. I don't know whether there aren't trackers out there now that combine the two approaches though; I haven't used a tracker for about 5 years; the last was Buzz... (before that IT, ST3, and MED to name a few)

Renoise and Mad Tracker have pretty good graphical envelopes for parameter automation.
Arguru is definately trying to combine approaches with Aodix, perhaps it's better for positioning hits, not sure.
Anyone? Aodix users?