ACROSS THE TRACKS

Polyend’s new sampler brings the cult ‘alt-DAW’ format to the hardware realm. But what actually is a tracker, and how do they work?

For many, the classic late-’80s/early-’90s computer music setup would be one based around an Atari ST, but a thick wallet was needed for extra outboard gear like a MIDI keyboard, a synthesiser and possibly even an Akai sampler for good measure. However, at the very same time, an underground computer music movement was already brewing, and its only requirement to create kickass tunes was a humble Amiga – no external gear necessary.

Composing music that played back purely on a home computer was once the domain of video game musicians who also happened to be skilled programmers, but all this changed thanks to a German musician/coder named Karsten Obarski with his release of the first commercially available tracker. The Ultimate Soundtracker – or simply Soundtracker, as it was known – revolved around four vertical tracks with music programmed as rows of alphanumeric characters. It lacked appeal for traditional musicians when compared to software with notes shown on much more traditional staves such as Aegis Sonix or EA’s Deluxe Music Construction Set, but it quickly became the tool of choice for both game and demoscene musicians. Soundtracker and its many unauthorised spin-offs (eg, ProTracker, NoiseTracker, etc) dominated the Amiga landscape.