Polyend has updated its hardware groovebox/sequencer Play to firmware 1.1 with a new SD card export function, new sound content, and more
Back at Superbooth 222, the Polish company Polyend released Play, a hardware groovebox that combines classic sample playback with a feature-rich sequencer. According to the developers, Play should lead to long, creative jams thanks to its simple workflow and at the same its inspiring features. Especially the powerful sequencer.
However, the many feature requests from the first users also showed that the device still needs care in some places or, to put it mildly, fine-tuning. Polyend has now released update 1.1 which expands functionality and improves the hardware.
Polyend Play 1.1
The Polyend Play 1.1 is not a big feature fest. It’s more of an update that tweaks the existing features in the right direction resulting in an improved workflow. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any new features.
One of the biggest feature addition in version 1.1 is the ability to export files to an SD card. You can either export your master track, individual tracks, current pattern, or even the whole pattern chain. Then, there is a new setting to allow for knob sample preview when playback is running, stopped, or both.
As already written, this is all about the fine-tuning of the engine. For example, the sample management system has gotten a major makeover and offers now the option to delete all unused samples in the project. The sample playback using the internal keyboard or external MIDI note now also works when a track is selected.
You can also benefit from a new look of the variation page with a new color setup. The active variation is now in orange, available variable in yellow, and an empty variation in dark yellow. Also, the pattern page got a new look. Empty patterns are now represented in a dimmed green color.
Further, the developers have improved the different Quick Copy workflows for the patterns, variations, step pages, and steps. Also new is that a saved session is cleared when switching track variation or pattern. External gear users will be very happy about the new possibility to send MIDI clock & transport out to both DIN/jack and USB simultaneously.
There is also a workflow improvement for the transpose functionality which now only works with the pressed shift key. The internal view keyboard and external MIDI note input will not transpose a sample or samples unless shift is held
New Sound Content
The new firmware 1.1 is also a major sound content update for the Play. It adds new sample packs (House, Tech House), and 50 additional beat fills:
Always Different, Always Late, Autumn Fall, Backtrack, Bicycle Fail, Break It, Cat Hat, Crocko, Destroyson, Driller, Drowner, Dubzap, Fade In, Fast Walker, Fill It, Half Life, Hat Trick, Hi-Hat Uzi, Hitman, Intelektual.
Jump Up, Jumpy, Kick It, Look up, Market Beat, Melty, Metal Hits, Mind Glowing, Nice Break, Oh Wait, Pattern Break, Pitcher, Playing Funny, Rewind, Ridge Racer, Robot Drum, Sewers, Slow Down, Snaresky, Spaciality, Spill That, Step Up, Swing It, Swoosh, Take It, Think, Tin, Too Basic, Two People, Way Too Late
That looks like a very solid firmware update for the Polyend Play to me. Yes, no major new features, but the existing ones have been improved in many places. That’s also very important.
Polyend Play 1.1 firmware update is available now as a free download for existing customers.
More information here: Polyend
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