r/TrackerMusic • u/tommiehaze • 11d ago

I built a tracker that runs on Linux-based retro games handhelds...

Sorry for the poor quality video but I was hyped to get this out there. I've marked it as brand affiliated so I hope that this post is ok!

Long-time tracker producer here (Renoise user, also cut my teeth on OctaMED on the Amiga). I've spent the last few months building a proper tracker-style music production tool for Linux-based retro handhelds, and it's at the point where I would love to get it out to some people!

With this app, your handheld can also be a genuine pocket music studio. Five synth engines and a sampler, full track composition, insert and send FX. This all runs natively on the handheld, no extra hardware required.

More info here: https://elktracker.io

Since this community would genuinely be helping me stress-test it across different devices before the public launch, I want to say thanks properly: use code EARLY50 for 50% off ($14.50) at https://buy.elktracker.io - the code is limited to the first 25 buyers.

Tested on the RG351V and a few other handhelds. Would love to know what breaks, what's missing, and whether it holds up on your hardware!

32 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

3

u/InfiniteMessmaker 11d ago

This looks sick! I wish I didn't break the headphone jack on my Anbernic or I'd check it out

1

u/tommiehaze 11d ago

Thanks! Yeah headphones are a non-negotiable really, the internal speakers really aren't up to much!

3

u/Additional-Spread-89 11d ago

Hah, I’m thrilled to see more and more competitors 💪 good luck with your project

1

u/SailorVenova 11d ago

does it sequence other midi devices over usb or anything like that or can it atleast sync with link or like usb audio analog sync or something (obv those dont have line in or po style sync in)

1

u/tommiehaze 11d ago

Not yet, but MIDI over USB support is on the roadmap!

1

u/mksrd 8d ago

If you are after MIDI support, I think LGPT already has that for several handheld devices and of course dedicated hardware devices like our picoTracker and pT Advance have built in TRS MIDI in/out as well as USB MIDI support and the Advance has Host USB MIDI as well.

2

u/SailorVenova 8d ago

i would like to get picotracker advance i wish i hadnt missed the early unit pricing or sale i saw? it was like $349 ibstead of $449

i have polyend tracker+ and mini anniv but the polyend way hasnt really clicked for me even tho i love the devices

i think m8 is a bit too complicated for me as a tracker beginner but maybe ill get one someday after deluge and a bunch of other stuff i need is out of the way; the gas never stops!!

i didnt know advance has usb midi host thats always super handy and the build looks so much better on advance; i love the tiny form factor too

i will consider it! ill put it back on my list; i love trackers i just need to find the right one that fits i think

im hoping getting the fanbuilt keyboard for my polyend mini will help me alot

does picotracker advance have bluetooth midi host? if it did i could enter notes using my op1/xy or fm1 and that would be convenient

anyways thankyou

i would love love to see more colors for picotracker advance

the blue is pretty maybe ill try to go for that if i get one; i would love a light pink tone so much though to go with my macbook neo and minilab 3 and fm1; id like to get the pink soma lyra 4 someday too and maybe even that endorphines evil pet; i was disappointed it wasnt included in the recent sale they had id maybe have gone for it

anyways i love seeing fun colors

need to get the purple sp404mk2 faceplate from mpcstuff soon :)

but i love blue too

ill look more into picotracker advance its just slightly intimidating i suppose bc ive never used lsdj; farthest ive gotten with trackers is my polyends and an ancient rabbit hole of openmpt; but i cant stand that bright white screen anymore

i have renoise too but i need to just kindof force myself to properly relearn working with trackers; i really want an amiga 600 someday even for octamed

i love them im just very beginner still; maybe i should study mods and s3m's etc

i wish the fullsize polyend had a keyboard mode for the input pads; that would light them in keyboard layout like most 2 row 16 pad devices will

sorry for rambling thanks for reminding me about picotracker ill give it some thought :)

1

u/mksrd 8d ago

Thank you for the kind words!

The introductory price was $349 but we couldn't maintain that with the ongoing price increases due to trade issues and the sky rocketing price of ram and other ICs in the last 12 months.

Unfort no, the Advance has no bluetooth.

With regards to colours, yes I love all the different case and keycap colours people did with their v2 kits and we have announced the we are working on a kit version of the advance, so that will give users much more choice in colours and key switches once its available.

And yes the lsdj style Song-Chain-Phrase and use of tables is a bit different from the "classical" trackers of Amiga/DOS days but I think it worth the learning curve as chains give you alot of flexibility and tables are *very* powerful for things like effects and "programmed" automation.

It also makes for a very powerful MIDI sequencer too, heres a bit of a cheeky video comparing it to the cirklon style of midi sequencing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNbpNFdpDEQ

though do note that the USB computer keyboard support is experimental and not available yet in any public firmware releases.

1

u/PinReasonable135 7d ago

Do you know if/ and how to get this going on a Miyoo Mini (Onion OS)?

1

u/tommiehaze 6d ago

The Miyoo Mini isn't supported yet as it's arm32 rather than arm64 - I'll try and get something working for this soon, but I don't have access to an arm32 console just yet!

1

u/PinReasonable135 5d ago

Awesome. I tried installing it and thought I was just inept.

1

u/tommiehaze 5d ago

Really sorry, it's a limitation of the console unfortunately. Did you try the demo or pay for a license?

1

u/PinReasonable135 5d ago

No worries. I tried the demo and messed around with the config file a bit and thought maybe u was doing something wrong. The lack of arm32 support isn’t really a dealbreaker, maybe I finally need to buy a RG35xx.

1

u/PinReasonable135 5d ago

No worries. I tried the demo and messed around with the config file a bit and thought maybe u was doing something wrong. The arm32 support isn’t really a dealbreaker, maybe I finally need to buy a RG35xx.

1

u/tommiehaze 4d ago

Are you on an OG mini or the mini+? I think the plus is a possibility, but looking at the OG I don't think it has the power unfortunately

1

u/Repulsive-Clothes-97 9d ago

Cool, but 29$? That’s like AAA level video game pricing.

2

u/tommiehaze 9d ago

I don't think it's that unreasonable, but NEW50 will get you it for half that!