Bad Gear - Play Plus
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Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Polyend Play Plus. Is this updated version of the original Play groovebox and distant cousin to the Polyend Tracker worth the price of the hardware upgrade (which is $399). Is GearTube toxic AF??? Should you just keep the OG Play and add a few synths instead? Are early adopters of Play disappointed for a reason?
Thanks to Polyend for sending me a demo unit as a long term loan.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro tune
00:47 Overview Play Plus
01:35 Chronology of the Controversy
02:53 Back to the Groovebox
03:01 Play Workflow, Pick and Place
03:20 Filter
03:30 Envelopes, FX
03:39 More Parameters
03:48 Sequencer, Microtiming, Ratches, Chance, Random
04:24 Pattern Length, Polymeters, Play Modes
04:43 Midi Tracks, Chords
05:01 Internal Synthesizers, Polyphony
05:23 Limitations of the Synths
05:41 UI, Knobs, Double Tap, Main Encoder
05:52 Master FX
06:00 Real Time Recording
06:15 Performance Mode
06:26 Pattern, Variation, Mute/Solo
06:33 What else???
06:50 Hate
07:11 Jam 1 (House Solo)
08:06 Jam 2 (DnB Setup)
09:05 Finale (Synth Showcase)
09:37 Verdict - Hudba
Audiopilz: *slaps roof of YT channel*
Full Tracks, Extended Jams, Sample Packs: www.patreon.com/audiopilz
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/audio.pilz/
Still waiting for you to do that Casio voice synth!
'is geartube toxic af?' Well there's a reason this is the only gear-related thing I even look at online
Yeah, it's a weird bubble...
I was a gear reviewer too before I took the Polyend to the hard knee 🤣
Nice reference, not sure people will know it though.
@@LimitationCreation never even played the game, and I got the reference. 😄The internet is a wonderful thing, sometimes.
There's a good reason why I unsubbed from Glenn Fricker, and not just because of his current godawful editing style and ignoring the part of metal history when high gain amps didn't exist and you were the most br00tal dude in the scene once you put EMGs into your guitar alongside with you maxed out TS9 pedal and also maxed out JCM800 (which is still a way more fun setup than the current 5150/Recto/similar stuff). He's still right about the speakers though (guitarists, please use more Electro-Voice speakers!).
Must say, you're not just a CZcamsr, you're an exceptional musician. What a talent!
Thank you so much!!!
Yeah dude yo music is really super good! Do you ever release anything?@@AudioPilz
I think Bad Gear episodes should be considered high art and they have to be stored in some digital museum for the future people. For Uli's sake, just look at the production level, wording, music, structure. This is how it's done, future kids! Florian raised the bar for everyone and i hope other people will follow suit.
Thank you so much!!!
that's why he's got Patreon so you can literally download everything 😂
Episodes need to be saved on an internet archive like waybackmachine, for the future bad gear enthusiasts!
you should post your 9 min sets of that bass music you make, show the "kids" how it's done, or not.
🤣
@@helisoma nah bro i meant some congress library stuff not some random ppl hard drive 🙂
The Polyend Play spent almost its entire life cycle in my favorite retailer's wishlist. I jumped at the Plus, which is now patiently awaiting its unboxing
Nice!!!
It never ceases to amaze me how you manage to get to grips (and deep-dive) with a different bit of hi-tech gear every week... and not only that, but put together some great jams and a whole lot of video editing. How do you find the time! 🙂 Another good one.
Thank you so much!!! I just try to stay organized!!!
I concur 100%. I'd love a second video a week with him running through how he learned each new tool. I felt him (and Bo Beats) on the SP404ii clip, some learning curves are steeper. Props, such great tunes Florian. Just call it Florian Mode.
@@AudioPilz Organization and espresso.
@@PiriakaTrackwreckerand a third video of "bad gear-tube" where he mercilessly roasts other video makers.
As a Tracker owner, jealous of all those glorious encoders. The performance menu goes a long way, but just doing a filter sweep on the fly should be a lot simpler.
I feel the same way!!!
A tracker with encoders and without a grid would be ideal
I cant even wrap my head around how much work goes into these 😮💨 you make it look easy ♥️
Thank you so much!!!
Got a Synthstrom Deluge 4 years ago, and recently updated to the OLED UI. When I see this, I know the investment in learning the Deluge workflow ( I also used an overlay for about a year) was worth it. Thanks for this Florian, you have affirmed that I made the right decision. Great video, I turn in on every Friday. You never disappoint. A+ :)
Thank you so much!!!
exactly.
The Deluge kicks ass.
I am slowly learning my Play+. A fascinating device. I am impressed how quickly you are proficient with it.
It's a different workflow, but once you have your head around it, it's extremely powerful and rewarding.
Thank you!!! Once you have put 10K hours into learning gear;)
Please don't end your gear-reviewing career, bro. You are proving every week that it's not the gear that makes the music, but the mind behind it. Congratulations on your channel and happy 2024 !
Thank you so much!!! No worries!!!
So many great bad gear episodes but this is really great! Thanks for the fun and info regarding this box
Thank you so much!!!
Hard to believe you haven't covered the Roland Sonic Cell, but that's my request for this week! Thank you Mr. Pilz, as always, for the great music and awesome sense of humor.
Thank you, great suggestion!!!
musically, one of the best recent episodes, as always keep up the good work!
Thank you so much!!!
Still checking all the boxes. Well done, as usual. Watched and liked as usual. Keep it up man.
Thank you so much!!!
I would pay a hefty sum for a full version of that ending jam, fantastic work as always!
My dreams have been achieved through the power of patreon
Thank you!!! Shameless plug: full tracks can be found on my Patreon!!!
This man really working overtime. Thanks for the video my numba one Österreicher! 💪🏾
Schen Daung!!!
i joined your patreon because of that final synth showcase. holy hell i need more of that track!
Thank you so much!!!
Strolling into the tiger's cage with aplomb, rattlingly ; new year put on notice. He don't care, bout yr world. the DAW-y eyed last jam was impressive- it's the little touches in the stereo field, the clever harmonic weaving; and you do this every week. its not just the sprint, it's the endurance. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much!!! Have a great 2024!!!
With all the quirks, I'm still very interested in it.
Great review and productions of it.
Thank you!!!
You never cease to amaze me with your Skill. Happy New Year.
Thank you so much!!!
Love this Finale Jam. Every groove box seems to groove well under your tutelage 😊
Thank you so much!!!
You totally nailed it this week! That dub techno track was the bomb!! ♥️
Thank you so much!!!
from the mems to the little details top notch episode as always love the bass in jam 2 .
Thank you so much!!!
I love all the dawless setups that “want to break free” but then sound 10x better when processed a bit inside a daw :-)
Jokes aside, Florian i feel the Erica Synths Db 01 and Lxr 02 coming on your channel. Call it basic instinct
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
I have the DB-01 and I am disappointed. The sound isn't bad, the controls are a bit worse. But the MIDI implementation is practically non-existent. You get clock in, note on, note off, mod wheel hard-coded to filter cutoff, and pitch bend. That's it! It could have been a MIDI or modular powerhouse if even some of the synthesis functionality was exposed. But it isn't.
So yeah. Do it!
these ones are good gear, db-01 sounds dope
@@stussyg8567 i don`t think „bad gear“ is meant 100% seriously and literally on the channel
@@saardean4481 of course, I'm just a fanboy of my synth, peace)
hahaha!!! I saw you sneak that deluge image in there!
THAT is the desert island groovebox.
I really have to give that one a try!
Great review! I’ve been loving mine. I don’t think I’ve found a workflow in either hardware or DAWs that is this fast and intuitive to whip up tracks and sequences. Agree with you on some of the live performance limitations though
Thank you!!!
I bet that if Polyend was more predatory and released the Play+ with another name and without the option to upgrade, saying it's a new version instead of a revised version, nobody would've batted an eye. I mean, just take a look at TE: people complained, but they were also happy because the old OP-1 was going to become cheaper lol
In any case, I understand the frustration the OG owners might've felt, but the whole toxic debacle was unnecessary.
On another note, great video! Loved the last track.
Thank you!!!
Didn't the Play + come out a year later? That's probably got a lot to do with it.
Also, people dunked on TE hard with the OP1 field, lol. That price was a piss take to almost everybody
@@vangoghsseveredear Yeah, around 1 year later, I think.That's why I believe if it had another name and no upgrade path, people wouldn't even care, and would probably be happy about the price drop on the normal Play and not worry about resale value, like the OP1-Field did with the original OP-1.
First episode of Bad Gear of the year weeee :D Happy new year mr Florian with more memes and more jams :)
Happy 2024!!!
The house jam particularly tasty. These bad gear vids actually kill my gas they are so good.
Thank you so much!!!
Love the hunter S Thompson quote. Marvellous ❤❤❤
Thank you!!!
Epic tunes once again bruv! I love your taste, and greatly appreciate your ability to dip into genres and nail them with brand new gear! Maybe throw in some more UKG like the first audio example? Plenty of the groove boxes do it nicely. Go old school and do the OG green red and blue electribes?
Thank you so much!!! Love OG Tribes!!!
I love the K.O.II meme in this video :) I can't wait for the bad gear episode on it!
I really have to give that one a try!
You named your project "SUBSCRIBE” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 you truly are a genius. Very timely, I just got the Play+ a few days ago. Bought the "vintage Play" as soon as it was available, so def triggered by this launch, but have to say I'm extremely glad I upgraded. Luckily found someone selling it for dirt cheap, so my "upgrade" cost was significantly less than $400 💪 new synths are nice, can't wait till performance mode can be used on them/midi, this thing will be 💯 then
Happy to hear that!!! Thanks!!!
He does that a lot, and also has other funny names for patches and stuff if you look carefully.
@@igmusicandflying You get more entertainment for your money on this channel.😃
Love your channel. You demonstrate that the gear hardly matters. It's what you do with it that counts. You have saved me a lot of money as I have stopped buying gear altogether.
Thank you so much!!!
Fantastic show. Interesting take on stereotypical joke about Poland as default wasteland for the gear:) we should be swimming in used vintage gear wonderland in a bit😂 happy new year. ❤
Thank you!!! Roland on Poland;)
This is one of the first pieces of gear you've done where I have some experience. I had the original Play. I found it very frustrating to work with- same issues with real time record, double click buttons, channel assignments didn't seem to stick... my main issue was that there is no poly per midi track meaning you have to chew up tracks if you want to record your own chord voicings. I got a Deluge new with OLED but I did it primarily because I saw how generous they were to upgrade people's existing machines for a very low price and the open sourced firmware. I do miss the velocity sensitive pads on both but the Deluge is a complete joy to work with because it behaves... graphic sample editing on the matrix- yes.
Regarding Ben... I just wonder what the hell is wrong with people. He had an opinion. Disagree and walk away. Threatening the man? WTF?
Great heads-up, thanks!!!
Pro Tip: Random nobodies on the internet typing "threats" is not that threating.
@@pacman_pol_pl_polska it extended beyond the internet for Ben.
@@Eigenstates. Living in commiefornia must be hell.
Great video as always. A challenge to you, I would love to see you review a stylophone x-1 while somehow making some amazing jams out with it.
Thank you!!! Great suggestion!!!
Put it through a bunch of FX boxes.
God damm it, one day late for your new again briljant vid.
Really appreciate your work.
Thank you so much!!!
Happy Friday Florian!
Have a nice weekend!!!
I just bought a first gen Play brand new for under 500. It works great as the sequencing centerpiece for my dateless setup
Nice!!!
haha! a Bela Lugosi reference! great vid...id never own this thing but nice to see
The man. The legend.
@@AudioPilz "Bela Lugosi's Dead" 🎶
Holy cow...this was actually the most balanced review yet!!
Thank you so much!!!
Your DnB is getting better :)
Thank you so much!!!
that first jam is amazing 🙀😳😳😳...also great to see the Rocket in the second jam...was it used in the finale as well? nobody covers controversy like you...the Walter Cronkite of synth news 😁👍🏻
Thank you so much!!! Finale was all Play Plus
very very good music you made ❤
Thank you!!!
Had the OG, upgraded and don’t regret it but also understand the disappointment it has caused. I immediately clicked with the Play and its interface/workflow so to have the upgraded power and synths was tremendously exciting for me. Having fewer boxes that actually inspire and excite is my New Gear’s Resolution.
I guess, I will find the OG now for cheap on the Second Hand market ;-)
Nice!!!
10:00 Jeez Florian, that's a (very distant) blast from the past.... 😆
😂😂😂
damn that waldorf bass sounded massive! :D
Love the Rocket!!!
Also famous for their salad.
Great video! I think it'd be super cool if you checked out and did a review of the Dirty Wave M8 Tracker? I recently just got one and im absolutely loving the work flow!
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
Nice work as always. Kraftwerk actually did a show in my city a couple of days ago.
Edit: Also, I was quite saddened at the treatment Benn Jordan copped. I also enjoyed his reviews.
Thanks!!!
Ah yes, the infamous PAY PLUS to the owners of the OG 😂
When you know, you know...
Yep, bought mine 6 months earlier to learn that i can upgrade for 400. So in the end, i have to pay more than a person who pay for the whole new product.
I'll stick for the mono version. I'm using it in MIDI mode anyway.
@@kirkanos771 Or sell it to a newb and buy the plus after.
@@kirkanos771knowing that you have to send them the Play !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So you are 1000% right !!!!! This is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING for early adopters, what a way to thank them from POLYEND !!!!!!…………… I swear you it drives me crazy and I even don’t have one so I imagine you should be mad afffffffffffffff……..
They shouldn’t ask to send back the original one and do a very good offer on the PLUS, that’s all !!!!!
On your hands it sounds amazing. The first jam you made, called House solo, i would called Berlin Techno Solo. It was top notch 👌🏻❤
Nice chapter of one of the biggest hyped gear of the last year.
I was sad cause the Ben Jordan video reaction, he is a nice guy. He should not give a f**k about what others think or say.
Agreed!!!
Another great video and jam 👏 So if I got you right, sound design is menu-divey, and as far as I know there's no LFOs? Not replacing my Digitakt, then!
Thank you!!! Menu-divey like a Roland;)
I got (and sold) the OG Play and I must say it's a super fun and immediate machine... I bought it as a "cheap Deluge", which it isn't... This new Plus it's better, although the best feature I think it has is that you can get the original WAY cheaper, as it's a really fun machine... Anyway, if you are looking for a portable DAW in a box, it's the Deluge with community firmware, IMHO.
BTW Florian, you're videos are fucking awesome. As suggestion, I think the Perkons should get also the BG treatment 🙂
Thank you!!! Great suggestion!!!
The OG Play is still a great little drum machine and I love mine. I just thought the $400 pricetag to update it was a slap in the face.
You and 99.9% of everyone else thought so as well.
Same. Price difference on top of the original near me, I may as well should have good a deluge from the start. Huge slap in the face considering I loved the hell out of polyend products prior (they really should have kept making the seq, love that thing)
I feel you!!!
Very nice, diese Abreibe 🙂
Danke!!!
As an early adopter, my beef with the “upgrade” was that IMHO play needed several other improvements more than it needed synth engines or stereo. Ideally the replacement to a new more powerful CPU should have unlocked significant changes that could have been more of a game changer. It very much feels like the release of “the thing we meant to make all along” at the expense (literally) of early adopters. Yes there is butthurt. But that said, I was hoping for a completely different set of improvements. As a user I wanted to see significantly expanded per track, per step, FX routing and layering options. Multiple different FX beyond the global reverb and delay flavors. True LFOs including rate and shape with routing options to control multiple per track or per step parameters like filters, panning, and FX. Midi delays or trigger stutter to allow for some performance capability on the Midi lanes as well as the sample based audio side.
Synth engines while a cool addition comes at the expense of the Midi tracks. If you were adding a beefy chip would it have been possible to have 3 pages of 8 tracks? Samples, internal synths, and 8 external midi tracks? Its a very cool groove box, but it still has limitations that could have been addressed if you were planning a chip upgrade. My biggest concern now is that there will never be an OS update to the original play because subsequent OS updates to play+ might be incompatible with the original chip.
We didn’t really need stereo samples as much as you needed more and better stereo effects to color the mono samples.
Great input!!!
I'd be outside the gates of Schloss Pilz with my flaming torch and pitchfork, but the pitchfork caught fire on the bus. As did the bus.
As someone who lived with the joys of 96ppqn vertical scroll sequencing on the Atari, courtesy of Dr.T's KCS, the thrill of 3 column greyscale GUIs and neolithic workflows has long since left the building.
My moat is huge;)
@@AudioPilz It's not the size that matters; it's the number of hungry alligators that live in it.
Ah, I feel for Benn, I may be wrong but I think it was just opinion rather than paid-for promotion, but either way the backlash was still OTT. People are free to make their minds up and shouldn't really be hurling abuse like that at reviewers unless they are actually lying about the abilities or quality of a product.
Completely out of proportion, I agree!!!
The DnB set up is perfect.
Thank you so much!!!
The Panda smashing the kit on the desk then floor started me in a fit of laughter.
I Just been going through this myself with my new OX 1 sequencer through desktop Hydrasynth for two days trying to eliminate synth by synth, cabld by cable. I got there in the end and came to bed for a fresh start tomorrow only to see the Panda doing exactly what I wanted to do 😅
There's a longer version of the Panda if you do a search round the web for it :)
@@Vim-WolfThanks Vim-Wolf 😊
I’d love to give the OX a go!!!
@@AudioPilz Yes and you would make it sing like Angels from above as you do with everything you turn your hand to. But for some of us making sweet music doesn't always equate to being a geeky nerdy Techy type and we struggle by horribly on new Gear / kit
You managed to make those who suffered through buying the first version feel a littl ebetter about it if they upgraded. the sounds you got out if the plus are genius.
Thank you!!!
I really dig the background visuals in Jam 1 from 7:15 . Would you mind sharing a link?
Just search for AI-generated brutalist buildings
Could you make an episode about the new Yamaha seqtrak whenever you get your hands on one? Would be amazing to see your point of view and creations on it! Thank you!
Great idea, thanks!!!
I bought the Polyend Play about a couple months before the Plus came out. Although I would have liked the additional features, I mostly bought the Play for its ability to easily randomize and mash up drum beats. I do wish that the Play Plus had been announced before its release, though. Kudos for the shots from Lifeforce in the last jam. I just recently saw that movie for the first time, and regret that it took me 35+ years to see it. :)
Thanks!!! Tobe Hooper FTW!!!
Or sell it to a newb and buy the plus after
Life Force is good Movie. Stuff happens. In NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. 🙂
@@luminousbrilliance1711 That movie is just CONSTANT escalation from the beginning to end :)
That zoom pedal is some very good gear
Jam 1 (House Solo) chef’s kiss ❤
Is there a full version?
Thank you!!! Shameless plug: there's an extended version on my Patreon❤️❤️❤️
I dunno why Polyend refuses to put a chorus send in their gooveboxes. As a chorus junkie its kind of a deal breaker.
I LOVE chorus too!!!
Thought about buying both of them, a few times. Just haven't wanted one bad enough to give in. At this point, maybe in a few years, when they will be on the market used for a few hundred, instead. For me, that makes more sense.
👍👍👍
0:44 I bought one of these on release day - that joke HURT !!
I feel you!!!
And I think we have a new record holder, congratualtions Polyend 😂
They're just not afraid;)
Could you do an episode on a synth FX device like the zoom ms-70cdr, or maybe the mod dwarf (which can also be used as a synth)?
There is actually an episode about hacking the MS-70
that opening was fly af
Thank you!!!
On the subject of trackers, you might consider an episode on the m8.
Great suggestion, thank you!!!
I would love to see the Tracker Plus model. I have the original Tracker, and I really love the UI because it's super-intuitive and it's faster to work with than a lot of other grooveboxes. It would be cool to see all these synths from the Play+ on the Tracker. And also a bit more polyphony (or at least ability to play chords on one track) would be nice.
Aisjam had a cool video about how to use the original tracker as a synth engine recently
Doesn't the Mini have an upgraded CPU?
@@AudioPilz I think that it does have an upgraded CPU, but it doesn't have the features I mentioned, unfortunately. I also think that the original Tracker has better controls (after experiencing the MC101's UI I don't trust small gear)
What about a Novation Circuit? Greetings! And a better year 😊
Love the circuit - already did an ep about it
Can’t wait to buy the ++ next year
You mean in the next 3 months.
@@dankeplace 😂😂😂😂
It’s math!!!
love the opening reference to the book"Kill you're friends" helter-skelter of a read for anyone in the music trade
Thank you!!!
Rad AF Sir!
Thank you so much!!!
Last year definitely had its fair share of controversies to feed this most hated audio tools channel. Maybe do one on Waves, Akai MPC X SE, OP 1-Field, etc.
Great ideas, thanks!!!
Liking the use of Lifeforce in the visuals.
I think the meme at 4:30 is about King Crimson's Frame by Frame
I thought it was either Meshugga or Gojira...
Another great instalment! The Play, and now the Play+ seem pretty damn good. I want one; it would make an excellent centerpiece, sequencing both its internal sounds and external gear. I can see why its release rubbed some people the wrong way, but it's kinda cool that owners of the original can upgrade for a cheaper price. It's also a shame that certain people's comments made Benn pull the plug on his gear reviews. That wasn't cool.
If you want it as a sequencer, forget the + version as the internal synth engines use the external 8 tracks.
I got the non + version and strictly use it as a sequencer, it's the most powerful sequencer I have used and by far the cheapest for what it can do.
Thank you!!!
@@dankeplaceGood to know!
holy crap that is precisely me @09:47 only I have 2 more hobbies, surfing and saltwater reef aquariums...
Sounds expensive;)
@@AudioPilz
not quite as expensive as vintage analog synths, but absolutely no resale value.
Damn this makes me want one sooo bad
😀😀😀
I looked at the OG play but was put off by the lack of polyphony, sample editing and the tracker suited my needs better, was thinking of pairing with a hapax or oxi, but since I couldn’t find a cheap Yamaha RS7000 with an expansion board (f’ing hen’s teeth) settled on a cheap RM1x with the tracker mini.
You still haven’t done the DX200, difficult to find now at a reasonable price. Also 90s and 00s rack multi-effects units need a roasting, not having much joy in finding Alesis/Lexicon/Boss/Roland/Digitech/Yamaha 2nd hand units which is a surprise.
I'd LOVE to have a DX200 but as you said, prices are insane ATM
I had never heard of this til now.
Definitely worth taking a look!!!
Happy guy 😂
Play+ synths rule great video ! i made some demos of it and want to make tutorials on how the engines work :)
Nice!!! Thx!!!
Your the best I love your show
Thank you!!!
I’ve owned the OG Play and now the Play +. Now that it’s more of a standalone unit and don’t have to hook it up to external MIDI gear, i can take it anywhere and jam more easily. I love this thing.
Nice!!!
Did you sell/buy new or go through the pricey replacement program out of curiosity?
@@Daphoid the upgrade. I was actively looking for a multi timbral synth to buy so for me it made sense.
What’s the’s source of that animated space shuttle clip? Loving that and need more. 😂
That is Lifeforce, Tobe Hooper movie
Lifeforce!!!
I was waiting for this lol
😀😀😀
talking about the waldorf blofeld synthesiser keyboard somewhere?
Yesssssss
hit em with the lifeforce clips
Classic!!!
What movie are those shuttle clips from?
Lifeforce!!!
Are you planning to do for deluge ?
I'll probably have to reserve a little more time for that;)
Have an original Play and love it. I will eventually get the Plus and will have less regrets than trading in a car for a new one.
Nice!!!
I wonder how long they will accept trade-ins.
2:08 Someday they'll return with advanced synth tech that'll blow our minds. 🤯
👍👍👍
That reminds me. I've not seen Lifeforce in a long time.
Classic!!!