Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Polyend launches new MESS Multi-Effect Step Sequencer at SUPERBOOTH - in the same format as its Step Drum Machine
I’m a huge fan of the power and prowess of the Polyend Step Drum Machine - which I’ve owned for a few months now. Polyend is obviously on something of a roll at the moment - with its newest product coming out so hot on the heels of the Step release.
There’s only an ’Effects List’ so far - which I’ve transcribed into the visual and below - and without the Manual I can’t fully gauge exactly what we have here.
In essence we seem to have a library of 125 stereo effects which can be assigned across 4 layers / tracks - and which you can then ’animate’ (off movement and evolution) with the 16-step sequencer - giving you a full Multi-FX Unit, with Sequencer - and all those twittery / bleepy / bloopy sounds you can get out of devices like the Strymon NightSky, and Hologram Microcosm.
Even though ’Glitch’ isn’t specifically mentioned in the Effects Library - you can most definitely get all kinds of ambient and glitchy sounds. The demos aren’t really fully comprehensive yet - but they give you a decent flavour of what’s possible.
I would imagine all the challenges I have with the Step Drum Machine are also present in this device - it really needs a bluetooth-connected app for me, and an extra button to give you info on exactly what the constituent parts are for each Preset. Currently you need to menu-dive a little to get the full insight. Somewhat reminiscent for me of using the Zoia.
Meaning you have to have a specific Synth-like mentality to really gel with this kind of device. There are several things I would do to improve the Step - as I find overall control of that device a little clunky, and not always fully intuitive. Mostly it’s very decent - and both devices are really potent and with expansive cover - if you have the mindset to fully master them.
As a preset machine the device works very well - while the ’programming’ side always feels a little old-fashioned and clunky to me. We will soon have AI technologies doing all the heavy lifting here - and you can simply control and edit via prompts and open commands - but that era hasn’t fully arrived for pedals - even though positive grid boasts AI components.
For me the Step is the best Pedal Drum Machine to date, but while it’s output is fantastic - I do struggle with some of the control side on occasion - and it would be handy to have things like tapped input to define rhythm elements - not just overall tap-tempo.
Controls
Controls - Effects Tracks / Layers 1-4, VDU, Settings, Input, Preset, Macro, Mix, Tempo. 16-Step Effects Sequencer, Tap Tempo Footswitch, On Footswitch, Play Footswitch.
Rear Ports - 9-18V DC [-], Reset, USB-C, Micro SD, MIDI Out, MIDI In, Expression Pedal, Stereo In (TRS), Left Out, Right Out.
The MESS Multi-Effects Step Sequencer is available for pre-order on the Poylend Webstore - where it goes for $599 ($100 more than the Step Drum Machine).
I think this device will appeal more to the synth crowd - who are familiar with these kind of programmable devices. If you've mastered the Empress Zoia - then this is a fine follow-on. For us more traditional stompbox folk - this is quite another ecosystem. A bluetooth-connected app would make management easier - without that the whole programming process can be a little clunky - at least for my taste.
I saw an immediate application for the Step, while I'm not exactly sure how exactly I would deploy this on the board - it would most obviously take over the Eventide H90 slot - where I'm quite wedded to that device as of this moment - so we shall see. I aim to get the Butterfly Effects Dobbo Granular Playground in before the end of this month - that will be replacing the Hologram Microcosm. I was also considering the Edoprhin.es Ghost for a period - while I seem to have kind of moved on from that thinking currently.
I never say never! While the MESS may not be an exact match for my needs / sensibilities - where this devices though seems to be right up the street for Jake and Joe of TheGigRig. I say find you lane - and see what fits. This is currently down as a nice-to-have - but it may happen some day. I've always got plenty of priorities to juggle!
MESS Multi-Effect Step Sequencer - Key Features
- 4 x Effects Tracks
- 125 Stereo Effects
- 16 Step Sequencer
- Traditional and Experimental Sounds
- Several Studio Reverbs & Delays
- Granular and Glitch Effects
- Shapers, Drives & Filters
- Pitch-Shifting & Spectralizing
- Slicers & Microloopers
- Effects Sequencing / Animation / Advanced Movement
- Drone & Dissolve
- Manipulate & Texturize
- Glitch > Layer > and Repeat
The Full Effects List
- GRANULAR BURST - Portrait / Fragment / Blue / Burst
- PARTICLE SAMPLER - Flux / Scanner / Noisy / Capsize / Scatter
- MICRO LOOPER - Slice / Stereo Slice / Dropper / Stereo Dropper / Reverse / Stereo Reverse
- PITCH SHIFTER - Tonal / Textural
- SPECTRALIZER (Real-time Frequency Spectrum Manipulation) - Expander / Screamer
- REVERB - Chamber (x4) / Hall (x5) / Plate (x4) / Room (x7) / Warped (x6)
- DELAY - Multi-Tap (x5) / PingPong (x3) / Analog Delay (x5) / Tape Delay (x4) / LoFi (x2) / Single (x3) / Unsynced
- MODULATION - Analog Chorus (x6) / Stereo Chorus (x4) / Vibrato (x2) / Flanger (x7) / Phaser (x3) / Tape Modulation (x2) / Reel / Synced Tremolo / Unsynced Tremolo
- SHAPER - Saturator / Overdrive / Diode Clipper / Diode Cliiper+ / WaveShaper / WaveShaper+ / Fuzz / Exciter / Bitcrusher / Rectifier / Redux / Redux+
- PANNING - Simple / Drift / Synced
- FILTER - HighPass / LowPass / BandPass / LowShelf / HighShelf / Formant / Equalizer
Demos
