Tracker Pro 1.2 uses the same patterns, instruments and project format on iPhone, iPad and native macOS. The window determines how many panels fit. In this guide, tap also means click on Mac; Files means the system file picker, which uses Finder on Mac.
R6.1Choose your device
| Device | Requirements and workspace |
|---|---|
| iPhone, including iPhone Duo | iOS 17 or later. Compact windows show one main page with optional KEYS below it. A sufficiently large Duo window uses the shared multi-panel layout. |
| iPad mini, 11-inch and 13-inch iPad | iPadOS 17 or later. Panels adapt to portrait, landscape and resized windows. A narrow window can use the compact layout. |
| Mac | macOS 14 or later. Use the native Mac app with a pointer, typing keyboard and compatible Audio Units. Resize its window to change the available panel space. |
| Apple Vision Pro | Runs the compatible iPad app in a window. Follow the iPad instructions using the system's selection gestures. This is the iPad app, not a separate native visionOS workspace. |
One purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac. Install the same or a newer compatible Tracker Pro version before opening a project transferred from another device. The built-in sampler, synths, effects, piano roll and Bounce in Place belong to the shared app. Audio Unit availability, audio routing and file pickers depend on the platform.
R6.2Find the controls on iPhone
The top bar keeps Back to projects, Play, ..., the pattern number and a transport chip. The chip shows BPM while stopped and the playback position while running.
- Use the bottom TRACKER, DEVICES, SONG and MIX labels to choose the main page. KEYS opens or closes the keyboard below it.
- Open ... > BROWSE SAMPLES to load a sound. Use ... > SETTINGS for audio, MIDI and recording options.
- Tap the transport chip to reveal Stop, Record, metronome, loop and tempo. Tap the BPM value to enter a tempo when the small step buttons do not fit.
- Tap the pattern number to open its menu. Tracker view and editing actions that do not fit beside the grid are in ....
- Use Back to projects to open another song. ... > NEW, SAVE, SAVE AS... and RENAME... are the file actions. SAVE is inactive when there are no pending edits.
While WRITE is on, Keys keeps the playable keyboard and cursor arrows visible; Pad gives that space to the cursor pad. The WRITE tools menu contains ADVANCE and selection controls. See phone note entry for an exercise.
R6.3Arrange panels on iPad and large windows
Open TRACKER and DEVICES together to watch the notes while adjusting the selected instrument. Add KEYS when you need to audition it. Drag a divider to change the space each panel receives.
Panel names show or hide their panels. Closing a panel does not remove its notes or devices. If several panels no longer fit, hide one or make the window larger. A narrow window switches to the compact controls described above. Rotate or resize the window before assuming that a control is missing.
The shared tablet layout also serves iPad mini and a sufficiently large iPhone Duo window. It scales the same controls to fit; there is no separate set of musical features for each screen size.
R6.4Work with a keyboard and pointer on Mac
Click a tracker cell to return focus to the workspace after typing in a name or search field. Space plays or pauses. Escape toggles WRITE when the workspace owns keyboard input; dialogs and text fields take their own input first.
Use Tab and Shift + Tab to change tracks. Left and Right visit note, velocity and visible FX fields in the tracker. Drag controls as on iPad, or click a supported value and type a number. The shortcut reference lists note keys and block-editing commands.
Browse Files opens the Mac file picker. Show in Files retains that label in the app but opens the local project folder in Finder. SAVE TO FILES opens a native save dialog for exported audio.
The Mac follows the system's default audio input and output. Select your interface in macOS Sound settings, then check SETTINGS > AUDIO in Tracker Pro. The native app hosts compatible Mac Audio Units; an iPhone-only AUv3 installation is not a Mac plug-in.
R6.5Move the music, then check its dependencies
- Save the source project. Use Projects > This project > Save copy or Share to transfer the complete
.dtprojpackage. - On the destination, open Projects and choose Browse Files. Open the transferred package.
- Check a pattern containing samples and each hosted Audio Unit. Embedded samples travel with the package; plug-in installations and device MIDI ports do not.
- If a plug-in is unavailable on the destination platform, use Bounce in Place > New track on the source device to keep an audio version alongside its editable source, or export stems.
Device settings, linked library folders and user-preset banks remain local. Reconnect external folders and MIDI destinations on the receiving device. A project transfer does not provide automatic live synchronization between open copies.
R6.6Recording and platform differences
| Task | iPhone and iPad | Native Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Record microphone or interface audio | Use Sampler Rec in > MIC / INPUT and allow microphone access when requested. | Use the same recording panel with the system input and microphone permission. |
| Record a track, return or master | Use the internal sources in Rec in. | Use the same internal sources. |
| Import audio or extract audio from video | Use the library + menu and Files; Photos is offered for video. | Use the library + menu and the system file picker. |
| Crate web browser | Available; closing it preserves its browsing session. Live system-audio capture requires iOS/iPadOS 27 and the system capture picker. | Crate is not available in 1.2. Import downloaded audio or video through the library instead. |
| Audio Units | Compatible installed AUv3 instruments and effects. | Compatible installed Mac Audio Units. Availability and saved-state compatibility depend on the plug-in. |
For Apple Vision Pro, use the compatible iPad workflow where the operating system offers the required device or picker. Crate capture and external-device connections have not been verified on Vision Pro for this guide.