The Rohans — Music
A free tracker DAW for Linux, Steam Deck, and Raspberry Pi. The same grid-based workflow and keyboard controls, just running on a different operating system.
Trackers started on machines with very limited resources. The original Amiga versions ran on a few hundred kilobytes of RAM. That constraint matches how many Linux users approach their systems: lean tools, minimal overhead, nothing running without a reason.
Traqueur follows that approach. It is a single window controlled by keyboard or gamepad. There is no plugin browser. There are no background processes. The Linux version ships as a Flatpak and costs nothing to install during the beta period.
Several trackers run on Linux. Traqueur does not try to replace them. Here is where it fits:
| Option | What it is | On Linux |
|---|---|---|
| Schism Tracker | Free, open source Impulse Tracker clone | Native, terminal-style interface, developed on Linux for years |
| Renoise | Paid, full-featured tracker DAW | Native Linux build, with mixing and a plugin host |
| OpenMPT | Free, Windows-first tracker | Runs under Wine, no native Linux build |
| Polyend Tracker | Standalone hardware sequencer | Not software at all, no OS involved |
| Traqueur | Free (beta) tracker for portable hardware | Native Flatpak, plus Steam Deck and gamepad support |
Schism Tracker is the closest relative. It is free, open source, and has been available on Linux for a long time. If you want an Impulse Tracker clone, that is the right choice.
Renoise is a paid DAW with mixing and plugin support. It costs money and targets a different use case than Traqueur.
The Polyend Tracker appears in the same searches but belongs to a different category. It is a physical device with a screen and buttons. It is not software you install on a Linux machine.
Traqueur targets a specific setup: a free tracker controlled by gamepad or keyboard, built for portable Linux hardware. Steam Deck is the primary target, with a Raspberry Pi version coming later.
The Linux build is a Flatpak hosted on this site instead of Flathub. Add the repository once, then update from it later. The full guide, including the Software Center method and Steam Deck's Discover store, is on the main Traqueur page. The terminal commands are below:
SteamOS runs Arch Linux under Valve's desktop shell. The same Flatpak install works there after switching to Desktop Mode. Traqueur reaches Steam Deck through Discover without a separate build. The gamepad controls were designed for a controller like the Deck's from the start.
A Raspberry Pi build is next. It is still Linux with an ARM processor, and a tracker's resource requirements were set by hardware from decades ago, long before anyone considered running one on a Pi.
Traqueur looks for samples at ~/samples on Linux. No
configuration is needed. Create that folder in your home directory,
put .wav files in it, and the Instrument view's import browser opens
there by default.
Each project also has its own samples folder. When you create a new
song, Traqueur makes a samples subfolder next to the
project file and copies only the sounds that song uses. A finished
project is self-contained and portable. Use ~/samples
as your working library. Each project's folder contains what ships
with the song.
WAV files do not all load the same way. Getting the format correct before importing avoids having to reprocess audio later.
| Setting | What works |
|---|---|
| File format | WAV, PCM only (not MP3, FLAC, OGG, or compressed WAV) |
| Bit depth | 8-bit or 16-bit (24-bit and 32-bit float will not load) |
| Sample rate | Any rate loads, but only 44.1kHz plays back at the pitch you recorded |
| Channels | Mono or stereo |
The sample rate behavior is different from most modern DAWs. Traqueur does not resample imported audio to match the session. It plays the sample at a speed determined by the ratio between the sample's rate and the audio engine's rate. That matches how Amiga trackers worked. A 48kHz sample in a 44.1kHz session plays back slightly higher in pitch. The audio is not broken, just shifted. Export samples at 44.1kHz before importing to avoid this.
Traqueur runs on Linux through a self-hosted Flatpak. Installation is free while the Linux build is in beta. It also works on Steam Deck through Discover. A Raspberry Pi build is in progress.
The default location is ~/samples in your home directory.
Create the folder, add .wav files, and the Instrument view's import
browser starts there. Each project also maintains its own samples
subfolder containing only the sounds used by that song.
WAV files only, PCM format, 8-bit or 16-bit. The sample rate is not converted on import. A sample recorded at any rate other than 44.1kHz plays back at a shifted pitch instead of being resampled.
The Polyend Tracker is a physical device with its own screen and buttons. It does not require a computer. Traqueur is software that runs on Linux, macOS, and Steam Deck. The difference is an app versus a device.