Soniccouture

soniccouture · Post by **soniccouture** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:16 pm

Hi Kev,
Curious you say that it's quite a bit more expensive than the originals ; Konkrete 2 ( original) was $59 and contained 25 kits. This is $120 and contains 41 kits and a lot of enhanced functionality ( to say the least).

To my mind, that pricing was roughly inline with the older products.

But thanks for your feedback. It's surprising to hear that you don't feel it's the same thing. Perhaps you should try the demo yourself?

James

soniccouture · Post by **soniccouture** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:21 pm

chhum wrote:
jensa wrote:I can't comment on the awesomeness of it yet, I'm sure it's amazing
I can. It is. Really surprised to see some negative comments about this thing. You can pay close £70 for a bunch of Didgeridoo samples. Not only do you get a ton of completely original and instantly usable samples, but the instrument is an absolute joy to program. I don't know about everybody else but the words "Joy to program" and "drums" don't normally belong in the same sentence. BeatShifter is fab, and the amount of control you have to tweak the sound is just fantastic.

I do think, James and Dan, you sell yourself a bit short on the website. Things I'd not realised until after I'd bought the thing:

1. Every kit (including the old K1 and K2 kits) has a BeatShifter beat already set up. As an owner of Konkrete 1 and 2 getting this for free is awesome. I've used both packs heavily on my tracks (to the point I'd mostly stopped using them), and this really gives them a new lease of life.

2. Also included are some demo MIDI files and patches. Always like to see these:
Buchla Percussion
Codec Demo
Inside The Kick & The Snare
Konkrete jungle
Si Begg konkrete demo 2 - (Vox Block?)
Smash Kit Demo

Also a bit more detail on the samples - where they are from and how you made them, would be interesting.

Couple of queries for you:
1. Is there anyway to capture MIDI out of the BeatShifter? I know I can trigger from MIDI, sync and so on, but can I record, say 8 bars as a Midi part?
2. Awesome that you are dong more expansion packs for it - I'd be really interested to see what I could do with some more "conventional" percussion sounds - things like Timbales, Tablas and the like. Any thoughts on this?
3. I don't suppose you could make the MIDI for your 200e kit demo available could you?!

Thanks for your feedback, most welcome.

1. you can set Kontakt to 'send MIDI to outside world' in the prefs>Engine>send MIDI outside?script generated notes

2. There will just be the Tremors /Abstrakt breaks add-on packs - no plans for any others.

3. that was pretty much all done with the Beatshifter, actually, so not easy to make available, the way it was built. it was also done with a pre-encoded version of the product, so the patch won't work with the kplayer version. that's the reason a lot of demos aren't included.

James

kgdrum · Post by **kgdrum** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:32 pm

I also have Konkrete1 & 2 & while the upgrade looks interesting,honestly it's way more expensive than I am comfortable paying for an upgrade.
I have and love the Soniccourture product line and I have quite a few of your products,honestly I was hoping & expecting for a bit more of a deal for Konkrete1 & 2 users.
I am not a Maschine user so I really don't know how useful this upgrade will really be for me.
So justifying this price is the obstacle I'm facing.
This is not really a complaint as much as this just seems more expensive than IMO this upgrade should be.

soniccouture · Post by **soniccouture** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:20 pm

Sorry you feel that way, KgDrum. I do wonder if our lack of clarity is at fault here - The new Konkrete isn't an upgrade, as such - it's completely new content in a completely new instrument. The older content that you already own comes free, separately.

But it's up to you, of course - if you do want to try the free demo, please email us via the site. I think we're going to offer all existing konkrete customers the free demo in the next few days.

James.

kgdrum · Post by **kgdrum** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:49 pm

Hi James,
I appreciate the response,as someone who has a sales and marketing background,I suggest you examine the fact that the majority of the posts here are essentially saying the same thing.
So maybe the presentation could & should be refocused but the pricing is certainly a major part of the issue.
I do think you have every right to be paid for the time and work you've put into the new Konkrete but I do think in the current economic realities most users are dealing with, a bit of a lower price point for the upgrade would have had a better initial reception.
Again I understand you put lots of time and work into this but a bit better loyalty pricing might have a better reaction with current users.
Regards,
KG

burkek · Post by **burkek** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:51 pm

Maybe it's a combination of things that cause me to pause:

- maybe 41 kits is too many, and when added to the 50 or so I already have, how do these raw samples distinguish themselves. If this was Cinematic Konkrete, I'd have a clue

- maybe not-quite-double-the-kits, but double the price is an issue - even though there is added functionality (which I, for one, wasn't expecting or looking for - or willing to pay for)

- maybe getting the 2 add-ons free (because I'm an owner of 1 and 2) doesn't really feel "free" because I already paid for them (again, even after learning that you've somehow had to re-jig them for this new interface - and as a potential customer for this new release, I really don't care), and therefore, to the uninitiated, the $120 I pay is the same as the $120 a first-time Konkrete customer pays (albeit without the addition of the "free" add-ons which they wouldn't have already payed for)

- maybe this product should not have carried forward the series name if it's so different in the # kits and the functionality - and twice the price. Apples to oranges I know, but one knows what to expect with a BMW 3 series. It hits the pocketbook more gently than a 5 series

- maybe not everyone payed full price for 1 and/or 2, so this new non-numbered version (the new Konkrete) feels realllly expensive

The Internet is a good and bad thing. We have an opportunity to voice an opinion, and you, as a producer of goods, get raw feedback. To your credit, you are handling it with aplomb.

KEv

ariston · Post by **ariston** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:17 pm

Wow! I just got an e-mail - they've put all the kits in one package called "Konkrete 3" and made such a generous upgrade offer that it went from "tempting" to "no-brainer" in a split second. Bought, and downloading now!

It's like Christmas all over again - seriously, thanks very much for your open ears and generosity.

geronimo · Post by **geronimo** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:50 pm

Very courteous and full of common sense, this decision .

To have responded quickly by purchasing this update from the beginning of the offer, know that I just received an email from Soniccouture.
They offer me a full refund of the overpayment or a corresponding Voucher. Many thanks _

soniccouture · Post by **soniccouture** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 7:58 pm

ariston wrote:Wow! I just got an e-mail - they've put all the kits in one package called "Konkrete 3" and made such a generous upgrade offer that it went from "tempting" to "no-brainer" in a split second. Bought, and downloading now!

It's like Christmas all over again - seriously, thanks very much for your open ears and generosity.

Glad to hear - i hope you'll post your impressions of the instrument here when you've tried it out.

James

kgdrum · Post by **kgdrum** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:06 pm

Great News!!!

Thanks for listening,will upgrade ASAP!!
Is there a expiration date for this new upgrade offer re: K1&K2 users that are upgrading ?

Again thanks will do as soon as cash flow improves!!

soniccouture · Post by **soniccouture** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:08 pm

there is no expiration on the upgrade offers ( or refund vouchers), only on the main intro offer for new users.

James

kgdrum · Post by **kgdrum** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:23 pm

Again Thank You,this will probably be purchased and updated before funds improve!

Really looking forward to this now,I use a Vdrum TD20 setup I want to try replacing the sounds after I lay down the midi with Konkrete,should be interesting.......

jensa · Post by **jensa** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 10:59 pm

...annnnnnnnnnd... bought! Thanks!!!

burkek · Post by **burkek** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 12:26 am

What I like is a company that is willing to put their arm on the shoulders of their customers and work with them towards a resolution. Sonic Couture did just that by truly listening to feedback, and then rapidly formulating a resolution that benefits everyone - and I hope the company themselves.

I voted my appreciation by opening my wallet, and I hope others do too.

The only other time I've seen a company react so efficiently and effectively to public outcry was Izotope when they released their Ozone upgrades to the new v5 at a higher-than-expected upgrade price. Like Sonic Couture, they lowered the price immediately for loyal customers, and made refunds available for early adopters. I think it's safe to say that Ozone v5 is a major success.

I wish Sonic Couture every success and hope that Konkrete 3 is your best product launch ever. I can't wait to get these samples into my tunes.

KEv

geronimo · Post by **geronimo** » Sat Feb 02, 2013 7:47 am

No Multi supplied with KONKRETE 3 but after their creation, they appear from the browser KONTAKT .