Presswerk Public Beta

[fese]

it would be pretty stupid to drop the simple views completely as they are a selling point IMHO. Pretty anyone knows how to use these classic designs, people are used to them, they are like old friends who are always there to support you. The full view easily scares off people just wanting an easy to use set-and-forget comp.
Maybe just the concept of switching between the views and/or the normal view needs some rethinking. I was a bit confused at first when switching back and forth between the views and some of the settings weren't as I left them. Wouldnt it possibly be simpler to have those views simply as separate plugin instances?

[3ee]

The full view easily scares off people just wanting an easy to use set-and-forget comp.

set and forget? .... pick a suited preset for a task, bring down the threshold to get desired compression.


Why are people complaining so much? don't you believe that u-he will return with better simple views with a future update or what?

[kj.metissage]

We're becoming too lazy.

The full view is great. And if you're lost, just read the manual. How hard is that ?

It's not rocket science...

And some "starters" presets could replace the views.

[Dean Aka Nekro]

I only just installed the provided beta version of Presswork and used a few instances on a multi-tracked acoustic drum kit, I didn't bother with any of the views but 'normal' and it all makes sense and is easy to use I found, I will checkout the other views and RTFM when I get the chance. For anyone whom cares here are a few presets that came up whilst playing in normal mode as mentioned https://www.dropbox.com/s/92kso2lrpxg91 ... s.rar?dl=0
I'm in the same boat funds wise...Doubt I can/will be able to afford it but would really like to do so, I wouldn't mind SATIN also as it is so great to dial in instead of being stuck with just a few parameters plus it sounds top-notch to my ears too...Maybe in the early part of next year if I watch my pennies carefully I will be able to snap up a license for both

Bloody festive period! I hate it (apart from people being able to spend time with their families and loved one's, I'm a true advocate for that part of it all)

All the best to all as always

Dean

[antithesist]

What has "ANLG" been renamed as?

[paterpeter]

What has "ANLG" been renamed as?

ANAL SM
(for analog smearing)


or maybe not

[antithesist]

I said "as," not "ass."

OK... maybe funny, but I'm done.

I am still interested in the new label, though.

[paterpeter]

Yeah, sorry for that stupid joke

I'm pumped to see the next beta and what it brings to the table.

[Urs]

What has "ANLG" been renamed as?

Dual Phase Rotation, short: DPR

[Urs]

it would be pretty stupid to drop the simple views completely as they are a selling point IMHO. Pretty anyone knows how to use these classic designs, people are used to them, they are like old friends who are always there to support you. The full view easily scares off people just wanting an easy to use set-and-forget comp.

That's been one of the problems:

- they didn't sound exactly like the hardware they depict
- the parameter ranges of Presswerk are not the same, so one can't really apply familiarity

Maybe just the concept of switching between the views and/or the normal view needs some rethinking. I was a bit confused at first when switching back and forth between the views and some of the settings weren't as I left them.

We rethought it, and we tried it. We made their "destructive nature" obvious. We ended up with something that's even more confusing and just not good design. We then considered making them non-destructive, but then there's no point in being able to switch, and some of the better hardware emus out there do the job just fine.

Wouldnt it possibly be simpler to have those views simply as separate plugin instances?

That's what it would have to be, but that's been discussed controversially at u-he. The main issue is, if we do those views still depicting classic hardware we also need to make them sound exactly right. But that's not going to happen in Presswerk, at least not by our standards. Simply because Presswerk does not emulate the exact same circuits as those units.

- Urs

[zyzygis]

To be honest, since getting more familliar with the complete interface I haven't even looked at the two simpler versions. I want all of the posibilities available to explore. For me the best thing about Presswerk, apart from the sound, is the amount of tweakability and customising. It really is a compression workstation and lends itself to experimenting.

[QLNE]

It would seem the learning curve for Presswerk appears steep due to the options available in the ' normal' view. While the manual does explain the functions of parameters, it will always be tempting to gravitate towards the familiar.

Perhaps a compromise would be a set of presets labeled 'FET', ' Opto', etc, so the user can see (and hear) the changes in various parameters of the normal view.

Personally, I don't need a circut accurate model of a hardware compressor. I Prefer the toolbox approach, as it allows me to create something which hasn't been heard before.

[fese]

We're becoming too lazy.

The full view is great. And if you're lost, just read the manual. How hard is that ?

It's not rocket science...

It is not rocket science, but it is also not supereasy as some of the concepts of presswerk are fairly new to the average compressor user, it has nothing to do with laziness. Sure, the manual is good but some people prefer being creative instead of reading and also: real men don't read manuals
I sometimes get the feeling that people here seem to forget that not everybody in music world is a passionate sound tweaker who likes to spend hours getting to know compressor internals.
Some just want to get things done fast and easy and for those a compressor like a LA2A is perfect. You cannot use it for all sources, but where it fits it is two knobs and you're done. Genius design!

In my opinion the old analog devices are legendary not only for their sound but also for their user interfaces as the limitations and cost for hardware required lots of thoughts while designing. KISS. It is easy to add loads of knobs in software, not so in hardware, but limitations do have their merits.

That being said I am totally fine with software like Presswerk that ignores the KISS principle and exposes every possible parameter in the GUI just because it is possible in digital. Matter of taste, actually.

The simple views seemed like a good idea to please both the tweakers and the gtd users but I can understand the problems and difficulties with that approach as Urs explained.

@Urs: maybe you could forget about the views being optical 'replicas' of the classic design and just present different types of compressors, each one with its own character. Like Klanghelm did with the DC8C.

And some "starters" presets could replace the views.

Personally I'd be totally OK with that, in fact thanks to the efforts of 3ee who provided us with great presets that is exactly what I am using mostly at the moment.

Totally unrelated: Presswerk is still a great name, but unfortunately my iOS autocorrection doesnt agree and constantly changes it to press week

[zvenx]

We're becoming too lazy.

The full view is great. And if you're lost, just read the manual. How hard is that ?

It's not rocket science...

It is not rocket science, but it is also not supereasy as some of the concepts of presswerk are fairly new to the average compressor user, it has nothing to do with laziness. Sure, the manual is good but some people prefer being creative instead of reading and also: real men don't read manuals
I sometimes get the feeling that people here seem to forget that not everybody in music world is a passionate sound tweaker who likes to spend hours getting to know compressor internals.
Some just want to get things done fast and easy and for those a compressor like a LA2A is perfect. You cannot use it for all sources, but where it fits it is two knobs and you're done. Genius design!

In my opinion the old analog devices are legendary not only for their sound but also for their user interfaces as the limitations and cost for hardware required lots of thoughts while designing. KISS. It is easy to add loads of knobs in software, not so in hardware, but limitations do have their merits.

That being said I am totally fine with software like Presswerk that ignores the KISS principle and exposes every possible parameter in the GUI just because it is possible in digital. Matter of taste, actually.

The simple views seemed like a good idea to please both the tweakers and the gtd users but I can understand the problems and difficulties with that approach as Urs explained.

@Urs: maybe you could forget about the views being optical 'replicas' of the classic design and just present different types of compressors, each one with its own character. Like Klanghelm did with the DC8C.

And some "starters" presets could replace the views.

Personally I'd be totally OK with that, in fact thanks to the efforts of 3ee who provided us with great presets that is exactly what I am using mostly at the moment.

Totally unrelated: Presswerk is still a great name, but unfortunately my iOS autocorrection doesnt agree and constantly changes it to press week

Excellent post...

rsp

[fmr]

@Urs: maybe you could forget about the views being optical 'replicas' of the classic design and just present different types of compressors, each one with its own character. Like Klanghelm did with the DC8C.

I subscribe this. This could be the alternate plug-ins, that could be used as subsets of the more complete main plug-in. They didn't have to "emulate" any look in particular, just be simpler (alhtough I must confess I liked the looks, even being aware that the behaviour was not exactly as the originals.