Stacker

[perpetual3]

Apparently the dev is alive and kicking, and is credit with DSP and development for Stacker.

https://www.samplemagic.com/details/606/stacker

I found his linked in which states that Audio Spillage is still alive, but he’s doing lots of other work too, at the same time, some under NDA.

Does anybody have stacker and can compare the drum synthesis with AS?

Edit: link added.

[sqigls]

What is Stacker?

[perpetual3]

https://www.samplemagic.com/details/606/stacker

[sqigls]

pretty crap that he/they can't just drop a quick message on KVR to let people know what's going on.
All it takes really.
NDA or not, doesn't take much to leave a quick message for fans and customers.
F for effort on that tip.
ArtsAcoustic style.


roadmap to nowhere

[masterhiggins]

Where does it say the audiospillage dev worked on stacker? I didn't see anything about him on that page.

[perpetual3]

“...seems to be based on the code from AudioSpillage (the About window credits Stephen Blinkhorn for DSP & code)”

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/product ... st12343991

[nilhartman]

I’ve exchanged a few emails through the years with Stephen and he really is a nice guy. And of course a super talented coder : that’s why we’re all eagerly waiting for some new software / update, right?
Some sort of public statement about what to expect and a few screenshots/audio snippets would definitely be awesome.
Sometimes projects take a long, long time to achieve (much longer than expected), sometimes projects are abandoned, sometimes they mutate...
I believe that Stephen would rather not make his deadline public, and I can totally understand why.
A word from it regarding what to expect (or not) from AS in a (not too) distant future would still be awesome. Some screenshots / audio would be even better

[sqigls]

if you're alive, and not paralysed, you can communicate.
no matter WHAT the situation.
Disappearing from your company/product forum or thread for a year or more...
it's a bit... ?

like... "hey kids, I've over it, i don't wanna code this stuff anymore"...
or...
"i can't really go into it, but i'll be busy for an unspecified amount of time, but i will return at some point"


SOMETHING

one line of text.
yeah, a real ball breaker isn't it?!
I mean, my carpel tunnel is pretty bad, but i'm pretty sure that if i needed to, i could type with my toes.
Might take me a few minutes longer, but not a whole year.

it's all just a bit of bad business really.

it's like ArtsAcoustic, except that with that company i HAVE been attempting correspondence.
ArtsAcoustic should be removed from the KVR database, and i think any other company ignoring all support requests should also.
People are still paying for these devices, and often in need of some kind of support.

admittedly I haven't sent any emails to AudioSpillage support for well over a year. Maybe they're still answering emails?
I'm not yet inferring that THEY should be removed. but i have been waiting patiently for the overdue update.

[SirkusPi]

I've got to agree with sqigls here. I understand moving on from projects -- even halting them altogether -- but I don't think it's too much to ask to let people know what's going on (and especially to warn potential new purchasers that, to all appearances, development of Drumspillage stopped years ago). Based on this ongoing lack of communication, I'm definitely not inclined to trust this developer further or purchase any new projects he's working on.

[nilhartman]

Stephen answers support emails, fwiw.

You know, I agree with you Sqigls... but I’ve also seen on KVR a few devs getting flamed when being transparent about any delay they’ve experienced regarding a ‘promised’ software or update, so I can also understand some silence from them. I personaly prefer i.e. u-he’s ways to communicate openly with their customers, but can’t really blame Stephen either for not doing the same.

Just like you, I’ve said here quite a few times how much I use AS softies and how impatient I am to get some update. DS2 is incredible, but there’s still room for improvement (and a couple of bugs to iron out). I also worry that I ´ll still be able to use DS2 if Apple changes sthg in the AU SDK or whatever.

[perpetual3]

FWIW, I sent a support email about a month ago - no reply.

So, since Stacker’s drum synth is coded by Stephen, I was wondering if anyone here has played around with it. There is no demo.

[nilhartman]

Just listened to the YT vids about Stacker's synth section (on the iPad speakers though...): sounds like a workflow optimized version of a more generic DS2/Elecktroid engine. The MSEGs alone (along with Stephen's Code) could justify purchasing it. Might worth investigating a tad more...
Damn, so few relevant / quality drum synth
Stephen, DS 2.5 please*

*it always comes down to that conclusion, right?

[perpetual3]

That’s what I was thinking.

[perpetual3]

Just listened to the YT vids about Stacker's synth section (on the iPad speakers though...): sounds like a workflow optimized version of a more generic DS2/Elecktroid engine. The MSEGs alone (along with Stephen's Code) could justify purchasing it. Might worth investigating a tad more...
Damn, so few relevant / quality drum synth
Stephen, DS 2.5 please*

*it always comes down to that conclusion, right?

Yeah, the drum synthesis seems very basic, just for providing sub and tuning the kick to sit in the mix. The body comes samples. A shame, since DS can more then produce a weighty kick all by itself.

I do like the pump envelope though. But no multiple outputs.

I will see what I can do with LFOtool and some creative routing.

[audiospillage]

...should be removed from the KVR database, and i think any other company ignoring all support requests should also.
People are still paying for these devices, and often in need of some kind of support.

admittedly I haven't sent any emails to AudioSpillage support for well over a year. Maybe they're still answering emails?
I'm not yet inferring that THEY should be removed. but i have been waiting patiently for the overdue update.

OK. When you put it like that I can understand the frustration. I still respond to support emails. I still send out new serials and download links to people who have lost their original emails for one reason or another so I'm not completely unresponsive.

Regarding Stacker. This is something I worked on a few years ago now. I didn't design the product I mostly just worked as the developer. The synthesis is quite limited but it does have a very flexible pitch envelope. There are some nice features in there too like the pump envelopes and plenty of presets. I have no idea if SampleMagic will continue development of Stacker though. Projects like this are the reason I haven't been able to dedicate much/any time to the planned DrumSpillage update. Many of the features on the roadmap were implemented but they ended up breaking patches or complicating the design and somehow the 2.5 update just hasn't come together. It is doubly frustrating that I gave up my labour of love only for the freelance stuff to stall one way or another too. But life goes on

I may elaborate in another thread but all I can say at the moment is I am now finally working on new developments. 3 years later and I still find myself reaching for DrumSpillage whenever I need electronic drums but there is room for improvement and the industry has moved on in those 3 years. I want a new version as much as anyone else. Cross platform is definitely on the agenda too.

Apologies for the silence but it was probably necessary.