Just a heads up for anyone needing a host. Podium is the most stable host I've ever used, and most users agree. And the price has just been dropped to $50, I just noticed. This includes ONE year of upgrades(which come once or twice or three times a month usually), and additional years are $35
That's a fantastic deal on a powerful and stable host. The updates that have been made recently and continue to be made, including a full overhaul of the MIDI editor, audio comping and multi-takes, ReWire, and much more, along with the price drop, and the deal just gets better.
Nobody asked me to post this, so I hope it's alright. I'm just a Podium owner who thinks this is worth posting!
http://www.zynewave.com/purchase.html
Brent
Podium is now $50
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- KVRAF
- 18546 posts since 16 Sep, 2001 from Las Vegas,USA
SPAM! 
Just kidding. 
Thanks for the heads up. I've always loved the look of Podium. Lord knows I don't need another host but for $50 I might have to check it out.
Just kidding. Thanks for the heads up. I've always loved the look of Podium. Lord knows I don't need another host but for $50 I might have to check it out.None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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- KVRAF
- 4270 posts since 3 Jan, 2003 from Vancouver
Fritz must have seen my "if I ever give up on Tracktion I'll likely move to Podium" posting! Bastard's giving me even more incentive!
the old free version may not work boots successfully on new generations of computers, instruments, and hardware
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- KVRist
- 98 posts since 14 Mar, 2006 from Buffalo, NY USA
I had the version that came on the CM disk quite sometime ago but I could never get into it. I liked the look of it a lot and it had some cool options. I couldn't figure out how to arrange songs and such. Its probably because Im just too used to my work flow in FL combined with Live. Maybe Ill get a new demo of Podium and giver it another shot.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 16153 posts since 2 Dec, 2003 from Nashville, TN
While the main design hasn't changed(track structure), the way it's presented is MUCH different now. Not only that, but there has been so many things added since that CM edition that it isn't even the same app really. I'd highly recommend trying the demo and seeing what is new and different. There was a lot of work done on usability and interface tweaks since then.Rickvallone wrote:I had the version that came on the CM disk quite sometime ago but I could never get into it. I liked the look of it a lot and it had some cool options. I couldn't figure out how to arrange songs and such. Its probably because Im just too used to my work flow in FL combined with Live. Maybe Ill get a new demo of Podium and giver it another shot.
Brent
My host is better than your host
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- KVRAF
- 1779 posts since 11 Jun, 2005 from Phoenix, Arizona
One of my favorite changes has been to the mixer. I definitely find myself using Podium more and more... I'll second the suggestion of trying out the demo again.koolkeys wrote:...but there has been so many things added since that CM edition that it isn't even the same app really.
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- KVRAF
- 2111 posts since 25 Jun, 2008 from Montreal, Canada
I'm an Orion user and was looking for a host with a more linear approach. I re-tried Reaper and I still don't like it and probably never will. I tried the demo of Podium and after some adjustment I was comfortable with it. Since I mainly work with VSTis I was a little dissapointed with the piano roll and lack of midi editing. I think editing in Orion is MUCH faster for midi. And also, am I missing something or the composite track only work for audio?
I'll wait a little before getting another host but at that price point Podium is probably the host I'll get.
I'll wait a little before getting another host but at that price point Podium is probably the host I'll get.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 16153 posts since 2 Dec, 2003 from Nashville, TN
The MIDI editor is currently getting a huge overhaul. You can read about it in the "Future" forum. So definitely keep an eye out there and maybe try the new demo when it comes out.xx JPRacer xx wrote:I'm an Orion user and was looking for a host with a more linear approach. I re-tried Reaper and I still don't like it and probably never will. I tried the demo of Podium and after some adjustment I was comfortable with it. Since I mainly work with VSTis I was a little dissapointed with the piano roll and lack of midi editing. I think editing in Orion is MUCH faster for midi. And also, am I missing something or the composite track only work for audio?
I'll wait a little before getting another host but at that price point Podium is probably the host I'll get.
I don't know about comp tracks for audio only. I haven't really used that feature in Podium yet. I use it in Sonar, but not Podium.
Brent
My host is better than your host
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- KVRAF
- 4270 posts since 3 Jan, 2003 from Vancouver
Podium - A Second Impression
My first impression of Podium was back when it was in beta. I tried it out and gave some feedback, mainly of the "is it going to remain so complicated?" variety. I eventually understood that the complexity was a result of the flexibility, but I still felt that it could have benefited from some rounded edges. Being a Tracktion user, I appreciate when simple tasks are simple to perform.
Anyways, now I've downloaded a demo of the latest version. My first steps have felt a little fumbly, even though I can see that it's progressed a lot. It doesn't scan VSTs until you start a project. IIRC, it didn't scan VSTs at all - you had to manually configure each one. Anyways, I waited while it scanned over 200 plugins. (The process leaves a little nothing window floating at the top left of my screen. Bizarre.)
As soon as it's done, it asks me if I want to save the project as a template for future projects. Huh? What does that mean? If it means saving the list of VSTs, yeah great. But it doesn't say that. It says project. What do I know about the project? Absolutely nothing. I can see no information about it. Since I've actually created a few projects, I actually know what the basic project contains, but if I were really running this the first time, I'd find the question off-putting. In fact, I found it to be a bad sign. Step one: wait for lots of VSTs. Step two: be confronted with a question you can't answer honestly.
...
Just spent some time fumbling around in project creation. Very confusing. At no point in time did I feel like it was doing what I expected it to be doing. I decided to save mystery nothing project as a template (I figured, why not?). Then I shut down Podium and restarted. I unticked the VST scan box and created a new project. It neither used the template nor suggested it might be an option. No VSTs were scanned, but none were available. Hmm... (But it did ask me if I wanted to make the new, blank project as a template. Excellent suggestion.)
I shut down Podium and restarted. This time I ignored its main project creation flow and went for menu items. Sure enough, under project templates I can create a new project using the template I made. Suddenly the VST list shows up (yay!) but.. that's it (boo!). What do I do from here? Hello? No mixer, no tracks, just a list of VSTs. Weird. When I make a new project using the big flashing buttons I get to start making music. When I do it using a template, I don't.
...
After a little poking and prodding, I realize now that the shiny buttons don't just make a project, they also make what's called an arrangement. Got it now. It's what Tracktion would call an edit. I remember being annoyed that I had to create two things (project + edit) to do one thing (make a song), but eventually learned to love its benefits. Same here, just a confusing start. And now I kinda understand the project template question, but a little explanation would have made for a much easier welcome, IMO.
I'll probably have to delve deeply into the manual and tutorials to really get it, but I get the impression it will be worth it. I like to jump into stuff without having read the manual first, though, just to get a little impression of how intuitive software is or isn't. And maybe some feedback might be helpful for a developer. When you're eyebrows-deep in the code, it can be hard to see your product with fresh eyes. I figure you can make a few tweaks to make your demo friendlier, or you can say RTFM, but you can't idiot-proof anything without an idiot to help you!
My first impression of Podium was back when it was in beta. I tried it out and gave some feedback, mainly of the "is it going to remain so complicated?" variety. I eventually understood that the complexity was a result of the flexibility, but I still felt that it could have benefited from some rounded edges. Being a Tracktion user, I appreciate when simple tasks are simple to perform.
Anyways, now I've downloaded a demo of the latest version. My first steps have felt a little fumbly, even though I can see that it's progressed a lot. It doesn't scan VSTs until you start a project. IIRC, it didn't scan VSTs at all - you had to manually configure each one. Anyways, I waited while it scanned over 200 plugins. (The process leaves a little nothing window floating at the top left of my screen. Bizarre.)
As soon as it's done, it asks me if I want to save the project as a template for future projects. Huh? What does that mean? If it means saving the list of VSTs, yeah great. But it doesn't say that. It says project. What do I know about the project? Absolutely nothing. I can see no information about it. Since I've actually created a few projects, I actually know what the basic project contains, but if I were really running this the first time, I'd find the question off-putting. In fact, I found it to be a bad sign. Step one: wait for lots of VSTs. Step two: be confronted with a question you can't answer honestly.
...
Just spent some time fumbling around in project creation. Very confusing. At no point in time did I feel like it was doing what I expected it to be doing. I decided to save mystery nothing project as a template (I figured, why not?). Then I shut down Podium and restarted. I unticked the VST scan box and created a new project. It neither used the template nor suggested it might be an option. No VSTs were scanned, but none were available. Hmm... (But it did ask me if I wanted to make the new, blank project as a template. Excellent suggestion.)
I shut down Podium and restarted. This time I ignored its main project creation flow and went for menu items. Sure enough, under project templates I can create a new project using the template I made. Suddenly the VST list shows up (yay!) but.. that's it (boo!). What do I do from here? Hello? No mixer, no tracks, just a list of VSTs. Weird. When I make a new project using the big flashing buttons I get to start making music. When I do it using a template, I don't.
...
After a little poking and prodding, I realize now that the shiny buttons don't just make a project, they also make what's called an arrangement. Got it now. It's what Tracktion would call an edit. I remember being annoyed that I had to create two things (project + edit) to do one thing (make a song), but eventually learned to love its benefits. Same here, just a confusing start. And now I kinda understand the project template question, but a little explanation would have made for a much easier welcome, IMO.
I'll probably have to delve deeply into the manual and tutorials to really get it, but I get the impression it will be worth it. I like to jump into stuff without having read the manual first, though, just to get a little impression of how intuitive software is or isn't. And maybe some feedback might be helpful for a developer. When you're eyebrows-deep in the code, it can be hard to see your product with fresh eyes. I figure you can make a few tweaks to make your demo friendlier, or you can say RTFM, but you can't idiot-proof anything without an idiot to help you!
the old free version may not work boots successfully on new generations of computers, instruments, and hardware
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- KVRAF
- 35269 posts since 14 Sep, 2002 from In teh net
Does this mean existing users don't get updates any more after a year?
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- KVRian
- 1142 posts since 9 Jul, 2006 from Germany
kyodeejay wrote:No, you will get updates for free always.aMUSEd wrote:Does this mean existing users don't get updates any more after a year?
It's the best host i've tried.
I DO read that in another way:
A Podium software license costs 50 US$ which includes one year of free software upgrades. Each additional year of upgrades costs 35 US$.
For me it means that you would have to buy the upgrades every year again .. and again.
???
Maybe there is a difference between "update" and "upgrade" and someone could lightne this up a bit.
"The 'less-is-more'-guy ... he's an asshole." (Billy Decker)
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- KVRian
- 974 posts since 10 May, 2003
If you buy a license now (for 50 dollars) you get one year of updates for free. After that you have to pay 35 dollars for another year of upgrades (or updates).MountainKing wrote:kyodeejay wrote:No, you will get updates for free always.aMUSEd wrote:Does this mean existing users don't get updates any more after a year?
It's the best host i've tried.
I DO read that in another way:
A Podium software license costs 50 US$ which includes one year of free software upgrades. Each additional year of upgrades costs 35 US$.
For me it means that you would have to buy the upgrades every year again .. and again.
???
Maybe there is a difference between "update" and "upgrade" and someone could lightne this up a bit.
Existing users, who bought a license for 90 dollars, get lifetime free upgrades. This will remain so.
Buy Darling Sister's new album "Rise and fall" now! Just send a pm or an email. Visit our myspace page on www.myspace.com/darlingsister for songsamples.
