Poly-Ana: Coming soon from Admiral Quality.

[kurzman]

Re the discussion of copy protection ... I think this was a little much from a developer. But I can understand him being upset by people ripping him off. But many of us do NOT want dongles. I, and many others like me, will not buy a product for this reason alone. It is inconvenient, and makes us have to pay for the crimes of others. So, I think it was a legitimate question (although it could have been explained in more detail).

What is this synth modeled after? Or is it a non-modeled synth?

[diversheat]

AdmiralQuality, I'm shocked! Shocked about two things: A 50€ synth with a dongle and your assumptive behaviour here on this forum. Ok, you've lost 15 customers today!

[topaz]

hey, have you been approached by Image Line for a buyout yet ?

you would fit in just great with that attitude.

if you're not happy with that, feel free to go away. Nobody's forcing you to use our products.

[Lunatique]

AdmiralQuality - You seriously need to let someone else handle public relations, because it doesn't seem like something you enjoy or am good at. Maybe you're the main sound designer/programmer and you'd rather be working on music/sound design instead of promoting/advertising. If that's the case, let someone else do it because you will seriously lose more customers if you continue to play the role of public relations.

[AdmiralQuality]

AdmiralQuality, I'm shocked! Shocked about two things: A 50€ synth with a dongle and your assumptive behaviour here on this forum. Ok, you've lost 15 customers today!

Where are you getting this from? Read what I wrote please. I DON'T use dongles because I don't believe the paying customers should be punished for those who would steal it! And for you to put a price on MY synth that you haven't even tried yet is pretty presumptious. It's only $69.95 because I say it is. And it will be $129.95 when it reaches version 1.0, $69.95 is just the price while it's in Beta; a reward for buying early. But it could have just as easily been a $300 synth. Or $800. Price is arbitrary in software. Sometimes I wonder if reasonable pricing doesn't actually hurt my products, because they're then perceived to be cheap or inferior to the competition. But I strongly feel that most software is FAR too expensive, so again, I'm trying my best to be one of the good guys instead of part of the problem. Another thing I hate that other companies do is dropping their prices. Hunting DOWN to find the optimal price point. This makes the people who bought in early -- your BEST customers -- get the feeling they got ripped off. At AQ prices do go up, but not down (at least not any time soon.) So buying early is a good idea, if you think you like it or think its moving in a direction you like and you're GOING to like it eventually. (And I won't be rushing to a version 2.x any time soon either... that's another sleezy tactic other companies do that makes me sick. If and when there ever is a version 2, it'll be because there's been a HUGE improvement and new features.)

So please everyone, I didn't invent the concept of copy protection. If you want to debate it, kindly start a new thread.

And Duncan, exactly. Already planned to do that. It will probably spit out the exact C++ code for the hardcoded presets in .txt files, just to save me ANY work.

To those who's said they will buy it, thanks, but of course I expect you to try it first. That's part of why I offer free, full-functioning evaluations. So there can't be any surprises. I don't want somebody buying it thinking its one thing, then getting it and being disappointed... so because of this you actually have to run it TO buy it (you get your serial number from running it. So if you can't run it, you can't even enter the purchase pages.) Poly-Ana is going to be a huge processor hog (especially early on). So I'd certainly say it won't be for everyone. (But what product is?)

Oh and Duncan, I kind of wanted to keep this a secret but as you pointed out, yes, I've blown it in other threads. Poly-Ana DOES use internal oversampling. But the actual X number is adaptive to the sample rate of your project! And there are are no dramatic differences in sound when running it at different sample rates. I'm also pretty sure I'm going to include a quality switch so people with slower CPUs can sacrifice some quality for sound. Though again, that may be a later feature not in the first Beta. But we'll see how far I get in the next few days...

And as far as doubles vs floats! NOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo! 32 bits of precision is PLENTY and any quantization error actually CONTRIBUTES to the sound. People complain of sterile too-clean sounding digital synthesizers... well a little error goes a long way to making it sound organic, very analog, and even kind of DANGEROUS. Real analog synths have error and noise in their signal and control paths. It wouldn't be much of an analog emulation if it was pristine sounding. You'll see.

Thanks everyone.

[kurzman]

Price is arbitrary in software.

Not for me. Price is the sole focus between a purchase and not. That is why I have EWQL and not VSL.

I think Garritan is a perfect example of how you can do a lot with very little.

I would never pay $800 for a synth unless it was hardware, or capable of doing every synth known to man (including OB-X and Arp Pro).

I can understand your point, but seriously ... that is a developer talking not a consumer. I think the argument about low prices would apply if you sold it for $5. But anything above $30 I consider a serious purchase. Anything over $100 I contemplate on for months. Smaller prices get very easy sales from me.

Now, again, is this synth modeled after a famous synth? Or its own creation?

[AdmiralQuality]

Price is arbitrary in software.

Not for me. Price is the sole focus between a purchase and not. That is why I have EWQL and not VSL.

I think Garritan is a perfect example of how you can do a lot with very little.

I would never pay $800 for a synth unless it was hardware, or capable of doing every synth known to man (including OB-X and Arp Pro).

I can understand your point, but seriously ... that is a developer talking not a consumer. I think the argument about low prices would apply if you sold it for $5. But anything above $30 I consider a serious purchase. Anything over $100 I contemplate on for months. Smaller prices get very easy sales from me.

Now, again, is this synth modeled after a famous synth? Or its own creation?

Sigh, well of COURSE consumers want it cheap. In fact, they want it FREE. Hence my frustration with mistertoast's questions like will the beta run for free forever, and will you use copy protection. (And again, sorry mistertoast if I misinterpreted your comments. Like I said, these are very sensitive issues for me.) But if someone REALLY expects that, and I've pissed them off with something I've said here... I don't think I've lost a sale as they probably weren't going to buy it anyway. And besides, this isn't a popularity contest. It's not high-school. I don't care if anyone here likes me (though plenty do). People will buy my products if they like THE PRODUCTS, and are honest enough to not use cracks. Simple as that. You think my FRIENDS buy my products? Ha! They all expect to get it free. If I get any more friends I'm going to starve to death.

In answer to your other question. No, there never was a big red synth named Poly-Ana (nor any name that's a pun of that, which seems to be the industry trend ). My design philosophy on this synth went basically like this: Imagine it's around 1976 or '77... back when synths were synths, before they started to get computerized and lose their knobs. Design the ULTIMATE analog model synth that COULD have existed back then, that takes the best features from MANY classic synths of the day. But avoid anything "computery" like duplicating early program memories (why bother? The host does this for us and it just takes up space on the interface!) or, heaven forbid... wavetable synthesis or graphic envelope drawing or any of the other stuff they've added to some of the more popular re-creations that just AREN'T in tune with what the originals were all about (IMHO).

So, it's a bit Modular Moog, Minimoog and Polymoog. It's a bit Oberheim 4 voice. It's a bit EMS Synthi-A. It's a bit ARP 2600. It's a bit Jupiter 8. But it's not exactly any one of them (though it can do almost everything that any of those synths, and more, could do). And it uses a somewhat original modular routing scheme incorporating those mod source selector dials (which are turning out to be as easy to use as I had hoped! IMHO again, of course) rather than patch cables (which cover things up too much) or hidden drop down menus (which spoil the feel, require multiple clicks, and hide options from sight) that many of the other guys use. So, it's intentionally unique. It's intentionally big. It's intentionally heavy on CPU. This is EXACTLY the niche I intended to fill. Again, it won't be for everybody. But for those people who, like me, have been wishing for something like this for a long time, who appreciate that while many of the other soft-synths out there sound great, they still don't sound THAT analog, it's going to be like a dream come true. She's SO fun to play, I can barely keep my hands off her long enough to add new features! I can't WAIT till she's done enough that I can take some time and really PLAY it.

But we're a small company, most days its just me, I have to wear a lot of hats (yes, even marketing ) but still stay focused on development. I expect in coming months my job will change from development to largely sales and marketing (which is fine, I could use a break! I'm losing feeling in my hand from all the typing! No joke.) and then I'll have more time to hype it up, polish up the website, and do a bunch of other stuff that doesn't actually make the product any better! (Whoever said it was right, I DO think like a developer. And like a user too. But NOT like a salesman. And that's a GOOD thing, for my customers. Those who get it, get it. If you don't... that's fine. You must not be in my target demographic. )

Cheers.

[Lunatique]

And besides, this isn't a popularity contest. It's not high-school. I don't care if anyone here likes me (though plenty do).

No one said it's a popularity contest. What it is, however, is the concept of public relations/customer service, and there are very specific expectations from someone who is in that role. If you just want to be a developer, then concentrate on that, but if you are forced to be a public relations/customer service guy due to the small size of your operation, then you either try your best to get into that role, or bite the bullet and get someone else to do it. When's the last time you talked with a customer service person and he/she copped a condescending and defensive attitude as soon as you asked simple and reasonable questions about a product? The fact of the matter is, you are trying to run a company that SELLS products--there are responsibilities and duties outside of simply making products when you are running a company, and you just have to accept that. If you are the type of person who just couldn't give a rat's ass how your behavior comes off in the eyes of others, and you are too cool and "real" to lower yourself to the friendly and helpful persona that's expected of a guy trying to sell something, then you should consider either not get into the business of selling something, or have someone else do the selling for you.

There have been lots of previous examples of small developers that consist of only one or two guys, and they are not exactly the type of personality you'd call a "people person," yet they come to KVR and are the sole voice for their products--resulting in huge fireballs of flaming threads. I think it's safe to say that they must've lost potential customers. It's never as simple as "people are buying the product, not my personality." Take a look at ANY consumer oriented forums and read tons of comments like "I'll never buy from so-and-so company ever again because their customer service sucks." If you think the personality that's presented to potential customers doesn't matter, then you should probably learn a little bit about the principles of running a business. Human beings are not 100% rational robots--they will be affected by their emotions, and if you offend them, it will affect their mood, and it will affect whether they buy from you or not. NEVER assume the people you offend "weren't going to buy the product anyway"--you can't possibly know that because you are not a mind reader. Your attitude is essentially one of anti-customer service--one that screams "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!" Do you really believe that's the wisest way to deal with the public as a company? It's not even about the fact you are adamant about designing your product a certain way and you want to keep it that way, it's about you ATTITUDE and TONE of voice. There are many ways to say the same thing--it can ONLY help you if you choose to say things in a polite and pleasant manner. Like I said, if it's beneath you to put on a friendly face for your customers (potential or otherwise), then don't get into the business of selling to the public--just stay in the studio and develop--let someone else do the public relations.

[AdmiralQuality]

Strongly disagree Lunatique. And my customers receive the BEST customer service possible, directly from the person who created their software! If you don't see how this is better than the system you suggest, then I do think you should look to another company for your software and all the sales attention you seem to think you deserve.

I'm just about the results. If you like what I'm doing, great. If you don't, then we have nothing further to discuss. I don't want to SELL anybody on my products, that's why they have free evaluations. So you can sell yourself, or not.

And, you can hear the tone of my voice? I thought I was typing. I think you're reading stuff in that just isn't there. Like the fellow above who thought I used dongles.

You're entitled to your opinion of course, but go rant about it somewhere else please. I'd like to keep this thread on topic.

[mistertoast]

AQ, I must admit you surprised me with your responses. Of _course_ everyone wants everything for free. There's nothing new about that.

To make me _pay_ for a synth, it has to stick its head up above everything else. I hope yours does that.

[Teksonik]

Quick question. How will computers that don't have internet connections handle registration?

(As for keeping this thread on topic. Not many 4 month old threads stay on topic here at KVR. Good Luck with that one. )

[AdmiralQuality]

AQ, I must admit you surprised me with your responses. Of _course_ everyone wants everything for free. There's nothing new about that.

To make me _pay_ for a synth, it has to stick its head up above everything else. I hope yours does that.

And once again mistertoast, apologies if I offended. But it just kind of rubbed me the wrong way for you to come out and say something as general as "I'm irritated by copy protection". There's SO many different kinds of copy protection, you shouldn't lump them all together. And if you want to get on an anti-copyprotection soap box, that's FINE, just please don't single me out and do it in HERE. Because again, I've gone out of my way to make it as unobtrusive as possible. Others tried to talk me into something stronger, and I FOUGHT (and continue to fight) to keep it as it is. Because I AM a musician and a software user, just like all of you. I'm not some robot from outer space who doesn't understand. I do this stuff because I love it and I care and I feel I have something to contribute. (But as I also have pointed out many times, I know it won't please everyone... but I think trying to please everyone is a sure fire way to make a very bland, mediocre product. And you STILL won't please everybody.)

So sorry, it's rough times for me... I honestly am having trouble making ends meet (I'm ALREADY "biting the bullet" Lunatique... you can't imagine how hard) so any suggestion or perceived expectation that something I've spent the last year of my life working on should be free kind of irks me. So, sorry sorry sorry... lets be friends. K?

If I didn't use SOME form of copy protection, I'm SURE I'd lose a significant proportion of the few sales I do make. People want to be honest, but like the saying "fences make good neighbours"... sometimes you just need to give people a little hint/reminder. Like I said, to those who WANT to steal it, they have a great time doing exactly that and I'm strongly opposed to passing on extra costs to my legitimate customers in order to stop them. There are thousands of people using SCAMP out there, and I wish I could tell you how many have actually bought it. Suffice to say the ratio is terrifying and I'm going broke being a nice guy. (Someone who was running a crack actually had the nerve to send me a question the other day! When I pointed out it was well over a week since I had first heard from him, and he seemed to still be using the product but wasn't on my customer list, he paniced and made up a story about just having rebuilt his system! )

I just hope Poly has enough appeal to break through. But to be fair, I've been doing almost zero marketing on SCAMP... (aside from being too busy, it's actually a useful test to see what it's natural word-of-mouth sales rate is, before I "hype it up" at some point in the future.)

Anyway... scary times for me. If you like what I'm doing then wish me luck.

[Teksonik]

[AdmiralQuality]

Quick question. How will computers that don't have internet connections handle registration?

(As for keeping this thread on topic. Not many 4 month old threads stay on topic here at KVR. Good Luck with that one. )

You write down your serial number, and enter it in my website next time you're online so you can purchase it. Then you're automatically issued a key, which you write down (or whatever...) and enter that key into Poly-Ana to unlock it.

Just like SCAMP works. Try it!

But the point was, without a serial number, you can't even enter the purchase pages. THAT'S how much I care. I don't want it to even be POSSIBLE to buy my products by accident, or without having tried them! You have to have run it to get your serial number.

Make sense?

[Teksonik]

Makes sense. I was just confused by your earlier post, sounded like the plugin needed internet access. No problem with your CP scheme, I have several plugins that work the same way. Takes a few more minutes to register but the benefit of not having my DAW hooked up to the internet is well worth the extra steps.