Namm '09

[koolkeys]

So you are also selling to magazines that publish reviews of your product(s).

This statement is NOT true. I am going as a writer for a magazine(not ProRec). Media such as magazines and websites like Sonic State are there to COVER the show, not be 'bought out'. So that statement is completely wrong.

Just wanted to clear that up.

Brent

Understood. My meaning was not intended to state that a magazine is there to be bought out and I apologize for making it sound like that. However, a company or product that generates interesting news and gets good coverage in a magazine or web page will benefit from that coverage. Generating good PR is always a good and intentional reason for a company to go to a conference or trade show and in that way they are selling to you. Companies with deeper pockets will have trained PR people that are there to talk with journalists and not screw things up like an engineer like me (case in point here). There is nothing wrong with that IMO, it is just part of doing business. As a journalist you must certainly understand that the bigger companies send their best sweet-talkers to give you a good dog-and-pony show? Your job is to play the game, read between the lines, sift out the BS, and give us the news (isn't it?).

Well, just to be clear, I'm not a FULL time writer. I do write for other places though as well, mostly ProRec.com. But I'll be at the show as a writer for the magazine. And I didn't mean to sound so defensive. Sorry about that.

There is no way of getting around being at least partially "sold" on something as part of the media. Heck, when doing fact checks on reviews, I've had developers try to change my opinion. But it's our job to not let them do that, and a GOOD writer won't be swayed by words alone.

But that's of course not what this topic is about, so I don't want to get off on that rabbit trail. I just wanted to make the point that NAMM would be a MESS if they allowed the public in, or even just anyone who wanted to apply for a pass. I don't even know if actual goods are changed hands during the show. I guess they COULD be, but it's mostly for music retailers and distributors and manufacturers and developers and others to connect and create relationships which help the industry to prosper. Most small devs will go but won't have a booth. This is because they distribute their own stuff. But for the 1500 companies who DO have booths there, they keep the industry going. And the NAMM show is a big part of that.

So even if you can't go, rest assured that good things will likely be happening!

Brent

[Paul Russell]

Hi Glenn

I didn't realise that Crystal was yours. I used to use that a lot about 5 years ago. Great synth.

Are Spectrasonics going to make any special announcements, like 64bit versions of RMX and Omnisphere?

[NewSc2]

Hi Glenn

I didn't realise that Crystal was yours. I used to use that a lot about 5 years ago. Great synth.

Are Spectrasonics going to make any special announcements, like 64bit versions of RMX and Omnisphere?

or an updated Trilogy?

[koolkeys]

Hi Glenn

I didn't realise that Crystal was yours. I used to use that a lot about 5 years ago. Great synth.

Are Spectrasonics going to make any special announcements, like 64bit versions of RMX and Omnisphere?

or an updated Trilogy?

Trilogy IS supposed to be their next product, but it will be a rewrite using the STEAM engine just as with Omni. So it will likely be a new product like "Trilosphere" or something like that.

Brent

[Paul Russell]

Trilogy IS supposed to be their next product,
Brent

If it ain't available as x64 native I'll be passing on that one.

[koolkeys]

Trilogy IS supposed to be their next product,
Brent

If it ain't available as x64 native I'll be passing on that one.

I can't say if it will be or not, but they have talked about Omni going 64 bit at some point. I would assume it's an engine thing, so once the engine is upgraded, future products will benefit. I think they were possibly waiting to see if more of the industry would adopt 64 bit because it has NOT done so yet. Obviously, it's the future, but just not there yet. So I would bet that by the time the Trilogy update is out, they would be there.

Brent

[putte]

.. i'll have my own booth this year, presenting 2 huge packs of new putorials. you can find me right next to Apple's booth. unfortunately, Apple won't be at NAMM this year. anyway, i'd be happy to meet old and new putorial-users ..

[donkey tugger]

.. i'll have my own booth this year, presenting 2 huge packs of new putorials. you can find me right next to Apple's booth. unfortunately, Apple won't be at NAMM this year. anyway, i'd be happy to meet old and new putorial-users ..

I never knew the Germans were in nam.

[yairhol]

I'll be there Glenn, and the Specs booth is already on my list! Already located on the floor map and centered in. Are you up for answering any questions at NAMM, a 'la reporter style?

See ya there!

Brent

Koolkeys, hi.
If you're there a 'la reporter style, ask Glenn if they're thinking of solving the Omnisphere issues many of their users are having.

Thanks.

Also, I don't know Prorec.com so I'll be checking that out since I always respect your comments on different issues.

[fmr]

.. you can find me right next to Apple's booth. unfortunately, Apple won't be at NAMM this year. anyway, i'd be happy to meet old and new putorial-users ..

Apple won't be on ANY exhibition from now on, according to their own words. The gfuys who decided this are a bunch of jerks. I wonder how Gerhard and all the ex-Emagic people feel about this.

[Paul Russell]

I can't say if it will be or not, but they have talked about Omni going 64 bit at some point. I would assume it's an engine thing, so once the engine is upgraded, future products will benefit. I think they were possibly waiting to see if more of the industry would adopt 64 bit because it has NOT done so yet. Obviously, it's the future, but just not there yet. So I would bet that by the time the Trilogy update is out, they would be there.

Brent

That's the thing. 64bit isn't the future, it's here. Sonar has been x64 for three years. Cubase 5 will be x64. Play and soon Kontakt are x64. Even Aleksey is releasing all his new Voxengo plugs in x64.

Omnisphere is such a memory hog that it absolutely should have been issued in x64 in the first place. RMX should quickly follow, because if you put those two together in one SONAR x64 project, even my 8 processor beast comes to a screaming halt.

I like to think of Spectrasonics as a market leader. It's really time for Eric and the gang to take the initiative and show it. It doesn't have to be free - I'd pay a little extra for the X64 compiled version. But I'd like to get the value out of the products that I've bought.

[fmr]

The 3 months since the Omnisphere release have been a blast and while I have to admit the awards have been nice, it's most gratifying to hear how customers use Omnisphere in their music. So, if you're at NAMM next week, please stop by the Spectrasonics booth and say hi!

Also, over the years, it's been a lot of fun to meet Crystal users at NAMM (feedback from Crystal users is always appreciated), so this invitation is for you too. It's always fun to meet Crystal users in person and connect a face with someone I know online.

- Glenn

Hi Glenn. I am currently reviewing Omnisphere, and I lack the presence of a regular manual (even if in PDF format). I know there's an HTML, but I sinerely don't like that kind of thing. May I contact you personally to get some details regarding the STEAM engine? You can PM me with your e-mail.

[koolkeys]

I'll be there Glenn, and the Specs booth is already on my list! Already located on the floor map and centered in. Are you up for answering any questions at NAMM, a 'la reporter style?

See ya there!

Brent

Koolkeys, hi.
If you're there a 'la reporter style, ask Glenn if they're thinking of solving the Omnisphere issues many of their users are having.

Thanks.

Also, I don't know Prorec.com so I'll be checking that out since I always respect your comments on different issues.

Thanks for the compliment! Let me know what you think of ProRec.com and stay tuned. Some cool stuff coming post-NAMM.

About the show, I don't know what capacity I will be in. The magazine has said that they may use me in various ways, and I'll also be there talking to a few devs on behalf of ProRec.com. But it's hard to say.

But I think questions like that may be a little tacky to ask at a show like NAMM. That would go away from the point of the show, which is NOT geared towards support issues. Also, of course they are thinking of solving the issues. Despite the observations made in other threads, I highly doubt they are just sitting back and saying "screw them, we don't feel like fixing that". And remember, "many" users doesn't mean "majority". And it's sometimes harder to pinpoint issues than users think. Just stick with it and be polite, and I'm sure that the answers and fixes will come. I personally haven't had any of the issues mentioned, so that proves that it's not just a simple, reproduceable bug much of the time. It CAN be system specific, otherwise it would happen on every system. So just give them time and see what happens! Maybe the upcoming update will actually have solved the issues.

Anyways, gotta get back to some writing. Got a couple of articles to finish before NAMM, so time's a wasting!

Brent

[koolkeys]

That's the thing. 64bit isn't the future, it's here. Sonar has been x64 for three years. Cubase 5 will be x64. Play and soon Kontakt are x64. Even Aleksey is releasing all his new Voxengo plugs in x64.

Plugins and hosts are different than systems though. Many plugins do have 64 bit versions indeed. But what percentage of people are still using the 32 bit versions because they don't have a 64 bit OS? The majority of systems that are out there are still 32 bit. And although that is gradually changing, it's not 'quite' here yet.

Omnisphere is such a memory hog that it absolutely should have been issued in x64 in the first place. RMX should quickly follow, because if you put those two together in one SONAR x64 project, even my 8 processor beast comes to a screaming halt.

It's odd, I have both products and use both products on my modest system with 3GB of RAMM, and never run out of memory. It's likely I'm just a lucky one, but I don't see how they are taking so much RAM for people. RMX uses loops, and most of Omni's patches are a couple hundred megabytes. I don't think they need to be 64 bit to fix the problems, as I doubt either one is actually using up more than a couple hundred MB of memory. It's likely a deeper issue, just judging by the size of the libraries and presets.

I like to think of Spectrasonics as a market leader. It's really time for Eric and the gang to take the initiative and show it. It doesn't have to be free - I'd pay a little extra for the X64 compiled version. But I'd like to get the value out of the products that I've bought.

Well, they ARE a market leader in terms of quality, no doubt about it. And hey, I hope they give a 64 bit version as well just because more people will be able to use it. But I don't fault them for not doing it yet. It's just something that wasn't top priority, and with a project that big, you have to set priorities. Time will tell if they set those priorities correctly.

Brent

[Waker]

Hi Glenn.

Thank you (and the rest of the spectrasonics team) for such wonderfull products like Stylus RMX and Omnisphere. They are truelly inovation products, and I'm looking forward to you future products.

Have a fun and happy NAMM.