Just like porn, there are so many great free plug-ins on the net why pay for them?

[Zaphod (giancarlo)]

Interesting thread!

The average bang-for-buck has certainly gone way way up.

The kicker:

As we are getting cheaper bangs, the ratio of good payware plugins to good freeware plugins gets closer and closer to equal.

i.e.
There is still plenty of amazing payware, and it is a better value than ever before.
But as time goes on it makes less and less sense to 'invest' in it due to the thinning margin between freeware-bang and payware-bang.

I could say the same for music. A lot of band and djs are releasing free and good music
As you can see, it seems like everything in the audio segment is moving in the same direction. Free tools, millions of djs mixing all music they can, hundreds of thousands of producers.... and no money around...

[Mutant]

Well i wouldn't say i don't need it.
The demo version sounds very pleasing to my ears and once the developer kills all the bugs and annoyances, i might even buy it.
But buy it not because i think i need it to convince all these "experienced" musicians that i have a real hardware synth in my bedroom studio, but as i said, because it sounds good to my ears.

Feeling a little contrary today?

Nope. Not at all.

You've now validated my original point that an experienced musician can hear the difference between DIVA and any free synth out there. There was nothing in my statement about this being for the end listener.

First: From the context it should be clear that i meant Diva on its own, not in the mix.
Second: I never disagreed with that point - there is a higher than zero possibility that there are indeed some of them around even if we are talking full mix, basically i only said that it is not relevant what "experienced" musicians can or can not recognize because there are just too few of them around.

[Tricky-Loops]

Interesting thread!

The average bang-for-buck has certainly gone way way up.

The kicker:

As we are getting cheaper bangs, the ratio of good payware plugins to good freeware plugins gets closer and closer to equal.

i.e.
There is still plenty of amazing payware, and it is a better value than ever before.
But as time goes on it makes less and less sense to 'invest' in it due to the thinning margin between freeware-bang and payware-bang.

I could say the same for music. A lot of band and djs are releasing free and good music
As you can see, it seems like everything in the audio segment is moving in the same direction. Free tools, millions of djs mixing all music they can, hundreds of thousands of producers.... and no money around...

Because the sense of "value" has changed. In the past you were happy if you got a new CD, nowadays you can download everything for free. Music has lost its value. Same story for plugins: You download one plugin, then the next, one week later a new one, then another one and so on. If you got a Juno 106 in the past, you could have worked with it for years. But for plugins, once you have bought one, you already need another one...

[Uncle E]

Feeling a little contrary today?

Nope. Not at all.

Case in point!

First: From the context it should be clear that i meant Diva on its own, not in the mix.

As did I. I never said anything about "in the mix", nor did I say anything about it being for the end listener. You added all that.

[jam92189]

Interesting thread!

The average bang-for-buck has certainly gone way way up.

The kicker:

As we are getting cheaper bangs, the ratio of good payware plugins to good freeware plugins gets closer and closer to equal.

i.e.
There is still plenty of amazing payware, and it is a better value than ever before.
But as time goes on it makes less and less sense to 'invest' in it due to the thinning margin between freeware-bang and payware-bang.

Its true. that and that also includes that many people will sell there plugins that they dont use for pretty cheap to

[RunBeerRun]

On Windows, there aren't ANY plugins like porn, it is against the Steinberg rules. Mac people probably got mad shortiez up in heya.

[manducator]

Because the sense of "value" has changed. In the past you were happy if you got a new CD, nowadays you can download everything for free. Music has lost its value. Same story for plugins: You download one plugin, then the next, one week later a new one, then another one and so on. If you got a Juno 106 in the past, you could have worked with it for years. But for plugins, once you have bought one, you already need another one...

So true...

[jam92189]

On Windows, there aren't ANY plugins like porn, it is against the Steinberg rules. Mac people probably got mad shortiez up in heya.

what does that mean. well what does any of what you said mean. I have a pc and I have some great plugins and some great hardware

[David Else]

No freeware sampler will Ever come close to Kontakt no freeware synth will come close to Diva.

They are the best today, but you never know about tomorrow. The 2nd best sampler Shortcircuit 1 (v1.1.2) is free:

http://www.vemberaudio.se/shortcircuit.php

For VST effects i honestly think that bootsy's new stateful saturation plugins ThrillseekerLA, Density mkIII and NastyDLA mkII are the best compression and delay plugins there are, regardless of price.

How many compressors do you need? Here are 2 very different and great sounding ones totally free. Play with them for a year then start looking for more if you feel you need them

http://varietyofsound.wordpress.com/

This is a golden era for computer music BUT it requires great self disciple not to just get lost in the endless technology and geek out doing no music.

Nobody seems interested in the politics of free software in this thread. Here's some food for thought:

http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/why-free.html
http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/

If you agree with this political point of view, it is another reason to ask "there are so many great free plug-ins on the net why pay for them?"

[RunBeerRun]

what does that mean.

Steinberg invented and has the patent on vst's, and they do have a clause where you cannot allow certain things, one of which is pornography.

This came up before when the 1st KVR developer challenge had nude women on that crappy synthedit eq plugin. The 2nd part was a Mac joke, I've never heard of any rules with their au stuff.

[jam92189]

what does that mean.

Steinberg invented and has the patent on vst's, and they do have a clause where you cannot allow certain things, one of which is pornography.

This came up before when the 1st KVR developer challenge had nude women on that crappy synthedit eq plugin. The 2nd part was a Mac joke, I've never heard of any rules with their au stuff.

really thats kinda funny

[Zaphod (giancarlo)]

Interesting thread!

The average bang-for-buck has certainly gone way way up.

The kicker:

As we are getting cheaper bangs, the ratio of good payware plugins to good freeware plugins gets closer and closer to equal.

i.e.
There is still plenty of amazing payware, and it is a better value than ever before.
But as time goes on it makes less and less sense to 'invest' in it due to the thinning margin between freeware-bang and payware-bang.

I could say the same for music. A lot of band and djs are releasing free and good music
As you can see, it seems like everything in the audio segment is moving in the same direction. Free tools, millions of djs mixing all music they can, hundreds of thousands of producers.... and no money around...

Because the sense of "value" has changed. In the past you were happy if you got a new CD, nowadays you can download everything for free. Music has lost its value. Same story for plugins: You download one plugin, then the next, one week later a new one, then another one and so on. If you got a Juno 106 in the past, you could have worked with it for years. But for plugins, once you have bought one, you already need another one...

eheh agreed

[hibidy]

beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Either that or depends on your pocket book

[Shy]

Well, at least that's my opinion.

What's your opinion? That you don't understand why people pay for some plugins even though there are (OTHER/ONES THAT AREN'T EVEN NECESSARILY SO SIMILAR IF AT ALL) plugins that are free? I use a free plugin if it's good and useful for me and I buy a plugin if it's good and more useful for me than any free alternative, if one even exists. It's not hard to understand, even without the usual "philosophical" debates here.

You want to compare this to pornography? Don't even start. Most of the "free porn" online is copyrighted stuff that costs money but people download without permission, and "samples" that companies release to tempt people to look things up, and it works, it gets them lots of money eventually.

[camsr]

You should pay for what is on sale.