Next U-HE Plugin...

[antithesist]

UhBiK

[antithesist]

uHbIk

[quantum7]

Sorry also if I'm not into discussing the mistakes in Uhbik development over and over again and again. All I can say is, we got a new design for them and it's extensible this time.

As for "next plug-in" - the developers at u-he will spend the coming months mostly on training and documentation. I'm sharing my knowledge with them so that everyone has a better insight into how we do things and why. Such that also the responsibility for required changes (refactoring, new plug-in formats, new hosting paradigms, new MIDI extensions) can be taken off my shoulder. So that, in future, it isn't me who does most of the dirty work. So that I can concentrate on evolving things and we can have faster product cycles.

Therefore, don't expect a next u-he plug-in soon. Even though our "learning example" indeed is deemed to become a new product. Just don't ask what and when.

I personally find it very commendable that Urs tries his best to keep us in the loop with what is going on behind the scenes at U-he. I wish more developers would do the same. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to do all the research, developing, coding, and great customer service IMO with such a small staff such as U-he has. Personally, I'm impressed on all they've done in the past 5 years considering that. I do understand some of the frustration by certain users, but considering how forthright he is on most situations, I think that Urs should be afforded some leniency.

[pdxindy]

I think that he should be afforded some leniency.

there is no need for leniency... just don't be a rude jerk

[V0RT3X]

From what i understand, it works like this.

When we buy a plugin, we buy the right to use it as it is. The developer doesn't really owe you anything in the future.

They might suggest future updates, but that shouldn't be set in stone as this is software after all and things can rapidly change.

So when you pay, you aren't paying for the right to demand anything from the developer. You get what you pay for, yes bug fixes are usually the accepted norm if you can't use the software as intended and most devs don't leave their users in the dark for obvious reasons.

I am not a "fanboy" but a happy user who is more than happy to own and use the working u-he products i have already.

I might not be some big working "professional" but if you are a working professional then why complain ? Vote with your wallet then and buy stuff that works for you. There are lots of options out there..

[Howard]

I think that he should be afforded some leniency.

there is no need for leniency... just don't be a rude jerk

[david.beholder]

Do we really need new plugin? Isn't it new plugin in sake of new plugin?

It would be lovely to have few updates on exisitng ones: Seq and simple WT oscillator on Diva; Different/less squelcy filters and arp in ACE; New types and UI upgrade in Uhbiks etc.

And then wait for Z3 and new Diva modules.

[ksandvik]

All I want is a fun drum machine plugin designed by Urs.

[Urs]

These are not mutually exclusive:

It would be lovely to have few updates on exisitng ones

All I want is a fun drum machine plugin designed by Urs.

The problem is never really which plug-in to work on. The main time consumers are base technologies which affect all plug-ins. We could probably analyse and model the Synthex in less than a month. But we also have to do preset categorization, VST3 support, automated testing, maybe integrated bug reporting, a few refurbishments of the engine, a few new UI features and so on. Which would take me a month or two each.

New features mostly happen on the side lately - Hive's oscs, envs and filters were almost entirely coded on weekends. I want to change that. By spreading my knowledge of the engine/framework across the other devs at u-he I hope to be able to shift focus on feature implementation rather than engine maintenance. And then who knows, maybe we'll finally get "module prototypes" for the UI which are one of the final missing bits of framework technology before we can do Berlin Modular and Uhbik-X. Thinking of it, they might come in handy for Z3 as well.

As for ACE XL which was mentioned a few times, I think ACE 2.0 will be whatever ACE XL would have been. I'm thinking 2 inputs / output pairs for each filter (like 2 independent filters each with shared settings, much like Lags in Bazille), Hive-like switchable engines with different filter topologies and an expanded UI view with switchable expansion modules (including sequencers and Make Noise inspired stuff). But I really can't imagine getting there anytime soon and who knows whatever else we come up with until it's due.

Sheesh, whatever happened to that idea to add a programmable micro computer into out engine? - That was a great concept for plug-ins within plug-ins and a possible way to give users the ability to fulfill their own feature wishes. It wasn't just an idea for a scripting environment. It would have had a programmable UI and some funky DSP functionality. Nevermind, it might as well have been a lot of work for very little effect.

- U

[RedChameau]

The main time consumers are base technologies which affect all plug-ins.

[...]

By spreading my knowledge of the engine/framework across the other devs at u-he I hope to be able to shift focus on feature implementation rather than engine maintenance.
- U

Man even I - a simple user/customer - find the mere thought of all this maintenance / quality management sh*t to be depressing. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be for you.

Just a question though : does the VST3 implementation bring any new feature to anyone or is just some random user whim ?

EDIT : Don't Bother, just skimmed through the VST3 thread to understand what required to lose such an amount of time over vst3 development.
Still not sure how to answer this otherwise than "vst2 is as much a mess than vst3" though, but ok

[Urs]

I can't even begin to imagine what it must be for you.

The months before the maintenance release were outright depressing. I fixed several hundred (!) bugs and niggles, a majority of which had been related to the shift of the single processor paradigm to the mostly parallel processing we have today. VST and AU were not designed with this in mind, i.e. there were no safeguards embedded into the standards. VST3 has this, but it's got its drawbacks due to it.

By far the most distressing problem was the upgrade of voice handling with multichannel MIDI support and multicore processing in our synths. This opened two cans of worms in an area of code that was complex from the beginning and gained complexity beyond good coding standards. This had become a constant source of problems. Unfortunately we couldn't just throw the old code away, as it was used in the existing products. However, one goal before anything new comes out is to redesign the whole apparatus of voice management, event queues, note stealing, triggering (e.g. single triggered LFOs triggered by the sequencer that in turn trigger envelopes...), thread scheduling so to make things more modern and manageable. This can now be done because we've reached a point where the current state can act as a reference.

So yeah, there's quite a lot of stuff that just happens, which might not be visible on the outside, but requires a lot of time and effort to keep up

[antithesist]

UHBik

[medienhexer]

Nothing wrong with stating your disappointment.

I, too, bought UHBIK thinking there would be further development. I also agree that UHBIKs are great and I'd wish for some improvements so I'd be using them as much as the synths and Presswerk.

On the other hand, if you think about it rationally, the support guy kind of had a point, UHBIKs are being maintained for free. Going on at least five years now. Not every company does that. Perhaps that's what he was trying to say?

And I am glad that Urs gives those products higher priority which ensure the continued economic viability of his company. Making sure that there will be updates in the future.

I do agree with you that at some point, it would be great to see the product vision from back then take shape, especially given that Sascha joined the team and that some of the effects included with the synths have now surpassed the quality of UHBIK.

I think, though, that the way you voice your opinion is counterproductive. And the backlash is mostly about that.

[werp]

U-HE hardware synth. 37 key minimum with fully sized keys, poly aftertouch and a ribbon control.

[V0RT3X]

A u-he midi controller would be cool.