Hive update plan

[Shiek927]

Sounds like a good idea to me! the wavetables alone make Hive an entirely new synth imo and vastly expand it's sonic potential. With the updates coming up and a new gui, it sounds like Hive might start to become the dance synth it always deserved to be. It never seemed like it lived up to it's full potential, so it's fun to see it suddenly getting a lot of attention!

[Dasheesh]

To avoid confusion I really would call it Hive 1.5, meaning half way between 1 and 2. If you are planning on making it as expensive as DIVA think about the expectations there. My 2.

[BDeep]

I’m clearly in the minority, so I don’t even remotely expect my opinion to matter...

But I don’t care for this at all. Up to the point that I’m now considering selling the damn thing.

I bought Hive on the premise that it would provide me with a fast way to get quality VA type sounds. Ease of use was a factor here. I have plenty of options if I want to make something more elaborate, but the simple design of Hive allowed me to stay in the flow of making music instead of being slowed down by an interface that is geared towards more complex patches.

I’m not at all opposed to expanding functionality for Hive as long as it adheres to the above principle. What we get though is things crammed in the modmatrix, which is about as exciting as using Excel. And worse, scripts. The E-Mu ESI-4000 I once had, had a more intuitive interface, and that thing was a bitch.

I understand the reasoning goes that I don’t have to use these options. But that’s not entirely true as I would always feel I wouldn’t use Hive to its full potential. Nothing more annoying when something’s right there but just out of reach.
A more limited but accessible additional feature set would have been much more preferable for me.
Also, wavetables? I have wavetable synths. They’re a dime a dozen these days. If I wanted that I wouldn’t have bought Hive in the first place. I have Serum and it has a nice editor to boot.
Scripts? I’d rather have something I can work on myself (I can’t be bothered to learn the scripting thing) - no matter how much I admire the versatility and potential of the concept.

In short, current Hive is simple but accessible, future Hive complex and inaccessible. It feels like it’s moving away from its original premise.

I should have bought Spire. Or worse: Sylenth1. Or, indeed, if I knew it was going to be a more complex synth anyway: Zebra.

For good measure, this is just my opinion, and I do appreciate U-He’s constant work on new features, maintaining and expanding their products. They are a joy to own for that reason.
I hope the 1.2/2.0 thing will be a huge success for you guys.

[Dasheesh]

for the record I'm kind of in the same mind set as bedeep. i have made my position clear. i loved hive for its playability; but i'm a musician, not a coder, and ever since the scripting thing came along i've put hive down and haven't picked it back up. i would have a different vision for hive, but i understand its intent was to target the 20 something preset crowd. i might let it go when all is said and done, but it's not done yet. i'm in wait and see mode. the gui change will speak volumes to me about it's intent. i won't be mad tho, i will just use the modulars and be very happy. i might sell hive in the end, but i will still use the other offerings.

[Urs]

I think you're insane if you brush these new features off as "inaccessible". You're offended because you get the most efficient, highest quality wavetable engine on the market which doesn't oblige you to wade through any visual clutter? Two extra buttons and 3 submenus suddenly make Hive unusable for you so you won't touch the damn thing?

Please sell "the damn thing". Someone out there will be very, very happy.

Seriously, haven't read anything as awkward in a while.

[EvilDragon]

In short, current Hive is simple but accessible, future Hive complex and inaccessible. It feels like it’s moving away from its original premise.

You're quite wrong there. Wavetables are a great addition and addresses concerns from a number of people who wanted sync, FM, etc.

You don't have to do your own scripts. You don't have to touch them if you don't want to (so not sure why dasheesh put down Hive just because scripts were added, that is quite befuddling). You can just use existing ones, of which there will be many, then tweak them as if it were a built-in waveform. You're overcomplicating this for yourself for no reason.

Even with these "complex" things, it was all distilled in a very simple usage for an average person. So it's all good. The workflow has remained fast.

[glokraw]

Where is it carved that new sounds can't still, and always
be made, with the original Hive? Or when Zebra 3 is released,
will the depths of Zebra2 suddenly be muted and
without potential?

Most new versions are designed for easier productivity,
expanded potentials, and improved results.
Based on how the Repro project moved from the free alpha,
to Repro 1, and on to the Repro 5, there is every confidence
that each Hive 1.x will be a wonderful instrument in every aspect.
Leading to an even better V2.x
Bring it ON!

[Dasheesh]

what's simpler then plug A into B and play? i like the modulars.

[BDeep]

I think you're insane if you brush these new features off as "inaccessible". You're offended because you get the most efficient, highest quality wavetable engine on the market which doesn't oblige you to wade through any visual clutter? Two extra buttons and 3 submenus suddenly make Hive unusable for you so you won't touch the damn thing?

Please sell "the damn thing". Someone out there will be very, very happy.

Seriously, haven't read anything as awkward in a while.

I can see why that is your opinion, otherwise, why would you take this direction with Hive? But to call a costumer who takes time out of his day to write his opinion on your products "insane"????

Also, I'm not at all offended, just slightly disappointed, it happens, deal with it.
The scripting language is inaccessible to me, indeed. If that makes me insane... well, I'm sorry, I'm out of here.

[Urs]

slightly disappointed

"the damn thing"

[Dasheesh]

it's not going to be worth getting into an internet war over guys. it might turn out that we are all happy with the end product when it's finished. it's not finished. Urs is upset because he has gone out of his way to, and is putting a lot of work into, trying to give people what they want. that's understandable, advancing the established is a difficult task. i really haven't put much effort into it because i haven't had to. i have other offerings i like to play, that i already know how to play. there is something for everyone in the U-he lineup.

[BDeep]

Btw, ED and the rest, Thanks for your measured reply, but I don’t feel I can say much more here because that will get someone riled up, so I’ll just leave it at this.

[Urs]

it's not finished.

Yes. Have a little faith.

There's a pretty long thought process involved. And it was *you* who actually tipped it off, at a point of time when I had already given up on Hive

I'm happy to lay out all reasoning behind our efforts, but even without that, I can not believe that anyone doubts the quantum leap of usefulness, playability and opportunity that this set of updates bring.

Take the simple addition of curves in the ModMatrix. Not a biggie understanding-wise. But a massive boost in making better sounds. It's a bit clunky now, hidden in a submenu. But it will be totally awesome in Hive 2.0, as the skin displays the curve in an intuitive way.

[Dasheesh]

i think i understand where you are coming from Bdeep. you want it to be more like an instrument and less like a computer program, if i understand you correctly. i feel the same way. it will be very disappointing to me if hive becomes a conduit for selling presets. but, TBFair that was its original intent. maybe we are hoping it would be something it wasn't intended to be.

[Urs]

Btw, ED and the rest, Thanks for your measured reply, but I don’t feel I can say much more here because that will get someone riled up, so I’ll just leave it at this.

Look man, for good measure: The worst you can say to a plug-in manufacturer is to suggest that you should have bought some other random plug-in. Particularly if it contradicts all the reasoning you made before. If you're better off with Spire or Sylenth1, as you suggest, by all means, sell Hive and get those. But please don't expect me to believe that these will be more accessibly and less complex to use than Hive 2.0 - they won't.