FYI!! Melda SoundFactory ON SALE til JUNE 30

[exponent1]

I don't have any issues with Melda UI. Yeah it was complicated at first (years ago), but once it clicked... Besides it's not any rocket science to pick a template you like and then pick the colors that please your eyes. People should focus more on using tools rather than whining how they feel their souls burning because of.. pixels.

I think most of the people here are not talking about the UI in terms of "pixels" or how it looks visually/graphically. It's the workflow aided by the GUI e.g. for FM synthesis, the lack of a matrix to assign the operators and such (like in Sytrus or FM8). If I get it correctly, no one is talking primarily about the "pretty-ness" of the GUI, but how stuff is laid out and the workflow within the modules actually.

I personally like MSF, because I'm not comparing it to other synths and not expecting it to behave or look like them. I have embraced its uniqueness. It's quite usable, intuitive and fun for me, I can't speak for anyone else. To each his own.

[sfd]

Most major conflict in threads origins in a skirmish between those who likes and those who dislikes something.

As opposed to being positive, towards a product, anyone negative will, sooner or later, be entitled with things as hatred and bashing. Those "arguments" lay in the nature of the case. You don't normaally accuse a lover for hatred.

And so, in this way those who are negative are, at some minor or major extent, being demonized. Which in turn just escalates the conflict.

Anyone subjected to that might, understandably, not react firmly.

Making it into "we" the good loving guys and "them" the bad haters. A simplified, black and white view. This is what I mean by common low level thinking.

I just can see this disgusting attitude about bashing the developer or a company just because you don't like the plug-in and instead to use constructive criticism (that would be more helpful), some people try to diminish, discredit, create even false account and more things like this with the unique porpoise to attack.

The bottom line is that there's no such thing as "we" and "them".

I like and dislike things. So do you. In that sense we're all alike. The rest is about how we handle and reacts to the context of the rhetoric.

Here too we are alike as being individuals with our strengths and weakness

If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her

- John 8.

And so, finally. We can all reserve the right to express any opinion we like about whatever. And shall we be hold accountable for something it should be for what we say and not for what someone claims it to be.

Yes, I think this plug is a gimmick. So, don't come here and turn that statement into something in line with "unique purpose to attack".

And I'm not "some people".

[exponent1]

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Yes, I think this plug is a gimmick. So, don't come here and turn that statement into something in line with "unique purpose to attack".

And I'm not "some people".

All modular systems are gimmicks by your logic.

[sfd]

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Yes, I think this plug is a gimmick. So, don't come here and turn that statement into something in line with "unique purpose to attack".

And I'm not "some people".

All modular systems are gimmicks by your logic.

How is your reading comprehension?

And so, finally. We can all reserve the right to express any opinion we like about whatever. And shall we be hold accountable for something it should be for what we say and not for what someone claims it to be.

[exponent1]

.
Yes, I think this plug is a gimmick. So, don't come here and turn that statement into something in line with "unique purpose to attack".

And I'm not "some people".

All modular systems are gimmicks by your logic.

How is your reading comprehension?

Far better than yours I believe. Resorting to personal attacks now are we?

And so, finally. We can all reserve the right to express any opinion we like about whatever. And shall we be hold accountable for something it should be for what we say and not for what someone claims it to be.

And I'd expressed mine. BTW, how's your grammar? Not very good I believe

[akeia]

In my personal usage of Melda products I learned to appreciate their flexibility. I see the discussion about the GUI more from a workflow perspective. And both sides have valid points. Other vendors have more focussed products that allow specific workflows. These are supported with customized GUIs that help the workflow and help the user to understand the product. Melda has in my opinion chosen to target maximum flexibility as their main design goal. If your personal taste of workflow or asthetics clashes with that design goal you will never like their products and should leave them alone.

[gentleclockdivider]

Personal cons and pro's
--cons--
-Don't like the filters , (they explode when audio rate modulated )
-Some modules like 'fm' could really benefit from a matrix view

--pros--
-powerfull oscilators
-Wavetable module is ace
-effects are nice

[DarkStar]

^^^^
Wouldn't filters in other plug-ins go haywire when modulated at audio rates too>

And the FM module does have a matrix. Or have I misunderstood? Maybe that panel is collapsed?

[sfd]

In my personal usage of Melda products I learned to appreciate their flexibility. I see the discussion about the GUI more from a workflow perspective. And both sides have valid points. Other vendors have more focussed products that allow specific workflows. These are supported with customized GUIs that help the workflow and help the user to understand the product. Melda has in my opinion chosen to target maximum flexibility as their main design goal. If your personal taste of workflow or asthetics clashes with that design goal you will never like their products and should leave them alone.

I would replace "goal" with "result". I'd think most people want a flexible, user friendly and easy to understand GUI. And so, if or when there's a clash it'll be regarding the result. Where the later, as opposed to "goal" isn't so much a vision as it's a fact.

[Kwurqx]

Sadly this thread is at risk of spiraling down into the dark abyss of useless polarisation. I hope not....

Let's just respect MSF for what it is.

It's a mighty powerfull modular synthesizer/FX engine. Also, with great future potential, considering the many great plugins Melda already brought to us (commercial and free).

Inevitably, with flexibitity comes complexity. And personally I opt for function over form. Given the gazillion permutations this beast offers, it is pretty difficult to offer a "simple" and/or "logical" and/or "consistent" interface. Sure, there's a learning curve. But I'll take it.

Also it offers abstractions for those who find the complexity more then they can bear and/or for those who just want to have some quickstarters: Apart form the usual "presets" it can save "instruments" (structures). And Melda also offers the online exchange of both. No doubt, if this has any succes, it will be offering instruments and/or presets (from both users/amateurs and commercial/professional parties).

Melda states:
https://www.meldaproduction.com/MSoundFactory

MSoundFactory will most likely be a never-ending project. We are probably not going to make any further instruments, instead we are going to implement further modules and features into the mighty MSoundFactory. MSoundFactory currently comes with many presets converted from MPowerSynth and several fully featured instruments, but it's far from being "ready". However it can already be used by creative minds looking for an extremely powerful instrument. The only necessary module needed to be added to the first official release is a sampler, so please stay in tune.

So, let's not forget it's far from being "ready" and still in BETA. To me it shows some courage to release it into the (apparently ruthlessly critical) market already.

And let's also not forget you get a lifetime of free updates (...)

[bmanic]

Of course you are right concerning the UI and how experienced sound designers can be drawn to it. I think you mentioned that you do not like Zebra2's UI but then, look at all the sound sets available for it - a very large amount, with many being of high quality, and many very creative for the musician who is basically using presets. So it's relative.

The stark difference here is that I can NOT fault the usability of Zebra at all. It does NOT have any real usability issues, quite the contrary. In terms of Zebra I really just didn't like the graphics all that much and the real reason I never bought it myself was that I always had to do extra work to get the sounds I wanted (sort had to "massage" the sounds a bit extra to get them phat and nice the way I like things ).

So in this case it really is just a normal user preference. In the case of MSF there are completely objective usability and user interface problems. It can be shown objectively that one way is better than another simply by measuring the amount of mouse clicks and time it takes to do basic things. I bet MSF would fail horribly if actually measured objectively like this.

[bmanic]

EDIT: Never mind. I wasn't fair towards Melda. There are some positives in Melda design to be explored. For instance MDynamic EQ has some nice little touches in usability that are fairly unique. You can find nice usability design within the system. Perhaps i's this chaos of some really bad designs combined with mostly mediocre design with some innovation that makes it so maddening.

[gentleclockdivider]

Melda states a lot of things , and uses a lot of hyperbols
In my book a modular synth means no distinction between audio and event signals , and altough the event rate in MSF can be updated per sample , audio rate filter modulation is not possible , and just dangerous for your ears and speakers .
According to Melda , no filter is designed to be modulated by a 20Khz signal ...
For me there are too many quircks which prevents me from buying it , and it doesn't really excel at anything
p.s. the oscilators and wavetable osc are ace

[gentleclockdivider]

^^^^
Wouldn't filters in other plug-ins go haywire when modulated at audio rates too>

And the FM module does have a matrix. Or have I misunderstood? Maybe that panel is collapsed?

Not when they are designed for it
-reaktor core filters
-All current software modulars
-cytomic the drop
-bazille
-zebra ( xmf filter )
and lot's of others
.

[mevla]

Most major conflict in threads origins in a skirmish between those who likes and those who dislikes something.

Nah, this superficial description does not hold. It's by the way these likes and dislikes are expressed. Crucial difference.

Saying something akin to "Nice try for the gimmick Melda, but I'm a musician" or "the UI is an abomination" are not proper ways and will naturally generate reactions that will, as the original comments are inviting to, largely bypass thinking to get to (possibly pent up) emotions. And it can snowball from there and one tool used is to put people into camps.

Conflicts do not happen simply by expressing likes and dislikes. It is by the way they are expressed.