Is the Market Finally Saturated?

[kelvyn]

Yes!

[noiseboyuk]

Thanks for posting that Martin. Been a little depressing to see 90% of this thread just petty squabbling, when its actually an interesting subject. I didn't know about auto-generated sales. It seems to me that the make-a-quick-buck Synth Edit era that someone mentioned has long gone.

[Sinisterbr]

Good point, a flood of plugins indeed is a fact happening in the last few years in the mixing/ mastering market, but.. do you feel there have been something similar with soft synths? A recent rise in soft synths releases? I'd say no

[audiot]

I regularly check rekkerd.org and plugin boutique (beside kvr) and I also get the feeling that the market is flooded with cheap effect plugins It's getting harder to keep an overview.

For instruments I have to say, that I really like the trend of releasing highly specialised plugins, e.g. "Kick2", "SubLab", "Dagger Synth" ... They speed up my workflow and so I will not complain if more developers throw out plugins like that.

[felis]

No

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/

[marzelli]

I feel like that for years. Many copies of copies of copies of plugins or hardware. Companies that only live from discounts or mass production of plugins because nobody would buy it else. Plugins get more similar and it in fact doesn't matter which of those you would buy (like fabfilter eq & the toneboosters one or the workstation 1-finger-preset synths). Stock & free plugins get bigger feature sets. All run after temporarily trends (wavetables, AI, one knobs, ISP/true peak, ...), I rarely see something innovative these days - and even if, then it has a clone after a month or so.

[wagtunes]

I feel like that for years. Many copies of copies of copies of plugins or hardware. Companies that only live from discounts or mass production of plugins because nobody would buy it else. Plugins get more similar and it in fact doesn't matter which of those you would buy (like fabfilter eq & the toneboosters one or the workstation 1-finger-preset synths). Stock & free plugins get bigger feature sets. All run after temporarily trends (wavetables, AI, one knobs, ISP/true peak, ...), I rarely see something innovative these days - and even if, then it has a clone after a month or so.

You sound jaded but you know what? I actually agree with you. It is pretty dull out there. Once in a blue moon I find a true gem.

Those days are now few and far between.

[Unaspected]

I seem to be having an opposite experience with regards to plugins. Years ago, I felt that a lot of plugins sounded the same. The basic formula for each processing effect was applied and wrapped up with different GUIs. There didn't seem to be much between any plugins.

Coming from a background of playing guitars and enjoying distortion, I found DSP algorithms to be lacking in this area. However, these days we have plugins like HG-2, The Scream and True Iron - which all behave in ways that create some pretty convincing results. This current generation of DSP is very exciting because we can finally address tone like we have OTB previously. These are early days and exciting times.

[Sinisterbr]

I seem to be having an opposite experience with regards to plugins. Years ago, I felt that a lot of plugins sounded the same. The basic formula for each processing effect was applied and wrapped up with different GUIs. There didn't seem to be much between any plugins.

Coming from a background of playing guitars and enjoying distortion, I found DSP algorithms to be lacking in this area. However, these days we have plugins like HG-2, The Scream and True Iron - which all behave in ways that create some pretty convincing results. This current generation of DSP is very exciting because we can finally address tone like we have OTB previously. These are early days and exciting times.

While I agree with you about effects plugins, we are discussing soft synths here. That's a whole different reality.

[Aloysius]

[Verse 1]
I'm feeling woozy in the back
Watching you talk and you laugh
Like a bottle you took in that way
Like a bottle you took in that way

[Chorus]
I'm saturated with you, with you
I'm saturated with you, with you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BjMHEHce_Y

[Unaspected]

I seem to be having an opposite experience with regards to plugins. Years ago, I felt that a lot of plugins sounded the same. The basic formula for each processing effect was applied and wrapped up with different GUIs. There didn't seem to be much between any plugins.

Coming from a background of playing guitars and enjoying distortion, I found DSP algorithms to be lacking in this area. However, these days we have plugins like HG-2, The Scream and True Iron - which all behave in ways that create some pretty convincing results. This current generation of DSP is very exciting because we can finally address tone like we have OTB previously. These are early days and exciting times.

While I agree with you about effects plugins, we are discussing soft synths here. That's a whole different reality.

OP:

It seems like everything is on sale more often than not. Sounds like demand for virtual instruments and effects is at an all time low.

My argument could equally be applied to distortion options in synths - and indeed, more accurate hardware modelling of filter, mixer, etc. synth modules. Pretty much every aspect of noise makers is also available as a processing effect so development applies to both areas. Indeed, Andy of Cytomic is taking the work he has done recently with effect processors to design a synth.

In terms of DSP, I don't see any difference. For example: A filter algorithm or any processing effect from a synth can work equally as a mixer insert processing effect without need of change. An LFO in a synth can be used as a modulator for an effect, etc.

There's plenty of overlap for development of synths to influence development of effects and visa versa.

So the new wave of detail in nonlinearity in processing effects can really impact on every module within a synth - especially each gain stage.

[vurt]

yeah, im looking forward to what andy comes up with.
not a tube screamer fan*, but he pretty much nailed that.


*= for my own guitar sound, there are plenty of guitarists i enjoy who make good use of it.

[Unaspected]

yeah, im looking forward to what andy comes up with.
not a tube screamer fan*, but he pretty much nailed that.


*= for my own guitar sound, there are plenty of guitarists i enjoy who make good use of it.

Same. I've always been a RAT man, myself. But The Scream sounds great and can be modded. I really need to sit down for a day with that thing to make a little soundbank. With a little tweaking of the components you can get some great results for crunchy industrial drums that could never be done with a straight clone.

I see myself buying up every distortion box that Andy can make. The Drop is also underated in this capacity - it's a great distortion/tone box.

[vurt]

you know, because i never liked it on my guitar, ive never tried a screamer on a synth or drums???
not that i haven't used distortion in those situations, just avoided the screamer because of past bias.
fuggin idiot!

guitar wise im more fuzz than distortion really, i dont just like to break the sound, i like to destroy it, then burn the remnants (hides the shite fingers)

[Unaspected]

you know, because i never liked it on my guitar, ive never tried a screamer on a synth or drums???
not that i haven't used distortion in those situations, just avoided the screamer because of past bias.
fuggin idiot!

guitar wise im more fuzz than distortion really, i dont just like to break the sound, i like to destroy it, then burn the remnants (hides the shite fingers)

Hehe. Definitely worth applying it to some synths and adjusting the mix balance.

I believe Andy suggested that a fuzz will be next in line. That is, whenever the aliens that implant knowledge in his head return him to Earth again.