Massive X 1.4 update!

[rod_zero]

FWIW.. I bought into Komplete last year because of the Massive X release. tbh ... I never use it. The interface is too convoluted. I defer to the old Massive much more.

Completely agree, the envelopes for example.

[chk071]

Hmm... the envelopes are actually one of the few things Massive X does better than Massive for me, GUI wise.

MX isn't perfect, but, frankly, it gets too much of a beating here. Life is about coping with things which are imperfect for me, and, if you see past a few things, Massive X is very rewarding. If you don't want to look past those things though... well, I guess there's a niggle to find everywhere.

Also, being "stuck" with it because you own Komplete (which I read in another thread) seems a bit of a stretch. I'm sure noone buys Komplete for Massive X, or any single synth alone. So, you're rather "stuck" with a big package of quality content, and MX is a part of it.

[pdxindy]

Hmm... the envelopes are actually one of the few things Massive X does better than Massive for me, GUI wise.

MX isn't perfect, but, frankly, it gets too much of a beating here. Life is about coping with things which are imperfect for me, and, if you see past a few things, Massive X is very rewarding. If you don't want to look past those things though... well, I guess there's a niggle to find everywhere.

Also, being "stuck" with it because you own Komplete (which I read in another thread) seems a bit of a stretch. I'm sure noone buys Komplete for Massive X, or any single synth alone. So, you're rather "stuck" with a big package of quality content, and MX is a part of it.

MX has more issues and frustrating limitations than any other synth I use... by far! No synth is perfect, but for me, MX is so flawed as to make it more frustration than reward. MX is not just a little issue here and there or the occasional niggle.

Browser is crap
The LFO's are too
No MSEG
No MPE - but even playing a mono line with pitch slides doesn't work cause it remembers the pitch change for the next note so the next note jumps
No midi learn
No parameter automation
Cannot use it with Bitwig's modulation system
Cannot use it with a midi controller
Doesn't support mouse wheel or arrow keys
Poor feedback for modulation. For example, right click on a macro knob does not show a list of targets. So one has to go tabbing around hidden panels to see if there is a target there.
Etc....

The MX sound quality and sonic DSP is quite good, but in terms of the synth infrastructure around it, it is hands down the most poorly implemented modern synth I have used.

I'm the one who said I was stuck with it. And yes, I upgraded Komplete specifically to get MX. I regret the purchase but am stuck with MX because I don't wish to sell Komplete.

[chk071]

Just forget about it then, and use the ones you really like. Life's too short.

I don't think the LFO's are crap BTW. And I never use a preset browser anyway. I can understand the rest of your points though. It's not perfect. It's even among the least perfect synths. It sounds very good though, it's versatile, it's fun, and it was a great reason for me to upgrade to K12. YMMV.

I don't think Massive 1 was perfect either. Actually, it's pretty shitty in some regards, and I don't like the general sound either. MX is MUCH better sounding. The filters are no comparison.

[mholloway]

MX isn't perfect, but, frankly, it gets too much of a beating here. Life is about coping with things which are imperfect for me, and, if you see past a few things, Massive X is very rewarding. If you don't want to look past those things though... well, I guess there's a niggle to find everywhere.

Also, being "stuck" with it because you own Komplete (which I read in another thread) seems a bit of a stretch. I'm sure noone buys Komplete for Massive X, or any single synth alone. So, you're rather "stuck" with a big package of quality content, and MX is a part of it.

MX has more issues and frustrating limitations than any other synth I use... by far!
Cannot use it with Bitwig's modulation system

[/quote]

Not understanding this; the macros appear in the Bitwig instrument box, like normal parameters do, and can be modulated just like anything else. Not sure how that results in the conclusion "I cannot use bitwig's modulation system with MX". Because, well, you can.

I know you don't like that you have to assign to the macros to begin with, but once done, Bitwig Modulators work as normal.

[pixel85]

Just forget about it then, and use the ones you really like. Life's too short.

Can you imagine how huge % of comments on KVR would disappear if people would follow such logic?
Spending a year (or few) complaining about the same thing in every related topic (and at the parties and family reunions) is way more fun

[pdxindy]

I don't think the LFO's are crap BTW.

Crap is too strong... I was thinking more of the space taken for the provided functionality. For that amount of space there could be a graph that allows user drawn waveforms.

Conversely, 2 knobs, one with some basic shapes and the other a morph knob would offer more possibilities and take less space. That big wheel of options is only a few basic shapes with slight variations and is clunky to use. For example, you cannot do a square wave LFO with pulse width control in Massive X.

Massive X with no MSEG's and with the limited LFO's is rather inflexible for sound design

[pixel85]

I don't think the LFO's are crap BTW.

Crap is too strong... I was thinking more of the space taken for the provided functionality. For that amount of space there could be a graph that allows user drawn waveforms.

Conversely, 2 knobs, one with some basic shapes and the other a morph knob would offer more possibilities and take less space. That big wheel of options is only a few basic shapes with slight variations and is clunky to use. For example, you cannot do a square wave LFO with pulse width control in Massive X.

Massive X with no MSEG's and with the limited LFO's is rather inflexible for sound design

Man, you have already spent more time on KVR complaining about MX than developers working on its updates

I'm curious if they are still working on updates and what MX 1.3.2 will fix.

[pdxindy]

I don't think the LFO's are crap BTW.

Crap is too strong... I was thinking more of the space taken for the provided functionality. For that amount of space there could be a graph that allows user drawn waveforms.

Conversely, 2 knobs, one with some basic shapes and the other a morph knob would offer more possibilities and take less space. That big wheel of options is only a few basic shapes with slight variations and is clunky to use. For example, you cannot do a square wave LFO with pulse width control in Massive X.

Massive X with no MSEG's and with the limited LFO's is rather inflexible for sound design

Man, you have already spent more time on KVR complaining about MX than developers working on its updates

That would not bode well for future development

It's therapy... Whenever I decide to try MX again and some annoyances arise, a couple posts here saying something about it and I am happy again! And it doesn't cost anything

[aMUSEd]

Massive X with no MSEG's and with the limited LFO's is rather inflexible for sound design

? What are the performers if not MSEGs?

[pdxindy]

Massive X with no MSEG's and with the limited LFO's is rather inflexible for sound design

? What are the performers if not MSEGs?

they are global only... no per voice option... so more like sequencers

[EvilDragon]

Massive X with no MSEG's and with the limited LFO's is rather inflexible for sound design

There are plenty of OTHER things you can do sound design-wise if you focus to its strengths instead.

[pdxindy]

Massive X with no MSEG's and with the limited LFO's is rather inflexible for sound design

There are plenty of OTHER things you can do sound design-wise if you focus to its strengths instead.

I've tried that... but there are enough limitations that I run into them constantly. MX is the most annoying synth I have in terms of consistently getting in the way of what I want to do.

[EvilDragon]

Just try not relying on MSEGs and it gets better. Like, see all those interesting and cool wavetable phase distortion modes, the awesome comb filter and exciter envelope, the routing, the best distortion on a synth in recent times... so many awesome things to make great sounds with!

Not every synth needs to have every feature from every other synth.

[p1afff]

Just try not relying on MSEGs and it gets better. Like, see all those interesting and cool wavetable phase distortion modes, the awesome comb filter and exciter envelope, the routing, the best distortion on a synth in recent times... so many awesome things to make great sounds with!

Not every synth needs to have every feature from every other synth.

Totally agree. Each synth must have its own character, that's why we love them at the end. So the desire to have the same features in different synths is a bad idea IMO. And yes Massive X lacks features or improvements I would love to see, It's actually a very good synth, despite what was probably the poorest NI product launch I ever saw... Would love to see the standalone version some day, as I prefer to use standalones than plug-ins...