What do people dislike with Podium?

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In the recent "which host"-poll it was stated that most kvr'ers would be shocked if someone has Podium as their favourite host.

I'm not starting this thread because I'm pissed at ttoz or something :) I'm just curious because I did actually not understand why people would think so.

So, what do people think makes Podium such a bad host?

I could start off with the things I think makes it a good host:
The interface and it's customizability.
The hierarchic channel structure (and full pdc ofcourse)
The way all devices are handled exactly the same, regardless of if it's a vst plug or hardware.
The bouncing system is madly simple to use and ridicously "right". Even when it's only in realtime I already prefer this over freeze in SX3. I will totally love it when it's offline too.
The vst parameter editing.

The stuff I thought was bad about Podium:
The two hour learning curve

It seemed to be worse, but after two hours I had totally understood the program. When being used to Cubase Podium seems quite a bit f**ked up at the first glance.

Now, shoot :)

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A two hour learning curve for something you are going to spend countless hours on, doesn't seem so bad.

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ttoz, first I tried to work without that wizard, and I did understand much. Then I used the wizard and also understood how to do most things without it. I still use it for creating busses though. But when one has imported the plugins needed etc, I havent found anything apart from that "set up phrase" being unintuitive. Really simple to insert a device on a track, group tracks, add sub tracks, choose presets, choose parameters for automation etc. It's all there in the "inspector" (most stuff is there in the mixer as well).

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I don't really think ppl think it's a bad host. It just doesn't work right out of the box.

Podium's initial setup page probably had turned off lots of ppl - me included. Just a note though, it seems the setup process is simplified a bit in the latest demo - which is a wise decision IMHO...now, where's the "scanning all missing VST" magic button? :hihi:

*after I failed to find that button, the latest demo is removed from my HD again...
Last edited by TheWall on Sun Nov 28, 2004 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

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TheWall wrote:I don't really think ppl think it's a bad host. It just doesn't work right out of the box.

Podium's initial setup page probably had turned off lots of ppl - me included. Just a note though, it seems the setup process is simplified a bit in the latest demo - which is a wise decision IMHO...now, where's the "scanning all missing VST" magic button? :hihi:
Unfortenately you have to import them manually (though you can select several at once) for each studio setup. Or, well, you can copy them between setups ofcourse :)

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and you can simply drag and drop the plugins from explorer into Podium - as soon as you did this they are available for every bus (thus you can use as many instances as you want without the need to reload them manually) :-D

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For me it's not a dislike of Podium, more just a dislike of spending money on hosts. :D

It looks really intriguing to me, but I'm slowly learning not to let that get the better of me.

I did download the demo and spent a very brief amount of time with it. It wasn't immediately apparent to me how to do things - but that wasn't so much the issue as I knew that was just because its modus operandi was a little unfamiliar to me that's all.

But I'm working with eXT at the moment and I can't see any value in getting too distracted with other hosts at this point in time.

If I finally decide that eXT is only good as a plug-in thingamy and Muzys doesn't go in the direction I'm looking for, Podium would probably be the next host I look at.

Caleb
Happiness is the hidden behind the obvious.

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PODIUM???? :o :o :o :-o :-o :-o :bang: :dog: :shrug: :bang: :-o





















Podium is great looking, and have no doubt it's a powerful host. It's just I don't like to struggle with with a host that makes the start of a simple tune look like the search of the holly grail, and seems to expect the user knows the magic spell for every single operation. Not for me, keeping with Muzys, and I believe it'also out of question when people try Tracktion.
Eventually something intelligent will appear written here. Watch this space.

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Well, I dunno. When I tried out tracktion it was like "how the f**k do I do this? or this? or that?" and I had to look everything up all the time.

Ableton Live was even worse, have tried it for maybe five hours and still haven't understood a major part of that one :)

For me, starting a song in podium goes like this:
1. Create a new arrangement (one click + write a name for it)
2. Create a master track (one click)
3. Create a compressor track in the master track (two clicks, track + choice of device (compressor))
4. Create an eq track in the compressor track (two clicks)
5. Create whatever track for vsti's or audio (same kind of tracks for those) and make parts.

Although, one should skip step 1 to 4 and just copy an already made pre-set arrangement instead.

There are no "magic spells" to know for the operations as soon as you have just _once_ gotten thru the Project Wizard thingy. Atleast that was how it went for me.

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ttoz wrote:wheras i think i was a tracktion EXPERT wihin about a half hour. it just goes to show, how true the different strokes for different folks thing is.

I can get my head around live, acid, tracktion, cubase, sonar, logic, pro tools, and even orion but just cannot use podium for the life of me. it's more of a "i am sure with hours of work i will get used to it but why bother when what I use now I am 100% familiar with"???
Yes, and I guess that is kinda what's so wonderful with it all.
I find almost any tracker software dead easy to get into, really fast to work with (mainly due to the extensive keyboard usage) etc. In cubase I can easily whip up a whole "awesome" (depending on who you ask) tune in less than 30mins. In Live I just managed to produce electro and progressive house. The latter I don't even like. In tracktion I ended up with synth pop every time. It's really interesting and weird how the software affects you :) In podium I easily end up doing automation stuff I never would've done in cubase. And I do not know why I wouldn't have. I mean. I can automate synth1's arpeggiator speed in most hosts... But I don't.

Weird stuff.

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There needs to be a basic preconfigured set up.

I looked at Podium, good never quickly find out how to make a sound - can't use the videos here. Immediately went to the recycle bin, never looked back ...

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Too hard to use :)

Greetz

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