What do people dislike with Podium?

[stefancrs]

Too hard to use

Greetz

You mean trying to get past the initial set-up or when you actually are working on music?

[osofaux]

I have to get behind Stefan on the merits of Podium.

In the interest of fairness and defense of ttoz, he also questioned why anyone would want to use Sonar as well. So at least he didn't single this program out.

For anyone who has a dislike that goes beyond "It sucks," the developer is a member of KVR and is very interested in user feedback in order to make Podium even better. So please post your thoughts, whether here or at the Zynewave forums at zynewave.com.

I quite like this program but I agree that the initial setup can be a little daunting. I had tried the demo and deleted it after an hour, but decided to give it another chance. I'm glad I did. Ironically, I got to know the program very well by completely abandoning the wizard and setting it all up manually. But that's what this program is about - Rather like Logic, it's about configuring it to a way that best suits your needs.

If I had one dislike it would be not with the program, but with the documentation, which is not complete at this point. But that will come soon.

I hope this software develops as loyal a following as Tracktion or Energy XT. I do think it has that potential.

[SuitcaseOfLizards]

My problem with Podium is the same I had with eXT - it's impenetrable "out of the box" and I have little desire to "try something new" when I want to RECORD DAMNIT and not tweak around on something! And give me something that at least shows me how to set things up in TEXT not bloody videos. Documentation, people, documentation. And as has been mentioned a basic sample project that was already set up would be nice.

Tracktion took about 10 minutes with the pop-up help active to record audio, then leaving it on I learned more and more until I was completely productive. Tracktions documentation is minimal but the pop-up help windows really make a difference.

You might catch newbies with something like Podium or eXT but it's going to be hard to convert the faithful unless you make it EASY for them to convert. I still have nightmares about trying to set up the environment for Logic Gold on the PC from years ago.. shudder..

[CCT]

stefancrs: hmm i dont liked the idea.

Greetz

[stefancrs]

stefancrs: hmm i dont liked the idea.

Greetz

Could you BE any less specific?
What part of "the idea" did you not like? The hierarcic channel structure? You have that in plenty of programs, even in cubase but it easily gets out of hand and is hard to work with there. Anything that can route busses to busses has a hiearchic channel structure, it's just not visualised.

Did you not like the "devices" ? Those might be a bit hard to grasp, although, one can skip the grasping and just drag'n'drop the vst plugins to the project. Hard to do the same with the hardware devices though Those has to be defined if you want to be able to use them in an more than "recieves midi" way.

Woolyloach, actually it was the same for me the first time I started Podium up. The 2nd time I used the project wizard from start to end, that took me probably 15minutes, and I understood how to do almost everything it did "for me". Good for Podium that Fritz, the developer, is working on the pop-ups.

Then, there actually are a few basic projects shipping with podium. For instance the "freebees" project using triangle II, lallapallooza light and some other synths and including a few arrangements.

The lack of documentation I can not disagree with though.

[AD80]

You might catch newbies with something like Podium or eXT but it's going to be hard to convert the faithful unless you make it EASY for them to convert. I still have nightmares about trying to set up the environment for Logic Gold on the PC from years ago.. shudder..

I'm gonna have to agree with Wooly on this one. I had the same problem when I tryed Podium a while back. Its a great host no doubt, with good features, but I couldnt get started on it at all and got discouraged trying to do simple things. Some day I'll probably give it another shot if I feel like being challenged.

Tracktion 1.0 is hard to beat when it comes to learning curve. I was making music in Tracktion within 10 minutes or less. I actually had songs done in the demo before I activated it.

[Caleb]

I agree that EnergyXT I found to be as confusing as Podium initially.

The reason I perservered with eXT was that I had already decided I would regardless of how it was at the start. I wasn't just idly trying or otherwise I may have thrown it aside as well as I did to Traktion.

Caleb

[Spe3D]

I have to say Podium is not for me – though I did try to like it, I cannot because of the complexity, and the obstacles it presents just to get going – I would rather spend that time learning cubase correctly. (eXT is way way easy to set up in comparisum)

As a direct competition (that is now free) I would recommend Tracktition or purchase something like FL – you want to make music not get hung up in a barrage of dropdowns (last I looked)

Also what’s to say this not going to be another muzy of the future, similar set up.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

[Rellik]

I have really liked Podium's features ever since I first saw it. Seems great, especially the heirarchical mixing system - it's like what I dream about in energyXT (but don't mention since people would yell at me ) a modular environment that can be fully integrated into the sequencer without having to get all complicated.

I haven't tried it yet, though. You know why? Price and the fact that I already have FL and eXT, basically opposite polarities in terms of one app that is totally workflow oriented and another app that is totally experimentally oriented with *comparitively* little regard for simplicity of process (for now... ). I will try it eventually, but if I like it... well, it costs $90.00. I wouldn't want to like it TOO much

[stefancrs]

What I do not understand is how you people can find it _that_ hard to do things in it

If you use the project wizard the first time you want to try Podium out, it will probably take you five minutes to have a working arrangement up and going.

When I just want to try an idea, I never start from scratch in Podium. Starting from scratch would probably be a good idea if I wanted to do a surround project or something for the first time. Otherwise, I just copy an old arrangement (and all my devices was set up with the wizard earlier on, so those are already in the project).

Which part of podium do you find time-consuming task-wise and what part do you find overly complex? Have you even tried working in an arrangement?

Btw, I almost never use the browser window, except when I copy objects (arrangements or devices). Everything else I do in the arrangement editor. The browser window I do understand is confusing

[jah1234]

Last time I tried Podium the MIDI editor really sucked. I guess it still does. And I just don't like the mixer either (knobs for controlling volume!?!).

But on the other hand it's very stable, I like the idea of importing vst's instead of scanning them every time the program starts (I hate startup loading times), the bouncing is indeed incredible. In fact, I almost bought it. I'm gonna wait a while and see how it develops.

For now Ableton Live 4 is the best and host. Once you get the head around it it's workflow is way quicker than Podium, I think!

[ObsoleteAcc99]

[DELETED]

[stefancrs]

For now Ableton Live 4 is the best and host.

noooooooooooooo

it's kaka kaka KAKA!

We have glögg and cookies too!!!

[Ja.x]

... 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...

In Muzys it goes like this:

1. Select a synth from the synth rack
2. Start creating loops, playing, recording, whatever.

See what I mean ?

[stefancrs]

... 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...

In Muzys it goes like this:

1. Select a synth from the synth rack
2. Start creating loops, playing, recording, whatever.

See what I mean ?

Yes, Kinda. So muzys always opens up a new arrangement upon starting it? And you don't create tracks for synths / recorded audio etc? I mean, you can just copy a precreated arrangement in Podium as well and assign a synth to a track / create loops / play stuff / record audio as well. You never have to config which asio device to use or where your vst plugins reside in muzys?

I think a lot of the difference is just imaginary, but probably due to perception and hence it is up to the program to make things seem easy. If they are easy, but does not seem so due to how the program presents itself etc, then that should be solved by the developer.

And also it has a lot to with how you describe the task. I could've just as well written it like this:
1. Select a synth on a track
2. Start creating loops, playing, recording, whatever.

If one has saved a default project file, Podium will open that one up. You can do whatever you want and then save to a new project.
I described in my first example what I do when I create a new arrangement from scratch, create some "mastering" plugs on the output etc. Whereas you just described picking a synth (and I guess a track is automatically created when you choose a synth from the rack) and start fiddling with just that. I was talking about a full arrangement. So the comparison wasn't completely fair imo

So, to summarize, Podium is this easy to use, once set up:
Start Podium
Choose synth
Play

Maybe it is too customizable for some, maybe it suits some just great. I dunno.