IK goes AI

[zerocrossing]

TONEX Pedal was made to fit on guitarists' pedalboard among the pedals they already use

But will we see TONEX pedals abandoned by IK in the future while there are still thousands of working units still owned by users?

Any hardware from IK that needs firmware/drivers is a concern, given IK’s track record.

I’m still trying to figure out how to get my StealthPedal MIDI control to work on MacOS Ventura (Apple Silicon.) The audio is working, but it will not function as a USB MIDI device for some reason. I think it’s got to do with this stupid dependency on the StealthPedal MIDI Control app, which shows up as a blank page when it’s opened.

Peter, is there any way to get StealthPedal to work as a generic MIDI controller? Or can we at least get an update to the control app for MIDI to work on Mac again? It’s just too rugged and nice of a MIDI controller to just toss in the garbage, and it’s the only controller that feels like a legit wah pedal.

There must be a way to free it from the control app and just have it work like any other plug-and-play MIDI USB device. Anyone?

The support IK gives to older hardware products like StealthPedal right now tells you a lot about the kind of support the TONEX pedal will receive in the future, if you buy one.

I get what you’re saying, but the fact that they integrated Tonex into Amplitube points to a long term strategy that would mean keeping the Tonex hardware running would be crucial. Also, in a worst case scenario, it would always work as a stand alone device.

I’m more of a modeler fan, but Tonex is really impressive. If I were playing gigs, I’d buy one, for sure, just so I didn’t have to disconnect my AxeFX. A Tonex and some multi effects pedal with an insert loop.. that would be awesome.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Here's my take on it:

1. I wouldn't buy IK hardware that's dependent on drivers to work because OSes change and require updates (at least on the Mac side) - if I didn't, I wouldn't buy it expecting it to work in 20 years. They're not RME. And RME's prices don't look anything like IK's.

2. TONEX software will be supported for a long time, or wrapped into another product like Amplitube - IK doesn't completely abandon software

3. Because the TONEX pedal integrates with the TONEX software, I expect support to continue for a long, long time including through various OS changes

4. Is it possible some future TONEX V3 drops support for TONEX V1 hardware and eventually that pedal stops being compatible with the latest and greatest Mac OS? Sure, I guess. Seems like that'd be a long ways out and frankly, the pedal is $400 and runs on DSP...chances are, by then, I'd have gotten more than enough value from it, and will have replaced it with the TONEX V3 pedal with even more doo-dads and features and better sound. That's just how modern technology works. Smart phones cost a grand and consumers replace them every 2-3 years. Sorry about the real world.

I don't think comparing to the Stealth Pedal is necessarily valid. But hey, I understand the idea of being salty about something you bought years ago not working. But on the other hand, do your research and know what you're getting into. If you want something like that to work for years, buy something that doesn't depend on a computer. Or use Windows where MS bends over backwards to try to maintain compatibility. Or just accept that the cheap stuff you buy today isn't going to have a long shelf-life. That's still a major advantage of standalone hardware. My 20 year old Rat pedal just works. All it needs is a 9v battery.

[imrae]

It isn't technically necessary for things to work like that, though. They could e.g. make it easy to export profiles as files (maybe they do?) and have the pedal appear as a generic USB storage device. Then the files could be archived, shared, backed-up and saved to devices long after IK lose interest.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

It isn't technically necessary for things to work like that, though. They could e.g. make it easy to export profiles as files (maybe they do?) and have the pedal appear as a generic USB storage device. Then the files could be archived, shared, backed-up and saved to devices long after IK lose interest.

I do indeed wish that's how they designed it. IMO, a flaw of the system is that the captures get stored in the library.db and not as individual files. I'd much prefer individual capture files.

[soulata]

Here's my take on it:

1. I wouldn't buy IK hardware that's dependent on drivers to work because OSes change and require updates (at least on the Mac side) - if I didn't, I wouldn't buy it expecting it to work in 20 years. They're not RME. And RME's prices don't look anything like IK's.

2. TONEX software will be supported for a long time, or wrapped into another product like Amplitube - IK doesn't completely abandon software

3. Because the TONEX pedal integrates with the TONEX software, I expect support to continue for a long, long time including through various OS changes

4. Is it possible some future TONEX V3 drops support for TONEX V1 hardware and eventually that pedal stops being compatible with the latest and greatest Mac OS? Sure, I guess. Seems like that'd be a long ways out and frankly, the pedal is $400 and runs on DSP...chances are, by then, I'd have gotten more than enough value from it, and will have replaced it with the TONEX V3 pedal with even more doo-dads and features and better sound. That's just how modern technology works. Smart phones cost a grand and consumers replace them every 2-3 years. Sorry about the real world.

I don't think comparing to the Stealth Pedal is necessarily valid. But hey, I understand the idea of being salty about something you bought years ago not working. But on the other hand, do your research and know what you're getting into. If you want something like that to work for years, buy something that doesn't depend on a computer. Or use Windows where MS bends over backwards to try to maintain compatibility. Or just accept that the cheap stuff you buy today isn't going to have a long shelf-life. That's still a major advantage of standalone hardware. My 20 year old Rat pedal just works. All it needs is a 9v battery.

This.

[jamcat]

TONEX Pedal was made to fit on guitarists' pedalboard among the pedals they already use

But will we see TONEX pedals abandoned by IK in the future while there are still thousands of working units still owned by users?

Any hardware from IK that needs firmware/drivers is a concern, given IK’s track record.

I’m still trying to figure out how to get my StealthPedal MIDI control to work on MacOS Ventura (Apple Silicon.) The audio is working, but it will not function as a USB MIDI device for some reason. I think it’s got to do with this stupid dependency on the StealthPedal MIDI Control app, which shows up as a blank page when it’s opened.

Peter, is there any way to get StealthPedal to work as a generic MIDI controller? Or can we at least get an update to the control app for MIDI to work on Mac again? It’s just too rugged and nice of a MIDI controller to just toss in the garbage, and it’s the only controller that feels like a legit wah pedal.

There must be a way to free it from the control app and just have it work like any other plug-and-play MIDI USB device. Anyone?

The support IK gives to older hardware products like StealthPedal right now tells you a lot about the kind of support the TONEX pedal will receive in the future, if you buy one.

I get what you’re saying, but the fact that they integrated Tonex into Amplitube points to a long term strategy that would mean keeping the Tonex hardware running would be crucial.

They also integrated StealthPedal into AmpliTube.

What I see potentially happening is the Machine Modeling technology moving from amp “snapshots” back to fully parametric models. Everything “TONEX” would become legacy, and with IK’s record, would be quickly dropped and swept under the rug.

Of course they could prove me wrong and get StealthPedal working as a MIDI controller again…

[zerocrossing]

TONEX Pedal was made to fit on guitarists' pedalboard among the pedals they already use

But will we see TONEX pedals abandoned by IK in the future while there are still thousands of working units still owned by users?

Any hardware from IK that needs firmware/drivers is a concern, given IK’s track record.

I’m still trying to figure out how to get my StealthPedal MIDI control to work on MacOS Ventura (Apple Silicon.) The audio is working, but it will not function as a USB MIDI device for some reason. I think it’s got to do with this stupid dependency on the StealthPedal MIDI Control app, which shows up as a blank page when it’s opened.

Peter, is there any way to get StealthPedal to work as a generic MIDI controller? Or can we at least get an update to the control app for MIDI to work on Mac again? It’s just too rugged and nice of a MIDI controller to just toss in the garbage, and it’s the only controller that feels like a legit wah pedal.

There must be a way to free it from the control app and just have it work like any other plug-and-play MIDI USB device. Anyone?

The support IK gives to older hardware products like StealthPedal right now tells you a lot about the kind of support the TONEX pedal will receive in the future, if you buy one.

I get what you’re saying, but the fact that they integrated Tonex into Amplitube points to a long term strategy that would mean keeping the Tonex hardware running would be crucial.

They also integrated StealthPedal into AmpliTube.

What I see potentially happening is the Machine Modeling technology moving from amp “snapshots” back to fully parametric models. Everything “TONEX” would become legacy, and with IK’s record, would be quickly dropped and swept under the rug.

Of course they could prove me wrong and get StealthPedal working as a MIDI controller again…

You're describing the exact reason I left Apple for music and graphics work, except for my iPad Pro.

[jamcat]

I installed AmpliTube 3 VST and ran my DAW in Rosetta, to see if the StealthPedal would work directly with it, since StealthPedal integration was built into AmpliTube 3. It didn't detect the StealthPedal as a controller, though the green light is lit on the StealthPedal.

[metalifuxx]

I installed AmpliTube 3 VST and ran my DAW in Rosetta, to see if the StealthPedal would work directly with it, since StealthPedal integration was built into AmpliTube 3. It didn't detect the StealthPedal as a controller, though the green light is lit on the StealthPedal.

I was never able to get Stealth Pedal to record midi automation. I got it working with drivers on Win7 years ago, and i was able to assign it to Amplitubes wahs or whatever parameter, but there was never any tutorial or help when searching or asking how to properly set it up, granted I am a midi newb and don't use midi controllers often, but i can learn and figure it out most times if needed, especially Ableton making it dead easy to assign and configure midi with hardware and plugins. There simply was no tutorial, help or answer on how to implement Stealth Pedal midi recording from Amplitube to my DAW vst automation within the audio track. The work around was to record the audio output to another track. At that point it was simply easier to use a real hardware wah pedal. The interface itself is still a great DI, although the drivers were always a little buggy and prone to crashing. I can't complain too much as IK gave me one as a prize (free) for guessing what it was when they teased a quote and partial corner image of it when they marketed it here back in 2008 or so, so i am grateful for that. I still use it when I need a good DI guitar signal for ampsims.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I don't know if folks saw the news, but Kemper is doing a thing they're calling "Liquid Profiles". As you make the captures, you tell it what your current knob settings are, and it will make note then can go in and apply a tone-stack model after the fact to your profiles. The idea is that they'll have tonestack models of things like a Fender Deluxe, or AC-30 Top Boost, Marshall Plexi, etc., and then you can match up your profile with the tonestack model that best fits your amp and then you or anyone else can adjust the amp EQ and model will behave like the tonestack of a real amp. Versus just EQ'ing after the fact. Interesting concept.

[The Noodlist]

I've had my activations plummet from 8 to 3, without installing that many. All my IK products have minimal activations left, wth.

[Cult48]

AI will replace all the lego-block DJs with ease.
People will want real music with vibe and character.
Real musicians will dig deep into their soul, to create something AI can only ever create a cheap facsimile of. Until then, we'll have to put up with AI buzzwords everywhere ( practically falling out of cereal boxes ) as devs try to cash in on this new gold-rush. I think it sucks.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

I've had my activations plummet from 8 to 3, without installing that many. All my IK products have minimal activations left, wth.

Our support team should reply with this or similar if contacted but please note: As you have noticed, the maximum number of authorizations per IK product has been changed from 10 to 5.

Although our EULA limits the installation of our software to 3 devices, in the past there was no way to unauthorize licenses so we increased the number of authorizations provided as a workaround to save you the trouble of contacting support each time the limit would have been reached.

Since IK’s new Product Manager introduced the ability for users to manage authorizations, including removing and re-activating them at will, we have reverted to our system to previous behavior. With the ability to unauthorize as needed, you should never reach the limit of your authorizations.

In the rare case this does happen, please just contact IK Support and they’ll take care of you as always.

[Scotty]

I just experienced this surprise and I don't like to have to call home to ask permission to use the software. This a problem for me in particular as I have had to recently deal with reformatting 3 computers due to a malware issue. The website indicated numerous authorizations left but to my surprise the product manager indicates roughly half that amount on each given software title. I know you feel this is justified given the change in policy/capability of deactivation to reclaim an authorization but that option was either unavailable to me or I didn't know it was there (more likely) which ends up with the same result. This is a surprise and an unpleasant one. I am a big IK fan. Didn't see this one coming.

I've had my activations plummet from 8 to 3, without installing that many. All my IK products have minimal activations left, wth.

Our support team should reply with this or similar if contacted but please note: As you have noticed, the maximum number of authorizations per IK product has been changed from 10 to 5.

Although our EULA limits the installation of our software to 3 devices, in the past there was no way to unauthorize licenses so we increased the number of authorizations provided as a workaround to save you the trouble of contacting support each time the limit would have been reached.

Since IK’s new Product Manager introduced the ability for users to manage authorizations, including removing and re-activating them at will, we have reverted to our system to previous behavior. With the ability to unauthorize as needed, you should never reach the limit of your authorizations.

In the rare case this does happen, please just contact IK Support and they’ll take care of you as always.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

I just experienced this surprise and I don't like to have to call home to ask permission to use the software. This a problem for me in particular as I have had to recently deal with reformatting 3 computers due to a malware issue. The website indicated numerous authorizations left but to my surprise the product manager indicates roughly half that amount on each given software title. I know you feel this is justified given the change in policy/capability of deactivation to reclaim an authorization but that option was either unavailable to me or I didn't know it was there (more likely) which ends up with the same result. This is a surprise and an unpleasant one. I am a big IK fan. Didn't see this one coming.

I've had my activations plummet from 8 to 3, without installing that many. All my IK products have minimal activations left, wth.

Our support team should reply with this or similar if contacted but please note: As you have noticed, the maximum number of authorizations per IK product has been changed from 10 to 5.

Although our EULA limits the installation of our software to 3 devices, in the past there was no way to unauthorize licenses so we increased the number of authorizations provided as a workaround to save you the trouble of contacting support each time the limit would have been reached.

Since IK’s new Product Manager introduced the ability for users to manage authorizations, including removing and re-activating them at will, we have reverted to our system to previous behavior. With the ability to unauthorize as needed, you should never reach the limit of your authorizations.

In the rare case this does happen, please just contact IK Support and they’ll take care of you as always.

Please check your account again, also please let me know your IK username via PM and I can take a look too. Thanks!