Have we now reached "peak plug in"

[Synthman2000]

I believe we have reached 'peak synth' and now 'peak plug in' you can probably get 4-7 versions of any classic gear and at least one very good version of pretty much anything you can think of.

I get the distinct impression that developers are fearing the end is nigh. The deals are almost unbelievable this year. I have bought bits that have been very cheap and then got another 20-30pct off finding another coupon after a search. Such value.

There is nothing to want for anymore. If you have the funds for any plug in it is all there in top quality. We must be close to nothing else needing to be coded.

And the crazy thing.. none of it makes you create a better piece of music or composition.

Just some icing on the cake and well placed flavours, if you know what you are doing.

You can buy what you need to make a world class hit with $600.00 now, software wise, maybe even less, a great eq, comp, reverb delay, chorus and some special bits.

It feels like BF was the last one that will ever be. What do you sell people who have one really good version of everything. And you know most have 3 !

In think I am covered for the average human lifespan.

It seems like they only have FOMO left to sell you. I think now I am going to be the most cautious I have ever been about buying anything cause it is going to have to absolutely blow me away to buy anything now.

[paramita123]

That's because GAS sells more than knowledge, skills, feelings...
I'm also loaded with plugins. But my true satisfaction kicks in when I work my craft and create music I enjoy.

The only thing I'd spend money now would be on true knowledge, nothing that can be found on YT.
I'd pay for a session with Greg Scott from Kush to learn how he produces his band Sneaky Little Devil, so damn good !

[Synthman2000]

There is just one thing I am still finally considering now.. is that what they are relying on ?

And it's kind of FOMO it will de duplication in some ways but almost a case of - well I might die between now and next Black Friday. Not to tempt fate of course.

[Michael L]

Its beyond peak -- its plugin overshoot

[chagzuki]

I've not really owned hardware, so I don't know if there's an extra 10% or so of quality left to achieve in terms of emulation, but the standard seems incredibly high already.
The profit-generating strategy for companies has revolved around selling distinct versions of every conceivable
iteration of hardware, but now competition is pushing prices for those down it seems it would require something new for a company to gain market share. I'm guessing that AI will lead to breakthroughs which will fundamentally transform the whole game, and the companies early to that will win out.

[egbert101]

There is a formula for plugins and quality music, that goes something like 1/n^2 where n is the number of plugins.

But yeah. Plugins are silly btw.

[kelvyn]

As far as hardware emulations are concerned then it’s probably a ‘Yes’ as I feel that we have come pretty far or as close as one can get with the computer systems we have now. The differences can be e tremendously small, something only Train Spotters are concerned about.
Where it gets interesting is with AI in the composition, arranging, mixing and mastering arena’s. There’s still a lot of air above for innovation.

[Synthman2000]

AI has no place in my music I will say that. It's my music not AI's. I read something about some producers saying if they used AI they would not say. Embarrassment ? Or worried about future copyright claims ? The same artists who would be butt hurt and sue
with immediate effect if their own "productions" were ripped off I bet.

Fine to be all deviant and blasé with sampling and ripping off others but the moment someone touches their music, hypocrisy unbounded. That says it all.

I have something to say and I will say it as I see fit not using AI. That is the entire enjoyment of creativity.

As far as hardware, IMO it's 95pct from my perspective and 100pct much of the time.

Ridiculous levels of gain reduction might not quite be there with comps but even then in a mix ? Not to mention the possibility of extending hardware's capability making a process or effect arguably sound better than the original capability.

You don't see many mentioning that, that software can arguably be superior depending on what you want to do.

Box tone not always quite right, stereo image etc. certainly good enough and you can compensate with ease. I know as I own high end analogue mastering gear but that can be conversion as well. If you can really hear what is happening you can adjust, there is a plug in for everything in 2023.

No one will be coming back to you saying they don't like the 4 x over sampled analogue emulation you used to compress your any thing in the mix.

We have clean every process and saturated/coloured every process and the best of each is pretty much there and if you desire guaranteed inaudible levels of aliasing it's all there for you. And if you want you can even double check that by eye without owning a lab !

[jamcat]

It’s because all plugins, all music, and all musicians—to the extent that there still are any—will be rendered obsolete by AI before this time next year.

It’s not going to be musicians using AI to make music, it will be the audience.

“Alexa, create a duet with John Lennon and Kurt Cobain, with music as written and performed by Frank Zappa.”

[Synthman2000]

It’s because all plugins, all music, and all musicians—the the extent that there still are any—will be rendered obsolete by AI before this time next year.

Let's comeback to this complete rubbish next year.

Music is a process of development and human joy. The process is often more important than the result. But the result is what the enriches the process over and over and over again.

[egbert101]

[Synthman2000]

It’s because all plugins, all music, and all musicians—the the extent that there still are any—will be rendered obsolete by AI before this time next year.

It’s not going to be musicians using AI to make music, it will be the audience.

“Alexa, create a duet with John Lennon and Kurt Cobain, with music as written and performed by Frank Zappa.”

I am sure robots will think it is great.

[DCrown]

“Alexa, create a duet with John Lennon and Kurt Cobain, with music as written and performed by Frank Zappa.”

Cool

[jamcat]

Instead of talking about the next Black Friday, we should be talking about the next Black Tuesday.

[DCrown]

After many years of buying and using plugins I have limited all fx /VST plugins (VSTi not included) to 30 plugins recently and moved the rest to an external drive.
This year I bought 4 fx plugins.
I think it was a good decision