Roland Cloud

[Jon at Roland]

My biggest problem with the Roland Cloud Manager is it's really convoluted and difficult to find what you're looking for. Why are there so many navigation menus? I'm looking at 4 on the page right now.

Why is "Software Effects" found in a submenu under "Software Instruments"? Effects aren't instruments.

This is good feedback. I was recently discussing how alienating it can be for new users trying to navigate Roland Cloud Manager. The reason for this is to separate the hardware section from the software section. We don’t want new users to be even more confused and think that these software effects can be used in their hardware since ZEN-Core is a crossover between the two. It is possible to filter out the hardware section altogether so that just the software category is the only one you can see, if you didn’t already know.

But my main problem doesn't have anything to do with RCM. My main problem is I want to be able to buy a lifetime key of the BOSS Effects Pedals plugin, but that still isn't possible..

Absolutely understand this and you are not the only one. We get this request a lot. It's not impossible and this feedback helps me push that along.

[PAK]

If Roland decides they no longer want to be in the plugin business, then every song that uses a "rented" plugin will no longer open, and all of your work is trashed. With a perpetual license, at least the plugin will still work, even if Roland discontinues it.

Unfortunately (regarding Roland Cloud) this is incorrect. Roland only issue temporary 30 day licenses whether or not you rent or buy. It's called a "life-time" key because it's for the life-time of their Cloud service, NOT your personal lifetime. If Roland discontinues Roland Cloud your keys will no longer work, after 30 days, unless Roland changes how these licenses work..

[jamcat]

But my main problem doesn't have anything to do with RCM. My main problem is I want to be able to buy a lifetime key of the BOSS Effects Pedals plugin, but that still isn't possible..

Absolutely understand this and you are not the only one. We get this request a lot. It's not impossible and this feedback helps me push that along.

Thanks. I totally understand that you are just the messenger between us and Roland, and I appreciate your efforts here.

Probably the main point I would stress is that cracked versions are already giving pirates what we're asking for, for free. We just want the opportunity to be customers. But Roland is actively pushing people towards piracy instead.

[IvyBirds]

But my main problem doesn't have anything to do with RCM. My main problem is I want to be able to buy a lifetime key of the BOSS Effects Pedals plugin, but that still isn't possible..

Absolutely understand this and you are not the only one. We get this request a lot. It's not impossible and this feedback helps me push that along.

There are multiple plugins I would instantly buy if they were not tied to Roland Cloud and didn't need to phone home.

I don't think Roland possibly comprehends just how much business they lose and how much it harms the brand to treat paying customers this way, especially when it accomplishes nothing and all of them are available so easily if you sail the high seas

[sprnva]

I don't think Roland possibly comprehends just how much business they lose and how much it harms the brand to treat paying customers this way, especially when it accomplishes nothing and all of them are available so easily if you sail the high seas

It's not just a Roland thing. I think companies are so paranoid about losing sales to piracy they never stop to consider how many sales they're losing to anti-consumer copy protections.

If buying isn't owning, I ain't buying.

[Teksonik]

We are not able to care about issues we do not know about.

Or another way to look at it would be if Roland cared as much about paying customers as they do quarterly profits there wouldn't be such issues and there would certainly be less bad blood.

Roland Cloud has issues that need fixing; I am constantly acknowledging this and reporting all of your feedback, even when I am faced with people being rude to me.

I don't think I was being rude, just brutally honest. After 534 pages of this thread I've grown weary of the lack of real progress and I'm probably not alone. Everything I find distasteful about the Roland Cloud Manager is still there even though this thread will be 10 years old in December.

Again I very much appreciate your engagement at KVR since many large companies don't have a forward facing employee here but unfortunately that means you're the one who takes the heat for things that are out of your control. Every company that sells a product or provides a service is going to have disgruntled customers. The measure of a company's service is not how they treat customers who are satisfied but how they treat those who are not.

That does not mean that every issue people encounter is because of Roland Cloud Manager or Roland Cloud software.

Every issue when running a bit of software is because of that software. Don't run it? No issue.

Now are there possible user error or system configuration issues with any software? Absolutely but to default to "it's not our software's fault" isn't a good look even though in some cases that may be true.

[Teksonik]

There are multiple plugins I would instantly buy if they were not tied to Roland Cloud and didn't need to phone home.

I don't think Roland possibly comprehends just how much business they lose and how much it harms the brand to treat paying customers this way, especially when it accomplishes nothing and all of them are available so easily if you sail the high seas

That sums it up very well. I would have purchased most of Roland plugins over the years if the RCM was not so intrusive, didn't want to run at startup, and didn't need a running process, etc.

I get Roland's desire to prevent piracy and I'm behind you 100% on that but punishing paying customers and taking liberties with our most important systems is quite possibly costing you as many sales as it is generating.

Many of us including myself will never do subscriptions for software and for obvious reasons. All we want are stable "owned for life" plugins that don't require us to install and run a lot of bloat just to protect your intellectual property especially since the IP we create with that software can't be similarly protected.

We're willing to pay a fair price for such plugins. I'm incredibly loyal to companies that treat me with respect as a paying customer and incredibly dismissive of those who don't.....

[Mr Arkadin]

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. I actually own tons of Roland hardware that I would like in software: JD-800/990, SH-09, Jupiter-4, CR-78, RE-501, MC-202 to name a few.

I am using other manufacturers' emulations of this Roland gear where I can, but of course the sample-based stuff I can't replace.

I will never subscribe to anything to do with music-making, or use a subscription-type criminal check, as music is such a sporadic hobby for me.

[Jon at Roland]

I don't think I was being rude, just brutally honest.

I know sarcasm when i see it. It's all good, just want you to know that it might not be necessary to be sarcastic with me. I'm reporting your negative feedback, but im not going to screenshot you being sarcastic with me lol

Every issue when running a bit of software is because of that software. Don't run it? No issue.

Now are there possible user error or system configuration issues with any software? Absolutely but to default to "it's not our software's fault" isn't a good look even though in some cases that may be true.

I'm not going to go any further with this conversation, but I want it to be known that this is clearly not what I said. I acknowledge issues with Roland Cloud all the time.

What I said:

"That does not mean that every issue people encounter is because of Roland Cloud Manager or Roland Cloud software, and it is important to know when users have recurring issues like this if it’s us or something else."

If they have catastrophic issues using software, who knows what is up with their machine? It’s good to know if it’s a bug in our software, or it’s a flaw in how our software interacts with a certain DAW or OS, or if it’s an issue on that individual’s machine.

[Examigan]

I don't think I was being rude, just brutally honest.

I know sarcasm when i see it. It's all good, just want you to know that it might not be necessary to be sarcastic with me. I'm reporting your negative feedback, but im not going to screenshot you being sarcastic with me lol

Every issue when running a bit of software is because of that software. Don't run it? No issue.

Now are there possible user error or system configuration issues with any software? Absolutely but to default to "it's not our software's fault" isn't a good look even though in some cases that may be true.

I'm not going to go any further with this conversation, but I want it to be known that this is clearly not what I said. I acknowledge issues with Roland Cloud all the time.

What I said:

"That does not mean that every issue people encounter is because of Roland Cloud Manager or Roland Cloud software, and it is important to know when users have recurring issues like this if it’s us or something else."

If they have catastrophic issues using software, who knows what is up with their machine? It’s good to know if it’s a bug in our software, or it’s a flaw in how our software interacts with a certain DAW or OS, or if it’s an issue on that individual’s machine.

It seems you quoted some statements the wrong way.

[Jon at Roland]

It seems you quoted some statements the wrong way.

Thanks for the heads up I corrected it

[J Veronica]

So the JV and XV plugins are not 100% identical.

I copied banks from the XV into the JV (using a hex editor) and at first they sounded the same. But playing big chords, the JV sounded more open, with the XV more tamed and controlled (comparing identical patches).

From what I have read, the XV has built in compression like the original hardware, that can't be turned off. I don't dislike it actually, it's quite pleasing.

Still not decided which one to buy.

[Teksonik]

I don't think I was being rude, just brutally honest.

I know sarcasm when i see it. It's all good, just want you to know that it might not be necessary to be sarcastic with me. I'm reporting your negative feedback, but im not going to screenshot you being sarcastic with me lol

I don't think you actually know what the word sarcasm means. Just because you got triggered by the truth that's not my problem. To be honest your post above reads like a threat.

What I want to post right now would almost certainly get me in trouble with the mods so I'll just let it go and move on to companies that are responsive to the wishes of their user base.

I will leave you with this...please know that if you're going to represent a company your attitude can do more damage than good. It's very unlikely I'll ever buy another bit of Roland software and that comes from someone who has owned and still owns a ton of Roland hardware going back many decades.

[Jon at Roland]

I don't think I was being rude, just brutally honest.

I know sarcasm when i see it. It's all good, just want you to know that it might not be necessary to be sarcastic with me. I'm reporting your negative feedback, but im not going to screenshot you being sarcastic with me lol

I don't think you actually know what the word sarcasm means. Just because you got triggered by the truth that's not my problem. To be honest your post above reads like a threat.

What I want to post right now would almost certainly get me in trouble with the mods so I'll just let it go and move on to companies that are responsive to the wishes of their user base.

I will leave you with this...please know that if you're going to represent a company your attitude can do more damage than good. It's very unlikely I'll ever buy another bit of Roland software and that comes from someone who has owned and still owns a ton of Roland hardware going back many decades.

I'm not triggered at all! And I’m not sure what you think I'm threatening, but this response is 100% not a threat. I'm just trying to say that I appreciate the negative feedback you have about Roland Cloud. I always report it, and in fact, I am usually in agreement when users think something needs to be changed or if something is wrong. All I'm saying is there is no need for the sarcasm or being rude to me. I'm sorry if I came across as confrontational. I am, after all, a person, and I don't think you would feel too good if you were dragged by this forum every time you commented something. I try and do a pretty good job and stay in my lane and only address users when I see an issue or hear some feedback I think is good. It's more of the vibe here. I am glad to have more of this conversation via PM if you'd like.

[Caine123]

I have to say i am also critical to the Roland Cloud and i unsubscribed a long time ago, see what i told? Roland Cloud is stagnating, you dont get (any?) improvements since 2-4? years, no new classics/new vsts people wait for, the SRX series is still bad and instead of updating everything with improvements we get Galaxians or something which you cannot buy and which doesnt seem very interesting. Still I moved on and enjoy still the D50, JD880, TB303 etc. etc. not great still but it is what it is and Roland Cloud doesnt improve it since a long time.

Jon however is still around here and somehow (always?) polite still, it seems he can help minimaly only, but he always responds and did help me out once after a pm, so he can help on a basic level but it seems Jon cannot influence the direction much/at all, so i respect that in a bad felt topic (not our fault, but RC's offerings...) he still stays nice and tries to help.

so yeah respect and thanks for that, i can just recommend anyone not bein happy, unsubscribe if not done yet. im happy that Roland Cloud offers perpetual licenses since a long time which i bought.