My opinion about this KVR Developer Challenge

[idfpower]

KVR is a special environment with special users...

At least you used the common euphemism...

He he, not in that sense I meant that often ppl seem to like either niche plugins or vsts that are not considered "standard" for certain jobs/genres/etc. Plus a lot of ppl have a close relationship with certain devs so they tend to support their products more and so on. What I'm trying to say is: you must take it with a pinch of salt...whatever is popular on KVR might not be that way outside of this environment. Remember the MusicRadar tops? Each website/platform/whatever has its own crowd and preferences


As for the Top 5...to me that has no logic becase I simply can't understand how 5 effects can be more important than vst instruments - you know, the things you use to actually make music? Unless we agree once and for all that effects and sound processing is far more important to electronic music than the sound sources (and be done with all that "virtual vs analog", "romplers suck" circus

But honestly I don't care I'm happy with "Strum" - I find it awesome - and if ppl considered that chorus to be the most important & helpful plugin from the entire list...so be it I won't use it anyway

[DysfunK_Shaun]

My own opinion regarding the greater success of effects relates to the freeware domain in general. While there are some exceptional payware effects out there (SugarBytes, FabFilter etc), when it comes to bread and butter processors there is enough high quality freeware available that anyone can collect a professional suite of plugins without spending a penny. Why pay for SoundToys when VOS plugins are so good?

Compare that to virtual instruments, sure there's are a few free gems (Oatmeal, Synth1 etc) but most of these are quite old and don't hold up to the likes of Dune2, Alchemy, Massive etc, even Sylenth1.

Now, I know that quality is largely subjective but I think for a lot of people, the standards set by the premium developers (or at least those that come pre-packed with DAWs) are the standards that the DC entries were compared against. High quality useable effects stand up against their paid equivalents far better than any of the instruments entered. If people vote (like i did) for the plugins they felt they would use the most, then it shouldn't be surprising that a high quality chorus, EQ and guitar made up the top three.

[idfpower]

If people vote (like i did) for the plugins they felt they would use the most, then it shouldn't be surprising that a high quality chorus, EQ and guitar made up the top three.

Oh really? So I guess this is not KVR anymore, but Ultimate Guitar or smth A chorus effect is one thing, but an amp sim? Really?

That aside, I too voted for the plugins that I liked and intend to use from now on I didn't care if they'd be in top 5 or not, I just liked them

The thing with effects is that there are already tons of for pretty much any job - free. I simply can't get excited about a new this or that effect...

[kvaca]

...how 5 effects can be more important than vst instruments - you know, the things you use to actually make music? Unless we agree once and for all that effects and sound processing is far more important to electronic music than the sound sources...

it seems your assumption that everybody here is making electronic music is plain wrong

But honestly I don't care I'm happy with "Strum" - I find it awesome - and if ppl considered that chorus to be the most important & helpful plugin from the entire list...so be it I won't use it anyway

well, as a guitarist I found Strum unnatural sounding and completely useless to me /even for backing track/...
but - good sounding chorus plugin is always wellcome

[DysfunK_Shaun]

Can't say i'm particularly interested in amp sims either, certainly not one as heavy metal as that. It does look like guitar stuff overall did well this year however. Perhaps a fair bit of promotion on guitar forums..?

Instruments-wise, Strum was the only one that took my fancy. It basically does one thing but it does it well and serves a purpose for which i can see myself using it again (probably more for plucks than strums though). Yet the likes of Multiply, ReFine, Rez3 & Q-Meleon all offered me something similar but different enough (better even) to other effects that I use and have a need for. Fact is i use a lot more effects in a project than i do synths and there's plenty of good VAs out there already.

[nubeat7]

First, it may sound a little demagogic, but I think everybody participating there deserved to win something, since they have all developed something personal, and they have given it for free to all the musicians community. Some of them are doing this professionnally, and others have used their free time to participate, being alone to develop the whole stuff. Their motivation may be different, some of them have participated to win, others to get some fame, other ones for challenging themselves, for some kind of pure altruism, and sometimes because they expect this to change their life in a better way. Just for that, they deserve also some kind of respect, one thing I have not been able to see in a lot of comments about the entries unfortunately.

here i want to say thanks to KVR to get an free entry to the A3E conference for every competitor!
also when it is impossible for me to go overthere after i'm here in vienna but its great for people living next door to boston maybe next time it will be in spain and devs would get a also free access then i would go there for sure, would also be great to meet some competitors personally

[idfpower]

it seems your assumption that everybody here is making electronic music is plain wrong

My question was: how can effects be more important than instruments - electronic music or not? This is still a software dedicated environment, right?

The hardware section has just one guitar focused topic. I'd say you're a minority (unless you consider bass to fit into that topic as well - then I'd be able to say "we" instead of "you"). And yet a guitar amp made it to the top...granted some ppl are using guitar effects on synths, but still...

Anyway, no point in debating about this anymore...

[Acrobat]

KVR-DC is always very cool. Period.

[hakaider-9]

Hmm, many words around quite usual devices.
I never use such effects. If a synthesizer not in such a way
sounds like I would want, I change the settings.
(This is, by the way, the purpose of a synthesizer )
Or I take another....

With "Acon Digitally" it won a company.
With 3 people for the surface, 3 for the development,
4 for the Marketing etc. etc.

Most other participants here are
Individuals. Looks after everything. Alone
This is unfair anyway.

Moreover, such a company has much more advertising possibilities.
And it is more known.

The second place is a little more unusual Equilizer.
The operating surface is in my opinion very nastily and unmusical.
If somebody needs such a thing, okay.
I have enough in my Sequencer.
And i still does not use them.

A good Synth is an instrument. He inspires the imagination.
A good sound often leads only to the right idea.
And if makes a piece of music interesting.

An effect is only a poor tool.

Just my 50 cent.

[Michael L]

Many good ideas in this thread: BIG appreciation of all developers; challenges for individuals and startups; importance of multi-platform; separate fx/instrument DC categories; making sure bugs,GUI, support, promotion, manual all in place. As a non-developer, KVR-DC has been an education in how we as customers can support developers in creating products that we really need. As Steve Jobs said, we don't always know what we need until we see it. I did not realise how frustrated I was with other chorus plugins, until I saw a better one. I used all the DC Mac plugins several times before posting on 21 August that I thought Multiply the best. It filled a big need that I didn't realize I had, with a top quality product. I use KVR to learn what is possible, and buy very carefully, to only choose plugins I will use a lot. Some are expensive, some are not, some are free. Price is irrelevant; my time is the real cost. I usually buy something that enables me to work fast, and produce consistent quality without fiddling too much. I hope that helps.

[rockstar_not]

Not a developer here - I am always amazed at what people can do with ones and zeros. Thank you to all the developers who submitted something for DC14.

[Hewitt Huntwork]

I'd like to see a poll of the DC developers to see who would be inclined to enter both an fx challenge and an instrument challenge. I know it takes time to make a plugin, so if there was enough interest, maybe they should happen at different times of year?

Then again, where does that leave the soundware guys? All things to consider.

[arkmabat]

If people vote (like i did) for the plugins they felt they would use the most, then it shouldn't be surprising that a high quality chorus, EQ and guitar made up the top three.

Oh really? So I guess this is not KVR anymore, but Ultimate Guitar or smth A chorus effect is one thing, but an amp sim? Really?

That aside, I too voted for the plugins that I liked and intend to use from now on I didn't care if they'd be in top 5 or not, I just liked them

The thing with effects is that there are already tons of for pretty much any job - free. I simply can't get excited about a new this or that effect...

Hold on... It's a damn good amp sim. Very usable, probably for more than guitar.

[idfpower]

Hold on... It's a damn good amp sim. Very usable, probably for more than guitar.

That's your opinion and of course you're entitled to it

IMO it's nothing special, but then again, it's just my opinion

[GaryG]

First, it may sound a little demagogic, but I think everybody participating there deserved to win something

I totally agree with this.

Maybe there aren't enough donations now for everyone to get something (as there were a few DCs back) but priority should be given to the devs. For there to be a prize for a random voter but not third place is kind of crazy IMO.

(speaking as a voter not a contestant this time).