MuTools

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 11:31 am

Thx for sharing interesting thoughts!

To be honnest i'm not keen on the idea to distribute M5 or M6 as a free version cause they're outdated versions and don't give a good representation of what MuLab is today.

About MuLab Free: I'll consider removing the multi-channel track limit and the number of MIDI ins/outs limit cause they often create confusion about why the demo noise starts playing. Removing these 2 limits will make MuLab Free more straighforward and a bit more powerful too cause the user can take advantage of multi-timbral tracks.

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 11:41 am

About making it open source: That's not the intention. However i feel the essence of the idea is nice: Opening it up so other devs can improve/extend functionality. Maybe that can be done via DLLs. I'll reflect on that. Practical note: I'm in the middle of the timestretch r&d, won't stop that now, so working on new ideas may take some time.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 11:47 am

mutools wrote:To be honnest i'm not keen on the idea to distribute M5 or M6 as a free version cause they're outdated versions and don't give a good representation of what MuLab is today.

Yeah, missed that one, good call.

About a demo limitations, 4 tracks is really low, I know you want people to get full version in frustration, but that can backfire so people don't use it at all and just go for Tracktion 5, even on BPB that's one of the cons, even Podium Free with one core seems like better option, that speaks enough.

No need to repeat how beneficial is for MuLab to be out there and used by everyone, 4 tracks is just big limitation and makes "free DAW" just an demo or ideas sketch tool, give people something they can work with and make music, instead of paying for promotions and loosing money anyways, what's better promotion than word of mouth and people actually making music with your product.

TheoXD · Post by **TheoXD** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 12:41 pm

mutools wrote:About making it open source: That's not the intention. However i feel the essence of the idea is nice: Opening it up so other devs can improve/extend functionality. Maybe that can be done via DLLs. I'll reflect on that. Practical note: I'm in the middle of the timestretch r&d, won't stop that now, so working on new ideas may take some time.

I just figured that since many independent game developers are programmers, more and more start shifting towards open source environment. Most of them have DAW in their arsenal, surprise surprise it's either LMMS or Ardour. I think MuLab has the potential to come up on top in dominant fashion and take this industry by storm. Partially opening it up, adding native Linux support and making it rent-to-own would make a damn good PR.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 12:51 pm

Linux market is niche as it gets for music making, MuLab works perfectly fine via WINE anyways, nothing is stopping anyone to use it right now, just like some of the guys are using Reaper and even FL.

TheoXD · Post by **TheoXD** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 12:54 pm

Zexila wrote:Linux market is niche as it gets for music making, MuLab works perfectly fine via WINE anyways, nothing is stopping anyone to use it right now, just like some of the guys are using Reaper and even FL.

Maybe they don't feel like paying to rely on Wine (since license is not transferable). In case of Clip Studio, 1.4.1 worked with Wine but since 1.5.2 it stopped working. Can you imagine how pissed people were who invested 200$ into software they can no longer use? At least CS license can be transferred freely between parties, for as long as you're not reselling for profit.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 1:09 pm

TheoXD wrote: Maybe they don't feel like paying

Exactly, that's why it's niche, they like FOSS more than anything.

TheoXD · Post by **TheoXD** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 1:28 pm

Zexila wrote:
TheoXD wrote: Maybe they don't feel like paying
Exactly, that's why it's niche, they like FOSS more than anything.

Please don't put my words out of context, it's rude, in such case quote entire sentence. I mean they don't feel like paying to rely on Wine. Some of them might be FOSS maniacs, sure, but they gonna have to settle for a free version that generates noise. There are paid Linux apps and games, doesn't mean everyone just uses free software. Any publicity is good publicity.

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 1:57 pm

Well, that's on what I'm responding and making my point overall, that's why it's niche market, because it's dominated by FOSS and not everyone sees business opportunity there, I'm talking about music making only tho, because that's all that matters anyways.

Also, are you aware how much R&D time that barely good publicity move would take from one job operation known as Jo and how much actually important FR's would become neglected because of that, that's the key thing here.

He recently did Mac and that was something that should be done long time ago, so yeah, Linux is really low priority, so only if somebody else did all the Linux job for him, in that case, it's fair to say why not, I'm all for it, but I'm not making any shots, so yeah.

TheoXD · Post by **TheoXD** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 2:52 pm

Music branch seems to be very tough in general, you might be right that it's hard to see business opportunity with Linux with a naked eye. But I can tell you this, other branches can affect it. A good example would be game development. Since Unity3d added Linux support I bet sales of music software with native Linux support increased, because most developers use DAW commercially to make sound effects, background music, sample processing, e.c.t (not just making songs for iTunes) and many are hard working people who make decent money too. It's not a completely niche market as you say.

Basically other software developers, by making native Linux support, are creating a demand. After Unity3d went Linux, Allegorithmic recently added linux support to their substance line of products for creating textures, that could have created another wave of users that switched from windows to linux, because software they're using no longer holds them back. People who switch do like privacy, most are bound to either windows or mac by software they use.

harryupbabble · Post by **harryupbabble** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 7:01 pm

I think I've downloaded MuLab Free before. I can't remember why I didn't stick with it. I'm thinking of downloading it again but before I do, does anybody know if MuLab Free allows saving of projects? I've Googled the question using these keywords "mulab free" "save projects" but I can't seem to find anything about it.

Taifunk · Post by **Taifunk** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 7:14 pm

harryupbabble wrote:I think I've downloaded MuLab Free before. I can't remember why I didn't stick with it. I'm thinking of downloading it again but before I do, does anybody know if MuLab Free allows saving of projects? I've Googled the question using these keywords "mulab free" "save projects" but I can't seem to find anything about it.

With the free version you can save and load your projects,
You can find more detailed information here:
http://www.mutools.com/info/docs/mulab/ ... sions.html

harryupbabble · Post by **harryupbabble** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 7:36 pm

Taifunk wrote: With the free version you can save and load your projects,
You can find more detailed information here:
http://www.mutools.com/info/docs/mulab/ ... sions.html

I downloaded and installed and launced it. Yes it does allow save and load of projects. Yeeeehaaaa. Thanks a bunch Taifunk.

Taifunk · Post by **Taifunk** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 7:53 pm

You're welcome harryupbabble

Zexila · Post by **Zexila** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 8:57 pm

On second taught, tired of this, I'm out.

MuTools

KVR Audio

Have you considered open sourcing MuLab?