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Author Topic: Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware  (Read 3039 times)

Melita

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Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware
« on: November 25, 2021, 01:23:18 am »
A post on GZ about a Decksaver kickstarter for the MxB gave me an idea:

[ SPAM REMOVED - Admin ]

What if Arturia launched a kickstarter to finish the firmware (fix the bugs) and perhaps add some additional features as requested by the users?

The fee could be small, depending on how many Matrixbrutes have been sold, and if enough people are interested in speeding up the process of making the next firmware it would benefit everyone in the end (the firmware would be free for all after a quarantine time, say a few months).

Of course, you can say we’re screwed if we need to pay extra for what should be included in the price we’ve already paid. But we are already screwed having to wait for so long (and longer) to get things working as intended.

I know if I could pay $50 to have the finished firmware available in two months I would pay that rather than wait for 6 more months, 8, 12, two years, will this ever happen at all?

Controversial, yes, but perhaps worth it in the end?
« Last Edit: May 04, 2022, 09:31:07 pm by DrJustice »

MajorFubar

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Re: Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware
« Reply #1 on: November 25, 2021, 11:47:20 am »
If Arturia don't have the human resources to devote to squashing bugs in their multitude of products, I don't see how temporarily throwing more money at the problem will fix it unless you think they could use the cash to advertise for a temp or to give overtime to their existing programmers.

My opinion is, FWIW (probably very little), they have too many disparate products. The company began in the late 1990's as a software house. Their first product was Arturia Storm: a product similar in concept to Propellerhead Reason, being an all in one virtual music studio. Then they started producing VSTs and standalone virtual synths, first being the Mini V, then others followed. Eventually Storm became abandonware as they began to focus almost solely on building VSTs and standalone apps which emulated classic synths (well, other than Arturia Brass: the red-headed step-child that was quickly forgotten). This was IMO their golden period, where their focus was clear, and they had a single line of related products which were market leaders in their field.

Then in 2008 they launched their first physical product: Origin. Origin was a product that put some of their VSTs into a rackmount box and gave the VSTs a physical interface. Origin Keyboard took that one step further, by attaching the box to a 61-note keyboard with aftertouch. And this is where their product lines began to fork in different directions.

Since then, Arturia have launched more hardware products, sometimes computer-app/hardware hybrids like Spark, sometimes standalone like Matrixbrute, as well as launching new software synths and updating their existing VSTs.

Fast forward to 2021, they have so many different lines of products, physical and virtual. My perception (maybe wrong) is they don't have enough programmers who can quickly flip from one product-line to the next to fix bugs as well as develop the firmware for new products.

They should, IMO, have stayed with doing what they absolutely did best: making Mac and PC VSTs, like their V Collection and Pigments. Entering the hardware market was a mistake. First of all, hardware users are a different 'breed' of user and have different expectations and requirements to 'in-the-box' music producers, not least that the products often have to hold up well to being used and abused on stage, and their users are less likely to tolerate niggly firmware bugs that cramp their style. Hardware also brings with it a whole heap of different challenges out of a manufacturer's direct control (unless you're so big you can manufacture literally everything). For example the keybeds on the first generation of Keylab controllers (other than the excellent 88) were notoriously poor quality and prone to failure, even though the machines themselves were built like a tank. Arturia didn't deserve the bad publicity this caused, but could do nothing about it, because the keybeds were bought-in from (guess where) China.

But they've passed the point of no return now, in so far as they can't just abandon their physical products, and IMO temporarily throwing more money at the problem from crowdfunding-initiatives won't fix it.
2022 Apple Studio Max 32/32/2TB Monterey • V Collection 9 • Analog Lab 4 + 5 • KeyLab 88 • KeyStep

MajorFubar

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Re: Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2021, 01:46:36 pm »
What a surprise another spammer in disguise.
User banned on account of editing (all) their posts to include external links to unrelated sites.
Topic left in place (a) because I spent f'king ages writing a reply to it (b) because the topic had value until the OP went and spoiled it with their spammy edits.
2022 Apple Studio Max 32/32/2TB Monterey • V Collection 9 • Analog Lab 4 + 5 • KeyLab 88 • KeyStep

DrJustice

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Re: Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2021, 08:38:50 pm »
...]
What if Arturia launched a kickstarter to finish the firmware (fix the bugs) and perhaps add some additional features as requested by the users?
...
Which bugs is it you're having problems with?

I'm asking because there really aren't many bugs left, as  is no known serious bugs. If you can provide a list, I'll report it on the testing forum, and/or you can report them to support. The more aware they're being made of a certain bug or feature request, the greater the chance of seeing it addressed.

DrJustice

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Re: Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2021, 08:54:09 pm »
...
They should, IMO, have stayed with doing what they absolutely did best: making Mac and PC VSTs, like their V Collection and Pigments. Entering the hardware market was a mistake.
The Origin (not VSTs BTW, I think it went as far as some algorithm sharing), MatrixBrute and PolyBrute are three of the most glorious synthesizers ever, regardless of eras or brands. It would be a great shame if they were never made...  :o

I, for one, am very happy that they're into shaking up the synth world with unequaled, innovative and great sounding hardware synths like that  :)

They were also pioneering drivers for the affordable analogue renaissance with the first Mini/Micro -Brutes. Their work in hardware synths have been influential and important for the synth world.

MajorFubar

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Re: Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware
« Reply #5 on: November 26, 2021, 10:16:23 am »
Which bugs is it you're having problems with?

I'm asking because there really aren't many bugs left, as  is no known serious bugs. If you can provide a list, I'll report it on the testing forum, and/or you can report them to support. The more aware they're being made of a certain bug or feature request, the greater the chance of seeing it addressed.
OP won't reply because i banned their account after they went and edited all their ten posts to include links to dubious OT websites. Half their posts I've since deleted.

Quote from: DrJustice
The Origin, MatrixBrute and PolyBrute are three of the most glorious synthesizers ever, regardless of eras or brands. It would be a great shame if they were never made...  :o

I, for one, am very happy that they're into shaking up the synth world with unequaled, innovative and great sounding hardware synths like that
That's a fair call Doctor, but you don't have to look far on this forum to find pages and pages of posts from disgruntled owners, mostly MXB, who feel the product did not receive the attention it deserved after launch. Many of whom you have replied to and you have been very helpful. Obviously opinions are like clits (fill in the rest yourself...) but IMO Arturia have their fingers in too many pies. It's a lot easier to be the master of one discipline than of many.

Hardware fans come here moaning bitterly that Arturia spend too much time and resources developing 'crap' VSTs instead of ironing bugs out their synths' firmware. In-the-box VST users are at the opposite end of the boxing-ring and would prefer it if Arturia spent less time developing new hardware they have no use for and spent more time fixing buggy VSTs. And in the middle of the boxing ring are Arturia programmers, tasked with trying to placate everybody.

Much easier if you just choose a corner. And they chose their corner in 1999.
2022 Apple Studio Max 32/32/2TB Monterey • V Collection 9 • Analog Lab 4 + 5 • KeyLab 88 • KeyStep

DrJustice

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Re: Arturia kickstarter to complete firmware
« Reply #6 on: November 26, 2021, 02:40:47 pm »
...
OP won't reply because i banned their account after they went and edited all their ten posts to include links to dubious OT websites. Half their posts I've since deleted.
Aaaahrg! not again... I'm for capital punishment for this kind of people by now - they're trashing the human spirit! :-(

Seems we both fell for it. Please nuke this whole thread - it's garbage!

Quote
...
And in the middle of the boxing ring are Arturia programmers, tasked with trying to placate everybody.
...
Fair call Major :)

I've offered my services, but there was no interest :-))
« Last Edit: November 26, 2021, 02:48:55 pm by DrJustice »

 

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