Hi all, as I'm going to assist Creamware in their marketing activities I'd like to gather some info from users on these topics:
What do You do in special with your Pulsar/Scope you can't do with any other solution? What is so specific to Pulsar/Scope?
What is/are the most exciting/convincing feature/s for You when using Pulsar/Scope?
Thanx in advance
H. G. Fortune
Please help with Your experience in using Pulsar/Scope
hi CW fortune!!! 
answer to all your questions: routing and modular (mod3 and flexor)! and the free upgrades offered for the main SFP software! quite cool, and very much appreciated, although i'd like it better to see CWA become a healthy company...
and of course CW's excellent sound!
answer to all your questions: routing and modular (mod3 and flexor)! and the free upgrades offered for the main SFP software! quite cool, and very much appreciated, although i'd like it better to see CWA become a healthy company...
and of course CW's excellent sound!
andy
the lunatics are in the hall
the lunatics are in the hall
Without a doubt, its routing! It truely has the ability to be the heart of a studio integrating hardware with software. There is still no other soundcard that does it as comprehensively and as intuitively as the SFP environment. This is why I bought into creamware stuff in the first place. The effects, synths are all a bonus for me!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: bassdude on 2004-03-06 06:00 ]</font>
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: bassdude on 2004-03-06 06:00 ]</font>
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Shayne White
- Posts: 1454
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: California
- Contact:
Hello Fortune! Are you just beginning to work with CreamWare now? Good luck in your new job!
Yes, for me the most important feature is definitely routing. Mixers, synths, and effects run on CPU-based systems, but you can't have the live routing experience with NO interruputions. With Pulsar I can have a number of I/Os all routed and mixed in complex and unique ways -- it would be very hard to do that with any other system. It replaces the need for an outboard mixer.
Of course, I also love Pulsar for CreamWare's and John Bowen's synths. MiniMax and Solaris are my two all-time favorite synths, hands-down. MiniMax is THE best VA synth EVER. Solaris covers just about everything else, including additional VA features, and they both sound FANTASTIC. I haven't heard a better VA synth anywhere.
I also like the effects packages, they are good bundles for a lot of interesting gadgets.
The number one item in your collection you must market the most is MiniMax, especially now that Arturia has released their piece of crap MiniMoog. You have to carry the message that MiniMax is the most analog-sounding VA synth ever made. People will grab onto the message.
All the best,
Shayne
Yes, for me the most important feature is definitely routing. Mixers, synths, and effects run on CPU-based systems, but you can't have the live routing experience with NO interruputions. With Pulsar I can have a number of I/Os all routed and mixed in complex and unique ways -- it would be very hard to do that with any other system. It replaces the need for an outboard mixer.
Of course, I also love Pulsar for CreamWare's and John Bowen's synths. MiniMax and Solaris are my two all-time favorite synths, hands-down. MiniMax is THE best VA synth EVER. Solaris covers just about everything else, including additional VA features, and they both sound FANTASTIC. I haven't heard a better VA synth anywhere.
I also like the effects packages, they are good bundles for a lot of interesting gadgets.
The number one item in your collection you must market the most is MiniMax, especially now that Arturia has released their piece of crap MiniMoog. You have to carry the message that MiniMax is the most analog-sounding VA synth ever made. People will grab onto the message.
All the best,
Shayne
Melodious Synth Radio
http://www.melodious-synth.com
Melodious synth music by Binary Sea
http://www.binary-sea.com
http://www.melodious-synth.com
Melodious synth music by Binary Sea
http://www.binary-sea.com
I too think th Minimax should be part of the main focus as well as routing. These two points alone are worth buying CW boards. We already had a big discussion on this subject here:
http://www.planetz.com/forums/viewtopic ... forum=5&58
Hope this helps!
http://www.planetz.com/forums/viewtopic ... forum=5&58
Hope this helps!
Hi,
thanx for your replies and I even like to encourage others to tell me their special favs of the Pulsar/Scope-System.
@Shayne:
well thanx and I just started my job about a week ago or so and I hope to be of good fortune for CW. Actually this work is part of what I'm doing - so there is not so much time left for my music. As time is elapsing and many stuff has to be handled for the MusikMesse in Frankfurt there is as well not too much time for me to explore the system in detail right now. So I'm happy to get feedback from users.
@Wayne:
great thread and very helpful indeed.
@borg:
well, as said already above I hope to be of good fortune for CW. As we had the demise of Waldorf just recently in our area it is good to have one important company back on course again!
@bassdude:
Could you give me an example of (one of) Your setup(s) to elucidate these flexible routings?
Maybe a screenshot with a few explanations?
cheers
H. G. Fortune
thanx for your replies and I even like to encourage others to tell me their special favs of the Pulsar/Scope-System.
@Shayne:
well thanx and I just started my job about a week ago or so and I hope to be of good fortune for CW. Actually this work is part of what I'm doing - so there is not so much time left for my music. As time is elapsing and many stuff has to be handled for the MusikMesse in Frankfurt there is as well not too much time for me to explore the system in detail right now. So I'm happy to get feedback from users.
@Wayne:
great thread and very helpful indeed.
@borg:
well, as said already above I hope to be of good fortune for CW. As we had the demise of Waldorf just recently in our area it is good to have one important company back on course again!
@bassdude:
Could you give me an example of (one of) Your setup(s) to elucidate these flexible routings?
Maybe a screenshot with a few explanations?
cheers
H. G. Fortune
welcome Fortune,
The control and flexibility built in to CreamWare sfp allows a virtually seamless musical environment - call it CreamWare Land. And in CreamWare Land anything you've got the imagination to do, you can do - given sufficient DSPs and sufficient applications. For those using audio only, the 32 bit integer recording via CreamWare's VDAT program allows a smooth shift into recording mode at any time.
As it is now, a potential customer almost has to stumble across the VDAT, which is curiously promoted as sounding as if the VDAT were simply an enhancement to ADAT rigs. VDAT has gone so far beyond the ADAT that with good converters at 32 bits internal bit rate, there's not a lot, if anything, that's going to beat it for sound. That is not the same legacy granted to the Alesis ADAT format by that format's critics (consider Fletcher of MercenaryAudio's "...on a Stick" display ).
There is a valuable legacy of the ADAT; the idea of the virtual "tape." VDATs can be spread across hard drives so no additional (potentially recording-performance unfriendly) raid is required. Once a tape is created, that much space on the hard drive is reserved and at that place on the drive. The recording program can charge full-steam-ahead without having to ask how much time is left or search around for nooks and crannies on the hard drive.
Sounds great, yet a lot of Pulsarians don't use VDAT. Could it be the confusion from offering two pretty-closely priced recording applications. I know if I only had to choose one it would be VDAT: the 32 bit ability, the fact it runs on XP would decide that. But if I had only generation one Pulsar cards and was running 98se at 16 bits, then TripleDAT might make some sense - for the Osirus if not anything else.
How would a Pulsar owner looking to do some recording know this from just looking at the CreamWare Store? Perhaps you, Fortune, are one to help direct would-be-native Creamware recordists to the correct application for them.
john
The control and flexibility built in to CreamWare sfp allows a virtually seamless musical environment - call it CreamWare Land. And in CreamWare Land anything you've got the imagination to do, you can do - given sufficient DSPs and sufficient applications. For those using audio only, the 32 bit integer recording via CreamWare's VDAT program allows a smooth shift into recording mode at any time.
As it is now, a potential customer almost has to stumble across the VDAT, which is curiously promoted as sounding as if the VDAT were simply an enhancement to ADAT rigs. VDAT has gone so far beyond the ADAT that with good converters at 32 bits internal bit rate, there's not a lot, if anything, that's going to beat it for sound. That is not the same legacy granted to the Alesis ADAT format by that format's critics (consider Fletcher of MercenaryAudio's "...on a Stick" display
).There is a valuable legacy of the ADAT; the idea of the virtual "tape." VDATs can be spread across hard drives so no additional (potentially recording-performance unfriendly) raid is required. Once a tape is created, that much space on the hard drive is reserved and at that place on the drive. The recording program can charge full-steam-ahead without having to ask how much time is left or search around for nooks and crannies on the hard drive.
Sounds great, yet a lot of Pulsarians don't use VDAT. Could it be the confusion from offering two pretty-closely priced recording applications. I know if I only had to choose one it would be VDAT: the 32 bit ability, the fact it runs on XP would decide that. But if I had only generation one Pulsar cards and was running 98se at 16 bits, then TripleDAT might make some sense - for the Osirus if not anything else.
How would a Pulsar owner looking to do some recording know this from just looking at the CreamWare Store? Perhaps you, Fortune, are one to help direct would-be-native Creamware recordists to the correct application for them.
john
I wouldn't put too much focus on the Minimax, IHMO it has already too much, too much mp3's that don't help ( like many others on the site )
Arturia's one is a joke but Ohmforce's one won't be I think and since they'll pack it with morphings and modulations, Minimax will look like an elephant.
I don't have hardware, don't use the routings capabilities ( for now ).
Just synths and FX that give excellent and wild sounds, Flexor leads the pack, Hummel's synths, Solaris 2, Python Pro ...
The Mini and Prodyssey are great but what annoys me a bit is that they are explored synths, I'am more excited by real new synths and devices.
Arturia's one is a joke but Ohmforce's one won't be I think and since they'll pack it with morphings and modulations, Minimax will look like an elephant.
I don't have hardware, don't use the routings capabilities ( for now ).
Just synths and FX that give excellent and wild sounds, Flexor leads the pack, Hummel's synths, Solaris 2, Python Pro ...
The Mini and Prodyssey are great but what annoys me a bit is that they are explored synths, I'am more excited by real new synths and devices.
Hi Mr Fortune! You are a musician yourself? Then by all means get your hands on a CW card and see for yourself! I know you might be busy, but I really think it is worth the effort, especially if you are going to do promotional work. You gotta know first hand what it's about, at least a minimum. We'll be happy to assist you from here and make sure you are informed and supported!
To answer your question:
The flexibility is amazing!
The sound quality of the synths and plug-ins in general is incredible!
The software and drivers are solid.
-SFP highlights to promote: modular synth+flexor, John Bowen's stuff (Solaris etc.), amp emulators and other excellent plug-ins, and ESPECIALLY the brand new open developing platform allowing virtually anyone to develop their plug-ins!!! Now that stands out from any other platform! It's been oficially announced, so it should come soon.
We all hope that things will improve so that we can rely on our CW environment more and more, for editing audio and such useful features, although it is very functional as it is.
Be at peace.
To answer your question:
The flexibility is amazing!
The sound quality of the synths and plug-ins in general is incredible!
The software and drivers are solid.
-SFP highlights to promote: modular synth+flexor, John Bowen's stuff (Solaris etc.), amp emulators and other excellent plug-ins, and ESPECIALLY the brand new open developing platform allowing virtually anyone to develop their plug-ins!!! Now that stands out from any other platform! It's been oficially announced, so it should come soon.
We all hope that things will improve so that we can rely on our CW environment more and more, for editing audio and such useful features, although it is very functional as it is.
Be at peace.
Hi,
that's great and just carry on to post!
@scary808:
Great link! There are many ideas I did tell them at CW before reading this thread
So I think we are on the right way.
@jabney:
Well, I'm quite sure we all can do a lot in improving CW's standing in the market. By now I'm gathering and sorting a lot of info to get familiar with as many aspects as possible.
Since 1998 I've been working as a free-lance author for different mags here in Germany but my roots in synths go back to the mid-70ies:
a Hillwood Blue Comets '73 being my first, an Arp Odyssey my 3rd synth
@decimator:
in some way You're right, but you can attract more attention in public with the "new classic-stuff" as a top-reference for quality and sound.
@eliam:
Thanx, if there were not this time limit to get certain things done before the Musikmesse in about 3 and half week I'd take more time in exploring the system right now. There are a lot of ideas in the back of mind which I've to postpone right now.
cheers
Fortune
that's great and just carry on to post!
@scary808:
Great link! There are many ideas I did tell them at CW before reading this thread
So I think we are on the right way.
@jabney:
Well, I'm quite sure we all can do a lot in improving CW's standing in the market. By now I'm gathering and sorting a lot of info to get familiar with as many aspects as possible.
Since 1998 I've been working as a free-lance author for different mags here in Germany but my roots in synths go back to the mid-70ies:
a Hillwood Blue Comets '73 being my first, an Arp Odyssey my 3rd synth
@decimator:
in some way You're right, but you can attract more attention in public with the "new classic-stuff" as a top-reference for quality and sound.
@eliam:
Thanx, if there were not this time limit to get certain things done before the Musikmesse in about 3 and half week I'd take more time in exploring the system right now. There are a lot of ideas in the back of mind which I've to postpone right now.
cheers
Fortune
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marcuspocus
- Posts: 2310
- Joined: Sun Mar 25, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Canada/France
Welcome to our good fortune
I'm not really a synth guy, but i love plugins.
I really like the way that 3rd party developers can bring new stuff to the platform, like Celmo's flagship plugins GAM & BAM, X-machine and his Vintage Delay, SpaceF-Echo(2), D-Mute D-Filter...
Even with all the money in the world, you can't buy this kind of plugins on any other platform.
UAD, Powercore, even protool, they may have big name in their offering, but i would choose my d-filter over other's filters any times.
This is the side of creamware i love most, the choice we have in originality over conformity.
I also love the possibility to adapt my workflow as needed. SFP routing is a unique must have for all studio. Those who don't know, are those who didn't try.
Like presviously said, VDAT is great, i use it for live recording all the times. Combined with sfp routing, it makes for a extremely powerfull recoding solution.
XTC mode isn't used to it's full potential today. That's really too bad. An example would be VDAT integration into XTC.
The way i see the integration of those modules that do not work in XTC mode (vdat, STSx000, modular), is simple. SFP has to be available while using xtc. We should be able to open, use and save the xtc project the same way we do normal sfp project.
I woud also love a portable solution. Noah is a foot in that direction. But it still isn't the heart of a live setup the way that CW card's are the heart of my studio.
I need a firewire&USB2 1U rack with 15 DSP called SCOPE. Featuring SFP software like it is today, a backplate that can be removed to add optional io plates, 2 or 4 Zlink builtin too add A16Us or link with an other SCOPE if needed. And the possibility to burn a setup in, so i can use it standalone without a PC. This is my dream for creamware.
I couldn't finish this post without saying that I love planetZ. For me, this forum came as a big bonus gift with the card. I've learn alot here, since i started using creamware cards. Without the Z, ...I don't know...
Marc
I'm not really a synth guy, but i love plugins.
I really like the way that 3rd party developers can bring new stuff to the platform, like Celmo's flagship plugins GAM & BAM, X-machine and his Vintage Delay, SpaceF-Echo(2), D-Mute D-Filter...
Even with all the money in the world, you can't buy this kind of plugins on any other platform.
UAD, Powercore, even protool, they may have big name in their offering, but i would choose my d-filter over other's filters any times.
This is the side of creamware i love most, the choice we have in originality over conformity.
I also love the possibility to adapt my workflow as needed. SFP routing is a unique must have for all studio. Those who don't know, are those who didn't try.
Like presviously said, VDAT is great, i use it for live recording all the times. Combined with sfp routing, it makes for a extremely powerfull recoding solution.
XTC mode isn't used to it's full potential today. That's really too bad. An example would be VDAT integration into XTC.
The way i see the integration of those modules that do not work in XTC mode (vdat, STSx000, modular), is simple. SFP has to be available while using xtc. We should be able to open, use and save the xtc project the same way we do normal sfp project.
I woud also love a portable solution. Noah is a foot in that direction. But it still isn't the heart of a live setup the way that CW card's are the heart of my studio.
I need a firewire&USB2 1U rack with 15 DSP called SCOPE. Featuring SFP software like it is today, a backplate that can be removed to add optional io plates, 2 or 4 Zlink builtin too add A16Us or link with an other SCOPE if needed. And the possibility to burn a setup in, so i can use it standalone without a PC. This is my dream for creamware.
I couldn't finish this post without saying that I love planetZ. For me, this forum came as a big bonus gift with the card. I've learn alot here, since i started using creamware cards. Without the Z, ...I don't know...
Marc
Hi Fortune,
Welcome to Planet Z.
I agree with all of the above++++
One thing though that I find amazing is the the support on THIS forum. If one ever wanted amazing support, rapid response, ideas, know-how etc etc, it's all here.
If I had a dead line to meet and some major technical hitch occured, or I had a recording or production issue, the people here would be my lifeline.
John Cooper and the contributors to this forum have kept CW alive!!
There is no other forum like this.....
Welcome to Planet Z.
I agree with all of the above++++
One thing though that I find amazing is the the support on THIS forum. If one ever wanted amazing support, rapid response, ideas, know-how etc etc, it's all here.
If I had a dead line to meet and some major technical hitch occured, or I had a recording or production issue, the people here would be my lifeline.
John Cooper and the contributors to this forum have kept CW alive!!
There is no other forum like this.....
R
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ernest@303.nu
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Fri Feb 15, 2002 4:00 pm
- Contact:
Finally someone @ Creamware listening to actual customers/powerusers! Should've been top-priority from day 1. Can't dream of where Creamware would've been in that case....
Next to the suggestions I made in the threads that have been referred to above, I'd like to emphasize the importance of GOOD demo mp3's! I think anyone here would agree that most of the (128kbps??!!! come on!) mp3's on the Creamware site in no way represent the true power of SFP.
I would suggest that you put up a couple of GOOD demo's. Like a track before/after OptiMaster, a track made *just* with a MiniMax, a complete arrangement made with Creamware-only plugins, etc., all rendered straight from 24-bit audio to 160kbps LAME-codec mp3.
Maybe some kind of competition on PlanetZ (prize: choose something from the Shop;-)) for some demo's showing certain aspects of SFP would give you some professional results.
Good luck with your mission!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ernest@303.nu on 2004-03-07 13:51 ]</font>
Next to the suggestions I made in the threads that have been referred to above, I'd like to emphasize the importance of GOOD demo mp3's! I think anyone here would agree that most of the (128kbps??!!! come on!) mp3's on the Creamware site in no way represent the true power of SFP.
I would suggest that you put up a couple of GOOD demo's. Like a track before/after OptiMaster, a track made *just* with a MiniMax, a complete arrangement made with Creamware-only plugins, etc., all rendered straight from 24-bit audio to 160kbps LAME-codec mp3.
Maybe some kind of competition on PlanetZ (prize: choose something from the Shop;-)) for some demo's showing certain aspects of SFP would give you some professional results.
Good luck with your mission!
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: ernest@303.nu on 2004-03-07 13:51 ]</font>
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Shayne White
- Posts: 1454
- Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: California
- Contact:
That sounds good -- a contest for the best product demos. When do I start??
I agree, CW's demos at the moment aren't too good -- they don't utilize the full power of the synths that well.
Shayne
I agree, CW's demos at the moment aren't too good -- they don't utilize the full power of the synths that well.
Shayne
Melodious Synth Radio
http://www.melodious-synth.com
Melodious synth music by Binary Sea
http://www.binary-sea.com
http://www.melodious-synth.com
Melodious synth music by Binary Sea
http://www.binary-sea.com
Hi,
that's a great idea with a demo-song contest and I think CW can be convinced to start this. Please give me a few days ...
cheers
H. G. Fortune
P.S. as far as I've found out by several short crosschecks on user-sites there will be some terrific sounds, songs etc.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: fortune on 2004-03-07 15:35 ]</font>
that's a great idea with a demo-song contest and I think CW can be convinced to start this. Please give me a few days ...
cheers
H. G. Fortune
P.S. as far as I've found out by several short crosschecks on user-sites there will be some terrific sounds, songs etc.
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: fortune on 2004-03-07 15:35 ]</font>
I've been thinking of a demo contest for some time myself! I don't really need a prize (although the only CW device I *dont* have is the Pro-Oddysey-hint hint) but creamware could DEFINATELY benefit from some 'real user' sound examples to move their product.
Incidentally I know several published artists that write in my small genre (drum n bass) who are using CW cards as well...and I'm sure others here do for many genres. Might be nice to have not only a contest to get some better 'demos' but also more features on the website about artists using CW products to do commercially released work (the Hans Zimmer thing has been there for AGES).
Incidentally I know several published artists that write in my small genre (drum n bass) who are using CW cards as well...and I'm sure others here do for many genres. Might be nice to have not only a contest to get some better 'demos' but also more features on the website about artists using CW products to do commercially released work (the Hans Zimmer thing has been there for AGES).