Conquistador's Forum Page

@Podianer wrote:

Hi there,

I always hated Reaper for its ugliness. But when using themes, it can look very polished. So I bought it a few weeks ago. Reaper is really rich of features, but one thing I like especially is the plugins pack that comes with it.

The good news is, some of them can be downloaded and uses freely. This is a huge addition when combined with Podium. So those people, who do not have the money to buy these “bread and butter” fx, can load them into Podium. I like the quality of these plugins. Especially the ReaXComp is nice. A multiband compressor, which can be very useful when mixing. What do you guys think?

Here is the link:
http://www.cockos.com/reaper/reaplugs/

Max

They are a nice set of plugs although I do not really have space for them as I have my ‘go to’ set already. They are certainly one of the best free plugin suites around though. I think Justin surprisingly even keeps the free plugin pack updated as well.

@Piltdown Man wrote:

Hi,

I’d also love to see an option for MIDI loop-recording to create a new clip on subsequent passes.

I would like to see this in Podium as well.

Hi Frits,

I am having some stability and reliability issues with 1.98…

A. Crash when using the “Move Effect Track” command.

Steps…

1.Insert at least three FX on any track, even Zynewave FX

2. Use the move command a few times at least but during playback.

On my system here (with a project using about 50% – 60% CPU) it would consistently crash Podium. The whole screen would lock up and even getting the task manager to come up which thankfully is far more aggressive on Vista than on XP, at times would struggle to start up. Once it did I could end Podiums process.

B. Deleting tracks and strange behavior.
If you have an instrument mapping on track it appears you cannot delete the track. Certainly I cannot use the Delete Track command it just does not work but the Eraser tool works.

Also every so often a parameter track gets created randomly when trying to delete a track. Strange. Cannot delete those either unless with the Erase tool.

C. Dragging mappings within a track panel will create a copy. Unless I missed the implementation of drag and drop support within a track panel (in compact mode), I will have to assume this behavior is not as intended?

Track Layout Mode used to replicate all three issues: Compact
OS: Vista SP1 (had the same issues before using SP1)

Can you repro these issues Frits?

Cheers.

Hi Mike,

@Mike G wrote:

Hi,

I was trying to use track templates accross all projects.

E.g. I want to setup/maintain a vocals template track with certain EQ and Reverb or other plug-ins etc, and use this in all my projects.

Is this possible?

In your current project yes, but IIRC not in any or every project. Frits may know some workaround for this but unless I am mistaken it is not yet possible. Frits will hopefully confirm or deny this if I have got it wrong.

This then beings me to the next part of this post… Ever since I first started using Podium I thought plug-ins being “per project” was a strange (bad) idea.
For example if I move a plug in to a new folder or decide to re-arrange my plug-ins folder, existing projects break.
Another example would be if I add a new plug-in to a global list of plug-ins in Podium, what’s the harm in existing projects seeing that new plug in without me having to tell podium to “Import plug-ins from folder” again?

In the very least I would like to have a choice of “Global” and “Per project” plug-in/devices mappings. What do you think?

This is my biggest and maybe only issue with Podium right now. The higher the number of projects you create in Podium the bigger the problem you create if you make changes to your VST folder…OR hardware down the line.

I think the plugin / mapping issue is way over due for a solid solution. I suggested many different ways to address the issue but Frits said he would look at it “post 2.0” which I think is a very bad idea frankly as it could be months from now….or longer.

I started this automapping thread 12 months ago! There are many suggestions to solve the issue there.

If I was reading that thread now as a potential buyer I would not even buy Podium until it was addressed. Outside of that I would buy it in a split second. My usage of Podium is very limited as a result of this issue.

While I appreciate he has development priorities (what dev does not) I cannot see how Nucleum is more important than solving this issue.

It is another plugin so it too will suffer from automapping issues so surely mapping issues should be sorted out first.

Podium is the only host I know with this glaring weakness. Although it only shows up after using it for some time which makes it an extremely frustrating problem to encounter.

Also another minor related point is that using track templates was only available on certain context menus, i.e. When you right-click an existing track, not from the tracks regsion menu or from right-clicking in the area below the tracks. Is there a reason for this?

Not sure about this…perhaps Frits can clarify.

HTH

@ Frits
Sorry Frits I know you have your plans and projections for features but really mapping issues are puzzling me at this point. Podium is so close to being all I would need for many of the projects I create. It is a major problem…12 months old now.

When it is addressed I can start recommending it to people who ask me about Podium but in this state (even with all the great new additions) I cannot honestly recommend it. That would seriously concern me as a dev in your shoes.

It might be tricky to solve (weeks or months of dev time) or easy but it is definitely essential IMO that this issue is resolved. Sorry to have to bring it up again and again but I did not start this thread and the problem keeps coming up again and again.

I can only conclude that for some reason you do not think it is that big a deal. I just don’t get it. Just trying to help make Podium better. >shrug< That is what we all want. 🙂

@Zynewave wrote:

One problem with Synthmaker plugins is that the plugins take a relatively long time to initialize when loaded.

Ok thanks for the detailed response Frits 🙂 but surely that will pose a problem with Synths as well in terms of optimization no?

Admittedly one would use probably 10 times less synths than FX in a project but the optimization issue with Synthmaker plugs is a concern.

FWIW I have a copy of Synthmaker (CM) and love the idea but having read your reply to me and Pigini’s posts I am not sure Nucleum is best offered via SynthMaker.

Some things are simply better if given more time:
Many of the best plugs took time (in some cases a very long time) to code. Having better quality plugs delivered over a longer stretch of time is IMO far better for Podiums perceived image than more plugs over a shorter time of lesser quality. Especially as many are aware of your TC background.

You are clearly capable enough:
The zReverb is an excellent example of your ability to try your hands at your own Zynewave code developed plugs. I rate it as easily as good TC’s Classic Reverb and in terms of tonality / sound /results somewhere between the TC’s Classic Reverb and their Mega Reverb having used all three and compared the plugs sometime ago myself. So you clearly have broad dev. skills.

zSynth:
Why not go for a zSynth at some point in future? Yes it might take 6 months but many high quality synths can take at least 12 months (or more)…but are remembered for years afterwards for their quality. I do not mind waiting over a year or more for a good quality fully optimised zSynth. Maybe spending 5 -10% of your dev time on it might work.

There are many other ways to draw in users *now* Frits, as discussed elsewhere.

So what happens to demo projects?
It would be great to address that issue now but I think Rewire, Automapping (which remains the biggest reason why I simply cannot use Podium as much as I would like to) and other core host features are more important.

I am 99.9 percent certain that while a new user would like to hit play and hear a demo project (as in other hosts), they are far more interested in what they can do with a host themselves with their own plugins for instance… the level of plugin support, VST scanning, playback, general usage, workflow e.t.c are far more important than a demo playing back…(for now at least IMO) when one looks at other areas that Podium can improve on.

Pigini’s points…

If bundling plugins with podium is so important why not cooperate with developers of the best freeware plugins and bundle them?
Like f.e. Claes’ shortcircuit is free now, but he could do with some extra PR for selling his Surge-Synth. http://www.vemberaudio.se

I agree with this as a short term solution or more likely a long term option if it will take so much time to code a very good quality plug. That crucial dev. time can be fed into more core host features. I cannot see how Nucleum is more important than solving Automapping or adding Rewire for instance.

Also some sort of Video support would finally address a long term weakness Podium still has compared to Tracktion, FL and Reaper for instance.

I believe your synthmakers plugins would be as good as synthmaker allows, but still, synthmaker plugins can’t beat the real ones, therefore can never be considered first rate. Even among the custom coded plugins the differences in terms of performance are huge. It really shows when throwing dense scores with lots of controller data at them.

If that is the case as Pigini said, then I seriously doubt Nucleum is best delivered through SynthMaker. Sorry Frits.

I know you mean well with your synthmaker schemes, but reviewers might hold it against you, degrading Podiums overall rating, quickly putting it into the hobbyist-corner because of the “made with synthmaker”-stigma the plugins bear.

Agreed.

Even if it may not be a certainty, as much as I personally really like the Synthmaker idea it is likely to get a not so favorable comparison with other hosts in that area. Interestingly CM Magazine are however very excited about FL’s Synthmaker version but I have no idea how well the SynthMaker optimisation works there. I still do not think it is worth the risk in Podium however IMO.

As I mentioned earlier, I can perfectly understand you need to do something different from time to time, and how interesting constructing plugins with synthmaker can be. Still, I fear it could do more damage than good for Podium.

It’s tough to have to say it especially as it is clearly so much fun for you Frits but I really do agree with Pigini here.

Going forward…
As Pigini suggested I am sure there are devs out there who would be very happy to give their free products some more exposure by bundling them with Podium for demo project playback ‘out of the box’.

@Zynewave wrote:

@Zynewave wrote:

The next Synthmaker project I’m considering is a drummachine based on sample playback.

Maybe I should rephrase that. I don’t intend to make a drummachine emulation with builtin sequencer. I imagine it to be a simplistic drumkit sampleplayer, that can replace the need for the Drumatic plugin in the current example project.

Even that level of functionality would be great. I would still give it at least one 😯 😛

It would be great to just use Zynewave plugs for Podium demos. Even simple VSTi’s would be a very good start.

I did not think you would go down that route frankly. I guess Synth Maker opens up some very nice options. FL studio 8 has a built in version of Synthmaker (you may already have heard of it) perhaps you might be interested in a Zynewave flavour of some of the 20+ creations here?

There are some really nice efforts on the Synthmaker site.

Would Synthmaker also simplify the development of zplugs for you?