Kemper Editor ....... looks like it [almost] here ........ ?!?

    In before the lock.


    The image looks like bad photoshop.


    I'd be very surprised if there were a VST version. I could maybe see a VST editor/midi controller for the Kemper, but not a VST effect. I'd also be very surprised if any software from the mothership was made to look identical to the faceplate of the Kemper. It's a physical interface and would make no sense to translate that directly to software where you can overcome the limitations of the physical UI, especially think of things like the Kemper screen in there which would be nonsensical rather than just offering you a nice GUI with slot controls for stomp and FX, dynamically generated dedicated controls for each effect, access to frequency used controls first, the amp block's controls, input/output preferences/paginated interface etc.

    Quote from Per

    I'd also be very surprised if any software from the mothership was made to look identical to the faceplate of the Kemper.

    Hm, I think I would disagree with you on the UI part (though not on the rest :P ). My first thought was: well, everyone who owns a Kemper would know exactly where to look for any parameter, because it's just the same as the hardware unit. Sure, you could optimize some parts (as you said) but as a starting point I think it would be fine.

    Quote from Karajan

    Hm, I think I would disagree with you on the UI part (though not on the rest :P ). My first thought was: well, everyone who owns a Kemper would know exactly where to look for any parameter, because it's just the same as the hardware unit. Sure, you could optimize some parts (as you said) but as a starting point I think it would be fine.

    I think the idea of an editor would be to make all of the deep editing functions easy to access / view, therefore I would think the screen would be layed out differently to the Kemper itself.
    Most of the competition have a very well though out editor , if Kemper ever released software I would bet it would be as good if not better than everyone else.

    If you look at the Access Virus interface and software which is also by Christoph you can see how he's gone for a traditional audio software skuomorphic design but it doesn't exactly mirror the hardware interface. It's kept a little close so that users are comfortable switching between the two but it contains stuff that there's no original physical object for on the synth. The software is designed to take advantage of the fact that you have a mouse, keyboard (maybe even a tablet) and all the benefits of a computer screen and UI.


    The reason I brought up the Kempers screen is that it's functional, but it's job is to do what the whole interface a manager would be doing. It doesn't have a mouse and keyboard or much screen area, instead it has this set of buttons that are laid out around it to control that interface. On a computer that workflow wouldn't be taking advantage of what a computer offers which is much more screen space, a set of fairly standardized UI elements like sliders, dropdown menus, checkboxes, tables etc Think about having to page through sets of controls attached to four buttons and four rotaries versus a single UI with access to all the controls of for instance a Delay stomp, or the amp block. Having a screen within a screen, or interface within an interface is just cramped and uncomfortable, there's no reason to do it.


    You can make interfaces familiar but still optimized for keyboard and mouse.


    Take a look at the Kemper interface and you'll see that it's roughly divided into two areas. The upper section controls focus, it's which part of the signal chain you're editing, the bottom section is editing, outside of the gain control, volume and on/off switch just stuff for changing values in whatever you selected on top.


    If you wanted to maintain familiarity with the Kemper UI you'd ape some of this. Keeping the upper section as your navigation control area and then you can do whatever you want instead of the lower area. Most likely I would see a dedicated set of amp controls always available as well as the upper navigation zone, and then each of the upper three sections having it's own page (stomps, stack, effects) in the lower area. You could even have ever single upper slot have it's own page, though I like the grouping the Kemper has right now and I'd like it to just have a list you can add/remove stomps/FX from and rearrange with drag & drop in the stomps and effects sections,, you could have them so you select them and they bring up their UI's or have it actually look like a strip of stomps a-la logic amp designer. There's no end of ways to do this and still make it feel like it's part of the Kemper ecosystem. Pretty much all you have to do is keep it green and you're good to go. :D

    Edited 2 times, last by Per ().

    Like 1
    Quote from cenzo

    I think the idea of an editor would be to make all of the deep editing functions easy to access / view, therefore I would think the screen would be layed out differently to the Kemper itself.Most of the competition have a very well though out editor , if Kemper ever released software I would bet it would be as good if not better than everyone else.

    Well... the KPA basically does not have "deep editing functions", unless you're comparing it to a physical amp.

    Ben, with all due respect, the Kemper has many adjustable parameters and I fail to see the comparison to a a basic tube amp, this may have been the initial design/ thought, but this unit has now evolved, it's is now a full amp/effects processor

    Edited once, last by cenzo ().

    Dear All
    Forgive me (@ Finally) if I have misinterpreted you. No false hope building here, 29 days from now is April 1st, aka April Fools Day. The picture in the first post reminded me of April Fool scams.
    I think any speculation about software or hardware developments to be an entirely futile activity. CK and his team know their product best and have done a great job so far. It is what it is and not having an editor is such a 'first world' problem. Being satisfied with something is important and this includes the Kemper development strategy. If this ever includes an editor then fine, I'll use it. If not then I'm no worse off.
    I don't post on these threads usually but couldn't resist this time.
    Apologies again if anyone thought I was fuelling the false hope. Certainly not my intention.
    Have a wonderful day everyone.
    Cheers
    Pre-Amp

    Musicians use the Profiler live and in their studios. I guess for some people that means an analogue Abbey Road style beast but for 99.9% of users these days that means a DAW and a lot of the recording / mixing is done ‘in the box’.


    An editor that integrates with any DAW by being a VST would be great. Not to have the VST making sounds..... as others mentioned, piracy would be a huge worry and would kill the physical unit business so ‘why would they do this’. However, just to have a VST controlling the physical Kemper? That would be very cool and zero point pirating a free VST that requires hardware.


    Benefits? Well, besides the editor features that so many want (not getting into that argument, it’s been done to death!!) it would have some great convenience features. Loading the vst on a channel in your DAW could allow patch change so it recalls what you were using. What would be cooler still? The ability to record dry into the DAW and then allow re-amping. You’d then be able to use automation tweaks via the VST that control the Kemper. Widen the delay / increase the gain a touch for a particular part of the song etc. Potentially a very cool concept.


    The current reality is already nice but it’s good to dream :)

    Quote from lstolton

    LOL, its not even that. Kemper can't even scrape an editor together, for sure a VST isn't going to happen.

    True :D


    Edit: I meant the rumour thing, not that K-team isn't able to get an Editor/VST together.

    Gear: Strats & KPA. Plug Ins: Cubase, NI, iZotope, Slate, XLN, Spectrasonics.
    Music: Song from my former band: vimeo.com/10419626[/media][/media][/media] Something new on the way...

    Edited once, last by Fireloogie ().

    Quote from Gary_W

    Not to have the VST making sounds..... as others mentioned, piracy would be a huge worry and would kill the physical unit business so ‘why would they do this’.

    Right, I wonder why Line 6 released Helix Native then. ?(


    By the way, Helix LT and Helix are still the #1 and #2 best selling multieffects processors at Thomann.

    Quote from 808illest

    @fredrikn lets not forget that those units are less than half the cost of a Kemper which is a deciding factor for many. Those buyers also know they're getting a unit that is less superior even with their editors.

    I love how you avoid to say INFERIOR by saying 'less superior'.
    You're a diplomat, Sir. ;)

    Quote from cenzo

    Ben, with all due respect, the Kemper has many adjustable parameters and I fail to see the comparison to a a basic tube amp, this may have been the initial design/ thought, but this unit has now evolved, it's is now a full amp/effects processor

    The comparison to a basic tube amp is that yes, if that is the comparison to be had, the KPA has "a lot" of parameters to edit. But compared to it's competitors, I am still of the opinion that the KPA has no "deep" parameters to control.


    By that, I mean, the Axe has probably 100+ editable parameters in the amp block alone... the KPA has 9, NINE, that balloons to a monstrous, out of control, 14 parameters if you include the EQ block. Some physical analog amps have more knobs and buttons than that.


    The story repeats itself across every other KPA feature... there simply aren't that many parameters in any given block. The KPA doesn't go "deep" and doesn't need to.


    Again, I'm just suggesting that the there's really no such thing as "deep editing" on the KPA.