The Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2018 thread

  • Lot of good tips there.


    While I don't like hassles any more than the next guy, I pay the bills writing software, fortunately for a corporation that pays me a salary rather than trying to sell it on the street. Not only do people steal software, these days there's this almost holy feeling of entitlement that people shouldn't have to pay for intellectual property at all. I write music. I write software. I write books. I make videos. But all of that should be free for the taking, because "Information wants to be free!" At least that's what people tell themselves to justify the equivalent of walking into a store, grabbing something off the shelf, and just walking out. Apparently it's not stealing if it's IP.


    My little tirade speaks to the point of software copy protection schemes. We all hate them, even me. But I also hate working for free, which is what these guys would be doing if they didn't protect themselves. I've had a couple of hassles with Waves stuff over the years, as with most other such companies. For what it's worth, in the U.S. at least, their phone support is outstanding. I also once had a drive fry with my authorizations on the local machine, i.e. moved from the cloud. The rep advised me that once a year at most was the limit, but he turned them all back on and was a good guy about it.


    People steal your music all the time, and there's really nothing you can do about it. The software business found ways to protect their livelihood, and I have no philosophical objection to that at all. While I don't like the fact that it's often the good guys who actually pay for stuff who have to deal with the hassles, it's in imperfect world and no one has come up with another model that makes sure people get paid for their work.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • My little tirade speaks to the point of software copy protection schemes. We all hate them, even me. But I also hate working for free, which is what these guys would be doing if they didn't protect themselves.

    I have NO problem with software protection AT ALL. It's their update plan I don't like. It's basically an up-front price, AND a subscription each year if you want to stay up-to-date (not talking about upGRADES, but simple upDATES. Such a strange way to do things.

  • I have NO problem with software protection AT ALL. It's their update plan I don't like. It's basically an up-front price, AND a subscription each year if you want to stay up-to-date (not talking about upGRADES, but simple upDATES. Such a strange way to do things.

    Yeah, I know what you mean. I'm used to subscription models, like MSDN for devs, and I'm okay with it if I'm getting perpetual licenses. At least with Waves you can still use your stuff after the subscription expires, unlike the Adobe model that bricks everything you have until you start paying again.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • Thanx for the headsup MM - just ordered keyboard covers for Logic Pro for X and Reason! Bitcoin-banana on its way to Oz mate 4 that! :thumbup:

  • OK, KB Covers is offering 35% off all covers for BF.


    Use the code: Black2018

    These look awesome...but is anyone else getting a "Site Not Secure" warning when they try to take a look?

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • These look awesome...but is anyone else getting a "Site Not Secure" warning when they try to take a look?

    [edit]

    I just checked the site and they are in fact running SSL, so no clue why you're getting Site Not Secure. I even tried manually typing in http://, but it automatically redirected back to https as it should.


    I've deleted the commentary about SSL as it's no longer relevant.

    [/edit]

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

    Edited once, last by Chris Duncan ().

  • I have NO problem with software protection AT ALL. It's their update plan I don't like. It's basically an up-front price, AND a subscription each year if you want to stay up-to-date (not talking about upGRADES, but simple upDATES. Such a strange way to do things.

    Did you read the Monkey Method™ carefully, Michael?


    The free 'phone support ends after 1 year, but all plugin updates until, in this case, v11 eventually drops, will be free. Also, as I said, once you're up-and-running after paying WUP and shifting to the next integer upgrade, everything should work flawlessly until the following integer upgrade. IOW, you have a year to get things running smoothly for free by 'phone, and email tech support is free and not time-limited (and very good in my experience), but the bottom line is that in most instances everything will work flawlessly straight-away, rendering the tech-support aspect of the equation redundant. Nevertheless, you get a year of free 'phone support and indefinite email support should you ever need it, which you won't if you follow the Monkey Method™ (wish I hadn't called it that now; kinda-embarrassing), meaning that in theory you'd get free updates for all your plugins for several years 'til the next integer upgrade.


    So, the more plugins you're running, the more-attractive the $225 every several years looks as a means to keep everything up-to-date; the tech support is a bonus that, once you "get" the Waves method and have solved issues yourself once or twice, you'll probably never need.

    Thanx for the headsup MM - just ordered keyboard covers for Logic Pro for X and Reason! Bitcoin-banana on its way to Oz mate 4 that! :thumbup:

    Forget the bitcoin, bud; just send me the 'nanas! My pleasure, man. ;)

  • Maybe I don't understand what you're saying with the MoneyMethod - I'd still have to pay the upgrade fee for all my plugins (though capped at 225 dollars), right?

  • Maybe I don't understand what you're saying with the MoneyMethod - I'd still have to pay the upgrade fee for all my plugins (though capped at 225 dollars), right?

    Correct, Michael, but the idea is to maximise its value by doing it immediately-following a purchase. The WUP coverage is then set to, IIRC, 2 years from this latest-purchase date for all plugins.


    The fact that the method involves waiting for an integer update means that you're moving all plugins to the current (v10 in this case) version and receiving free updates all the way 'til v11 arrives in several years' time, at which point, you buy a plugin and WUP again.


    Perhaps the confusion comes about because you don't require WUP coverage to receive point updates. For me (and for the method) the idea is to bring all your plugins to the next version en-masse through renewing your WUP. The coverage will run out long before the next integer update arrives, but once you're on, let's say, V10, plugins will always be updated free-of-charge for the duration of the life of V10. Once V11 drops, only those still covered by WUP will be updated further (to V11), and then along comes all the confusion and BS of running them side-by-side and wondering when / if one should pay WUP. The so-called Monkey Method takes care of this by synchronising the coverage dates across your entire collection.

  • After vowing to skip BF this year, I ended up upgrading to Soundtoys 5 ( only cost me $60 as I had 9 or 10 of their standalone plugins anyway), bought the Groovemonkee mega pack (to compliment SSD5. $139) and couldn’t resist Dawman Picks’ Pixxylixx BF pack ($30 for 7 picks, 5 of which with custom text, and a T-shirt). Argh! :wacko:

  • Toontrack now offering 40% off EZ Drummer 2.


    Unfortunately, there’s not a discount on SD3 but a pack to ‘add value’. I’ll keep an eye open as they’re announcing deals each day but, if they’re announcing a freebie to sweeten SD3 then I have doubts they’d then offer a % discount later in the week.

    I just bought EZ Dummer2 and The Metal Foundry SDX for a grand total of $30 bucks cheaper off of PluginBoutique, rather than over at Toontrack's official site!!! ;):P

  • totally agree, Chris - I’ve had EZDrummer 2 for a year or two and it’s used on everything for me. I like the interface and the ease of making subtle changes throughout the song to build tension without having to go crazy with midi programming.


    Everyone keeps saying how good an upgrade SD3 is so therefore I’d love it. I just can’t justify over £220 for a crossgrade but, if the right bargain came up, I’d be on it pretty quickly :)

    I'm with both of ya's here! Cheers! :):thumbup:

  • I just bought EZ Dummer2 and The Metal Foundry SDX for a grand total of $30 bucks cheaper off of PluginBoutique, rather than over at Toontrack's official site!!! ;):P


    Awesome! I think you'll find it very easy to work with and the sounds are solid.


    Once you get a feel for the wheel, don't be afraid to go into the built in mixer and play with the parallel compression, room mics, levels, etc. to find the feel you're looking for. I also find it useful to tweak things like the kick & snare when looking at the kit to bump by 1 or so, or pick a different version of the drum. Lots of fun!

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • Awesome! I think you'll find it very easy to work with and the sounds are solid.


    Once you get a feel for the wheel, don't be afraid to go into the built in mixer and play with the parallel compression, room mics, levels, etc. to find the feel you're looking for. I also find it useful to tweak things like the kick & snare when looking at the kit to bump by 1 or so, or pick a different version of the drum. Lots of fun!

    Chris, thanks for the info and pointers - appreciate that for sure! :D:thumbup:

  • I didn't buy any plugins this Black Friday, though I moved a couple into a shopping cart and then backed out. Stuff like the Progressive Foundry SDX and Waves Gold was attractive, but I rationalised that I already had too many plugins.


    Today is Cyber Monday though. I really need to get the full fledged 1176 compressors from UAD, so I may do that.


    I also bought a Little Labs Redeye for reamping at home. It's also a DI, but I am pretty much covered in that respect with the Kemper.

  • I didn't buy any plugins this Black Friday, though I moved a couple into a shopping cart and then backed out. Stuff like the Progressive Foundry SDX and Waves Gold was attractive, but I rationalised that I already had too many plugins.


    Today is Cyber Monday though. I really need to get the full fledged 1176 compressors from UAD, so I may do that.


    I also bought a Little Labs Redeye for reamping at home. It's also a DI, but I am pretty much covered in that respect with the Kemper.

    I've heard great things about the UAD stuff. If you're into Distressors (I have a pair normalled to the vocal mics signal chain), you might enjoy Emperical's Arouser plugin. It's not an exact copy of the Distressor, by design, as it takes advantage of being a plugin to offer a bit more. For all intents and purposes, though, it's a Distressor in look, feel and sound.


    I just checked and sadly, it doesn't appear to be on sale. However, if you like 1176s, it's something you might have fun with as it's almost impossible to get a bad sound out of a Distressor. And for what it's worth, I had my hardware units serviced after 20 years and the folks at Empirical are awesome. No matter how many platinum albums their stuff has been on, it feels like a Mom & Pop outfit with regular, down to earth people.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10