[sdiy] [OT] I love physical modelling

[Kenneth Elhardt]

I'm working on (kind of on and off) a string synthesizer based on advanced
additive synthesis.  I want it to be a hardware box, not a VST plug-in for a
number of reasons (That's if it doesn't become too difficult and I whore
myself out to the VST idea).  I see hardware as less hassle.  As pointed
out, there are a lot of standards that need to be supported if you want to
get to the full computer user base.  Then there are the unending problems
with software, like copy protection / pirating (can't pirate hardware),
license transfers if you want to sell it, compatibility issues where you'll
be flooded with hundreds of complaints why the plug-in isn't making a sound,
or bombing out and so on, unending updates sucking money out of you for
life, changing operatings systems and processors making you have to keep
returning and updating it, a marketplace is so crowded that your product
gets lost in the in mix, the processing power to run a plug-in isn't
guaranteed because you don't know how many other plug-ins are also grabbing
CPU time, and then there's dealing with a garbage operating systems like
Windows, so you're building ontop of a bug-ridden, bloated, flakey
foundation.  With hardware, once you get it working, that's it, other than
any physical repair issues.

The Synful synthesized orchestra is one of the plug-ins I was thinking would
be good in hardware.  It sells for $479 in software, so buying software
isn't necessarily cheap.  I paid less for my Roland rack mount orchestra
units.  Garritan Stradivari is $200, but then the cello will also be $200,
and then the viola, bass, and alternate violin.  Now we're up to $1000 for 5
intruments.  If I'm going to pay that kind of money, I'd want it in
hardware.  These are also unique one of a kind products, so they wouldn't
have much competition in the hardware marketplace.  I don't expect yet
another EQ plug-in to go the hardware route since anybody can buy a real
hardware EQ anyway.

And as for Receptor, that was an expensive unit when it came out, I think
abour $2500.  It may have come down a little, but it's still a lot to pay to
run some plug-ins.  It's just a PC in a rack, which doesn't get rid of
any/many of the problems of software plug-ins and only makes them even more
expensive to run.

-Elhardt

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