I absolutely agree. Moving knobs and switches around with a mouse does
not have the immediacy of a real interface. Mapping software controls
to MIDI controllers does not work unless you "dumb" down the controls to
whatever is available on the MIDI controller, usually knobs, sliders or
buttons. Then you have to add slewing in because of the MIDI 128 level
stair stepping, adding to the CPU processing load.
Try feedback loops on a software synthesizer. These are virtually
guaranteed to give you glitches or program hangs. Some of my best
patches on modulars use feedback loops, either for control signals or
audio.
Anyone who's been into computers over the years understands the
fragility and short-lived nature of computer software and hardware.
Those VST plugins that work together today may not all survive tomorrow.
What happens when XYZ company goes under, or changes their product
focus? Suddenly you've got Windows 2010 and half your cherished plugins
and soft synths no longer exist. You then need to maintain a system or
partition with an older operating system, and eventually older hardware
as there won't be new sound card drivers for outmoded OSes. Sometimes
just getting the current stuff to work is bad enough. I spent a year
getting one of the major software synthesizers to work on my system.
I predict that my MOTM modular will have greater longevity than 98% of
the software synthesizers out there. If you manage to pick the right 2%
- congratulations.
John Loffink
jloffink@... The Microtonal Synthesis Web Site
http://www.microtonal-synthesis.com/The Wavemakers Modular and Integrated Synthesizer Web Site
http://www.wavemakers-synth.com/ > No matter how good a modular simulation can get, it is not going to be
> real.
> At least as far as I'm concerned.
>
> One of the reasons I want to have a MOTM modular is because I actually
> like
> the patch cord, pot, and switch interface. It is totally concrete and
> tactile. It is conceptually simple and very reliable. It can't crash
and
> produce a "blue screen of death". I want to get away from the
computer (I
> work all day as a programmer). So much that I balk even at modules
that
> have a microprocessor in them.
>