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Rob
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 580 Location: The Hague/Netherlands/EC
G2 patch files: 109
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject:
Clavia's Christmas present is a free G2 softsynth. |
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Heihoooh!
Free download at http://www.clavia.se/G2/demo/index.htm!
Its a demo version, with some limitations. But it makes sound!
Happy patching.
/Rob |
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jksuperstar
Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 2503 Location: Denver
Audio files: 1
G2 patch files: 18
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:50 pm Post subject:
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Cool! Now I can demo patches and experiment with stuff on my lunch break.
Wonder if firmware v1.26 isn't far behind (that's the rev of the soft demo)? |
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ian-s
Joined: Apr 01, 2004 Posts: 2669 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Audio files: 42
G2 patch files: 626
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 12:53 pm Post subject:
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Hmmm, a virtual VA! good for patching on the train.
More fun to play with for prospective G2 owners as well. |
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jamos
Joined: Jun 01, 2004 Posts: 514 Location: Eugene, Oregon, USA
Audio files: 4
G2 patch files: 41
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:00 pm Post subject:
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Oh, man, this will be great! Perfect for off-line patching.
But what is this "demo" business? Will there be a soft-synth product as well?
Later.. well, I don't think I'll be able to use it offline, much. In trying to open existing patches, I found that 5 out of 6 won't load due to unsupported modules. Oh well - it's pretty good as a demo. Last edited by jamos on Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:21 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Rob
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 580 Location: The Hague/Netherlands/EC
G2 patch files: 109
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:15 pm Post subject:
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jamos wrote: | But what is this "demo" business? Will there be a soft-synth product as well? |
No, this is just for everyone to try out the idea of the G2, with sound.
In the accompanying text it is made very clear that Clavia will stick to only hardware as commercial products.
Still, this is great to try out ideas on the road. On my laptop I can do without the reverb.
Seems to me that it is also a perfect educational tool.
And for those who consider buying a G2 it is great to try out patches and sounds. All in all a very friendly gesture.
Over here it is already noodling away happily. |
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cebec
Joined: Apr 19, 2004 Posts: 1098 Location: Virginia
Audio files: 3
G2 patch files: 31
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:58 pm Post subject:
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yeah, i'm looking forward to patching during work hours and e-mailing the patches to myself so I can use 'em at home.
to be honest, i'm really thrilled with this... i miss my G2 during the workday so much!
i'm really hopeful that an editor/firmware update is right around the corner, too! maybe it'll include some of the missing modules, like a filter bank! probably not, I know, but thought I'd throw that in there! |
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tranzash
Joined: Jun 19, 2004 Posts: 80
G2 patch files: 3
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:47 pm Post subject:
Demo |
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This Demo version only for Windows |
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blue hell
Site Admin
Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 24079 Location: The Netherlands, Enschede
Audio files: 278
G2 patch files: 320
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 6:46 pm Post subject:
Re: Demo |
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tranzash wrote: | This Demo version only for Windows :?: |
Indeed !
Jan. |
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paul e.
Joined: Sep 22, 2003 Posts: 1567 Location: toronto, canada
Audio files: 2
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 7:22 am Post subject:
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considering the moog modular softsynth has been successful both sonically and as a commercial product, it would not be a surprise to see clavia get out of the hardware business eventually and into software..perhaps this softsynth demo is the first step
with really fast PC machines these days, it is getting less valid to claim that hardware is superior to software
not making the demo available to mac users is not nice btw _________________ Spiral Recordings |
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seraph
Editor
Joined: Jun 21, 2003 Posts: 12398 Location: Firenze, Italy
Audio files: 33
G2 patch files: 2
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Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2004 3:07 pm Post subject:
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paul wrote: |
not making the demo available to mac users is not nice btw | _________________ homepage - blog - forum - youtube
Quote: | Don't die with your music still in you - Wayne Dyer |
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rnp
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 55 Location: germany
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 3:53 am Post subject:
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the demo is a real cpu hog, my guess is that the code is highly unoptimised and I doubt that there's any desire on clavia's side to change that. I'm hearing 22-55% cpu usage on an athlon xp 2200+ with a gigabyte of ram from a friend (macuser myself, can't test it).
I need to highly contest the assumption that Clavia has interest in a software synthesizer product. If they had wanted to do that they could've passed on the Engine altogether and just would have invested in software development period, maybe with the G2 Keyboard as "deluxe" option. I think we would've seen a Nord Lead softsynth before that anyways but that's beside the point - who in their right mind would buy a completely software Nord Modular? Tassman is probably the closest thing to the G2 in the software domain, with Reaktor and Max being far more "complex" (whatever that is). The Nord Modular code is closely tied to the hardware and they'd be devaluating their hardware line with a software product (plus, they'd open up a can of worms with making "the" clavia sound available to legions of software pirates). Not that I'm defending the notion but I think there's a certain elitism that sells the G2 in addition to its excellent sound and features.
and merry christmas everyone =) _________________ http://www.regicide.org
deer music
offering temporary solutions |
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paul e.
Joined: Sep 22, 2003 Posts: 1567 Location: toronto, canada
Audio files: 2
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 8:26 am Post subject:
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in order for clavia to remain competitive they likely have no choice but to develop software and move away from hardware..this is true in general
and processing power is getting huge..will outstrip hardware..and for much much cheaper..in other words, it can be done in software..
the arturia moog modular is a great example of this
and i think many people who are in still in their 'right mind' would enjoy carrying a g2 or nord lead inside a powerbook
as far as clavia's 'elitism' - a sound that is available to those who have 5,000 dollars to spend does not bode well for a company's long term survival
and, in my opinion, the sound and sheer power of some of the softsynths make for some special synths..all with their own sound
and anyway, who cares what synth or logdrum one uses..as long as the music is good _________________ Spiral Recordings |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 9:50 am Post subject:
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This demo version of the G2 is very good for teaching the principles of analog synthesis.
We should all be gratefull to Clavia for releasing this. I think it will go a long way towards getting new people involved with patching, even if they never end up buying a G2. I think it is a smart business decision for them as well. _________________ --Howard
my music and other stuff |
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wyleu
Joined: Jun 26, 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Sandbach,Cheshire, UK
G2 patch files: 4
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 10:48 am Post subject:
THe look of a gift horse's teeth... |
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If you trawl back through the various Modular lists, the request that Clavia has now addressed cropped up on a fairly regular basis. All praise to them !
It's their product not ours. They had the original idea's and the faith to develop them. They chose to delevop on the platforms they did and from the overall quality and reliability of the solution, They demonstrate that in most cases they listen.
I for one am happy to let them continue doing what they do and applaud them for all the excellent work they do.
If you genuiney believe that a personal computer in any form will be able to perform signal generation as effectively as external hardware then you demonstrate an alarming lack of knowledge of the tools you use.
Thanks Clavia, I for one really appreciate the neat and effective way you have presented your excellent concepts. If we were as clever and driven as you we would enjoy the pleasure of obseving the wide range of creations your tools produce, and please treat with patience the individuals who present their own misguided nuggets of thought, that you no doubt considered and dismissed many months before.
Well Done. _________________ Taz says:- 'My Sub My Rules' |
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zynthetix
Joined: Jun 12, 2003 Posts: 838 Location: nyc
Audio files: 10
G2 patch files: 13
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 11:23 am Post subject:
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Why would clavia stop developing hardware even if they went software? The software is only as good as the physical control interface used with it (using a mouse seems ridiculously limiting to me and the only MIDI controller manufacturers that seem "with it" for softsynth controllers are behringer and doepfer) ....IMHO the G2 is the best controller on the market for a soft synth. If clavia did go software, I'd want a clavia controller for that product, capable of fully utilizing the software for live use. It would be pretty much like the G2, just the DSPs are the PC instead.
With all of this in mind, I'd rather have a hardware synth like the G2 (except more capable in the future) than lugging around both a laptop and a MIDI controller(s) to get the same effect.
rnp wrote: | Tassman is probably the closest thing to the G2 in the software domain, with Reaktor and Max being far more "complex" (whatever that is). |
complex means flexibility to the point of being overly tedious at times. |
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jksuperstar
Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 2503 Location: Denver
Audio files: 1
G2 patch files: 18
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 5:15 pm Post subject:
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Indeed, software is taking over, because companies can develop software for nothing more than the cost of good engineers. No hardware lab is needed, beyond what the end-user will also see, and no manufacturing costs with expensive quality control. It's almost ideal.
However, I think windows/mac osx are NOT very efficient at handling multi-media,and it would take the proliferation of a good reaL-time OS, like BeOS or similar, to really push all musician's tools into software. Playing live on a softsynth is not predictably & reliabley accurate, and anyone who pushes their machine in anyway with even simple MIDI control has seen this. I'm not talking DJ software and other things that are completely driven from within the PC, but things that require the computer to synch to external gear. The processing power is definitely there, but the "reaction time" isn't quite yet.
With the advent of ACPI (lower latency to IRQs and DMAs) and dual processor systems (less impact from OS house-keeping), I really do think that PC's have WAY MORE power, for the cost, than is ever available to dedicated hardware. It's simply the scale of sales that allows PCs to be so cheap.
That said, it would be in Clavia's best interest, as a company, to develop control surfaces based on the G2, and release thier products as software. Change is inevitable, and once PC's are fully optimized to handle real-time things, it will happen. |
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elektro80
Site Admin
Joined: Mar 25, 2003 Posts: 21959 Location: Norway
Audio files: 14
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 5:22 pm Post subject:
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jksuperstar wrote: | However, I think windows/mac osx are NOT very efficient at handling multi-media,and it would take the proliferation of a good reaL-time OS, like BeOS or similar, to really push all musician's tools into software. |
Well, truth said, I am a bit disappointed by OS X compared to OS 9 when it comes to audio.. but then my project files are bit... well.. gigantic. When it comes to general audio editing and video.. OS X is quite good. When it comes to improvement, OS X has a lot of potential.. and in fact a lot more than XP has right now. from what I have managed to understand of some of the SDK stuff, and some tech papers at Apple.. we just might see the next two generations of the Apple hardware.. ( dual 3.5 ghz and faster and various versions of the bus designs ) matched with the 64bit version of OSX to have some interesting real time capabilities.
Hmm.. possibly offtopic, but I have been having serious fun with Cubase SX 2 and the UAD-1 card. _________________ A Charity Pantomime in aid of Paranoid Schizophrenics descended into chaos yesterday when someone shouted, "He's behind you!"
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huffcw
Joined: Apr 09, 2004 Posts: 26
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 5:59 pm Post subject:
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Having the G2 as a software synth doesn't really appeal to me all that much (except as a tool to build things up without the G2 connected and be able to hear what you have created). What I would like to see Clavia do in software is update the patch editor so that it can be inserted as a VST plugin that can transmit and receive MIDI over the USB connection. That way I can use my G2 to control things inside my computer and receive MIDI from a software sequencer without having to have a separate MIDI interface connected to my computer. That would streamline things a little bit and would be a great addition. If they could also find a way to use the USB for 2-channel audio in/out - that would be really awesome - but I would be happy with just MIDI in/out. |
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huffcw
Joined: Apr 09, 2004 Posts: 26
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 6:07 pm Post subject:
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Actually - it wouldn't even require that MIDI be transmitted over USB - if they could program the editor program to transmit and receive MIDI from within the computer, then the same communication between the G2 and editor that already exists would be all that is required. The editor program would translate into MIDI inside the computer - as well as the output back to the G2. It seems like it may be relatively simply - since the USB driver would not need to be modified - just the editor program - am I missing something?
The audio thing is obviously harder - but they still may want to look into it considering the new Access Virus and all it can do (Midi, audio, etc.) - of course, they can't really compete with the awesome hardware interface of the G2! |
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ian-s
Joined: Apr 01, 2004 Posts: 2669 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Audio files: 42
G2 patch files: 626
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Posted: Sat Dec 25, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject:
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I think that Clavia may have also released this for sound commercial reasons. If they make it available FOC then others are less likely to try making a quick buck with a G2V.
As for Windows only, perhaps the core is simply a third party hardware emulation layer.
These things tend to be produced only for the dominant platform.
Does anyone know how G2 sales are going? If you have bought one recently, what is the serial number? |
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rnp
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 55 Location: germany
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 10:43 am Post subject:
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paul wrote: | and i think many people who are in still in their 'right mind' would enjoy carrying a g2 or nord lead inside a powerbook
as far as clavia's 'elitism' - a sound that is available to those who have 5,000 dollars to spend does not bode well for a company's long term survival
and, in my opinion, the sound and sheer power of some of the softsynths make for some special synths..all with their own sound
and anyway, who cares what synth or logdrum one uses..as long as the music is good |
heya paul! the point I wanted to make was that as standalone hardware the G2 is unique, if I want a software system I have Super Collider, Max/Msp and other options, all with a higher degree of abstraction and more flexibility. so I definitely wouldn't be interested in a G2 software since I already have been using "modular" sound creation software for years, there's nothing unique or original about the concept. I think Clavia understands that too. and yet another hardware emulation, of a VA nonetheless? u-he Zebra and other cool original softsynths are way more fun and innovative. I definitely agree that there's awesome software out there and I'm using it more often than some of my hardware. I'm no luddite and I don't dream of a Buchla at night but I can understand people who do.
zynthetix wrote: | complex means flexibility to the point of being overly tedious at times |
yup, exactly. not to mention that things like recalling patches can freeze your computer in a liveset or bugfixes that make it impossible to use. _________________ http://www.regicide.org
deer music
offering temporary solutions |
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grimley
Joined: Jul 07, 2004 Posts: 168 Location: Seattle
G2 patch files: 9
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 1:16 pm Post subject:
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There's a lot of negativity regarding this new software over on the HarmonyCentral forums and speculation regarding future software releases from Clavia. From reading some of those comments I'm afraid Clavia may loose potential customers as they are now holding out for a software only G2. Their website should make it clear whether or not they intend to do this in the near future.
Frankly, the beauty of the G2 to me is the interface, the audio ins and midi outs and the non-host DSP. The limitations this freebie software imposes, not to mention the fact that it can't easily be integrated within a host, severely neuter it as to make it irrelevant when compared to the many soft-synths out there. |
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Rob
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 580 Location: The Hague/Netherlands/EC
G2 patch files: 109
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Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2004 2:13 pm Post subject:
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grimley wrote: | There's a lot of negativity regarding this new software over on the HarmonyCentral forums and speculation regarding future software releases from Clavia. From reading some of those comments I'm afraid Clavia may loose potential customers as they are now holding out for a software only G2. Their website should make it clear whether or not they intend to do this in the near future.
Frankly, the beauty of the G2 to me is the interface, the audio ins and midi outs and the non-host DSP. The limitations this freebie software imposes, not to mention the fact that it can't easily be integrated within a host, severely neuter it as to make it irrelevant when compared to the many soft-synths out there. |
You can be sure that there is definitively no commercial G2 software to be expected. This G2 demo software is exactly as described, a free demo. There are many reasons why Clavia will not go into the software market, and these are no secrets. Whayt they will tell you on every NAMM or Frankfurter Messe is that Clavia is a hardware only company.
My guess is that Clavia would rather revert to their Electro/DDrum line than start to make software only products, if the G2 line wouldn't make them a profit. But as word goes that every G2 that is produced is also sold immediately, there is little reason to worry. The reason why they can put out something for free is definitely because they do well enough with their hardware to afford such a present.
So, these people totally misinterpreted this Christmas gesture.
/Rob |
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fadeddata
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 43 Location: Nashville TN
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:42 pm Post subject:
Serial Number |
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Just bought it from SweetWater Sound on the 23rd got it overnight and have been driving my neighbors crazy ever since. Oh yeah and the the serial number is MD10580. I would never buy the soft synth I love this hardware. I might buy a controller though that would allow it to control other things without making a "MIDI Patch".
-dustin |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 11:13 pm Post subject:
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fadeddata
Congratulations... Enjoy your new instrument. _________________ --Howard
my music and other stuff |
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