Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 So. Does anyone think there would be a market for a head-less, expandable, poly analog box? It could come with a few voice cards standard and accept more voice cards as your budget allows. With the cornucopia of MIDI controllers available these days, some serious cost can be saved leaving off all controls and leave it to external MIDI controllers for programming. Just thinking out loud? Thoughts? anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Allerian Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 So it'd be like a Studio Electronics unit but with no faceplace or controls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Are they expandable? I'm not familiar with them. Yes, no controls. But in exchange, I'd want the voice architecture to be fairly powerful, lots of mod routings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members carbon111 Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Sounds like an expandable poly-Mopho. ...without a built-in editing UI, I'd have no use for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 ...without a built-in editing UI, I'd have no use for it. Hmpf. See, I was thinking that I'd use something like my ReMOTE SL to program it. Although, setting up mod routings would probably be a pain without a more dedicated UI for it. Hmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AfroRouge Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 I'd think it would be a little hard to market. An incompetent keyboard department staff would have a hard time just getting the thing to work with a controller, let alone mapping CC's. Of course, there are already plenty of modules that have little direct interface. Maybe not so many that are in current production. (G2 Engine, anyone? lolololol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 This isn't something I would expect to mass-produce and sell at your typical chain stores with clueless help. I think a PC editor would be a necessary feature, too, not everyone has a MIDI controller they would care to spend the time to setup properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Hmm. OK, so maybe not such a hot idea after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members akliner Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 (i would not buy this because i am bad at MIDI) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members deadvolvo1 Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 head-less, expandable, poly analog box? It could come with a few voice cards standard and accept more voice cards as your budget allows no controls. But in exchange, I'd want the voice architecture to be fairly powerful, lots of mod routings I think a PC editor would be a necessary feature use something like my ReMOTE SL to program it (G2 Engine, anyone? lolololol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members setAI Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Obrerheim's Marion synths where a miserable failure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stikygum Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 So.Does anyone think there would be a market for a head-less, expandable, poly analog box? It could come with a few voice cards standard and accept more voice cards as your budget allows. With the cornucopia of MIDI controllers available these days, some serious cost can be saved leaving off all controls and leave it to external MIDI controllers for programming.Just thinking out loud? Thoughts? anyone? If it cut the costs down considerably and was easy to configure to a knob box they I'd go for it. Even better, they make their own templates for the Novations, Behringers and M-Audios to download. Should have it's own software too. I guess you could just use the software to change parameters. So basically, if it was a analog poly that sounded great and had all of the above software bundled with it, I would have no problem going for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Not digital; ANALOG. Unless there's something about the G2 I don't know about! I'll have to look up the Marion line, I don't know anything about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 I'd buy one if the price was right, and I felt that the product would be endowed with a reasonably fruitful upgrade and support lifespan. Of course, I'm undoubtedly a minscule minority in the overall market. If you don't overestimate the size of your target market, and can produce them inexpensively enough to charge a slim margin, you might do OK. I applaud your entreprenurial spirit. There's never been a better time to make money! The closest analogy to this idea would be the Klangbox series from Creamware, though they were knobless versions of their popular virtual analog synths like the Minimax, Prodyssey and Prophet-12. I don't think they sold very well, although Creamware had other issues that contributed to the poor sales. Jomox's Airbase series might be a closer example. I think the better idea right now, is to take advantage of all the existing DIY projects well chronicled on the Internet, and set up shop building them for people that lack the skills or desire to do it themselves. You can get started by building me the following: ---MIDIBox FM synth ---MD-808 808 clone ---All of Jurgen Haible's modules, the phasers in particular ---Mutron Bi-Phase clone ---Ursa Major eurorack effects module ---perform all the available mods on my TR-606 (once I buy one) ---etc, etc, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Thinking further...part of the resistance to the original idea was the [perceived or otherwise] difficulty in synth-to-controller MIDI mapping. --So maybe there's your revenue opportunity: providing that mapping service for people. No idea how it would work...just spitballing here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Interesting insight, thanks IB. I'm just toying with the idea of building something saleable that other might be interested in, and not necessarily this knobless poly idea I was kicking around here. Building other's IP for profit should be done under license; If I were to offer finished products of JH's stuff, for example, I'd want to work out a license to do so, lest I incur the wrath of legal eagles. For example, I've heard bad things about finished MIDIBox projects being sold for profit... (*cough* small spam here: If anyone wants something built, send me the kit of your desire and a reasonable tip. My soldering iron's been cold for far too long. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members carbon111 Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Unless there's something about the G2 I don't know about! The fact that it's useless without a computer running the last OS it has drivers for is a big downside. An expensive piece of hardware dependant on a particular computer platform and OS is "obsolescence in a box". In a similar vein, I'm not expecting to be running my current spate of softsynths in ten years on "Windows Hedgehog 2020" simply because they probably won't be compatible anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChristianRock Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 It would be useful if you already had a template for the BCR2000 and you could even print it out from a website, with detailed instructions on how to program it. That way even those who are afraid/inexperienced in midi could do it.Depending on the cost, yeah I'd think about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 The fact that it's useless without a computer running the last OS it has drivers for is a big downside. An expensive piece of hardware dependant on a particular computer platform and OS is a PITA. I.E. I'm not expecting to be running my current spate of softsynths in ten years on "Windows Hedgehog 2020" simply because they probably won't be compatible anymore. This is why hardware is king. It's immune to the constantly changing winds of OS versions and platforms. My Polaris works just as well with my quad-core Vista machine as it did with my Atari-ST. Chopping the knobs off, though, does tie it to either a PC of some kind or decent MIDI controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members idiotboy Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Somewhat related, have a look at what this guy did with his Access Virus. Building other's IP for profit should be done under license; If I were to offer finished products of JH's stuff, for example, I'd want to work out a license to do so, lest I incur the wrath of legal eagles. For example, I've heard bad things about finished MIDIBox projects being sold for profit... Regarding licensing, if you carefully read the MIDIBox fine print, I think you'll find they don't strenuously object to what I am proposing: one-off, compensated, "favors" for friends. They just don't want someone going into mass production. I'm guessing the same holds true for Jurgen's and most others. So y'know, it'd be just between you and me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 I'm sure we could work something out if you're so inclined, IB. PM me if you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 I'd like... A tiny USB box with MIDI in and audio out (USB-powered?) containing a gigging-focussed top-quality rompler---pianos, organ, the usual. This day and age, it could be the size of an iPod. I'd plug it into the back of my x-station and it would be like adding a whole new machine to my quiver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted April 7, 2009 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 Sonic Cell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gribs Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 An interesting side effect of working in R&D for the conglomerate manufacturing company that is 3M is that I get to see lots of ideas get rejected based on the fact that they don't fit the business model and nature of the company. Many of these would make great small businesses that could be run by a few savvy technical-minded people with good ability to work with customers. There used to be a motto that was "make a little sell a little" but now it is more like "make it by the mile and sell it by the inch". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angstwulf Posted April 7, 2009 Members Share Posted April 7, 2009 This sounds kind of like a "pro-sumer" level modular, and I mean that in a good way. You'd be limiting a great deal of customization of a true modular: only what the MFR wants you to add and limited patching capability. But you'd get polyphony, which sounds painful in a modular world, and the possiblity of greater product stability. Aside from the my hopes of buying a winning lotto ticket, 20 minute long orgasms, and hot gravy and cold beer on tap in my kitchen, I often dream of a DSI Evolvery synth where you can start with one voice and continue to add voices (and maybe alternate filter types, extra lfo's) as you wish. Mmmmm....gravy..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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