NAMM 2015: DP9

[musicman691]

"Holy Buttzville, Batman, the Bat-Siri-GPS took a wrong turn in Hoboken and we ended up in Ho-Ho-Kus!"

Seriously, driving in NJ it totally Nutzville. These roller derby death spirals called "Traffic Circles," 60 mph miracle mile highways with traffic lights... To say nothing of government-sponsored bridge closings. The only good thing is you never have to pump your own gas! And they are trying to repeal that!!!

Babz

P.S. I believe Princeton Junction is actually in a town called West Windsor.

They're actually going to put in a traffic circle here on South Broad Street in nearby Hamilton Township NJ. It never was a circle in all it's existance but there have been way too many accidents and deaths there and people are fed up with it. They're talking it'll be done in 2 years (yeah right).

[musicman691]

This is good. And true too like you wouldn't believe.

Real-life story: Decades ago my day job was as an engineer at RCA Astro designing and building satellite command and control systems. Our facility was in the next town over from Grovers Mill. We used to joke that the guy that was in charge of RCA at the time was left there by the Martians.

I thought you might like it!

Full disclosure: a dear friend of mine, a lady who is not only a great musician, but a fantastic composer and music director, used to live in Grovers Mill. I don't mean in the community around it; I mean IN the mill. The actual wheel gearing came up through the floor of her living room, and you could look out the window over the waterwheel's remains. I stayed there some with her and enjoyed absorbing the local culture, such as the roundabouts on Jersey roads where there simply aren't any left-turns, and the rusty, abandoned railroads like spider-webs through all those woods. Not far away was the sprawling RCA facility you mentioned, on the way into town at Princeton. (Princeton Junction is basically Princeton, but over at the ex-Pennsylvania RR station)

In seemingly most of Ben Affleck's movies, he plays a kid/adult from New Jersey. Seemed appropriate that his Batfleckman would be about the same thing, and, well, the martian thing was just there. For those who don't get the connection, Grover's Mill was ground-zero for the Martian attack in War of the Worlds.

That's cool your friend actually live IN the Mill!

As to traffic circles you quickly learn one thing - that is to have and show no fear. If you hesitate even one second - you'll be waiting for quite a while. You get used to it for a while.

That sprawling RCA facility is sadly no more. Most of it was torn down when Lockheed Martin moved out.

[stubbsonic]

Back on topic. ... Are you talking about the type of editing done in iZotope RX's spectral repair? That would be a MAJOR addition to DP.

Phil

If DP was going to include that functionality, they probably would have given it some hype.

I've seen a couple freeware spectral editors. Now Audacity's spectral display let's you box-lasso a frequency/time area for edits.

But I get that integrating it into DP would be quite a side project. In the meantime, I'm used to opening files in Audacity or other software for processes I can't do in DP.

[Shooshie]

As to traffic circles you quickly learn one thing - that is to have and show no fear. If you hesitate even one second - you'll be waiting for quite a while.

No sh*t! My first time in a traffic circle in Jersey, I got passed! I went around a few times just because it was kind of cool racing in a tight circle like go-kart derby. Also, I completely lost track of where the heck my street was, and it took the third time around to figure it out. It's not like you can stop and read the signs.
[edit] Actually you CAN stop and read the signs. There are traffic lights! I remember that now, but I can't remember why I went around several times. Maybe just to see if I could.

[csiaudio]

This past weekend was "Gearfest" at Sweetwater Sound in Indiana and I stopped by the MOTU booth. Magic Dave was there and he is a super nice dude!

I would love to report that DP9 has some exceptionally cool, innovative features however, after Dave showed me around to what was 'new', which was very minimal by the way, I asked him if that was it and he replied 'yep'...well I have to say I was more than underwhelmed. Dave did note that there's a lot of improvements "under the hood", which is cool I guess, but honestly DP 8.07 has been real stable for me and functions just fine...so I guess these under the hood improvements should get me excited but improvements like these sure seem to be more like a DP 8.5 update than a DP9 new release.

And for those who have been asking for a better time compression/expansion algorithm like myself - sorry no change there. I'm not sure who at MOTU is listening to users requests but it seems to me they're simply not paying attention very well.

I also stopped by the Presonus booth and saw all the innovative features of Studio One and thought maybe MOTU should consider hiring some of their developers.

I have to say, when I see MOTU come out with all these new hardware interfaces while DP seems to be overlooked, especially with this 'update', while other companies are integrating innovative ways to get things done within a DAW without a bunch of 'work arounds' - it does make me wonder where MOTU stands with the software. I mean, DP has been around forever and for MOTU to release this version as DP9 asking us to each pony up $200, sorry I for one will not be voting with my money for this update - I'm just gonna stay running with 8.07 for the time being.

Just a reminder, all that's said here is just my opinion so please if you wanna spend your money for this update have at it

[Michael Canavan]

And for those who have been asking for a better time compression/expansion algorithm like myself - sorry no change there. I'm not sure who at MOTU is listening to users requests but it seems to me they're simply not paying attention very well.

I also stopped by the Presonus booth and saw all the innovative features of Studio One and thought maybe MOTU should consider hiring some of their developers.

Just to be fair to MOTU's developers Studio One uses Celemony (Melodyne) for the compression/expansion algorithm, so they license third party, no in house developing.

How about editing with the spectral display? Was there anything unique there?

[Robert Randolph]

And for those who have been asking for a better time compression/expansion algorithm like myself - sorry no change there. I'm not sure who at MOTU is listening to users requests but it seems to me they're simply not paying attention very well.

I also stopped by the Presonus booth and saw all the innovative features of Studio One and thought maybe MOTU should consider hiring some of their developers.

Just to be fair to MOTU's developers Studio One uses Celemony (Melodyne) for the compression/expansion algorithm, so they license third party, no in house developing.

How about editing with the spectral display? Was there anything unique there?

Correction, Studio One uses zplane elastique for time compression/expansion. Melodyne is used for pitch correction. You only get Melodyne essentials by default, and must pay to upgrade for the full version for total functionality.

Zplane's elastique v3 is quite good sounding and the license is very cheap. You can even get elastique v3 in reαper and tracktion.

[Robert Randolph]

I also stopped by the Presonus booth and saw all the innovative features of Studio One and thought maybe MOTU should consider hiring some of their developers.

I've been a Studio One user for a while (since day 1!) because of someone I collaborate with that also uses S1. It makes things easier.

S1v3 was very underwhelming to me because there wasn't anything new, except the splitter and time stretching, that I couldn't already do better in DP8. I've solved the splitter thing with a VST chainer years ago. The time stretching is still a major issue though.

Then there's all the things that DP8 already does way better than S1: Large project management, available commands and command editing, templates/clippings, DP's song arrangement is more advanced, significantly better MIDI editing, POLAR, the mixer in DP is much nicer (with better mix management and track management) etc...

On top of that all, I hate the drag-and-drog workflow in S1. I abhor it. There's nothing about the workflow that I enjoy. I'm not a huge fan of DP's workflow either, but man... S1's is the worst. I've written a huge post elsewhere critiquing it. The inconsistencies and inefficiencies are massive.

I say all this having spent way more time in S1 than DP. I still probably know how to use S1 better than DP, but DP is just more mature software.

edit: There was a fairly large contingent of S1 users who had a, "That's it!?!?" reaction to S1v3 too. I was definitely one of them. They only added a single feature I found useful and none of the most requested features on the forum.

[oknussen]

While there may not be a ton of new features, I think two will make my workflow considerably easier and to which I am looking forward with enthusiasm: XML export (I tend to draft in DP but then export to Finale for score prep - that's been a pain) and automation lanes.

I do wish they had MIDI mute though....

I can see that the former feature might not appeal to most but it's a big one for me, and I suspect anyone else who has to deal with notation.

[Robert Randolph]

While there may not be a ton of new features, I think two will make my workflow considerably easier and to which I am looking forward with enthusiasm: XML export (I tend to draft in DP but then export to Finale for score prep - that's been a pain) and automation lanes.

I do wish they had MIDI mute though....

I can see that the former feature might not appeal to most but it's a big one for me, and I suspect anyone else who has to deal with notation.

It has been indicated that MIDI mute is coming...

[csiaudio]

Just to be clear I do not hate DP by any means, if it were that bad I would have switched DAW's long ago. My issue is with this 'update' having really minimal innovative improvements and/or improved work flow over all. If I'm going to open up my wallet I want it to be worth while, and I just don't see it with DP9. I can only speculate the reason why they're going to include that other software with 9 is because they to realize without it they're not offering much to justify charging everyone $200 bucks for the 'update'. I'm sure for some the update will be well worth it and that's great for them - for me, I just don't see it.

Lanes will be a nice feature and personally I rarely use DP's plugin's since I feel UA's plugin's sound superior...so the few additional plugins they're adding don't rock my world. That's what Dave showed me - Lanes, the few new plugs and and told me that things were improved 'under the hood'. Personally I'm more than disappointed.

[Robert Randolph]

Just to be clear I do not hate DP by any means, if it were that bad I would have switched DAW's long ago. My issue is with this 'update' having really minimal innovative improvements and/or improved work flow over all. If I'm going to open up my wallet I want it to be worth while, and I just don't see it with DP9. I can only imagine the reason why they're going to include that other software with 9 is because they to realize without it they're not offering much to justify charging everyone $200 bucks for the 'update'. I'm sure for some the update will be well worth it and that's great for them - for me, I just don't see it.

Lanes will be a nice feature and personally I rarely use DP's plugin's since I feel UA's plugin's sound superior...so the few additional plugins they're adding don't rock my world. That's what Dave showed me - Lanes, the few new plugs and and told me that things were improved 'under the hood'. Personally I'm more than disappointed.

There was controller learn too, XML notation output, spectral display. Those are all pretty big features to me.

MIDI mute has been hinted at, and that's a massive thing for a lot of people.

The problem with DAW updates is that it's difficult to check enough boxes to everyone is happy. It happens with every DAW and every update, there's always sizeable groups of people who feel like there was nothing useful added. Likewise there's always plenty of people who find great value in the update.

Just with the features announced, I personally will find it a great value if the features work as expected. (I'm also looking forward to the 1176 emulation, as I really like the la2a emulation)

[csiaudio]

Just to be clear I do not hate DP by any means, if it were that bad I would have switched DAW's long ago. My issue is with this 'update' having really minimal innovative improvements and/or improved work flow over all. If I'm going to open up my wallet I want it to be worth while, and I just don't see it with DP9. I can only imagine the reason why they're going to include that other software with 9 is because they to realize without it they're not offering much to justify charging everyone $200 bucks for the 'update'. I'm sure for some the update will be well worth it and that's great for them - for me, I just don't see it.

Lanes will be a nice feature and personally I rarely use DP's plugin's since I feel UA's plugin's sound superior...so the few additional plugins they're adding don't rock my world. That's what Dave showed me - Lanes, the few new plugs and and told me that things were improved 'under the hood'. Personally I'm more than disappointed.

There was controller learn too, XML notation output, spectral display. Those are all pretty big features to me.

MIDI mute has been hinted at, and that's a massive thing for a lot of people.

The problem with DAW updates is that it's difficult to check enough boxes to everyone is happy. It happens with every DAW and every update, there's always sizeable groups of people who feel like there was nothing useful added. Likewise there's always plenty of people who find great value in the update.

Just with the features announced, I personally will find it a great value if the features work as expected. (I'm also looking forward to the 1176 emulation, as I really like the la2a emulation)

I totally agree that some will completely feel it's a great update and worth the dough. Yet so often I hear people gripping about specific worth flow issues and having to constantly do 'work arounds' to get things done...isn't MOTU listening to those issues? Seems much of them haven't been addressed for years and years. Why? DP is a solid and mature DAW yet many of these things that effect work flow seem to still be there - I have a small list of things that I've emailed them about some of which others noted on this forum as well and still no changes or improvements. Again, it just seems that DP is not a big priority for them any long...possibly I'm wrong, but it just seems that way.

Oh and regarding the check boxes you mentioned to make everyone happy. I do understand that...it just seems to me that "Lanes, spectrum analyzing and few addt'l plugs" are a very small amount of 'check boxes' that were actually checked.

Well I suppose they'll be able to tell how people feel about this update after it's released based upon how many actually open up their wallets for it.

[musicman691]

Just to be clear I do not hate DP by any means, if it were that bad I would have switched DAW's long ago. My issue is with this 'update' having really minimal innovative improvements and/or improved work flow over all. If I'm going to open up my wallet I want it to be worth while, and I just don't see it with DP9. I can only speculate the reason why they're going to include that other software with 9 is because they to realize without it they're not offering much to justify charging everyone $200 bucks for the 'update'. I'm sure for some the update will be well worth it and that's great for them - for me, I just don't see it.

Lanes will be a nice feature and personally I rarely use DP's plugin's since I feel UA's plugin's sound superior...so the few additional plugins they're adding don't rock my world. That's what Dave showed me - Lanes, the few new plugs and and told me that things were improved 'under the hood'. Personally I'm more than disappointed.

You have to remember that no company rep will tell you everything that's going on in an update for many reasons. If they did that then if something didn't show up when the gold release comes out people would bitch & moan. Also they don't know that you're not a company spy trying to find out what's all in a competitor's product. Personally I like the thought of lanes.

[dewdman42]

I think with MX4 the value will be there, and hopefully it won't be $200 I might add. Unfortunately I already own MX4, which I never use mainly only because of the dongle, I'd probably use it more otherwise...but...the point is...I have to say...I'm with you..i'm a bit underwhelmed by the announced features also, but that's because the MX4 addition has no value to me. We'll see how much it costs, but its likely I am waiting for v10 to upgrade also. I'll upgrade sooner or later! Excluding MX4, the announced features are worth about $50 to me to upgrade and I believe it will probably be about triple that amount. So I hear you dude, i understand you completely. Love DP. We don't have to love every offering from MOTU including upgrades which may not have enough value to justify the price, a point which is of course entirely subjective.