Jean michel Jarre VST

[SciFiArtMan]

But on another note - who gives a crap!

All this scrutiny of every nuance of every nuance of every sound made in a studio 40 years ago is just bizarre to me! I suspect many times the actual artist in the original studio with all the original gear couldn't reproduce the exact sounds again! Too many weird and magical variables can happen in the course of an album production, as we all know. And it's THE MUSIC and the overall production that made the moods and feelings we came to love! I bet JMJ, et al, could have produced very similar feeling music using totally different gear (and probably does/do today), because the composition and general production process is where the true magic lies, IMO. Like someone just mentioned (and seems a cliched truism) if it sounds good to you, and it's useful - go for it! if not, leave it be.

Sometimes it seems like the bulk of players here are prepping for a (fill in the blank) tribute band, so they need every tiny detail to be an exact replica of what was done 40 to 50 years ago! I say, just absorb these wonderful and amazing influences and inspirations, and then go full force making your own sounds using gear that feels and sounds right for you! And if it's not an EXACT duplication of the original tones, chalk it up to advances in science and technology! The MUSIC will hopefully overcome those small variances from the work of the Gods.

And please buy my new book, "I Don't Like Much of Anything!", now available from Crusty Curmudgeon Books and Audio Cassettes.

[sfd]

To me - the comments about a synthesizer made by a recognized and brilliant musician and synth wizard like JMJ is of high value.

XILS-Lab make extraordinary fine instruments of a very high quality - not sound-toys.

[Syntilla]

It’s not that I prefer analogue to digital, quite the opposite in fact. I think the two can co-exist perfectly well together and my music is proof of that. But there comes a time when we have to admit that it’s not the same thing. We can’t compare an ARP, which in its day cost 30,000 Francs [4500 euros] with a plug-in that costs 50 euros. It’s a question of sense! After having weighed up the advantages of the virtual, today we’re realising that we’re made of flesh and blood and we have an absolute need for an emotional and tactile relationship with our instruments.

... less than 3 years ago ...

[hakey]

today we’re realising that we’re made of flesh and blood and we have an absolute need for an emotional and tactile relationship with our instruments.

A pretty solid argument for acoustic instruments (his dad would approve).

[Daags]

Honourable shout out to Richard Devine...a more contemporary type of 'endorses everything' fiend. And BT, though I seem to see his name plastered on dev's website sidebars less than before.

[quantum7]

I've really tried to like Xils stuff, but for the life of me their synths sound so "meh" to my ears. Obviously people like them and the company seems to be thriving, but I've tried the demos on many occasions and cannot get excited for some reason. Perhaps it is just the style of music that I personally like playing when I've demoed them, I don't know. I'm going to demo the flagship Xils 4 one final time this week and really do my best to keep an open mind.

I think your problem with them is simply you're not into what they're emulating. For me, they're old school Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk synths and that's what I love. Well, it's one of the things I love. I can also get into the supersaw stuff and the atmospheric stuff and soundscapes stuff and the additive synth stuff and so on. But their synths have a very definite vibe going back to the 70s and 80s. They are not "modern" synths.

So yeah, if you're not really into old retro that isn't mini moog and Prophet 5, you're probably not going to go for their synths.

I just made a short demo of Syn-X today and fell in love with the thing after I saw what it could do with voicing. Yeah, it's a lot of work to get that sound. You can't just flip a few switches and turn a few dials. Voice programming can be a total bitch. But that's what Syn-X, as an example, excels at.

Curious. What synths DO you like? I'm going to guess maybe stuff like U-he or maybe even Dune 2 or Sylenth1? Maybe Serum? They're certainly on the other end of the spectrum. What do you think about Spectral? That synth can make some pretty modern and unusual sounds.

Anyway, like I said, just curious.

I just spent a few hours with Xils 4....and feel so bad to say it, but it sounded so boring and thin to my ears....especially in comparison to my Nord Lead and Diva. I got into synth music in the early 80's listening to the likes of Jarre and Vangelis. As far as soft-synths are concerned, I am loving Diva, Omnisphere, and Dune 2, to name a few. I'm not a fan of Sylenth at all...but it still sounds fuller than Xils synths, to me at least, sorry. Spectral is pretty darn interesting, but I haven't used it much yet. One of my first synths was a Korg Poly 64 I bought in the mid 80's as a teenager, in case you were interested. I wish I liked Xils, because I am a synth junkie who cannot get enough. Getting a Prophet 12 soon, and cannot wait.

[Urs]

Honourable shout out to Richard Devine...a more contemporary type of 'endorses everything' fiend. And BT, though I seem to see his name plastered on dev's website sidebars less than before.

It's quite funny innit. Artist endorsements on websites are the most ridulous thing. They're like "if you don't believe all our marketing hype, trust us, these guys did believe it". It's a curated form of customer reviews, but all have 5 stars and most of them are fake. The popularity of the artist steps in for the rating of the reviewer, which makes them even more fake.

It's unfortunate that the audio software business lends itself to that kind of modus operandi, simply because of the symbiosis of two ecosystems that live a popularity contest.

My favourite implication is, artists who get software for free rarely use it. I've talked to dozens of artists about this. It's utterly common they say "Yeah, they sent me all their stuff but I haven't even installed it yet" or "Yeah, opened it once…" - but the website is plastered with their endorsement.

The number of NFR requests by artists - or, as common: artists management - by far outnumbers the number of popular artists who buy the stuff and then tweet about it.

But then of course, when they actually buy stuff, a developer can't just brag about it. It would be a violation of customer rights (which doesn't stop some, but d'oh).

Ah well… if they must...

[hakey]

They're like "if you don't believe all our marketing hype, trust us, these guys did believe it."

"If you don't trust your own ears, or are incapable of installing the demo, or you've tried the demo but were put off by les presets terrible..."

[Lotuzia]

It’s not that I prefer analogue to digital, quite the opposite in fact. I think the two can co-exist perfectly well together and my music is proof of that. But there comes a time when we have to admit that it’s not the same thing. We can’t compare an ARP, which in its day cost 30,000 Francs [4500 euros] with a plug-in that costs 50 euros. It’s a question of sense! After having weighed up the advantages of the virtual, today we’re realising that we’re made of flesh and blood and we have an absolute need for an emotional and tactile relationship with our instruments.

... less than 3 years ago ...

Ime it makes .... sense. Its hard to 100% compare something on a screen and a real harware machine. Then, even if emulations are closer and closer, there are still some differences, and ime this is valid for all soft synths, and all brands. There is always room for improvements, like Xils with their new odf PMW algorithms. The software add different possibilities, and HW also.

Then, I recently saw a Synthex on ebay in Italy : 7500€ (+p&p) ! Price is unfortunately also a criteria.

All in all, I feel, as JMJ, that hw and sw can compliment each other very well.

[Frantz]

Jean Michel Jarre endorses Sennheiser:

http://app.sennheiser.com/sennheiser/ho ... F90049CD2A


Congratulations Sennheiser

[Lotuzia]

..... But then of course, when they actually buy stuff, a developer can't just brag about it. It would be a violation of customer rights (which doesn't stop some, but d'oh).....

This. Which is the case of Jean-Michel Jarre for the MiniSyn'x and the Xils 4 btw. So that's true, you can't brag about it, EXCEPT when the people who bought the synths agree with that.

Then it's true that if a company could reveal the names of all its famous users, there would be a lot of surprises. (Because some very famous people buy some synths or soundware ) But well, it's forbidden, so let's forget that.

Then I don't know for all companies, but the companies I know rather well have never fished famous musicians by proposing them a basket loaded with nfr. Tbh I tried this several years ago by proposing some soundbanks to a kind of celeb I had found a way to contact, and .... I did not even get an answer. I learned my lesson. It's just useless.

[sfd]

Honourable shout out to Richard Devine...a more contemporary type of 'endorses everything' fiend. And BT, though I seem to see his name plastered on dev's website sidebars less than before.

It's quite funny innit. Artist endorsements on websites are the most ridulous thing. They're like "if you don't believe all our marketing hype, trust us, these guys did believe it". It's a curated form of customer reviews, but all have 5 stars and most of them are fake. The popularity of the artist steps in for the rating of the reviewer, which makes them even more fake.

It's unfortunate that the audio software business lends itself to that kind of modus operandi, simply because of the symbiosis of two ecosystems that live a popularity contest.

My favourite implication is, artists who get software for free rarely use it. I've talked to dozens of artists about this. It's utterly common they say "Yeah, they sent me all their stuff but I haven't even installed it yet" or "Yeah, opened it once…" - but the website is plastered with their endorsement.

The number of NFR requests by artists - or, as common: artists management - by far outnumbers the number of popular artists who buy the stuff and then tweet about it.

But then of course, when they actually buy stuff, a developer can't just brag about it. It would be a violation of customer rights (which doesn't stop some, but d'oh).

Ah well… if they must...

@urs - apart from mammon - whose endorsement do you appreciate if not the one from a good instrumentalist and musician? Assuming you're making musical instruments to be appreciated.

As if you would not be happy and proud if JMJ or anyone of his like appreciated your instruments. Why not just be happy for XILS-Lab?

There's a miles with difference between bragging and being happy and proud and letting people know. Your chose of word exposes your banal jealousy. That doesn't honor you.

and by the way - who's talking:
https://twitter.com/uheplugins/status/70542656090025985

[Urs]

..... But then of course, when they actually buy stuff, a developer can't just brag about it. It would be a violation of customer rights (which doesn't stop some, but d'oh).....

This. Which is the case of Jean-Michel Jarre for the MiniSyn'x and the Xils 4 btw. So that's true, you can't brag about it, EXCEPT when the people who bought the synths agree with that.

Of course.

Then it's true that if a company could reveal the names of all its famous users, there would be a lot of surprises. (Because some very famous people buy some synths or soundware ) But well, it's forbidden, so let's forget that.

Sure. There are also artists who thrive on the aura of expensive boutique hardware gear and thus would not be happy to have revealed they're buying software.

Then I don't know for all companies, but the companies I know rather well have never fished famous musicians by proposing them a basket loaded with nfr.

Well, if you have a good product, you don't need to offer it to anyone. They come to you ("We're the management of famous artist blah blah and he would like to check your stuff out").

[Urs]

@urs - apart from mammon - whose endorsement do you appreciate if not the one from a good instrumentalist and musician? Assuming you're making musical instruments to be appreciated.

We enjoy it a lot. We maintain a list of artists who have publicly endorsed our stuff on websites, album covers or magazines.

and by the way - who's talking:
https://twitter.com/uheplugins/status/70542656090025985

Perfect example! - Artist buys stuff, talks about it. That's the opposite of an endorsement deal because it's actual fact. Endorsements on websites are most commonly, well, hard to believe.

[Urs]

Why not just be happy for XILS-Lab?

My post would have looked a lot different if I wasn't happy for XILS lab. But I haven't posted what I would have. To the contrary, I've tried to avoid confrontation. Because frankly, I know exactly how it feels, and it reminds me a lot of the first time I had a sale to someone famous. So, while I didn't think it was necessary, here's my official statement to XILS having sold stuff to JMJ:

Congratz XILS!