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Dante: Do you think Scope 7 will improve development in the
future with XITE DSP allocation and new SDK ?
Ray: Yes certainly. Things will get
better, but for now the priority will be at fixing bugs I think.
With the SDK: there is already so much possible with the SDK. You
only have to have a vision. And at the moment the patience to learn
mostly by a lot of trial and error. A major drawback is that we
don't know what all the atoms do, since there is no or very little
documentation, and at this point it is not possible for most third
party to develop new DSP codes and scripting codes. But still, I
think the Scope 7 updates give a welcome new impulse for users.
Scope is still very much alive. Sonic Core did a great job and it
was years of work and research. This is a new starting point so to
speak for Scope and Sonic Core. Sonic Core will keep developing the
Scope software and thus things can and will get even better. It
just takes time.
Dante: So
Sonic Core have made it easier for new developers to jump on board ?
Ray:
Well, yes and no. The new SDK was introduced at a phenomenal price
and I guess there will be new users interested in making their own
devices and maybe even releasing them. As said before, it is still
not easy to develop in Scope SDK, it takes a lot of patience, broad
understanding of audio circuits and digital audio, having a vision,
and willingness to learn by a lot of trial and error. One of the
reservations I personally have is that the market could get
overexposed to lower quality devices as we also see in for example
the APP market. That is not good for the scope community in general.
Dante: That
could also work well in the future as developers develop a taste for
quality.
Ray: I also shared my concern on PlanetZ and one
of the ideas is to at least give some handles for new SDK users on
how to start with good habits on developing and what to incorporate
in their devices for at least a pleasant user experience. Maybe a
good idea could be even a 'PlanetZ Users Approved' label. There are
several sites and documents on the SDK for which we should be and
are very grateful and maybe now it would be good tunneling that into
a library or gateway/index. PlanetZ is a great starting point as
the standard go-to for Scope users. I encourage and invite
developers to think along and share their thoughts and knowledge on
this.
Dante: Of course there is always inspiration from many
other developers.
Ray: I really want to state also that time
and time again I am amazed what my colleagues pull off with the SDK.
Really clever guys! Sharc, SpaceF, Roy Thinnes, Ocean Swift, DAS and
others such as Peter from HPM
Digital. Each time they bring something out
you can see and feel the love they put in their devices. We all
spent years, some maybe even decades in the SDK getting this far.
SDK developing isn't just connecting dots anymore. And for SURE you
have to be of a certain breed, spending your valuable free time
behind a PC fiddling around with your ideas. I see my girlfriends
face when I tell her about some new circuit or feature I developed
ha ha. You have to have a vision of what your trying to achieve. New
SDK users could greatly benefit from the more experienced users, and
we in return can also benefit from new blood on the dance floor.
Hell, I learn from my colleagues with their releases!
Dante: Hopefully the release of Scope 7 and SDK will
make for a more vibrant developer marketplace and renewed interest
overall.
Ray: The lack of interest in Scope in
general you could really notice on PlanetZ. Scope really needed a
new impulse so Scope 7 is greatly welcomed. I knew it was coming for
some time but I couldn't wait longer with releasing the dNa Effect
and Channel Racks. I maybe popped them out at the wrong moment.
Luckily Roy Thinnes, Ocean Swift, and later on SpaceF came back and
they kept releasing devices so people knew there were still juices
flowing. And for those who did buy the dNa racks and kept
supporting dNa I am very grateful! You have something really special
in my opinion.
Dante: So
that is why you decided to throw in MultiCOMP ?
Ray: Yes that is why I decided to give
away the MultiCOMP. It was lying around my shelf and I thought no
one will buy again…. 'just a compressor' (which in fact it isn't, it
is a full featured mastering device). So for me I saw a good
opportunity in showing my gratitude by giving away a VERY USEFUL
device if I may say so myself! Fact is I'd rather have my devices
used than sitting in a shop or on a shelf doing nothing. I can
understand people releasing stuff for free like Roy and Peter. I
sort of envy that mentality. I know I won't get rich but I'd like to
have something for the enormous amount of work I put in a device and
I think good devices are worth it. Back in the days if you wanted
new algorithms from for example Lexicon you had to pay for that.
That's just how it should work. I don't believe that much in
donation-ware per se, although sometimes you have to try something
new. Therefore I did the Scope 7 offer. If you supported Sonic Core
on the introduction offer you can get some nice plug-ins of dNa for
“free”. And since I really feel the Scope community is a special one
I thought something had to be done for this central point called
PlanetZ. People put in a lot of work maintaining it all so I
appealed to our communities honor and asked for a donation whatever
they felt was right for PlanetZ. Truly amazing how that went, such
wonderful and grateful reactions. I think it is heartwarming, and
yeah, call me a softy! |