A few months back I picked up a TX81Z for $10 at a rummage sale and I have found it to be a pretty miserable synth. It sounds fine, but is not at all fun to program.
I've criticized these iControlMIDI apps in the past, but this one almost makes sense. Unfortunately, it seems like the dev. separated the parameters over several (mostly empty?) pages. The interface doesn't look very promising.
Also, I'm afraid he's going to miss the plot on the price. The TX81Z is a ~$70, not especially well-loved synth. I suspect he will sell few (if any) licenses for the $30-$70 his other apps are priced at. I know these apps appeal to a niche market and it can be hard to even recoup development costs on them, but I think the developer might be going about the whole thing wrong.
If the developer released one core $15 iControlMIDI app featuring a basic MIDI control surface, with additional profiles available as $2-$5 in app purchases, he might have better luck (and lower his risk of being slapped for possible trademark violation). Even so, it seems many people would still have reservations about the interface.
I offer these criticisms humbly with the best intentions. I want to keep seeing apps like this being developed.
I have to agree with Anthony. That whole giant page just to show the eight algorithms? Whaaat? The video would have been better if we could have seen more of the interface.
As far as those iControl apps go, wouldnt you be better off paying less for S1miditrigger and building your own interface? While I'm sure there's a bit of work in figuring out the CC's etc I can't imagine its hard enough to make it worth the price difference...
You need to send sysex data to control a tx81z. It's whole different ballgame compared to cc's, very complicated stuff and much more tedious to figure out and get working. That still doesn't justify some of the app prices. I would gladly pay $20-$30, maybe more, for a universal editor app, then say another $5 for each specific synth. But buying them per synth for those prices is tough to justify.
It would also be great if you could use the apps to make your own sysex/ cc editors, and if they looked nicer. Basically I agree with the first commenter, except I think ey tx81z is a great synth, the extra waveforms really add a lot of value. It is well loved for the lately bass alone. Editing from the panel is a chore but it's not quite as bad as people make it out to.be.
I could definitely see how those more tenacious than I would find the TX81Z to be a real value. I'm just a wimp when it comes to that style of editing (which is why I sold my Poly-61M, and why I am going to sell my TX81Z and my DX100). On the other side of things, I'm also becoming increasingly frustrated by anything that I can't save patches on...
Given your particular interests (I checked out your blog), programming the TX81Z might seem a walk in the park :p
Robman: I know what you mean. I did a double-take and realized that it was another controller app. I’d just like to find a comprehensive TX81Z or DX-7 plug for Mac. I don’t need FM8. I don’t want tons of extra features or controls. I just want a nice and basic FM synth.
7 comments:
A few months back I picked up a TX81Z for $10 at a rummage sale and I have found it to be a pretty miserable synth. It sounds fine, but is not at all fun to program.
I've criticized these iControlMIDI apps in the past, but this one almost makes sense. Unfortunately, it seems like the dev. separated the parameters over several (mostly empty?) pages. The interface doesn't look very promising.
Also, I'm afraid he's going to miss the plot on the price. The TX81Z is a ~$70, not especially well-loved synth. I suspect he will sell few (if any) licenses for the $30-$70 his other apps are priced at. I know these apps appeal to a niche market and it can be hard to even recoup development costs on them, but I think the developer might be going about the whole thing wrong.
If the developer released one core $15 iControlMIDI app featuring a basic MIDI control surface, with additional profiles available as $2-$5 in app purchases, he might have better luck (and lower his risk of being slapped for possible trademark violation). Even so, it seems many people would still have reservations about the interface.
I offer these criticisms humbly with the best intentions. I want to keep seeing apps like this being developed.
Anthony
I have to agree with Anthony. That whole giant page just to show the eight algorithms? Whaaat? The video would have been better if we could have seen more of the interface.
As far as those iControl apps go, wouldnt you be better off paying less for S1miditrigger and building your own interface? While I'm sure there's a bit of work in figuring out the CC's etc I can't imagine its hard enough to make it worth the price difference...
You need to send sysex data to control a tx81z. It's whole different ballgame compared to cc's, very complicated stuff and much more tedious to figure out and get working. That still doesn't justify some of the app prices. I would gladly pay $20-$30, maybe more, for a universal editor app, then say another $5 for each specific synth. But buying them per synth for those prices is tough to justify.
It would also be great if you could use the apps to make your own sysex/ cc editors, and if they looked nicer. Basically I agree with the first commenter, except I think ey tx81z is a great synth, the extra waveforms really add a lot of value. It is well loved for the lately bass alone. Editing from the panel is a chore but it's not quite as bad as people make it out to.be.
@kid versus chemical
I could definitely see how those more tenacious than I would find the TX81Z to be a real value. I'm just a wimp when it comes to that style of editing (which is why I sold my Poly-61M, and why I am going to sell my TX81Z and my DX100). On the other side of things, I'm also becoming increasingly frustrated by anything that I can't save patches on...
Given your particular interests (I checked out your blog), programming the TX81Z might seem a walk in the park :p
Anthony
When I saw the title of the post on twitter my heart skipped a beat. I thought it was a TX81z simulation :o(
Robman: I know what you mean. I did a double-take and realized that it was another controller app. I’d just like to find a comprehensive TX81Z or DX-7 plug for Mac. I don’t need FM8. I don’t want tons of extra features or controls. I just want a nice and basic FM synth.
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