Marketing wank in the world of hardware

[Skullrattler]

RAVEN combines the simplicity of a performance-friendly, artist-first, synthesizer voice with modular, infinitely flexible, workflow possibilities.

The Human-Machine Interaction aspects are about inclusion in the world of intuitive, educational and therapeutic sound shaping for all audiences and ages through a unique sounding, 100% analog and human-relatable, musical instrument of boutique build-quality at the fairest possible price point by means of decentralization from mainstream retail chains – namely through crowdfunding.

Next up : Elektron!

[kertikristof]

Well I checked out birdkids facebook page, the site and the campaign page recently. Given this context their message and style how they use their language to describe this new product is totally understandable to me. Their market (in my opinion at least) expects this kind of voice. Somehow you have to convince synth enthusiasts why they should spend 550€ (40% off MSRP!) on a synth voice.

[Fourty Two]

therapeutic sound shaping? What the hell is this supposed to mean?

I'm not really big fan of modulars, but I could see myself potentially having some eurorack in future. That being said... I don't really see why would you fill it with modules pretty much copy pasting existing subtractive synth schema. VCO-VCF-VCA. There's so many cool synthesis techniques, like wavetable, phase modulation, phase distortion, scanned... Yet still, many people are stuck in past, arguing if ms20 filter is better than Moog. Maybe it retro nostalgia thing, I just don't get it.

[Skullrattler]

It's a collection of buzzwords with "inclusion" being the most cringe-worthy. "Modular" is of course another one. The amount of BS you have to wade through these days to sort out what gear is actually worth buying is insane.

Agree about modulars and retro BS. When you go to check out what those nerds are actually doing with their $5k monosynths , the facepalming is real...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoujIp0l5Pl/

it's often either just annoying noises or 70's arpeggiated synthesizer music....

[Root]

They forgot organic. How can they dare to do marketing for such a hip product without indicating it as organic.

[Wavepeak]

I've noticed an increased use of the word 'bespoke' a lot lately in these types of things too.

[Ben Kohonays]

They forgot organic. How can they dare to do marketing for such a hip product without indicating it as organic.

And 'warm'.

And maybe 'mojo'.

[timc3]

I hate the Elektron videos, just because I have a good idea of how much time/effort/money went into them. Just improve the f'ing products.

[Skullrattler]

Those videos are great for convincing you their machines are really good for "performance". They also teach you how to make tiny adjustments to shitty encoders and do awkward finger dances while making it appear like you are in fact performing the music and talking gibberish about parameeter locking with a Nordic accent.

[timc3]

I mean the ones like these:

youtu.be/k8qqPjpOlZI

[NAO]

^ That video's actually pretty funny.. in a bad way Not much marketing wank to be found in there. That mask, hot.

[terryfalafel]

I mean the ones like these:

youtu.be/k8qqPjpOlZI

That's the best / worst promo video I've ever seen.

[terryfalafel]

And more generally, is electronic music kit really marketed with more pretentious language than any other part of the scene? I'd say the whole industry is pretty wanky - one obvious example being the prevalence of

so and so 'curated' the event

This isn't the Guggenheim mate; you booked some DJs so that the crowd, 99% of whom are gurners who don't care what record is playing, can get off their tits for the night. Calling it curating is misrepresenting the importance / difficulty a little bit wouldn't you say?

[intrusav]

...99% of whom are gurners who don't care what record is playing, can get off their tits for the night...

and true...well maybe 98% ..

[Ben Kohonays]

I mean the ones like these:

youtu.be/k8qqPjpOlZI

That's about as far up-your-own-arse retarded as you can get. It's shit like this makes me want to boycott certain companies.

[Fourty Two]

That octatrack one is kinda cringy, yeah, but I would prefer this to any greasy hair dude speaking to camera about their new product like it's second coming of Christ any day. They had a whole line of commercials about this guy Hector and when I asked Cenk about it he told me: "You know, they are bunch of nerds"

[Lost to the Void]

Just show us what the product does.
Don't treat us like fucking idiots.
Instruments not fashion items for Instagram photos.

[Revaron]

I like the classics.

youtu.be/GCtUtI3IeFQ

[Lost to the Void]

That guys wrists freak me the fuck out.
It looks like if he twisted a knob with too much resistance his wrists would snap.

[ozias_leduc]

RAVEN combines the simplicity of a performance-friendly, artist-first, synthesizer voice with modular, infinitely flexible, workflow possibilities.

The Human-Machine Interaction aspects are about inclusion in the world of intuitive, educational and therapeutic sound shaping for all audiences and ages through a unique sounding, 100% analog and human-relatable, musical instrument of boutique build-quality at the fairest possible price point by means of decentralization from mainstream retail chains – namely through crowdfunding.

Next up : Elektron!

OH i'm glad i wasn't the only one that thought this was an infuriatingly pretentious kickstarter!

shame they didn't mention their dynamic client synthesis solutions and audience facing analogue deep dives