RiffWorks review on Macsimumnews.com

[ShredRex]

I hear and agree with what you are saying Dug, and I knew the reason why the installer is as it is. I even can say with a large degree of confidence that most of us RW users would agree the software is easy enough to use that a manual is not a requirement.

The drummers were a problem for me on the install of V2 (the whole [1] thing remember?) and drummers have been an issue several times for several other reasons for alot of people. Would a unified installer have prevented this? Probably not.........but a consideration could be the full install in a large download as an option, the current method for folks that do not have broadband. That still does nothing to solve the problem with additional drummers people purchase......

Even to reinstall RW and having click and install 30 separate drummers is a pain. Nothing I can't overcome mind you

The new version is brilliant, but given the fact of what you are trying to accomplish with 2 versions with all the entanglements involved, not to mention something as ambitious as launching Rifflink.........you are not going to be able to please everyone.

I am sympathetic to that, I fear you may have taken on more than you (Sonoma) bargained for.........so we work with you guys, cause you work with us. I do admire the dedication and effort you guys (and gal) put in.

Screw the knucklehead and his bad review I say. Send him a rebuttal and a link to this thread.....maybe that will register with him. If not then he is truly lost, and not worth discussing again. LOL

[dan]

Thanks for the constructive input. We have taken on quite a bit. Hopefully we can put some polish on everything over the next few months.

Would a mega download link that you could run overnight that contained a zip file of everything in your downloads help? Maybe a check box next to each item, so you could build large zip files.

[GuitarSlinger]

I say who cares. Its not like we are going to be downloading it again and again. Just checked my Abelton folder is 268 MB and some videos games are upwards of 2 Gigs. There really is no excuse not to have broadband these days. Are you guys going to be selling Riffworks Standard in stores? Or is downloading the only method of purchasing?

What would really make Riffworks more attractive is if it came with a sample Rex library to use in the rex player.

[Bender]

I'm new to Riffworks (still on the demo) but own other music software. Riffworks is probably the easiest software (including various business apps) that I've ever used.

This was one of most shallow reviews I've ever seen about a music host. If I were a complete newbie googling reviews of Riffworks, I'd read it once and throw it in the perverbial trashbin. Once you read the "enter" key part, it's just not credible.

[pbbobkanobi]

Everyone I know has high speed internet now. I could download 600 megs in probably 20 minutes or less so a single download would be great. For those with dial-up the seperate file option is the best way. Building your own zip file is also an excellent idea.

The reviewer obviously was late on his deadline and never put the time into proper research on RW2....just my 2 cents. (this is not a personal attack on the author but a simple consumer observation....What a hack.) I wouldn't subscribe to a mag with writers that don't do thier homework. It's not that I just don't agree with him, but it seems like a lazy job done on the review.

RiffWorks 2 isn't perfect but name another program that can do the things it can, for the same price, with the same grassroots support.........


I'm waiting......
.....................

didn't think so.

Goodnite now!

[kyoryu]

Honestly, a number of 'mac people' (which is different from people that use macs) get really uptight if they see anything resembling a windows-ism in their software.

As soon as he saw the 'Enter' key entry, he probably already had decided he didn't like the software.

[scott]

I'm a bit surprised that you Sonoma dudes have taken this one to heart.

You can't please all of the people all of the time. You can't even please all of the people some of the time.

Sonoma are mature and forward thinking enough to take this on the chin and keep moving forward.

It's ONE review guys and don't lose sight of that compared to the many other positive ones. Yeh, he's a commercial reviewer but I've never heard of his publication and I'm sure I could pick holes in it and/or his review from a journalisatic point of view. It's all relative.

Out of the thousand plus registered users on this forum I can only think of two or three posts that have intimated a negative vibe over RiffWorks.

The positives far outweigh the negative. ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM!

[mickeymix]

Great and well restrained retort Michelle...........(to the review)
much respect from this humble consumer is given to you and the Sonoma crew!!.........



.......................Mike

[Maxe]

Hats off for Michelle - you did the right thing...

[redbaron]

i have rw2 line6 edition, and i´ve always loved the whole bundle. man, when i think back to the fostex x30 i got from my parents for my 18th birthday...

however, there´s one criticism in the review i do share. the instant drummers. there´s just too few of them included in the base price. in my opinion, when you offer a comprehensive product you´ve got to make it whole. but with the very few demo sessions one gets with the standard rw pack, the product is NOT "whole". you´re practically forced to spend more money if you really want to have fun with rw and not diddle along with the same 3 rhythms all the time. one could even say that to an extent, rw is not a standalone software. rather, it´s a platform that obliges its users to continuously buy add ons.

even though i very much like the id sessions and the flexibility behind it, i don´t think that this is a fair value proposition. and unfortunately, it´s shared by the line6 guys, too. in their latest gearbox software, there´s a lot of preset sounds that you can not enable without buying additional "model packs". forgive me, but i don´t like where this is going. i suspect that after a year of using guitarport and riffworks, many musicians will easily have spent the same amount they had paid for the original software on add ons.

what i think is indeed worth criticising around this is that it doesn´t say so anywhere around the products. both l6 and sww promise buyers a one-stop, all-in-one software that will make them happy for a long time. especially with regards to the drummers, however, i think it would be fair to tell people honestly that there´s only a very limited rhythm section included in the retail package and that upgrading it will require cash. i believe that this would prevent a few disappointments.

and, again - me personally, i would have had a better feeling of value for money with a few more drum sessions, too.

[ShredRex]

They never hid from anyone what drummers were included.............

Granted to really get some longevity from RW you will need some more drummers......but inevitably more drummers included would have also raised the base price. I think the ultimate goal was to make the software customizable for each user.

I personally was pulling away from instant drummers, and therefore would have rather had a lower base price than a bloated installation of stuff I would not use. But now I am using them more and more as the alternatives are not as great as I had thought, and they cost money too. By comparison the purchase of additional instant drummers is quite comparable to say a loop cd.

As for Line 6 and the model packs, I find those way over priced, and not a very cost effective option, some people love them, others do not. I have survived without one and will continue to do so.

Bottom line is you can't please everyone all of the time...........and I think Sonoma marketed the product accurately and honestly.

[michelle]

i have rw2 line6 edition...want to not diddle along with the same 3 rhythms all the time...i would have had a better feeling of value for money with a few more drum sessions, too.

redbaron, both RiffWorks Standard and Line 6 Edition come with these 8 free InstantDrummer Sessions:

* Afro Island Grooves
* Discrete Drums - Bare Bones
* Drums On Demand - Habanero Groove
* Drums On Demand - Half Nelson
* Drums On Demand - When I Drum Around
* Mekanic Beats
* Submersible Music - Matt Sorum Basic
* Trash Funk

If you don't have them please contact support so we can help you get them.

Michelle

[mickeymix]

Mr. Petrie was kind enough to leave a retort of his own ............at the aformentioned website....... and at least he aknowledges that he spent little time with the software....and leaves open the possibillities of retracting his comments.

[nickyp]

| Not enough drum content

As a software developer and business owner I perfectly understand why they more or less ship 'Not enough drum content' and charge 9$ a pop for more. A business needs to make money after all...

As a musician, I just feel there should be about twice the amount of free drummers included for a price of 129$, especially if you play lots of styles.

But hey, I can afford them, I put them to real good use writing for my band, so it's not the end of the world.

They're not invading my country trying to force to buy all drummer session in the store or anything

[tim914]

however, there´s one criticism in the review i do share. the instant drummers. there´s just too few of them included in the base price. in my opinion, when you offer a comprehensive product you´ve got to make it whole. but with the very few demo sessions one gets with the standard rw pack, the product is NOT "whole".

This is a perfect example of the confusion. If you check your download page after purchase, you will see that you already have 8 other drummers available for download.

From the product info page:

Expanded InstantDrummer Library - Top drum-session companies are providing content for RiffWorks users - 8 InstantDrummer sessions (2 new) now included free and more are now available.

Michelle lists the drummers and I found them on my download page.

However, I'm with Bob in that the major collection of users now have high speed network connections. So, how about a full installer that includes the drummers as a single download?

Tim