Every time I read another inspiring article or watch a video on what MIDI achieved 30 years ago, I can’t help but be bothered by the mess of formats and propriety systems we are forced to continue to contend with. You may have read my recent article on this here, you may have heard my comments on Podcast number 50.
Well, sometimes you have to try and do something that might go wrong, than sit back and let things continue as they are.
There are too many hours wasted by brilliant plug-in companies porting to and from different plug-in formats, time that could be better spent creating new ideas - it is frankly a waste of time and money. It stiffles their creative efforts and hinders real development.
I’m not going to take sides here either, all the manufacturers who keep coming up with new formats need to start to consider those of us buying the stuff and the software companies who have to keep porting the stuff. If you are one of the manufacturers who invented a new one (you know who you are) then look back to what MIDI did 30 years ago. I’m not stupid, I get you’re in business and your formats earn you valuable licence revenue, but so were Roland, Sequential Circuits, Yamaha and many others who joined the MIDI revolution, who invented a format that is open, FREE and no one has ever made a single cent in revenue from.
I understand these things don’t happen overnight, that they cost money, that they require change, but how about you spare a thought for all the money spent by your loyal plug-in partners, or the people who buy your products? Are your profits based on us having to change our working practices or upgrading our systems, how is that rewarding loyalty?
So, I’m on a mission, I might make a dick of myself, there is a huge possibility of that - but it’s time we started to standardize an audio plug-in format, it’s time we started to think about Plug-in X (and no you can’t f*cking copyright that!).
I’m inviting, challenging, provoking, cajolling brands and users who want to join me on this impossible, silly mission to consider a better future for plug-ins, to join me on this journey of exploring the seemingly impossible.
This doesn’t even come close to putting a man on the moon, the abolition of slavery, or a million other really important challenges, all of which were faced and overcome. So in the grand scheme of things, something as simple as plug-in X is worth considering.
I’m mad enough to try and make this happen - who wants to join me?
So manufacturers, software creators, dreamers and mavericks, email me if you want to explore this mad idea - it could be a disaster - but just imagine if it worked! Some of you have already spoken to me off the record, so how about we try and explore Plug-in X? What’s the worst that can happen, if it goes wrong then here’s the deal, you can blame me.
PS: I’m expecting quite a few comments about how stupid an idea this is - so knock yourself out. Remember, it only takes a mouth to comment and criticize, it takes courage to make a difference.
PPS: How about your share this on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ and see what the rest of the world thinks.
We had a gremlin and so this article is the same as the last one, but all the original comments that relate to an article that no longer exists… rest assured the comments are still on Disqus.