Black Friday Deals, Anyone?

[Mike Rivers]

The press releases are dribbling in. Feel free to add your favorite special price deals to this discussion and maybe save someone some money.

 

Boz Digital Labs has a bunch of their signal processor plug-ins on sale for $29 each through December 1.

 

My cynic side tells me to remind you that they have $29 special sales several times a year, so they'll be around again if you pass on them this time around. But I just thought I'd let you know.

[GovernorSilver]

ProAudioStar has a November sales event. Coupon code is on the front page

https://www.proaudiostar.com/

 

So far I picked up a Digitech Freqout, which was already discounted before the Nov. sale.

 

Sweetwater has some random things discounted - you pretty much have to have something in mind already and search for it specifically to see if it's on sale.

 

DJ Tech Tools has a sale to fund assistance to struggling local venues. You have to hit them up in chat to get the discount code for a particular item.

https://store.djtechtools.com/pages/shop-small-support-venues

[Mighty Motif Max]

Waves is coming out with a new CLA-series plugin - you"ll get it free if you sign up for their newsletter. They do this every year with a different plugin.

 

Waves Black Friday Free Plugin

[KuruPrionz]

IK Multimedia has some other sales right now but the one I am interested in is Modo Drum 40% off.

 

And today I got sales from Baby Audio - just gonna copy and paste them.

 

Comeback Kid - Creative Delay Plugin - $29 (40% off)

Parallel Aggressor - The Definitive Punch Plugin - $29 (40% off)

Super VHS - 1980s Style Lofi Plugin - $29 (40% off)

I Heart NY - Punchy Parallel Compressor - $19 (34% off)

 

All Plugins Bundle - $69 (30% extra off regular bundle deal)

[KuruPrionz]

Speaking of Waves, they continue to promote their apparently endless sales.

They've had a selection of plugins, starting at $29.95 with the bonus that a $50 purchase includes one free plugin and a $90? (I think) purchase includes 3 free plugins.

Bearing in mind that this has been going on for months and shows no signs of ending (but then again, who knows?).

[KuruPrionz]

Accusonics is offering up to between 62 and 80% discounts on their monthly subscriptions depending on which bundle you choose.

 

Izotope has bundles on sale, prices vary.

 

IK Multimedia has put more of their plugins on sale.

 

Usually around Xmas time Native Instruments gives a plugin away, last year it was Raum reverb, which sounds great. Guess we'll see how this year goes.

[KuruPrionz]

Native Instruments offereing 50% of "190+ products".

 

The emails keep on coming...

[GovernorSilver]

GearSlutz's roundup - one of the very few that shows hardware deals, not just software

 

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/deal-zone/883976-hot-deals-amp-sales.html

[KuruPrionz]

GearSlutz's roundup - one of the very few that shows hardware deals, not just software

 

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/deal-zone/883976-hot-deals-amp-sales.html

 

 

You win the interwebzzz!!!!!

[Mike Rivers]

Lots of software for sure, but very little hardware. The only hardware I saw in that Gearslutz listing is an RME 32-channel interface that costs $4,000. Even with the 20% discount, it's still too much for me to want that badly - particularly since then I'd want an API console to go with it.

 

But I'm glad to see someone making that sort of product. Now maybe PreSonus will make one for half the price and 3/4 as good, which would be good enough for me.

[GovernorSilver]

Lots of software for sure, but very little hardware. The only hardware I saw in that Gearslutz listing is an RME 32-channel interface.

 

You may have to drill down into some of those links - Sweetwater for example. I ordered a Behringer Pro-One from there after noticing the price dropped by $49, as well as a set of Hosa Eurorack patch cables that were discounted.

[Geoff Grace]

Here's another huge list of current music software sales:

 

Tiger the Frog's Alphabetical List of November 2020 Sales

 

...And it's updated daily, with red denoting today's additions. The deals span multiple posts, so make sure you scroll past Tiger the Frog's first post. There are some SSD and hard drive deals listed as well.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Anderton]

I downloaded the free drum machine samples from Steven Slate However having just gotten Komplete, I figure it will take me the rest of my life just to explore what's in there - any additional software at this point would cause mental clipping.

[KuruPrionz]

Thanks Geoff, will surf that this evening. I am in the middle of a recording system specific creation of a new boot drive for my Mac. Will probably post about it once it's up and running.

 

Meanwhile - Izotope is giving away an update of Vinyl, which was their first plugin. Not sure if I will like it but I don't mind giving it a spin (horrible pun intended).

 

https://www.izotope.com/en/products/vinyl.html?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ACS&utm_campaign=2020.11-12+Holiday+Campaign&utm_content=PO&utm_term=BF+Bump+1+Vinyl&deliveryName=iZoHolidayBFBump1_PO

[Mike Rivers]

iZotope is offering a free update to their (as far as I know always free) Vinyl, a plug-in that makes your pristine recording sound like an old, beat-up phonograph record, or even a brand new never-played record. The updated version has a new user interface and some new low-fi tools. Both the update to the original version of Vinyl and the whole shebang can be downloaded

here.

 

They also have some pretty hefty discounts on other products here.

[KuruPrionz]

iZotope is offering a free update to their (as far as I know always free) Vinyl. New user interface, new low-fi tools. Both an update (if you already have Vinyl) or the whole shebang can be downloaded

here.

 

They also have some pretty hefty discounts on other products here.

 

 

Yes they do. I like their way of doing business, the software and customer service are both very good.

 

There is a "secret" upgrade path. Get the Elements versions and wait for the next update of the full version. I stole RX7 that way. It did take a while and since RX8 more or less just came out it will probably take much longer.

This strategy has worked well with many vendors, get the cheap or free version and just before the next version comes out they will flip it for dimes on the dollar. I got the full version of SampleTank 3 that way too, then updated to the free version of SampleTank 4 which is much easier to use and does not freeze my DAW. All the SampleTank 3 sounds work great on SampleTank 4 free version.

 

We don't always need the latest and the greatest, with software constantly being "improved" we can play the game and do well.

[Mike Rivers]

So any day could be your Black Friday if you keep up with the upcoming new versions.

 

When I downloaded my copy of Vinyl, I saw that I had a $29 deal on RX8 Elements, which does include a good bit of repair tricks, but I've seen that price advertised as a special before. Wow and Flutter and Azimuth correction are two features that I figure are important for working with analog tapes, and those are only available in the Advanced version. Spectral Repair and Spectral De-Noise come with the middle version. But I'm afraid that if I get into that level of cleaning up crappy audio, I'll go down a rabbit hole and never come out. So best to ignore the Black Friday temptation.

[KuruPrionz]

So any day could be your Black Friday if you keep up with the upcoming new versions.

 

When I downloaded my copy of Vinyl, I saw that I had a $29 deal on RX8 Elements, which does include a good bit of repair tricks, but I've seen that price advertised as a special before. Wow and Flutter and Azimuth correction are two features that I figure are important for working with analog tapes, and those are only available in the Advanced version. Spectral Repair and Spectral De-Noise come with the middle version. But I'm afraid that if I get into that level of cleaning up crappy audio, I'll go down a rabbit hole and never come out. So best to ignore the Black Friday temptation.

 

Or at least ignore it for a while. When RX8 is getting long in the tooth you could go for it. You really only have to use what you want to use.

I'm attracted to all the variations on Noise Removal that RX7 Standard offers over Elements. I have a variety of external noise sources that I would love to be able to go back into tracks and remove.

I'm sure there are other fun things I might need once in a while.

 

Probably set for now, maybe when RX12 comes out I'll want to move up. Still happily using a version of NI Studio Drummer that I bought around 2012, thanks to the new Native Access program I can still install it.

I think the program is 64 bit but the installer for Mac was 32 bit. I tried installing from a downloaded installer yesterday on a drive running Catalina and it wouldn't do it. Then I tried again on Native Access and there are no problems at all.

[Mike Rivers]

When RX8 is getting long in the tooth you could go for it. You really only have to use what you want to use.

I'm attracted to all the variations on Noise Removal that RX7 Standard offers over Elements.

Well, so am I, actually, but they're offering me RX8 Elements for $29 and Advanced for $1299. Big difference, probably because they want me to join the RX8 family, but since it's still a current product, the more capable versions are still not discounted. I'm contemplating whether I'll use Elements more than once or twice in the next year (business is slow ). If I got in a paying project that's beyond the basic capabilities of Elements, I'd probably send it off to my friendly local mastering engineer who does plenty of "fixing screwed up audio" that he would know just what to use and how to use it, for little more than my cost for Elements.

 

But then, having Elements to play with might help me learn how to interpret the spectrogram, which is something I've always had difficulty with when messing around with this sort of program. And when RX9 or 10 comes out, they might offer me a Loyalty discount on the higher levels, or, as you've discovered, they heavily discount the about-to-be-replaced version. I've had a review copy of the first Spectral Layers around for years. I was going to write a review but I never really got so that I knew what I was doing.

 

See what I'm doing here? I'm trying to convince myself to spend the $29 just to have it around if I feel like playing with it. That sometimes works, and sometimes it doesn't. I still haven't really used that Samar ribbon mic yet, and that was more than 10x the price of RX8 Elements.

[KuruPrionz]

When RX8 is getting long in the tooth you could go for it. You really only have to use what you want to use.

I'm attracted to all the variations on Noise Removal that RX7 Standard offers over Elements.

Well, so am I, actually, but they're offering me RX8 Elements for $29 and Advanced for $1299. Big difference, probably because they want me to join the RX8 family, but since it's still a current product, the more capable versions are still not discounted. I'm contemplating whether I'll use Elements more than once or twice in the next year (business is slow ). If I got in a paying project that's beyond the basic capabilities of Elements, I'd probably send it off to my friendly local mastering engineer who does plenty of "fixing screwed up audio" that he would know just what to use and how to use it, for little more than my cost for Elements.

 

But then, having Elements to play with might help me learn how to interpret the spectrogram, which is something I've always had difficulty with when messing around with this sort of program. And when RX9 or 10 comes out, they might offer me a Loyalty discount on the higher levels, or, as you've discovered, they heavily discount the about-to-be-replaced version. I've had a review copy of the first Spectral Layers around for years. I was going to write a review but I never really got so that I knew what I was doing.

 

See what I'm doing here? I'm trying to convince myself to spend the $29 just to have it around if I feel like playing with it. That sometimes works, and sometimes it doesn't. I still haven't really used that Samar ribbon mic yet, and that was more than 10x the price of RX8 Elements.

 

To be completely honest, I've not used RX yet. I've been working on getting things to sound great at the recording stage and that is going well.

Don't have to fix what isn't broken. At some point, I'll be recording and get a great take, one of those performances that you know is as good as it will get. And some stupid noise from outside will be polluting it.

Then I will have to learn how to do something with it.

 

I am not lazy, I am "efficient."

[Mike Rivers]

I hope not to have to RX-fix any of my recordings, but these days I find myself working with other peoples' recordings, recordings not made with the care and tools that we have today, so there are a lot of flaws that nobody worried about 40 or 50 years ago, but which would be bothersome if those recordings were released today.

[David Emm]

I have ample additive/FM-arena resources, so I have no true need for it at all, but NI is offering their additive synth RAZOR for about $50. I'm wary of the company's uncertain behaviors, but the one time I got sit and explore it for a while, I was impressed. It comes in various flavors across many instruments, but that one makes additive accessible in a big way. The practical preset groupings of harmonics is a smart approach for getting someone rolling readily, for example. I have Pigments, Alchemy, a soft D-50 and DEXED on tap. Despite that, please whack me in the back of the head and say NO! YOU HAVE ENOUGH SYNTHS!! It may not work, but who knows?

[KuruPrionz]

I have ample additive/FM-arena resources, so I have no true need for it at all, but NI is offering their additive synth RAZOR for about $50. I'm wary of the company's uncertain behaviors, but the one time I got sit and explore it for a while, I was impressed. It comes in various flavors across many instruments, but that one makes additive accessible in a big way. The practical preset groupings of harmonics is a smart approach for getting someone rolling readily, for example. I have Pigments, Alchemy, a soft D-50 and DEXED on tap. Despite that, please whack me in the back of the head and say NO! YOU HAVE ENOUGH SYNTHS!! It may not work, but who knows?

 

I hear about NI's "uncertain behaviors" but I guess I haven't been around long enough to know what they might be.

 

Really, the only minor complaint I would have right now is that the new Native Access software still has an installer for the library of GPO (Garritan Personal Orchestra) that came with Tracktion 3 when I bought a Mackie Onyx interface long ago (and long since gone). I may contact Support and ask them if they could please remove that.

 

Otherwise, I've got everything I ever got from them, except only the latest versions of Kontakt Player, Reaktor Player etc. I just installed all of it onto a recent Catalina external boot drive that I am setting up for recording only.

It all works, apparently their plugins have been 64 bit for a long time but the installers are 32 bit. Native Access solves that problem and doesn't bring up all those popup install windows that every other plugin requires when installing on a Mac. You know, the agreement, then click "I Accept" then the location panel, click "Just F#cking GO" and then the actual go button. Of course you have to close the original install window too and/or click whether or not to save the installer or toss it in the trash. None of that happens with Native Access, I like that.

 

If GPO was gone, I could have clicked "Install All" and come back later and it would all be done. The Waves installer bypasses those windows too but so far nobody else whose plugins I own. Took FOREVER to reinstall the IK stuff because they don't keep it and insist that you download and keep your own copies - takes up a ton of space, you gotta double click each one bla bla bla.

 

David Emm, what you need is more synths!!!!!! Just sayin'...

[Dave Bryce]

David Emm, what you need is more synths!!!!!! Just sayin'...

 

dB

[GovernorSilver]

Rattlesnake has a 20% off sale

https://www.rattlesnakecables.com/sale/black-friday-sale/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=black-friday&fb=77f3b7bb&fbclid=IwAR3x6icD-qH7DJEznN7WQOK2VWN_7N4V6379kYuRYkCHbrQEIUkNx4t55Ts

[GovernorSilver]

Free Eventde H9 series plugin bundle for H9 Max owners.

https://www.eventideaudio.com/one-h9-rule-them-all

 

The IOS app world has exploded with Black Friday deals. I can't keep up. If you have an app in mind, just search here to see if it's discounted:

https://appsliced.co/

[Anderton]

The IOS app world has exploded with Black Friday deals. I can't keep up. If you have an app in mind, just search here to see if it's discounted:

https://appsliced.co/

 

That's an amazing find. Wow! What you can get for a few dollars is astonishing. Thanks!!

[Mighty Motif Max]

Native Instruments isn't doing any special pricing on their Komplete bundles, but the full version of Kontakt 6 is $199. Thinking of picking it up since so many "free" libraries (orchestral in particular) require it to actually run.

[GovernorSilver]

The IOS app world has exploded with Black Friday deals. I can't keep up. If you have an app in mind, just search here to see if it's discounted:

https://appsliced.co/

 

That's an amazing find. Wow! What you can get for a few dollars is astonishing. Thanks!!

 

My pleasure. Just found another website that attempts to summarize all the IOS music app sales:

https://discchord.com/appnews/2020/11/23/app-sales-black-monday-2020?fbclid=IwAR39_XBTQoagfvvpZFpTilO5ups11lq6eJTd7NMpdIru1ztDqsUmh2n2Bgc

[KuruPrionz]

Native Instruments isn't doing any special pricing on their Komplete bundles, but the full version of Kontakt 6 is $199. Thinking of picking it up since so many "free" libraries (orchestral in particular) require it to actually run.

 

 

Keep watching too, NI will have holiday sales into January. MANY vendors will. Typically NI will give away a plugin nearer to Xmas too.

 

I blew my bargain discount annual sale money already - Modo Drum. No regrets, with the crossgrade and 34 Jam points it was $86. Great sounding drum program, love it!