MOTM

Mike Marsh writes:
>>So because it's Paul's hobby, he should fund yours? I wouldn't.<<

What?  As a customer, I felt the need to point out some other things that
Paul may not have considered.  He said the only reason certain modules were
being discontinued was based only on how many were being sold.  I pointed
out that things are interralated, and following only that decision may cause
other side effects.  All modular synth companies have the basic modules.
You can get those elsewhere.  It's those unique ones that distinguish one
company from another and may bring in new customers.  I already have a 700,
820, and a couple of 850's, so it's no skin off my nose if they are
cancelled.  I have funded Paul's hobby.

However, about supporting Paul's hobby.  His module price increase do to his
wife wanting a new kitchen, well, I'm not sure that's really what I was
hoping to fund.  I could use a new kitchen myself too.

As far as the word hobby, I have a bit of a problem with that word.  A
business is for profit and a hobby is something you do for fun, not for
profit.  I wish it would just be called a business all the time which it is.

Paul S. writes:
>>In fact, even simple MIDI-CV like the Kenton's have portamento. Every
CV/Gate out keyboard also has it. There is no "need" for the '820 to do
portamento.<<

I should point out a couple of things.  Not all cv/gate keyboards have it,
or not always on the cv output, and those that do are usually ancient things
with no velocity or pressure and not really what many people would want to
use.  Yes, many can get by with Midi, but the Kenton for example only has
one type of portamento, and it's always a pain to start to have to go
through LCD menu programming when using a modular.  The MOTM 820 lag with
it's lin/log is about the only thing that can give me very natural sounding
slides for string sounds.  I've tried everything on my Nord modular, and it
can't do it.  Don't think any midi box will either.  Not to mention that the
amount of it can be controlled with a pedal.  It's usually always patched
into my Kenton CV path, and when I want portamento, it's just a switch flip
away.

>>Actual sales data does not verify this assumption (700, 850, 510, etc, are
cool new stuff for new customers).<<

I think that might be do to the newer customers seem to be those buying one
module every few months, rather than the types who buy whole systems at
once.  They need basic modules before specialized ones.  And that might be
the sad fact that is dooming the more interesting modules.

-Elhardt