modular/flexor

[Joey]

I am going to restore my Scope system, mainly to work with the modular. I just got a scope card for a great bargain, so now I've finally got all the dsp power I always dreamt about (been working with a Pulsar 1 for many years).
My question is: is it worth it to invest in the flexor package? It's 200 euros, which is quite a lot of money to invest into something that's never updated.
What are your thoughts?

[Liquid EDGE]

Yes.

[garyb]

how would an update make it significantly more effective?
a good product is a good product. it's not like something as complicated as a sequencer or an operating system. the best hardware is often old and not updated. computers have bypassed certain critical thinking processes in the sense that things only have value when they are new. life just isn't like that. sometimes new things are better, sometimes they are not. if modular synthesis is the main focus, the tools in Flexor are well worth it. 200 euros is nothing in the world of audio. if a cheap freeware modular will really provide the same level of quality, then use it.

it all depends on your needs.

[valis]

Crap, going to have to send back my Kurzweil and JD-800/JV-1000's, not to mention my Virus KB, QSR, Yamaha SPX-SD, FS1r....and so many other things in here. They're never updated!

Scope running strong for 19 years and running (btw I 'updated' to Scope 7 within the last 2 years).

[Joey]

Ok. Forget the update word. Hardware doesn't become obsolete. Computer stuff does. That's what I mean.

[Liquid EDGE]

think of flexor as an expansion pack I suppose. modular is always being updated, in a sense. bcm stuff. cwm stuff. and who knows, maybe there will be a modular 5 from sc..

anyway its a great pack of modules for the modular, its worth it in my opinion. sounds great too!

cool thing about scope is its basically hardware (digital hardware of course ). nothing I've got for it has become obsolete yet.

[garyb]

the only part of Scope that is actually happening inside the computer is the gui for the dsp hardware.
Scope devices really cannot become obsolete, although the computers that provide connection to apps inside the computer and the expansion slots and the operating systems certainly can.

actually, what you see on the computer screen with Scope is the DSP operating system...because of this, it is pretty rare when old devices really need updating. certain parts of some synths like step sequencers might need updating to work in 64bit, samplers need to be updated to work in 64bit and a couple of plugins don't work in anything newer than XP, but the overwhelming majority of Scope plugins don't care about what the computer does. Flexor is in that majority, for the most part. there is a lot of stuff in Flexor and Flexor3, but there is a lot in mod1,2 and 3. it depends on what you want, but if you're serious about modular synthesis, you probably want Flexor.

with Scope hardware, it's still a great tool even as a stand-alone synth or fx or mixing box using an old computer.

[valis]

with Scope hardware, it's still a great tool even as a stand-alone synth or fx or mixing box using an old computer.

This was my meaning. Scope has a place in any studio that could house an external synth, guitar, piano etc. If the goal is to take an iPad on the bus with you, then it's not convenient. Also, it's worth reiterating that when doing music we have an advantage that I do not have when I do graphical tasks, even software from the 80's and 90's may make interesting sounds and be worth using. Or another example is people who have still used Atari machines to sequence outboard gear, well past what any Ableton Live laptop producer would consider keeping their machine. I cannot say that I would keep a 2001 era machine around for 3D rendering or Photoshop tasks as I do with Scope, which actually *is* still housed in a machine that I built in 2001 and still works as well as the other devices in my workspace that I listed above.

[Sounddesigner]

SCOPE Modular is a top-notch system worth far far more than what it and its expansions cost. It's very flexible and sounds like no other. The sound is high-end IMO. I'd definitely buy Flexor if i already did'nt have it. Modular 4 upgrade is also worth looking into IMO. Both have some nice patches and sound different. The Modular is a large part of the heart of SCOPE and is the point where SCOPE is ultra-strong IMB.

PS. Let me echo what Gary and Valis has stated and that is basically great gear does not get obsolete. If the audio gear is built right in the beginning no need to re-do it. I love it when SCOPE gets new plugins and Modular gets new expansions but these things are NOT NEEDED for me but i admit new potential customers are attracted to 'new' but that's cause the industry has trained them to think that latest-is-greatest and that if they don't upgrade and get 'new' they'll die , also trains them to think that if a product does not upgrade frequently or at all then there is something wrong with it. SCOPE can pull you away from never ending software upgrades that in the end have you spending more on endless upgrades than you would on great hardware that usually sounds better and lasts longer and holds its value better generally. I'd classify SCOPE moreso with great hardware rather than software tho its sort of a hybrid.


EDITED

[Bud Weiser]

... certain parts of some synths like step sequencers might need updating to work in 64bit, samplers need to be updated to work in 64bit and a couple of plugins don't work in anything newer than XP, but the overwhelming majority of Scope plugins don't care about what the computer does. Flexor is in that majority, for the most part.

So, Flexor 3 doesn´t need any 64Bit files ?
I looked @Adern and S|C server and couldn´t find any.

Just askin´,- I own Flexor3 but haven´t installed in 64Bit system up to now.



Bud

[valis]

It does not. Based on my understanding of Scope, 64bit files would be needed for any async functions that rely on the host computer like delay lines, sample playback, midi operations and so on. This is why the STS samplers and step sequencers may be affected. What Assaf did with flexor was implement everything with low level math functions, so that all async operations were replaced with 100% sync functions that ensured everything was AT audiorate always, and thus sample accurate in terms of timing. No host CPU required aside from the UI elements & Scope OS itself of course.

[fidox]

Flexor = Yes

[Bud Weiser]

It does not. Based on my understanding of Scope, 64bit files would be needed for any async functions that rely on the host computer like delay lines, sample playback, midi operations and so on. This is why the STS samplers and step sequencers may be affected. What Assaf did with flexor was implement everything with low level math functions, so that all async operations were replaced with 100% sync functions that ensured everything was AT audiorate always, and thus sample accurate in terms of timing. No host CPU required aside from the UI elements & Scope OS itself of course.

Excellent,- great explanation !

thx



Bud

[Xite Knight v2.0]

Flexor = main reason for using Scope here