3/08/2009

Gleetchlab 3: Now with NO save

Gleetchlab has just released version 3 of their software. From what I've read Gleetchlab was freeware since 2005, came out with version 2 in 2006 and disappeared for a couple of years to release 3, which costs 10.69 Euros which equates to $13.86. Software, for me, has to be productive, clever, innovative, and most importantly fun for it to be used regularly. I'm making a point with fun because essentially this software could be recreated in Max/Msp or Reaktor but by the time I have expanded on what I barely know about those programs, my inspiration boner has died. Maintaining that spark of 'lets do this!' is something I feel like software and hardware alike should try to compliment not leech away at. I'll gladly pay someone to port useful and fun Max/Reaktor patches to standalone versions and am glad they are. Nothing turns me off more than coding - maintaining a blog is the lowest common denominator in coding and I still suck at/hate it.
I'm still trying to figure out if I like the matrix patching of this program but am starting to side with 'if this shit is making me squint, f u.' Regardless of my passable opinions I'm sure I'll familiarize myself with the matrix and find some unique ways to use it and eventually wish it came with other programs.

Update:
Justin deleted a massive rant I went on about the contradictions and questionable ideologies regarding software without save. There was talk of hitting babies and this audio file. Maybe it was for the better.

I intentionally avoided including save and load functions of gleetchlab settings. (That is since the first version of gleetchlab) Why? It is an important part of my musical approach. In my analog synthesizer days there were no save fuctions at all but pencil and paper. If you approach each time a reset machine, you are forced to do something new and with little time and patience, you can master the software much better.

12 comments:

NoiseTheorem said...

No saving = epic useless fail. If the software was professional instead of dogmatic, it would that.

surachai said...

You gotta pay for the save!
Kinda like a Buchla.

Anonymous said...

No guys

even in the full version you can not save anything. is a feature of the software.

For info, GL3 forum is hosted by Noisecollective.net

Francesco

surachai said...

I stand corrected! Now I hope to be proven wrong again....

bd said...

whoah guy. i think its an interesting feature to leave OUT of an app. i admit its quirky but i like what the programmer is going for (making aesthetic decisions - not just technical). . oh i see the part of your post about the babies and racists is gone - good work.

surachai said...

Yeah, Justin rightfully censored me but all the residual talk of it makes it seem so interesting.

boorch said...

gleetchlab is more like an instrument to play live. so if one can't expect his guitar to play the chords you played yesterday, he can't expect gleetchlab to save either. it's an aesthetic solution to avoud the non-spiritual side of the electronic music.

matia said...

i've been using the older version of gleetchlab and just find recording files with it and sending them into logic/hardware samplers is great and have not needed the save function. I don't know what it is about this program, but not having a save is extremely liberating and i feel a since of freedom approaching the program with no save files saying 'finish me finish me'.

-matia

Anonymous said...

A little late, but about saving... My opinion is that saving should be possible, but cumbersome. Eg, only one save state which is automatically saved when exiting the program. As it is now, the apparoach is less than analogue. I will expect a real analogue synth to keep exactly one patch... If the position of all the knobs and cables (where applicable)would be gone after a night of sleep, I wouldn't use that synth.
Sure, with such a system, people could still back up files, but then you'd have some sort of balance between usability and dogma.

boorch said...

think of gleetchlab like a etch a scratch toy. or a paper and a pen. you just start to draw something and don't think about finishing it later. gleetchlab MEANT TO BE used for live improvising. don't see it like a 10 euro costing cheap granular reverb, bitcrusher plugin. use it as a live instrument, or a complete orchestra!

Anonymous said...

quit bitching about saving. If you want to save that oh so precious sound its called command + shift + 4

leo fidelity said...

i love this little software very much because it gave me so wonderful moments with just a few loops that i have created before. i am thinking of using this as a live perfomance tool when i am more familiar with it. i highly recommend this software for everybody that wants to make glitch/idm freakstuff and who is not a person that want everything safe and always the same...