Don't download too much anymore, except for new amp sims.
If I use something for awhile, I buy it.
Love the Neural DSP amp sims.
Will buy licences for 1 or 2 but stay with the R2R versions as they're more efficient.

 

"Cracked plugins sound better." Sound On Sound Magazine - February 2015

 

Last edited by a moderator: Sep 13, 2021

Ain't no mountain high enough!

 

*looking at everyones long drawn out answers about why they use cracks and really explain it*

what an awfully long winded way to say because you don't wanna pay for stuff. no need to be saints or act holier than thou, you know why you REALLY use em and you know why you are on those sites. Nothing wrong with saying "cuz i dont give a shit and i dont wanna pay", tahts why they are cracks. too many people with long winded questions, we know what the truth is, and you shouldn't be afraid to say why. No other pirate really gives af, always these long excuses lol.

 

Aight, I'll bite.
When you live off 50 euros a month you can't really afford sinking money into a hobby that doesn't yield you anything but some sanity.
You can't afford losing said hobby either.
Thinking everybody is in the same conditions as you are generally will get you to misjudgements only.

 

I see where you're coming from.

I was being sorta facetious. I've had exactly one song published on a label (which is exactly one more than I would've ever imagined lol) and still haven't been paid for it. I used the cracked Arturia Mini V in it and don't feel bad about it. If I had an income from music (in any way, not only as a producer) I would buy the plugins I regularly use, starting with my DAW. At least that's what I've been saying to myself for years now, but I never had the occasion to put it to test.

Re : the price tag, I gave the Melda example on purpose, because he himself rips off other developers quite often, to me the irony is obvious lol. But in principle you're right, no matter the price, if you can afford it you should. I simply cannot. Even a 100 bucks plugin represents an important part of my income (the ones I bought were never more expensive than 30 bucks). You can imagine how a bundle of 2.5k makes me feel like

I would upload myself on rutracker if I knew anyone would download it, but I highly doubt it. My own music has been on soulseek for years now and I don't think anyone ever downloaded it. For what it's worth, it's not on spotify or beatport either lol. I'm much more romantic than you think

 

I haven't had time to read the whole thread. And if no one has said it, maybe the question is: who uses whom?

 

I hate copy protections. Serial numbers or a key file, sure, love them. I don’t mind iLok most of the time, but I do prefer properly cracked versions. They load faster and don’t tie up USB resources. If my iLok ever went bad, I can still use my plugins.
I hate C/R stuff. If the company ever goes under, you’d be hooped.

I really dislike plugins that constantly phone home or want to launch some sort of “software manager” every time you use them - such as Arturia’s stuff. I hate that some of my older Native-Instruments products can no longer be activated. Thank God I have cracked versions.

I did buy a couple dozen Waves plugins over the years, but I absolutely REFUSE to let those jewish mobsters extort yearly WUP fees from me. Thank you, VR and R2R for addressing that concern. ;)

Using “fixed” versions of some programs resulted in my buying legit licenses. I’m not a thief. Thou shalt not steal. I’m not holier than thou, but my heart and conscience are clear. I have used unfettered “trial“ versions, but when I find one that I genuinely find useful and will continue to make use of, I always buy.

I don’t earn a living with my home recording.

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2021

Dunno mate why do you masturbate over young girls and shoot heroin?

 

Formula:

The rich keep everything for themselves and don’t give anything away.

The reaction is hackers and crackers organizing themselves and
providing free software, films, music, books, learning material.

Team Air say: Because we are not millionaires

 

The fact is, someone has to pay the developers. Otherwise they will go bankrupt and there will be nothing left to crack.
The "argument" that making music is just a hobby and you don't earn any money with it, I can't accept. For other hobbies you also have to pay, at least for the fun. Those who can afford it financially should support developers. I find users who only use warez out of stinginess asocial.

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2021

There are tons of hobbies that cost nothing.

 

If it's a small developer and I use it regularly, then I end up buying it. Maybe I'll use a few cracked ones from their collection, but mostly I wait for them to go on sale. The funny thing is if I hadn't tried some cracked plugins, I would have never thought twice about trying/buying them.

In the case of Native Instruments, I hate that company so hard on so many levels right now that I do it out of defiance. Ironically, I was a big supporter of NI in their early days. After they got bought out by Francisco Partners, I knew they would go to shit. Go luck up Francisco Partners to see what a shady company they are - I put up links before but they were taken down.

 

Since inception over 20 years ago, Francisco Partners has raised more than $ 24 billion in managed capital and invested in more than 300 technology companies, making it one of the most active and long-standing investors in the technology industry.

Spoiler: EMH Partners sells majority stake in Native Instruments to Francisco Partners.

January 20, 2021
EMH Partners sells majority stake in Native Instruments to Francisco Partners.

Francisco Partners is investing heavily in Native Instruments, the world's leading provider of software and hardware for digital music production based in Berlin, and acquires a majority stake from EMH Partners and the founding shareholders - both of which remain significant minority shareholders

Native Instruments wants to expand its pioneering role in the field of digital music production and expand its product range - goal: to create a holistic, user-centered platform for music production

Native Instruments will further consolidate the fragmented music software industry
Munich, Berlin January 21, 2021 - EMH Partners, Munich, and the founding shareholders of Native Instruments, Berlin, are selling the majority of their shares in Native Instruments Holding GmbH to Francisco Partners, a leading global private equity firm focused on investing in technology companies and technology-oriented Company specializes. Upon completion of the transaction, EMH Partners, the native founding shareholders and management will hold a significant minority stake in the company. Native Instruments is the world market leader for software and hardware for digital music production and is headquartered in Berlin.

Native Instruments was founded in Berlin in 1996 and has more than 400 employees. The company has 7 offices worldwide and is active in more than 180 countries. Native Instruments is considered to be one of the spearheads of the “democratization” of music production. The company enables creatives to produce music without the high set-up costs associated with traditional music studios. Music professionals around the world rely on the comprehensive musical instrument library from Native Instruments and high-quality software tools to optimize their music production process. An estimated 8 out of 10 tracks in the Billboard Top 10, the leading US singles chart, were created using Native Instruments technology.

In 2017, EMH Partners invested 50 million euros in Native Instruments, followed by another investment in 2020, with which EMH obtained a majority stake in the company. The management and board of directors of Native Instruments, together with EMH, have significantly further developed the company and expanded its market position:

Sales of Native Instruments products for digital music production have increased by 60% since EMH's investment in 2017;
The number of monthly active users more than doubled by the end of 2020 and is now 1.5 million; Increase in the number of industrial partners on the Native Instruments technology platforms by 60% and thus global technology leadership.

With Francisco Partners, Native Instruments plans to further expand its product leadership, drive consolidation in the growing and fragmented digital music production market, and further expand its already leading position in the industry.

“As an innovator in the field of digital music production, with outstanding brand awareness and outstanding software technology, Native Instruments is a perfect platform and partner for Francisco Partners. We look forward to working with the management team and the previous shareholders. We will use our broad operational and strategic experience as well as our M&A skills to support the company in accelerating its growth path, ”said Matt Spetzler, Co-Head Europe and Partner at Francisco Partners. Spetzler will in future be represented on the Native Instruments supervisory board. "We are very pleased to be working with the Native Instruments team and the previous shareholders, and we firmly believe that Native Instruments is the platform to rely on in the exciting field of music production," added Mario Razzini, Principal at Francisco Partners, who will also be represented on the Native Instruments supervisory board.

Dominik Schwarz, Partner at EMH Partners, says: “Our partnership with Native Instruments underlines our strength as a leading partner for technology entrepreneurs in German-speaking Europe. We invest in technology-oriented medium-sized companies and support them with capital, digitization and expansion skills. Francisco Partners has recognized the excellent international position, the strong management team, and the great future potential of Native Instruments. With her extensive experience in developing technology companies on a global scale, we welcome Francisco Partners and look forward to continuing our partnership with Native Instruments. "

https://emh.com/news/emh-partners-u...-an-native-instruments-an-francisco-partners/

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2021

Someone wrote here, that in the end you should have a clear conscience without being a crook. I do not condemn anyone who can not afford the software or wants to test it first. I also understand that you just don't like to support some developer. But I find a "want everything for free" mentality to suck. You don't go to work for free and want your salary somehow. And sure, you can do sports for free, or whatever, but that's not the point. As a rule, you don't hurt anyone with that. You want good software, but you don't want to pay for it.

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2021

Because I live in Russia and most of our people (including myself) work for 200-300$ a month. Officially "average" income is 500$ but this includes people who get 200$ and those who get 100000$ (10% of population have 90% of all the wealth in Russia). So that's why we have Rutracker, the best torrent tracker ever. If I got 1000$+ I would buy all the software I use, but alas

 

As this thread has sprawled, like they always do, I'm sure I'll end up reiterating things already said, so sorry about that, but here goes...

After 20-odd years of software purchases and upgrades I've pretty much got all I need and the stuff that I produce is legit, mostly, with the following caveats:

I have several K'd plugins which pretty much fall into the following category: shit I can't get anymore even though I had it legally at previously. Case in point: Alchemy, a synth that I love and paid good fucking money for. Or LinPlug stuff. The list goes on.

Sometimes, rarely, I try out some new piece of software though, as said previously, I don't need another fucking compressor, but that I've seen hyped. If I do end up using it then yeah, I'll purchase it at some point.

Other times I get a plug that a friend is using for a one-off collab or to help someone out. I consider that "sharing" in these virtual times when we can't share the same studio.

So no, I'm not 100% clean, and I have no qualms about that.

 

I can't afford it. Im poor. But I still want to make music. Albeit, I can admit you become a bit of a hoarder.. it's like a collection, fun type of thing. I don't even use 70% of what I have... When I can afford it (especially through money made with music, I just make a tiny tiny bit now) I will buy those I use the most to support the developers.

 

Because some are shit!& im Robin Hood.