Digidesign - Coming September 23rd. Guitar players: Prepare to change your game...

[daeron80]

Only problem with that theory is, Avid has owned Digidesign since 1994.

And since I've been using PT regularly since way back then, let me just tell you something about Digidesign in the early and mid '90s. They used to have reps that would come around to your studio and make sure everything was running right. When you upgraded hardware or software, the rep would come and install it for you. If you had any tech issues, the rep was there ASAP to straighten it out. The rep would spend hours putting your system through its paces after an install or upgrade to make sure it was going to be a solid, dependable, professional system. These guys got to be more than just reps, they were our friends.

As technology improved, that was no longer necessary. I mean, in the early days, you nearly had to have a degree from MIT to install large PT system and get all the nubus cards talking to each other and the computer properly. But in my whole history with Avid, the only time I began to doubt their concern for their customers was last year, for a little while. It was a brief bump in the road, and I'm confident that they're over it and better than ever.

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by daeron80

Only problem with that theory is, Avid has owned Digidesign since 1994.

Only problem with that statement is, it takes a long time for corporate to change the rules and business approach of a company. It doesn't happen overnight. Digidesign was still Digidesign for a long time after Avid bought them - only recently they changed into Avid.

[daeron80]

That was a branding change, nothing more.

[Dism]

Originally Posted by TheNoize

Only problem with that statement is, it takes a long time for corporate to change the rules and business approach of a company. It doesn't happen overnight. Digidesign was still Digidesign for a long time after Avid bought them - only recently they changed into Avid.

It takes time... but not 17 years. Avid has been responsible for Digidesign's business since before LE, HD, 11R, M-Audio, etc even existed. If not for Avid, we may never have a seen a native version of Pro Tools, and I'm willing to bet it would never have retained its "industry standard" reputation.

The only reason Digidesign made such a huge splash in the first place is because they were the only ones making the hardware that allowed you to run audio software on a computer. You HAD to have Digidesign cards in your computer in order to record audio, even if it was with Cubase or Logic, which were both still mainly MIDI editors. Pro Tools was not. Notice the trend here?

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by daeron80

That was a branding change, nothing more.

I don't believe so - the change in business approach was wayyy too obvious as well. Never underestimate branding changes, they usually are a final stage in the way the company deals with their customers. I say this because I'm a designer and I've dealt with a lot of marketing teams and CEOs. And I know exactly the kind of mistakes big companies always make. It's basically my job to do so :)

[Dism]

Originally Posted by TheNoize

I don't believe so - the change in business approach was wayyy too obvious as well. Never underestimate branding changes, they usually are a final stage in the way the company deals with their customers. I say this because I'm a designer and I've dealt with a lot of marketing teams and CEOs. And I know exactly the kind of mistakes big companies always make. It's basically my job to do so :)

The reason why there's been so many changes in the past year is because there was a management swap at Avid. Dropping the Digi name and logo was a branding move made by the new guys in charge... Digidesign didn't suddenly become Avid. They've been Avid for a long long time.

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by Dism

It takes time... but not 17 years. Avid has been responsible for Digidesign's business since before LE, HD, 11R, M-Audio, etc even existed. If not for Avid, we may never have a seen a native version of Pro Tools, and I'm willing to bet it would never have retained its "industry standard" reputation.

The only reason Digidesign made such a huge splash in the first place is because they were the only ones making the hardware that allowed you to run audio software on a computer. You HAD to have Digidesign cards in your computer in order to record audio, even if it was with Cubase or Logic, which were both still mainly MIDI editors. Pro Tools was not. Notice the trend here?

You're pretty much correct about everything. It didn't take 17 years - it took probably 5 or 6 for them to completely change Digidesign. Avid might have "bought" Digi 17 years ago, but significant changes were only recent. It would be hard to say when they actually started, unless you're a Digi/Avid insider.

[Dism]

Originally Posted by TheNoize

You're pretty much correct about everything. It didn't take 17 years - it took probably 5 or 6 for them to completely change Digidesign. Avid might have "bought" Digi 17 years ago, but significant changes were only recent. It would be hard to say when they actually started, unless you're a Digi/Avid insider.

I'd say the 001 was a pretty big change.

Up until 1999, Pro Tools was only ever considered the very highest end, most expensive, no-way-you-could-ever-afford-it-in-your-home DAW. The 001 changed the game. The MBox changed it even more.

Yes, they still had hardware ties... but I know enough engineers who will tell you that the 001 was pretty well mind blowing when it came out, as it really was one of the earliest incarnations of a quality interface that didn't cost the same as a car. Before the time of USB (well, USB was still very new) and FireWire, this was THE thing to help you build a studio away from the studio.

It doesn't take a market analyst or corporate insider to see how Avid changed Digidesign. It just happened so long ago that people forgot (even though it said for years on the website "Digidesign is Avid" ), and now that some new big changes have happened included a rebranding... it seems like Avid is changing the game, yet again.

But, as I said, this comes from a management change at Avid, and really has nothing to do with Avid taking more "control" of Digidesign.

[TheNoize]

Originally Posted by Dism

But, as I said, this comes from a management change at Avid, and really has nothing to do with Avid taking more "control" of Digidesign.

Possibly. But it was due to some kind of management change - so we kind of agree, don't we? :)

[Dism]

Originally Posted by TheNoize

Possibly. But it was due to some kind of management change - so we kind of agree, don't we? :)

Kind of.