Hi all, longtime user of Scaler 2. Can’t remember my login info with my main account so I created a new one. Just tried out Scaler 3 earlier this morning and here are some first impressions:
I dislike the category scrolling thing when choosing genres or moods. Rolling the mousewheel (since there’s no scrollbar) takes longer than just choosing it with a pop-up window, like Scaler 2 had. The empty space between the genres and/or artists is just too much. There’s a lot of wasted space and it’s counter-intuitive.
Will there ever be more ambient/atmospheric patterns that are more in the feel of lofi, soul, or chillhop? So many of the patterns are so rhythmic and for lack of a better word, busy.
Really dislike the new online activation method. There should be an offline activation option. I keep my studio computer offline fully, to focus on making music. I have a general laptop I use for internet. I don’t like how I’m limited to 3 activations. I let my girlfriend mess around with Scaler 2 so the license key is ideal. Further, I have two additional computers (Mac and Macbook) and that’s 4 total, over the limit of 3.
I’ve had this issue with Scaler 2 forever-- how come when you bind chords (Section A - Genres / Artists, etc), you can’t easily change the octave? You can change the semitone, but not the octave? Further, you should be able to double-click the number to hit what you want quickly, without having it change up/down (also, there is a delay in doing so).
When choosing 7ths or 9ths, how come inversions aren’t available? As soon as choosing the Inversion option, the chords revert to basic major and minor triads. This has been a longtime issue in Scaler 2 as well.
Strumming-- where is Down / Up / Random? Also, Slow is not really slow. Fast and Slow basically sound exactly the same. I understand these are designed for guitar-based instruments but… if Strumming exists, shouldn’t Glissando? And have a slider for “looseness”? And the option to gliss upward, downward, or a mix of both (randomize), for that flowy, chill vibe? An artist I really love is Mondo Loops and his youtube tutorials on making sleepy and dreamy lofi, and his style of piano-playing is just so relaxing and chill, and would love Performances that fit this vibe.
When auditioning Performances, Motions, etc… could we please, please PLEASE have a CC64 / Sustain option? I hate hearing these patterns without sustain. It would make a huge difference in the vibe.
Maybe it’s just me, but upon installing-- it asked me where I put my 32-bit plugins (???). I put a random folder called “32 bit unused” (because I don’t really have any anymore). And it put Scaler 3 and Scaler 3 Audio in that folder. It did not prompt me for a 64-bit plugin location. So, oddly… does the installer only give you AAX, VST3, and VSTx86? That would be bizarre. EDIT: these are the 64-bit plugins but for some reason, on Win10, it defaulted to a 32-bit plugin location and I think it said “choose where you want the 32-bit plugin version installed”… I was like what?
Any chance the sound library can be updated? The grand piano is really… not great. Some of the other sounds are just, really dated. Was hoping for a better soundset this time around.
Outside of these small gripes, I like what I see and I like what I hear. I would love some more ambient and atmospheric Performances… ones that don’t sound so classical or busy.
What are everyone else’s thoughts? Thanks, and super-excited to dig a lot deeper (and look forward to the updates)!
Although I’m still frustrated by the altered copy protection, after using it a while overall it’s a great update. I never expected to use the arrangement page, but it’s actually a lot of fun!
My very personal and very general thoughts about this major overhaul of Scaler:
Explore page.
Section A, Chordset. Chordsets and progressions have always been my vault for inspiration in Scaler. Would welcome more of them!
Section C, Main Track. Dragging and dropping chords to main track has become very tricky: you have to be extremely accurate to position a chord in the right place. Having all options right under the chord track is very convenient. Excellent improvement!
Create Page.
Circle Of Fifth. This time-proven tool is a must. But it could be bigger/easier to read. There’s enough real estate for it.
Colors and Sketch Sections are simply excellent additions! Great creativity tools! I’d call these real gems of S3!
And, finally, the Arrange Page. Well… Set aside the initial release bugs, like freezing at playback in my case, I have my doubts whether this is the right path for Scaler to develop at all. This section very much resembles Instacomposer by WA Productions or Orb Producer Suite by Hexacords. Yes, S3’s arranger does it in a more intelligent way, with much greater user contribution, unlike random dice-throwing approach. But with the Arranger section Scaler Team takes a route of tough competition with real monsters like uJam, Toontrack, e-instruments and a few others. I think, to get even close to these products will require too much effort and investment. Whether it this the right path is yet to be seen.
Just to add to the above: With great appreciation I’d like to mention the tools for MIDI-editing of S3’s Arrange section - chord inversions and voicings. Yet, the rest of the arsenal here can’t compare to that of any ‘real’ DAW.
