Surely Rob we don't need anymore developers. Rather we would want VSL to go on developing and improving and introducing more inovation. Of course musicians will buy more than one library, especially when one considers other makers make libs that are not specifically orchestral. What one doesn't want to see, as I alluded to very early in this thread (although some of it was obviously lost in translation) is any company suddenly having cash-flow problems or whatever and going out of business. Discounts are fine in the short term, but I would rather have long - term developement and pay whatever the cost is to be honest as opposed to short term gain (and then it's only gain if you actually want the specific item in the first place).

Call me old fashioned, but I think of it as customer loyalty. []

I agree with you, Rich. The performance interface is way behind the samples.

I think you misunderstand, William. Nobody is insulting music for media.

The point Rich is making is that as long as you have to select different articulations all the time, you're programming rather than performing.

TomH - Judging from your account, you are new to the Vienna Symphonic Library, otherwise you would know that we have chosen the most elitist approach: making an unparalleled product even better by listening to its users.

That doesn't necessarily mean "making it cheaper", though ...

/Dietz

But u see.. One makes it cheaper for a time, to make it MORE lucrative for your company in the long run .Draw more people in who could where sitting on the fence and will UPGRADE to Pro in the future. Its a long run thing,and Its working! But I`m wasting my time (when i could be composing with VSL) ,I know u guys wont do it.. [] Rich

Some people prefer "just programming." It is the modern version of writing out a score. Not inferior at all to dicking around with a keyboard.

One thing that should be noted is that EWQLSO GOLD GROUP BUY is currently at 417 with 9 days left...

417 x $398 = $165,966

...

I bought Opus 1 at the start of this year. I dont regret it one bit! I would not hold it againist VSL if they did introduce a group buy. I understand what you guys at VSL are thinking. However you dont have to reduce it by 60%. You can structure a group buy however you like. Maybe it will peak at 30% off... ? Either way you really should consider doing something.

I spend alot of money on sample libraries and believe that group buys benifit both the developer and the customer. If past customers are really unhappy about it, offer them a discount on another library... Say they brought opus1 one month ago. Now they are annoyed that it's 30% off. Offer them another library of choice at 30% off. You will find that even though they may have not wanted to buy anymore libraries at this point, now in fact they may jump at the offer. Which in turn will end up being even more successful for both you and the customer.

I think group buys go beyond a quick way to make money. They would bring more paying customers to experince VSL. And then they will buy more products in the future.

Just think of what EWQL can do now that they have made a quick $165,966 and it's still growing. They can put some of that money into expanding the business and recording more sample libraries. Which in turn will benifit everyone (except the competition).

All I ask is that you seriously consider it. I truely hope that VSL can be apart of it.

I think you are missing the point! How many of those 417 people would not have bought the library in the first place? There is no way that EWQL would have sold anywhere near those figures in a matter of weeks at the orginal price. Although $165,966 may not seem like alot. You have to understand that a large percentage of this money did not existed without this group buy.

Hey, thanks! May we quote you on this?

/Dietz - Vienna Symphonic Library

Hey Rich, good to see another Torontian on the board. I also wish for a group buy but if it doesn't happen I'll figure out a way to add Opus 1 to my virtual orchestra (I already have SAM Horns and Solo Sessions, EWQLSO SIlver, GS 3.0 Orchestra, HALion Strings etc.). It was a very smart move of companies such as VSL and Project SAM to include demo patches on the Gigastudio 3 packages. That's how I ended up getting SAM Solo Sessions. Those damn sounds were just too good to pass up. But obviously they are a lot cheaper than Opus 1, hence I got them first.

However, stores like Long and McQuade and Saved by Technology offer these libraries and have different methods of payment. Saved... has a credit card although their interest rates absolutely suck. Long and McQuade ahs their own in-house financing which is 17% annually and the terms are such that you must pay the balance off within a year. That's not bad. I've put things on account then paid them off way early so as to avoid paying too much interest.

For Opus 1, I originally hoped to get it trading in my P90 but the store I went to didn't have it and I realised that I needed to upgrade GS3 Solo to GS3 Orchestra before getting Opus 1. And orchestra comes with a boatload of VSL sounds specially done for that platform so it was a good deal.