UVi Falcon 2 / F1 issue

[X-bassist]

Just saw that Falcon 2 has been released:
https://www.uvi.net/falcon.html

They say it's a free update so I figured I would see if my free Falcon 1 from Avid (came with Pro Tools upgrade) would qualify, but it wasn't in my UVI account. So I went to register it with UVI but couldn't find my serial number (All indication of it or any of my other Avid freebies have been erased from my Avid account). SO I check my iLok manager to see what info I can find, and boom:

My free Falcon is only a 1 year subscription, NOT a serial number. It expires in Feburary, 2020.

This is the first time I've ever seen or heard of a subscription to Falcon. I only thought you could buy it, not rent it. My Avid account never mentioned any of this, sad to find this out months later, but I would have been pissed if I had bought extensions for it and then find out it expires.

Thankfully I was not blown away by the factory sounds, and have not used it on any projects. But I was planning to add it to my templete and see if F2 improved on anything.

Forget all that now. Just want to warn anyone else who got "Free" falcon and may not know. It being only AAX was also a bummer, but I really though it was mine to keep, and that I could buy expansions without being screwed in March. Thanks UVI. Seems like it was a bit of a scam to get people into Falcon before releasing F2, where people find out they don't actually own Falcon and would have to pay for something they thought they owned. Thankfully my iLok let me know what's up, as Avid sent the license to it directly and sent me no emails about what this free falcon really was, or that it would expire.

I know, I know, free is free, can't complain. At least I got a chance to experience how underwhelming it is. TBH Avenger was much more impressive and I still feel on the fence about it. Between Omni 2, Repro, Diva, Serum, Synthmaster synths, NI synths, AAS synths, Hexeract, Korg Synths, Rob Papen Synths, etc, I've got too many synths to explore already. None of which are on a subscription.

So lame. But hey, UVI and Avid have made this decision easy... Pass.

[Guy Rowland]

I think Falcon AAX renews when yoiu renew the support plan or have an active subscription, X.

That said I share your deep ambivolence to Falcon in general and Avid's AAX version in particular. I can't recall ever hearing such dire factory sounds, and given its complexity and PT-only host, I instantly lost interest. Not sure I even have it installed any more. I just know in the right hands it will be a wonderful tool, but I have no apparent need for it.

[X-bassist]

I think Falcon AAX renews when yoiu renew the support plan or have an active subscription, X.

That said I share your deep ambivolence to Falcon in general and Avid's AAX version in particular. I can't recall ever hearing such dire factory sounds, and given its complexity and PT-only host, I instantly lost interest. Not sure I even have it installed any more. I just know in the right hands it will be a wonderful tool, but I have no apparent need for it.

Thanks for the info. Considering I bought updates for Pro Tools at $99 until 2026, that does sound better. But I agree with you, I've taken another pass through the factory sounds and I'm hard pressed to find one that could be useful for me. I know outside expansions sound better, but UVI doesn't seem to realize the importance of getting the presets right.

I'm not sure Kontakt would be what it is without their own expanding on the idea. Yes, third parties have done a better job of getting good samples, but I'm not sure there is better or more efficient scripting than NI's. And many of the better instruments still stand up against the competition (dare I say, I still use the Kontakt Factory library. "Asian Percussion"- great cymbals.

I believe it's their work that inspires other developers to do more, and expect more, from the software. NI's preset work makes it more popular and inspires more people to get involved. That is what someone will have to do to make other sample players take off. Would OT or SFA sample players really sell anything without some great instruments (and samples) to go in them?

Fact is every library I have from UVI falls short of what it could be, and I think sound design and creativity (in a musical context) is why. They should be hiring some major patch designers (like Matt, or Jaap, or any one of the great designers around) to work on F2 patches. Not just more of the same (which is what I hear in demos) but really show what Falcon (and moreso Falcon 2) can really do. I know there is more potential there.

Even if it's on a decent intro sale, why should I buy it if it has nothing new, and the company that makes it can't wow me? Seems like anything from U-He is a better use of $220, uh, $250? Wow.

[Guy Rowland]

If I recall, the way Avid works is that they only grant licenses for this stuff a year at a time, and it should happen automatically as the annual limit is reached but you've paid up for longer. Bonkers system that positively invites mistakes, but that's Avid.

Falcon 2 does look like a great update on Falcon 1, and I really do hope the UVI platform continues to improve - I guess its in all our interests for healthy competition to Kontakt. I think I agree that getting a really high quality factory library - or perhaps bundle some excellent third party ones - would likely really improve its chances. As it is today, I see it as a great sound designers playground, but limited appeal outside this.

[EvilDragon]

I'm finding quite a number of great sounds in the factory bank... Don't forget Simon Stockhausen and Mikael from Leap Into The Void (at the very least) contributed to these.

[Guy Rowland]

Falcon 2.0 has now appeared in Avid accounts with active subs or support packages. It took me a day to get the install working as they seem to have stuffed up a critical file, which a kind poster on the DUC obliged in linking an older version that actually works (link if you find you are getting error messages about not finding waveforms in Falcon.Resources.ufs - http://duc.avid.com/showpost.php?p=2543 ... tcount=109 )

I don't think we get any new presets in AvidLand, the Falcon Factory library hasn't been updated I don't think. Its still a hugely underwheming bunch for me - everything sounds very digital and harsh. There is something called Plugsound Avid Edition, which is a great set of workstation presets circa 1993 to try your delete key out on.

I just don't get the love with Falcon at all. I don't like the sound (for synths anyway), the browser is terrible and I don't like the way everything is arranged in long identical looking strips. If you are building sampler / synthesis instruments and love getting down and dirty with intricate sound design, I get it then I guess, but that sure ain't me. In short, it just doesn't seem musical. Its more engineering than musician focused.