why you’re wrong about subscriptions…

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I have a message for one of the DAW companies about subscriptions - and I'd also like to share one of my viewers opinions about subscriptions.
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• why you’re wrong about...
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:42 Perpetual Licenses
01:54 Subscriptions
02:45 The Hybrid Model
03:28 Subscription Only - The Devil's Choice
04:10 Why I prefer subscription
05:00 Why you’re wrong about subscription
07:17 Dear Bandlab…
08:06 Conclusion
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[@xlsxmusic]

Thanks for choosing my post Mike. I think you hit the nail on the head actually about there being an element of emotion involved sometimes with subscriptions. Go easy on me everyone 😂❤

[@fredowusu22]

You'll own nothing and be happy.

[@jasoncruizer]

I paid $400 for a plugin, then the company unsupported it and i cant use it. You will think you own things, but you own f**k all !

[@Tremendouz]

​​@@jasoncruizer Counterpoint: I can still use 20+ years old 32bit plugins in my DAW. Plugins don't just automatically stop working when they stop getting updates. Out of curiosity, are you on Mac?

[@Andysmusicaljourney]

@@Tremendouz That being said, in today's world where your licenses are authenticated through a web service in most cases, you really only appear to own them. And I'm in the boat where I like to own my stuff.

[@Tremendouz]

@@Andysmusicaljourney True, if the servers for the DRM scheme go down, you're screwed. However, it's still more permanent than a subscription where once you're invested in it, you have to keep paying or essentially break all your projects that rely on the plugins you're just renting.

[@jacquesboileau6087]

I believe it is important to make a distinction on the type of user. A professional, full time user will have have a different perspective than a hobbyist doing mixes part time. When you can go a month or more without mixing because there are other things in life taking your time at that moment, there is no way not to feel like you are paying for something you are not using. For the hobbyist, a subscription model is much less appealing. At least we can put a Netflix subscription on hold if we are not using it for some period of time. And an hobbyist does not necessarily mean someone who has less knowledge and less needs. With all the info and eductaion from channels like this one, the part time mixer can be quite sophisticated these days. All calculations put into account, I believe there is a need for a pricing model that makes a DAW reasonable enough for someone not making any money out of it.

[@figlermaert]

Agreed. I used cool edit pro as a DAW for 20 years. I was missing out on a lot of functionality in modern daws but I also was very sparse and inactive with music creation during that time.

[@marmadukewinterbotham2599]

And if you're a professional, subscriptions are tax deductible.

[@Mikey__R]

I think a subscription model is MUCH MORE appealing, but as you say, only if you're able to stop and restart your subscription relatively easily. If your files are held hostage of you never unsubscribing, that's a different matter. Presonus Sphere doesn't do this, I don't know if anyone else does.

[@evlplms7635]

I suspect, a large part of the Cakewalk users are non-professionals, who once chose it because it was a way to deep dive into mixing with low costs. So if the price becomes unreasonable, no matter if on subscription or fixed licence basis, these users will look for alternatives. It's all about finding the sweet spot. Personally, I wouldn't be willing to pay more than for a Netflix subscription, if I only use it for one song a month (which is my average output).

[@J-DJ]

Spot on 👍 100% agree

[@seventhcasemusic9645]

Mike, you have an amazing gift of communication. I hope you really sent that letter to Bandlab!

[@bartholomeusclever]

could not agree more ... mike is such a gem

[@marmadukewinterbotham2599]

I'm curmedgeonly. Here's my reason I will NEVER buy into a subscription model for ANYTHING: (1) Businesses adore subscription models. (2) If it's great for them, it's a crappy deal for me. Gyms and the like discovered this 'business model' a while back, when they realized younger people don't check their bank statements, only to find a year later they've been paying a direct debit for gym membership every month when they'd stopped going and forgotten all about the place. Ever since then we've seen their rapid growth into weekly food boxes, exercise bikes, weekly pet food boxes (!?), car washing snake oil treatments, you name it. No, show me the product, tell me how much it is to buy, and we might have a deal. I'll even spring for annual updates, only as long as they are worth it.

[@panagope]

You already have many subscriptions for the last 50 years. Telecom mobile or other, cable TV, electricity, etc. etc. etc. also insurance for car and house and life insurance All these are subscriptions that they are for the benefit of the companies, but also for the user.

[@marmadukewinterbotham2599]

@@panagope Not really comparable. Most of those are monthly and can vary due to usage, which is fair enough. I pay annually for car and home insurance, at which time I re-negotiate the prices. Software is a single product, which is analagous to a product you go into a shop to buy, like a shirt. No doubt someone, somewhere, who fancies themselves as an entrepreneur, will be thinking how they can persuade people to susbcribe to a regular shirt purchase plan! Harry's razors is another one. Need a new razor? Go into a shop and buy one. Simple. Yet, somehow they've persuaded a lot of people to lock themselves into a subscription for a razor and blades every two months!

[@glennlittle7955]

​@@panagopeFair enough re subscription models for other things. But you can switch those things when you want (or at the end of the period you committed to) without losing access to your own work. With a daw the people you were paying put it in a nice proprietary format that you now can't read. With a plugin you now can't play or edit it. As I say this is your own work you've lost access to.

[@richardsmith1487]

With a subscription only model there is potentially no need for the developer to make significant improvements, they can abuse their position, especially if they are a market leader, as they know it’s too difficult for users to switch workflows. One can end up paying for incremental improvements of features that one does not need, or they ignore the fact that the software needs a fundamental rewrite (looking at you After Effects)

[@mungoz]

Subscriptions give leeches a bad name. When full, a leech falls off. Subscriptions go on forever.

[@RichardIresonMusician]

I paid about £40 odd for Reaper. I own the software, but they regularly update.

[@mglohmeyer]

It isn't about the money. It is about control. You said it best, if times are hard and money is short, if all your software is a subscription, you are screwed if you can't pay up when the subscription is due. A perpetual license allows us to buy when we can but skip a few months or a year when we don't have the money or can't justify the cost of upgrading, or paying for continued support. This is true even for businesses. Yes, a subscription is cheaper compared to buying a perpetual license. But that ignores the risk risk that can happen if you can't afford to pay for some reason, and now you can't continue using the software that runs your business because it stopped working. Several times in my career, someone forgot to pay the fee for the next year's subscription on some mission critical software and we lost a day or several days unable to do our work. Or how about changing to something new. Must we continue a subscription on two sets of software during the transition? I have seen that cost a business dearly as well as they dumped the subscription for the old software too soon. Consider the lost productivity for these (self inflicted) mistakes, and I can easily make the case that subscriptions are not always the smart choice. That being said, I am completely OK with a subscription where the software works perpetually, but maintenance (updates and support) end after 1 year. That is a reasonable compromise. Problem is, too many companies stupidly move their sales model to 100% subscription cold turkey and are losing their customers practically over night while they learn their lesson.

[@MaPa60]

"It isn't about the money. It is about control." +1 spot on!

[@NabPunk]

The big problem with subscriptions models is that they come with a lot of anti-consumer baggage. We have recently seen a trend of companies changing the terms of sale *after* the sale has already been made, in some cases year after. I don't think subscriptions are gonna go away even if some people hate them a lot, but ownership can and is disappearing, because the alternative is so much more profitable for companies, so keep supporting ownership vehemently, cause there are lots who won't and then it will be another thing they take away from us, the power of owning things that is.

[@_mickmccarthy]

This is one of the core reasons I went for FL, a one-off payment that includes lifetime upgrades. Honestly, I'm not quite sure how it's a profitable model for them, but I love them for it. While the hybrid model sounds great in theory, I think some providers maybe over-inflate the outright purchase price relative to the subscription in an attempt to nudge people down the subscription route (Roland Cloud are guilty of this IMO).

[@BorgheseSunrise]

One of the main problems with subscription-based services (and this extends into Adobe Creative Suites) - is that there's no tiered system for usage. It doesn't make sense to be paying full price for a subscription to a service you're only using sparingly. Or am I maybe missing something on this? Great video, Mike!

[@odmusicman]

I ask people to think of the reverse. A company makes the be all end all of music software. Sell it once. Then, next year, marketers, web site developers and software programmers still need to get paid for the next iteration of the software or the application of necessary patches. But...No more income. No subscriptions. It's time to launch another product. Now, they neglect the previous product no longer supplying enough income to support itself. It is my argument for subscriptions from the business side.

[@w-hisky]

Or: support Free and Open Source Software and eventually we'll have an awesome DAW, ran by voluntary donations. Blender did this for 3D and video. It's possible.

[@CountJayeAndTheHardBeats]

The problem arrises when I stop paying or can't pay anymore, then I have NOTHING, not even an old version to open my old projects. Can't have that. All is lost then. Feel like blackmail. I will never do it.

[@joebidjoba7302]

For me, as a hobbiyst, perpetual licences are way cheaper : I don't care to have any update day one, so I wait for promo. I bought studio one 2 with a crossgrade and a promo, and I always wait for a promo tu upgrade. So I pay something like 100€ every 2 to 3 years. Currently studio one + cost 240€/year, and I don't need the +.

[@NeuroPete]

Same here. I was on Sphere (now S1+). When it came time to renew, I upgraded to the perpetual license. I calculated that the subscription would cost me at least twice as much, and if I couldn't pay, I would lose the ability to open old songs.

[@user-lw4nt5uc3p]

one problem I have with the subscription model is I don't think any one subscription will be a one size fits all. I have plugins from 10 or so different companies. If I were paying a $20 a month subscription for each one, that is 200 a month, plus my DAW subscription. So about 2400 a year. That means buying outright might make more sense sooner than the 5.5 years suggested.

[@The-Skyking]

Good points of view and even keeled video. I prefer perpetual license. I don't mind subscription for some software, but plugins and virtual instruments I prefer to out right own it. I DO NOT mind paying a subscription to own. I like Studio One's subscription because its cheaper to subscribe than to buy the software.

[@exrevolutionary]

That being said I agree with you that a hybrid makes sense I’ve never minded the subscriptions and have done that and bought some

[@ChrisM541]

Nice one Mike, sensible views as always. My own preference is either the hybrid model or pay once for lifetime use. Seems reasonable. Unreasonable for me would be to force a single subscription-only model. Then again, I might be showing my age.

[@NeuroPete]

As a hobbyist, I was a perpetual license holder of Studio One Pro since V2. I was on Sphere (now S1+) subscription, but went back to perpetual for fear that if I could no longer pay, I wouldn't be able to open old songs. Now with Hybrid, that concern is addressed. However, I am sticking with perpetual because the upgrade price is around the same price as one year of subscription, and a major version upgrade has only happened every 2 or 3 years. I like to own my software, for partly emotional but mostly economic reasons. If I bought it on sale, it meets my needs, and it continues to be supported, that can be cheaper than subscription. But I have sympathy for companies who offer subscription plans. They want an ongoing income for the ongoing expense of updating software every time some OS upgrade breaks it. I think that for a hobbyist, buying is more likely to make sense, and for a professional, renting is likely better.

[@declanturley8688]

Hi Mike, I like Stephen's contribution ,it might end up being our only option. Still anticipating some good news from them Bandlab Chaps.🧐🤞🏼

[@pierrecarter3090]

Hi Mike. I loved the way you explained subscription, and especially the "message" you "sent" to Bandlab. I personnally don't use the subscription model because I do not make money with music, I'm a retired person who makes music at home for my own pleasure. However I can say that if I was on the other side of the fence, I would rather use the subscription model for almost all the reasons you mentioned. I'm really eager to know what's gonna happen with Cakewalk Sonar. Thanks again Mike.

[@ronseverin7818]

I have to agree. Enough of keeping people in the dark about what type of pricing bandlab is going to use. I'm on the fence on which pricing I would like. As of now, I am using it for free. But I am getting tired of not knowing.

[@andrewhurren4937]

Well said Mike as usual. I hope Bandlab hear you. I am one that has migrated to 'the very grim Reaper' but miss the simplicity (at least to me) of Cakewalk. I am now a senior and don't want to be spending great amounts on software. The very low $80 au every 5 to 6 years with Reaper was one major draw card, along with being able to open CbB projects in Reaper (thanks to a Reaper user script). A similar deal with Cakewalk Sonar could possibly cause me to return. Uncertainty with the continuation of CbB and pricing was the motivation to move on.

[@lar57jsy]

I prefer outright purchasing of ownership as it gives me more choice over what to purchase as my financial situation fluctuates and I don't have to worry about an ongoing financial commitment that needs to be met.

[@ettiennelane9173]

Absolutely correct! Thank you.

[@jmonkreltub9824]

Thanks for touching on this Mike!! Your letter to Bandlab was perfect!

[@DeltaWhiskeyBravo13579]

I myself have a few subscriptions. Studio One plus and SSL Slate Complete. In 2 months I'll be switching to Studio One Hybrid to have both all the benefits with the plus membership, and I'll also have a perpetual license. In the SSL Slate Complete, I'm doing this as long term demos, finding out what I want and what I can do without. I make a wishlist and look for plugins to go on sale. Then I'll make a select wishlist purchase. This way I can stop the subscription at some point, while having my select perpetual licenses.

[@davesuchy4712]

I would prefer the one-time license price. That way I have it for eternity, with perpetual updates available. That's what I was used to with the previous version of sonar and that's what I would expect to see again.

[@doctorklik]

@davesuchy4712 I don't think you'd ever get "perpetual updates." You'd get updates to the version you bought. When a new version inevitably is released, updates to it would not be included in your purchase of the previous version. Reaper might offer updates forever, but to me, Reaper is to DAWs as Linux is to operating systems: built by computer nerds for computer nerds.

[@davesuchy4712]

@@doctorklik I misstated. I meant updates to what I have. I paid one price for Band In A Box, but get free updates. That's what I meant. Thanks for the clarification.

[@goodtimejohnny8972]

I live in Podunk USA. No Internet access. So when the DAW platforms were no longer available with an installation disc and only gave an activation code to download software, I stopped purchasing them.

[@dravokivich]

I think there's really 2 ways to look at this. You may have a business running a studio and a subscription model helps keep updates and support available. But there's a significant user base that is euthusiast/hobbyist that this model doesn't work for. If software companies are looking for consistent income, from the second cohort, Rent to Own would be a helpful compromise.

[@benbirdsinging3275]

Actually, I would prefer to pay a fixed price for a product with associated updates. If new forms of an OS, such as Windows, were introduced, there could be a single paid update. But I would also like to argue for refunds for a producer when, for example, sales are made to another producer for whom previously made agreements would no longer apply. Sonar in particular has already had several situations involving damage to users! Or previous agreements made are permanent!

[@doctorcarlos]

Love your objectivity and fair assessment of the various options. I was a little "passionate" about my opinion. Not anymore. Thanks for the new outlook!

[@kevgamble]

I support a subscription option for those who prefer it, but absolutely not as the only option. I flat-out refuse to subscribe to a product. It amounts to having my work held hostage for a monthly ransom. If a company wants to collect its feature updates into periodic paid upgrades, that's fine. Updates to fix bugs should always be free.

[@Skijumptoes]

It's not the cost or question of 'ownership' that's the issue for me. It's the reliance on the service being live so you can use the products, and what happens when a product leaves the service. The other big issue is being unable to load projects without failing if you used a plugin to create a song that is tied to a sub. If they could address that it would be good, i.e. i've seen some examples where you can reload the plugin but not make any parameter changes.

[@lairyboy]

All fine and good when every plugin you want comes from the same manufacturer. When you are paying 5 X 15 subscriptions those 5 years in Stevens illustration suddenly becomes just over a year.

[@TheDrRobert]

While looking at the logic of "year to break even" on subscriptions vs. perpetual, the logic fails when you try to sum the potential impact of all or moist companies going subscription, If I only used one company then logically subscriptions may pan out, but if I am forced to subscribe to ProTools, Waves, Native Instruments, Spitfire, VSL, then the math never really adds up. You pay hundreds per month, and unless you are a full time professional, that just doesn't fly for a hobby expense. It makes far more sense for a hobbyist to pick and choose his pieces and then stand pat on his perpetual license until he absolutely MUST upgrade. You trade latest and greatest for financial stability and options.

[@timothyreynolds6255]

Mike, as usual, makes great points and presents a tough subject with style and grace. Go Creative Sauce!!! Please like this comment to show Mike we appreciate his careful and well-thought explanation of a tricky topic.

[@IglesiaPentecostalElArca]

I'm a pastor of a church, I create music 1 song every 3 month, so pay 3 times suscripcion for 1 songs is not aceptable, a preferred perpetual licence. Yea there a people that have business and use the software on a daily basis, but there are also other people that doesn't use it that often.

[@davidnollmusic363]

Thank you so much Mike, for your well thought out and well delivered presentation. After watching your video, I have a much better understanding about subscriptions vs perpetual licenses and the upsides and downsides of each. I do hope that Cakewalk, if they decide to go with a subscription model as they most likely will, also offer the option for a perpetual license so each of us can decide what works best for us. Wishing you all the best!

[@thomasr.5443]

Dear Mike, I hope you're well. I just wondered why you have got only 140000 subscribers?? 🤯 Your videos are fun, informative, educational, short, perfect! A big "Thank You" and keep going!

[@NeuroPete]

140k subscribers is fantastic for the relatively niche subject area of music production on computers. I am very glad Mike is doing so well, and I am glad he is sharing his knowledge and efforts with us, instead of with the much more lucrative business of cute puppy and kitten videos.

[@thomasr.5443]

@@NeuroPete hi Pete! Ok, I just thought it was not such a niche anymore, since it seems to me that almost everybody is producing in a homestudio on a PC or MAC nowerdays.

[@NeuroPete]

@@thomasr.5443 Good point. At one count, as many as 30,000 to 100,000 songs per day uploaded to streaming services. Not so niche. I guess there are also many people with music how-to KZbin channels.

[@tonyrapa-tonyrapa]

Quite honestly, I don't know what all the fuss is about. As long as sellers are offering both (subscription or one-off purchase) then everyone has the choice to go the route they like. Even better still, offering a hybrid solution along with the other two should give everyone exactly what they want. Am I missing something?

[@resslerartstudios]

Recording for me is a hobby.So it does matter. For example I like using photoshop for editing my photos and digital painting. When adobe went subscription I didn't have access to photoshop and I bought a subscription at 2o dollars a month. Now, I have not used or had a need to use photoshop shop for something in a year, yet I paid 240.00 dollars that year for something I never used. So what should one do in this situation. If I don't record a song for 6 months and then get inspired, I boot up the computer and record a song. That's the benefit of the perpetual license.So the choice between the two will be different for everyone and BOTh choices should be available.

[@arpeggioblues5924]

IMHO : My biggest pet-peave is that these days EVERYTHING seems to require a subscription.. streaming services, membership perks, technical sites, software subscriptions. Nickel-and-dime us to death. I find it financially, month to month subscriptions, to manage what MONEY is automatically going out of my accts every month.. It drives me crazy.. Once you get many of these going, and then you forget what subscriptions you have, and the ones you bought, forgot about, and haven't been used for a while, but when you cancel subscriptions, you loose your work if you used those software components, and it can be a real mess. I have a lot of Automatic payments going on, and it is just insane to manage.. if you're a business, it's acceptable because you have the added ability to write-off all those expenses on your taxes.. So, it works for them.. But if you sit in your home studio doing this for fun, and perhaps uploading your songs via OTHER subscription services .. One for mastering (if you do this.. it's faster than you realize), another for distribution (distrokid, (yes them too), Reason+, ad nauseum), multiple subscriptions for software, plugins, sound FX libraries; Having a set amount of subscription payments in a month, it gets difficult to manage, and can cost more than it is worth. So, my thought is .. if your a professional, or a recording studio, go for the subscriptions it's a good accounting and tax benefit. If you are hobbiest musician, well, I think subscriptions will disenchant new fledgling home producers, and make it too expensive just to play around with this software.. CAN YOU IMAGINE if they did this with Hardware? subscription for maintenance and support? IT ADDS UP.. I don't like subscription only, I want to own what I have, period, end of story.. if software is upgraded, and they don't offer an upgrade path, then that is worse; but limiting upgrading software, by purchase every 5 years, works for me.. No software is perfect at initial release.. remember, those companies only function is to make money, not to appease their customers.. It's the new trend in our economy.. Suck out as much money from customers as you can, as you know bottom line is the ONLY function of business. Sorry, it's how I feel, what about you guys?

[@user-vn7gl3hd3l]

Timely subject, thank you. I offer up another option that I have just gone thru on the subscriptions. As a home user, not hiring myself out, I have recently signed up for plugin subscriptions at 2 of the major outlets. I did this in order to try out and compare what I need as opposed to taking 'fliers' on plugins.

[@dennmillsch]

My logic is that subscriptions may be fine if you are a business or a hard-core hobbyist. But if you only dabble from time to time, sometimes going for months before you have the opportunity to work on your music, then it's probably more cost-effective to just buy perpetual rather than pay monthly dues. That certainly has been the case for me with Microsoft Office. My copy of Word 2007 works just fine whereas if I'd had the MS subscription version I would have spent much more and not really received any additional benefit for all the extra money I handed over to Microsoft. Now if I was a business using Office every day, it might be worth the subscription. It depends on the software, the pricing, and your usage pattern.

[@sampas2658]

Everything goes towards: "you won't have anything, but you will be happy" Hahaha, followers in all stages of society!!!

[@blackiemnoir]

I'm one of those who have run off from Cakewalk to Studio One. However, having opted for the Hybrid route Pre-Sonus have charged me £180 (that's $225) rather than the advertised price... not a good start 🤦‍♂

[@spokansas]

When I 'upgraded' from Cakewalk to Studio One three years ago, I chose the subscription (Presonus Sphere at the time IIRC) and now Studio One +. I have been mostly happy with it, although the latest updates do not add a lot of value to me particularly. And I love the Hybrid model they've established: Perpetual License or Subscription with 'rent to own' built in. Where Presonus (Fender) screwed up was by adding a not-so-spectacular new synth but making it subscription only, thereby understandebly angering perpetual license PRO owners. Tjhis situation only affects me because it likely has damaged the brand and the size of the community of users, which may impact future development. Why Presonus (Fender) could not see this is astounding. They did good with Hybrid model, but added some friction with their community. But I will keep up using Studio One+ (at least till I get the non perpetual license, then perhaps pay for the additional perpetuity)

[@colindavis8242]

cant argue with you at all. very well put 🎶🎶😎😎

[@macyoungartist]

Dear Mike, Great topic " Subscriptions " One question if You or someone here knows. If You have bought a license for the Pro version of Studio One, Do you get the Subscription for less or is it the same amount as someone that starts from scratch with a Subscription ? Thanks for the video Mike.

[@philmcintosh7335]

The subscription model for on-premise (as opposed to cloud) software, which most music software is, would be fine with me if it included a clause that if the product is discontinued or the company goes out of business it converts to a perpetual license.

[@earledaniels4539]

I think Studio One + Hybrid is a great offer, but customers should have a choice between subscription or ownership. Everyone has a different circumstance, so there should be payment choices.

[@WilliamMartinezPomares]

Needless to say, the companies need to profit and what they do is to analyze the customers needs, the market they are into and the possible monetization models. If your market is "professional only clients that use the product every day and make profit from it", a subscription model will make sense if they need constant updates or improvements. The montly fee has to be enough for the company AND the client to make profit. Now, as mentioned below, if the client persona is a hobbyist, a different model may be rollet out (that if the company decides to keep that type of client, of course). Even more, since a professional DAW may contain features only meaningful to professionals, it would make sense to have different products for different personas, which may be the case for Next and Sonar. There are other models, though: - One base core that is free, with plugins that may be added for a price. - The old Big Price for current version, discounted price for updated, with spaced updates. - The common subscription model with different levels (sets of features aimed at different personas with different prices). What should be clear is that a full professional DAW with constant improvements and new features cannot be free for everyone, and that the market and model decisiones the company make will definitevely affect their user log.

[@PeterPanQuails]

If you use the software for business, susbscription fee becomes your operating expense, like electricity and gas. Perpectual license fee however is your capital investment. There are pros and cons from accounting point of view.

[@frankymino8773]

If someone is running a recording studio\post production studio as a business (making an income)... plugins they purchase or even subscribe to are tax deductible. So it would make sense no matter what they choose. They always benefit. For the bedroom run of the mill... it's subjective. Plugin developers just need to make sure to provide choices and refrain from greed. I prefer perpetual licenses as I have never had issues for many many years. Providing I stay away from plugin developers who require an internet connection in order just to use the plugin then I'm good. The plugins I use don't need to be online just to use them. Once activated I'm able to use them offline if need be (live situations per say). I keep Waves licenses on a USB stick. For me I never update anything cause I've never had to. Never needed support either. My operating system... DAW and plugins have always worked as intended in order to finish projects. Unless one of my computers completely fries and I have to build a completely new system... then I would tackle any issues that require updating. If ever having to cross that bridge. All in all... it's up to whatever one prefers. Whether emotional or for business purposes. Whatever floats your boat.

[@Tomignostics]

How many softwarecompanys will survive time -based billing? " I used my reverb last year once in a one song and it was perfect..." ...but it was cost of a one 1965 Telecaster..."...

[@CaylaBacho]

How nice it is to be able to immerse yourself in the world of your creativity and magic! Thank you for your inspiration and energy! ✨🌟

Do subscriptions entitle you to discounts when purchasing interfaces such as ES2 or HD8?

[@marianomazzieri6560]

I swear it, if Cakewalk goes subscription only mode, the first thing I'll do will be purchasing Reaper. 😡

[@hr2186]

Screw it all. Big business controls everything at this point. Musicians are t-shirt salesmen or making music for mind rot films or advertising.

[@wiseoldfool]

Let's now have the accountant analyse the situation where we would have bought NONE of the plugins, because we've already spent thousands of dollars/pounds/shekels/spondoolics over the lat 3 or 4 decades. Most people would find themselves somewhere between the 2 extremes.

[@jedidiahgirio]

Its a little more than that tho, because now the native plugins that should just be mandatory parts of a DAW's evolution are going to be neglected also. They're being used like pieces of cheese to lure people into the subscription. Its been quite a while since license owners got a new instrument update. More than once when a new version came rolling out did I get my hopes up about a new plugin to come to a new version, just to find out "no sorry mate, that's just for the subscription". Bad Marketing. Sorry Mike still venting! LOL, hope you're well :P

[@CrockettsCabin]

When the software company turns the spigot off on SaaS (Software as a Service), brother it is OFF. Remember Adobe's Flash and Shockwave? I have never seen software killed so thoroughly and absolutely before.

[@adrock6874]

Send that letter !!

[@orderd29]

I apologise if I've posted this opinion in the past, but here goes. I have a very limited amount of money. If I choose to buy a product, then I'm going to invest time and learn about everything it can do. If I take out a subscription and have the world at my doorstep with endless plugins for a lower price, I'd probably skim the surface on most of them and never truly appreciate their full potential.

[@stevenmcdonald5088]

Does the developer/retailer have a greater incentive to develop and innovate their product when they have a fixed revenue stream (subscription) or when they have to go to the market with a new version (perpetual license)?

[@xlsxmusic]

That's a great question that I think you could argue either way. Which side are you on?

[@stevenmcdonald5088]

I'm not sure, that's why I asked. Is the answer in the financial returns from each model.

[@xlsxmusic]

@@stevenmcdonald5088 as an accountant that works in the IT industry, I think most companies would prefer the stable revenue of a subscription based system. It would be much easier to manage and there is probably less risk involved with small incremental improvements, supported by subscription revenue, than a massive outlay in development costs for a big new release with no guarantee of people purchasing it. I think in terms of effort going into development though, whichever model is used, it's such a competitive space that I would imagine that nobody can afford to be complacent when it comes to development.

[@MrMikomi]

Windows programs work with nearly every single version of Windows. Apple programs tend to only work with around two years' worth of OSX. Very different to Windows.

[@joegrint6280]

I guessed where you were going there 🙂

[@Promidi]

I just hope that when the pricing model for Cakewalk Sonar is finally released, it will adopt the model employed by Sonar Platinum. Perpetual, Monthly or yearly. Make 12 consecutive payments or 1 yearly payment and you get the right to use that version. Just don’t do an Adobe.

[@glennlittle7955]

Stephen's arithmetic may be fine if paying £1,000 for plugins is your thing and his assumptions that the advances will be with the particular company that you are now locked into because of all of the projects that use subscription plugins. Same applies to expensive daws. Tbf you should always do the arithmetic as knowledge is power, and in that subject read on... On the plugins front there are loads of great free ones which have the added benefit of no licensing issues when you move to a new machine. In most cases you just copy your (backed up) plugins folders. Then you just buy what you can't get free. Re daws if, for example, you bought a perpetual licence for FL Studio (Sonar users note that that's at 20 years and counting) for £209 or bought Reaper for £60 (which covers you for two full versions, ie about 8 years) then the subscription arithmetic is complete nonsense.

[@davebops2478]

Hey Mike, I'm quite sure your viewers will 'stay friends' - who doesn't want a friend like you?! Nice, articulate video.

[@ronnyb5890]

i will never do subscriptions, if it was only for one program thats no problem, but if all companies do only subscription, this would raise your monthly expenses, so much so, that at the end of the month when you dont keep your finances in check you will be bankrupt therefore, as a music hobbyist who makes music for my own pleasure subscription is a nogo like they say with another money grab "taking a loan costs money" thats why so many people get into debt certainly when all the items add up in a monthly payment, so, sbscriptions, a NO from me, cheers Mike

[@exrevolutionary]

Write the letter

[@rickrockzyootoob]

I didn't switch to Studio One or Reaper (the ugly one). I went to Cubase instead.

[@shogunarki1139]

STEVEN IS JUST PLAIN OUT WRONG You wont use those 1500 dollars worth of those plugin and you do not count if you could buy them for cheaper sales price Not to mention the plugin company can keep you hostage in the future + wont letting you cancel the subs

[@xlsxmusic]

It wouldn't be the first time I'm wrong, but I think in this case there is no right answer. We're all different and have different views and needs. The point I was really trying to make was that I don't think subscriptions are really as bad as people make out, and they definitely suit some people. Just out of interest, which plugin company do you think won't let you cancel the subs? The terms are pretty clear with slate and I can cancel if I choose to. I find that people tend to complain they can't cancel when they take advantage of a better price to commit for say 12 months, then try and cancel after 6.

[@shogunarki1139]

@@xlsxmusic It's ok we all have that phase until reality slap us in the face The memory of Waves Audio 2023 is still fresh

[@rager1969]

I cannot and will not remain friends with you. I declare war! jk

[@michaeltablet8577]

Great video as always. Your videos have been so helpful to me. We have internet subscriptions. Cell phone subscriptions. Cable subscriptions. Streaming subscriptions but let one audio company even mention using a subscription and people go nuts.

[@SaRaBand2202]

Well, maybe it's just that: the one subscription too many. I don't want a growing ball of costs on my chain. I want to still be able to do at least something -- even with slightly older plugins -- should I ever choose (or be forced) to stop spending money on this pretty pricey hobby. And I do at least own my computer and my cell! 😉

[@michaeltablet8577]

@@SaRaBand2202 I understand your point. But those who make a living from it are different. I work with people who charge 80 dollars an hour for studio time and complain about a subscription that's less than 20 dollars a month. And they buy 5 dollar a cup coffee.

[@lucodin5205]

Reaper is not sinister at all and he is far above the other daws. to talk about it you have to take the trouble to know it.. in the meantime it is 70 euros.. and we keep it without paying anything for at least 4 years.. regularly there are completely free updates. there are thousands of possible action that others don't even think about..I really liked cakewalk (as well as your tutorials),..but it's not comparable..moreover no announcements are made to find out if there are any new tools, vsti, and other plugins.. I think cakewalk nex or sonar will still have setbacks.

[@richertz]

Look at Logic free upgrade to 11! If you use a Mac and logic already no brainer!

[@mmessam]

you’re wrong about subscriptions? no I aint!

[@dreamingpanthers1847]

When izotope ozone 11 came around and my upgrade price showed to be disappointingly high, I weighed the subscription price for the mixing and mastering suite. Since I use all of those tools together regularly as a suite it seemed a nice thing to have them always up to date, without a large cash outlay all at once for every individual products major version release every time. So far I’ve been pleased with my decision. Nectar 4 came out just after I subscribed, and I was happy to simply click “Install” as soon as it dropped, without scratching my chin over whether my bank account could handle it.

[@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn]

I'm finding that I prefer Ozone 9 Elements to Ozone 11 Elements. How's your experience? I also got Nectar 4 Elements for $15, so that wasn't bad.

[@dreamingpanthers1847]

@@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn Hey man, if Elements fits your need, by all means go for it! Never buy more than you need I say. I'm in need of the full suite, and use a lot of it through the year. So for me at least, it made sense for me to subscribe for the pieces that are not there in Elements.

[@johnd9676]

mike...you have a good channel...dont sully it with topics like this

[@marsrivers]

Own nothing and you`ll be happy

[@steveallen2327]

If only Blender made a daw....💭

[@Snakes1000]

Absolutely "pitch perfect" video! Can you please let us know the minute Bandlab reply to "that" letter!

[@nobbymorph]

A bit of a silly statement for the video title, no-one is wrong for the path they take relative to situation and user profile. Providers or distributors know that the subscription path is more viable with less work required. Even the free Labs are now going to subscription services, Adobe, MSOffice are all onboard. For a person making money from youtube and distrokid will surely not have a problem with subscription models. With every youtuber wanting Patreon funds or creating 2 channels for extra YT algorithm funds and the high cost of living just to survive, leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Much as I love your channel Mike, my view of subscriptions is very different to yours. It may sometimes be not a matter of emotion but $$$ in your pocket!

[@joegrint6280]

'no-one is wrong for the path they take relative to situation and user profile' - I think that was exactly the point Mike was making - the title was just Mike being a bit naughty!

[@create-ism-studio]

I left Cakewalk Sonar X3 for REAPER years ago.

[@officialWWM]

I’m a subscription guy. I love them. I can’t afford to drop $700 for Studio One, another $700 for the Izotope bundle and a similar price for Autotune, Slate, etc etc… Not to mention,I have guitars, drums, amps etc to buy… My only issue is that you must be connected to the internet for most of these software programs to work! When the grid eventually goes down, we are all screwed!

[@MarciaFunebre]

It is sad that out of all people you have put so little consideration into making this video. Subscriptions are introducing a whole other can of worms which you seem to be oblivious about. For example that of privacy concerns. It opens the door for all sorts of internet traffic between software and developer. The software phones home but hardly any developer is transparent about what exact data is being transferred and how often. That is just a big invitation to sniff out things that I am not going to speculate on here. And in some cases you have to be online for specific amounts of times or even during the entire time of using the software for it to be running in the first place. Have you ever traveled? Gone to a remote place without internet? Or sketchy internet? Also, you seem to be oblivious to the fact that subscription only developers will not need to listen to their customers anymore. Product managers will just do what they want when it comes to updates. Whether you like the feature or not. With a perpetual model where you pay for major upgrades you are free to decide IF and WHEN to upgrade and by skipping you let the developer know that they need to try a little harder to keep your interest when releasing the next paid upgrade. That keeps the power balance much more within a fair equilibrium.

[@TheIgnoramus]

Why the reaper hate 😂

[@RichardIresonMusician]

Not me. I love Reaper.