Justin Frankel Reveals Life After Winamp

Joseph Gelinas writes "Speaking out for the first time on life after AOL/Nullsoft, Winamp creator Justin Frankel sat down with BetaNews to discuss his new endeavors. Starting a new company called Cockos, Frankel is leaving behind the mass market for his musical roots, but hints at revolutionary -- and presumably controversial -- things to come."

Jesusonic Looks Interesting

[FriedTurkey]

As someone who plays guitar, the Jesusonic looks interesting. Real time effects processing on a computer would allow an amazing amount of customizations of sounds on the fly. However, it doesn't seem very portable despite being a floor device. I don't see someone taking the monstrosity to a jam session. I think it would be more annoying being on the floor than just at a desk. Jesusonic has to be easier than programming those rack mount processors. Hopefully Jesusonic can grow into something to replace the cost prohibitive Pro Tools.

Re:No Kidding....

[ZeroGee]

Seeing as how one of the programs available on that website is "Assniffer," it makes you wonder if he's naming things just to see if stupid people will actually use them in conversation.

I really see this as a growing market

[ACK!!]

Not really sure why but a lot of the marketing types around my office jam in bands and are very tech savvy.

I see this kind of product if promoted correctly having a very nice niche market among hardcore keyboard junkies and techy musician types.

Very interesting idea.

Hardware and software I want to use.

Hhhhhmmm .... Sounds like a hacker's grand ideal really.

Best Line

[DarkHelmet]

Best line of the whole article:

Not only is it useful on computers, it allows people who don't want to spend money on a Jesusonic hardware device to go ahead and write new effects for the Jesusonic.

Now there is someone who is completely devoid of marketing, or corporate thinking. He actually has the notion of contributing something on the basis of realizing that some people won't pay for something.

I suppose at this point he's pretty much made for life, and doesn't have to worry about money anymore. Still, how admirable.

There is more to a name

[Anonymous Coward]

"It's a stupid name" means people will be talking about it, and they won't forget it. Great PR.

And lets not forget how crazy "Nullsort" sounded when it was founded. $100m+ later, whose laughing now?

Company name != quality of product offered

Re:Best Line

[Anonymous Coward]

Not only is it useful on computers, it allows people who don't want to spend money on a Jesusonic hardware device to go ahead and write new effects for the Jesusonic.

Now there is someone who is completely devoid of marketing, or corporate thinking. He actually has the notion of contributing something on the basis of realizing that some people won't pay for something.

Really? Unless I'm reading it wrong, it sounds like he's allowing people who don't own the product to increase the value of that product. Eventually, the product will become more and more attractive to non-buyers who will then buy it.

Re:I'm suprised he's a windows geek

[Strudelkugel]

My guess is most non-programmer musicians run Windows, MacOS, Linux, in that order. I would also guess the percentages are quite lopsided in favor of Windows as well. His idea (and I think it's a very good one) is to bring effects processing creative freeedom to the music community, not promote one OS over another.

This is why he's got lots o money.

[teamhasnoi]

Give the software away, but tie the ease of use it to special hardware that he makes.

Lots of people will run this, and make presets, and do lots of stuff for free for him, while he sells the hardware that makes it usable (without having to hack it together yourself).

Genius. I think Apple tried something like that before...anyone heard of the iPod?

Re:I'm suprised he's a windows geek

[ScytheBlade1]

I call bullcrap. This IS slashdot, and likewise it's rare to see a "Windows Geek" get posted here.

Slashdot is also a serious minority. Compare the number of shashdotters to the number of people running windows 98 (at home). We're nothing in number. Consequently, go look at Channel 9. *Tons* of windows geeks. And suprise, some of them just may be worth listening too.

I'm not expecting too many people to care, but there ARE intilligent people who use windows. Justin Frankel just managed /. posting "about him", which is uncommon.

(*having premonitions of insightful troll*)

Re:Perhaps We Need The Karma Police?

[BlueCup]

ok... I don't KNOW the truth... but after reading that, I'm inclined to believe that Dmitry, is insane. Maybe he's insane because he was cheated out of something, but I'm inclined to doubt it... more likely he was crazy before... for one thing... day long meditations, for 5 years, to clear out poison? Nobody does day long meditations for one day unless they're already crazy, much less for 5 years... intentional or not, that letter is a troll.

Re:Interesting

[albn]

"However the best stuff is of course still analogue and remains quite pricey."

That's up for debate. The digital advocates of the day argued it has much better sound quality, bigger headroom, and signal to noise ratio can surpass 90dB. Also, the generation loss was minimal, but depending on your equipment (the old rule crap in, crap out comes to mind and why good cables, consoles, and maintainance). However, digital processing was VERY expensive. I recall a Marantz CD recorder was around $3,000 took up 5u's of rack space and also had an optional computer program which was an additional $10,000. So many opted for DATs and other digital recorders if the higher ends were too pricey. ADATs, DA-88's, DATs come to mind for multi-track and mastering equipment.

Analog on the other hand many advocates said it is "warmer" feel to the sound (which is true... sometimes you just cannot beat the vinyl sound :D), and at higher IPSs, the sound got better, (but man, you could go through the tape.) and sometimes, you could reach near digital quality with the right equipment albeit can be just as expensive once it is all said and done. I remember somebody not clipping at a +9mB when hitting a crash cymbal and it still sounded crisp and not flat. That was nice.

And I bet some can remember the the so-called 4-8 track "multi-track Fostex porta studios that used cassette tapes that went at a higher IPS, but still sounded like crap :D I remember those sold pretty well for budgets.

Now, with the CD/DVD burners are next to nothing AND come with software, it amazes me why more people are not getting serious with recording. The only thing that still needs to be perfected (which I doubt will ever happen) is the simulated high-end console, tube mic and instrument. I have never seen any digitized instrument that sounds as good as somebody with talent playing it.

Again, there is only so much a computer can do and comes a time when people make a piece of music have a quality all in itself.

Re:Isn't "Guitar Rig" the exact same thing?

[Moofie]

"Isn't the point of playing an instrument actually playing it yourself?"

The point of playing music is to express yourself. Different artists use different media to do that.

What's the problem?

Re:Not very socially acceptable

[JoshRosenbaum]

For all you Slashdotters who love to bash us marketing folks, people like Justin keep people like me in business. ;)

Yes, because it's creative people like Justin who make the product, and without them, you'd have nothing to name. ;)