Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
Is a sports car useless without a set of winter tyres in summer?
Now think about your complaint one more time.
Yes, delays totally blow, but you’re majorly exaggerating and overreacting here.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
Agreed… Delays Blow…
I will say though that the Other than the Software Delay, The BeatBuddy works just as well as was written and demonstrated and it is built like a tank (Just as I had hoped).
I do however agree, the configuration software is one of the main reasons that I purchased the BeatBuddy so the delay is indeed disappointing. Though I am disappointed and anxiously await it, I realize that stomping my feet will not help fix bugs and coding issues.
As well, I have bought into other development concepts such as this and must admit that though their has been some minor delays, you guys are doing a pretty good job at keeping on schedule! Some projects are months behind and have no communication with its initial investors…
Keep working diligently and keep us informed! I am still a believer in this technology. Heck… I spent four years and $1500 trying to get a software/hardware combination that would work in this fashion and had mediocre success. I was ecstatic when I first saw the concept and when all is said and done, I believe I will have a tool that does what I had hoped and for a reasonable price…
Sincerely
Anton
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
Finally received my BB (the same day I received my shipping notification… clearly some process opportunities in the delivery process).
Out of the box, Yes, the BB is functional as a stop and go drum machine (a very good quality drum machine with fills and transitions, it must be said) but without the manager software it is not useful at all for my live situations and barely functional for rehearsal environments.
I understand the desire to build up initial orders to help with startup costs however it was extremely misleading for the company not to advise of potential delays with the software release. I would have gladly given up my initial pre-order discount to have a fully functional product upon receipt.
I will not at this point demand my money back (stressing 'At this point) however I will say that non-finite delivery dates are not acceptable and would like to know a hard date for at least a beta version of the software.
There’s no such thing as over-communication in a situation like this. As a newer company you cannot afford to treat your early adopters like this or your next production run will be decimated by the used units available on E-bay.
Step it up BB.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
Wow. This is a kickstarter. You guys think that magically they are going to be perfect at everything on their first product run? I know you all are chomping at the bit to get at this, but you’ve lived this long without management software, you will live a little longer.
You were a backer of the company, and with that, came a perk. The perk is the beat buddy. The management software is coming. If you don’t want delays, DO NOT invest in kickstarter and crowd sourced products. Also don’t ask for your money back, that’s ridiculous. You are not owed a penny back. You funded a start-up, not purchased a product from a store. The product is a perk, and it is as described. The software is coming, just relax. Who plans gigs based around this perk this early in the cycle? How did you gig before??? Just use your old method until the new one is ready!
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
The gig isn’t planned around the BB, but based on statements from David and Support, I was very much hoping that I’d be able to use it. As it is, I still can use it, just on a limited basis.
My frustration doesn’t stem from the delay - as you say, delays are all but inevitable for a small start-up like this - but rather from the poor communication about it. What little has been said about the software delay, which I quoted in an earlier post, has proven to be inaccurate.
I found the communication about the hardware delays to be much better - details were provided regarding the progress that had been made, reasons were given for the hold-up, and we got lots of pretty pictures of the production process - that was enough to satisfy my concerns. But now, we have no idea of the scope of the bugs that the software team is dealing with. For all we know, they had to scrap it and start over. All I’m asking for is a clear statement that says “we’re still facing issues a, b & c, we’re taking steps x, y & z to deal with them, we expect to release version 1.0 on $date, sorry for the delay, rock on.”
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
Think about your answer one more time before using such a stupid car metaphor. I don’t overreact, I truly consider that a Beatbuddy that is not configurable with you own song is useless as a gig pedal. It is just an expensive toy.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
No ! We are not business angels or capital-risk funds. We didn’t fund a start-up, we purchased a product. The reason why the price we paid was lower, is just that we accepted to pay far in advance of the production, and doing so, we lowered the company’s working capital requirement.
And no, the product is not as described. The description clearly included (and still includes) the software :
“Unlimited Additional Content
Create any song or drum set with the included BeatBuddy Manager software.
Download new content from the ever-expanding BeatBuddy Online Library.
Share your creations with friends and discover user-generated content on the BeatBuddy Community Forum.”
A product is not only a piece of hardware, it is hardware + software. And when you sell a product, even crowd-funded, you must stick to your commitments.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
Dear edouard. I realize you are mad at not having the manager software right now. I also realize customers are always right. The trick is I am a customer like you as well. So I just ask you to please be civil on these forums and really think twice before calling something stupid. My metaphor was actually quite close to the situation we are in now. A sports car is definitely just a toy. And it’s a ridiculously expensive one. But you are more than capable of riding it in summer despite not having a set of winter tyres that your vendor promised to deliver to you very soon. But would a simple bicycle be enough to get from point A to point B? Probably yes, and it will definitely be cheaper as well.
You chose to purchase BeatBuddy - thank you very much! Without you and many other contributors neither me nor any other would ever see this amazing drum pedal. Is it possible to use and jam with it as soon as you get one? Hell yes! Does it sound great and are pedal presses working as intended? Definitely yes! But is it still not accomplished? Unfortunately, yes.
You can also take some time and re-read the terms and conditions on crowd funding. Despite your personal line of thinking, what brads4 said is 100% accurate. I recommend you to be extra careful next time you crowd fund something with this mentality!
BeatBuddy project is not closing by any means. If that was the case, I would understand your butthurt and would definitely join you! There WILL be a software release. It is merely delayed to ensure it is as top notch as possible. You are not deceived!
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
YES YOU ARE. LOL. You bought this on indigogo! That is literally what they do. Crowd sourced funding. This is a start-up company, who as far as I can tell has not released another product.
You are right, however they have not failed to meet their commitment. Simply delayed, and since this is crowd funded, there was always VERY HIGH probability of delay. I knew exactly how this was going to go down. Pretty much every single crowd funded project experiences some sort of delay. (google it!) This appears to be their first manufactured product, and it is so hard to get it perfect the first time. You should be thankful that it was as smooth as it was. Sorry you didn’t know what you were doing, but seriously, read what your are committing to in advance. Go back to the Indigogo page and see how this stuff works. Try reading the fine print. It’s the most important part of any purchase/agreement.
You'll get your software, just relax and stop being ignorant of your role in this product.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
I’m sure some on here preordered the BB from the BB website not indigogo, so not sure how that fits in with the terms and conditions; production run 1 I believe included both. Personally I can continue the wait and use the pedal as is, as there are ways (by editing the files) to at least create a set list change tempo and drum sets. I don’t understand people wanting a refund as this is still a brilliant piece of kit and unique, although if you don’t find the rhythms useful I can understand the frustration of not being able to use it as first planned, but it will come - but I do agree some more updates on this would be useful.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
This.
I believe we are all frustrated by the lack of updates, but what we have in our possession is something (currently) unique.
It would be great if one of the Singular Sounds crew responded to this thread either directly here or via a weekly group email (correct me if I’m wrong - I believe Daefecator is an enthusiastic early adoptor, rather than an employee?).
I’d also respectfully request that you express your frustrations in a civil manner, before this gets out of hand. The people who are writing here are as frustrated as you, and can’t help alleviate that frustration.
Cheers
Richard
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
No, he’s not. Your analogy is way off. A car can be driven from one place to another with either set of tires. But it can’t be driven without an engine. The software is the engine of the beat buddy. I cannot use the pedal at gigs without the software to manage and run the pedal.
Someone brought up a good point. The whole package was promised for April delivery with delayed delivery of the hardware blamed on a parts shortage and the shipping problems. Why wasn’t the software ready around April? Or in the 5 months between April and shipping? I really don’t understand that. Now we’re 6 months past the original due date and will be 7 or more months past the date for the Mac software. Why?
And I recall David promising that we would have the software to work with while we were waiting for the delayed hardware.
Complaining won’t get it done earlier, but there’s good reason to complain. And the lack of communication is making it worse. Surely David now realizes that promising the software in another week, max 2, is going to get him in trouble since it will be done when it’s done. My concern is that whoever is working on this can’t get it done as we should have had it months ago. I think that’s a valid concern at this point.
Neophytte, you are pretty spot on with your suggestion.
And returning back to the beaten analogy of a sports car - an engine would be a BeatBuddy sound. If there were totally no sounds produced by BeatBuddy without manager software, that would be like an engine. DavidE, what you try to suggest - is like complaining about your sports car can’t cross muddy open roads as easily as a Jeep.
I am not defending delays in any way. I am just trying to tell that it’s simply a matter of time that we will get our manager software. Noone is either deceived or forgotten yet. The last thing I heard myself was that the work is going nonstop. And if I am not mistaken, David Packouz is now in (or about to get to) China to deal with these massive shipment delays.
I, too, am EXTREMELY frustrated. I don’t have a problem with both the hardware AND software being repeatedly delayed. It’s the manner in which this company communicates with the people who owe it’s existence to. If we are “investors” as some other members have described us then we should be told the truth about delays and not repeatedly pacified. I’ll be honest. As cool as the BB with the manager is going to eventually be, I would have paid the extra hundred bucks or so to get it with everything promised.
Unfortunately, even “telling truth” still takes time from a team, while my “pacifying” attempts cost them nothing. I merely try to win them some time to actually complete the work while gathering constructive feedback in the process for the next major update after all current jobs (be it support or actual programming) is done.
BeatBuddy project team, great job. If my calcs are right you have till July 2015 to release BB MGR and still beat the US Government’s software delivery.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
That was posted Sept 29, (on page 2 of this thread) so “max two” would be Oct 14. I hope he is correct, and I hope the software team delivers.
Re: BeatBuddy Manager available date?
I hope so too, but I’m not holding my breath.
Daefecator, I was not referring to you. If anything, you are the most forthcoming member of the BB “team”. I’m sure most, if not all of us, appreciate you and your honesty.