Apple buys Redmatica - CONFIRMED

[strikingtwice]

I came right here as soon as I read this on 9to5 because I figured no one there would see the real implications of this as well as we do! I hope this satisfies some of the concerns about Logic's future. I have to say, as much as I don't really want anything but bug fixes in 9 (export movies in damn 64 bit), i have overwhelming curiosity of what they are going to do with another media tool, like movie editing (the DAW) which is another thing that has been dyed in the wool, and hasn't changed in years.

I suspect they will be using this technology to finally but those electrode sensor controllers into use that hear the ideas from your brain and compose the music for you with accurate instrumentation, and in real time. Seems like it's not that much to ask anymore. Starting to hate working in Logic without this possibility.

[claesbjo]

I wonder if this means it will take ages before LPX..? Just thinking if they buy it and now starts the implementation of Redmaticas stuff into Logic...seems like something that could take a while. Obviously it could be a feature in LPX.xx

[beej]

But I would really like to have Andrea working with the Logic team. EXS really needs a revamp or preferably a big brother. Right now there is only one alternative and that is NI's Kontakt. I don't know about you but I think there is a huge opportunity for a powerfull sampler that is more optimized than that.

Agreed - but the thing is, it should have been done years ago.

The EXS24 got a mkII update and then essentially got neglected for years while Kontakt went from version 2, to 3, to 4, to 5... to the point that the EXS is great for quick, simple things, but anyone requiring more from their sample sets went Kontakt, or dedicated instruments a long time ago.

Not only that, but the library developers all stopped making EXS24 format stuff because it couldn't support the more advanced features they wanted, so it lost so much market traction to Kontakt - I mean, if they made a new, Kontakt-type sampler instrument with much of the same functionality as Kontakt - who would care? There would be no real dedicated content for it, and it would just be duplicating functionality for all the Kontakt owners, so why bother?

What Andrea does have though, is a whole bunch of sophisticated audio mangling stuff, and a top-class Mac development pedigree. But I am confused as to what Apple's interest in Redmatica is? Sample conversion stuff? (boring!). A better EXS24 graphic editor in Logic? (Well yes, it needed one years ago, but I'm not sure it's going to be a big feature for the majority of today's Logic user base, who are more likely (imo) to be consumers of sampler instruments rather than creators.)

Apple-branded Keymap, ProManager and AutoSampler apps? Too small and niche a market for Apple to bother with.

So that leaves us with:- they want Andrea, and his audio development skills and some core technology, rather than the assets/applications themselves. Which would almost certainly mean, at some point, the death of all the Redmatica apps.

I'm guessing Redmatica or Apple can't put out an official statement until the deal is done - and that fact that I haven't seen any rebuttals, and the nature of the source, mean there probably is some weight in the rumour. Otherwise Andrea would be rocking in the forums saying "Don't panic, Redmatica lives on!" etc.

[Rev. Juda$ Sleaze]

Agreed - but the thing is, it should have been done years ago.

The EXS24 got a mkII update and then essentially got neglected for years while Kontakt went from version 2, to 3, to 4, to 5... to the point that the EXS is great for quick, simple things, but anyone requiring more from their sample sets went Kontakt, or dedicated instruments a long time ago

Amen, I don't know why they let it slide like that.

[trafficarte]

On the link posted by Eric, in the first comment, you can read this:

When I was working, I used Redmatica AutoSampler daily. Having the same features added to EXS24 / Logic Pro / GarageBand would be absolutely mindboggling (and much appreciated, btw.)
However, more to the point, Apple could use this transient-chopping technology to automatically and anonymously chop up the Siri speech-content into syllables and thus be able to beef up their Siri very, very quickly.
I'm guessing that if Redmatica + Siri = true , eventually we will have a possibility of chopping up the recognizable sounds of a human being, tweaking them and reorganizing/re-ordering them into a second language not spoken by the original speaker. It's going to be absolutely awesome - Apple would also be able to use this tech to pull off additional languages for Siri to recognize in the future.
After all, they already have access to spoken word podcasts, interviews, dialogues in film / tv-series -- what's to stop them from chopping that up using Redmatica tech and run the film-subtitles and the audio into Siri tech and thus improve Siri by leaps and bounds? Nothing, that's what.
Can't wait.

Someone else answer : "Ever heard of Vocaloid?
Because that's exactly what it does "

I suspect that Apple want to transplant Redmatica's technology into something else than Logic and similar softwares.

[gdoubleyou]

hmmm... i've heard the name here and there but never actually used anything of theirs...

was just looking at this -



surely it'd be way quicker to just do that in logic, ? He had to sit there for 5 minutes...

I used Autosampler to capture custom sound banks from my midi hardware, and a few virtual instruments that didn't make the OSX transition.

You set it up once, and it automatically captures the audio and creates EXS instruments.

It would be tedious to do in Logic.

They do have the best EXS tools out there, this could be big if Logic adds their sample editor and EXS management tools.

The Redmatica apps are available in the app store.

[beej]

However, more to the point, Apple could use this transient-chopping technology to automatically and anonymously chop up the Siri speech-content into syllables and thus be able to beef up their Siri very, very quickly.

Sorry, that makes zero sense for so many reasons I find it difficult to know where to begin...

[trafficarte]

However, more to the point, Apple could use this transient-chopping technology to automatically and anonymously chop up the Siri speech-content into syllables and thus be able to beef up their Siri very, very quickly.

Sorry, that makes zero sense for so many reasons I find it difficult to know where to begin...

I agree, looks like the girl is into the conspiracy-mania state of mind...

[hmurchison]

If Apple just wanted to hire Redmatica employees for their talent they would not have filed to purchase the company. They clearly want the technology that Redmatica has created.

Otherwise Andrea would just announce he's now working for Apple and put the current products on ice.


Some of this technology would be ideal for sound design for film and thusly i'd expect it to have some impact in Final Cut Pro X as well.

[beej]

If Apple just wanted to hire Redmatica employees for their talent they would not have filed to purchase the company.

Of course they do, they do it all the time - they do it to get the people, and the assets - keeps things simple that way. They wouldn't just be able to "hire" Andrea (who, to all intents and purposes *is* Redmatica) because he wouldn't just let the company die, and he wouldn't be able to do both.

They clearly want the technology that Redmatica has created.

Well - we are not sure yet what the purpose of the deal is. It may be that they are out of Logic developers and need some new, good ones, with a certain relationship with the existing development team and a passion for Logic, audio and related technologies. Who knows?

Some of this technology would be ideal for sound design for film and thusly i'd expect it to have some impact in Final Cut Pro X as well.

Really? What parts? Certainly not building multi sampled instruments, auto sampling MIDI instruments or plugins, or organising large sampled instrument libraries. Sure, Redmatica have some great looping and sound design mangling tools, but they are hardly a required part of the feature set of a video editing system.

Certainly this acquisition, while smart, is interesting in that it's difficult to see exactly what the purpose of it would be, unless they really wanted to beef up the parts of Logic relating to sampled instruments significantly... which may be possible, but...

[ski]

Interesting... an Italian "fan" blog translated into English by a machine is fueling speculation and angst across the Internet. Never fails to amuse.

[beej]

Interesting... an Italian "fan" blog translated into English by a machine is fueling speculation and angst across the Internet. Never fails to amuse.

Yep. An messages of congratulations on the Apple purchase on the Redmatica Facebook page. And Andrea not posting to dispel the rumours suggests there's truth in it. We'll see.

Did annoy me on the MacRumours comments though - so many people who have so little clue posting as if they know what it's all about. They'd never even heard of Redmatica before the rumour, and at best have glanced at their site seeing "it's something to do with audio" and then clearly suggesting that it's been bought for putting into Final Cut Pro X etc...

[Minimoog]

No idea of it's true....

It would stink if Apple took these apps and removed the functions they have with competing products such as Kontakt or Structure.

In fact,..really suck! because I upgraded to get the benefits of using the apps with those..

oh well.

[ski]

Interesting... an Italian "fan" blog translated into English by a machine is fueling speculation and angst across the Internet. Never fails to amuse.

Yep. An messages of congratulations on the Apple purchase on the Redmatica Facebook page. And Andrea not posting to dispel the rumours suggests there's truth in it. We'll see.

Probably too busy deleting inquiries from his Inbox, all from people he doesn't know, 1/2 of which don't know how to pronounce his first name correctly. (This is pure speculation, ergo I've amused myself).

....so many people who have so little clue posting as if they know what it's all about....

Speaking of which, I see about 15 threads here on LPH that I want to respond to...

[EricBradley]

One thing to keep in mind is that the products never supported Kontakt 5...

[claesbjo]

Got this now:

Dear Redmatica Customer,
After eight wonderful years of developing creative sampling tools, I have decided to close Redmatica to pursue other interests. Thank you for all your patronage!

Andrea Gozzi, Founder

[David]

Wow ... that was terse!

[manofra]

Interesting... an Italian "fan" blog translated into English by a machine is fueling speculation and angst across the Internet. .

Not exactly.

The FanBlog mentioned that because it showed up in an official document from the Italian Regulatory Agency, who oversees and authorizes such acquisitions -- which they did on page 39:

http://www.agcm.it/trasp-statistiche/do ... 19-12.html

So, it's not a rumor, but a very real deal.

And, as of now, I have too received an e-mail from Redmatica itself communicating the end of its operations. So, we can change the title to CONFIRMED, much to my sadness...

[beej]

Yep, it's official.

It's funny, because just the other day I was wondering about the future of those products, which are all pretty mature now, and what Redmatica would do next. Now we know...

[leytonnz]

Wow ... that was terse!

yes and really surprising to me. He has given me exceptional software support and comes across as a nice caring guy ..
..i dont begrudge him selling his company, but having also just got that message it is a very weird way to end a "relationship"
oh well... exsmk III here we come.