Re: music just for musicians?

[Jon Durant <74074.1316@CompuServe.COM>]

Michael writes:

>That's the politest way I've heard for saying "he talks a load of tripe"  
>:)

I'm nothing, if not polite! Seriously, this is by no means the first time 
your
arguments have been raised. I just think it's well worth pointing out some 
of
the things that you don't know so that you can be more informed about the 
full
scope of this debate. 

>Yes, but bearing in mind that the average joe does tend to act like a 
>sheep
>rather than learn by example, you need to get people who are in said
>musician's CD collections, and Leni Stern quite honestly isn't.  I'm
>probably at a disadvantage  here because I'm in the UK and probably aren't
>exposed to people like Manring, of whom I'd never heard before the ad.  
>But
>in terms of artist association Peavey's new J. ad for the Tubefex will
>probably do far more for sales.  Hell, that ad could've been for the
>Vortex.

Sorry you're not familiar with Manring. He's a real monster, and a heck of 
a
nice guy as well. As for Ms. Stern, besides the "female" aspect of 
including her
in the ad, there's this tiny market here in the states called New York, 
wherin
Leni is indeed something of a musician's musician.On any given Sunday 
night you
can run into a host of NY who's whos haning around the 55 dive. While the
general public isn't so familiar with her, it's astounding how many of the
players are hip to what she's doing. Just as an example, the entire current
line-up of the Brecker Brothers band is comprised of her former band 
mates. And
they're all using the JamMan. Ask Michael Brecker how many people in NY are
following her, and he'll tell you that everyone who's playuing owes 
something to
her. There are a bunch of high profile session players who are always 
asking her
what to buy. I know, 'cause they all called me. I know, it's just New 
York, but
if you gotta start somewhere...

>> Remember, this box is for a wider audience than just guitar players.

>But guitar players really don't care.  Well, most don't. 

I dunno. If this list is any indicator, it seems like the creative types 
who are
likely to use such a product really do care about other artists besides
guitarists. Besides, the ad wasn't only placed in Guitar Player. 
Guitarists are
the largest potential market, but not the only one.

>Then why did no-one buy it?  Was it under-specced, or what?

This is, of course, the crux of the biscuit. The answer is (IMO) that the 
market
for such a product isn't that big to begin with. It will grow over time, 
but for
right now I just don't see big moneys to be made in a looping-only device. 
In a
well-thought-out multi effector? Yeah, absolutely.  

Kim further chimed in with
>Sounds like poor sales forcasting, for one thing. But
>more importantly, why did you make them all at once? Just about the whole
>manufacturing world uses just-in-time manufacturing processes. It worked
>for Toyota and the rest of Japan, it worked for GM, it works for the whole
>computer industry, it even works for lowly little Oberheim. Did you guys
>miss that seminar series or what?

You don't ever want to sit in meetings with the brass at Lexland, Kim! 
It's a
scary sight.