Ableton Booth at NAMM 08 - Disappointing Results

[nebulae]

I was very excited to go to my first NAMM show. The thought of meeting the Abletons had be giddy for days...After all, I have been such a fanboy for so long. It is therefore with a heavy heart that I have to say that I was sorely disappointed at the fairly cold reception I received yesterday at their NAMM booth.

There was the usual product demos, and a nice booth with large flatscreens and headphones for people to see the demos. And there were Abletons from New York hanging out with some Cycling '74 guys. So all in all, everything that you would expect from a cool booth from a solid company, right? So here's what was missing: There was no heart, little enthusiasm, and few warm inviting smiling friendly faces.

I didn't get a single Ableton come up to me to say hello and introduce themselves. Not one. Did they do so at Cakewalk, Steinberg, Access, Waldorf, Waves, and even Digidesign? Everytime and with consistenly friendly people. All the big players, despite years of solid users, were busting their nuts trying to evangelize their products.

I couldn't figure it out - Perhaps the New York Abes were just shy? After all, it's not like I was walking around going, "Hey I'm Neb from the forum!" I just wandered in as some dude, checking out Live. I gave them the benfit of the doubt. Well, it wasn't shyness...You see, when people from other companies came by, strategic companies, the Abes were all open arms, hugs, and smiles. That's when I realized what was wrong...they were saving it for people who could do something for them, not giving 100% to fans, users, and people interested.

I suppose I wasn't important enough, and that's ok. But as Ableton grows and becomes a major player, should it lose the warmth, the charm, and the community aspect that helped create what we all love about it? Should it have an image of being a bit stand-offish or pretentious? Should it blow off everyday users and save the charm only for strategic partnerships? I really hope not.

It's not so much that they were rude, as it is that they were just not warm or inviting. It felt like they couldn't care less if I was there or not...That's just wrong at a major music convention. I could have been some dude or someone important, you never know. Shouldn't you be working hard to bring everyone who shows interest into the fold? Should there be energy and enthusiasm that explodes from that booth? Take a note from all the other major vendors out there...people expect energy, enthusiasm, warmth, and they expect that you're working your ass off to show off what's great about your product.

I went expecting cool goofy enthusiastic lovable Germans. What I got didn't come close. Not a good image, especially for someone who has supported and evangelized your products for years. So in short, I'll be at NAMM for three more days. I hope to see a much better attitude from the Ableton booth.

[Tone Deft]

would a handjob and a cookie would make it better?

ouch man, what if someone posted on your law firm's site how you were cold and uninviting at an important overseas client meeting and your boss read that? you just made those booth workers have a not-so-fun fun Friday.

if they're talking to Cycling 74 it's your job to leave them alone and form a human barricade to prevent anyone from talking to them. you must also record the conversation.

[jackjack]

That's when I realized what was wrong...they were saving it for people who could do something for them, not giving 100% to fans, users, and people interested.

Not to be a dick, but I think you are pretty right on. I can't help but love Live but after buying the suite (yeah I gave in) it is once again so obvious how little they care about the users.

So many simple, simple features (not really even features) that they do not add. Small things - usability things. The codebase is not so old that it is too unstable to change them. I'm a developer and understand that is a REAL problem with some products.

But the abes should be able to fix/change some of the small things.

I'm not into live looping but it seems to me like the people who are jump through hoops to get hands free control. Seems one little bit of work by ableton could help them alot in stead of all the midiox, midi-this and that utils they try to run.

reverse button in impulse?

tons of small little "i use this for hours a day" make life better things.

and man, the crappy new "instruments". what a sucky rip.

it sucks.

[b0unce]

I was very excited to go to my first NAMM show. The thought of meeting the Abletons had be giddy for days...After all, I have been such a fanboy for so long. It is therefore with a heavy heart that I have to say that I was sorely disappointed at the fairly cold reception I received yesterday at their NAMM booth.

There was the usual product demos, and a nice booth with large flatscreens and headphones for people to see the demos. And there were Abletons from New York hanging out with some Cycling '74 guys. So all in all, everything that you would expect from a cool booth from a solid company, right? So here's what was missing: There was no heart, little enthusiasm, and few warm inviting smiling friendly faces.

I didn't get a single Ableton come up to me to say hello and introduce themselves. Not one. Did they do so at Cakewalk, Steinberg, Access, Waldorf, Waves, and even Digidesign? Everytime and with consistenly friendly people. All the big players, despite years of solid users, were busting their nuts trying to evangelize their products.

I couldn't figure it out - Perhaps the New York Abes were just shy? After all, it's not like I was walking around going, "Hey I'm Neb from the forum!" I just wandered in as some dude, checking out Live. I gave them the benfit of the doubt. Well, it wasn't shyness...You see, when people from other companies came by, strategic companies, the Abes were all open arms, hugs, and smiles. That's when I realized what was wrong...they were saving it for people who could do something for them, not giving 100% to fans, users, and people interested.

I suppose I wasn't important enough, and that's ok. But as Ableton grows and becomes a major player, should it lose the warmth, the charm, and the community aspect that helped create what we all love about it? Should it have an image of being a bit stand-offish or pretentious? Should it blow off everyday users and save the charm only for strategic partnerships? I really hope not.

It's not so much that they were rude, as it is that they were just not warm or inviting. It felt like they couldn't care less if I was there or not...That's just wrong at a major music convention. I could have been some dude or someone important, you never know. Shouldn't you be working hard to bring everyone who shows interest into the fold? Should there be energy and enthusiasm that explodes from that booth? Take a note from all the other major vendors out there...people expect energy, enthusiasm, warmth, and they expect that you're working your ass off to show off what's great about your product.

I went expecting cool goofy enthusiastic lovable Germans. What I got didn't come close. Not a good image, especially for someone who has supported and evangelized your products for years. So in short, I'll be at NAMM for three more days. I hope to see a much better attitude from the Ableton booth.

what a ponce.

[nebulae]

would a handjob and a cookie would make it better?

ouch man, what if someone posted on your law firm's site how you were cold and uninviting at an important overseas client meeting and your boss read that? you just made those booth workers have a not-so-fun fun Friday.

if they're talking to Cycling 74 it's your job to leave them alone and form a human barricade to prevent anyone from talking to them. you must also record the conversation.

Sorry, dude, not sure how to respond...this is the Superbowl of trade shows, and our home team is performing like crap. Should I wait till it's over, or should this message be delivered at halftime so they can turn it around?

Also, this is a public event that invites public opinion. If I had a public performance that was horrible, then I would expect to hear about it. And that's the case with my profession, my music, or any of my posts on this and other forums. That's just what it means to be public. The opinion has little to do with how much fun they are having this Friday.

As for Cycling '74, I'll have a report on them later this afternoon.

[djadonis206]

I wouldn't sweat it - probably caught 'em at a weird time or someone walked out or something completely "off topic" happened and that was what it was

go back in a hour and see if they're still in the same pissy mood

could be a German thing to - I haven't really known to many Germans that were excited about anything other than square spectacles and boxy cars...

[abletoff]

I'm not at Namm, but the spirit you're after materialized recently in a mail from Ableton customer service: they discontinued the sweater I ordered and the gave me the more expensive zipped one for free, apologizing for the live 7 box shipping delay.
Maybe they're just trying to survive Namm's crazyness... check back tomorrow.
(btw, which are the strategic companies?)

[nebulae]

I wouldn't sweat it - probably caught 'em at a weird time or someone walked out or something completely "off topic" happened and that was what it was

go back in a hour and see if they're still in the same pissy mood

could be a German thing to - I haven't really known to many Germans that were excited about anything other than square spectacles and boxy cars...

No I came back several time and spent a good deal of time there. Also, there were no Germans there at all.

[Tone Deft]

would a handjob and a cookie would make it better?

ouch man, what if someone posted on your law firm's site how you were cold and uninviting at an important overseas client meeting and your boss read that? you just made those booth workers have a not-so-fun fun Friday.

if they're talking to Cycling 74 it's your job to leave them alone and form a human barricade to prevent anyone from talking to them. you must also record the conversation.

Sorry, dude, not sure how to respond...this is the Superbowl of trade shows, and our home team is performing like crap. Should I wait till it's over, or should this message be delivered at halftime so they can turn it around?

Also, this is a public event that invites public opinion. If I had a public performance that was horrible, then I would expect to hear about it. And that's the case with my profession, my music, or any of my posts on this and other forums. That's just what it means to be public. The opinion has little to do with how much fun they are having this Friday.

As for Cycling '74, I'll have a report on them later this afternoon.

my first line was a bit rough, just thought it was a funny line.

all true. I just handle work related criticisms more on the downlow. I'd say something to the booth workers or maybe drop a PM to some Abe saying "I went to the booth and it didn't make me want to stay long."

trade shows SUCK to work at too. hard carpet, long hours on the feet and there's always that constant drone of noise in those large convention centers, I hate trade shows after the first few hours.

[mike holiday]

those smile and big handshake guys are all full of shit anyway.


the abe's don't need to front.

[mike holiday]

I haven't really known to many Germans that were excited about anything other than square spectacles and boxy cars...

and leather pants

[nebulae]

would a handjob and a cookie would make it better?

ouch man, what if someone posted on your law firm's site how you were cold and uninviting at an important overseas client meeting and your boss read that? you just made those booth workers have a not-so-fun fun Friday.

if they're talking to Cycling 74 it's your job to leave them alone and form a human barricade to prevent anyone from talking to them. you must also record the conversation.

Sorry, dude, not sure how to respond...this is the Superbowl of trade shows, and our home team is performing like crap. Should I wait till it's over, or should this message be delivered at halftime so they can turn it around?

Also, this is a public event that invites public opinion. If I had a public performance that was horrible, then I would expect to hear about it. And that's the case with my profession, my music, or any of my posts on this and other forums. That's just what it means to be public. The opinion has little to do with how much fun they are having this Friday.

As for Cycling '74, I'll have a report on them later this afternoon.

my first line was a bit rough, just thought it was a funny line.

all true. I just handle work related criticisms more on the downlow. I'd say something to the booth workers or maybe drop a PM to some Abe saying "I went to the booth and it didn't make me want to stay long."

trade shows SUCK to work at too. hard carpet, long hours on the feet and there's always that constant drone of noise in those large convention centers, I hate trade shows after the first few hours.

Yeah, totally agree, trade shows are hard, and I went back and forth on how to get this message across. After all, I'm completely irrelevant - just one user, just one line item in the revenue stream. This is about how I saw this booth compared to many many others for companies that were working really hard to promote themselves. I expected more, and there's really no easy way to say that.

[djadonis206]

I wouldn't sweat it - probably caught 'em at a weird time or someone walked out or something completely "off topic" happened and that was what it was

go back in a hour and see if they're still in the same pissy mood

could be a German thing to - I haven't really known to many Germans that were excited about anything other than square spectacles and boxy cars...

No I came back several time and spent a good deal of time there. Also, there were no Germans there at all.

See, I knew it -

oh well, it is what it is - I guess you have to ask the question what can I bring to this situation to make it better

smile, mention my name, show them this picture of Keyshia Cole and be like "What's up gangsta's!!!"

[Mr_You]

*deleted*

[leisuremuffin]

As somebody who's had to work at trade shows, yes, they fucking suck. And yeah, you just blew it up for those poor sods, they're gonna catch shit for sure. That said, everybody I 've ever met from abe at a trade show has been real cool. Of course I met them in the context of giving them free fucking advertising because i was doing demos of what my ableton classes were like at sae so maybe that's what it's like. I dunno.



.lm.