Name suggestions

malc · 28 Sept 2004

Hi bManic thanks for that.

I really like some of your suggestions - Audio Design Farm and Blueprint are my favourites.

We've been talking about the name recently but found ourselves wondering if there really is anything wrong with what we have.

The reason for the debate is because the current name doesn't really capture everything that the software can do. The problem is that the applications are so general that the only names that I think solve the problem are the ones that say nothing about what the application can do.

So take Blueprint for example, that would fit the bill nicely. But does it really give you anything? Is it really a problem that SM suggests that it's about synths. At least it goes part way there - it is about synths, but it's also a whole lot more. Add to that the fact that the name is known, is it not more important to retain that advantage?

The synth in SM stands for synthesis which for audio aplications is what SM is all about.

We'd be interested to hear your thoughts. Your input and assistance is greatly appreciated.

bManic · 28 Sept 2004

There are two problems with the name synthmaker (one of them could be an advantage too though).

First, like you said, synthmaker is a kind of limiting name as you can really do so much more with your software, especially once you add some more extensive midi and other controller mangling modules.

Second, synthEDIT is very easily confused with synthMaker. This could be an advantage too as synthedit is already pretty well recognized and established software. Then again, people might see your software as a copy cat (which it isn't as I know jorge started synthmaker long long ago with this name). Also, IMHO synthmaker has much more potential for tweaking/building power and I personally think the GUI is much more professional and could easily be targeted at a higher market.

This is the dilemma. I believe in this piece of software you guys have created, I really do. I think if you play your cards right you might potentially have a real success story here. Like I've said earlier it's a fantastic tool for Universities and Schools and there is some serious $ to be made in that branch. Music technology related schools and education in general has grown exponentially the last few years so even the timing of your product is right.

Don't get stuck with a name that works for the 'home' or 'pro-sumer' market but rather try to think forward and invest in a name that could take off in the professional field. NOTE: No offense meant at any home / project studio owners, I'm one also, but I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that your software is worth so much more than the typical shareware pricetag. Maybe be generous and offer student / home user licenses separately and then also sell your software for real profit to the education markets? I'm no expert at all but I know that everytime I've shown the software to fellow students they all like what they see.

Then again, maybe it's just me who thinks that Synth Maker is a bit of a limiting name and maybe I wouldn't have raised the issue if there wasn't Synth Edit around, who knows?. The way you've made the new 'logo' the name synth maker looks rather nice actually 😀 . My advice is that don't stop looking for potential names just yet.. because once the thing hits the fan and the underground finds your software (it's only a matter of time) it's too late.

Cheers! bManic

lalo · 29 Sept 2004

agreed bManic 😉

malc · 29 Sept 2004

Thanks bManic. I have to say I agree with everthing you've said.

Jorge and I talked about this last night and we decided that we are going to look at it. If you or any of the others have any more suggestions we'd love to hear them.

Out of interest (and don't take this to mean that I'm completely stuck on the name SynthMaker because I'm not) would the name SynthMaker DSP give it a more professional ring as well as indicating the DSP capability or would a complete change be better?

lalo · 29 Sept 2004

..DSP-Lab.. ..SoundCode... ...Audio-Lab... ...Deep Sound Processing (DSP) 😀 ...One-Sample...Sample-1... ...DSP Surfer... ... lalo

jorge · 29 Sept 2004

I have just a couple of thoughts to add to what has been discussed on naming. I see synthmaker as a having a framework ( dont know if that's the right word ) to be used in the future for any application not necessarily related to music/audio/dsp. Thinking long term it would be nice to have an initial part of the name that would remain the same for all applications in the same way as Microsoft's Visual C++, Visual C#, Visual Basic etc Actually I think Visual would be a very good name if it wasnt already used, synthmaker could then become something like Visual Audio or Visual DSP.

Another thought I had is that the name should be so unique ideally so that a search on google wouldnt find any webpages. Most of the names that have been suggested use common words that even when two of them are used together there's still over 100.000 results on a google search. One option would be to use 3 words but that's probably too much.

bManic · 29 Sept 2004

I think that would be near impossible to get very few searches on google but lets start some heavy brainstorming and try to find something cool. Maybe we could find some cool Latin words or something else unique from Esperanto (that universal new language).

So,

Frame in latin

opifex -ficis c. [a maker , framer; a workman, artisan]. aedifico -are [to build , erect, establish; to create, frame]. como comere compsi comptum [to put together , make tidy, arrange, adorn]; esp. of the hair. Hence partic. comptus -a -um, [formed, framed; adorned, neat].

aedificator -oris m. [a builder , architect].

Search on VISUAL in english to Esperanto gave a superb result!

Result of search for "visual":

audio-visual 1. au^davida 2. au^dvida

Syntmaker could be then Auda|Vida and other products could be "blahblah"|Vida

Cheers! bManic

bManic · 29 Sept 2004

oh and btw. the word Audavida gives only 2 links in google and when separated " auda vida " it gives ZERO links!! 😀

Cheers! bManic

malc · 1 Oct 2004

Thanks bManic.

Currently busy with development stuff so I haven't had much time to think about this.

I had a dream the other night and the name Symphony came to me. No idea why 😀 . Doesn't score very well on the Google test (although I'm not sure how essential that is).

I'll think some more soon.