@julian said:
Everyone expects software for free or extremely cheap (except pro software aimed a a specific market) GarageBand comes with samples and loops and is effectively free. As you move from free/cheap software to mid-priced/expensive software you either have to be an enthusiastic amateur or earning your living with the use (or contributory use) of that application.
How many PROFESSIONAL composer/producers are there. Well I think considerably fewer than you might think as a percentage of trades. And whereas Pro photographers may major on Photoshop there are any number of sample libraries and at a guess only 5% of the pro composers out there might be in the market for a VSL type of product.
VSL have created a respected brand and, I would say, are the undisputed leader in the Orchestral Library field but I think if there were 2 or 3 new players join the industry then the financial dynamics would be bad for Pro Sample users.
This is because the extra compettion would lead to a lowering in prices to a point that it wouldn't make financial sense to commit valuable resources to things like customer support, experimental product development (MIR) and esoteric sample development.
So my view is that the global high end sample market is more precarious than it might appear.
Julian
You're probably right.