Anyone heard anything about a release date for the new ACMEBARGIG guitar suite?

I had thought it was supposed to be out by now.  You can pre-purchase on their site, but I didn't see any kind of hint as to a relase date.

Yes, I own Scuffham...I'm actually quite fond of it.  Along with a couple of others (Amp3 full and Guitar Rig 4, etc) I also own the previous ACME release... That one isn't bad, considering it's a freebie.  I'll be curious to see/hear the new release.  And for $26 I'll buy it just to try it out.

Where we're at with Head Case..

 
Hi Guys, I was told that you were looking for some information about the Head Case release, so I'd be glad to bring you up to date on what is and has been happening..
Head Case is well on it way, but before we go into head case specifics, I'd like to mention all the components of it individually..

The Head Case Cabinet section..

Head Case called for three native cabinet interfaces, they are as follows...

iFace 1.6

iFace is a cabinet plugin that natively supports the Redwirez Cabinet library in a more natural way than your average "standard" Cabinet plugin. You simply point iFace to where Redwirez is installed, and then you load (preview) different cabinet IR files by moving mic positions on the interface. All distances, 0"-1' for most cabs, some are 0" to 3' depending on what cabinet library you have loaded. It also supports placements like cap, cap edge, cone, cone edge and it has the ability to load other IR files not just redwirez. It also has native "menu" support for Recabinet as well.
iFace(part of the head case development) has been released and is in current version 1.6..
Here is the 30 day trial for anyone who wants it. We adopted the reaper business model for iFace, so even though the 30 days may elapse, it does not stop running. We think thats a good model for a lot of applications because things happen. You know you download something and mean to get to checking it out, but all of a sudden the demo stops working...Well this one doesn't. Here's the link to get the trial.
http://www.acmebargig.com/product/iface-trial/
Disclaimer, (out of respect for our friends at redwirez and Recabinet) Redwirez, and the redwirez logo are used with permission from the Red 5 group, AcmeBarGig is not affiliated with Redwirez or the red 5 group in any way, other than we think they kick ass! :)
Recabinet is wholly owned by Kazrog and is not affiliated with AcmeBarGig in any way. But you do owe me a beer when I get to California Shane..:)  Nevermind I'll buy!
Redwirez, nor Recabinet provide support for iFace, Support for iFace is only available from AcmeBarGig
MIMIC

MIMIC is closer to a standard cabinet interface in that it's focus is NOT basd on loading prebuilt libraries, instead its designed for any IR file....Downloaded off the web, Part of another library, etc. if you got a cab IR MIMIC wants it. The difference with MIMIC however, is that we attempt to "MIMIC" what the loaded IR would sound like at different mic distances, and different placements, like Cap, Cap edge, cone, cone edge, and all points in between. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but what I have personally found with MIMIC is that IR files I would never use before, a lot of times become useable just by moving the mic a little. If you are like me, then you probably have 15 gazillion IR files, but only ever use a few. They are so small in size though, I just can't bring myself to delete them. We initially were going to drop the MIMIC feature out of this because we could not get to the level of accuracy I wanted for each mic placement on every IR, but because it actually made IR's that I would never use before, useable, we decided to keep the feature. MIMIC is in its final set of beta and is due for release within the next week or so.. In the mean time if you want to try it, This is an old beta.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7630363/Releases/MIMIC%20POST/MimicCabsCommercialSetup.rar

Filter Cabs

The first two head case cabinet solutions are convolution based, Filter Cabs are not, they are filters. Filter cabs are in their final Alpha stage of development. I'm really not convinced we have the enclosure portion of them right. Some people, actually a lot of people swear by them, but I think we can do a little better on them. So the very next version of these to come out to the head case prepurchase group have all new filters for the enclosures. The problem I have with them, the enclosures that is, not the speakers is that they seem to have some sort of a strong Q type sound on heavily distorted guitar. Now as I say, some people don't hear that, but I still want to change it. Actually thats already done, they are just waiting for the rest of head case to catch up fr the next release. If you want to try the older ones, these are the ones I think have a Q issue, here is an older beta(alpha actually).
Install this(make note of the folder its installed to)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7630363/Releases/FilterCabs12%20commercialSetup.rar
then copy these DLL files to the folder..
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7630363/Releases/FilterCabinets%201.2%20Commercial%20Prests%20Fix.rar
All the cabinets also have the ability to save a new IR based on your selections and eq, they all have ambient mic/room facilities, and iFace has the ability to run in serial of parallel.

OK So thats the cabinet section of head case...Now on to the stomps, but I'll have to do that in another post...

The Head Design software
The goal for head case was to allow as much access to the inner workings of the head as we could possibly allow for. The challenge was to do that in a way that the user could easily understand, and was positive results oriented. Positive results mean that we don't want to allow enough variance that you can go completely off the grid and produce nothing but white noise, we wanted it to be as much about your exploration of tone as it is about the process to do it. In other words, we want you to succeed at almost any setting change. If for whatever reason you want to push it to its limits, then absolutely you can make some bad sounding heads, but if you stay within resonable limits, you should almost always have a useable sound for something, be it classic rock, or full blown metal. An example of what we mean when we say reasonable limits would be for example setting the cut off frequency into the head to a low pass of 80 hz...That would cause a head to sound like a big muff. Now as I say though, even that sound could be useable fo something. The fact is the only person who can judge what reasonable limits are is you. Head Case head design is about the exploration and trying things, its not about stringent guidlines and limitations. When designing a head, you should go about it the same way you mix a track. Turn this up, lower the cutoff, turn up the gain, etc..just explore..But take snapshots as you go because once you've made a change, the odds of you getting back tothat exact same sound again are really slim.

I want to point out at this time that the images I am placing here are old and do not represent the full options available in head case. However, they will serve as simple illustrations to point out sections of the head and what they look like.
Precuts
Think of the input frequency cuts in head case as stages. The first set of cuts takes a little off, the next set of cuts takes a little more. The precuts can be are the first round of cuts into a head, if you are not using an overdrive stomp, if you are then the precuts are the second round of cuts. Cuts are extremely important, especially in a high gain amp because they prepare the signal before the distortion, and we have come up with a simpe rule of thumb to remember. Low frequencies into distortion = big muff.

The filter options
The precuts section and all other cuts sections inside the head as well as the tonestack comes with two options for filters. First is the native filter interface that is shown below. Internal filters present you with five options. Low Pass, High Pass, Mids, Bypass, and LP+HP+MIDS.

You may think that if we're calling these internal filters, it implies there is external filters too. You'd be right in thinking that. I won't go into any detail here, but in the next post I will talk about external filters. We'll talk about BUC (head case preprocessor) and the Head Case Scripting facility. Head case supports external scripting that will allow you to code your own filter by calculating coefficients used in a BIQUAD filter design. Here is the screen you use to defne what scripted filter is to be used.

LOL!!
But, it's this type of interaction (not to mention quality product) that draws me to thier products.
 

The OPTIONAL head Case scripting interface and BUC preprocessor
Most users will never write a script, but it was important to us, as the first generation plugin of this type (as far as we know), that we set it in the right direction, and we think that options reign supreme for this. Having said that most users will never write a script, that doesn't mean they won't use them if they are already there. There will be a boat load of templates available for filters and curves, and many other functions. Users can easily load one of them and play around with some of the values to arrive at a sound. This also lends itself to anyone that wants to know more about audio programming, and I guess programming in general.
Careful.. Where we have taken our time to make sure that useable sounds are relatively easy to get to in the internal interface, there is no such protections where it comes to scripting. The world is at yor fingertip so to speak...

We looked very closely at other companies that have added scripting to their products and gleaned a lot from their success and or faliures. We learned first and foremost that in no uncertain terms scripting had to be easy! No one wants to sit and read 17 pages to find out how to print "Hello World" on the screen. We learned that documentation and the learning curve directly represent how popular the scripting is, and how much it gets used. Most importantly, we learned from other companies outside of the music industry that wherever possible, scripting should conform to some form of world standard language. In other words something known by the masses.

Windows Scripting Host
It didn't take long for us to arrive at the conclusion we should create an interface for the Windows Scripting host. Just by doing that it addresses practically all of the pitfals others have fell into.

1) Its a standard set of languages, as such there is a wealth of support for them already. Plus thorough BUC integrations you can extend the scripting interface to support virtually all languages. Choose your poison... 
2) We didn't have to write it!
3)Saves us from documenting a new language. (which was out of scope for this development anyways).

BUC
However, Windows Scripting Host is NOT head case specific, so for that we created BUC. BUC started out as a way for us to access a database on a 64 bit machine from 32 bit code. Amit Talwar was the initial creator of BUC and he sent the source to me. So I really have no idea what BUC stands for, but given some of my prior names its probably good that Amit Named this one. We turned BUC into a full blown preprocessor for your scripts. In this way we could add Head Case specific commands and extend the functionality of all scripting languages that BUC uses.

Language support
Since BUC is a preprocessor, (it processes the scripts before they get sent to the scripting engine) we can make a determination what scripting engine BUC sends the script too. So you are NOT limited to just what Windows Scripting Host supports. As long as the scripting engine you choose will take a command line argument, BUC can send the script to it. Such is the case with the C++ scripting thats available with Head Case. We have found an open source scripting host for C++ called CINT. CINT takes command line parameters and runs the script. So, all you need to do to use C++ in Head Case is have CINT installed and tell BUC where it is..

BUC Preproc Commands
In keeping with the idea that scripting has to be easy, and the Head Case specific commands have to be easily understood and available we came up wit the idea of using parameter names as the command name.
For example, to return the gains setting for the current head you simply put this in your code.

@GT6-DirtGain

Buc will first process this and retrieve the gain setting for the current head, or the last head that was used. So in VBScript for example you could do something like this..

x = @GT6-DirtGain + 100

When the script is run, it will add 100 to the Gain..

Similarily, to set the value for the gain, you could use the same command without the at symbol.
So,

GT6-DirtGain = @GT6-DirtGain + 100

would do the same thing.

There are other specialized BUC functions for returning folders, and paths, displaying dialogs, retrieving user input, taking snap shots of the head, etc. Its a pretty simple concept in that all you have to do is name the actual parameter you want to work with. In terms of running a script you have created, all you need to do is select it from the user scripts drop down menu. There are other event drive scripts that run as well that you can also customize, like on head save. After the head has been saved you can specify a script to be ran after that as well. For example you may want to make a backup of your head as well at that time, you can simply specify the @MakeBackup command in a script and BUC will put a copy of your file into the snapshots directoy under a folder that takes on the name of the head. Every time you save, you'll have a historical snapshot of the head in the state it was in when you saved it because it will save it numbered. 1, 2, 3, etc...
This is all still not hitting that easy to use, straight forward ideology we are trying to get to though, and we determined the only way to do that is to write a script editor specific to Head case. Something that will allow you to perform BUC specific commands, as well as ease  the learning curve. Allow you to preview your script as well as have all the commands listed at your fingertips.

The Head Case Script editor

The head case script editor was designed to include Head Case/BUC specific commands and operations yet not be proprietary software. If you wanted to you could use it for other scripts that are not for Head Case and in future we plan on extending the BUC portion of it to allow you to define your own preprocessor commands.

It's main editor functions are organized into three areas
Code Inserts
Code inserts are little bits of code that you can simply insert into your script and they are further categorized into four more areas, two of which ARE head case specific. Starting at the left, Objects, Functions, Curves, and Filters. Objects are things like the File System object, ADO database connectivity, etc. Functions are things like IsFileThere(Filespec) which checks to see of a file is present, Curves are code that is used to create curves for the gain section, poweramp, and overdrive stomps. As I said in an earlier post, other call them tubes, we have stopped that practice.. Filters, and for holding scripts for creating filter coefficients.

Preview Tools
Starting again from the left, Code Inserts, Curves, and Immediate (this may be removed). These buttons bring up various preview windows. Code Inserts preview allows you to see the code selected in the Code Inserts list before you add it to the main script window. If your script is being used to create a curvem then the Curves preview will draw a graphical representation of what the S curve will look like. Finally, the Immediate preview. This will allow you to enter code to execute immediately, however, since we are relying on a control developed by MS for this, we may remove it. That control will only support what the Windows Scripting Host will support. Since BUC does not rely on just the WSH you can use script interpreters that are not used by the WSH, which would mean that with theimmediate pane you may be limited to only J-Script and VBScript for the Immediate Preview. We're not sure what way to go with this yet...

Head Sections
This is a head case specific area that is categorized by head functions and BUC specific commands. Precuts, Gain section, Tonestack, Poweramp, Paths, and Misc. Precuts contains the parameter commands for al the sections of the head that have to do with the precuts section. Likewise, the Gain, Tonestack and Poweramp all contain commands for their respective sections as well. Paths contain commands for returning paths used by head case, and Misc contains various commands that don't fall into any of the other categories. For example @Samplerate, which returns the current samplerate that theDAW is running at. (Default if no daw or head case is running is 44100).

Now before we go any further, I want to point out that all this scripting is completely optional, you do not need to script whatsoever to use head case, but should you want to go further under the hood, its there. Head Case builder already comes with quite a robust set of controls that takes the place of scripting, so just remember this is COMPLETELY optional.

Language support
Along the top of the editor window you'll see various languages that are displayed, these can be removed edited, added to, etc. If the languageyou use is not present then you all you need to do is add it. As was said earlier, Head Case will support any language you want provided a couple of guidelines are met. 1) The Language is supported by Active Scripting technology, or, the interpreter for that language is capable of taking a command line parameter that points to a script. I have never seen an interpreter that didn't, so its probably safe to say that as long as you can program in your language of choice, you can make scripts for Head Case.

Running, Saving, Encrypting, previewing, and FrankenAMP II
Along the bottom starting from the left the first button you see is password protect.

Encrypting
Head Case was designed so that you can easily distribute the heads you make, but the scripts that you make have to go along with it. You may not want to share your code with the world, so in order to facilitate this we built TWO FISH encryption into BUC. So you can encrypt your script and it will become unreadable by text editors and the Head Case Script editor. Head Case itself will still have the ability to read it as will AcmeBarGig.

Save, Open, and New
Save Script, Open Script, New Script, needs no further explanation...

Script Editor and BUC preview
The script editor button puts the editor in edit mode, whereas BUC preview will display the values associated with any buc commands you have used..

FrankenAMP II
Some of you may remember the first version of FrankenAMP that came out with Shred 1.06. We have greatly improved its capabilities with version 2 that comes out with Head Case. For those of you that don't know what ABG FrankenAMP is, Its a hot swapping technology that allows you to take components from existing heads and place them into the current head. So take the gain section from head A and place it in Head B. Without a doubt this was a very popular feature and given the nature of head case it was a natural fit. Its extremely simple to use. If you want the bass section from a particular tonestack from a head, right click the bass knob and select the head you want the bass section from. Thats it! However, we wanted to extend this functionality to not only specific knobs, but also allow you to decide for your self what components get swapped. The Franken AMP button puts the editor into FrankenAMP mode. Basicaly version 2 of FrankenAMP runs like a batch file where the commands listed in its file are simply parameter names to be swapped. This means that ytou can create a FrankenAMP II batch for any of the parameters in the head file.

Run "Script editor name"
This command runs the script and also informs you of what language you are usng.

Next post we will delve into head case builder itself, now comes the fun stuff...:)
and Thanks for reading..
KM

For a moment, I thought I was at the acmebargig.com website.....

No worries Ken (sorry, I was just messin with ya)....I think this little trick is very valuable for all parties as this will help the end result. Working things out to get a good product so all parties can be happy (user & developer). It's a win win situation.

So they'll have me to blame....I mean, thank! ;)

Any idea on a release date or is it still very much a work in progress?

Its not really a work in progress as we have it built and there was one full release to the pre-purchase test group already. Now if we were still defining the full set of features, and had not done a release yet, then I'd call it a work in progress. Right now its more of a "fixing bugs" as they are reported or found out. We are on our second round of full release and this one is a lot more tricky because it will have the full set of features enabled. All the scripting, the new FrankenAMPII, etc. So there is a lot to get through in terms of getting it in a releasable state. Now add to the fact that Head Case is also meant to be portable without relying on any windows registry or paths and you begin to see the dance we're doing.

So right now I am finishing fixing an issue with the code editor that have to do with the distribution of heads and encryption for the scripts, as well as identification of the proper script for the head currently in use.

The forum software here Ken sucks. It doesn't work with the latest version of FF. You see this sentence was suppose to start on a new line. But it won't. And this message was suppose to have your quote in it, but it don't. However I can go to any other forum site and type away and FF works flawlessly. Some have suggested a update to this forum sw is needed.

The chorus can be custom modded with the Stomp Moder. You have not seen that yet grem...You know how there is drop down menus on the stomps now...With Stomp modder all those drop down menus become populated with your mods..
:)

Yes, just like you can swap your scripts, curves, filters, gain stages, poweramps, tonestacks, all of it..:)
But the stomp modder will not be in this release, I just don't have time to build it in because of the testing thats involved..

Deleted...Conflict with Firefox browser resolved...

Ken, thanks for the reply.
 
A bit hard on some of the components, sorry. Probably shouldn't sniff glue and post for at least a couple hours after. Just that when such a critical overdrive engine surfaces, it needs the same level of effects support.
 
In all fairness, on the Acme forums, one musician felt that the mountain reverb rack was one of the best reverbs he's played. All subjective.
 
I've got most of the major contenders on my system. Over a short time, HeadCase is about the only unit I go to. I still have a knee jerk reaction to look at the outside effect chain to verify what else is getting the incredible sounds, and it's Headcase with minimal upstream compression and eq love.
 
Head Case's internal stomp compressor needs attention, because the drive attenuates with hi comp levels without a makeup control to compensate. Here's where a significant part of HeadCase's hidden glory lies. Again, all anyone needs to do is fire up Cake's Boost II into Headcase to hear the potential.
 
There's no competing with industry standards, Amplitubes, Guitar Rigs, Revalvers etc. Head Case SET the industry standard. Any digital musician worth his or her bytes should seal themselves off from humanity for a couple days to concentrate on this visionary software. Real gold can be lost in the moderate complexity without some effort to learn the layout and controls. All I use any more.
 
Best overdrive anywhere for any price.
 
Ken, microbrews on me next time you're out to the Oregon outback.
 
John