Cloud Bounce desktop app

Has anyone any experience with the Cloud Bounce desktop app? Various tempting deals popup on Plugin Boutique and ADSR etc...and I'm thinking..Should I?

Some time ago I wrote an overly generous review. Some points in that review are still valid I guess (you'll find it below). At that time, I did not do any research looking into other online mastering services and since then I found out there are plenty out there. Recently also Plugin Alliance entered the fray with the (brainworx) mastering.studio website and in the higher price range you can find companies like Abbeyroad (but they don't have an AI solution so you'll have to wait a couple of days ...) and there always is ... fiverr!

What worries me is that the CloudBounce desktop software still remains the same 1.01 version, I have never received any news from them that they have added new features or made improvements. I am starting to believe there isn't any ongoing development which is a big red flag. Nothing like the excitement around a program like "Loopcloud" with frequent updates and new features, the silence around CloudBounce is deafening! Always a bit iffy when a company offers unrealistic per case tariffs and monthly subscriptions but offer a too-good-to-be-true lifetime subscription at the same time. We can only hope that with "lifetime" they don't mean the (short?) "lifespan of the company" but at this point we are all kept guessing. I’d reckon at its inception it was a decent enough investment project for those infamous private equity companies but they are never in it for the long haul.

Online I learned a rather contradictory message from some established names in the business: "mastering is relatively uncomplicated and you'll learn something new at every project". So I'll stick with the learning curve and use cloudbounce for comps, temps and stems.

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CloudBounce buyer’s review:
Great to have even if you just use it for ongoing projects, stems or 'comps'
Great to have even if you just use it for ongoing projects, stems or “comps”. Slightly controversial because this service takes a bite (however small) of the revenue model of professional mastering, which is a small industry on its own. You can see plenty of comparisons on Youtube when mixed by ear (by a person) wins the public vote over the cloudbounce versions but with plenty of people saying there wasn't much between them.

So given budgetary restrictions or you just not (yet) being skilled enough (or having the proper hardware or plugins) the Cloudbounce solution might be just what you need. If you think slightly out of the box you could also (quickly) use it on projects that you haven't finished yet (e.g. soliciting feedback of your 'work in progress' from a select group of people) or you could use it on polyphonic/multitimbral/multilayered 'stems' you are making or - and this is an underappreciated aspect of the cloudbounce service - you could use it on a track you (kind of) finished and mastered yourself and then use the CloudBounce version as a 'comp' (playing with the cloudbounce settings) to see whether your version is ok or could benefit from +/- bass, mids, highs, volume, clarity, stereo width etc. etc. Being able to load a reference track in the desktop version of CloudBounce is very useful. I would also assume they tweak their AI and other stuff so this service might become even better in the future. For the current promotion price it is (almost) a no-brainer but acquiring the mastering skills yourself remains the ultimate goal (for some of us).
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BTW I do realize that the CloudBounce desktop software is simply a GUI of sorts to the cloud AI so who knows what fantastic improvements they have made on the AI but why would they hide any enhancement under a bushel (mixing metaphors) of tumble weed? I don’t think they would miss out on a salient marketing opportunity like that, so that can only lead to one conclusion...

@deltadio

Thanks very much for this ..... Yes it IS very tempting to go for it when you see the "Lifetime" thing going for £99, however I shall resist and learn to use all the iZotope and PA tools I currently have (and dont know how to use properly:)) . Will def do some comparison checks down the line.

At some point they did update the CloudBounce client: to v. 1.0.5 (Build date Apr 20 2022). I still use it for quick mastering of (unfinished) tracks that I want to (privately) share with peeps. For this purpose CloudBounce does not disappoint. Haven't tried it yet on more serious stuff.

Mastering by ear is a great tool - I've always believed AI/auto mastering is just for people who refuse to learn. Not only will you get the exact sound you desire for your track by mastering yourself, but you will learn an enormous amount on the way.

I'm no pro mastering engineer but the amount of knowledge that attempting self masters has taught me is huge. It's elevated my EQ, compression, multiband, soothe, clipping, limiter and ear training skills in every ear.

And remember - there are fashionable 'sounds' to masters that go in and out of fashion - only YOU can know how you like your music to sound. AI masters will almost always go for loud and polished sound (even if you choose the presets that appear to say warm and quiet) - and I personally prefer my masters to sound vintage and warm - so learn to do it yourself. It's hard work, but incredibly valuable.

Remember, you could always pay someone to mix your tracks too - but most producers like to do it themselves, because you can get the exact sound you want and learn loads along the way!

[quote="SamuelClouston"]

Mastering by ear is a great tool - I've always believed AI/auto mastering is just for people who refuse to learn. Not only will you get the exact sound you desire for your track by mastering yourself, but you will learn an enormous amount on the way.

(.......)

[/quote]

I agree with everything you say on this topic, but for me that's another s-t-e-e-p learning curve. The idea that mastering typically also should take into account which (streaming) platform you intend to publish it on almost makes me faint in utter despair...

CloudBounce is pretty loud for sure. The mastered version of a track has a peculiar rectangular wave shape so (unfortunately) it is easily recognized as being AI or a typical CloudBounce product, but like I said in my original answer, it has some worth as a 'comp' for your own mastering attempts.

[quote="deltadio"]

[quote="SamuelClouston"]

Mastering by ear is a great tool - I've always believed AI/auto mastering is just for people who refuse to learn. Not only will you get the exact sound you desire for your track by mastering yourself, but you will learn an enormous amount on the way.

(.......)

[/quote]

I agree with everything you say on this topic, but for me that's another s-t-e-e-p learning curve. The idea that mastering typically also should take into account which (streaming) platform you intend to publish it on almost makes me faint in utter despair...

CloudBounce is pretty loud for sure. The mastered version of a track has a peculiar rectangular wave shape so (unfortunately) it is easily recognized as being AI or a typical CloudBounce product, but like I said in my original answer, it has some worth as a 'comp' for your own mastering attempts.

[/quote]

Yes you are definitely right... I should have thought about it first. It will usually require years of experience to get a good master. I reckon Cloudbounce then will do you good as a beginner, but as your mixing skills develop over the years, your ability to master will naturally come with it too. There's a good, easy to follow Mastering Course on the site: https://www.producertech.com/search?sSearch=mastering