ConquistadorMy choice…? No. 2 easily for me.
Problems with no. 1
The send buttons look far too small compared to the glass send buttons with the values on them in screenshot 2. The glass buttons provide a larger hitpoint for the cursor, look more stylish and IMO are simply more practical and easier to use IMO.
Also the design of the faders in screenshot 1, lose that critical value display and look a bit odd to me. Sorry.
Problems with No. 3.
Similar functionality (values on buttons) as no.2 but they look too ordinary and not as stylish as no. 2.
Screenshot No. 2 is defintely my first choice of the three.
I would say No. 3 would follow that.
ConquistadorConquistador@Zynewave wrote:
Another change is that the groove for the slider is filled with the parameter graduation colors (similar to the dial fills).
Nice. 🙂
Conquistador@Zynewave wrote:
I’d appreciate your comments on the new sliders.
I am glad you said “I’ll continue with the development of the additional slider styles discussed in this topic.” but I must say graphically Frits, it looks lovely. UA was right to ask for a beta to see how it feels. It looks and feels so smoooooooth.
I remember on one of the Spectrasonics Omnisphere Videos someone said they found it inspiring. I think Podium graphically is. You just want to work in it as it looks and feels so nice…even with busy projects.
You have to be a designer to pull that off. The new faders really fit Podium like a glove. But the glass faders showing the values on them would still be my pick (just) as they are bit more practical…but these new look sliders…pleasantly surprised. Very easy and quite desirable to work with. They have the exact amount of movement I like when dragged. 8) 🙂
Not much time for detailed testing on 2.05 but that’s my viewpoint so far on the faders. I would love to be able to choose between these new ones and glass.
ConquistadorA long post sorry but a fair amount of info needs some clarification I think…
@Zynewave wrote:
Similar to my question about the dial/fader option: Should the options to show bypass, editor, bounce and record buttons be global options in Preferences or should it be possible to configure this individually for each editor?
Globally IMO for simplicity.
I tried with solid round buttons instead, which I now much prefer. The squared glass buttons pictured below are just to satisfy Conquistadors curiosity
Ha Haaa! 😛
Indeed I was wondering about that. He Hee. Well I do prefer the glass square version actually. I also like the new solid round buttons as well. I think If I had to choose I would take the glass square faders.
I did not plan to make an option between the old vs. new faders.
I cannot remember seeing all of us so divided on a matter. Perhaps an option is better in this case.
My problem with the old fader style is that it can be visually confusing that the dB level readout is all over the place depending on where the fader knob is.
Actually it makes it easier to use IMO. I love the movement of the fader and seeing the db value on the gain fader and pan value on the pan fader.
With the new style it is easy to glance up/down the track list and trace the various dB levels.
Good point here. I agree it is easier at a glance to see various db levels but I think we can have the best of both worlds…
If you look at the fader design in other hosts, I believe it is rare to find examples where the value is written on the fader knob.
Ahhhh but Frits, this is one of the things that does help distinguish Podium from other hosts in a good way.
Another problem with the old fader style is that the visual design is not suited to be used for send faders. It’s either these new faders or back to the old faders with no fader option for the sends.
I really think you may have to provide an option for this. Please consider letting the user choose. It looks like a few unexpected options are being suggested here but really that might be the best way forward.
Going back to the Fader issue on tracks…
What about this…if you add Peak marker indicators to tracks (far right of track) a user will find it “easy to glance up/down the track list and trace the various dB levels” very easy. This will not be a static db value (as such) but one that updates in real time. That IMO should solve the need to have that info easily visible at a glance as you mentioned earlier.
What about the glass or round faders?
I really think you should mirror the faders in the mixer. Make them a bit larger so that one can see db values on them, H- Man sums up this suggestions really well…
@H-man wrote:
Could the fader handles be widened a little to allow room for the data on the handle. Like some of the others I always thought this was one of the many defining features of the Podium UI. I get it that this effectively moves the values back and forth but I would put it to you that 99% of the time you would be looking at the value on the handle because you are about to change it, and it is more convenient to have the value on the handle for that operation.
I would even suffer a smaller font on the handle if necessary.
My thoughts exactly.
Summary
1. The need to have a more consistent db value display on tracks should be solved by having a realtime peak indicator to the far right of each track.
2. The existing visible db values on Gain /PanFaders in 2.04 need not be changed in 2.05.
3. The glass square buttons could be made wider (as wide as existing track faders buttons to allow for data to be seen on them like the mixer even with a slightly smaller font)
4. Showing the fader with db values and the pan fader with L/R values should be made optional. The other choice in this new option would be to show Gain faders and Pan faders the way they appear in the image above you posted.
I really think that is a good set of suggestions that might be an unexpected outcome of you asking for feedback but I think they can work.
HTH
Conquistador@Zynewave wrote:
I’d appreciate your opinions on this.
Continuing from the 2.04 development, I’m migrating some of the new mixer features to the track headers and the inspector. The track header meters now show RMS meters similar to the mixer.
Super duper 🙂 Yes!
The meters can be configured as either horizontal or vertical meters. I’m now using the vertical mode as default. The horizontal meters left little room for the track name.
Fantastic.
The BRXE buttons shown in the inspector and the chain panels are now optional. Instead shift/alt/ctrl + clicking the device name will behave like the new 2.04 mixer defaults.
Hmm I don’t think bypassing an FX should be strictly a Modifier key affair. I would prefer not adding this option (bypass) to a right click menu but it needs to be accessible at track level…so really as we can already move and delete tracks with a right click command if you remove the x button there should be an easy way to get the functionality back IMO. A modifier key for simple bypass adds complexitiy where there was ease.
How about click and hold to bypass a device?
I suppose having a bounce command on a right click menu is probably OK but I don’t think having it on a track was such a bad thing it was far easier to access but the E is less important now, but X remains very important. R is still easily acessible at track level.
Colored frames are drawn around the device names to indicate bypass, edit and record state. The buttons were perhaps more accessible than modifier+clicking, but the buttons occupied a lot of screen space. Anybody still prefer the old button style?
I *really* like the coloured frames around the device names but if the old buttons can be made optional (which I think they are)I think that is OK.
I was never happy with the old track header pan/gain faders. They were a bit “heavy”, and seen from a distance the track headers would blur together. The new fader style I’m trying here stands out better, and they have the glass-look also used for the mixer faders.
I like the new look. I have always been a fan of the glass faders look. I am just trying to decide if I like my glass squared or circular 😆
I’ve extended the fader/dial option to apply to all dials, and not only the track header pan/gain faders. How would you prefer to configure this: Should it be a “show faders instead of dials” option in preferences which then applies to the entire UI, or should it be multiple local options in the tracks region properties and the inspector properties etc.?
Preferences IMO. I would want to set and forget it from there.
ConquistadorConquistadorConquistadorI think a phase button would complete the mixer. I think there are other things like Mixer snapshots e.t.c that can be added but a phase button is IMO the last item to really complete the mixer. 8)
Conquistador@UncleAge wrote:
1. Agreed. [Frits suggested increasing the area around the play head and it helped. However, clicking in an open area in the arrangement is an old habit and shared in some of the other apps I use.]
I agree UA. I too have had trouble clicking the cursor and avoiding the Loop markers and Vice versa. While Frits suggestion in your thread clearly helps I totally agree that some way to click anywhere in an arrangement to move the cursor would be a major step forward to improving Podiums already slick workflow.
I think quite a few other hosts have this already and I have many times clicked in Podiums arrangement thinking the cursor will move.
I think Ronin initially raised a good point in this thread about easier playhead/ Cursor positioning. Clicking anywhere in an arrangement to move the play cursor would be great.
ConquistadorConquistadorCheers Frits. Top draw. 🙂
ConquistadorMy time is a bit tight at the moment sorry….but after a brief run out I have to say I really like the way the pop up updates. Very clever. I have not spent enough time on Beta 4 to find bugs (if there are any) but so far so good. 8)
The mixer looks great!
Conquistador@Zynewave wrote:
As this is a text that is constantly shown in the popup, I’m looking for something that is briefer than the text you suggested. The popup would otherwise be twice the width.
Ok…good point.
I just don’t think that the mixer title is a proper place to put this kind of info. I would hate having to constantly see this fader/meter info in the title when working in the timeline editors, where I’m not concerned with pre/post fader setup. Especially as the text would update whenever the track focus moves. It would draw my attention to irrelevant info.
He he…cool. It’s just an idea that I think will make things easier (optional even) but lets move on…:) 😛 I am more than happy with the changes so far and the Grid looks very accessible now. Thanks! 2.04 looks great!
Beta4 is uploaded. I think I’m done with adding features for the 2.04 release. Still a couple of days remaining with testing and bug-fixing.
Yes…it’s a very nice update already…anything else can now wait for 2.05. 8)
You know what is really strange about 2.04? While it’s not the same thing you could even call this Mixer Grid feature……………………the zGrid! How is that for irony?
Cheers!
Conquistador@Zynewave wrote:
This popup will appear whenever the mouse is moved over one of the grids.
Good. Only shows when needed.
What the screen shot does not show is that I’ve positioned the mouse over the bottom left block in the grid, which is why the text at the bottom of the popup says “set fader at” followed by the track name. Moving the mouse over the blocks will update the popup so that you can easily verify what action the shift+click will perform.
Now I totally agree with the shift click requirement (did not before) as now a user has to take one more step for the more advanced control of the Grid. Excellent. The “update the pop up” part was critical. I initially thought hmmmm then pictured the updating pop up and thought “yeah that’s it”
Also note that clicking anywhere in the grid now performs a simple pre/post switch of the meter.
Super. That is exactly what was so badly needed. A simple way to get a Pre/Post Reading. Not we have it. Thanks!
Couple of things...instead of “Click to toggle pre/post fader” Maybe “Click anywhere in the Grid to toggle Pre post fader” is better. I see that as adding a bit more clarity and really finishing off a superb round of upgrades to the mixer.
Mixer header info: I still think it would give a user a really nice way to see what is in the mixer but without needing to have it visible all the time. Any reason why you think it is not a good idea? Only showing info for the focus track is an advantage surely if that is what the user has currently selected…no?
It’s not a massive FR, not as important as Auto save as an example but anything to make Grid usage easier cannot be a bad thing surely. But what do you think…? 🙂