Posted
Please consider giving the mouse more parameters to access, use sub menus if necessary. It seems like I jump from left upper corner of SFP then over to right side. I'd like to see mouse access all commands at top bar line in arrange windows. It would be a big time saver, plus ease up on the hand crampening from moving the mouse around so much.
Windows Resize always available. When you open up your library finder window, I often have to quit and resize/position what libraries I do have open.
Ps. I'm liking the continuing progress and timely upgrades you guys are doing. You're not taking our $$$ and sipping coctails in the the Virgin Islands. Your hard work and attention to feedback and detail is apparent and appreciated.
Make the Transport bar floatable, and able to make duplicates. That way one could place one or two in a suitable area, and you wouldn't need them in every window.
Mon, 2012-02-13 - 14:12 Permalink
Thanks for your input, Mark. Although, I am afraid I do not exactly understand what you mean. I absolutely agree that the toolbar could be moved down to below the container structure, where the actual editing takes place. But what do you mean by saying
Please consider giving the mouse more parameters to access
You can access all parameters already, using the mouse wheel to scroll the parameter block.
Concerning library windows, there's the F9 key on the Mac that gives you an overview of all open windows, if your windows happen to overlap or hide each other.
In an early version of Synfire, we had a floating transport window, but that was confusing, because Synfire uses different transports for different purposes (we have multiple timelines, e.g. in a library, arrangement, accompaniment, palette or progression editor). I would rather like to move towards a "less windows" design, than adding even more windows. Do you use the keyboard for transport control?
Thu, 2012-02-16 - 07:09 Permalink
See Logic Transport for Capture
(http://www.box.com/s/mr2re2kg6c40olaemljq)
Here in upper left is the main function window. Everything is resizable and you can open individual windows if you wish. See along botton transport bar of arrange page. , you can click on mixer, sample editor, pianor roll, score, hyper editor - they will all appear in that adjustable space. If you wish you can close all that and make arrange page one big track display.
On right I have a score editor,along with another transport there. Under is a score editor, so if I move a note in score it lights up in event list and I can easily change duration or velocity. Can also do that directly from score page too.
Botton right are part of Logic's ingenious Function features. This lets you set up conditions and perform algebraic functions on them. great for quickly humanizing certain notes, fixing pesky grace notes etc.
Logic's mouse also displays a lot of tools when right clicked. Where you are on screen depends on what tools are available. You don't have to constantly be moving mouse around to do work. a huge time waster, besides getting your wrist. All windows are complelely sizable (to a degree).
In SFP, I'm constantly moving windows to get at a parameter to adjust, I'm constantly moving mouse to get some tools. Yes, the mouse already does have options in it, I would like to see it greatly expanded, so you don't have to jump around. I don't like having to move to the right of th screens and mouse scroll to get to certain SFP functions (my apple mouse can only scroll down, not up, that's not you're head ache.
In SFP I'd rather see floatable transport(s). escpecially for those of use with 2 monitors, I much prefer the transport myself at top of page, Often i have to move arrange page down, so that I can fit a phrase window, so I can drag a midi file. Then I have to mve arrangment up to advance time, etc.
In SFP I'l like to see mouse open a much larger number of parameters to work with, theses can brance off. one would be tools, slide there then choose particular tool. You could use option/right click to make a different set of commands pop up.
It is OK, if in different locations of SFP the mouse offers you a different choice. It already does that with the pull down menues.
In fact, I'd basically like to see the whole pull down menu under mouse control. The seasoned user could then shut of top row of commands and have a much more streamlines application. Of course leave verbose explanations and when accomplished enoughk those will get shut off too,
Also the timeline continues to disapear in some projects, totally. I quit song and reload and it's back. This is bothersome, cause it's hard to keep track of where you are..
Sorry to make more work for you. But I know in a couple of years you will win am award for best design of a music application. We're in the nittly gritty of it now. You have made trmendous progress. I wished I lived in Germany, I'c come help in any way I could.
Best Regards
markstyles
Sun, 2012-02-19 - 13:05 Permalink
Thanks for your elaborate input, Mark. I appreciate it.
Refining the user interface is a long term process that should be guided by user feedback and general design decisions (things we plan on doing with Synfire in the future). These things can only be streamlined incrementally over time.
Our general design goal is to keep menus short and avoid redundancy (same action listed in multiple menus). We also want to avoid adding a new action for something that could be accomplished by combining 2-3 already existing actions. Convenience features make sense for actions that are constantly being used by 80% of all users. In order to identify these, we need more feedback and workflow observations.
Our strategy for improving the menus, keyboard shortcuts and tools of Synfire is to
- Keep menus short and tools simple = low entry barriers
- Observe how workflows evolve, gather user feedback, test different designs
- Restructure the user interface according to 2.
my apple mouse can only scroll down, not up
I would fix that as soon as possible. The human body is extremely sensible to tiny obstacles like that. A partially broken mouse had once almost ruined my shoulder. Fortunately it recovered completely, but man, that was a shock. You can use almost any mouse brand with the Mac. Apple mice are beautiful but unhealthy, IMO.
Also the timeline continues to disapear in some projects, totally
You mean the playhead? I'll have an eye on that.
But I know in a couple of years you will win am award for best design of a music application.
I hope so :-)
I wished I lived in Germany, I'c come help in any way I could
You already do. Thanks! I wish I could relocate Cognitone to the US, as most of our customers live there. Perhaps we will eventually do so ...
Tue, 2012-02-21 - 05:10 Permalink
Yes, the timeline disappears quite often. Both in container and arrangements. I save arrangement, close and re-open the same arrangement. Works for a while, then disappears. Missing most of the time. Still can't isolate to a single, or combination of moves.
I also think there would be times when you want the container window to move forward with song, but not the arrangement or vice versa.
Like the new transport buttons.