James' DP6 Mixing Board mod 1.13 (links on 1st post)

[James Steele]

PLEASE NOTE: The mods linked in this topic are NOT compatible with DP7. Use only with DP6. For DP7 compatible version see this thread:

http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... =1&t=38692


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Okay everyone... I haven't heard anything back from MOTU, so until I do I'm going to go ahead and post this. Please note that if I do get word from MOTU that they'd rather not have us passing these around, I will remove this and other threads from the board.

That said, here's my humble modifications and a screenshots. Most of you know that I have no problem with the look of DP6 for the most part. However, I have been somewhat unhappy with the Mixing board. So my mods only alters the Mixing Board so that (for me) it is much easier to look at. I have to issue the disclaimer that you use these at your own risk. I'm using this myself with 6.01. I can't offer support for this.

BEFORE (Standard DP6 Mixing Board):



AFTER (applying 1.12):



AFTER (applying 1.13):



You can download here:

http://www.jamessteele.com/Steele_DP6_mod_1.12.zip
http://www.jamessteele.com/Steele_DP6_mod_1.13.zip

Version History:

1.01 - Got rid of the triangles on the Sends slots as well. Added 1 pixel border to DP6 splash screen for visibility on my black desktop.
1.02 - Got rid of 3D fader slot that seemed distracting. Also eliminated bluish/purplish tint from fader cap.
1.03 - Created version with DP5-style square fader caps that are slightly wider and lighter grey.
1.04 - White fader caps per BobK's request. Looks better.
1.05 - Widened white fader caps by 2 pixels for better visibility.
1.06 - Fixed some sloppy drop shadow spill around faders.
1.07 - Unused FX inserts are "invisible." Click where insert should be to add a plug (use the force Luke!). Did away with triangles on used inserts/sends. Also 3D-shaded used inserts and used/empty sends. Used iPerformer's pan knobs (thanks) with slightly darker blue. Meter background is black to match pan knob ring. Made Solo/Mute/Rec/Input lights wider and smoothed button beneath text label.
1.08 - Went back to DP6 pan knobs. Changed ring around pan knobs to light grey.. black indicates pan amount instead of blue. 3D-shaded automation type drop down.
1.09 - Skipped
1.10 - Fixed issue with one graphic. Added small icon to left of fader on MIDI tracks to help distinguish MIDI tracks from audio tracks.
1.11 - Fixed another mixing graphic problem. Widened insert and send slots 1 pixel to the left. Easier to read FX/VI name now.
1.12 - Minor graphic tweaking. Added light ovals to indicate empty inserts.
1.13 - Got rid of hard 1pt black lines around inserts for softer look... less clutter. Leaving 1.12 available for d/l for those who prefer it.

[monkey man]

You may not be able to offer support for this, James, but I sure can. Nice!

It's... less cluttered and "simpler" looking. A relief of sorts, although I should state that I've not run 6 yet but have become familiar with the look all the same. Nice work man.

[FutureLegends]

I wish MOTU got rid of the triangles of the insert slots. At least once a plug-in's been chosen. So more space would be available for the name... (same goes ofcourse to the sen slots as you removed here)

[James Steele]

I wish MOTU got rid of the triangles of the insert slots. At least once a plug-in's been chosen. So more space would be available for the name... (same goes ofcourse to the sen slots as you removed here)

The triangles really seem to serve no purpose any more. We all know when we click on a insert or send that a pop-up menu is supposed to appear. We don't need the triangles to tell us that.

The triangles can also be removed when there is an effect in the insert, however I left them in because when an effect is selected the triangle appears no matter what, and I haven't figured out how to make a "triangle-less" selected effect. It was disconcerting to me to see the triangles appear when an effect was selected.

[FutureLegends]

Gah, that's irritating.
There's mainly little details like that that bother me with the interface now.
But not enough to use mods. But I wish MOTU addresses them in future updates...

[James Steele]

Gah, that's irritating.
There's mainly little details like that that bother me with the interface now.
But not enough to use mods. But I wish MOTU addresses them in future updates...

I hear you. It's really not so bad and hasn't been unstable. You simply overwrite two .png files within the DP6 package and that's all there is to it. You don't even need to backup the entire DP6 application... just the original .png graphics being replaced. I know what you mean though. I didn't want to do something too radical... however, this change is a lot easier on the eyes. I may go back to getting rid of the triangle on inserts with plugs on them... but if you do click on them and they become selected the triangle will appear.

Personally I'm beginning to feel sometimes there's just too much photo-realism and things start feeling busy and cluttered. I'm not crazy about the recessed fader slots either. It just adds more "nosie" to the view for me. Sigh.

[twistedtom]

Thanks James I am going to install this mostly for the solo/mute/record changes.

[James Steele]

Just posted 1.02. Made faders less 3D and busy.

[richardein]

Thanks, James. Very nice.

[BobK]

I liked your first set of mods, and in the time it took me to write and edit a reply, you posted 1.02 - how cool!

I'm delighted to see the recessed fader tracks gone. I agree completely that they were too busy - this design choice bothered me from day one, and I included it in my letter to MOTU back in July.

I think the fader levels would be even easier to assess at a glance if the fader handles were rectangles with a black line across the middle like in DP 5. I personally find the rounded handles with the convex surface, border, and faint line across the middle harder to read. (I'm not asking you to do this, James - it just seemed relevant to the discussion.)

I like what you did with the solo/mute/record/input buttons too - very nice. (Comparing screenshots of DP 6 and 6.01, it seems like MOTU made the illuminated part of the buttons slightly larger in 6.01, but I still don't like the way the colors fade towards the borders of the solo, mute, and input buttons. I imagine somebody on the design team thinks that makes them more 'realistic', but I find it distracting.)

Speaking of those buttons, somebody tell me why the words 'solo,' 'mute', 'record,' and 'input' need to be written out. It's true that 'input' is not a standard mixer control, but the others are. This is another design choice that seems absurd to me. A considerable amount of space could be freed up by using square buttons with single-letters in the middle for these functions (like in Pro Tools, for example), replacing the four oversized buttons with two rows of two buttons (solo/mute and record/input). The freed-up space could be used for other things - such as to make the fader tracks longer, which would be much more useful. (I really like how Metric Halo's new mixer has longer-throw faders and meters, for example.)

Thanks again, James.

[James Steele]

I think the fader levels would be even easier to assess at a glance if the fader handles were rectangles with a black line across the middle like in DP 5. I personally find the rounded handles with the convex surface, border, and faint line across the middle harder to read.

Funny you should say that, Bob. I was thinking about the same thing. It may be possible and I'll see. I hesitated because the fader caps are shaped differently and the way these things work, there are multiple elements in a single graphic file and I don't know if they must be shaped exactly the same or not. I'll give it a shot and see.

I'll reiterate that my philosophy here is to do very small tweaks that put utility over style and convey more information at a glance. Losing the "triangles" and having a quick way to see used inserts versus unused was a good start. Losing the 3D fader channel was something I wanted to do for a long time. I'm pretty happy to stop here. I'm being careful not to break the "cohesiveness" with the rest of DP6.

[twistedtom]

I just tried out the first set of mods, I like them, it is way easier to see the Record/mute/solo states. Good job James thanks.

Now is there a way to change the meters back to green or a color I can see better from a few feet away? The blue is hard to see when I play my guitar. I looked around in the folder I put your mods but I can not tell what they would be, there is one that looks like it may be it.

[James Steele]

Not sure about the level meter color. I think Amplidude figured out a way on his, but I'm okay with blue and I really am going to stop here for a while.... sorry.

[BobK]

I'll reiterate that my philosophy here is to do very small tweaks that put utility over style and convey more information at a glance. Losing the "triangles" and having a quick way to see used inserts versus unused was a good start. Losing the 3D fader channel was something I wanted to do for a long time. I'm pretty happy to stop here. I'm being careful not to break the "cohesiveness" with the rest of DP6.

Yes, yes, yes! It's a real relief to hear you say this, since MOTU seems to be off on some other planet - at least when it comes to some aspects of the GUI design, like those 3D fader channels.

I say keep doin' what you're doin' - it's great.

[James Steele]

Yes, yes, yes! It's a real relief to hear you say this, since MOTU seems to be off on some other planet.

I don't know about that. They've done all the heavy lifting, so it's all well and good to come along and do a touch up here and there, but they deserve the credit for getting it all 95% of the way there.