Perhaps I am alone in this, but I would love it if MOTU could somehow find it in their hearts and their code to implement a feature that would allow measure numbers to be reset anywhere in a sequence. IOW, if I have a cue that is 6:03 long, I'd like to insert an audio mix of that cue in a chunk, and at some time of my choice, set the measure numbers and conductor track to reset to 1|1|000 and some new tempo of my choosing. We can do this in Finale, where you reset the measure numbers to start from 1 again anywhere in the score. When you are working in sections and movements, as well as in very long pieces, this is very helpful in rehearsals and beats saying "go to measure 6583" when you can say "go to section 3 measure 55."
But my motives in DP are different. AS I compose and string several cues together for projects and start to write the new cue, I'd like to have a new chunk for each cue but still have some or all previous cues that have been bounced from earlier chunks (cues) in the new sequence. Then I could have individual cues retain their respective time position and measure numbers and compose from measure 1 even though the cue is in the middle of the project.
Just a thought. Maybe if MOTU bought MakeMusic or visa versa, Finale could be integrated into DP (replacing Quickscribe) and I might get my wish. Or not...
DP 8 Wish List/Request
Moderator: James Steele
Forum rules
This forum is for seeking solutions to technical problems involving Digital Performer and/or plug-ins on MacOS, as well as feature requests, criticisms, comparison to other DAWs.
This forum is for seeking solutions to technical problems involving Digital Performer and/or plug-ins on MacOS, as well as feature requests, criticisms, comparison to other DAWs.
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MIDI Life Crisis
- Posts: 26254
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Contact:
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
This thread finally got me to clean-up my list of notes to send to MOTU. This is the first draft of a list of suggestions that I will be sending to MOTU in the next few days.
I actually hope that some of these can be implimented in a DP 7.2 or DP 7.3, since most of them are just basic enhancements and shouldn't be too complicated to impliment. Would love to hear your comments.
---------
WORKFLOW IMPROVEMENTS
• Please add a "Clippings" checkbox in the Shortcuts preferences so that clicking on the Clippings Icon in the Shortcuts palette will result in all clippings windows coming to the front.
• Allow user organization of AU plugins. It would also be nice to be able to create aliases of plugins which would be accessible from within their own folders. It would be convenient to have a plugin folder which housed all the compressors, and another with all the reverbs, etc. This could be in addition to the automatic organization of AUs by the developer name.
• It would be great if "Saved Project" was an action shown in the Undo History. The fact that it currently doesn't include reference of this action makes the Undo History much less useful. I do refer to Undo History often, and wish it would show me when I last saved the project, especially in the context of what I did before and after the save. I know you can't UNDO a save, but neither can you UNDO an open, and it does include that reference.
• It would be great if DP could remember which tracks were play enabled in a track folder, so that if you accidentally (or deliberately) disable the all the tracks (by clicking on the play icon on the track folder) then re-enabling it will result in enabling only the tracks which were previously enabled.
• By the same token, option-clicking the insert menu on the top of each channel strip in the mixing window results in all the inserts being turned off or turned on. It would be nice if DP could remember which inserts may already have been enabled or disabled, so the that option-clicking would turn them all off, but option-clicking again would turn on the ones which had been previously turned on. Perhaps a different command (like command-option-clicking) could disregard previous settings and just turn them all on or all off.
• Maybe introduce a track by track "turn on color" option in the Track Columns Setup. That way a user could turn on the color of only a select group of tracks being edited and leave the rest black and white. This would make editing projects with large track counts much easier.
• How about a Track selector for the Tracks overview, essentially allowing you to hide tracks (and track folders) that you don't want to see? This would also help immensely when editing projects with large track counts. And it would be so nice not to have to look at track folders which may be filled with discarded tracks, and to eliminate the grey bar that they create in the Tracks Overview by simply hiding them.
• I'm still eager to have additional markers (in different colours, and perhaps stacked vertically) so that you could have one set of markers which mark song sections, another set which has important notes, another set for song lyrics, etc.
• We still need Smarter Selections when it comes to Loops. With both MIDI and Audio loops, DP should make an educated guess that a loop which starts in bar 5 should not become part of a selection if you select bar 4, even if the loop start point is preceeding the bar by a few ticks. Smart selection of notes has worked well for years. Those same principles should also apply to loops. Often selecting stuff before a loop selects the loop, and then selecting the bars which are looped ignores the loop when you copy it.
• In the exact same vein, we need Smart Selections for Audio clips. Currently, if you select bars where the audio begins a little bit before the start of the bar, that audio clip will not be included in the selection. DP should understand (as with Smart Selections of MIDI) that Audio with edges that are very close to the beginning of a bar should be included or discluded from a selection based on an intelligent assessment of which bar the body of that audio belongs to.
• In the same way that you can add multiple instrument tracks at the same time (using Project > Add Track > Add instruments), it would also be useful to be able to add multiple Aux tracks at the same time.
GRAPHIC EDITOR ENHANCEMENTS
• Adjusting MIDI note velocities in the Sequence Editor results in the background horizontal grid disappearing (which representing the black keys on the keyboard). This is kind of annoying. This grid should remain the same whichever of those elements are being edited. Perhaps the user could have a button to decide whether or not to turn off or on the horizontal grid for that track. Furthermore, it is actually easier to edit velocites with that grid present since you can easily compare note velocities with other MIDI notes that are presently showing in the edit window. So this "feature" is not only distracting but instead of assisting in editing note velocities it actually takes away vital reference information.
• In the MIDI graphic editor, the notes from numerous MIDI tracks can be shown at once, but the velocity of the notes is only shown for the actively selected track (i.e. the track with the pencil icon in the Track Selector). How about an easier option for selecting the active track so that it would be easier to edit the note velocities of any track without having to go to the Track Selector? My suggestion would be option-clicking on a MIDI note to automatically make THAT track the active editable track in the Sequence Editor. This would reduce the need to visit the Track Selector, and make velocity editing much more efficient.
• Using Command-Up and Down Arrows allows you to vertically resize all of the tracks in the sequence editor using Command-up and Command-down arrows, it might be useful if it would only apply to the track currently being edited (i.e. the one with the flashing edit cursor). Combining the option key with those commands could result in adjusting all the tracks the same (as is done right now without the option key).
• In sequence editor when moving audio soundbites or MIDI notes, there are blue boundary lines in the ruler which show the start and end points of the item. With MIDI notes you can click on the note and see the blue lines in the ruler, but with Audio this does not work. You have to actually start moving the audio for the blue boundary lines to kick in. Please make it so the audio behaves like the MIDI in this respect.
• I would love to see an option added to the Sequence Editor whereby all the MIDI could appear in one track (as it does in the MIDI Editor). It would be really nice to work with Audio Tracks in the Sequence Editor, right alongside MIDI which is all displayed in a single overlayed track. While this could be accomplished by displaying both the MIDI and Sequence Editors at the same time, it would be more elegant if the MIDI could be combined in the Sequence Editor, allowing the Tracks Overview to be the second window included in the consolidated window.
• Ever since I started using DP, I have always wished that when working in the Graphic Editors, the wiper position could be changed by clicking anywhere in the graphic display, and not having to specifically click in the ruler. Back in the days of SVP, you could click anywhere in the graphic window and the wiper would move to that location. Having to mouse up to the ruler is just an added bit of precision which seems unnecessary.
COSMETIC CHANGES
• Please include preference which allows you to change the grey folder bars which appear in the Tracks Overview back to the way they used to be displayed (as grey bars only). The new bars which show data of what is stored in closed or open folders is very distracting and makes the TO window look cluttered and busy, which interupts the workflow rather than aids it. Some might not agree, so a preference to display it either way would be great.
• If the above preference is not added, then at least make it so that the grey bar only shows all the gibberish when the track folder is closed, and not when it is opened.
• An option to display tracks in the Tracks Overview so that they look the way that they looked back in DP 4 and 5 (with solid bars of colour on top of the tracks, and not pastel colours).
PLUGIN IMPROVEMENTS
• Improvements in All MOTU plugins (part 1) -- include a "mix" knob to allow mixing of the dry signal and the signal processed by the plugin
• Improvements in All MOTU plugins (part 2) -- include a trim knob to allow the processed signal to be increased or decreased before it leaves the plugin. Would especially like to see this on MWEQ.
BUGS TO BE FIXED
• Aside from the desire for Smarter Selections of loops (mentioned above), there is an actual bug with regards to the current selection of loops (even if the loops do not preceed the start of the bar). The MIDI loops work as they should--if you loop some bars and then select those bars, the loop will be moved and copied with the bars. This is NOT true in the Audio loops, however. With Audio loops, DP makes the mistake of not selecting the loop when you select the bars being looped. And consequently it does select the loop when you select the a bar which preceeds that loop. So at the very least, Audio Loop selections need to be fixed so that the start point of the loop is understood to be within the bars being looped.
• there are some serious issues when using the Audio Plugins preference. Strange things happen, like disabling all the MAS plugins results in ALL the AU plugins not being loaded. And sometimes disabled plugins are no longer shown in the Audio Plugins window, which means that you cannot reactivate them without restarting DP.
• Dragging inserts from one slot to another, and UNDOing the addition or deletion of an insert can sometimes result in DP suddenly quitting.
• In the Events List window a space is needed between the marker icon and the name of the marker. This is just cosmetic, but it doesn't look very good.
• When opening an Autosave version of a DP project, after a crash for instance, it opens the document with the Control Panel closed, and none of the keyboard commands will work. Opening the Control Panel resolves the issue, but this can be very disconcerting. The first time I experienced this I thought the project was corrupt.
OTHER IDEAS AND POSSIBLITIES
• How about some kind of a Memory Management feature similar to what NI created with Kontakt? If DP could access memory outside of itself, and store samples into RAM, then it could access more than the 3.5GB allowable by a 32-bit application, and would reduce the loading time for a project after a sudden quit.
• Track Comping tool for MIDI. It might be nice to extend the Track Comping features to work for MIDI tracks the way that they do for Audio.
• A lock feature to prevent vertical scrolling in the MIDI Editor window. Clicking on a little lock button would prevent the work area from scrolling vertically when you are drawing a marquee to select MIDI notes. I often adjust that editor window to display all the MIDI notes I want to look at and work with, but then when I try to select a group of notes which include some near the bottom or top of the window, automatic scrolling takes place focusing my workspace onto a range of the keyboard where there are no notes to work with, and requiring me to re-adjust the window again. The same thing happens in the Sequence Editor, and so it would be nice to have locks for each MIDI track in there. When you are already zeroed in on a desired keyboard range (like notes of the kick and snare, for example) then auto scrolling is just an inconvenience.
------------
Before sending this to MOTU, I will have to re-read it, when I am more fresh, correct a few typos and maybe reword a few of the explanations. Might even remember a few things I want to add as I work in DP tonight. But there it is as it now stands.
I actually hope that some of these can be implimented in a DP 7.2 or DP 7.3, since most of them are just basic enhancements and shouldn't be too complicated to impliment. Would love to hear your comments.
---------
WORKFLOW IMPROVEMENTS
• Please add a "Clippings" checkbox in the Shortcuts preferences so that clicking on the Clippings Icon in the Shortcuts palette will result in all clippings windows coming to the front.
• Allow user organization of AU plugins. It would also be nice to be able to create aliases of plugins which would be accessible from within their own folders. It would be convenient to have a plugin folder which housed all the compressors, and another with all the reverbs, etc. This could be in addition to the automatic organization of AUs by the developer name.
• It would be great if "Saved Project" was an action shown in the Undo History. The fact that it currently doesn't include reference of this action makes the Undo History much less useful. I do refer to Undo History often, and wish it would show me when I last saved the project, especially in the context of what I did before and after the save. I know you can't UNDO a save, but neither can you UNDO an open, and it does include that reference.
• It would be great if DP could remember which tracks were play enabled in a track folder, so that if you accidentally (or deliberately) disable the all the tracks (by clicking on the play icon on the track folder) then re-enabling it will result in enabling only the tracks which were previously enabled.
• By the same token, option-clicking the insert menu on the top of each channel strip in the mixing window results in all the inserts being turned off or turned on. It would be nice if DP could remember which inserts may already have been enabled or disabled, so the that option-clicking would turn them all off, but option-clicking again would turn on the ones which had been previously turned on. Perhaps a different command (like command-option-clicking) could disregard previous settings and just turn them all on or all off.
• Maybe introduce a track by track "turn on color" option in the Track Columns Setup. That way a user could turn on the color of only a select group of tracks being edited and leave the rest black and white. This would make editing projects with large track counts much easier.
• How about a Track selector for the Tracks overview, essentially allowing you to hide tracks (and track folders) that you don't want to see? This would also help immensely when editing projects with large track counts. And it would be so nice not to have to look at track folders which may be filled with discarded tracks, and to eliminate the grey bar that they create in the Tracks Overview by simply hiding them.
• I'm still eager to have additional markers (in different colours, and perhaps stacked vertically) so that you could have one set of markers which mark song sections, another set which has important notes, another set for song lyrics, etc.
• We still need Smarter Selections when it comes to Loops. With both MIDI and Audio loops, DP should make an educated guess that a loop which starts in bar 5 should not become part of a selection if you select bar 4, even if the loop start point is preceeding the bar by a few ticks. Smart selection of notes has worked well for years. Those same principles should also apply to loops. Often selecting stuff before a loop selects the loop, and then selecting the bars which are looped ignores the loop when you copy it.
• In the exact same vein, we need Smart Selections for Audio clips. Currently, if you select bars where the audio begins a little bit before the start of the bar, that audio clip will not be included in the selection. DP should understand (as with Smart Selections of MIDI) that Audio with edges that are very close to the beginning of a bar should be included or discluded from a selection based on an intelligent assessment of which bar the body of that audio belongs to.
• In the same way that you can add multiple instrument tracks at the same time (using Project > Add Track > Add instruments), it would also be useful to be able to add multiple Aux tracks at the same time.
GRAPHIC EDITOR ENHANCEMENTS
• Adjusting MIDI note velocities in the Sequence Editor results in the background horizontal grid disappearing (which representing the black keys on the keyboard). This is kind of annoying. This grid should remain the same whichever of those elements are being edited. Perhaps the user could have a button to decide whether or not to turn off or on the horizontal grid for that track. Furthermore, it is actually easier to edit velocites with that grid present since you can easily compare note velocities with other MIDI notes that are presently showing in the edit window. So this "feature" is not only distracting but instead of assisting in editing note velocities it actually takes away vital reference information.
• In the MIDI graphic editor, the notes from numerous MIDI tracks can be shown at once, but the velocity of the notes is only shown for the actively selected track (i.e. the track with the pencil icon in the Track Selector). How about an easier option for selecting the active track so that it would be easier to edit the note velocities of any track without having to go to the Track Selector? My suggestion would be option-clicking on a MIDI note to automatically make THAT track the active editable track in the Sequence Editor. This would reduce the need to visit the Track Selector, and make velocity editing much more efficient.
• Using Command-Up and Down Arrows allows you to vertically resize all of the tracks in the sequence editor using Command-up and Command-down arrows, it might be useful if it would only apply to the track currently being edited (i.e. the one with the flashing edit cursor). Combining the option key with those commands could result in adjusting all the tracks the same (as is done right now without the option key).
• In sequence editor when moving audio soundbites or MIDI notes, there are blue boundary lines in the ruler which show the start and end points of the item. With MIDI notes you can click on the note and see the blue lines in the ruler, but with Audio this does not work. You have to actually start moving the audio for the blue boundary lines to kick in. Please make it so the audio behaves like the MIDI in this respect.
• I would love to see an option added to the Sequence Editor whereby all the MIDI could appear in one track (as it does in the MIDI Editor). It would be really nice to work with Audio Tracks in the Sequence Editor, right alongside MIDI which is all displayed in a single overlayed track. While this could be accomplished by displaying both the MIDI and Sequence Editors at the same time, it would be more elegant if the MIDI could be combined in the Sequence Editor, allowing the Tracks Overview to be the second window included in the consolidated window.
• Ever since I started using DP, I have always wished that when working in the Graphic Editors, the wiper position could be changed by clicking anywhere in the graphic display, and not having to specifically click in the ruler. Back in the days of SVP, you could click anywhere in the graphic window and the wiper would move to that location. Having to mouse up to the ruler is just an added bit of precision which seems unnecessary.
COSMETIC CHANGES
• Please include preference which allows you to change the grey folder bars which appear in the Tracks Overview back to the way they used to be displayed (as grey bars only). The new bars which show data of what is stored in closed or open folders is very distracting and makes the TO window look cluttered and busy, which interupts the workflow rather than aids it. Some might not agree, so a preference to display it either way would be great.
• If the above preference is not added, then at least make it so that the grey bar only shows all the gibberish when the track folder is closed, and not when it is opened.
• An option to display tracks in the Tracks Overview so that they look the way that they looked back in DP 4 and 5 (with solid bars of colour on top of the tracks, and not pastel colours).
PLUGIN IMPROVEMENTS
• Improvements in All MOTU plugins (part 1) -- include a "mix" knob to allow mixing of the dry signal and the signal processed by the plugin
• Improvements in All MOTU plugins (part 2) -- include a trim knob to allow the processed signal to be increased or decreased before it leaves the plugin. Would especially like to see this on MWEQ.
BUGS TO BE FIXED
• Aside from the desire for Smarter Selections of loops (mentioned above), there is an actual bug with regards to the current selection of loops (even if the loops do not preceed the start of the bar). The MIDI loops work as they should--if you loop some bars and then select those bars, the loop will be moved and copied with the bars. This is NOT true in the Audio loops, however. With Audio loops, DP makes the mistake of not selecting the loop when you select the bars being looped. And consequently it does select the loop when you select the a bar which preceeds that loop. So at the very least, Audio Loop selections need to be fixed so that the start point of the loop is understood to be within the bars being looped.
• there are some serious issues when using the Audio Plugins preference. Strange things happen, like disabling all the MAS plugins results in ALL the AU plugins not being loaded. And sometimes disabled plugins are no longer shown in the Audio Plugins window, which means that you cannot reactivate them without restarting DP.
• Dragging inserts from one slot to another, and UNDOing the addition or deletion of an insert can sometimes result in DP suddenly quitting.
• In the Events List window a space is needed between the marker icon and the name of the marker. This is just cosmetic, but it doesn't look very good.
• When opening an Autosave version of a DP project, after a crash for instance, it opens the document with the Control Panel closed, and none of the keyboard commands will work. Opening the Control Panel resolves the issue, but this can be very disconcerting. The first time I experienced this I thought the project was corrupt.
OTHER IDEAS AND POSSIBLITIES
• How about some kind of a Memory Management feature similar to what NI created with Kontakt? If DP could access memory outside of itself, and store samples into RAM, then it could access more than the 3.5GB allowable by a 32-bit application, and would reduce the loading time for a project after a sudden quit.
• Track Comping tool for MIDI. It might be nice to extend the Track Comping features to work for MIDI tracks the way that they do for Audio.
• A lock feature to prevent vertical scrolling in the MIDI Editor window. Clicking on a little lock button would prevent the work area from scrolling vertically when you are drawing a marquee to select MIDI notes. I often adjust that editor window to display all the MIDI notes I want to look at and work with, but then when I try to select a group of notes which include some near the bottom or top of the window, automatic scrolling takes place focusing my workspace onto a range of the keyboard where there are no notes to work with, and requiring me to re-adjust the window again. The same thing happens in the Sequence Editor, and so it would be nice to have locks for each MIDI track in there. When you are already zeroed in on a desired keyboard range (like notes of the kick and snare, for example) then auto scrolling is just an inconvenience.
------------
Before sending this to MOTU, I will have to re-read it, when I am more fresh, correct a few typos and maybe reword a few of the explanations. Might even remember a few things I want to add as I work in DP tonight. But there it is as it now stands.
Last edited by zed on Fri Apr 09, 2010 10:40 am, edited 12 times in total.
MacPro 2.8 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon | 14 GB RAM | OS 10.11.6 | DP 8
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
Very good idea.MIDI Life Crisis wrote:Perhaps I am alone in this, but I would love it if MOTU could somehow find it in their hearts and their code to implement a feature that would allow measure numbers to be reset anywhere in a sequence. IOW, if I have a cue that is 6:03 long, I'd like to insert an audio mix of that cue in a chunk, and at some time of my choice, set the measure numbers and conductor track to reset to 1|1|000 and some new tempo of my choosing. We can do this in Finale, where you reset the measure numbers to start from 1 again anywhere in the score. When you are working in sections and movements, as well as in very long pieces, this is very helpful in rehearsals and beats saying "go to measure 6583" when you can say "go to section 3 measure 55."
But my motives in DP are different. AS I compose and string several cues together for projects and start to write the new cue, I'd like to have a new chunk for each cue but still have some or all previous cues that have been bounced from earlier chunks (cues) in the new sequence. Then I could have individual cues retain their respective time position and measure numbers and compose from measure 1 even though the cue is in the middle of the project.
Just a thought. Maybe if MOTU bought MakeMusic or visa versa, Finale could be integrated into DP (replacing Quickscribe) and I might get my wish. Or not...
I have wanted something similar. I have often wished there was a user start point clock. One that is in addition to the original time stamp or actual time. For instance, when you have five takes of a song. You put your markers in at the top of each take. Then the artist asks "how long is this song?" If you had a user assignable start point clock, you would be able to let them know right away.
Heck maybe this exists and I just don't know how to access it.
Jim
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jlaudon
- Posts: 1654
- Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: Hong Kong
- Contact:
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
Just a couple things for now (in addition to all the good ideas already mentioned):
1) Soundbites in the soundbite list highlighted when the same soundbite is selected/highlighted in the TO or SE
2) Mixer channels option to follow track selection in TO or SE
More to come..
1) Soundbites in the soundbite list highlighted when the same soundbite is selected/highlighted in the TO or SE
2) Mixer channels option to follow track selection in TO or SE
More to come..
MacBook Pro 2021 (M1 Ultra) with 64 gigs RAM. DP 11.23
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
How about a way to 'in-bulk' assign inputs and outs to 'MIDI trks', the same way we can change audio trks so easily with audio assignments command?
Or am I missing something obvious? (wouldnt be the first time
Or am I missing something obvious? (wouldnt be the first time
AMPGUI themes - Andy rocks!, 3 macs, MacPro 768GB ram, 16core OS11.7.10, DP11.31, all Waves, all SLATE, PSP, IK multimedia & Audioease plugs, all PAlliance, Softube, tons of NI VI's all air Spitfire, all Audiobro, all Berlin, EW PLAY, LLizard, MachFive3, Kontakt5, Omnisphere, RMX, LASS, all Soundtoys, Lexicon AU's, melodyne and others I know am forgetting, cause I'm old...Also mucho outboard rigs, MTPs, DTP, antelope WC, and 4 control surfaces with Raven.
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kassonica
- Posts: 5230
- Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 11:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Location: melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
TAB to transient would be wonderful.......
Buss compressor would be nice as well.
Buss compressor would be nice as well.
Creativity, some digital stuff and analogue things that go boom. crackle, bits of wood with strings on them that go twang
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
Yes indeed it would. Thanks for reminding me. A request for that was actually in the last suggestion list I sent to MOTU. I need to review that file, and go through the requests to see which ones I need to mention again.kassonica wrote:TAB to transient would be wonderful.......
MacPro 2.8 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon | 14 GB RAM | OS 10.11.6 | DP 8
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
Okay, I went through my previous list of suggestions. I will add these items to the other list before sending it to MOTU.
MORE SUGGESTIONS (from PREVIOUS REQUEST LIST, Submitted 2007/2008):
• Contextual Menus. Control-clicking to access a menu of options would be great in many areas of the program.
• Would be great to have easier access to audio effects (through that contextual menu using the control key).
• Tab to Transients option within the Sequence Editor. And since it doesn't make much sense to Tab through transients which are buried beneath the topmost soundbites, only the audio on top should be assessed. To allow users to assign a command to this feature, we need options in the Selection Commands for the following:
--Move Insertion Point to Next Event
--Move Insertion Point to Previous Event
• Ability to make pencil edits in the Sequence Editor in order to avoid the necessity to work in Soundbites window.
• Would love to see an "Apply Last Effect" option (something similar to the feature in Audacity or Photoshop) where DP remembers the last plugin effect applied (e.g. Trim -3db, or Reverse Audio, etc.) and puts a link at the very top of the Audio menu (or in a contextual menu). Then you don't have to search for the plugin again... it is all ready to be applied again. If this could be setup to remember the last three or four plugins used, that would make things even easier... or perhaps there could be a recently applied effects palette?
• It would be nice to have librarian ability to individually name the outputs of each VI, so that instead of patches showing up as MIDI channel numbers they could be named (e.g. ST-Upright Piano, Fab Four-Hofner, BFD-Ringo Kit, etc.)
• Separate Take Comments, giving the option for different comments for each take (with perhaps a little on/off button on the comments to determine whether the comments show up on all takes of the track, or whether each track automatically gives you a fresh slate to type in new comments). Sometimes comments are specific to a take rather than to the track as a whole.
• An option to colour code sections of song between markers (probably most easily implimented by allowing colourized markers (user specified) which can colour the background of the tracks window until a different coloured marker (or non-coloured/standard yellow marker) is placed. This would allow a quick visual reference for the parts of a song when viewed in the Tracks Window.
• Add ability to move markers in the MIDI graphic editor. You can lock 'em but you can't seem to move 'em.
• It would be nice to have a more streamlined way to move or copy things from one track to another within the MIDI or Sequence editors. (This got a lot of discussion on Motunation recently).
• When "Duplicating Track Layout" in the chunks window, it would be great if the TEMPO and METRE of the source chunk was also duplicated. Currently it is not.
• A column to enable and disable chunks, similar to the check and uncheck button in iTunes. The chunk, will not be fully disabled and will play if you manually select it, but if you have pressed the "Chunk Chain" button to listen through your chunks, DP will only play the enabled chunks in succession instead of all the chunks. Since chunks can be used for storage of alternate or abandoned ideas, and often variations of the arrangement which you might not want to listen to in chain mode, it would be great to have this disable option.
• There should be some sort of auto ID for chunks (either letters or numbers), so that they are labelled for future reference. This way, if you are working with a copy of an earlier chunk, you can mention in the chunk comments (or in the chunk title) that "this chunk is an adaptation of chunk x". Currently, I manually give IDs to my chunks so that I can keep track of what is what.
• While we're at it, it would also be nice to have the option to add columns to the chunks window which would display the date created and/or the date last modified.
• To make track clippings easier to create, tracks should not require data on them to be copied to a clipping... it would be great to create clippings which may only have the track name, the inputs and the outputs. If necessary, DP could automatically add something to an empty track which would count as being some form of data (like an centre pan start automation or something).
• Scale/Stretch Time Tool so that you could select MIDI notes and by clicking on a point in the edit window and then dragging you could scale notes visually without have to go through the scale dialog.
• Guitar Chords track would be cool. Just like putting a tempo change in the conductor track you could insert a guitar chord image to insert at a particular spot which would also show up on the QuickScribe pages. Could come with basic guitar chords and the ability for the user to define additional chord shapes.
--------------------
Here are some of the things from my previous request list which have actually been included in DP. This just goes to show that making these efforts to request improvements does lead to making DP a better product.
ALREADY FIXED OR ADDED
MORE SUGGESTIONS (from PREVIOUS REQUEST LIST, Submitted 2007/2008):
• Contextual Menus. Control-clicking to access a menu of options would be great in many areas of the program.
• Would be great to have easier access to audio effects (through that contextual menu using the control key).
• Tab to Transients option within the Sequence Editor. And since it doesn't make much sense to Tab through transients which are buried beneath the topmost soundbites, only the audio on top should be assessed. To allow users to assign a command to this feature, we need options in the Selection Commands for the following:
--Move Insertion Point to Next Event
--Move Insertion Point to Previous Event
• Ability to make pencil edits in the Sequence Editor in order to avoid the necessity to work in Soundbites window.
• Would love to see an "Apply Last Effect" option (something similar to the feature in Audacity or Photoshop) where DP remembers the last plugin effect applied (e.g. Trim -3db, or Reverse Audio, etc.) and puts a link at the very top of the Audio menu (or in a contextual menu). Then you don't have to search for the plugin again... it is all ready to be applied again. If this could be setup to remember the last three or four plugins used, that would make things even easier... or perhaps there could be a recently applied effects palette?
• It would be nice to have librarian ability to individually name the outputs of each VI, so that instead of patches showing up as MIDI channel numbers they could be named (e.g. ST-Upright Piano, Fab Four-Hofner, BFD-Ringo Kit, etc.)
• Separate Take Comments, giving the option for different comments for each take (with perhaps a little on/off button on the comments to determine whether the comments show up on all takes of the track, or whether each track automatically gives you a fresh slate to type in new comments). Sometimes comments are specific to a take rather than to the track as a whole.
• An option to colour code sections of song between markers (probably most easily implimented by allowing colourized markers (user specified) which can colour the background of the tracks window until a different coloured marker (or non-coloured/standard yellow marker) is placed. This would allow a quick visual reference for the parts of a song when viewed in the Tracks Window.
• Add ability to move markers in the MIDI graphic editor. You can lock 'em but you can't seem to move 'em.
• It would be nice to have a more streamlined way to move or copy things from one track to another within the MIDI or Sequence editors. (This got a lot of discussion on Motunation recently).
• When "Duplicating Track Layout" in the chunks window, it would be great if the TEMPO and METRE of the source chunk was also duplicated. Currently it is not.
• A column to enable and disable chunks, similar to the check and uncheck button in iTunes. The chunk, will not be fully disabled and will play if you manually select it, but if you have pressed the "Chunk Chain" button to listen through your chunks, DP will only play the enabled chunks in succession instead of all the chunks. Since chunks can be used for storage of alternate or abandoned ideas, and often variations of the arrangement which you might not want to listen to in chain mode, it would be great to have this disable option.
• There should be some sort of auto ID for chunks (either letters or numbers), so that they are labelled for future reference. This way, if you are working with a copy of an earlier chunk, you can mention in the chunk comments (or in the chunk title) that "this chunk is an adaptation of chunk x". Currently, I manually give IDs to my chunks so that I can keep track of what is what.
• While we're at it, it would also be nice to have the option to add columns to the chunks window which would display the date created and/or the date last modified.
• To make track clippings easier to create, tracks should not require data on them to be copied to a clipping... it would be great to create clippings which may only have the track name, the inputs and the outputs. If necessary, DP could automatically add something to an empty track which would count as being some form of data (like an centre pan start automation or something).
• Scale/Stretch Time Tool so that you could select MIDI notes and by clicking on a point in the edit window and then dragging you could scale notes visually without have to go through the scale dialog.
• Guitar Chords track would be cool. Just like putting a tempo change in the conductor track you could insert a guitar chord image to insert at a particular spot which would also show up on the QuickScribe pages. Could come with basic guitar chords and the ability for the user to define additional chord shapes.
--------------------
Here are some of the things from my previous request list which have actually been included in DP. This just goes to show that making these efforts to request improvements does lead to making DP a better product.
ALREADY FIXED OR ADDED
- • Take Folders
• Please remove the word "copy" from tracks when they are dragged from the clipping window into a new track.
• An option for vertical scaling in Tracks window would be useful at times.
• MIDI Editor remembers tracks currently selected, so that you can switch editors and then come back to it and find the same tracks selected.
• Conductor track added to the track list in the Sequence Editors so that you can cut, snip and paste all tracks, including the conductor track from that window.
• Improvements to application of Bite Gain, including multiple Bite Gain adjustments.
• Improvements to Event List
• Channel Strip
• Autosave
• Saving plugin presets no longer creates error when using longer name
MacPro 2.8 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon | 14 GB RAM | OS 10.11.6 | DP 8
-
MIDI Life Crisis
- Posts: 26254
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Contact:
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
Search feature for the soundbites list (at least) if not across an entire project. I want to search for sound file names that I've imported. If I import 200 files in prep for a design job, I want to find "tiny mouse squeeky door" by searching for "door" and not having to scroll thru 175 names until I find it (unless I miss it!!!) Yeah, there are workarounds, but I WANT MY MAYPO!
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
My head is so far up into a whole other project that I confess to not have thoroughly assessed the wealth of info in this thread.zed wrote:
• Separate Take Comments, giving the option for different comments for each take...
But this one comment suggestion takes me back to something I've longed for for many years. I honestly appreciate the track comments in the Track Columns, but I've found a serious need for annotated comments as well. By this, I mean having the ability to go to a particular measure in a particular track at the end of the day to post comments about things to do for the next day which are associated with that track and it's event along the timeline. I'm still keeping a notebook of such things. Remember pencil and paper? Sometimes I use text edit and store the notes in the DP project folder in question.
I guess this would also fall under the heading of "it would be nice if...", but at least the rising and setting of the sun are not effected.
BTW-- I like the constructive thinking going on here.
6,1 MacPro, 96GB RAM, macOS Monterey 12.7, macOS 10.14, DP9.52
-
MIDI Life Crisis
- Posts: 26254
- Joined: Wed May 18, 2005 10:01 pm
- Primary DAW OS: MacOS
- Contact:
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
That won't stop me from posting! lol! BTW, I see you're headed to 13k. I don't know how you do it, but I was once told if you want to get something done, ask a busy man to do it.Frodo wrote: BTW-- I like the constructive thinking going on here.
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
Annotated comments would be very helpful indeed.Frodo wrote:...but I've found a serious need for annotated comments as well. By this, I mean having the ability to go to a particular measure in a particular track at the end of the day to post comments about things to do for the next day which are associated with that track and it's event along the timeline. I'm still keeping a notebook of such things. Remember pencil and paper? Sometimes I use text edit and store the notes in the DP project folder in question.
In the meantime, if you are entering comments into text edit about specific things to do the next day, you could put that text edit document in a Startup Clippings folder, and the text document will open up for you to review the next day before DP has even finished loading.
For this reason, I add Startup Clippings to every new project (and any old ones that I open), and have a customized page layout which keeps track of things in progress, things to do (with priority tagging options), notes for future mixdowns, or instrument preset details, problems, or anything else that I will want to review before the song is finished. This has become an important part of my workflow.
MacPro 2.8 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon | 14 GB RAM | OS 10.11.6 | DP 8
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
For me, basics;
1. Right click contextual menus.
2. Link selection in soundbites window and SE.
3. When renaming soundbites in the SE, give me the option to rename the audio file as well, don't make me search through that whole list and try to find it and rename it AGAIN.
4. Adopt apple standards for selections; let me select a track, hold shift and select another track and it will select all tracks in between, if I hold command it only selects the tracks I'm clicking on.
5. I don't quite understand the way DP names soundbites, in this instance; if I have a file named xxx_02 and edge edit it it makes a soundbite called xxx_02.2. If I then stretch the edge back out to it's original length DP makes a bite called xxx_02.3, even though it's exactly the same as the original. Pro Tools would call it xxx_02, knowing that it was the same. In DP I have no way of knowing whether the two soundbites are the same or not. It's not a huge deal, just confusing and it fills the soundbites list with useless stuff. The soundbites list is already a bit messy, especially since item #2 hasn't happened yet.
6. Let me select tracks in the mix window, have solos in the seq window, etc. There's no reason to have to switch windows to do basic things like that.
7. Edge edit should work with the grid when the grid is on, without the grid when the grid is off. Or something that makes sense. Right now it doesn't work with the grid when the grid is on, unless I hold the cmd key. But if I hold that key with the grid off, it still doesn't work with the grid. I have to turn the grid on, do the trim with the cmd key, then turn the grid back off.
8. The trim tool should work on any edge I want, I don't understand the concept of one of the edges being the "correct" or "top" edge of two adjoining pieces of audio. This applies to fades and editing in general as well. If I drag one piece over another, I don't care about the covered one anymore, it's dead to me. DP needs to quit keeping track of it and involving it in the editing. It isn't one piece on top of another, it's two adjoining pieces. We don't hear the "bottom" piece, so what good is it to us to work as if it's still there? Anything covered should be forgotten.
9. MIDI regions.
Thank you for your time,
bb
1. Right click contextual menus.
2. Link selection in soundbites window and SE.
3. When renaming soundbites in the SE, give me the option to rename the audio file as well, don't make me search through that whole list and try to find it and rename it AGAIN.
4. Adopt apple standards for selections; let me select a track, hold shift and select another track and it will select all tracks in between, if I hold command it only selects the tracks I'm clicking on.
5. I don't quite understand the way DP names soundbites, in this instance; if I have a file named xxx_02 and edge edit it it makes a soundbite called xxx_02.2. If I then stretch the edge back out to it's original length DP makes a bite called xxx_02.3, even though it's exactly the same as the original. Pro Tools would call it xxx_02, knowing that it was the same. In DP I have no way of knowing whether the two soundbites are the same or not. It's not a huge deal, just confusing and it fills the soundbites list with useless stuff. The soundbites list is already a bit messy, especially since item #2 hasn't happened yet.
6. Let me select tracks in the mix window, have solos in the seq window, etc. There's no reason to have to switch windows to do basic things like that.
7. Edge edit should work with the grid when the grid is on, without the grid when the grid is off. Or something that makes sense. Right now it doesn't work with the grid when the grid is on, unless I hold the cmd key. But if I hold that key with the grid off, it still doesn't work with the grid. I have to turn the grid on, do the trim with the cmd key, then turn the grid back off.
8. The trim tool should work on any edge I want, I don't understand the concept of one of the edges being the "correct" or "top" edge of two adjoining pieces of audio. This applies to fades and editing in general as well. If I drag one piece over another, I don't care about the covered one anymore, it's dead to me. DP needs to quit keeping track of it and involving it in the editing. It isn't one piece on top of another, it's two adjoining pieces. We don't hear the "bottom" piece, so what good is it to us to work as if it's still there? Anything covered should be forgotten.
9. MIDI regions.
Thank you for your time,
bb
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
That's pretty good. If I can ever get the clippings thing together I'll have to try it. I don't know why it confuses me so.zed wrote:...
In the meantime, if you are entering comments into text edit about specific things to do the next day, you could put that text edit document in a Startup Clippings folder, and the text document will open up for you to review the next day before DP has even finished loading.
For this reason, I add Startup Clippings to every new project (and any old ones that I open), and have a customized page layout which keeps track of things in progress, things to do (with priority tagging options), notes for future mixdowns, or instrument preset details, problems, or anything else that I will want to review before the song is finished. This has become an important part of my workflow.
bb
Re: DP 8 Wish List/Request
10. Standardize the terminology. Don't call it "edge edit copy" with the trim tool, chunks-sequence, etc. Very confusing.
11. Better visual indicator if tracks are enabled or not, dim them like the muted soundbites. Same with plugins in the mix window. I'm old, trying to see if the tiny name is in italics or not is not that easy.
12. Why are the send level, mute, and solo so tiny in the mix window when they are surrounded by a mile of empty space? Don't make things tiny. Make things simple and easy to see and absorb at a glance.
13. Make the VU meters green. Actually, just get rid of all the blue.
14. Don't make the pop up tool tips get in the way of what you're actually trying to see.
Carry on,
bb
11. Better visual indicator if tracks are enabled or not, dim them like the muted soundbites. Same with plugins in the mix window. I'm old, trying to see if the tiny name is in italics or not is not that easy.
12. Why are the send level, mute, and solo so tiny in the mix window when they are surrounded by a mile of empty space? Don't make things tiny. Make things simple and easy to see and absorb at a glance.
13. Make the VU meters green. Actually, just get rid of all the blue.
14. Don't make the pop up tool tips get in the way of what you're actually trying to see.
Carry on,
bb