Wish list For DP 5.1 (or DP5?)

[mouritzen]

Ruler/grid formats are customizable under the Setup Menu--->Time Formats.

I know indeed, but even with time formats choosen it is not possible to get totally rid of marker lines (00:04:65 - 00:04:70 ... etc.) - which is what I want (I quess I wasn't expressing this clear enough): for some issues I find them abstracting and annoying .

The Control Panel does have 5 sizes, depending on how many panels you unfold for display. You can always cover it up entirely with other windows and just use the keypad for most of its functions, and you can open up the large counter window for such occasions.

I know indeed, but what I would like to have is a small ... stick with a play and stop button that I can move around spontaneously without getting the feeling it is in the way because it's over-sized.

Auto Rewind is indeed a feature of DP, easily accessible from the Control Panel.

I know about the auto-rewind button, but this is not what I am talking about: I would like to avoid having to define the start location on the memory bar by a memory indicator - and instead having (the choice of) an automatic "rewind" to whereever the cursor last had its start point, so that it continously jumps back when you press spacebar, until it gets a new start point through a mouse-click on the memory bar - there's a difference of speed, no?

It's not unusual at all to find that a large number of people's requests for DP are already features, if they would just read about it in the manual.

I definitely agree, and the issue about reading must also be valid for comments on posts in this forum.

[Shooshie]

Ruler/grid formats are customizable under the Setup Menu--->Time Formats.

I know indeed, but even with time formats choosen it is not possible to get totally rid of marker lines (00:04:65 - 00:04:70 ... etc.) - which is what I want (I quess I wasn't expressing this clear enough): for some issues I find them abstracting and annoying .

The Control Panel does have 5 sizes, depending on how many panels you unfold for display. You can always cover it up entirely with other windows and just use the keypad for most of its functions, and you can open up the large counter window for such occasions.

I know indeed, but what I would like to have is a small ... stick with a play and stop button that I can move around spontaneously without getting the feeling it is in the way because it's over-sized.

Auto Rewind is indeed a feature of DP, easily accessible from the Control Panel.

I know about the auto-rewind button, but this is not what I am talking about: I would like to avoid having to define the start location on the memory bar by a memory indicator - and instead having (the choice of) an automatic "rewind" to whereever the cursor last had its start point, so that it continously jumps back when you press spacebar, until it gets a new start point through a mouse-click on the memory bar - there's a difference of speed, no?

It's not unusual at all to find that a large number of people's requests for DP are already features, if they would just read about it in the manual.

I definitely agree, and the issue about reading must also be valid for comments on posts in this forum.

Why do you need a control panel for start and stop? In addition to the control panel, which you may find too large, there is the spacebar, and there is the keypad, neither of which requires any space on your screen. Or you can assign start/stop to any key or controller on your MIDI keyboard. In spite of that, you need another set of buttons on screen for pressing with a mouse? Well, whatever. Different strokes, different folks, as they say. If it's terribly important to you, I can tell you how to make it happen tonight. Use Custom Consoles. You can make your buttons as tiny as you want, and place them anywhere. Using the Commands Window and Custom Consoles, you should be able to come up with a set of buttons that do what you need.

As for the memory rewind, I suggest you go to the Commands window (Setup Menu) and search for "Transport Commands." There are so many things you can do with one or two keystrokes that it's hard to believe you would not find something very useful there.

Of course, if DP's major problem is that it does not feel and operate exactly like Pro Tools, then there's always Pro Tools. It's a fine DAW, too, and you might feel more at home on it.

Shooshie

[mouritzen]

If it's terribly important to you, I can tell you how to make it happen tonight. Use Custom Consoles. You can make your buttons as tiny as you want, and place them anywhere. Using the Commands Window and Custom Consoles, you should be able to come up with a set of buttons that do what you need.

That is great to know, I never thought of custom consoles for this purpose (thinking it was more made for MIDI controlling purposes) - I will probe into that, thanks.

As for the memory rewind, I suggest you go to the Commands window (Setup Menu) and search for "Transport Commands." There are so many things you can do with one or two keystrokes that it's hard to believe you would not find something very useful there.

Yes, I have been there, and there are so many nice and usefull things to be found there - and that's why I ask, why not add this single feature to sort of completing "the flexibility pack"?

Of course, if DP's major problem is that it does not feel and operate exactly like Pro Tools, then there's always Pro Tools. It's a fine DAW, too, and you might feel more at home on it.

I feared that one would come in the end ... But this is a wish list, and it seems to me that MOTU have already done a lot to catch the attention of Pro Tools users tired of the DAE-RTAS circle (including yours truly). For me DP offers, besides the obvious excellent audio editing possibilities, great MIDI features and general flexibility, I'd just wish some small features were there to make it (subjectively) better, even more fluid. What better place to express this than here? I do not want to see a totally different application, I just have the feeling, in general, that central aspects of DP are very "musician minded" where they with a few adjustments could be likewise more "neutral" ... I would just love to see a tad more basic flexibility, not consumer-like choices between this or that soft synth, that is rather humble, isn't it?

[Frodo]

MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE DP5 CAN OFFER--

...is a window encouraging all DP users who are members of Unicornation to send their suggestions to MOTU--!!

[wvandyck]

but I have a solution... just make another option in the SE that allows you to see MIDI tracks in the same way they are displayed in the TO (as MIDI blocks)... just place it under the "notes" and "notes with velocities" dropdowns... that way you don't have to mess with TO, which I am guessing is a huge re-write... and just give the people what they want...

r.

Brilliant!!!
Given that the T.O. is part of DP's core code or whatever, and shouldn't be tampered with, it's seems reasonable to ask for a block-editting option for MIDI in the SE.

The SE allows us to vertically and horizontally zoom blocks containing waveforms. (We know them as soundbites). We should also be able to do the same with blocks of MIDI data.

[Noizemaker]

I know about the auto-rewind button, but this is not what I am talking about: I would like to avoid having to define the start location on the memory bar by a memory indicator - and instead having (the choice of) an automatic "rewind" to whereever the cursor last had its start point, so that it continously jumps back when you press spacebar, until it gets a new start point through a mouse-click on the memory bar - there's a difference of speed, no?

Maybe You could try this; you turn on "link selection to memory" and "memory play" Both in the Selection drawer (or any key command you'd like). Then whatever or wherever you click will automatically be defined in the memory bar so when you stop, it will automatically rewind to the last place you clicked.

[Shooshie]

As I suggested looking through the Commands Window, I was particularly referring to some commands under the Transport section. F1, F2, F3,...F6 are used to insert the Counter's value into the Memory, AutoRecord, and Selection fields. (MAS, as a mnemonic) In each case, the odd one (F1, F3, F5) puts the Counter in the start field, and the even one (F2, F4, F6) puts it in the end or stop field.

In conjunction with other settings, there's really nothing you cannot do in a couple of keystrokes, as regards starting, stopping, auto-rewinding, and so on. You can even remember a selection for later, and insert that selection into the memory or auto-record fields later.

For example, "Remember Times" is CONTROL-R. Later, you can insert that remembered selection into the Selection Fields, Memory Fields, or AutoRecord fields with SHIFT-OPTION-[S, C, or R] respectively, thus storing a location for returning over the long term, while using many other locations for the short term.

The power of Digital Performer is in the Commands Window. You have to take a little time to learn what you want to do, maybe even writing down a set of commands, but once you do, it's very fast. I print out my Commands Window (and throw out the font information--why are there pages and pages of fonts in the Commands Window?) for frequent reference.

It's so easy to hit F1, and then 7 on the keypad. Doing that will place the current counter location into the memory, and the auto-rewind to that location each time you stop.

I just can't help but believe that DP's stock in trade would go up dramatically if more people ever discovered all the features lurking out-of-sight in the Commands Window. Many of the still-most-often-requested features have been there for a long time, but lots of people (maybe most) just don't learn about them.

Shooshie

[toodamnhip]

As I suggested looking through the Commands Window, I was particularly referring to some commands under the Transport section. F1, F2, F3,...F6 are used to insert the Counter's value into the Memory, AutoRecord, and Selection fields. (MAS, as a mnemonic) In each case, the odd one (F1, F3, F5) puts the Counter in the start field, and the even one (F2, F4, F6) puts it in the end or stop field.

In conjunction with other settings, there's really nothing you cannot do in a couple of keystrokes, as regards starting, stopping, auto-rewinding, and so on. You can even remember a selection for later, and insert that selection into the memory or auto-record fields later.

For example, "Remember Times" is CONTROL-R. Later, you can insert that remembered selection into the Selection Fields, Memory Fields, or AutoRecord fields with SHIFT-OPTION-[S, C, or R] respectively, thus storing a location for returning over the long term, while using many other locations for the short term.

The power of Digital Performer is in the Commands Window. You have to take a little time to learn what you want to do, maybe even writing down a set of commands, but once you do, it's very fast. I print out my Commands Window (and throw out the font information--why are there pages and pages of fonts in the Commands Window?) for frequent reference.

It's so easy to hit F1, and then 7 on the keypad. Doing that will place the current counter location into the memory, and the auto-rewind to that location each time you stop.

I just can't help but believe that DP's stock in trade would go up dramatically if more people ever discovered all the features lurking out-of-sight in the Commands Window. Many of the still-most-often-requested features have been there for a long time, but lots of people (maybe most) just don't learn about them.

Shooshie

Amen shooshie....

sounds like this person has not done his homework before stating DP short of features...

Now if I could just insert a command called "find me a gorgeous brunette"...

Maybe in DP 25?

Oh damn..I'll be too old then

[toodamnhip]

As I suggested looking through the Commands Window, I was particularly referring to some commands under the Transport section. F1, F2, F3,...F6 are used to insert the Counter's value into the Memory, AutoRecord, and Selection fields. (MAS, as a mnemonic) In each case, the odd one (F1, F3, F5) puts the Counter in the start field, and the even one (F2, F4, F6) puts it in the end or stop field.

In conjunction with other settings, there's really nothing you cannot do in a couple of keystrokes, as regards starting, stopping, auto-rewinding, and so on. You can even remember a selection for later, and insert that selection into the memory or auto-record fields later.

For example, "Remember Times" is CONTROL-R. Later, you can insert that remembered selection into the Selection Fields, Memory Fields, or AutoRecord fields with SHIFT-OPTION-[S, C, or R] respectively, thus storing a location for returning over the long term, while using many other locations for the short term.

The power of Digital Performer is in the Commands Window. You have to take a little time to learn what you want to do, maybe even writing down a set of commands, but once you do, it's very fast. I print out my Commands Window (and throw out the font information--why are there pages and pages of fonts in the Commands Window?) for frequent reference.

It's so easy to hit F1, and then 7 on the keypad. Doing that will place the current counter location into the memory, and the auto-rewind to that location each time you stop.

I just can't help but believe that DP's stock in trade would go up dramatically if more people ever discovered all the features lurking out-of-sight in the Commands Window. Many of the still-most-often-requested features have been there for a long time, but lots of people (maybe most) just don't learn about them.

Shooshie

Amen shooshie....

sounds like this person has not done his homework before stating DP short of features...

Now if I could just insert a command called "find me a gorgeous brunette"...

Maybe in DP 25?

Oh damn..I'll be too old then

[toodamnhip]

As I suggested looking through the Commands Window, I was particularly referring to some commands under the Transport section. F1, F2, F3,...F6 are used to insert the Counter's value into the Memory, AutoRecord, and Selection fields. (MAS, as a mnemonic) In each case, the odd one (F1, F3, F5) puts the Counter in the start field, and the even one (F2, F4, F6) puts it in the end or stop field.

In conjunction with other settings, there's really nothing you cannot do in a couple of keystrokes, as regards starting, stopping, auto-rewinding, and so on. You can even remember a selection for later, and insert that selection into the memory or auto-record fields later.

For example, "Remember Times" is CONTROL-R. Later, you can insert that remembered selection into the Selection Fields, Memory Fields, or AutoRecord fields with SHIFT-OPTION-[S, C, or R] respectively, thus storing a location for returning over the long term, while using many other locations for the short term.

The power of Digital Performer is in the Commands Window. You have to take a little time to learn what you want to do, maybe even writing down a set of commands, but once you do, it's very fast. I print out my Commands Window (and throw out the font information--why are there pages and pages of fonts in the Commands Window?) for frequent reference.

It's so easy to hit F1, and then 7 on the keypad. Doing that will place the current counter location into the memory, and the auto-rewind to that location each time you stop.

I just can't help but believe that DP's stock in trade would go up dramatically if more people ever discovered all the features lurking out-of-sight in the Commands Window. Many of the still-most-often-requested features have been there for a long time, but lots of people (maybe most) just don't learn about them.

Shooshie

Amen shooshie....

sounds like this person has not done his homework before stating DP short of features...

Now if I could just insert a command called "find me a gorgeous brunette"...

Maybe in DP 25?

Oh damn..I'll be too old then

[Noizemaker]

That's it!!! TEACH, TEACHA!!!

[mouritzen]

Maybe You could try this; you turn on "link selection to memory" and "memory play" Both in the Selection drawer (or any key command you'd like). Then whatever or wherever you click will automatically be defined in the memory bar so when you stop, it will automatically rewind to the last place you clicked.

That is great, this is exactly what I have been looking for, pressing 1 now makes me jump back and every time I click in the Memorybar I define a new point of departure. Thanks. I am grateful for this![/quote]

[mouritzen]

Maybe You could try this; you turn on "link selection to memory" and "memory play" Both in the Selection drawer (or any key command you'd like). Then whatever or wherever you click will automatically be defined in the memory bar so when you stop, it will automatically rewind to the last place you clicked.

That is great, this is exactly what I have been looking for, pressing 1 now makes me jump back and every time I click in the Memorybar I define a new point of departure. Thanks. I am grateful for this!

[mouritzen]

As I suggested looking through the Commands Window, I was particularly referring to some commands under the Transport section. F1, F2, F3,...F6 are used to insert the Counter's value into the Memory, AutoRecord, and Selection fields. (MAS, as a mnemonic) In each case, the odd one (F1, F3, F5) puts the Counter in the start field, and the even one (F2, F4, F6) puts it in the end or stop field.

In conjunction with other settings, there's really nothing you cannot do in a couple of keystrokes, as regards starting, stopping, auto-rewinding, and so on. You can even remember a selection for later, and insert that selection into the memory or auto-record fields later.

For example, "Remember Times" is CONTROL-R. Later, you can insert that remembered selection into the Selection Fields, Memory Fields, or AutoRecord fields with SHIFT-OPTION-[S, C, or R] respectively, thus storing a location for returning over the long term, while using many other locations for the short term.

The power of Digital Performer is in the Commands Window. You have to take a little time to learn what you want to do, maybe even writing down a set of commands, but once you do, it's very fast. I print out my Commands Window (and throw out the font information--why are there pages and pages of fonts in the Commands Window?) for frequent reference.

It's so easy to hit F1, and then 7 on the keypad. Doing that will place the current counter location into the memory, and the auto-rewind to that location each time you stop.

I just can't help but believe that DP's stock in trade would go up dramatically if more people ever discovered all the features lurking out-of-sight in the Commands Window. Many of the still-most-often-requested features have been there for a long time, but lots of people (maybe most) just don't learn about them.

Shooshie

sounds like this person has not done his homework before stating DP short of features...

I wouldn't draw too hasty conclusions here. If you look at my reply to "Noizemaker" you will see that the feature I was looking was so obvious that it didn't even come mind for an apparent super user like Shooshie - thanks again for drawing my attention to the shortcuts, it wasn't at any point what I was looking for, I had already stated that.

But why didn't the obvious solution come to mind? Well, of course I have read the relevant pages of the manual (contrary to your belief), and if you take a look at page 36-37 in the DP 4.5 manual (figure 3-10) you will not find an explicit presentation of this feature regarding the Selection Drawer. It is said (p. 37) that if you enable both "Link Playback to Memory" and "Link Memory to Selection", you link playback to selection - for looping purposes. Well I am not interested in any looping function - although it's without doubt speaks for the flexibility of the system that both (looping and rewinding) are possible within one function - so I haven't found any reason to use this feature until "Noizemaker" enlightened me about it's hidden - in the manual unstated - potential. Should I apologize for that, or should MOTU just add 5 more lines regarding this feature?

I stated above that for me a lot of features in DP seem very musician minded, and I guess the one sided presentation of this feature in the manual testifies exactly that (the looping function). But maybe you can read the relevant pages of the manual and tell me I just don't understand anglais - in which case I really haven't done my homework.

[mouritzen]

As I suggested looking through the Commands Window, I was particularly referring to some commands under the Transport section. F1, F2, F3,...F6 are used to insert the Counter's value into the Memory, AutoRecord, and Selection fields. (MAS, as a mnemonic) In each case, the odd one (F1, F3, F5) puts the Counter in the start field, and the even one (F2, F4, F6) puts it in the end or stop field.

In conjunction with other settings, there's really nothing you cannot do in a couple of keystrokes, as regards starting, stopping, auto-rewinding, and so on. You can even remember a selection for later, and insert that selection into the memory or auto-record fields later.

For example, "Remember Times" is CONTROL-R. Later, you can insert that remembered selection into the Selection Fields, Memory Fields, or AutoRecord fields with SHIFT-OPTION-[S, C, or R] respectively, thus storing a location for returning over the long term, while using many other locations for the short term.

The power of Digital Performer is in the Commands Window. You have to take a little time to learn what you want to do, maybe even writing down a set of commands, but once you do, it's very fast. I print out my Commands Window (and throw out the font information--why are there pages and pages of fonts in the Commands Window?) for frequent reference.

It's so easy to hit F1, and then 7 on the keypad. Doing that will place the current counter location into the memory, and the auto-rewind to that location each time you stop.

I just can't help but believe that DP's stock in trade would go up dramatically if more people ever discovered all the features lurking out-of-sight in the Commands Window. Many of the still-most-often-requested features have been there for a long time, but lots of people (maybe most) just don't learn about them.

Shooshie

sounds like this person has not done his homework before stating DP short of features...

I wouldn't draw too hasty conclusions here. If you look at my reply to "Noizemaker" you will see that the feature I was looking was so obvious that it didn't even come mind for an apparent super user like Shooshie - thanks again for drawing my attention to the shortcuts, it wasn't at any point what I was looking for, I had already stated that.

But why didn't the obvious solution come to mind? Well, of course I have read the relevant pages of the manual (contrary to your belief), and if you take a look at page 36-37 in the DP 4.5 manual (figure 3-10) you will not find an explicit presentation of this feature regarding the Selection Drawer. It is said (p. 37) that if you enable both "Link Playback to Memory" and "Link Memory to Selection", you link playback to selection - for looping purposes. Well I am not interested in any looping function - although it's without doubt speaks for the flexibility of the system that both (looping and rewinding) are possible within one function - so I haven't found any reason to use this feature until "Noizemaker" enlightened me about it's hidden - in the manual unstated - potential. Should I apologize for that, or should MOTU just add 5 more lines regarding this feature?

I stated above that for me a lot of features in DP seem very musician minded, and I guess the one sided presentation of this feature in the manual testifies exactly that (the looping function). But maybe you can read the relevant pages of the manual and tell me I just don't understand anglais - in which case I really haven't done my homework.