GUI Enhancements that would be nice...

[paradeatw]

granted, all the suggestions i am hearing are great and i personally would welcome them all, until then i use the following technique to help me along...

1 - Guiding your eye across the mixer:
Master Fader = Black
Sub Group Bussing (Aux) = White
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Vocal tracks = Blue
Drum tracks = Orange
Instrument tracks = Green
+++++++++++++++++++++++
MIDI tracks = Yellow

This works quite well for guiding my eye more effectively across the board. You can also name everything in CAPITALS except for mono tracks which can be all in lowercase.


2 - Improve your work flow:
I'm still changing the default shotcuts to make more sense to my work flow. Here are some of these changes I made.

Tracks:
F1 = Add Stereo Track
F2 = Add Mono Track
F3 = Add MIDI Track
F4 = Add Aux Track
D = Delete Tracks

Quick Access to Menus:
F5 = Step Record
F6 = Import Audio
F7 = Audio Bundles
F13 = Bounce To Disk

Edits:
I = Insert Measures
M = Set Memory & Play
Shift+M = Memory Cycle On/Off
Q = Quantize
R = Repeat
S= Snip
X = Mute tool (no sound)
C = Scissor Tool (cut)

Window Sets (You need to make your own):
1 = Tracking/Mixing Set
2 = View Selection in Sequence Editor (Super helpful. Just highlight your interested data block and hit number 2. Voila, nice and big and fitted to your screen for instant edits. When finished, just hit number 1 to get right back to the previous window set - Tracking and Mixing)


Hope some of these ideas may help. Have fun guys!

[sonus]

1) Audio Performance. The window for this is HUGE compared to what the data is displaying. There is a lot of wasted space. I wish there was a way to make a smaller version be in the transport control window. Maybe three vertical bars at the end with CPR (hehe) under them, and maybe selectable (as to which are viewable). I never need to look at playback and record myself, but I am sure someone out there must. This would be nice.

2) Toolbar. This one is the big one for me. What I'd really like is the option to put all the tool icons into the bar at the top of each editing window, you know, where the mini-menus are. This big long bar is mostly empty, other than the solo and audition stuff. Imagine having all the icons of the toolbar in each window and there. For me, this would be IDEAL.

That would be nice... I totally agree.

Of course, I'd still like to be able to change all my colors, but that is just another story.

I don't really mind about that one.

By the way I remember (back in v 3.x I think it was) that in MIDI editor you could choose which track to display by holding "command" - click on the track name in the upper right corner of the window.
That one is gone some time ago and you can only choose the track from the list on the left. But when you hide it in order to conserve space you have to open the list first and then choose the track and hide the list again...

[kelldammit]

i'd love accessing level/pan inserts, etc in the sequence window (and MIDI chunk editing, please!).
the customizable gui colors (light, med, dark) would be great too. i too prefer a darker scheme in general (samp, logic).
selected tracks could be the same in the sequencing/t.o./mixer views. for instance, if you select a track in the mixer, that track should show as selected in the t.o. and sequence editor as well...the highlighting would have to reflect in all 3 places, too, of course. i like the idea of darkening it a little, or mebbe 3-d-ing it??
while we're on the mixer...numeric peak values displayed above the meter...please? to include dB values for overs (+x)...say, right above the led meter/clip indicator?
consistency for in/out placement amongst the various windows would be nice too, as someone pointed out...in on top, out on bottom.

shrinking the cpu meter is cool with me. again, i like grimepoch's idea. or mebbe just build it into the transport as another drawer?

all things considered, though, i really like the transport as-is...i'd HATE to see it turn into logic express' transport...i really disliked that. mebbe just shrink it a bit?

i'd like to see either the toolbar integrated into the window "frame" as grimepoch described, or better yet, simply have the toolbar appear on right mouse-click, wherever you happen to be. so, if you're in the MIDI editor, right-click, select your tool, and you've barely moved the mouse at all...that would save me a LOT of time when drawing/editing MIDI...

lots of great suggestions! keep 'em coming!

[grimepoch]

Let me say thank you for a great discussion. I am absolutely amazed at the level of communication happening here. Most boards I am on, if you even *try* to mention something you'd like enhanced, they jump down your throat like you've just commited a crime.

Here, people actively discuss and throw ideas around.

But then again, we all use DP, so why I am surprised?

[mikebeckmotu]

I'd really like to be able to at least break apart the transport section like the example below since I'm a lowly Powerbook user, and can always use more vertical space.

[Frodo]

I'm sitting in an aiport about 2500 miles from home, but I couldn't resist checking in with my U-nation family!!

More thoughts on this topic soon, but one thing about the size of the windows-- larger or smaller for me is that on the Apple Cinemea Display everything feels a tad small. I would LOVE it if all the windows could be resized (not all can be), and all of the windows could be popped in and out of Consildated Windows (not all can be).

Colors? Hmm. Might be nice to change some things up a bit, but I'm quite fond of DP's brighter, or should I say "lighter" colors-- doesn't create eye fatigue (for me, anyway). Dark blue? Nice for a couple of hours, but feels "heavy" after a while-- like Logic's dark green and gray drab color scheme-- especially during those wee small hours of the morning.

Why not a choice a skins? Ribbed "for her pleasure"?

[Shooshie]

2 - Improve your work flow:
I'm still changing the default shotcuts to make more sense to my work flow. Here are some of these changes I made.

Tracks:
F1 = Add Stereo Track
F2 = Add Mono Track
F3 = Add MIDI Track
F4 = Add Aux Track

Note that the defaults for those F-keys are pretty important commands:

F1= put counter location into Memory start
F2= put counter location into Memory End
F3= put counter location into Auto-record Start (punch-in)
F4= put counter location into Auto-record End (punch-out)

and then there are
F5= put counter location into Selection Start
F6= put counter location into Selection End

These are some of the fastest and most effective work-flow related commands in DP. They need to be in the left hand, so that the right hand doesn't move from the trackball or mouse. You can change them to Option-F1, etc., or Control-F1, and still retain that same quickness and functionality. I use F1, F2, and F3 for OSX's Exposé, and changed my transport commands to Option-F1, Option-F2, etc.

Shooshie

[The Sinner]

I think general font size options would be nice, also in the master track window a resize tracks option, not just in sequnce.

Maybe on the main interface a CPU monitor, similar to what reason has, rather then a sep. window. I also would like screen presets for a second screen.

I love the idea of the locked VSTs and Plug ins, it does get confusing sometimes when you have a dozen things open and you want to see the desktop.

Color schemes, this is a no brainer, I am color blind and sometimes this gets me in trouble. I would love a darker setup, like L*g*c, it would be easier on my eyes.

[paradeatw]

2 - Improve your work flow:
I'm still changing the default shotcuts to make more sense to my work flow. Here are some of these changes I made.

Tracks:
F1 = Add Stereo Track
F2 = Add Mono Track
F3 = Add MIDI Track
F4 = Add Aux Track

Note that the defaults for those F-keys are pretty important commands:

F1= put counter location into Memory start
F2= put counter location into Memory End
F3= put counter location into Auto-record Start (punch-in)
F4= put counter location into Auto-record End (punch-out)

and then there are
F5= put counter location into Selection Start
F6= put counter location into Selection End

These are some of the fastest and most effective work-flow related commands in DP. They need to be in the left hand, so that the right hand doesn't move from the trackball or mouse. You can change them to Option-F1, etc., or Control-F1, and still retain that same quickness and functionality. I use F1, F2, and F3 for OSX's Exposé, and changed my transport commands to Option-F1, Option-F2, etc.

Shooshie

yeah... i gave up on DP's shortcuts and decided to create some that work best for me... ie i don't work with punch ins and setting memory points are usually done by highlighting for me... i also assigned expose to my wheel button on my mouse so as not to need to use up any more F keys... i just always find that im adding and deleting tracks more often then anything else...lol

[Shooshie]

Yep, different strokes. The most important one for many people, I think, is the one that puts the counter into the Memory Start, for that enables you to set auto-rewind [Keypad-8] and have DP rewind to the same place every time you stop. That's a great way to work when you're editing or working on automation. Then you move to the next location, hit F1, and you're working at THAT point. Becomes quick and easy.

It all depends on one's work habits, and what is familiar for one is strange to another, but it's all good.

Shooshie

[monkey man]

I'm sitting in an aiport about 2500 miles from home, but I couldn't resist checking in with my U-nation family!!

We missed ya too, bud!

More thoughts on this topic soon, but one thing about the size of the windows-- larger or smaller for me is that on the Apple Cinemea Display everything feels a tad small. I would LOVE it if all the windows could be resized (not all can be)..

I'm short-sighted (physically that is!), so I'm in.
Also, I know there's been much debate about "resizable" tracks in the TO.
Surely restricting this feature to "all tracks at once" would retain all the usefulness of the TO, yet save an awful lot of squinting, especially late at night!

Colors? Hmm. Might be nice to change some things up a bit, but I'm quite fond of DP's brighter, or should I say "lighter" colors-- doesn't create eye fatigue (for me, anyway). Dark blue? Nice for a couple of hours, but feels "heavy" after a while-- like Logic's dark green and gray drab color scheme-- especially during those wee small hours of the morning.

DP's scheme seems "glarey" late at night to me, especially, as I noted above, if you're squinting!

Why not a choice a skins?

Cool. Texture.
I was going to suggest a "texture selection" for editor window backgrounds, but thought y'all would think I was being pedantic!
You thorough Hobbit, you!

Ribbed "for her pleasure"?

No wonder the gals around here are all anonymous!

[alexff]

Mike - what DAW you using there then?
(check out the toolbar on the "screenshot")

I want a copy. LOL!

[kelldammit]

what mike showed...not only could i live with it...i LIKE IT!
great idea, and i'd think it could be done pretty easily.

[grimepoch]

Things that I changed:

*Shrank down the height of the transport by moving the controls to the right. Ideally, maybe some additional drawers instead of what I did. But, the point being it would be nice to not take up so much room on the display. I would push the buttons a little closer together and get rid of some of that dead space. I do like the 'transport' itself, so I left it unchanged.

*Created a small little G4 looking CPU meter. Again, this might be better in a little drawer.

* Added the toolbar to the tracks window for just MIDI edit to show what I meant.

* Created a single mixer element in the MIDI edit for the currently selected track. Made it smaller and more condensed.

* Changed the color of the ENTIRE MIDI piece, I do not like the white in there, personally.

* Higlighted the currently selected track in the mixer.

* Added a second line of text in the mixer that autowraps words.

* Created an alternate colored version of a dark color scheme that I would like (inverse color) Of course, the shading is all wrong in what I did, but I REALLY like the colors better inverted.

* In the regular colored version, My idea of coloring based on markers for easy recognition of song parts. (colors from the marker and after, each new marker resets).

[Frodo]

Rick-- I'm getting a 404 even on the links themselves... any other options? You've got my curiosity up!