MOTUNATION (formerly UnicorNation) is an independent community for discussing Digital Performer and other MOTU audio software and hardware. It is not affiliated with MOTU.
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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.
Shooshie wrote:I used to think that one of the coolest things about DP was that it had all those little buttons up there in the title bar of each window. I didn't know how they even did that, because nobody else did. I liked those. They were VERY convenient, and while most of their functionality can be easily reached now, it's still not as convenient as when it was "right there" staring you in the face.
I realize that MOTU has spent a substantial sum reprogramming this and rewriting the manuals (which are great), so I'm not expecting any change back to the old way any time soon. Probably never. But that's my humble opinion.
They were able to do that because they wrote their own windowing code which didn't use the Mac OS Toolbox, Shooshie. But now that all has to go with the move from Carbon to Cocoa.
However, Cocoa does offer ways to achieve similar functionality – toolbars for instance. And one way it might prove possible to bring back many of the little doohickeys we've grown used to would be through Inspector panes.
Of course, I write as a non-programmer and as a DP 5.13 user. Still waiting for 6.01 before I even buy the upgrade.
Kind regards.
Dave Bourke
– ideation –
Mac Pro Quad Xeon 2.66 GHz, 5 Gb, OS X 10.5.8, iMac 24" 2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo, OS X 10.6.2, Mac G4 dual 800 MHz Quicksilver, DP 7.11, PCIe-424/24i, UAD-2 Quad/UAD-1e, PowerCore Firewire.
I just finished a project in DP6, and I didn't like the new look from the beginning. After working with it for several days, it's even worse than it looks. I now call it the Michael Jackson version. Grey scale is so much easier on the eyes than this blinding white background. They removed the mini menus for reasons I can't fathom, and replaced them with tiny arrow heads in opposite corners. Removed Track Selector, all buttons in mixing window, including V-rack selector. You can hardly tell which window is active in Consolidated windows. Moved Start/Stop punch in/out information way over to the right for some strange reason, same with Track Edit points. Took out MIDI filter button next to MIDI data in edit window. So many things were either moved or removed that it's like Costco where they move stuff every week. One of the only bright spots is track list vertical zoom, yet I don't know why they just didn't do it like in the Seq Editor where you can adjust individual or all just by dragging down. Overall it's looking more like Windows and 2D cheap! This upgrade is almost a complete bust IMO, (been using Performer for over 20 years)!
iMac 27" Retna 4GHz, Apollo 8 w/Satellite, NI K-88 controller, plus a ton of VI's.
jimmy330 wrote:I just finished a project in DP6, and I didn't like the new look from the beginning. After working with it for several days, it's even worse than it looks. I now call it the Michael Jackson version. Grey scale is so much easier on the eyes than this blinding white background. They removed the mini menus for reasons I can't fathom, and replaced them with tiny arrow heads in opposite corners. Removed Track Selector, all buttons in mixing window, including V-rack selector. You can hardly tell which window is active in Consolidated windows. Moved Start/Stop punch in/out information way over to the right for some strange reason, same with Track Edit points. Took out MIDI filter button next to MIDI data in edit window. So many things were either moved or removed that it's like Costco where they move stuff every week. One of the only bright spots is track list vertical zoom, yet I don't know why they just didn't do it like in the Seq Editor where you can adjust individual or all just by dragging down. Overall it's looking more like Windows and 2D cheap! This upgrade is almost a complete bust IMO, (been using Performer for over 20 years)!
I agree with you on all this stuff- the more I've worked in DP6, the more I don't like it - the way things are laid out (why does the minimenu have to be way over on the left, why aren't there any collapse buttons on the center windows in the Consolidated window, even though the side windows have them, etc..). The only things that I use it for is Leveler (to save usng up my UAD card), and Proverb (but I do have IR-1, so this isn't that crucial), and track comping. And my eyes really do get sore looking at all that white....
MacBook Pro 2021 (M1 Ultra) with 64 gigs RAM. DP 11.23
I've been trying out the new GUI for a couple of weeks now and I still find it difficult to love. My cursor seems to be doing a lot more long distance travelling EVEN when I have figured out where it needs to go... and gee its hard to hit those teeny arrow heads that replaced the wonderful mini menus.
I also find that I'm almost always opening more panes in the consolidated window than i intend to. Its probably just me BUT it didn't used to be? Often, all i want to do is something like add more tracks to the mixing board and inadvertantly end up with Markers MIDI Monitors, Audio Monitors Chunks ...whatever opening on the side. Of course , when I want a quick look at the Soundbites window, i have to remember which menu the window is in (that's an old minor gripe...I wish ALL the windows would be available individually all the time in the Windows Menu) .. I also concur with the above comment that its sometimes not very clear which is the active window.
I also miss the nice compact edit range/transport /punch in etc range selection system. I find this one less speedy to deal with even when I can find the right place to input locations.
Plus , it isn't very easy on my eyes
I can't even figure out how to get certain colour coded tracks in the tracks overview window to display their waveforms as black.
Yeah, I know that a lot of this is me not being used to it all yet, and familiarizing myself with how things are now done. Its just that some of the things that I took for granted now require more time with the manual and its index..
but it still could be a bit easier on the eyes. I miss the classy old look . That's just a matter of taste...but it didn't hurt.
I love the program though. So far Everything I've tried has worked better than ever (although I haven't really pushed it ...no VI's or large old projects yet.)
... So I guess, I vote E
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Macbook 2GHz Core 2 duo 2G memory Ultralite DP 7.24 OS 10.6.8
jimmy330 wrote:I just finished a project in DP6, and I didn't like the new look from the beginning. After working with it for several days, it's even worse than it looks. I now call it the Michael Jackson version. Grey scale is so much easier on the eyes than this blinding white background. They removed the mini menus for reasons I can't fathom, and replaced them with tiny arrow heads in opposite corners. Removed Track Selector, all buttons in mixing window, including V-rack selector. You can hardly tell which window is active in Consolidated windows. Moved Start/Stop punch in/out information way over to the right for some strange reason, same with Track Edit points. Took out MIDI filter button next to MIDI data in edit window. So many things were either moved or removed that it's like Costco where they move stuff every week. One of the only bright spots is track list vertical zoom, yet I don't know why they just didn't do it like in the Seq Editor where you can adjust individual or all just by dragging down. Overall it's looking more like Windows and 2D cheap! This upgrade is almost a complete bust IMO, (been using Performer for over 20 years)!
Jimmy, like you I've been using Performer since nearly the beginning, and Composer even before that (late 1984/early 1985). I'm not blown away by the new GUI, either, but a few of your concerns I can help you with: Track Selector is a preference. You can still have it appear in every window that uses it, just like before. MIDI Filter Button is down at the bottom, with the continuous controller menus and controls. Logically, it belongs down there. V-Racks: type "COMMAND-SHIFT-V" while in mixing board. That toggles the mixing board back and forth to the V-Rack. Of course, you can also double-click on the V-Rack in the Chunks menu. Hope that helps a little.
Shooshie
|l|OS X 10.12.6 |l| DP 10.0|l|2.4 GHz 12-Core MacPro Mid-2012|l|40GB RAM|l|Mach5.3|l|Waves 9.x|l|Altiverb|l|Ivory 2 New York Steinway |l|Wallander WIVI 2.30 Winds, Brass, Saxes|l|Garritan Aria|l|VSL 5.3.1 and VSL Pro 2.3.1 |l|Yamaha WX-5 MIDI Wind Controller|l|Roland FC-300|l|
Jimmy, like you I've been using Performer since nearly the beginning, and Composer even before that (late 1984/early 1985). I'm not blown away by the new GUI, either, but a few of your concerns I can help you with: Track Selector is a preference. You can still have it appear in every window that uses it, just like before. MIDI Filter Button is down at the bottom, with the continuous controller menus and controls. Logically, it belongs down there. V-Racks: type "COMMAND-SHIFT-V" while in mixing board. That toggles the mixing board back and forth to the V-Rack. Of course, you can also double-click on the V-Rack in the Chunks menu. Hope that helps a little.
Sooshie, thanks for the heads up on Quick Filter. IMO it should still be up next to the note data you're looking at rather than down below with global functions. Thanks also for the Track Selector tip in prefs. I've noticed in consolidated windows that if you have more than a few tabs opened in mixer, you can't tell at all when it's highlighted. I guess aside from the washed out look, it's frustrating to have to re-learn where a lot of things have been re-located, esp. working under deadlines!
iMac 27" Retna 4GHz, Apollo 8 w/Satellite, NI K-88 controller, plus a ton of VI's.
It is so bright. I cant work a full day without getting a headache. Also why wouldnt they allow you to change the background color...Take a look at NUENO it looks a million times better than DP. Make it darker, or at least "skin" option to look different
I voted E I'm afraid. I like what DP6 does but would settle for the look of DP5. To me it looks more 'professional' and business-like. I don't like the way colours are used in DP6; it's fine making use of colour coding for tracks in some way but a typical page in DP6 looks rather overbright and more like something designed for little kids. I still like DP enough to stick with it though, I just hope DP7 GUI or whatever doesn't continue down the toytown route!
Hey, can we key in the track's send level data? I'm so sick of having to mess with the virtual send knobs in order to make precise send level adjustments, and I don't necessarily want to make automation moves by keying in values in the Event List.
thelonecynic wrote:Hey, can we key in the track's send level data? I'm so sick of having to mess with the virtual send knobs in order to make precise send level adjustments, and I don't necessarily want to make automation moves by keying in values in the Event List.
Yes, open the event list (or create a tab, switch to a window set with it). Select the automation parameter and track, and edit away. You can also insert automation events this way.
bigwhitty wrote:It is so bright. I cant work a full day without getting a headache. Also why wouldnt they allow you to change the background color...Take a look at NUENO it looks a million times better than DP. Make it darker, or at least "skin" option to look different
