DP7 first impressions

[Tritonemusic]

I'm wondering if the parametric EQ has been changed. The INTERFACE has been changed. They added color to it, somewhat like the MW EQ.

Any chance you could post a screen shot, Shoosh? Sorry, I don't have DP7 yet.

[Eleventh Hour Sound]

After some problems with my eSata card, I've got DP7 up and running smoothly on both Intel and PPC. Lot's of new features to learn. Looks very promising. More later

[zed]

Not impressed with the inline eq and compressor. It's a really good idea, but I just don't care for motu's vanilla parametric and I'm pretty sure I've never used that motu compressor. Be nice if the channels had the MW EQ and Leveler.

RTFM! You can use any of MOTU's EQ and dynamics plugs for the inline EQ and comp, including MW EQ and MW Leveler.

I'm really glad to hear that. I'm almost ready to order this upgrade.

I'm installing Snow Leopard today, so I can become familiar with improvements to DP6.02 in Snow Leopard before upgrading to DP7.

[Tomas E]

I'm installing Snow Leopard today, so I can become familiar with improvements to DP6.02 in Snow Leopard before upgrading to DP7.

I think I will do the same, seems like the safest way to go.

[Shooshie]

I'm wondering if the parametric EQ has been changed. The INTERFACE has been changed. They added color to it, somewhat like the MW EQ.

Any chance you could post a screen shot, Shoosh? Sorry, I don't have DP7 yet.

Sure thing, 666:

MOTU Parametric EQ: Changes in the Interface

I've set the curves to display their colors, not for audio!


Also, there are keyboard commands; I honestly don't remember whether they were there before. Control-clicking a band's control point will cycle through the 5 parametric curves. This picture shows Band 7 set to its Low Shelf Filter, with the colors representing the actual settings of each band, while the white line represents the combined effect of the bands, which in this case is elevating the lower bands due to Band 7's raised shelf.




Option-clicking a band bypasses it; Command-clicking deselects/selects.

Are the changes all cosmetic within the interface? Did MOTU alter the functions or algorithms in any way? Only MOTU can tell us that. Maybe Magic Dave will drop in and give us the scoop.

It's been a few years since I've even opened the Parametric EQs in DP, or at least since I remember doing that. If this is an old feature, or if it's always worked like this and I just forgot, well, pardon my ignorance. But I really don't remember there being colors here before, and I think I'd have remembered the way they differentiate between the actual setting and the combined effects.

Shooshie

[corbo-billy]

Yes, you're right it is a novelty, there was no possibility that frequency of each color before. I confirm _

[daniel.sneed]

I've always used DP stock EQ on my projects. Happy with it. MW-EQ is for special purpose here, such as mastering.

Those colours coming from MW-EQ are just fine.

Hey ! Perhaps also a choice of different curves for high-pass and low pass ? In DP6, you're stuck with 12dB / oct alone.
That would be great !

[bayswater]

Be nice if the channels had the MW EQ and Leveler. All in all it feels more like 6.5 than 7, but it's a very nice update.

The drop down in the lower left corner of the EQ control section allows you to choose the default MW EQ. Same thing with the dynamics section.

But you can only do this selection once from the EQ or dynamics section. To change the plugin used, you have to go to the inserts, add a second EQ, and then select it in the upper half of the drop down menu.

So the mixer does not really have an EQ and dynamics section -- it has a second presentation of the interface of an EQ or dynamics plugin already in place.

[waxman]

After some problems with my eSata card, I've got DP7 up and running smoothly on both Intel and PPC. Lot's of new features to learn. Looks very promising. More later

What problems with the eSata? How did you solve them? I will be installing DP7 this week and I have a eSata card...

[Shooshie]

Be nice if the channels had the MW EQ and Leveler. All in all it feels more like 6.5 than 7, but it's a very nice update.

The drop down in the lower left corner of the EQ control section allows you to choose the default MW EQ. Same thing with the dynamics section.

But you can only do this selection once from the EQ or dynamics section. To change the plugin used, you have to go to the inserts, add a second EQ, and then select it in the upper half of the drop down menu.

So the mixer does not really have an EQ and dynamics section -- it has a second presentation of the interface of an EQ or dynamics plugin already in place.

That's correct. It allows you to choose from the MOTU EQs and the all the MOTU Compressors/Limiters including the MW Leveler. While you can edit any parameter of the plugin right there in the little inline window/control section, it's a lot easier to open the plugin for major editing. The chief advantage of the inline display is that you can SEE your plugin's settings right there in the channel strip, you can make informed judgments about the mix based on being able to see all those settings in all those tracks at once. That would be hard to do by opening each individual plugin. You can also choose a parameter in each track to make the active one for that track, and then you can tweak them all from one interface rather than the familiar jump from plugin interface, to plugin interface, to mixer, and repeating it over and over until you're done. This "inline channel-strip method" affords you some significant advantages and time savings over the previous method, while allowing some flexibility in what plugins are actually being used "inline."

The fact that it allows choices opens up the possibility that there may be an API for other developers that might allow their plugins to go in the strip as well, though there's no indication that MOTU has planned to allow this; it just appears to be a reasonable possibility for the future. Let me say this: you can get spoiled to this inline strip almost instantly. It's like "why wasn't it ALWAYS this way?"

If there's a downside, it's that now your mixing board will take up most of your window if you choose to display all the options. But with Spaces, I find that to be no problem at all, since I leave my mixer window open full-time in Space No. 2.



Shooshie

[bayswater]

The fact that it allows choices opens up the possibility that there may be an API for other developers that might allow their plugins to go in the strip as well, though there's no indication that MOTU has planned to allow this; it just appears to be a reasonable possibility for the future.
Shooshie

That would be great, but with everyone trying to differentiate their plugins, I'll be surprised if we see a common standard.

[waxman]

Let me say this: you can get spoiled to this inline strip almost instantly. It's like "why wasn't it ALWAYS this way?"

If there's a downside, it's that now your mixing board will take up most of your window if you choose to display all the options. But with Spaces, I find that to be no problem at all, since I leave my mixer window open full-time in Space No. 2.
Shooshie

Shooshie it was always this way... that is how consoles are designed. I am so glad DP7 got this feature. This is one of the main features for my installing DP7. Thanks for going first bro. I was sick of being on the cutting edge and getting cut. Dual mons also are cool for the mixing board.

If you check out UAD 2 cards have this feature of having a channel strip in every channel. I have templates set up this way but sometimes is is overkill. But if you had 4 UAD quad cards you can have 128 Neve 88rs channel strips... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixSnVmxe7EA

If anyone wants to understand how to use compressors and gates on drums this is pretty good demo that applies to most gates and compressors not just the Neve 88rs... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2zz2ya1 ... re=related

[grimepoch]

Wow! It has been awhile since I've been on here, but a friend recently said, "Hey, have you seen DP7?" And of course I was like, really? So soon after 6?

Then I saw it.

I can honestly say, I am AMAZED at the enhancements I have seen with DP7. My hat off to coding team for this one. the inline EQ etc is just amazing and something I have felt would be really good since I DO use MW eq A LOT and prefer it to almost any other eq (Although my Neve 1073 plugin on my UAD is very nice). These are some serious enhancements!

Looks like I am going to have to order the upgrade and get back on the wagon! I've been using quite a bit of DP6 lately.

[willheim]

I just upgraded to SL and DP7 in one fell swoop. I have yet to find that cool master channel thing, or really any of the features - but my system is booting and DP is launching and all of my plug ins load exceppt Massive. AND of course I took out The MOTU ethno instrument.

My plug ins: UAD 2, Albino 3, ALtiverb 6, PSP Vintage Warmer 2, Neon, Elosis Vocoder, all the Gforce plugs (Melodyne, Minimonsta, etc), Omnispehre, Stylus, Mach V II, Virtual Guitarist 2, Eleastic, Ivory, EWQLSO, Ministry of Rock, Blue, Predator, Absynth 4, Baterry, Addictive Drums, Octopus, Kontakt 2, FM8,Motu Symphonic Istrument.

I have not banged on anyof these, but they load.

I HAVE A PROBLEM - DP will not let me save. It says I do not have have the right priviledges or the file is readonly - which is not true. I am the administrator, it is only a scoring mac, and the files are not read only.

Any help with this?

[Tritonemusic]

I'm wondering if the parametric EQ has been changed. The INTERFACE has been changed. They added color to it, somewhat like the MW EQ.

Any chance you could post a screen shot, Shoosh? Sorry, I don't have DP7 yet.

Sure thing, 666:

Thanks a lot, man. I really appreciate it.