Wide Mixer

[Phil]

I can't seem to figure out how to open the wide mixer view. The option is grey in the view menu, Shift-RightClick in the zoom and full view doesn't work. I must be missing something...

I've been using SAC for 3 years, I bought SAW last Christmas and am working to develop some workflow.

[Sound Machine Inc]

I can't seem to figure out how to open the wide mixer view. The option is grey in the view menu, Shift-RightClick in the zoom and full view doesn't work. I must be missing something...

I've been using SAC for 3 years, I bought SAW last Christmas and am working to develop some workflow.
I think you have to have the full blown maxed out SAW for that to be available..

[Sound Machine Inc]

if you didn't buy the $2500 SAW full you don't get wide mixer as shown in the chart here...

http://www.sawstudio.com/products_sawstudio_comparison.htm

[Phil]

Oh... My Bad... At least I know why now. Thanks.

[Ian Alexander]

While the wide mixer is a nice view, you can still see all the same controls in the E mixer along the left side of the multi track. In the many years I had SS Basic, I didn't miss it.

[CurtZHP]

The most recent version of SAW Lite gives you the Zoom Mixer, which is the next best thing. It's like the E Mixer but with multiple channels visible at a time.

[Phil]

Um, Ya. I'm a SAC user, It is something I'm used to using... Again, Thank You, I understand it is a feature not available.

[Dave Labrecque]

While the wide mixer is a nice view, you can still see all the same controls in the E mixer along the left side of the multi track. In the many years I had SS Basic, I didn't miss it.

In the interest of clarity -- I think you mean the Z mixer, Ian. Yes?

[UpTilDawn]

In the interest of clarity -- I think you mean the Z mixer, Ian. Yes?

That's right! Bob added the Z-Mixer a short while back, didn't he?

SawLite only had the E and Full mixers for the longest time.

[Carl G.]

That's right! Bob added the Z-Mixer a short while back, didn't he?

SawLite only had the E and Full mixers for the longest time.

However, with proper F-Key setup, that "Wide" mixer is an awesome productivity tool. It's my choice for most all channel settings if I'm not using the F mixer to pop up the E mixer wherever I need an instant adjustment.
I find the client navigation icons from Multitrack for the Z mixer navigation to be extra mouse traveling comparatively.

[UpTilDawn]

However, with proper F-Key setup, that "Wide" mixer is an awesome productivity tool. It's my choice for most all channel settings if I'm not using the F mixer to pop up the E mixer wherever I need an instant adjustment.
I find the client navigation icons from Multitrack for the Z mixer navigation to be extra mouse traveling comparatively.

And that's the rub!
Do I buy SawFull to get the wide mixer, or do I settle on SawLite? :confused: :eek: :confused:

It helped a lot when Bob added the Z mixer to Lite, since you can set up a full screen of Z mixers and view lots of channels in large format at one time..... which you can't do with just the E mixer.

The vertical position of the Z mixer stores with the F-keys now, too. So, I've got a few F-keys set up on my Lite machine to quickly get from one vertical Z mixer section to another when I don't have the buttons from the MT available..... which tends to be whenever I want lots of Z channels in view.

I prefer the Wide mixer by far though!

[Ian Alexander]

In the interest of clarity -- I think you mean the Z mixer, Ian. Yes?
Yes, it seems I do mean Z mixer. The talk of the Z mixer being added recently confused me. I *think* it's been in SS Basic all along, no?

[UpTilDawn]

Yes, it seems I do mean Z mixer. The talk of the Z mixer being added recently confused me. I *think* it's been in SS Basic all along, no?

Not according to the current comparison chart....

[Carl G.]

And that's the rub!
Do I buy SawFull to get the wide mixer, or do I settle on SawLite? :confused: :eek: :confused:

I prefer the Wide mixer by far though!
The answer ..... is in your own answer! You prefer the Wide Mixer!

Just turn the 'confused' icon upside down... and smile! :)

[Dave Labrecque]

And that's the rub!
Do I buy SawFull to get the wide mixer, or do I settle on SawLite? :confused: :eek: :confused:

It helped a lot when Bob added the Z mixer to Lite, since you can set up a full screen of Z mixers and view lots of channels in large format at one time..... which you can't do with just the E mixer.

The vertical position of the Z mixer stores with the F-keys now, too. So, I've got a few F-keys set up on my Lite machine to quickly get from one vertical Z mixer section to another when I don't have the buttons from the MT available..... which tends to be whenever I want lots of Z channels in view.

I prefer the Wide mixer by far though!

It's so funny how different we work, sometimes. For years I had a single F-key set to show a bunch of Z mixer channels across the screen. Looked really cool. I never used it. Literally, never. :o

[Grekim]

And I never use the Wide view. :) It just hasn't been needed in my workflow, yet. I put the Zoom mixer and Full Mixer on different views. And with the Zoom I use separate views for EQ focus, compression focus, etc.

[RBIngraham]

I've never understood the appeal of the Z or E mixer for that matter. Trying to reproduce a long vertical channel strip on a computer screen just seems like nonsense to me, as with anything that tries to "reproduce" a piece of hardware on the computer screen. Software just needs a different UI than hardware, period. And to hold a simple mixer view hostage for the sake of an upsell is a money grab in my personal opinion. All versions should just have all the mixer views. Limit the tracks and limit other features if you want (how about less EQ and Dynamics for the cheaper versions) and extra toys like control track, SAC Links, etc.. that all makes perfect sense, but a simple mixer view is a bit ridiculous.

Oh well, I only bother with SAW when I need to use it with the SAC Link anyway, but it's mostly because of it's UI flaws, this is just one example.

[Grekim]

I've never understood the appeal of the Z or E mixer for that matter. Trying to reproduce a long vertical channel strip on a computer screen just seems like nonsense to me, as with anything that tries to "reproduce" a piece of hardware on the computer screen. Software just needs a different UI than hardware, period. And to hold a simple mixer view hostage for the sake of an upsell is a money grab in my personal opinion. All versions should just have all the mixer views. Limit the tracks and limit other features if you want (how about less EQ and Dynamics for the cheaper versions) and extra toys like control track, SAC Links, etc.. that all makes perfect sense, but a simple mixer view is a bit ridiculous.

Oh well, I only bother with SAW when I need to use it with the SAC Link anyway, but it's mostly because of it's UI flaws, this is just one example.

It's not nonsense, in the Z mixer you have control over both the parameters and channel selection in one shot. And the E is great to get an overview and navigate to where you need to go.

I don't see it as a money grab. We have no idea what's involved in integrating the views with each other and with the rest of the system. And of course, you are paying for the development of that part of the program which I doubt was trivial.

[Carl G.]

Software just needs a different UI than hardware, period.
Well... that's your opinion of course. One of the main reasons I liked SawStudio/SAC was specifically because it did imulate hardware appearance.


Limit the tracks and limit other features if you want (how about less EQ and Dynamics for the cheaper versions) and extra toys like control track, SAC Links, etc.. that all makes perfect sense, but a simple mixer view is a bit ridiculous.

I see it as a tremendous 'gift' - that all versions, from least expensive to most expensive, have many of the same features! For instance, the same awesome dynamics and EQ on each channel!!
As far as GUI, for instance, the Wide mixer 'can' enhance/improve your productivity/work flow (depending on needs).
If something that enhances your productivity and work flow (time is money) isn't worth it to you, that would be a decision that you'll have to make. But for me - if something improves my productivity/work flow, it becomes something 'worth' considering to purchase.
Perhaps your needs are not as great, so you do you have the option to have the same great powerful EQ/Compression, etc on each channel, while choosing a lesser expensive version of SawStudio. Or of course, as you promote, use which ever tool you feel best fits your needs.

[bcorkery]

The Wide Mixer is a good friend to me. :)