SS 4.0 Feature Request

[Tim Miskimon]

I don't know how many would agree but I would like to see the EQ strip changed a bit.
I might get trashed about this but I find it to be a pain to have to scroll up & down to adjust EQ settings.
I think that it would be easier to EQ if the controls were closer together where you could adjust all the Qs & freqs without scrolling.
I just think the adjustments are too far apart.
It would also be cool if you could click a button and have the EQ go horizontal.
Personally I think the EQ sounds great but I very often shy away from using it because the layout annoys me.
To avoid it I wind up using a plug in like Time Works or Waves where the whole EQ strip fits in the screen.

[Bob L]

Pretty tough to make the controls any smaller on the strip... but what you are asking for is called the Wide Mixer View. :)

The 5 small red sliders are set so its very quick and easy to adjust the 5 bands like a graphic eq... in many cases you will have your favorite frequency center points that serve as a general starting point... Set them up to your tastes then save the default mix template... the Eq is now a very quick and easy adjustment for most channels.

Or, use my EQ plugin for the same algorithm with even more bands.

Or use the JMS Hi Res eq or one of the Sonoris eqs.

Bob L

[mghtx]

I love the way the eq strip is now. It's simple and not cluttered.

[AudioAstronomer]

I thought there is a way to jump to the "top" of a section rather than the bottom I beleive, I just dont remember what it is!

If it's not there then howabout just making shift-click the hotbutton in the MT view align the top of the section to the top of the strip. (as opposed to aligning the bottom of the section to the bottom of the strip)

[studio-c]

You're right. It is a bit of a pain to use the strip for EQ, when you're tweaking frequencies or Q. But I wouldn't want to go any smaller on the controls. Just use Wide View. Or turn your monitor sideways :) Really though, as others have said, Wide View is very, very nice.

Actually those buttons on the left to navigate on the strip (eq/dyn/ etc) I'd like to see larger, cuz I use those CONSTANTLY to navigate up and down in the strip and the Zoom Mixer. Nice to have a big mouse target...

I guess we all have our preferences.

[Tim Miskimon]

Pretty tough to make the controls any smaller on the strip... but what you are asking for is called the Wide Mixer View. :)

The 5 small red sliders are set so its very quick and easy to adjust the 5 bands like a graphic eq... in many cases you will have your favorite frequency center points that serve as a general starting point... Set them up to your tastes then save the default mix template... the Eq is now a very quick and easy adjustment for most channels.

Or, use my EQ plugin for the same algorithm with even more bands.

Or use the JMS Hi Res eq or one of the Sonoris eqs.

Bob L

Okay - I understand that point of view but would it be possible to have a button on the EQ & compressor strip that when clicked would open to a view more like your EQ plug in?
I really think it would speed up the process of setting EQ Freqs & Q.
Wide view & Z view is a bit different then what I am trying to say.
I like the layout of the plug in better - it over lays on top of the screen without taking up so much room.
I tried to increase from 1024 x 768 to 1600 x 1024 but the stuff on the screen was a bit too small for my taste - hard to see from across the room... :)
Anyway I just wanted to ask if this was possible - if there were a button on the strip to go into my suggested view mode then it could be up to the user to decide which way he or she prefers to work - just a suggestion no big deal - I love SS regardless... :D

[studio-c]

ooooh! A Wide View pop-up for the eq. Now that could be cool! Cuz you are right, come to think of it. The total Wide window is a bit overkill just to use the EQ. I'd just settled on it as a workaround. I like to avoid using plugins whenever possible (all those extra steps for setting them up), and I really like the SS EQ. Is a Wide View EQ popup an option, BobL?

[Tim Miskimon]

ooooh! A Wide View pop-up for the eq. Now that could be cool! Cuz you are right, come to think of it. The total Wide window is a bit overkill just to use the EQ. I'd just settled on it as a workaround. I like to avoid using plugins whenever possible (all those extra steps for setting them up), and I really like the SS EQ. Is a Wide View EQ popup an option, BobL?

Hi Studio,
My point exactly - I'd like to select the EQ or the compressor or gate and not have the screen become so busy with all the other things that wide view puts on the screen.
The one thing that sold me on SAW years ago was how uncluttered the screen was compared to others like Sonar & Nuendo.
The F keys are such a wonderful feature - I think the view button on the strip would be a great addition.
I'd like to be able to adjust the things on the strip without changing the overall view.

[Pedro Itriago]

You are all definitively trying to make all shades useless, don't you?

[studio-c]

Doh! Sorry.

We like everything just fine. :) Just sort of wishing out loud.
Actually, if I made better use of the view F-Keys, I could develop a habit to get around this quickly.

[studio-c]

Okay. Just did it.
Took my four fave multitrack views,
Opened up Wide View,
Dragged it to the bottom, with just the EQ showing,
and made copies of my fave views with Wide EQ at the bottom.

Easy peasy.

Thanks for making re-think that, Pedro. :)

[Bob L]

1024 x 768... no wonder you are having a difficult time... get up to at least 1280 x 1024... at that res the entire eq is just visible at one time on the strip... at 1600... its got room to spare.

You cannot expect to have such a complex amount of data visible in any useful fashion on such small screen resolutions...

I have always recommended at least 1280 x 1024 for a decent SAWStudio experience... and then if you add the MWS... you definitely need screen real estate.

The pop expansion views of each section is a nice idea... but extremely resource intensive... each view added slows down every F-Key switch... adds incredible amount of look up tables for new mappings of every conttrol in a different space... could cause low latency usage to demand higher buffer settings just to F-Key to a different screen... will null and void all exiosting shades... I do not believe these tradeoffs merit the addition... but we'll see where it all goes.

Bob L


Bob L

[Pedro Itriago]

Thanks for making re-think that, Pedro. :)

You're a lot wiser than me. Now, if only I could make myself re-think so many things...

[olzzon]

I think it works fine as is.
I got tired of clicks to get around in the E mix. So i just made some hotkeys for it, Win+1-5 jumps to different parts of the E mix View.

But remember you can use PgUP and Down for the same. If you have a smaller screen.

I like the way it is now. And there is key commands for so many things.
And what my hotkey is doing is pretty much just to combine the excisting keys to save some keystrokes.

But then again, more key commands and lesser mouse clicks, that´s just what i prefere, other will prefere the opposite.

[Marvin]

The pop expansion views of each section is a nice idea... but extremely resource intensive... each view added slows down every F-Key switch... adds incredible amount of look up tables for new mappings of every conttrol in a different space... could cause low latency usage to demand higher buffer settings just to F-Key to a different screen... will null and void all exiosting shades... I do not believe these tradeoffs merit the addition... but we'll see where it all goes.

Bob L


Bob L


I don't want to see any changes made that slows SAW down in any way, or makes it less stable, or more resource intensive. At least not if all that is gained is one mouseclick less to make, or less scrolling to do. SAWs stability and speed is worth far more than that, imho.

Marvin

[Tim Miskimon]

I don't want to see any changes made that slows SAW down in any way, or makes it less stable, or more resource intensive. At least not if all that is gained is one mouseclick less to make, or less scrolling to do. SAWs stability and speed is worth far more than that, imho.

Marvin
That is why I suggested the option of a button on the EQ, Compressor, & Gate strip to bring up the effect the way most plugins work without altering the present view.
That way the option is there to use if you prefer working that way.
If you don't want to use it then you simply don't click the button.
I think if the option were there many who at first disagree with it would find themselves using it when they realize how much easier it is.

[Marvin]

That is why I suggested the option of a button on the EQ, Compressor, & Gate strip to bring up the effect the way most plugins work without altering the present view.
That way the option is there to use if you prefer working that way.
If you don't want to use it then you simply don't click the button.
I think if the option were there many who at first disagree with it would find themselves using it when they realize how much easier it is.

Sure, if there would be no negative sides to the addition, I don't mind it of course. As you say, I don't have to use the feature. But since that's not the case here as I understand it, my vote goes against your suggestion. To me, the speed and stability of SAW is above all else, and I'm only ready to trade tiny portions of it for major improvements. If even then... ;)

I must add how great it is to be able to discuss these kind of stuff here, with the programmer himself being present. One of the reasons that I choose SAW!

[Naturally Digital]

That is why I suggested the option of a button on the EQ, Compressor, & Gate strip to bring up the effect the way most plugins work without altering the present view.
That way the option is there to use if you prefer working that way.
If you don't want to use it then you simply don't click the button.
I think if the option were there many who at first disagree with it would find themselves using it when they realize how much easier it is.Hm, it *is* pretty simple to patch Bob's EQ plugin and effectively have what you're looking for. It is so incredibly cpu efficient that you could patch it all over the console and still have plenty of resources available. Just a thought.

[Tim Miskimon]

Sure, if there would be no negative sides to the addition, I don't mind it of course. As you say, I don't have to use the feature. But since that's not the case here as I understand it, my vote goes against your suggestion. To me, the speed and stability of SAW is above all else, and I'm only ready to trade tiny portions of it for major improvements. If even then... ;)

I must add how great it is to be able to discuss these kind of stuff here, with the programmer himself being present. One of the reasons that I choose SAW!

I agree - the fact that the creator of SAW reads our posts makes it possible for our suggestions to be considered.
Actually that's all I ever want is for my suggestions to be considered.
Every one of us has our own way of working - that's the greatest thing about SAW - it gives you lots of choices in the way you want to setup & run the program.
The more choices we have the happier we all are - so I keep making suggestions... :)

[Tim Miskimon]

Hm, it *is* pretty simple to patch Bob's EQ plugin and effectively have what you're looking for. It is so incredibly cpu efficient that you could patch it all over the console and still have plenty of resources available. Just a thought.

True but I was hoping the addition of a radio button could avoid all that patching stuff... ;)