Re: Yet another interface idea
Re: Yet another interface idea
- Subject: Re: Yet another interface idea
- From: Arthur Clemens <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:18:08 +0200
Start with a screen full of graphic controls - maybe little knobs,
sliders, number boxes, graphs, whatever. Each represents a parameter.
Then, assign a keyboard key to each one, or, if necessary, a chord.
The interface is used as follows. Say you want to adjust track 2
volume, and that's assigned to the key 'x'. Hold down 'x', then move
the mouse up and down to adjust. Releasing the key returns things to
normal. Maybe EQ mid is assigned to key 'w': to adjust it, hold down
'w', move the mouse up and down, release 'w'.
I am completely in the dark how anyone could use such an interface. It
is too indirect, too ambivalent. Why x? Why w?
It has all the wrongs of the knobs interface: you cannot *see* how you
should operate it, you have to remember it.
Let's see how this interface works, step by step:
You look at the screen: you notice the level of track 2 should be
diminished. You now have to look at the keyboard for your fingers to
find the x (some keys are even more difficult to reach with your left
hand: P, L, M, etc.).
You tap the x with your left hand, then look at the screen again before
you move because you want visual feedback: the level should not be too
low.
Wouldn't it be far easier if you could keep on looking at the screen
while adjusting values?
There are more flaws.
How would you remember the usage of all keys? If you hit the wrong key,
that would be an extreme annoyance (suppose you were mixing live!). OK,
the key names could be on the screen, adding some more clutter.
O yeah, they could be hidden and they appear when you hit the space bar.
Suppose the program evolves and offers more options, some extra
sliders, some more keys have to be assigned. You have to learn the new
keys. Your have to unlearn your hard learned combinations.
Soon the program runs out of keys. Now key combinations are offered.
Now you also have to remember SHIFT-g, ALT-d, etc.
Then some small software house writes a plugin. They have assigned the
function keys for their knobs. It all works with version 1.0 of the
Musical Key Mixer. Version 2.0 comes along and now uses the function
keys too. Too bad for the plugin writers, as their plugin is overruled
by the function keys of the main program.
Arthur Clemens
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