I think you're on the right track here. If a user wants to build an FM patch, it's generally helpful to be able to see both the carrier and the modulator simultaneously. And when building modulation chains, to have access to all of them without needing to page through tabs.Hi guys
I started redesigning the user interface after receiving a lot of feedback on the UI/UX. Considering displaying multiple modules on the top row, and all modulation sources on the middle row. Still undecided about the bottom part, but will defin itely make the keyboard much smaller as it is not a functional UI element:
new design 2.jpg
I am planning to provide UIs for each module in different sizes, sich as: Narrow, normal, wide. So that we can fit multiple modules on the screen as opposed to now: You can only see one oscillator, one filter and one modulation source at a time.
The biggest challenges IMO is just not having access to the oscs/filters without having to cycle through the tabs, and not being able to place the tabs in an order that makes sense. Also that you need a separate Mod to use for FM rather than using/reusing an Osc. If I want to modulate with a square wave and also add the sound of it into the layer, 2 separate objects are required. Is there some advantage to having dedicated Mods for FM versus just being able chain Oscs?
One of the big reasons for the success of Phaseplant and Serum is the usability. The minimal number of clicks required to build complex patches and the visual feedback while building patches is why these synths are so popular. Obviously it makes no sense to directly copycat other's work, but maybe borrow some if the usability paradigms from these tools and blend them with your existing design philosophies, and I think you'll end up with a much more useable tool for the portion of your end users that like to do sound design.
Statistics: Posted by billinder33 — Sat Apr 05, 2025 2:29 pm