Big Ask! - A Custom-settings-subset page
Just putting this out there - as I know as programmer this wouldn't be an easy thing to implement - but what the heck:
There are a lot of options hidden under the settings button. Of these - for each user I suspect there would be a small subset of them which the user might need to access very often - and maybe often while actually starting or in the midst of a looping session. Because of this - it might be useful if one can select from a list of ALL the possible parameters that lie under SETTINGS - and choose just a handful to be displayed and accessed in a single panel - which would be easily accessed somehow - maybe via a different button to SETTINGS ( CustomSettings ?) .
How on earth one comes up with the algorithms GUI wise to dynamically present and lay-out all the subset of chosen options wouldn't be easy for Jack to do - but hey... who knows
For example just now I had the thought that the metronome volume-level really needs to be accessible quicker during a looping session. When one is using GTL alongside other apps its important that - if one has chosen to kick-off the looping thing with a metronome-click - that one can adjust its volume.
And thinking of METRONOME and such - one way to give us quicker and less fiddly access to some features would be to make use of LONG_PRESS on certain icon buttons. For example holding the button down on the metronome icon for say longer than 2 seconds could present a dialog of just the metronome options, same for the drum icon.
I also would like the tempo option to be more visible and accessible and changeably quickly-without needing to bring up the clock-options drop down menu. As i've often mentioned - being able to get to and change any of the parameters one might need to change - on the fly - as one begins a looping session - whether from scratch trying out new ideas - or during performance - is really important. Specially in a high-stress environment when one's brain isn't quite working its good not to have to be having to remember where exactly a parameter is hiding away- or going thru many button presses.
This does of course pose a dilemma - as one can go the route of - say Quantiloop - where an awful lot of stuff is presented on the screen directly and clearly uses skeuomorphism - or GTL - where there is a nice - pleasant-on-the-eye-and-brain minimalist simplicity - and clearly avoids skeuomorphism. I'm not dissing Quantiloop either. Its just a matter of visual taste And QL is a fine looper. Albeit lacking the multi-section-thing... ( for now )
Ok- i'm done with my waffles and repeating myself as is my habit !
There are a lot of options hidden under the settings button. Of these - for each user I suspect there would be a small subset of them which the user might need to access very often - and maybe often while actually starting or in the midst of a looping session. Because of this - it might be useful if one can select from a list of ALL the possible parameters that lie under SETTINGS - and choose just a handful to be displayed and accessed in a single panel - which would be easily accessed somehow - maybe via a different button to SETTINGS ( CustomSettings ?) .
How on earth one comes up with the algorithms GUI wise to dynamically present and lay-out all the subset of chosen options wouldn't be easy for Jack to do - but hey... who knows
For example just now I had the thought that the metronome volume-level really needs to be accessible quicker during a looping session. When one is using GTL alongside other apps its important that - if one has chosen to kick-off the looping thing with a metronome-click - that one can adjust its volume.
And thinking of METRONOME and such - one way to give us quicker and less fiddly access to some features would be to make use of LONG_PRESS on certain icon buttons. For example holding the button down on the metronome icon for say longer than 2 seconds could present a dialog of just the metronome options, same for the drum icon.
I also would like the tempo option to be more visible and accessible and changeably quickly-without needing to bring up the clock-options drop down menu. As i've often mentioned - being able to get to and change any of the parameters one might need to change - on the fly - as one begins a looping session - whether from scratch trying out new ideas - or during performance - is really important. Specially in a high-stress environment when one's brain isn't quite working its good not to have to be having to remember where exactly a parameter is hiding away- or going thru many button presses.
This does of course pose a dilemma - as one can go the route of - say Quantiloop - where an awful lot of stuff is presented on the screen directly and clearly uses skeuomorphism - or GTL - where there is a nice - pleasant-on-the-eye-and-brain minimalist simplicity - and clearly avoids skeuomorphism. I'm not dissing Quantiloop either. Its just a matter of visual taste And QL is a fine looper. Albeit lacking the multi-section-thing... ( for now )
Ok- i'm done with my waffles and repeating myself as is my habit !
Comments
I'm certainly keen to bring some of the hidden functions closer to the surface. I like your metronome button idea, long press to access volume etc and I would like to add this in the future. I'm sure there are many other advanced gestures we could also add to help minimise the steps involved to access certain settings/features.
My main aim with the new MIDI Bindings is to make almost anything MIDI controllable. So with a MIDI controller you can basically create your own custom layout to control GTL. I'm not opposed to adding more complexity to the GUI but i'd rather avoid it when possible. Therefore i'm hoping the new MIDI bindings will be a good option for most people.