KVR Audio

dewgong · Post by **dewgong** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:49 am

To what extent does the visual presentation of a synth or effect influence how you rate its sound quality? It seems trivial but I suspect that it has a profound impact on how the synth sounds. Ableton takes on a different character when I change the skin. Its not a massive difference but it does have a psychological effect imo.

Lotuzia · Post by **Lotuzia** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:52 am

Zero influence on me. Only sound matters.

BDeep · Post by **BDeep** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 10:22 am

It does nothing for the sound to me. It can however have an impact on how much I like to use something.

robotmonkey · Post by **robotmonkey** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:16 am

Even though I do believe that the visual appearance could affect how we perceive the sound, I'm not sure it influences me that much.

But that said, I will never use a synth with a ugly GUI even if it sounds good. That's why I can't stand much of the freeware - 99.9% is just so butt ugly that It's unpleasant to look at and interact with.

wagtunes · Post by **wagtunes** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:18 am

The only thing I care about is that the GUI is big enough that I can see all the controls and use them without killing my eyes. If I can, I use it. If I can't, I don't or just use it for the presets. But either way, sound is sound. I either like it or I don't and the GUI has no influence on that.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:18 am

dewgong wrote:To what extent does the visual presentation of a synth or effect influence how you rate its sound quality?

If it's subconcsious, how would you be able to tell.

Actually i'm convinced that it has an influence on most people even if they claim it has not. Most people are very visual.

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:25 am

Placebo...

A Good gui will aid the work flow tho'. I've some ugly synths that sound really good.

Teksonik · Post by **Teksonik** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:44 am

dewgong wrote:To what extent does the visual presentation of a synth or effect influence how you rate its sound quality? It seems trivial but I suspect that it has a profound impact on how the synth sounds. Ableton takes on a different character when I change the skin. Its not a massive difference but it does have a psychological effect imo.

I coined a term years ago...Psycho Optics: The effect a GUI has on the perception of a plugin's sound.

Obviously the GUI has no impact on the sound but it does have quite an impact on workflow and inspiration. If I'm working with a plugin whose GUI I really like my enjoyment is greater therefore I will likely be more productive.

So I will spend more time with a plugin that has an attractive GUI with an efficient workflow therefore I'm more likely to learn it more deeply and consequentially get better sounds out of it.......

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:47 am

No matter how they sound, I'm pretty convinced that a bad GUI will make a synth be rejected, no matter how good it sounds, while a good GUI will make people regard the synth favourably (of course, then, the sound will matter). But if the GUI doesn't appeal to me, it doesn't matter how good it sounds, I will simply reject it, because I'm unable to use something that is not pleasing to me.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 11:55 am

Yeah, same for me. The handling has got to be good, otherwise i can't work with it, no matter how good it sounds.

layzer · Post by **layzer** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:47 pm

it matters alot to some, others not so much. its what makes people different

fluffy_little_something · Tue Jun 23, 2015 2:47 pm

I agree, when the interface does not appeal to me, I don't care about the sound. It is like with cars. Who buys an ugly car just because it goes fast? Or who wants to date an ugly woman just because she has a good character?

There is simply no excuse for screwing up the interface. Developers who do it anyway, deserve to go broke.

Beyond mere functionality, even colors can have an effect. Black suggests a more solid sound, I would never give a bass-oriented synth a pink or light blue skin

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 2:47 pm

layzer wrote:it matters alot to some, others not so much. its what makes people different

Yep, that's about the size of it. In a perfect world it'd be great if they were all professionally designed - but good designers aren't cheap. So, if the dev can do a relatively decent job I'm happy enough.

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 2:52 pm

fluffy_little_something wrote: There is simply no excuse for screwing up the interface.

Screwing up an interface is inexcusable from a functionality point of view. But for me, I don't equate it with design per se. You can have lovely interfaces that are not user friendly.

Elegant would be what I want as a user.

PS - I'm sure women don't want to date ugly men with a 'good' character either. I just thought it only fair to bring it up, as I'm a feminist.

But form a personal point of view character always first, looks second.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Tue Jun 23, 2015 2:56 pm

In this case, i think a well functioning GUI is part of the character, or how easy it is to handle the person, sticking to that comparison.

I agree, a well looking GUI which doesn't handle very well is useless too.

Synth appearance