MuLab 10

[liquidsound]

“Better” can easily become a “Rabbit Hole”.
I guess that’s the reason for the famous quote:
“Better is the enemy of good”.

I hope requested features will be implemented that “evolves” MuLab rather than “changing” it.

[sl23]

@ dakkra: re first video 32.40...
Perhaps there should be a user toolbar to be able to add or completely hide specific functions. Allowing users to decide how minimalistic MuLab should look and feel while allowing access to most used functions quickly via toolbar buttons.

[sdv]

I know this thread is mainly related to UI/UX but I'll bring up my main FR - better MIDI automation curves (e.g. the ubiquitous 'paint brush' tool in most other DAWs). I mainly use Mulab for sound design and not having proper, easily drawable automation curves is a real productivity killer and hence my 'user experience' is stymied.

[mutools]

Thx again everyone for all your input so far on this interesting topic!
I need some time to process all input and to reflect on this, not only in the details but also on a more abstract level, i mean about the direction MuLab should evolve to.

Anyway, i'd like to take this opportunity to ask every MuLab user for his/her personal top 3 feature request for MuLab. Some of you already did
Then after sufficient time, when everyone has got his/her chance to post his/her top 3, lets see which are the common ones.

Meanwhile i'll continue the planned works on MuLab 9.5.
That's apart from this interesting topic about MuLab's future evolution.

Cheers!

[RichardSemper]

Anyway, i'd like to take this opportunity to ask every MuLab user for his/her personal top 3 feature request for MuLab. Some of you already did
Then after sufficient time, when everyone has got his/her chance to post his/her top 3, lets see which are the common ones.

Thank you for all your hard efforts.

Mulab is still my favourite DAW, and the Mux one of my favourite intruments. I just love to play with it.

Its not about price at all for me. I have Bitwig Studio, and use it when I must. I prefer mulab because its quick to load, focused well on what I want to do the way I want to do it, its not tied in to the stupid way windows handles the file system, and does not go off doing its own thing (indexing etc.) whether I want it to or not like the others do.

So what I would most like to see for future mulab:-

1. Per-note modulation (MPE)
2. View and edit multiple midi and audio parts simultaneously in the same view.
3. Tempo editing via curves on the timeline either in a tempo-part or on a tempo track.

Also would like to see some of the usability stuff mentioned in Dakkra video e.g. resizeable mixing desk, gain fader in track header, info area to toggle in virtual keyboard area.

Mulab is getting better and better!

[sl23]

In the last few years, I've spent several thousand on hardware, only to realise it just isn't what it used to be. But I think the real issue is the fact that I've gotten more used to software and it's unlimited potential and ease of use. My reason for choosing MuLab in the first place was Muzys. My reason for sticking with MuLab is portability and ease of use.

I would still like to see Wait Note added, but I realise that won't happen, no-one else wants it, despite it being a perfect beginners tool. But apart from that I want the Browser made easier to use, so the previous FR's I mentioned. Things like add/removing Favourite Plugins. One thing that needs sorting, haven't seen all videos as haven't the time, is how menus scroll past EOL and don't keep items in view. Example, Plugin Manager. Open it, then expand all categories, then click Options/Remove Unfound Plugins. Notice the categories collapse leaving an empty view on the left.

But my three are...
1. Wait Note Recording
2. Automation curves and easier editing
3. View and edit multiple midi and audio parts simultaneously in the same view.

[oldcastle]

This thread covered a lot. And in my view, MuLab doesn't need a revolution or even an evolution. It just needs to be polished. For the top FRs, I'll go with:

1) the most expected commands/workflows/shortcuts from any DAWs. Things like item duplication, merging, and so on.
2) MIDI and audio fades and cross-fades per clip or sequence. 
3) a simple drag-and-drop audio file workflow.

[dakkra]

Hey Jo! Thanks for not taking offense to all the discussion here It can get pretty overwhelming so I'm glad you're working with us

For me personally:
1. Resizeable rack desk with variable number of slots per rack
2. Async loading of browser content (Mulab currently hangs every time you search for something in a large index)
3. Better audio routing (side chain, pick ups, busses(groups?), etc)

[dakkra]

@ dakkra: re first video 32.40...
Perhaps there should be a user toolbar to be able to add or completely hide specific functions. Allowing users to decide how minimalistic MuLab should look and feel while allowing access to most used functions quickly via toolbar buttons.

I like this idea Bitwig and FL have this feature where the top bar is customizable. I compared Bitwig to S1 and while I was able to quickly get work done in S1, it's VERY overwhelming at first glance.

[sl23]

The top bar is good as is though, don't you think? Maybe a second toolbar? I dunno, just thinking aloud really!

[audiojunkie]

Thx again everyone for all your input so far on this interesting topic!
I need some time to process all input and to reflect on this, not only in the details but also on a more abstract level, i mean about the direction MuLab should evolve to.

Anyway, i'd like to take this opportunity to ask every MuLab user for his/her personal top 3 feature request for MuLab. Some of you already did
Then after sufficient time, when everyone has got his/her chance to post his/her top 3, lets see which are the common ones.

Meanwhile i'll continue the planned works on MuLab 9.5.
That's apart from this interesting topic about MuLab's future evolution.

Cheers!

I currently only have one wish--native Linux support. I'm OK with anything and everything else.

[Michael L]

the direction MuLab should evolve to

'Direction' is most important!

We often learn direction from other DAWs, and want MuLab to copy them.
BUT, MuLab needs a direction found nowhere else. MuLab's DNA is being innovative.

So, what musical direction should MuLab 'evolve to'? Faster mixing, more effects, synthesis visualization, easier commands, better plugin hosting, smoother recording, editing options, sound design features?

I vote for the Composing direction, to create more interesting melodies and harmonies

1. Writing - a user library of melodies and their chords that can be quickly combined and rearranged.

2. Scripting - key commands that vary existing melodies, or logical programming to generate new midi

3. Layering - following along existing melodies using CC to increase complexity by varying parameters such as rhythm, panning, note length, etc, one at a time.

Yes, many of these elements already exist in MuLab, ready to create an integrated workflow

[oldcastle]

I currently only have one wish--native Linux support. I'm OK with anything and everything else.

That would be fantastic!

And as I said long time ago, if a native version would require too much effort, at least having it working flawless with Wine could be a good start, like Reaper did. However, a native version is indeed a great way to capture new users.

[liquidsound]

Great stuff listed above.
For me, coming from mostly Ableton it's all about workflow:

1 - Working with Audio without going too often in the Audio Lab for things like Reverse/Stretching/Sliding audio content of a Clip/Clip-Splits.

2 - Make it easier to visually Sync (Grid alignment) between Automation Curves timeline and the Clip timeline (Zooming together when using separated floating window for the Curves OR whatever achieve that aim).

3 - Export of Individual Slices (at once ) after using the Split-Using-Markers command to obtain individual .wav files to create a samples library (Great for extracting drums hits etc. for later use).

Thank you for all your work Jo.

[PelletProject]

I've gone over a decent amount of examples on here already, alongside within Dakkra's playlist, but as for personal requests, I'll note these ones.

1) Automatable tempo via its own automation lane. (Sidenote: I'd love a hundredths place, because why not?)
2) An actual graphical parametric EQ module, with nodes to add different filter types on its interface and analyzers for input and output. (On the note of filters, extend a non-destructive nature with the already existing filter modules instead of having the poles separate modules.)
3) Multiband splitter module with adjustable crossovers and slopes, maybe even the ability to add up to a certain amount of bands

Notable other runners-up, which are admittedly a lot, include an updated and more user-friendly interface for the Oscillator and MFO modules, an updated compressor module with an interactable interface and the ability for upwards compression, for the latency generator to scale with the audio card's sample rate as well as the ability to measure in ms, for the noise generator to generate different types of noise like pink noise, for more available keyboard shortcuts across the program, for crossfades to be possible and perhaps also snap to grid, a quicker and more refined workflow for MUX connections and module adding, audio sequence warp markers and more non-destructive audio editing options like pitch automation, normalizing, reversing and the like, for exporting audio to have more organized, consistent, and flexible options for each file format (i.e. currently you can export in 24-bit in FLAC but not WAV, format and quality could be two different drop-downs, etc.), and for the preferences window to be more organized and separated into digestible categories.

Otherwise, the 3 I've listed I think are the most urgent for what I do.