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Sleepwalker · Post by **Sleepwalker** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:30 pm

Hey Urs, I wish you would make a synth like Circle with your engine!

That would kill me.

The large and clear yet simple interface of Circle is perhaps one of the most inviting looks for a soft synth I have seen so far. I can say the same about the sound of Zebra!

The synths I use the most, and I program my own presets, are the simple ones.
I dig modular synths, but when it comes down to work I always grab the quickest and simplest interface, with the best sound! I have lots of friends with the same work routine.
Circle eats cpu, and the sound engine is not close to your stuf.

I think theres a marked for you here.

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:47 pm

Well, Circle is not my cup of tea. I believe that sounds should be created by *listening* rather than *looking*. I think that too much visual feedback invites for aural sloppiness. Great stuff shall urge to judge by ear.

Regarding ergonomics in general, it's nice to have something that helps you - if it's something you don't need often. Such as ticket vending machines in a foreign town. On something you need often you will want to avoid any sort of distraction from the ways you got used to use it. Things that try to show you how to use them even after using it for a thousand times I call over-ergonomically ruined. Good for learning, not good for professional use. Did I mention that my background is industrial design?

I have however loads of plans for new stuff, including lesser complex synths.

Urs

Sleepwalker · Post by **Sleepwalker** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:58 pm

Hahaha!

I dindt in any way mean to say you didnt deliver dude.

Just a little wish I had..

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:09 pm

MitchK1989 · Post by **MitchK1989** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:33 am

However, the dragging circles thing would be a nice alternative to graphical patch cables on that "berlin modular" you were talking about awhile back.

I've been playing with the demos of both circle and zebra... Zebra blows it out of the water, and I find its interface no harder to use than Circle's...

Sleepwalker · Post by **Sleepwalker** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:46 pm

MitchK1989 wrote:However, the dragging circles thing would be a nice alternative to graphical patch cables on that "berlin modular" you were talking about awhile back.

I've been playing with the demos of both circle and zebra... Zebra blows it out of the water, and I find its interface no harder to use than Circle's...

Well I think you cant compare a modular synth interface to a simple synth like Circle. While Zebra is probably the fastest to program of the modular vsts, its still much slower then a synth like Circle. Speed is what im talking about. And thats what cuts it for me when I produce music.

The envelopes visibility, and the dot that runs the line so you can see whats happening is great! The patching circles that you mentioned is also great.
95% of the sounds I need can be made by 3 oscilators, 2 lfos, 2 envelopes, good filters and effects.

I think Urs eazily could do better then Circle, and that would blow my mind!

Would love to see something similare, cut down to basics, with a large interface! I say go steal some of that interface ideas Urs.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 1:13 pm

Why are people always so bothered about speed? I hear the same all the time at the Reaper forum regarding keyboard shortcuts. It's really weird to me - what's the rush? How can you make good music, sounds or do anything creative if you are rushed and not relaxed and "in the zone" so to speak?

Sleepwalker · Post by **Sleepwalker** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 2:00 pm

aMUSEd wrote:Why are people always so bothered about speed? I hear the same all the time at the Reaper forum regarding keyboard shortcuts. It's really weird to me - what's the rush? How can you make good music, sounds or do anything creative if you are rushed and not relaxed and "in the zone" so to speak?

Well people are different. for me being in the creative "zone" is a very intencly concentrated period of time. I can sometimes be weeks or months without it, so when im there the time is precious. I grab the fastest synths I got and in that "zone" I always make my best tracks. Whatever obstacle that is in the way will only eat up that time, or make my brain spin of and loose my focus. A few tracks have come to life through slowly experimenting, but not many! I seperate learning time and creative time.

A lot of creative people also have short attention span. (a.d.d.)

mcnoone · Post by **mcnoone** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:11 pm

sleepwalker said:
I say go steal some of that interface ideas Urs.

[/quote]

Why would an innovative and original soft synth design like Zebra need to steal the design of something of lesser quality and design. Wouldn't that be like...well...pointless. Maybe finding a balance between speed and performance is better than making a fast plane that crashes after going 50 feet in the air.

ckatrun411 · Post by **ckatrun411** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:16 pm

Meh, I don't think that Circle interface is so groundbreaking. And Circle doesn't really come off as being, " cutting edge software tech."

beej · Post by **beej** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:20 pm

Urs is perfectly able to design the features he wants in the way he feels is best for his product. It's kinda why you'd want to be an independent software developer in the first place...

Of course, it doesn't mean every user is going to prefer Urs particular implementation for any given feature or element, but overall it's still not going to be crap, so...

1-2-Many · Post by **1-2-Many** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:25 pm

Hey Sleepwalker - have you tried U-he's TripleCheese? That one sounds more in line with the simplicity factor you're after and can make some nice sounds with it too.

Urs wrote:I have however loads of plans for new stuff, including lesser complex synths.

I hope those plans include a revisit to TripleCheese to finally address the missing functionality and bugs

I know it's a freebie and all so probably low on the priorities list - great little synth nonetheless.

sweet_trip · Post by **sweet_trip** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:27 pm

ckatrun411 wrote:Meh, I don't think that Circle interface is so groundbreaking. And Circle doesn't really come off as being, " cutting edge software tech."

i agree. it looks pretty but that's about it. i can get that same ease of use with possibly a more favorable (to me) sound out of a freeware synth like PolyIblit... or even ZebraCM

Sleepwalker · Post by **Sleepwalker** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:49 pm

MCnoone wrote:sleepwalker said:
I say go steal some of that interface ideas Urs.

Why would an innovative and original soft synth design like Zebra need to steal the design of something of lesser quality and design. Wouldn't that be like...well...pointless. Maybe finding a balance between speed and performance is better than making a fast plane that crashes after going 50 feet in the air.

Woha! Miss understandings galore!

Again, I didnt intend to compare the two! Also you mess up my intention here. I dont mean fast as in a fast produced application. But how fast you can produce results with it! Just would love to see urs hit the competition on the simpler synths marked.. How much of my post did you read anyway! Have you tried the circle demo properly?

Sleepwalker · Post by **Sleepwalker** » Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:59 pm

ckatrun411 wrote:Meh, I don't think that Circle interface is so groundbreaking. And Circle doesn't really come off as being, " cutting edge software tech."

Not ground breaking, but some people prefer that type of interface. And I think u-he is in the same category. No fake 3D looks, modern simplistic and logic made for the computer screen workers. Though u-he does not have a synth in the range of this size as far as I know, and this was just meant as a request, as I think he could easily beat that circle synth!

u-he

KVR Audio

Circle of thoughts