GUI improvement ideas

[Sounduke]

Hello Jonas,

I'd like to thank you for the postcard I received.
I'm Alessio Paganelli, one of the customers of your very well done software Helix.

although I'm satisfied with your software to the point that it become the central synth in my setup, there's something I would like to stress from the point of view of a user/customer.
I heard also from other users of Helix constructive criticism about the GUI. I have to admit that each time I spend some hours to the fundamental activity of sound programming I feel some kind of incipient nervous breakdown when making extensive parameter changes. At the actual state of things, I feel this is the only remark I can express since if I imagine a sound, I can get very near to what I imagined after tweaking Helix. And this is a BIG compliment believe me.

I'm posting this email also on the KVR forum, hoping this thread will start a fruitful discussion on how to improve the GUI to manage that wonderful synth engine.

As other users pointed out, the resolution of the interface is too big in my opinion. It could also be a good idea to start to think about a different arrangement and position of the parameters in the GUI.

Thank you for the attention!


Alessio Paganelli

[Pat2070]

Hiya

I also really liked the demo of Helix, but find the controls difficult to click/alter. While I realise that having small controls saves space, it makes things feel harder than they should be.

The big slider in the middle kind of works, but I dare say I'd rather have easily usable controls for each parameter of the synth than one large control for everything.

Is there a way for users to reskin the synth?

I'm definately interested in purchasing the synth once the GUI has been made easier to use.

Thanks!

[SpecialSpecimen]

In terms of usability, I like it.


In terms of appearance, I think some areas could be improved (colour scheme, middle slider etc.....).





By the way, I got Komplete a while ago and Helix is still my favourite synth.

[Artgiver]

I'm going to buy it if Jonas can confirm it will one day go 64bit. This is the best synth i have ever heard. I know that's a big statement, but Gladiator, Zebra, Sylenth, etc, just don't do it for me. Maybe it's just me or my style of music it conforms to, i don't know. I bet i would like Omnisphere.

Anyway, can you confirm a future 64bit version Jonas? Thanks..

Tim

[saxer]

i'd love to have a bigger gui without the samlles font size availiable!
screens become cheaper and bigger, why do all the plugins get smaller and smaller?
when i edit a sound, i wish to concentrate on that. so the best would be, to have the synth filling the complete monitor! THAT would be a cool workspace!
at least, please please, make the gui scaleable!

ever tried the u-he synths (zebra/ace/uhbik) in full screen format? left-click on the gui and scale it big! it's beautiful and even sounds bigger

[Pat2070]

I want to buy this synth, but I find the current skin too hard to use.

Maybe make it skinnable so the public can adjust it to their tastes in there own time?

I think there have been enough calls for a changed or improved skin to warrant the work it would take to implemente either alternative skins or a skinnability.

Pat

[michu]

i'd love to have a bigger gui without the samlles font size availiable!
screens become cheaper and bigger, why do all the plugins get smaller and smaller?

because more and more people use laptops and even netbooks for making music?
on my 15" laptop screen Helix fits just fine, if it'd be any bigger i'd have to scroll. and personally i do not want a 17" laptop

I want to buy this synth, but I find the current skin too hard to use.

May i ask what do you find hard to use? i mean the synth itself has a rather steep learning curve and for me current interface is very pleasing both ergonomically and aestethically, especially given complexity of the synth.

[Pat2070]

Heya Michu

I find the small knobs difficult to click and turn, the big slider in the centre too 'sticky', and the small morph sliders in the osc section hard to click, drag and slide....

An option to scale the plugin, either within an options screen or simply by dragging the edges would be great! (Meldaproduction plugins do this)

Great sounding synth, but the GUI can still be improved in my view.

[michu]

Heya Michu

I find the small knobs difficult to click and turn, the big slider in the centre too 'sticky', and the small morph sliders in the osc section hard to click, drag and slide....

An option to scale the plugin, either within an options screen or simply by dragging the edges would be great! (Meldaproduction plugins do this)

Great sounding synth, but the GUI can still be improved in my view.

and, as far as i understand, you percieve these problems with resolution like 1920x1080?
i could relate to that, tho' solutions i'd propose would be highlighting a control currently under a mouse.
if by 'sticky' you mean not enough resolution (ie value jumps) then you can use modifier key (ctrl IIRC) to improve that. of course one could think about adding something like acceleration dependance, ie when you move mouse slowly you get higher resolution and with rapid move it gets more coarse.
as far as GUI scaling is, i'd be vary of it in Helix' case, as implementing it would be neither easy nor really effective in it's case (the GUI is bitmap not vector based AFAIK), tho' Jonas could very well surprise me
But a complete rewrite of interface engine is not a thing i'd ask him lightly