Thoughts about Zebra2 GUI...

[tetsuneko]

If NI would remake Zebra by reusing ACE aesthetics, it would look exactly like this. Reminds me of Traktor Pro somehow..

I prefer the original Z2 skin, it underlines that "Digital? Analog? Who cares... Beyond!" philosophy better. IMHO. But if people are going to buy more Z2 licences just because of this skin, go for it (just let the original skin live too

[zvenx]

I actually do find the colours harmonious and the difference would imho make it easier to quickly see/locate the different types of modules.
rsp

[hakey]

Well, when I look at one side only the colours look to be from the same palette; they seem to have an equivalence of tone.

But, taken together, the two greens just don't look like they belong in the same paint box: same for the blues. And to me the faded brown doesn't look right next to the stronger red, or the warm mid blue OSC module, etc...

Put it this way, if a person were to wear all of those colours together they'd look a dog's dinner.

All IMO, obviously.

Perhaps there could be a full technicolor version for those that like that kind of thing, and a neutral one for people with more finely attuned aesthetic sensibilities?

[filulilu]

Well the mock up only uses 6 colours. By my reckoning, giving each module in the synth and fx sections would need 20+ different colours.

You don't need one color for each module. You can have one color for every family of modules (generators, filters etc.)

[zvenx]

Well the mock up only uses 6 colours. By my reckoning, giving each module in the synth and fx sections would need 20+ different colours.

You don't need one color for each module. You can have one color for every family of modules (generators, filters etc.)

exactly.
rsp

[hakey]

Well the mock up only uses 6 colours. By my reckoning, giving each module in the synth and fx sections would need 20+ different colours.

You don't need one color for each module. You can have one color for every family of modules (generators, filters etc.)

Well, my reckoning was based upon the same colour for the 4 VCFs, one colour for all 4 OSC, one for both of the COMBs etc.

Counting all of the types of module in the Synth, Modulation and FX sections came to over 20.

EDIT:

Synth: OSC, Noise, VCF, FMO, Comb, Shape, Mix, XMF, SB

Modulation: Lfo, LfoG, Env, MSEG, MMap, MMix

FX: ModFX, Delay, Rev, Comp, EQ

= 20 modules

BTW, your response - that the 20 colours I mentioned would not be necessary - and zvenx's to it, kind of sounds like a tacit admission that using so many colours might be problematic?

[HunterKiller]

Always desaturate red the most and green the least. Blue somewhere in the middle.
Why?
That's how our eyes work. Green becomes invisible very quickly.

[filulilu]

BTW, your response - that the 20 colours I mentioned would not be necessary - and zvenx's to it, kind of sounds like a tacit admission that using so many colours might be problematic?

Aesthetically I'm with you. 20 colors are way too much. I would be happy even with a grey version. I just felt that the one with half desaturation is the most popular and tried to think how it can work best. -Anything for a great skin idea to become reality- The way I thought categories is much broader and it can be slightly subjective. (a comb filter is a tone generator or a filter?). Additionally modules on the left and right side can share the same colors since they can never get mixed up.

[hakey]

Aesthetically I'm with you. 20 colors are way too much. I would be happy even with a grey version. I just felt that the one with half desaturation is the most popular and tried to think how it can work best.

Fair enough. And, don't get me wrong, I really like the overall style of the mock up and even if it were 20 contrasting colours I'd still happily use it (though, given the choice I'd prefer an all neutral scheme).

It'd be interesting to hear from any pro graphic designers. Isn't there a rule of thumb along the lines of use no more than two key colours, plus neutrals?

[Vectorman]

I like it, Howard (more so the original with the more subdued colors). I'm rather fond of Urs' current industrial-looking design, but something along these lines would be a nice alternative.

Sound is of course the first concern, but a nice-looking UI sure doesn't hurt. Even though I realized I didn't need it, I think one reason I almost hated to see my Virus TI go was that the VC UI (the original black and red one) looked so darned cool, LOL.

[Sendy]

With all this talk about different colours, it would be cool to allow custom colour schemes, with a page where you can move RGB sliders for each module and perhaps other parts of the GUI. Very unneccecary, and probably not CPU-efficient. Perhaps it could go on the same page as the built-in oscilloscope

[elxsound]

Well the mock up only uses 6 colours. By my reckoning, giving each module in the synth and fx sections would need 20+ different colours.

You don't need one color for each module. You can have one color for every family of modules (generators, filters etc.)

Well, my reckoning was based upon the same colour for the 4 VCFs, one colour for all 4 OSC, one for both of the COMBs etc.

Counting all of the types of module in the Synth, Modulation and FX sections came to over 20.

EDIT:

Synth: OSC, Noise, VCF, FMO, Comb, Shape, Mix, XMF, SB

Modulation: Lfo, LfoG, Env, MSEG, MMap, MMix

FX: ModFX, Delay, Rev, Comp, EQ

= 20 modules

BTW, your response - that the 20 colours I mentioned would not be necessary - and zvenx's to it, kind of sounds like a tacit admission that using so many colours might be problematic?

I also think 20 would be problematic, but at most there'd be 9 colors and if grouped, you could get it down to 5 or 6 colors.

The modulation modules don't need their own colors in the grid since they don't appear there and FX would show in it's own grid in the global section.

I don't know that this is possible or not, but if it is, I still would be happy to have it, and if not, I'm just as happy to have a switch between knob types!

[Donner]

Does the colour scheme influence our perception of the sound?
When I think of the sound of Zebra, then the word 'dark' pops up. That is very odd, because I can make crystalline bells that shimmers with light.

Synth1 - with it's yellow colour scheme - has a 'yellow' sound to my ears.
And it is not only about VST's: Klaus Schulzes record Audentity (check it out!) has a yellow cover and - surprise - a 'yellow' sound.

Native Instruments FM8 - pardon me for mentioning a product from another company - has a
'white' and 'light' sound, but my Yamaha TG77 (hardware FM-synth with a black front panel) has a slightly 'darker' sound, even though there should not be much difference between them.
When FM8 was coded, did the GUI influence the way the sound engine was designed? Or did the sound of the FM8 influence the GUI-designers, so that they chose a white GUI?
Or was there a grand master plan that stated that this VST should be 'transparent/white/light'?

So...Has Zebra really a 'dark' sound and FM8 really a 'white' sound?
I simply do not know.
I could make a blind test and let my family describe the sounds, but would I - unconsciously - make the Zebra-sounds 'darker' and the FM8-sounds 'whiter'?

What do other thinks?

[BradP]

I think the Unempty Dark Horse skin just needs to be updated for 2.5.

[EvilDragon]

Howard, this is a BRILLIANT skin! I'd like it as Zebra's default!