MuTools

Grizzellda · Post by **Grizzellda** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:39 pm

Check this out folks. It's an alternate look & feel for MuLab's toolbar, Grizzellda style!

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 12:49 pm

Buttons look very tacky, but I do agree with a thicker font for those buttons would be better.

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:11 pm

Why would a bold font be better for those top buttons? I think it will disturb the balance of the UI as those buttons will "scream" a bit more (without reason i think) and that will be a penalty for the rest of the UI. It's like volumes in a mix: Raising one virtually lowers all others.

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:13 pm

PS: I'm open to evaluate a thicker font in general, or at least support the option, but then that will affect all text equally, which is more balanced, i think.

Michael L · Post by **Michael L** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:31 pm

A thought: thicker font requires more kerning and thus larger buttons & toolbar; white space for the eye to rest is as important as text for fast decoding. Increased contrast may be more useful for those with poor eyesight, eg perhaps a preference for button colours eg white-on-black. An interesting font designed specifically for faster reading is: http://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/dyslexia-font

Grizzellda · Post by **Grizzellda** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:35 pm

Well, I like the thicker font because those are important buttons at the top of the screen. I don't think it would imbalance anything at all. It would be great if you could support an option for that Jo.

And E.D. - "tacky"? Can you elaborate a bit? Maybe you like the flat approach that seems popular now? I was just taking a different view on it.

MuTools · Post by **MuTools** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 1:39 pm

Michael L wrote:A thought: thicker font requires more kerning and thus larger buttons & toolbar

Indeed. That's also what i saw in a quick experiment i did.

; white space for the eye to rest is as important as text for fast decoding. Increased contrast may be more useful for those with poor eyesight, eg perhaps a preference for button colours eg white-on-black. An interesting font designed specifically for faster reading is: http://www.dyslexiefont.com/en/dyslexia-font

I think the solution is to support the option to let the user choose a font, but that's for the whole UI. It's not yet planned for the very next version(s), but i do have intentions in that direction.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:00 pm

Grizzellda wrote:And E.D. - "tacky"? Can you elaborate a bit? Maybe you like the flat approach that seems popular now? I was just taking a different view on it.

No, it's just very 90s looking, lacking a better word. The bevel is extremely bad/fake, and I don't think those oval buttons are fitting to MuLAB's current styling.

I agree with Jo that font size/weight should be program-wide, not just on particular buttons. Perhaps different sections (like separate setting for buttons, separate for menus/dropdowns, separate for rulers, that kind of thing).

Nielzie · Post by **Nielzie** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:12 pm

Michael L wrote:A thought: thicker font requires more kerning and thus larger buttons & toolbar

Noooo please no larger toolbars

Smaller ones, yes please

EvilDragon wrote: I agree with Jo that font size/weight should be program-wide, not just on particular buttons. Perhaps different sections (like separate setting for buttons, separate for menus/dropdowns, separate for rulers, that kind of thing).

Agreed. Perhaps a choice between a large and a small "theme" to please everybody?

solipsvs · Post by **solipsvs** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:16 pm

to please errbody yes please!

im wit jo here, it looks... hmm i guess 'tacky' would be the right word. too 90s if you is askin me.

mgiambro · Post by **mgiambro** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:19 pm

Sorry Grizzellda, but I have to agree with EvilDragon. To me that looks very 90's and garish. The appearance of an app is subjective to a large extent. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder etc .. Making the look a bit more customisable would seem to be the way forward. Personally I like subtlety, not big chunky buttons. If I had the choice I wouldn't choose bold fonts. The ability to control some of the component sizes and more of the colours (e.g. the button containers and the border of the app) would be a nice feature. I think my favourite 'looking' daw is probably logic.

solipsvs · Post by **solipsvs** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:21 pm

there is a chance however, that it might improve sales figures.

bibz1st · Post by **bibz1st** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:45 pm

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I like the way Mulab looks as it is including the fonts. Granted some people may have eyesight problems that may hinder them but surely the technical side of development must come first.
Please feel free to disagree

Taron · Post by **Taron** » Thu Jun 18, 2015 3:50 pm

I have eyesight issues for a while now and I STILL love the way it looks now, haha...but we've had that conversation. I really think it looks highly focused, sincere to the music making and very serious altogether. I just think MuLab is a very serious tool, despite it's ease of access and wonderful simplicty across the surface.
It currently has something timeless, practical, functional about its looks. I much prefer that to a 80's/90's flashback power point style, hehehe, no offense.

sl23 · Post by **sl23** » Fri Jun 19, 2015 1:27 pm

Grizzellda wrote:Well, I like the thicker font because those are important buttons at the top of the screen. I don't think it would imbalance anything at all. It would be great if you could support an option for that Jo.

+1

MuTools

KVR Audio

MuLab font, toolbar mock-up