FR: Waveform+External Hardware chapter/additions to Help manual (post W10 launch, over time)

[vitocorleone123]

It's clear that a primary focus of Waveform is producers, who tend to work ITB. However, with the current renaissance of less expensive analog (and VA) hardware, it'd be great if more, and more in depth, information could be provided in the Help manual over time after W10 launches. Control surfaces, recording automation, MTC, routing (e.g., for the longest time I thought I had to use an Insert to send the MIDI when all I needed to do was change the track destination), Live monitoring and how to not hear a doubling of the return audio, using multiple hardware units, etc.

I found the existing manual to be of little help, and the help that was helpful was sprinkled here and there in the Help, so I felt I had to figure a lot out for myself. Sure, that's useful in the long-term I suppose, but I would've preferred to have been able to at least get the basics down without struggle so I could focus on making music instead

[Watchful]

I understand one of the goals of W9 was to get MIDI implementation more robust, and W10 to get audio implementation more useful. I think your idea is reasonably timed.

Trying to integrate hardware synths with software is something that Waveform is on the cusp of getting right. Like you, I had a devil of a time with baby steps. I posted some directions here at KVR months ago for my specific situation assuming I won't be the last to go through with it.

The existing documentation is pretty light in that regard: if I recall, it's largely limited to plugging a guitar into an audio interface. But combining a multichannel MIDI keyboard, with multiple audio outs, isn't in the documentation at all. And an external synth requires bidirectional MIDI traffic as well as stereo line inputs to different tracks. That's not a simple matter to get that all working...nor is it all that unique, I suspect. Once you get it, it's easy! Getting there requires either a ton of patience, or a good chapter in the manual.

As Waveform continues to win over the musician market, and not just the small studio market, this is going to be a bigger deal.