Hive 2 is coming!

[Urs]

If Hive needs a wavetable editor, we'll have to wait another year or two.

[Stefken]

Not finished in terms of contrasts and stuff, but a rough glimpse at what we're going for:



Thoughts?

(we've got until, say, early April to change things...)

* Still suffers from the previous design. Why would you separate osc1 from osc2; why would you separate filter1 from filter2.

* The filter and osc sections are (very) important sections yet very cramped. The MM section could probably be constructed more efficiently in terms of screen real estate.

* It's a flatter look. I think it's easier on the eyes. I would flatten the 3d knobs more because now they kinda pop up from the UI.

* I like the separation you created between the osc+ filt / LFO+AMP+MOD / MM sections. It gives a clearer visual hierarchy. You might want to pump the contrast a tad more and see what gives.

* Yet the visual hierachy gives the impression that osc + filt and effects (that hexagon again ) are one section, giving too much importance to the effect section. And also not according to workflow/signal flow as the effects are the last thing in the signal flow. You could house the effects in the MM section like you do in Repro; Would make more sense to me.

* The colors in the hexagon are OK for me. It also looks ok for colour blind people. They can see the difference (https://www.color-blindness.com/coblis- ... simulator/ )

* Why don't you house the arp in the WIP section? Plenty of horizontal space there.

* How much visualisation will there be? Serum and Pigments are highly praised for their real time visualisation. And there is a tendency for increased visualisation in soft synths (great benefit of a soft synth versus hardware). From what I can see the visualisation will be moderate at best.

* What is the difference between the arrows top left and the undo redo arrows? I guess you're still going to put things like polyfony, voices, save and stuff on the top 'banner'. I'm guessing this section is still very incomplete.

[fmr]

4. Curious what the wavetable editor looks like and how it fits in. Kinda like it in the Hexagon.

That's not a wavetable editor, it's a modulation source.

No, I got that (the modulation). I meant I'm curious in seeing how the "not visible from the teaser" Wavetable editor fits into the GUI. Where it goes, how it looks, etc.

[Urs]

Why would you separate osc1 from osc2; why would you separate filter1 from filter2.

Symmetry. Typically, Hive is used as a dual layer synth, with both parts visible at once. While one can route freely, most presets don't use that feature.

* The filter and osc sections are (very) important sections yet very cramped.

Yes, possibly. I want to use it before I make a final judgement.

The MM section could probably be constructed more efficiently in terms of screen real estate.

Maybe the top bar, yes, but not much. Depends on whether or not more elements pop up next to the white triangles. maybe it's missing labels or something, or maybe they can be left out. That's part of the process ahead.

* It's a flatter look. I think it's easier on the eyes. I would flatten the 3d knobs more because now they kinda pop up from the UI.

Experience tells me that, once the final layout is set in stone, there'll be a phase where the background gets more depth. It's been like this will all designs we did, including twangström and Colour Copy, which don't look too "flat".

* Why don't you house the arp in the WIP section? Plenty of horizontal space there.

Good idea. I'll bring it up and we might try it.

* How much visualisation will there be? Serum and Pigments are highly praised for their real time visualisation. And there is a tendency for increased visualisation in soft synths (great benefit of a soft synth versus hardware). From what I can see the visualisation will be moderate at best.

I was going to check out options to do something similar to Serum, but I still can't cope with dancing/orbiting parameter visualisation balls. There is an idea for an optional detailed modulation overview on each knob, but I'm not sure how to do that for controls which are not knobs.

* What is the difference between the arrows top left and the undo redo arrows? I guess you're still going to put things like polyfony, voices, save and stuff on the top 'banner'. I'm guessing this section is still very incomplete.

Very incomplete, yes.

[fmr]

* It's a flatter look. I think it's easier on the eyes. I would flatten the 3d knobs more because now they kinda pop up from the UI.

Please DON'T. Knobs are to be moved, so, they better pop up from the surface. Actually, I would like the envelope faders to pop up a little more too.

[Urs]

* Why don't you house the arp in the WIP section? Plenty of horizontal space there.

Good idea. I'll bring it up and we might try it.

On second thought, people might want to see arpeggiator + sequencer and shape sequencer at once. It might be bad to make viewing them mutually exclusive.

[flocked]

It would be great, if the routing of the synth could be shown somewhere like in plugmons skin. It gives a much quicker overview how everything is routed.

Maybe at the WIP area.

[fmr]

Think we'll have to agree to disagree about the typeface itself though, really like it (not sure what 'unadequated' means)

Sorry - second language problems - I meant inadequate (unsuitable). To my eyes, the font feels like an ET in that environment (this is just a feeling, a personal taste - I tend to not like Arial/Futura styled fonts)

[flocked]

* Why don't you house the arp in the WIP section? Plenty of horizontal space there.

Good idea. I'll bring it up and we might try it.

On second thought, people might want to see arpeggiator + sequencer and shape sequencer at once. It might be bad to make viewing them mutually exclusive.

I think ARP and Sequencer should be on the same page/area.

[Urs]

It would be great, if the routing of the synth could be shown somewhere like in plugmons skin. It gives a much quicker overview how everything is routed.

Honestly, I don't think it's necessary in Hive. Two oscillators + two subs into two filters is not rocket science.

The actual complexity comes from the modulation routing.

[Stefken]

* It's a flatter look. I think it's easier on the eyes. I would flatten the 3d knobs more because now they kinda pop up from the UI.

Please DON'T. Knobs are to be moved, so, they better pop up from the surface. Actually, I would like the envelope faders to pop up a little more too.

To a big extend a matter of preference. My advice is not to mingle a flat implementation and a 3d implementation. Make everything (pretty) flat or everything (pretty) 3d. If there are resources for it, U-he can make 2 skins and everybody's happy...

[Teksonik]

No of course not but that skin does not inspire me to purchase the Hive 2 upgrade

There'll be absolutely no singular skin which will inspire everybody to upgrade.

I never said there was....I only said this skin will not inspire me to upgrade. You asked for thoughts and I gave you mine. I simply find that skin ugly. No offense to whoever created it but we clearly have a difference in tastes. Sorry, just being honest........

It's painfully obvious that no one skin will please everybody. Never has, never will. That's why it wouldn't hurt to have some choices.

That skin won't prevent me from upgrading if the other features are worth it but I will immediately start searching for a more professional looking skin.

[pdxindy]

My quick impressions:

2. Effects would be better suited in a tab at the bottom of the GUI and laid out horizontally like RePro or the Plugmon Hive skin IMO.

If the FX were in a bottom tab, then you could not have Matrix and FX at the same time and you lose drag-n-drop

[pdxindy]

* Why don't you house the arp in the WIP section? Plenty of horizontal space there.

Good idea. I'll bring it up and we might try it.

On second thought, people might want to see arpeggiator + sequencer and shape sequencer at once. It might be bad to make viewing them mutually exclusive.

Perhaps the FX could go in the WIP instead? Not sure how to do the ordering... hmmm

[Urs]

a more professional looking skin.

Hmmm... you do realize that someone else might find that a very harsh assertion...?

No offense taken, just saying that we're expecting a lot of critical feedback, we always do when even if we change a few pixels.