Would You Not Buy A Synth Because It's Not Skinnable?

[vurt]

Have you ever bought a new car? Did you choose the color you like? The color doesn't change the way the car drives so why bother?

Skinning capabilities are a bonus feature not a requirement for me but I prefer all my plugins to allow user customization. I've customized to the best of my abilities all the skins for the synths and effects I own that have skinning capabilities.

Why? So I can create a workspace that I find comfortable and easy on my eyes. Being comfortable in your work environment can only help you be more productive whether you're working with plugins or spreadsheets.

But I realize that "I don't care about GUIs" is the new "I only use my own presets" type of edge lord snobbery.

Don't understand the concept that working with something we enjoy looking at rather than something we dislike looking at or simply tolerate is preferable ? Then simply ignore skins or themes.

Before someone types the same old response again, yes of course sound is the most important factor but the interface we work with is also important whether we're talking about workflow efficiency or simply visual appeal.

If you spend hours a day looking at plugin GUIs then you can't possibly formulate a valid argument that visual appeal is not an important factor. The most important? No, but important none the less.

Exactly.

Why subject software to the same limitations of the real or physical world as an excuse not to allow for interchangeability. Skinning enhances the usage of the software in a positive way.

Some industrial / product designers might argue the importance or value of interface.

no one was saying design isn't important, or even fun if you like that side of things.
i just wondered if being skinnable was the first thing you think of when looking at synths.
not that it shouldn't be possible.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Thinking about this question a little differently: let's say there's this great sounding synth with killer features but I just could NOT connect with the GUI for whatever reason. Maybe the contrast was too low, maybe it was too dark, maybe it was too small or had an awkward workflow. But now, let's say there was a skin for that synth that did allow me to connect with the instrument and resolved whatever issues I had with the default GUI. Well, in that case, I would buy the synth and just use that skin.

If you agree, then based on certain conditions, you too would NOT buy a synth unless it was skinnable. Seems perfectly logical when put in that perspective.

[vurt]

Thinking about this question a little differently: let's say there's this great sounding synth with killer features but I just could NOT connect with the GUI for whatever reason. Maybe the contrast was too low, maybe it was too dark, maybe it was too small or had an awkward workflow. But now, let's say there was a skin for that synth that did allow me to connect with the instrument and resolved whatever issues I had with the default GUI. Well, in that case, I would buy the synth and just use that skin.

If you agree, then based on certain conditions, you too would NOT buy a synth unless it was skinnable. Seems perfectly logical when put in that perspective.

the only thing i can tell you for certain, as ive never been in the above situation, but i can honestly say, i don't even know if any of the synths i own besides zebra are skinnable. and i only know about zebra because someone here showed some of the skins in a thread.

there have been synths that visually, i couldn't work with, but didn't look in to whether they were skinnable, not like there aren't plenty of other synths to look at instead.
this is just my experience, please don't think im suggesting anyone else should be like me, in any way.

[vurt]

but yes, i can see the logic of under certain circumstances its possible i might.

i wasn't trying to suggest looking at skinning first was wrong btw, we all have our own criteria when we part with money, i was just a little surprised it was the first thing mentioned in a comparison between two synths.
not even that one looks terrible, the other looks great, but how much each could be customised.
as i say, just surprised and wondered.
and intrancer already answered that it's his hobby, so that is a good enough reason imo even if it's not something i personally enjoy doing.
some people need to stop thinking all questions are attacks, sometimes, we just wonder!!

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Thinking about this question a little differently: let's say there's this great sounding synth with killer features but I just could NOT connect with the GUI for whatever reason. Maybe the contrast was too low, maybe it was too dark, maybe it was too small or had an awkward workflow. But now, let's say there was a skin for that synth that did allow me to connect with the instrument and resolved whatever issues I had with the default GUI. Well, in that case, I would buy the synth and just use that skin.

If you agree, then based on certain conditions, you too would NOT buy a synth unless it was skinnable. Seems perfectly logical when put in that perspective.

the only thing i can tell you for certain, as ive never been in the above situation, but i can honestly say, i don't even know if any of the synths i own besides zebra are skinnable. and i only know about zebra because someone here showed some of the skins in a thread.

there have been synths that visually, i couldn't work with, but didn't look in to whether they were skinnable, not like there aren't plenty of other synths to look at instead.
this is just my experience, please don't think im suggesting anyone else should be like me, in any way.

I just checked to confirm my memory was accurate, and I bought Bazille and Plugmon's Tokyo Ghost skin on the same day. From what I recall, I just couldn't get on with either the Bazille default skin or the Gearporn skin. But when Tokyo Ghost came out, which looked like Eurorack modules, Bazille suddenly became a lot more attractive and I snatched both up. So I think in that case, I actually did buy Bazille because of a third-party skin.

[vurt]

Thinking about this question a little differently: let's say there's this great sounding synth with killer features but I just could NOT connect with the GUI for whatever reason. Maybe the contrast was too low, maybe it was too dark, maybe it was too small or had an awkward workflow. But now, let's say there was a skin for that synth that did allow me to connect with the instrument and resolved whatever issues I had with the default GUI. Well, in that case, I would buy the synth and just use that skin.

If you agree, then based on certain conditions, you too would NOT buy a synth unless it was skinnable. Seems perfectly logical when put in that perspective.

the only thing i can tell you for certain, as ive never been in the above situation, but i can honestly say, i don't even know if any of the synths i own besides zebra are skinnable. and i only know about zebra because someone here showed some of the skins in a thread.

there have been synths that visually, i couldn't work with, but didn't look in to whether they were skinnable, not like there aren't plenty of other synths to look at instead.
this is just my experience, please don't think im suggesting anyone else should be like me, in any way.

I just checked to confirm my memory was accurate, and I bought Bazille and Plugmon's Tokyo Ghost skin on the same day. From what I recall, I just couldn't get on with either the Bazille default skin or the Gearporn skin. But when Tokyo Ghost came out, which looked like Eurorack modules, Bazille suddenly became a lot more attractive and I snatched both up. So I think in that case, I actually did buy Bazille because of a third-party skin.

that's cool
i guess there must be a good reason devs put it in, which is probably this here, they know the design they choose won't please everyone so can sell more licences with such an option

thanks, for the information.
this is more the conversation id hoped for, finding out the why it is important to others. i just like to understand how others are travelling this road too, i certainly don't think im doing it right and everyone should follow me

[THE INTRANCER]

I've had 1190 downloads in total for all my Synapse Dune 3.5 reskinned versions and 117 for the reskinned and rescripted version of the latest Hive 2 skin I've created. For anyone interested a black version with a unique variation in design and extended functionality look > here < to this thread. For Dune 3.5 look > here <.

[markp]

Looks are somewhat important to me but also speed. For instance I mainly use Hive 2 at the moment and I've tried the new plugmon and Swarm skins but they load slower on my system, enough to be annoying so I went back to the original which is almost instant.