PLASMONIC - A new synth from Brian Clevinger

[pdxindy]

Saying / thinking it "should" be this way, doesn't make it so. Come up with a way to make it work in your mind. Again hovering over the control shows you what each side of the control truly does, if you don't want want to use a mental model.

Yup... no mental model needed. I just see how it works and adjust.

If someone cannot easily adjust to this simple thing, when life is far more complex, changing and unpredictable, then they are well and truly f*cked

[machinesworking]

The thing is, it could be any arbitrary arraignment. That doesn't matter. What's important is the mental model that you have, how you think about it. If you use the wrong model, the one that does not work, no matter if it is "right" or "wrong", just leads to frustration. Do you want to be right or do you want it to work? Show some flexibility. Saying / thinking it "should" be this way, doesn't make it so. Come up with a way to make it work in your mind. Again hovering over the control shows you what each side of the control truly does, if you don't want want to use a mental model.

Sure, but the question inadvertently posed by all the posters before use that don't like the interface, but for the most part do not go into detail about it, is why? why don't they like it? To me mono color and utility VS skeuomorphism aren't enough, and the one awkward part of Plasmonic is the course and fine controls in my mind and I would bet most peoples minds, "switch" sides depending on whether horizontal or vertical.

Yes, I can get used to it, no, I don't think it's logical or good UX. The rest is great UX, especially when taking touch screens into account.

[elassi]

Hey guys, I'll come back to your weird discussion in late January '24 when you're probably ready to stop debating about a single micro-issue that does not have any impact at all, besides causing a typical KVR-thread full of "my point of view is way better than yours".

Oh, meanwhile I bought this fantastic software.

*unsubscribes topic*

[Echoes in the Attic]

Hey guys, I'll come back to your weird discussion in late January '24 when you're probably ready to stop debating about a single micro-issue that does not have any impact at all, besides causing a typical KVR-thread full of "my point of view is way better than yours".

Oh, meanwhile I bought this fantastic software.

*unsubscribes topic*

Actually it's kind of important design feature of the synth that does have an impact, and rather unique as soft synths go. Ironically your post was the first one that was needlessly condescending and argumentative. Most of us who are discussing this have also bought the synth. But glad you've unsubscribed, thanks for letting us know.

[CrystalWizard]

Hey guys, I'll come back to your weird discussion in late January '24 when you're probably ready to stop debating about a single micro-issue that does not have any impact at all, besides causing a typical KVR-thread full of "my point of view is way better than yours".

Oh, meanwhile I bought this fantastic software.

*unsubscribes topic*

Actually it's kind of important design feature of the synth that does have an impact, and rather unique as soft synths go. Ironically your post was the first one that was needlessly condescending and argumentative. Most of us who are discussing this have also bought the synth. But glad you've unsubscribed, thanks for letting us know.

Agreed, it is a very important design choice to a bunch of people here, myself included, and i'm glad to have a discussion about it. That is part of why i'm a member here.

One point i'll mention is that i use these things to do live improvisation. i don't want to spend the years long microseconds trying to remember how sliders function or looking at tooltips while making noises.


I just sent a post to Brian through his support email.

[Funky40]

i "can" adapt to the UX if i wanted to.

But: it means i have to *permanently* setup a certain "tension" in my brain to remember some -for me- unlogic points. Again, "unlogic" vs. how i "feel" the things.
Fact is: I don´t like to sit there with such "tension" on.

While if i do click permanently to the wrong spots *, its just throwing me off.
* This is the things, that just kills "all" my fun dealing with software for music making.

I "Could" overcome it.
But, since the Synth has only one preset i´m *really* interested in, do i even have no clue how deep i had to dive in, to get to the point, that "i" would be able to create presets on a same level or better.

I have no clue if "this" would be beyond my readyness vs. dealing with softSynths or not ?
More "Good" Presets would have helped.
its a waste, *its my loss*, it bothers me. True

[pdxindy]

I "Could" overcome it.
But, since the Synth has only one preset i´m *really* interested in

That is the real crux of it... if the sound of the synth isn't exciting you, then forget about it.

[Funky40]

..... if the sound of the synth isn't exciting you, then forget about it.

It is absolutely exciting ! and to mirror your phrasing: ....thats the crux of it

Just, my needs are to 98% "very special and specific".
I have quasi only a need for the short plucked sounds.
But these must incloude some special expressivity.
Plasmonic can deliver such sounds. No question.
And there ARE such presets out there. I just don´t know if the commercial soundpacks have such inclouded. I hink there are some of these sounds. But in which packs ...?

The crux lies somehow here: i can just take a GrandPiano from Pianoteq, and that is allready *amazing* for the sort of realtime-play patches i am doing.

The plugin instruments used, are just a starting point for a specific sort of patches i´m into.
The rest is derived from dealing with FX, post it.

Think: C15, but patched based on using FX.
Thats probably the quickest ( yet not totally accurate) form to create an idea vs. what i´m on.
Since the FX are allready eating up all my time,...its hard to turn towards a Synth whoms UX i really can´t dig.
Regardless of the given potential.
Yeah, it bothers me

[bmanic]

The thing is, it could be any arbitrary arraignment. That doesn't matter. What's important is the mental model that you have, how you think about it. If you use the wrong model, the one that does not work, no matter if it is "right" or "wrong", just leads to frustration. Do you want to be right or do you want it to work? Show some flexibility. Saying / thinking it "should" be this way, doesn't make it so. Come up with a way to make it work in your mind. Again hovering over the control shows you what each side of the control truly does, if you don't want want to use a mental model.

Sure, but the question inadvertently posed by all the posters before use that don't like the interface, but for the most part do not go into detail about it, is why? why don't they like it? To me mono color and utility VS skeuomorphism aren't enough, and the one awkward part of Plasmonic is the course and fine controls in my mind and I would bet most peoples minds, "switch" sides depending on whether horizontal or vertical.

Yes, I can get used to it, no, I don't think it's logical or good UX. The rest is great UX, especially when taking touch screens into account.

I went into extreme details why this UI absolutely sucks. Gave very clear and exact examples.

This is UI design "gone horribly wrong".. and I'm not even talking about the graphics. The most basic fundamentals like how the sliders operate is ass backwards from literally ALL other software (I do mean ALL other software).

This is the first time ever I haven't purchased a product that is a 10/10 sound quality wise simply because of the horrible usability. I can stomach a lot of issues and still compromise if the sound quality is there to justify it. This was a first for me. It is 100% unusable in my opinion. It should be called Carpal Tunnel Synthdrone.

[martiu]

People really trying hard to justify bad design and usability here, i wonder if the reason is the creator of this synth, holding some sentimental value because of the Absynth phenomenon.

[zvenx]

Different people have different workflows, maybe it genuinely does work for some.

I definitely don't think it is a 10/10 sound quality wise btw, but to each their own.

I bought mine I think about two or three Christmases ago, along with someone else on this thread, cause I remember us saying we were both going for it.. For me it was GAS, they on the other hand, love their own and have put or use to put up quite a few sound examples of it.

It just sounds very very digital to me, but to each their own.
rsp

[martiu]

It sounds digital yes, but very clean and unusual, that is a plus for me considering the enormous amount of fat sounding analog emulators around.

[pdxindy]

People really trying hard to justify bad design and usability here, i wonder if the reason is the creator of this synth, holding some sentimental value because of the Absynth phenomenon.

It's not about Absynth... but rather that some of us can enjoy and have fun with differences and are not trying to force everything into some bland, homogenous standard devoid of color and difference.

[zvenx]

It sounds digital yes, but very clean and unusual, that is a plus for me considering the enormous amount of fat sounding analog emulators around.

Fair Enough, I tend to at most like Digital sounding stuff if they go thru very analog sounding filters, but yeah, we all can't like the same things.
rsp

[aMUSEd]

It's a physical modelling synth - neither 'digital' or 'analog' really (except in the sense of everything that is software being digital)