Refx Nexus 5 Retro Skins - Concept (WIP)

[Cyforce]

Hi all ... I`m working on a skin pack for the retro mode of Nexus 5, and wanted to share some of the current work in progress with the hope of getting some feedback and also maybe some ideas.

The idea is a small skin collection (~10) inspired by some iconic synths, which lead to the awesome synthesizers and technology we can all enjoy today. Some are finished already, some nearly but 1 or 2 I don`t know, which would fit, especially in terms of "what could be visually fitting adapted" and so on. Some feedback would be highly appreciated.

Right now, 8 are set, but the last 2... I can`t really decide, what would fit or look good. Pending between Polivoks and MonoPoly as #9, Oxford Oscar or something else as #10. Additional ideas would be welcomed.

The finished ones will be listed below (and updated once new ones are finished)

GERMANY-93 (inspired from Waldorf Wave)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... ANY-93.jpg

JAPAN-76 (inspired from Roland SH-5)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... PAN-76.jpg

JAPAN-84 (inspired from Roland Juno)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... 20027b.jpg
(updated - better display contrast and buttons improved)

JAPAN-97 (inspired from Roland JP8080)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... PAN-97.jpg

USA-78 (inspired from Sequential Prophet)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... 0v011b.jpg
(updated - a bit better display contrast)

USA-82 (inspired from Memorymoog)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... USA-82.jpg

USSR-82 (inspired from Polivoks)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... SSR-82.jpg


JAPAN-81 (inspired from Roland Jupiter)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... PAN-81.jpg

USA-73 (inspired from Buchla Easel)
coming later...

UK-83 (inspired from Oxford Oscar)

HQ Preview: https://www.cfa-sound.com/public/concep ... 0UK-83.jpg



Cheers

[Elysium.NZ]

These are gorgeous, I appreciate the skill involved. The only one that I have a suggestion for is the JAPAN-84 skin, all the square buttons have the same defect marks. It would be an amazing coincidence for every button to have the same nicks and scratches You'd be better off keeping them clean (like USA-78 for example) IMHO.

[db3]

They look great, although I'd suggest red or dark green text on black screen isn't ideal. Japan-76 screen works better. Perhaps try similar hue matching off-white.

[kenny saunders]

Yeah these are nice, I bet you already did a bunch of these for Vanguard?

[Cyforce]

These are gorgeous, I appreciate the skill involved. The only one that I have a suggestion for is the JAPAN-84 skin, all the square buttons have the same defect marks. It would be an amazing coincidence for every button to have the same nicks and scratches You'd be better off keeping them clean (like USA-78 for example) IMHO.

Thanks for the kind words. And yes the buttons are similar. A bit due to the fact, the options (in terms of custom skin work) only allow a different background graphic, 1 different graphic for the button (on/off inside), 1 different graphic strip for the knob, and 3 for the different states of the LEDs.

So basically, 1 graphic for all buttons. A different approach would be, to embed the button look inside the background graphic, but by this, the button wouldn't have a kind of animation while clicking, and on/off would look the same. But I will try to make the buttons a bit different in the JAPAN-84 skin.

They look great, although I'd suggest red or dark green text on black screen isn't ideal. Japan-76 screen works better. Perhaps try similar hue matching off-white.

I think I did the screenshot with only 80-90% contrast level (of the contrast screw). But I will check if a different color schema for the display could work.

Yeah these are nice, I bet you already did a bunch of these for Vanguard?

No not really, Vanguard was very limited. Just 1 background and some color codes in the JSON. With having a custom button and knob graphic inside the Nexus5 retro skin, it`s more doable. of course not the big creative freedom as e.g. u-he plugins offer in terms of skin work, but still way better than Vanguard, so all these are built fresh from a blank white piece of digital paper.

[MachineClaw]

skins look nice. but. red text on black background I will never use, too hard on eyes.

check your color contrast at https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ there is a color picker for contrast for accessibility, may help.

like Japan-76 the best so far from what you have shown.

[cryophonik]

They look great, although I'd suggest red or dark green text on black screen isn't ideal. Japan-76 screen works better. Perhaps try similar hue matching off-white.

Totally agree. I don't like the aesthetic or the poor legibility of the red and green text. Aside from that, these skins are VERY cool!

[DanKoz]

How can you use them or possibly buy it?

[Cyforce]

skins look nice. but. red text on black background I will never use, too hard on eyes.

check your color contrast at https://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/ there is a color picker for contrast for accessibility, may help.

like Japan-76 the best so far from what you have shown.

Thanks for that link, I didn`t know there was even something like that around. The black/red display (e.g. JAPAN-84) was primarily because it somehow matched the overall look, but of course, because look - something like readability/usability shouldn`t suffer.

How can you use them or possibly buy it?

Well once the package with all 10 is finished, together with maybe some presets, they will probably become available as one package for a fair price.

[DanKoz]

I am very happy and waiting!

[Examigan]

I don’t even have Nexus, but just wanted to say these look great.

[anoise]

Very nice. Waldorf should hire you to make skins for Largo and Blofeld!

[Cyforce]

I don’t even have Nexus, but just wanted to say these look great.

Thank you very much for the kind words!

Very nice. Waldorf should hire you to make skins for Largo and Blofeld!

Hmm I don`t know... Blofeld (in general) is surely not easy with all its controllers to somehow pack it into something visually compact, nice looking and still keep a highly functional workflow. But once a developer has released their product, they probably never update/change the UI completely shortly afterwards, at least as far as I know.


And... some updates - to see in the first post of the topic
- JAPAN-84 with now better display contrast, and some changes to the buttons
- USA-78 with a bit better display contrast (on that theme, I would still keep the red vibe of the display - it just harmonize more with the overall look)
- added to each skin short info, from what synth it is inspired
- added 2 new previews, 1 of them is a true beauty I think





HQ previews in the first post.
3 still to go... Oscar, Jupiter and Buchla Easel

[Examigan]

It would be great to see a Synthmaster 3 and/or Sylenth1 skin.

[HOTF]

I am not a Nexus user but I will say those are nice looking skins. My favourite is the Juno one. It makes the section more clear. It's easier to see everything going quickly.