Does anyone think the interface of Waveform14 kinda messy?
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- KVRer
- 7 posts since 28 Jan, 2026
For example，the feature for selecting which UI elements to display appears in three places: the 'View' menu at the top, the 'eye' icon in the upper right corner, and the 'Action Panel' on the left. It looks a bit messy and redundant...I mean, why does the same feature need to be everywhere? They clutters up the screen.Especially that dual menu bar — sometimes the same feature is literally duplicated between the two layers.Isn't there a better way to organize all these elements?
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- KVRer
- 12 posts since 6 Jan, 2019
Hi,
I don't agree. To have different entry points to a function has been well established ui-design for decades. Look at Excel, for example. Icons, menus, and context-menus offer the same action in different ways, and I am fine with it.
Menus give you a structured path to a function, icons a quick one. It supports various types of interaction from the perspective of software ergonomics, which I consider a definite positive.
The Action Panel, in turn, offers interactions relevant to the context of the currently selected object(s). This makes perfect sense to me and is precisely one of the things I appreciate about Waveform's accessibility.
Top menus and icons are found in pretty much every piece of software as parallel ways to access functions, and neither really takes up much space. The Action Panel is a bit more specific, but - for one thing, it can be hidden, and for another, I can hide individual actions within it if they get in the way or aren't relevant to me. In short, I perceive the control layout completely differently: not cluttered, but rather logically structured and largely intuitive to use. In this respect, I actually find it superior to many other DAWs I’ve worked with.
And by the way, the concept really shines when combined with controller scripts and the Macro API. I’ve never used a DAW that made it so easy to achieve a nearly 100% tactile workflow using my controller setup, consisting of four Stream Decks (two with dials and two without). This gives me controller functionality that is even more flexible than that of many dedicated DAW control surfaces.
I don't agree. To have different entry points to a function has been well established ui-design for decades. Look at Excel, for example. Icons, menus, and context-menus offer the same action in different ways, and I am fine with it.
Menus give you a structured path to a function, icons a quick one. It supports various types of interaction from the perspective of software ergonomics, which I consider a definite positive.
The Action Panel, in turn, offers interactions relevant to the context of the currently selected object(s). This makes perfect sense to me and is precisely one of the things I appreciate about Waveform's accessibility.
Top menus and icons are found in pretty much every piece of software as parallel ways to access functions, and neither really takes up much space. The Action Panel is a bit more specific, but - for one thing, it can be hidden, and for another, I can hide individual actions within it if they get in the way or aren't relevant to me. In short, I perceive the control layout completely differently: not cluttered, but rather logically structured and largely intuitive to use. In this respect, I actually find it superior to many other DAWs I’ve worked with.
And by the way, the concept really shines when combined with controller scripts and the Macro API. I’ve never used a DAW that made it so easy to achieve a nearly 100% tactile workflow using my controller setup, consisting of four Stream Decks (two with dials and two without). This gives me controller functionality that is even more flexible than that of many dedicated DAW control surfaces.
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- KVRer
- 15 posts since 16 Nov, 2007
I am not sure why we need an Actions Tab which is duplicated in the Browser Tab. Would prefer those to be consolidated and the B short cut
Not a show stopped, but it does seem to be something that takes up unnecessary space
Otherwise I think I am lucky that I only spent a couple of months on 13 before 14 went into Beta so am not spending a lot of time comparing old and new interfaces
Not a show stopped, but it does seem to be something that takes up unnecessary space
Otherwise I think I am lucky that I only spent a couple of months on 13 before 14 went into Beta so am not spending a lot of time comparing old and new interfaces
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- KVRist
- 398 posts since 18 Nov, 2023
Regarding the space taken up, you can, also by keyboard shortcuts, hide the Actions panel on the one hand, and/or the Browser on the other hand, each by its own keyboard shortcut, and even both at the same time by a common keyboard shortcut (SETTINGS - KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS offers all this).
For me it's the advantage of having an Actions Panel also in the Browser because you can lock the stand-alone Actions Panel to some plugin, and the one appearing as a tab in the Browser always continues to change its content context sensitive.
I most use this when comparing levels to more detail, when wanting to see the max and overload markers to appear on level meters. I select one level meter from the end of one track and it shows up in the Actions Panel, and I lock this Panel. Then I choose from a different track its level meter and it shows up in the Actions panel shown as a tab in the Browser. The level meter with the max and overload indicators for the Master track is still visible at the left right bottom of the screen.
The same I use both Panels in parallel for adjusting parameters in the EQ(8x) coming as part of WF. This internal EQ can be interactively adjusted from the Actions Panel, no GUI has to be opened for it.
It's all options, nothing is obligatory forced onto you. Show or hide the items as you need them, place the Browser at the left or right side, undock the stand-alone Actions Panel for placing it wherever you want. And if you prefer to hide both and have all space for your other work, then you still have momentary access to all actions from the third one popping out from the bottom bar (which, at least for the moment it's open, you can also drag on the screen to a place where it's the most practical for you to momentarily stay). And to repeat my self, the one popping up from the bottom can have the favorites view state being different from the other two panels, which have that view state synchronized.
So, the in total three Actions panels are not simply duplicates, but they can be used in a complementary workflow.
(I should ask Tracktion to hire me in their commercials department
)
For me it's the advantage of having an Actions Panel also in the Browser because you can lock the stand-alone Actions Panel to some plugin, and the one appearing as a tab in the Browser always continues to change its content context sensitive.
I most use this when comparing levels to more detail, when wanting to see the max and overload markers to appear on level meters. I select one level meter from the end of one track and it shows up in the Actions Panel, and I lock this Panel. Then I choose from a different track its level meter and it shows up in the Actions panel shown as a tab in the Browser. The level meter with the max and overload indicators for the Master track is still visible at the left right bottom of the screen.
The same I use both Panels in parallel for adjusting parameters in the EQ(8x) coming as part of WF. This internal EQ can be interactively adjusted from the Actions Panel, no GUI has to be opened for it.
It's all options, nothing is obligatory forced onto you. Show or hide the items as you need them, place the Browser at the left or right side, undock the stand-alone Actions Panel for placing it wherever you want. And if you prefer to hide both and have all space for your other work, then you still have momentary access to all actions from the third one popping out from the bottom bar (which, at least for the moment it's open, you can also drag on the screen to a place where it's the most practical for you to momentarily stay). And to repeat my self, the one popping up from the bottom can have the favorites view state being different from the other two panels, which have that view state synchronized.
So, the in total three Actions panels are not simply duplicates, but they can be used in a complementary workflow.
(I should ask Tracktion to hire me in their commercials department
)Classical guitar --> Line Audio CM4 @ SSL12 --> KDE-Plasma @ Debian-Linux --> Waveform PRO 13.5