NOW --- ACE SKIN --- monochrome ---

[rsmus7]

My honest opinion, hopefully with more of the substance you want:

If you make a clean synth skin, either make it really clean with stylish flat shaded surfaces, or add some actual detail in the vein of murnau's example. Going with simple gradients that look like something out of custom application GUIs of the Windows 95 era isn't going to be received that well, on average.

The approach you have used here is the worst of both worlds, and it makes a classy professional (again, that word) synth look like a piece of forgettable freeware poo. Don't get me wrong, some freeware is absolutely in the league of the very best, but the first impression when seeing a GUI like that isn't going to be "I bet it sounds lovely"

thanks guenon

I understand your position,
but to copy some of the hardware like GUIs is what I don't want,
maybe my GUI makes the great ACE look cheap and not worthy to test,
but I like the GUI, and I like to have something that's different from the hardware-ish/pro looking GUIs

so I think I got the point what many here like,
and maybe some day I gonna do something more pro-ish

[Guenon]

I understand your position,
but to copy some of the hardware like GUIs is what I don't want

It's not about being hardware-like, it's about consistency and high level of design, whether you go towards the abstractly clean or the physical object look.

I like to have something that's different from the hardware-ish/pro looking GUIs

so I think I got the point what many here like,
and maybe some day I gonna do something more pro-ish

Think about Zebra, for example. It's different from the hardwareish look, but in a good, consistent way, not reminiscent of something that might have been bundled with your dialup modem in the 90s

[Delfinoverde]

@ murnau

the look is intended,
if you know what pro is, why don't you let me know?

maybe my idea of pro and your idea aren't the same?

and I'm not a pro, I just do this skinning for fun and
I distribute them free, so no need to be pro-ish

jm2c

yeah, i guess your idea of pro and mine arent the same. i want to mention scotts ace skin tuned up by nick moritz (because its in the same color range like yours)


it's easy to see that you arent a pro, just like said keep up the work!

Well, THIS is the kind of GUIs I like. Letting aside what Scott Kane did or didn't, and the reasons why he was banned, I deeply regret his departure since he was a real artist, with good taste (IMO, of course) and skills to do it (it's always sad to see talented people following dark paths).
Regarding the OP skin, again, I am more into realisitc kind of skins, and find those "knobs" totally unispiring. With a skin like yours, my will would be to just do nothing, and quit ASAP. Sorry, it's the way I feel.
And there's a reason why people choose grey skins, and soft colors. It's because we are supposed to spend hours staring at the GUIs, and vibrant colours will cause more fatigue in the eyes than soft ones.

YES, it's really bad that always the most creative people get banned from FORUMS! That's also a reason why Scott Kane stopped sharing his stuff. But I find he could share his stuff anyway on other boards. It's indeed a very strange thing with GUI's - people blindly accept very ugly designs from developers and then badly insult people who create new GUI's! Unfortunately the www is populated by many, many idiots!!

[rsmus7]

ok I think it is enough said about this ugly gui ,
but maybe ....

anyway, thanks very much for sharing your opinions

[bailees7irish]

While I will say that you aren't 100% there with this GUI, I like the look you are going for. Just like the Wonka candy GUI. My advice to you is to not get disheartened by what people are saying. Maybe take it as constructive criticism and work more at the GUIs to create something timeless, but whatever you do, don't give up!

~Brendan

[Guenon]

My advice to you is to not get disheartened by what people are saying. Maybe take it as constructive criticism and work more at the GUIs to create something timeless, but whatever you do, don't give up!

Yep, definitely that. People do bring up the points for a reason, take from it what you will, but don't get disheartened or defensive.

And keep going.

[OzWozEre]

Two things:

1) It's not "machine-like" design it's Skeumorphism, i.e. all the stuff that Apple pushes which looks like a "real-life object".

It's very very common with Computer Music Software because of the nostalgic/heritage nod to the hardware devices they are mimicing and evoking.

The other end of the spectrum is your "Flat Design", which is flat and/or "miminalist" and geometric & graphical etc.

i.e. ProTools == Skeumorphic (it's trying to look like an actual (SSL?!) mixing desk)
Ableton Live == Flat (doesn't give a shit about trying to look like a real hardware device and is going for "clean" and too-the-point design).

There is of course a middle ground, which is a kinda like Flat Design plus some subtle gradients and depth -- this is usually a good direction to go IMO since Skeumorphism can get "old" pretty fast and Flat can become too minimial and "difficult".

I think this is the direction you are trying to go down...

2) Have you heard of Dribbble? http://dribbble.com there is tons of quality (Pro! ) design examples there for you to learn/inspire yourself from -- the best way to get better is to aspire to achieve a level others have already set.

Your welcome!

[rsmus7]

thanks OzWozEre for the headsup,

I didn't know dribble.com,
I will have a look there