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

[THE INTRANCER]

I think when I look to buying a synth now, the first thing I want to know is if it's skinnable because that's one of key things I do as a hobby and well, I get bored looking at the same skin all the time. If I want something futuristic that's what I choose, if I'm doing a war film score I'll look to something that evokes that sort of mood.

[ebkp]

If the default skin was horrible I probably wouldnt buy. I dont normally bother changing any vst skins

[Tobi MM]

Horrible GUI don't kills an otherwise good synth for me (f.E. Pigments sounded AND looked like...), but it clearly depends how much i want to work with. AIKO (Plugmon, for Diva), Duneton (Killihu, for Dune) and RePro Colors (Funkybots Evil Twin, for Repro) were Gamechangers, although i didn't hated the original GUIs (except Dune) and was keeping the synths for their sound anyway. But it's a difference between sitting hours or minutes before them. On the other hand, no skin can make me like a plugin i didn't like sonically. Maybe a midi effect.

[martinjuenke]

I eagerly wait for the first Airwindows synth without specific GUI.
In the mix nobody hears your screen!

[NikkiA]

I eagerly wait for the first Airwindows synth without specific GUI.
In the mix nobody hears your screen!

mda's jx10 did that, what? 20 years ago?

[Teksonik]

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.

[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?

nope. i don't drive

and i never said i don't care about guis, all i actually did was ask scott if it was his most important factor, in a different thread.
so relax

[martinjuenke]

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?

nope. i don't drive

I rather drink than drive.
How much beer fits into these skins everybody is talking about?

[petedako]

I won't buy Software that I can't DEMO first — that's a 100% dealbreaker — most recently experienced with (Very fishy!) ICARUS 2 which inexplicably does not provide a MAC demo, but makes them available for other OS?

+1 on the PLUGMON skins which truly extend functionality beyond simply adjusting the colour palette. I'm not too interested in many of the rest,TBH. Kudos to U-He and VITAL and other(?) DEVs who make it easy to switch Skins/Themes via a menu option (without constantly messing around in the OS). Phaseplant could learn from that

[chagzuki]

ICARUS 2 which inexplicably does not provide a MAC demo, but makes them available for other OS?

There is a Mac demo, I've been trying it, or trying to try it. Unfortunately on my system it doesn't work properly.

[petedako]

Good to know! Thanks. …maybe that's why it's not available on their website right now

ICARUS 2 which inexplicably does not provide a MAC demo, but makes them available for other OS?

There is a Mac demo, I've been trying it, or trying to try it. Unfortunately on my system it doesn't work properly.

[BONES]

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?

Interestingly, the car I bought two months ago is the first time I have ever been able to choose the colour I really wanted. Every other new car purchase has been "you can have this one for $XX,XXX or we can order the colour you want and it will cost you 3 grand more". But there are considerations. e.g. Silver cars don't show the dirt. You can not wash one for 3 months and it still looks fine. When you finally get around to washing it, it just seems a few shades lighter, rather than cleaner. I'd liken that to choosing a light or a dark GUI, in that it is a practical consideration. Colour will also affect your resale value. (White cars retain more value, apparently).

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

You are attempting to create an argument here, where none exists. Nobody has said that skinning isn't a worthwhile bonus, just that it is not a must-have when choosing to buy an instrument or not. e.g. I fully appreciate that ANA has a beautiful dark skin but I'd still have bought it if it only came in that eye-searing white, for the simple reason that for 95% of the time I am working on a song, it will not be visible.

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.

As I said, I don't spend much time looking at plugin GUIs at all. I couldn't work with a host that didn't have a dark themed GUI but it's not an issue at all for me when it comes to plugins.

I rather drink than drive.

I'm happy to do both, as long as I don't think I might scratch the paintwork on the car.

[inception8a]

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.

[mothra]

I don’t really care.

If the synth I use is beautiful, I’m happier. I might change the base skin sometimes.

If a synth is usable and I love its sound, I use it.

If the GUI is so stupid that you don’t understand a thing you’re doing, yes, maybe I’ll leave this synth to people who enjoy that mindf#ck. It rarely happened to me with a synth, but very often with FX plugins.

I simply want to work.

+1.

One exception so far. Absynth almost put me off the way it's laid out, but thank god I put in the time to figure it out all those years ago. Made Plasmonic a little easier to navigate once you know how Brian's brain likes to lay things out.

[Dencheg]

The real question is whoud you buy a synth because it's skinnable.

But the real question is who made them skinnable and why