Do You Embrace A Touch Screen With Your DAW?

[audiojunkie]

It would be infinitely cooler if I could just my iPad do serve the same function though, that would be awesome.

I've never understood people's interest in iPads. To me they combine all the limitations of a smartphone with all the inconvenience of a laptop. i.e. You can't run proper applications on them and they won't fit in your pocket.

I used to disagree, but I’ve largely come around. I still find them useful for midi control, but I’ve mostly given them up for music making otherwise. I would prefer a touch screen or a dedicated mpe device for multidirectional mpe style midi control over the single dimension of a mod wheel, but that’s about as far as I am interested in using them these days. Trying to run an entire DAW, including all apps, instruments, and effects on an iphone is akin to key-hole surgery. I know. I did it for about 5 years.

[Echoes in the Attic]

They are arguments for a touch screen because that is what I used when I was doing what I described.

You using them doesn't mean they are good. Do I really live in a world where people will install an app because they don't want to bend over and change a stomp box knob on the floor?

No it doesn't. But you saying they're no good doesn't mean I or anyone can't find the workflow to be really good. It's a stupid argument. It's like someone saying ate at that restaurant and it was really good. And then you say "just because you liked it doesn't make it good". Worthless and argumentative. The second part of the sentence makes absolutely no sense at all. I have no idea what app you're talking about, but if someone prefers that to buying and using a stomp box, I fail to see how that would impact your perception of the world. But hey if that's what bothers you about the world then life must be pretty good.

[BONES]

Actually, it's not. "I liked it" and "it was good" are very, very different things. The fact so many people don't understand this is, frankly, terrifying. There are plenty of things I have no trouble acknowledging are good that I do not like at all. e.g. Posche's 911 - it's universally acknowledged as an amazing driver's car but if somebody gave me on, I'd be straight down to my local Lotus dealer to trade it in on an Emira. Conversely, there are plenty of other things that I really like that I fully understand are not necessarily good. These are things I either acknowledge suit me for various reasons and are worth putting up with, despite flaws or compromises, or things I consider "guilty pleasures". A perfect example of the former would be living on a yacht. It's not for everyone and, by any modern standard, it is not a good lifestyle. But it suits me down to the ground and I am happy to put up with all the compromises, like no running water. So I like it but I am fully aware that nobody else would think it is a good way to live.

[Echoes in the Attic]

Actually, it's not. "I liked it" and "it was good" are very, very different things. The fact so many people don't understand this is, frankly, terrifying. There are plenty of things I have no trouble acknowledging are good that I do not like at all. e.g. Posche's 911 - it's universally acknowledged as an amazing driver's car but if somebody gave me on, I'd be straight down to my local Lotus dealer to trade it in on an Emira. Conversely, there are plenty of other things that I really like that I fully understand are not necessarily good. These are things I either acknowledge suit me for various reasons and are worth putting up with, despite flaws or compromises, or things I consider "guilty pleasures". A perfect example of the former would be living on a yacht. It's not for everyone and, by any modern standard, it is not a good lifestyle. But it suits me down to the ground and I am happy to put up with all the compromises, like no running water. So I like it but I am fully aware that nobody else would think it is a good way to live.

Obviously. Using a touch screen is objectively good. And just because someone doesn't "like it" or perceive the ability to like it, doesn't change that.

[BONES]

I don't think it is objectively good, I think it involves a lot of compromises that you may or may not be willing to put up with. e.g. When you use your mouse the cursor rarely, if ever, obscures your view of what you are doing, whereas your hand and fingers get in the way all the f**king time with a touchscreen. You also have to compromise on viewing angles, positioning it for optimum touch instead. Your fingers are far less precise than a mouse cursor, too, so hitting the right things is often a huge PITA. The compromise there might be changing your screen scaling or opting for a more spacious GUI that means you can't see as much onscreen as you might otherwise want/need to. Objectively speaking, a mouse is a far better way to interact with software on a computer, using a touchscreen is something you may or may not like more.

[jancivil]

Well, that's how it is for me. My fingers aren't particularly fat but they aren't small. I'm also no good at video games, fortunately I have no interest. It's ergonomically not feasible for me, I would have to acquire furniture and work a problem that interests me not at all, at best.

[Tj Shredder]

I only use it because I have to. f**k plug ins, f**k touch screen, f**k the phone, f**k daws, f**k virtual drummers, f**k AI, f**k every thing except being a hermit with old tech.

As a therapist I would advise you to radical digital detox and revert to just a guitar. All that shit you hate is simply obsolete…

[twal]

I generally use multi-touch monitor to refer to a computer monitor that has multi-touch capability.
But sometimes do not follow this rule.
In my case the monitor is connected to the PC and it is multi-touch.
But then there are laptops that have a multi-touch surface or monitor.

The iPad and the Erae are not a multi-touch monitors.
I would say they have a touch surface or more descriptive have a multi-touch surface.

Sorry, tried but failed to answer your question.
Perhaps someone can do better.

Are you still using REAPER, or did you decide to move on to Studio One, or something else?

[Kalamata Kid]

I am more and more convinced to make Reaper my one and only DAW

Just discovered that Reaper now has the near equivalent script of the Cubase Logical Editor and the Cubase Transformer (Realtime). These scripts were high on my desired list.

SCRIPT] MIDI Transformer [official] Transformer like in Cubase.
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=290155
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php ... tor+cubase Search for Logical Editor in Reaper.

I love modular environments with virtual cables and modules.
It seems that Reaper does not have a modular environment. But
That is ok. I plan to use the following:
Bidule. I am more familiar with this plugin that can host plugins. https://web.archive.org/web/20170926075 ... ts/bidule/
FL Studio Patcher
Unify also has a modular environment called ComboBox which allows one to route audio and midi as desired. https://www.kvraudio.com/news/plugingur ... fect-50140
Mulab Plugin https://www.mutools.com/index.html
Freestyle https://www.newsonicarts.com/html/freestyle.php
Metaplugin https://ddmf.eu/metaplugin-chainer-vst- ... x-wrapper/ 32-64 bit bridge
Element - https://kushview.net/, (Name a fair price)
Loomer Architect https://www.loomer.co.uk/architect.htm . If ever released.
I like modular environments because it allows one the freedom to route audio and midi.

I issue is that I have so little time to actually play with Reaper and make music.

As for multi-touch even though Reaper is not MT capable the third party MT plugins work just fine.

I replied as if this is the "Picking a DAW is hard…" thread so the last minute I added the MT sentence to correct my mistake.

[twal]

I am more and more convinced to make Reaper my one and only DAW

Just discovered that Reaper now has the near equivalent script of the Cubase Logical Editor and the Cubase Transformer (Realtime). These scripts were high on my desired list.

SCRIPT] MIDI Transformer [official] Transformer like in Cubase.
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=290155
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php ... tor+cubase Search for Logical Editor in Reaper.

I love modular environments with virtual cables and modules.
It seems that Reaper does not have a modular environment. But
That is ok. I plan to use the following:
Bidule. I am more familiar with this plugin that can host plugins. https://web.archive.org/web/20170926075 ... ts/bidule/
FL Studio Patcher
Unify also has a modular environment called ComboBox which allows one to route audio and midi as desired. https://www.kvraudio.com/news/plugingur ... fect-50140
Mulab Plugin https://www.mutools.com/index.html
Freestyle https://www.newsonicarts.com/html/freestyle.php
Metaplugin https://ddmf.eu/metaplugin-chainer-vst- ... x-wrapper/ 32-64 bit bridge
Element - https://kushview.net/, (Name a fair price)
Loomer Architect https://www.loomer.co.uk/architect.htm . If ever released.
I like modular environments because it allows one the freedom to route audio and midi.

I issue is that I have so little time to actually play with Reaper and make music.

As for multi-touch even though Reaper is not MT capable the third party MT plugins work just fine.

I replied as if this is the "Picking a DAW is hard…" thread so the last minute I added the MT sentence to correct my mistake.

Track Templates are highly underrated. Easy to set up a bunch to bring up when you need them, or to browse through for some inspiration.

[Kalamata Kid]

Thanks
Will likely use this info.
What I really need the Kenny Gioia module brain implant.
Will wait for the next sale to get one.

[BONES]

Interesting, I've never felt that I need something, in that way, to get something done. I've always been more than happy to work with whatever I've got in front of me at the time. The only limitations I've ever seen are my own which, let me tell you, is more limiting than anything else I can think of.

I am more and more convinced to make Reaper my one and only DAW

I think anyone who works in more than one DAW is a f**king idiot. Any little features one DAW might have over another pale into insignificance next to the massive workflow hit you take moving a project from one DAW to another. It is utter, utter madness to even contemplate. It's bad enough that my bandmate uses Cubase and I have to get his projects into Studio One so I can work on them. To choose to do that to yourself is next level stupidity.

Anyway, to get things back on-topic, yesterday I got a portable monitor to use with my Legion GO at rehearsal. It's a super-wide format 12.3" screen - 1920 x 720 - with multi-touch. I'd ordered it months ago from Amazon, who couldn't supply it at the time. I'd mostly forgotten about it, until I got an email yesterday morning telling me it was out for delivery.

I hooked it up and had a play around with it. It was all going quite swimmingly... until it wasn't. I'd been using touch to change views and move things around. I did a few piano roll edits and stuff like that and then I wanted to close a floating window and the touch point was just too small and it simply wouldn't do it. I've had this problem at times in the past, it's a real workflow killer. I think it simply comes down to the fact that nobody really makes PC software with touch in mind so you eventually find that one tiny touch-point that is impossible to deal with and it stops you dead in your tracks. It's a shame because Windows 11 itself is quite brilliant for touch and this new little monitor has a really bright, crisp screen. But it seems I will still need a mouse to get anything done. Lucky I have a drawer full of 'em.

[Kalamata Kid]

Unfortunately I do not spend too much time making music just do not have the time to do so.
Getting older, no I am older, no I am old! and my brain cannot handle more than one DAW.
IIRC My first attempt years ago on Reaper went much smoother, making progress quickly.

If one needs more than one DAW to make music and has the mental capacity don't let me stop you.

[twal]

Using just Reaper is fine. It is one of the "complete DAWS", production, mixing, mastering... After learning Reaper, go try to learn another daw, it will absolutely feel pointless. I tried doing this with Bitwig, Luna, and FL, and it felt like swimming backwards when I can swim forwards.

To reiterate with Reaper's incredible Track capabilities. "A track is a track is a track", the saying goes and this is no small saying. You can literally load anything and as many things you want onto a track and save it. You can amazingly create a track that has every instance of automation your heart desires and load it up to pick from like using chopsticks at a Chinese restaurant's Family Meal..

I have never used touch screen before...

[Kalamata Kid]

My feeling the multitouch screen works well on MT capable plugins.
The GUI becomes the control surface.
I often avoid buying plugins that are not MT capable.
Too bad Kontakt instruments are not MT capable.
All Melda plugins are MT capable and are very friendly to the touch.