RapidComposer 6 beta feedback and discussion

[thebutler]

deleted

[musicdevelopments]

Hello thebutler,

thank you for your very quick feedback!

Not quite understanding... Can you say a bit more about this please.?

Starting at the audio track level, what is the reasoning for 'render audio' here.? The audio file I've added to that track, is already set..? Does the rendering then allow click-dragging the (resulting.?) audio out to DAW etc.?

Before you can drag MIDI or audio, a file need to be prepared because the file name must be included in the drag data. For MIDI the file is prepared very quickly, but for audio it is a longer process, especially for tracks using virtual instruments, or audio tracks including many different audio files. Yes, you can drag audio (any MIDI tracks using VST3/SF2 or audio tracks) to your DAW. If you want to drag the whole composition as audio, do that by Ctrl-clicking on the big file drag button in the top right corner, then you can Ctrl-drag the same button when rendering finished.

I notice that Audio tracks don't have a track drag icon in the header.? Maybe I'm missing a setting somewhere..?

From now each track type has its icon next to the name that you can drag. Audio tracks have a small waveform icon. (There is no need to Ctrl-click or Ctrl-drag here, simple click and drag works)

For the whole composition, what audio is being 'dragged'.? Any/all audio+MIDI tracks contained in the compostion, that have been rendered by Ctrl-click on track/composition drag button (see in Red box below - no audio tracks are shown in the clipped image here)

Good question! Basically everything that you hear when you start playback is rendered in the audio file. There is no need to render individual tracks manually. The only caveat is that the whole track is rendered, it is not possible to select a timeline region for audio.

Also see that the track drag icons (in yellow) have changed since beta 3 - they now resemble MIDI icons.? Intentional.? It conflicts with the icon shown in the helpful 'hover' tooltip. Previous beta, they displayed as in the tooltip message.

Yes, you are right, the tooltip message must be fixed! The last beta version displayed the same icon for all tracks, but I did not like that.

Further, I am not understanding this section of the 'hover' track drag icon tooltip message...
RC_v6 b4_hover on track Drag icon.jpg
I've made a Timeline Selection but when I right-click, I don't see where to select 'Timeline Selection' as advised in the message.

I meant when you right-click on the big drag button to see the drag options:

PS:- hoping we'll see an updated Manual too, when v6.1 is ready.?

Ouch!

Thank you!
Attila

[thebutler]

Ah.! Ok, thanks for all your extra info... I think I get it now; I will have a play later...

And, I now see I'd got mixed up with the big 'drag button' - I was in the wrong place.

[musicdevelopments]

No problem! I do hope dragging things is less obscure now... I'll make a video about it soon as the previous one is no longer valid.

[thebutler]

I'll make a video about it soon as the previous one is no longer valid.

Look forward to it - that will be helpful..

[thebutler]

So is all of this hover tooltip message valid here.? Isn't some meant for hovering on the main 'Drag' button instead.?

RC_v6 b4_Drag icons.jpg

[musicdevelopments]

The "large <file> button" refers to the main drag button.
The other text "Drag the <file> button..." is wrong, it refers to the small icons next to the track title. This help text is already fixed.

Thanks,
Attila

[thebutler]

Just doodling on a Easter Monday morn... some UI ideas. Tried to make the top bar area feel less 'heavily weighted' visually to the left-hand side. Wanted to balance the unused 'blank space' on the right.. Just quick thoughts.!

The first one shows my proposed new location of the Chord naming scheme buttons, into the Master Track - replacing the two that currently sit at the top (alongside key, tempo and time sig) to become one straight 'toggle' button to choose between 'Letters/Universal notation'. Unsure if that's an entirely appropriate location for this function mind...

What do others think.?
1.

RC_UI_new top bar_v1_smaller.jpg

2.

RC_UI_more central focus_v1_smaller.jpg

3.

RC_UI_variation _v1_smaller.jpg

[musicdevelopments]

It is very logical and a good idea to put the chord display format in the master track! Thanks!

I am open to suggestions about the UI layout. Please be aware that not everyone uses a very high resolution monitor, some people can see a smaller window, like this one:



I am thinking of making the buttons above the tracks smaller. And maybe having a separate 'import' and 'export' button instead of a single 'file' button.

Thanks,
Attila

[thebutler]

Hi Attila - I see...

Yes, understood about users with smaller/lower res screens, point taken.

Glad you like the idea for re-locating the Chord format display button(s). Though, can you make it just be the one button as a dedicated 'toggle' function.?

As for the other buttons above the tracks - FWIW, I like their current size and how this helps (visually) designate/separate them apart, as being somehow 'bigger function' items.!

Making them all smaller and giving import/export to two new separate buttons, could just negatively merge them all into more 'visual clutter' for the user to navigate. This will somewhat relegate that 'importance' of their purpose - separate from other items on the interface nearby.

Further, I don't see the need... clicking on the 'File' button is perfectly fine for me as an accepted route to access import/export functions - much like we see in practically all other apps out there (i.e. clicking on a 'File' menu item in the top bar).!

Still keen to read others thoughts on UI if they have any.

Remember, personally I'm limiting my focus to that top bar area only.! I pretty much love all the other personality and layout design/language choices, throughout RC's interface...

[musicdevelopments]

Hi thebutler,

thank you for your thoughts, and feedback about my ideas. The last thing I want to introduce is visual clutter. Yes, a dedicated toggle button for chord format will be added soon.

Please make sure you download v6.1 as I spent the whole weekend with testing and bug fixing, and it turned out there were several problems on macOS because of the new UI library. So the last beta version is old, please use v6.1 that I uploaded today. From now development will be faster.

Thanks,
Attila

[thebutler]

Hi thebutler,

thank you for your thoughts, and feedback about my ideas. The last thing I want to introduce is visual clutter. Yes, a dedicated toggle button for chord format will be added soon.

Please make sure you download v6.1 as I spent the whole weekend with testing and bug fixing, and it turned out there were several problems on macOS because of the new UI library. So the last beta version is old, please use v6.1 that I uploaded today. From now development will be faster.

Thanks,
Attila

Nice.!

And 'Happy 16th Birthday RC.!' (wow, how did those 16 years fly-by so quick.!?!)

I will grab v6.1 official release soon (any Mac bug fixing not applicable here of course.. ).

Thanks for all your hard work, effort and attention to us users - even me as a very occasional/casual user...

PS:- I did d/load the new 'April 2026 User Guide' in the meantime... Brilliant.!)

[musicdevelopments]

Hi thebutler,

thanks for your very kind words!

I just uploaded v6.1.1 with bug fixes for both Windows and macOS (UI scaling and retina screens...)
All the bugs reported about the new UI engine have been fixed now.

Thanks,
Attila

[BluGenes]

I think it would be really cool for composition drag and drop audio to have it split out as stems into the DAW (as an option). Yea, you can do it individually, but, this would be a great time saver. Render each stem, then export as stems..

Also, just a quick plug here, I have added a somewhat basic online midi editor to my web site. The goal is to take advantage of some high end hardware for AI usage. It is a work in progress and right now some of it does work. Yea, you can already do this with RC and all, but, this is using high end GPU's, so, in theory, it should work a lot better. But, that is just a theory. You can check it out on the site.. www.gbmusictech.com

I do have to tweak the AI stuff, but, I want to get all the editing stuff working first. Tweaking the AI to make it actually work is last on the list. It's web browser based, so, no installing anything.

For now, it's free to use. You do have to register to get access. Registration is used to give you a work space and that is all. Check it out and let me know what you think! Also, it did make Atilla go WOW. lol

[jdfair]

Hi BluGenes,

Great Job ... I just created an account and generated a song as a test. Question ,,, is there a way to get the generated MIDI into a DAW ?

Keep up the good work !!

Jim F.