Here are the highlighst of this text for lazy readers:
- Bug (?): Splitting clip doesn't work inside sequencer. It does work when editing the audio (double click audio clip).
- FR1: We need volume handles and cross fades for audio clips to make eXT usable for song construction.
- FR2: Resize/trim clip must work on clip beginning too, not just the end! Also, option to hide the 'remaining' audio graphic that is left when resizing.
- FR3: We need a multiple 'redo' feature to complement 'undo'.
- FR4: The play position indicator should be draggable and the play position numbers should update accordingly in 'real-time'.
- FR5: Workflow: eXT's window handles (the bars at the side of a window when there is too much content to show in one single page) should work like Windows/OS-X, that is, when you click in the area below the handle it should scroll one whole 'page' forward, not just a single small step.
- FR6: 'undo recording' should have an option to delete or not delete the newly recorded audio file from the HD
- FR7: an audio take manager or audio pool of some sort that handles simple file management tasks as info (when and where on the HD was the file recorded), rename, delete, make backup copy etc.
.. that was the short short version ..
Original post:
It seems like Energy XT SA is still pretty far from being a viable host for me. Recording audio went fine. Easy to record and setup but once you need to start tweaking audio, in the sequencer, things get difficult and messy. There's one thing I'd like to see in eXT after doing an audio recording. It's a user selectable option of how 'undo recording' works, delete or keep the newly recorded audio. Also, a separate 'take manager' or 'pool' would be very useful. There the user could see exactly what was recorded where and when. The user could also copy (drag) files from there to the sequencer. It could also handle all the basic file management things like delete, rename, duplicate (aka backup copy) etc.
Here are my 5 biggest show stoppers that I found during the session in eXT (they were so serious that I ended up moving to another host mid session!) >
(BR ?) First: We NEED to be able to split a clip in the sequencer window.. alt+click is either bugging or then I don't understand how it's supposed to work. It doesn't split the clip but I DO get an undo option of 'undo split' (!!) so I guess it's a bug.
Second: we really need volume handles and crossfades for each clip.
Third: why on earth can I only resize/trim a clips end?? I want to be able to resize the clip start as well! Also, the remaining graphics that is left after the resize/trim of the end is plain annoying. It should be an option to toggle on or off.
Fourth: we need a 'redo' feature to complement the 'undo'.
Fifth: small usability things get in the way. I've already mentioned the dragging of the loop markers so I won't go into that but.. I want to be able to drag the play position indicator and see the Bar,Beat,Tick clock MOVE with it. This is such a basic feature that should be there. It's much easier this way to figure out an offset of a recorded clip by placing the play position indicator at the start of a beat or transient on a recorded part and seing the exact time or position. Trying to bullseye the position by having to click click click click all the time is very annoying. In most cases DRAG is good and click is bad, in my opinion.
Also, eXT has it's own weird logic when it comes to the window handles (the bars on the right or left side of a window when there's too much content to show in one view). When you click once the empty area of the window handle it should immediately go all the way to the 'next' page, that is, it should move by quite a big amount if there is lots to scroll.
In general I'd like to see eXT doing the basic window tasks as similar to winXP or OS-X as possible. Both microsoft and apple have over 10 years of experience in making things streamlined.
I think basic usability is so amazingly important. It ALWAYS comes first, over any features, unless the software is very specialized and has no other competition (which eXT kind of is when looked at as an utility/gimmick/modular weirdo software
). So Jorgen, as long as you say that you want to improve workflow and usability I'm gona bombard you with FR's of tiny details. I'd love to see you implement multiple ways of doing all the basic tasks. Do NOT remove any of the old ways of doing things but rather give the user several options instead.Sorry for the mega long post!
Cheers!
bManic