Originally Posted by robertw
@jpettit,

1) I hope that the Main program menu is still at the top Left side?
2) As for the Title & Meter (I'm guessing Volume meter?)
3) I feel that it would be best if the following Icons were in that location:
File Open
Save
Save As
and the rest of what PGM uses, should be optional to use on not.
3a) All should be on by default and let the user turn them off if they want.

4) As for the Style,Tempo/Key/etc, Transport, snap, Loop & Counter. they all need to be one Grouping and can be relocated or floated if needed.

Clarification on the things should be made:
4) The Gray buttons you have for Tracks, Chords, Edit, Mix & Musicians, are they the same as what I put in my mockup.
4a) If so then also make that a group that could be moved or floated, and also if it is, then what is the Navigator?
5) FYI, the only reason I put them on the Left, is because, having things on both the top and bottom, only makes less room for the current view ares (Wide but not to tall).
5a) I Never saw in any DAW or Program for that matter with it set to the right.
With the exception of it having Both sides with something other that the Main view.
Mostly everybody's monitors today are wider that tall.

6) I feel that it may be best to first to define what groups should always be together (example: File.Save/Save as.......) and Transport controls, what should be with them?

7) Is the Time/Loop the timeline? and What to you mean by (Editable Chords)?

8) In the Options Details, I also feel that is where some of the editing could be done (Think of F5 on steroids)

9) Once we define the Main groups, then, I think we could better define the overall Main layout.

10) Where did the Radio bar go to?

Robert smile
1) Yes of course (like all apps), nobody is challenging that. (Well actually I talked to Peter three years ago about 650 items in the menu. He explained why (people who use screen readers) and they have been improving slowly over the years.)
2) Title = Title to song. (no change) Meter = I/O levels (no change)
3) Yes, you mentioned that, and we differ. (That is what I called a custom Toolbar)
3a) OK, it might be challenging for them to satisfy all old UI and new ideas as a default. I assume they would offer multiple themes.
4) Yes, your groups and mine are subtly different. PGM will ultimately decide. There is goodness in a few things being anchored.
4a) Navigator is a term used by some programs to show an "overview". I personally do not use it, but Rusty feels strongly about it.
5) All panels can show and hide. The nice thing about modern software is "panels" are really always there and populated with the current details. Modern Panels open much quicker than old Dialogue Windows and are much less intrusive.
5a) Most DAWs put detailed options/properties on the left and browsers/selections on the right. Some Video programs (and BB) put properties in the right.
6) Yes, I like that idea, but the customers will not always agree, and PGM is the final designer. All this is just food for thought.
7) Yes read: 1) Timeline 2) loop start/stop indicator 3) Chords that are associated with the bar-beat. In DAW language a Chord track (BB currently shows but does not allow to edit)
8) Exactly. Thing more than F5, think Chord Settings, Bar settings, Micro Chords, etc. They are all properties of a bar and beat.
9) Maybe, a) keep in mind we are just making suggestion, b) we will not all agree, c) a picture is worth a thousand words. PGM will not do a complete rewrite. They will look for things that are easy to do with the current code base.
10) Yes they are redundant. I do like your idea of showing current track while in chord view. Track view is obvious. Piano and score are also already shown. They give options to switch tracks so maybe that is another base global idea.

Earlier you asked about the grey buttons. Yes, they are in essence the same as your left buttons (main views). Chord and Track are the same, Edit is dynamic in that it opens a view for whatever track type you are on. Thís assume PGM will not support all the edits being accessible though the Tracks view at least for now, The mixer assumes they will not add the fuller mixer capability to the track view at least not yet. The Musician button is my "Common sense" name for the Multi Picker (you are picking musicians to generate).

Finals thoughts: As mentioned in my first post, the graphic layout is only half of the User Experience story. The other half is consistency with behavior (things you do with your hands). (see workflow videos in OP)

The input from everyone has been really good, but I would like to hear from more customers as well as more from PGM especially Peter.

Thanks

Last edited by jpettit; 01/19/25 11:07 AM.
Studio One (latest version), Win 11 23H2 , i9 -10940X 3.3 GHz, 32GB Mem, a 4K 40" monitor, PreSonus Studio Live III Console as interface/controller. secondarily test on Reaper, Cakewalk, and S1 on Surface Pro 3 Win 10 (latest versions).