Practical, Simple Changes (we would like:)

[Tassy]

I start this thread to suggest some SIPMLE, PRACTICAL changes in Mixbus.
If you want some complicated things you use once in a lifetime, it is not the proper place to talk about

Some examples like that:
- COLOUR: The colour of the tracks shoud be easy to select with option to select it for groups as well. The present caleidoscope solution is not practical as a user.
a simple chart woud do to select from. I have never succeded to dial up two similar colours
- PLUGIN PARAMETERS: The bar-like parameter list in th plugin box is not practical, though seems to be, but it is not.
I tell you why: because we use plugins and not bars, we are familiar with the plugin interface, where the knobs and sliders are, where to move them for tweaking, and also memorising the look of the settings for different purposes. It is a minute to find what we want in the interface. It takes long with the bars

This bars makes a barier for our brain to learn the plug, to set them similarly or differently.
Also takes place from inserting more plugs.
Complicate the softvare, consume more CPU.
I never use them.

- Buss: when routing some channels to busses (not mixbusses) the buss input list offered should be in the same order as the tracks are arranged in the edit and mixer wiew. Now it is hard fo find what input I want.

This was just to show what I mean practical and simple

Thanks a lot if they can be solved in the future updates
Tassy

[nachoestasborracho]

A very little thing: when searching plugins I'd like to have by default a general search (not filtered by author or name) because sometimes i can't remember a name or sometimes i preffer to see all the plugs of an author and choose from them, but i have to go and select that from the category filter.

I think a general search would work to nail any all purpose search quickly and well filtered by the search itself.

[Tassy]

You are just partly right. There are no author or name, but creator and category.
Do not forget that the plugin manager is great to offer favorite or hide.

There are plugs with more than 2 in/outputs that Mixbus cannot use. It is great that I can eliminate/hide them from the scolldown menu in Mixbus, though, they stay in my PC and can be used by any other application for certain purposes.

The option by CREATOR helps to find sometimes. It is good. Even makes me remember the creator I have forgotten

The option by CATEGORY (analysis, mastering etc) is of NO use, since Mixbus has not the slightest idea what plug is used for what, (eg.: Ozone is a typical mastering plug but Mixbus does not consider it so and cannot be found in the mastering category) so the category option could be really removed.

Thousands of Mixbus users have more thousands of different plugs so it would be in vain to expect Mixbus to sort them correctly by category all around the world

[nachoestasborracho]

I really like the plugin manager and it's sorting capabilities. Sorry for the mess with the words (that's the way i remembered the filter options hehe).

What i was trying to say was not to remove any of it's options but set a "no filter" default search (that may, though, filter out the hidden plugins), so if you are trying to load something quickly and can't remember the name but the company or the other way around, you can find it without messing with the search filters.

Then, if you only wanted to search by author, name, favs, etc, you could change to that filters.

It just came to my mind that, sometimes i'd really like to just press enter and load the selected plugins, or double click if i'm just looking for only one plugin, without the Add and then Insert steps.

That specific "one plugin load" could be triggered with a modifier like Ctrl + double click on the plugin.

What do you guys think of speedying this little procedures like this?

[Tassy]

I really like the plugin manager and it's sorting capabilities. Sorry for the mess with the words (that's the way i remembered the filter options hehe).

What i was trying to say was not to remove any of it's options but set a "no filter" default search (that may, though, filter out the hidden plugins), so if you are trying to load something quickly and can't remember the name but the company or the other way around, you can find it without messing with the search filters.

Then, if you only wanted to search by author, name, favs, etc, you could change to that filters.

It just came to my mind that, sometimes i'd really like to just press enter and load the selected plugins, or double click if i'm just looking for only one plugin, without the Add and then Insert steps.

That specific "one plugin load" could be triggered with a modifier like Ctrl + double click on the plugin.

What do you guys think of speedying this little procedures like this?

Now I see what you ment: seeing all the plugs by default in a list without making favorite all of them.

- Another wish crossed my mind when saving plugin settings:
An option to save the whole "plugin chain" in a track.

- As to speeding up: the copied or dragged plug from a track should appear "active" in the new track.

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Nex time I use Quick Reply, did not want to quote the whole.
This surface also I am to learn

[Support@Harrison]

This is an EXCELLENT thread. Thanks Tassy!

I've made a few comments below:

1) track coloring is handled differently in v3. I will make it a point to keep the selection of colors small.

2) plugin sliders: these are handled very differently in v3 ( see this post )

3) bus ordering in the connection list: good suggestion

4) plugin searching: Use the Plugin Manager window. type anything into the top text area, and it will filter on that text. For example when I want the 3D Delay, I type "3d" and it immediately appears in the list. Or if I am looking for EQs I just type "eq". You can also filter on manufacturer or other fields. Ah, I see, you already found this

5) plugin category: some plugins fill in the "category" while others don't. The LV2 plugin spec has very good support for categories. AU has support for categories but they never posted a suggested list of categories, so in practice they only break into instruments vs plugins. VST has no support for categories.

6) Adding a single plugin faster from the plugin manager: good idea.

7) saving the whole plugin chain: this is in development

8) copied plugins should be active: I agree but there are some other issues with plugin copying which be solved first.

[Gálosi László]

Okay here is my list, I also posted on in the Keyboard and navigation topic.

1., In my experience Logic has the most comfortable, and fast zooming feature with the option control selcting the zoom tool, and dragging a rectangle around the area to be zoomed, and option+control double click back to previous zoom level. I tried a some DAW (Pro Tools, Cubase, Abléeton Live, Samplitude, Reaper, even Digital Performer) besides Mixbus, and the zoom tool was the most efficient way of zooming and navigating, at least to me. I always use keyboard shortcuts for everything except zooming, and navigating,

2.. Zoom states. ProTools and Logic has its feature for horizontal and vertical zoom snapshots, I know Mixbus has similar but it works a bit quirky, cause its saves the horizontal position of the view, not much use for editing. I usually use 3 or 4 zoom states, one for overview the a track, one where in case of vocal each line is visilble enough, one for precise zero cross editing (eg. breaths are visible enough), and fading, and one for sample precise phase accurate editing, and switch between during editing with the number shortcuts (I customize this to the number keys, as in Pro Tools)

3., Mixbus Command + Wheel ihorizontal and Option+Wheel vertical zooming is enough quick, but I miss the quick return to its previous zoom level, the Shift+Z is a bit uncomfortable for the fingers, after mousing, so maybe Option+Command for horizontal and Option+Shift+Command for vertical zoom return could be nice.

4., Zoom (Widht+Height) F key, I rarerely us, because the waveform display in this view is too compact, can't see the future editing points enough to use, I like the ProTools and Logic way of similar function better, where only the horizontal zoom level changes.

5., Track heights: I miss the shortcuts for different track heights, again for organizing and quick workflow, I use the Optio+Wheel for vertical zooming on a track I'm wotking on, or automating to a nice and instant visual cue (in case of 80 tracks is a must to not get lost) and then I'm fone with editing, or automating I shrink them to the normal or smallest height, cause In the smallest height, I can't easily mess the automation I created with accidental clicks on the automation lane. So a quick way of changing selected tracks height, would be nice.

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-And someone mentioned in other threads, how cool would be to copy channel strip settings, (eq, comp, mixbus assignments) between tracks.
-And I also add to the roter window, a search field for track names, to find easily the I/O assignment, in case of 80 tracks it takes ages to scroll through, when I find the 62. track named Vox Delay for example, and in case of strereo tracks there are 1 and 2
Automation:
-Automation copy between tracks would be nice, or keyboard shortcuts for automation modes, because you can copy momental automation level via read/write mode changing, but you always forget to switch back from writing, maybe an automatic change to touch mode after finishet writes (eq. playback stop) would be nice too.
-Automation lock, for selected tracks, which prevents accidental editing via mouse clicks..
-Automation trimming would be the icing on the cake!)

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momental=momentary sorry for typos.

[Tassy]

Some more simple things:

1 .Saved Template opens just in edit view, though saved with both edit and mixer view open.
Mainly in extended monitors it would save time not to "toogle between...resizing by mouse etc

2. In edit view the horizontal volume bar might be selected in a group just alone as solo and mute bottons can be Alt+...
Its fader brother in the mixer view can be selected alone in a group by Alt, so OK.

3. In edit view the "g" group button offers only "no group" though I have 5 groups in mixer view. I see it has another function but a bit disturbing first.

4. Adding treck/buss might have an option: "insert" track.
It is frequant that a mono channel is to be changed for a stereo because of the stereo plugs we have. If the new track is put at the end of the tracks, as now, it is hard to get it below the one we want to change.

If the "insert" track would add the track just below the one in question (where we clicked on) the draging of the wave just one track down and deleting the mono track becomes easy.

5. Add buss (not mixbus) would be practical to appear at the end of the tracks, because in mixer view all the "Busses" mixbus and buss would be at the same place, on the right side of the screen.

6. In Plugin Manager the list in alphabetic order would be great! (where we select favorite/hide)

Thanks
Tassy

[Ben@Harrison]

Hi Björn,

That's a great idea! We've have had some similar plans for a while. and we will accommodate lyrics in a future version.

Best,
Ben

[Boydbob]

The Section markers are difficult to read.
Let the User pick the color and fonts.

How about a track type that holds text blocks - these could be lyrics, production notes, or whatever is needed.
Boyd