THIS is what I WANT...

[mcphoto]

Beyond all the usual stuff people request for ProTools (say, delay compensation in LE?) This struck me the other day...

This is what I want to see in the interface.

That may seem a little "My First DAW" to some, but man, I'm a visual guy.

Create a site for users to upload/download icons, make it keyword searchable.

I'd spend a few extra minutes in a session to add these; Dealing with 20+ tracks, with only a few color choices, exactly NINE visible characters... I would LOVE this. anything that takes THINKING out of things like grabbing a fader? I'm all there.

[lwilliam]

Originally Posted by mcphoto

Beyond all the usual stuff people request for ProTools (say, delay compensation in LE?) This struck me the other day...

This is what I want to see in the interface.

That may seem a little "My First DAW" to some, but man, I'm a visual guy.

Create a site for users to upload/download icons, make it keyword searchable.

I'd spend a few extra minutes in a session to add these; Dealing with 20+ tracks, with only a few color choices, exactly NINE visible characters... I would LOVE this. anything that takes THINKING out of things like grabbing a fader? I'm all there.

That's kind of cool. I like it, but hadn't thought about it for PT. Logic Studio has a similar feature where you can load an icon (stock or custom) as a track identifier. It IS a little "Garageband" like, though. The "serious" pros may object to it - but it could simply be an option.

[justus1900]

Pro Tools can barely handle my songs as it is, IM sure adding some icons wouldnt help at all.

[mcphoto]

Yeah, I hear ya - I'm still on a dual G5, I seem to bounce a lot of tracks.

And yep, I could see it looking like consumer-kid stuff, but I'm filling up two 19' widescreens with PT, and the mix window really gets out of hand (see next post)... I'd love the "at-a-glance" knowledge of what track is what.

[mcphoto]

I think the mix window DESPERATELY NEEDS this:

Select a bunch of tracks (say, all of your drums) and choose something like "mix folder" (as opposed to mix groups).

Those tracks are then collapsed down into a narrrow "folder" type of track, which just shows an overall VU meter for the tracks in the folder (so you can spot overs, etc) and a naming box. Maybe solo & mute lights as well. If you have 12 drum tracks & auxes, and ten more tracks, suddenly your screen is reduced from 22 to 11 tracks. Click on the "folder" track (or an "expand" button or arrow on that track) and it expands back open (with maybe a couple-pixel wide stripe on each side of your drum tracks with a "close" arrow). This could happen in the edit window as well.

Unlike mix groups, there would be no summing or bussing or automating - it's just a visual cleanup tool.

I know it's possible to hide tracks, but if you have a buttload of hidden tracks and inactive tracks, things can get lost in that tiny text list (and a lot of my hidden/inactive tracks are stuff I'll likely never use, but they're there for safety). I think this is a way more sensible way to hide tracks.

This is a WIDELY ACCEPTED interface technique - think of layer groups in Photoshop or Folders in the Flash timeline, both around for years now. It's done to visually clean up a busy workspace. It's been around for years because it's simple and it works, and it's not a processing horsepower issue.

[spicemix]

Logic can do this, on the arrange side!

[nod25]

I hate icons. The option in Logic would be the first thing I'd disable.

I can 'see' the appeal this may have for some users, but to me it just screams amateur hour.

What WOULD be cool IMHO is like what you said — if a user could create their OWN icons/images etc. and not be forced to use a GarageBand type 'stock library' vector of a bass guitar for example.

But then there would need to be file size restrictions, and it would add to more bloat. PT needs to be purged, not fed.

YMMV.

[John_Toolbox]

Originally Posted by spicemix

Logic can do this, on the arrange side!

I actually like and use the icons in Logic all the time. I have templates with over 200 midi tracks, and while the track folders are also helpful it's really nice to be able to know when to stop scrolling if you're gong over 20 violin tracks and want to stop at the bass trombones.

[spicemix]

Logic lets you use your own icons... Google it.

[chrisdee]

I could not se an icon for the vocalist ?

But I like the idea. If this could be customized to upload our own icons/pictures of the instruments that was used in the session it would be even better