Helpful ReplyTouchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors?

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Jesse G
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2015/06/29 17:34:47 (permalink)

Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors?

Hello All.
 
I am seriously considering switching my standard computer monitors over to touch screen monitors and I wanted to know how those of you who have already switched to touch screen feel about the decision you made.  I am a Sonar X3e user and I may upgrade to Sonar Platinum especially since Windows 10 will come out at the end of July.
 
 Question:
  • Is moving around on the screen with your finger easier than using a mouse? 
  • What about the mouse movement which requires clicking and dragging, how is that performed with Touch screen?
  • Do you have accurate control over the Faders and pan pot movements and any other type of dials or buttons?
  • Are you limited in any way to mixing in the console view and tracking in the track view?
  • How about inserting FX, and selecting Virtual instruments?
  • How about writing automation,
  • Since I own a MCU I don't use shortcuts, so how about pressing buttons and enabling and disabling functions in Sonar. Will the touch screen be sensitive enough to detect a slight touch for lets say 1db decrease or increase or the movement of 1cm?
Micro Center in my area have a few 24 inch monitors on sale and depending on the reviews here, I may invest in them.
 
 
Thanks for any responses you provide in advance.
post edited by Jesse G - 2015/06/29 17:51:10

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tomixornot
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/01 23:05:54 (permalink)
I've tested out touch screen once, at a time when Sonar was just one revision short of supporting it, on Windows 7, not the ideal touch screen platform. I was thinking the OS would translate touches to mouse events, and I was doing only one test - to mix a song using touch screen. But that didn't work well with Sonar at that time, so I was actually testing it with Reaper. The fader size is similar to Sonar, and Reaper works well responding to touches.
 
However, my conclusion that touch screen is not for me due to the fader being too small to make fine adjustment on my 21" Dell. It may be better on a 27" or larger screen, but that means you have to spread your arms out. If you mock up a touch screen practical for your use, you'll imagine how close the monitor needs to be placed in front of you.
 
I think Sonar's fader needs to have feature to be re sized in order to mix with touch screen. Not completely rule it out yet, I'm still thinking touch screen may work well for step sequencer drums programming. As I'm still on Windows 7, and I can't touch-hold to delete a step sequencer note, but folks here responded that this is possible, presumably on Windows 8 or greater.
post edited by tomixornot - 2015/07/01 23:13:11

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#2
gswitz
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/01 23:42:05 (permalink)
Works well for me. I use it most when I am one of the performers being recorded. For hard mixing, I'm usually sitting back with the mouse.

I love it for live mixing and first drafting.

I will only buy touch screens. I will not add another non touch monitor. They get covered in fingerprints when I try to touch them anyway and I get frustrated.

Precision works fine for my needs. And it is multi touch so you can move several faders at once.

It works ok with a friend where you each have your own FX, but only one effect can be in focus at a time. If you both need to tweak at the same time, you could map to pro channel effect chains and that would work so you could both tweak separate effects at the same time.

Anyway, given that touch screens really aren't that expensive these days, I'd suggest it. You want ten point touch if you can afford it.

StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen.
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Kamikaze
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/02 00:51:54 (permalink)
I've wondered if a stylus would make my touch screen usable. I sometimes use the touch to select and the plus and minus keys to make the changes.

 
#4
LJB
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/02 04:57:56 (permalink)
Ya, I'd like to hear more opinions here as well. What screens do you guys use? Pros and cons?

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fireberd
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/02 06:39:38 (permalink)
I just got a new Toshiba (i7 CPU) with touch screen (yesterday).  I'll be installing Sonar Platinum on it and will report back how it works after I get it set up.  I plan to use this for my on-site recordings. 

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tomixornot
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/02 10:30:22 (permalink)
(out of topic) For none touch screen, I found that the bigger 39" - 40" LCD TV are priced relatively close to 27" computer monitor.

Albert


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Kamikaze
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/02 11:10:06 (permalink)
MInes a laptop, full HD, 15.5", so it's too small really for controlled touchscreen use, hence the stylus idea

 
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Brando
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/03 00:49:50 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby larsoncj 2015/07/25 14:41:36
I have a 27" Dell 2714T touchscreen monitor and another 27" non-touch monitor. Touch is not ready for primetime in SONAR Platinum.
i initially set up my console view  to fill the touchscreen monitor which i angled on my desk, below my non tkuch monitor. But anything in console view that necessitates a right click is not enabled (you have to use a mouse). So you end up switching between touch and the mouse and realize early that you save all kinds of time by just using the mouse and forgetting about touch altogether.
i love touch outside of sonar, and have no doubt sonar will eventually catch up. But it is painfully slow as there have been no significant updates to touch since it was rolled out 4 years ago (5?). I see Studio One just enhanced their touch implementation, so i am going to give that a try. Can't be worse (more hobbled) than SONAR's implementation currently.
i love sonar but would not recommend investing in touch just for using it in sonar. 

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Kamikaze
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/03 01:37:39 (permalink)
I wonder if a control bar 'right click' icon would be enough to open up the options.

 
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Brando
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/03 07:40:22 (permalink)
Windows convention for right click on touch is press&hold. That works everywhere in windows except in sonar. Problem with a button on control bar is you limit yourself on where you can place the control bar (or travel "miles" between where you are and your control bar), and the bigger problem - how do you (and SONAR) maintain focus on what it is you are trying to right click?
post edited by Brando - 2015/07/03 09:57:06

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Rob[at]Sound-Rehab
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/03 12:20:40 (permalink)
tomixornot
I've tested out touch screen once, at a time when Sonar was just one revision short of supporting it, on Windows 7, not the ideal touch screen platform. I was thinking the OS would translate touches to mouse events, and I was doing only one test - to mix a song using touch screen. But that didn't work well with Sonar at that time, so I was actually testing it with Reaper. The fader size is similar to Sonar, and Reaper works well responding to touches.
 



I was an early adopter myself, testing this probably shortly after you ... Win7 64 bit, X1 released already ...
 
BTW, I remember right click working back then (press + hold) but that might just have been in other aux audio applications like line 6 editor, etc ... despite that I consider it a lousy workaround because with a mouse a right click is a quick access to functionality while press + hold is the opposite (time wasted, flow hindered) ...
 
Overall, I was very enthusiastic first, but after a short while I got into control surfaces ... and touch doesn't get anywhere close. it's just too "eye driven" ... you need to look closely and hit the precise place on a tiny knob or fader while on a control surface you do things just by glancing over your shoulder or even hitting rec, undo, etc blind folded
 
 

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fireberd
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/03 13:03:13 (permalink)
I got Sonar Platinum loaded on my new touch screen PC this morning.  A quick test and I don't think I'll be using touch screen with Sonar.  My "big" fingers tend to touch too much.  A touch screen stylus would probably work better.

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TerraSin
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/03 13:56:49 (permalink)
Ahh if only the Slate Raven MTX worked with Sonar. :(
post edited by TerraSin - 2015/07/03 14:03:03
#14
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/06 12:09:45 (permalink)
Touch is, again, only a method for input, not the only method.  It is a supplement to a mouse and keyboard, not the final solution.
 
I have a 23-inch touch slanted below my "see screen," and it works well for certain functions.  Of course, this is on Win 7, which is 10 point touch but not well integrated.  I expect better from 10 when available.
 
I don't use it with any delicate operations and I haven't found a way to make use of multiple faders or vol automation - I just use a mouse.  And no pinch in Win 7.  But it is great for flicking the screen forward, many soft synths (I love touch w/ pads) and other functions.  As above, it is a means to an end, not the end itself.  As touch screen prices drop and become more of a replacement for non-touch screens, you'll find better integration w/ software.  But at this point they are still 2 or 3 X the price, so it might not be worth it for you.
 
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Kamikaze
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/07/06 12:34:25 (permalink)
Brando
Windows convention for right click on touch is press&hold. That works everywhere in windows except in sonar. Problem with a button on control bar is you limit yourself on where you can place the control bar (or travel "miles" between where you are and your control bar), and the bigger problem - how do you (and SONAR) maintain focus on what it is you are trying to right click?


I was thinking, drop the control bar to the bottom of the screen, ad the icon to the far left of the control bar. the least travel as you'd be over the screen with your right hand and the left hand can stabilise against the bottom left edge.

 
#16
garyhb
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/08/03 15:10:05 (permalink)
Hi
I snapped up an open-box HannsG HT231 23" 10-point for £110 to see if touch would work. Of course, CW might be enabling Sonar to be touch-compliant, but the interface needs to be designed ergonomically to fit the proportions of the human finger! That said, I have to agree with others as only a few things are implemented properly as of yet. Console buttons, knobs etc., VST & media drag 'n' drop from the media browser, ProChannel plugins and fx bins are still hard to use. I emailed tech support and suggested they had a look at Presonus new live audio software which is designed for touch screen. Track pinch and zoom seems to randomly zoom in/out too much sometimes, tapping on each new fader/button etc. requires a tap to focus on it before using. And yes, you still nee a keyboard and mouse.  
 
Having said that, I've been having some fun with it. The matrix is great to use, and moving my hand and arm over the console is something like moving across a real desk, except you then touch glass and not a real control. If you're like me and spent decades operating analog desks, it's a nice 'retro' experience. I really love using the new virtual keyboard when auditioning samples and have started using it to input simple instrument lines in real time and edit midi with it by touch.
 
I keep my control bar at the bottom and my screen is lying at about 30 degrees from horizontal. I'm going to build a new desk and will integrate the screen in to the desk top. If I bought again, I'd get a 27".
 
All in all - touch on Sonar has a lot of potential and has some uses now, but I don't think it's a serious proposition yet. Good to play with though.
 
Hope this helps!
 
Best
 
Gary 

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#17
bapu
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Re: Touchscreen use in Sonar, is it worth investing in new PC monitors? 2015/08/04 10:48:37 (permalink)
I'll consider a touch screen when these following events happen
 
1. My Tascam FW-1884 control surface is no longer supported
2. My 30" Dell monitor dies
 
And they kind of have to happen at exactly the same time.
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