I would be concerned with the eventual pains resulting from having the arm stretched without support, and in tension, for prolongued periods, when interfacing for hours with a touch screen monitor.

For me, a pen or pencil are still the ideal interface for inputting info, followed by the keybord. So a pen and tablet are great, but not for music when I perform, because I have trouble finding the pen without looking. So I use the mouse for that.

If I were to do a lot of detailed editing of waves and MIDI data, though, I would use a tablet and pen.


Another reason I don't use my tablet and pen in the music setup is that I don't have space for a tablet. I have two keyboards there, and I like the wireless mouse that needs no pad or tablet.

I would like to hear from those into touch screen and/or pen-pad interfaces this:

How do they relate to two screen setups?

Do tablet-pens now available blend in with two screens, as many use with Sonar?

What about touch screens, can you have one touch type, and one not touch type?

Can one also have a tablet-pen with those combinations?

Thanks!

DaneStewart

Kalle Rantaaho


I had the chance to test a touch screen recently. After a short test my prejudice got enhanced. Sonar UI should be totally redesigned for touch screen use (or my fingertips need surgical operation), and I couldn't work with my arm lifted for hours.

Ouch! THAT sounds self-abusive.

Kalle,
We put the monitor FLAT my friend!
Or on a very soft angle. Just like a mixing console, with an armrest in front of it.

;-)

~DPS

That would mean a double screen setup and it's out of the question in my case. Also, a 22 inch touch screen would require keeping your arms lifted no matter how you position the screen unless you have fingers 8 inches long.

OK,
My last attempt at an explanation here.

Touch-screens will not be perfect for every user.
No, you would NEVER leave the screen vertical, nor would you simple tilt it back on its own stand.
To be properly useful it must be built into a custom desk - like an ARGOSY for example.
The desk would be like a MIXING CONSOLE. Meaning a full length, thick, weight-bearing armrest pad would be all along the front edge of the desk. Exactly like a mixing console.
The SONAR screen would therefor be positioned exactly where all the usual knobs and faders are found on mixing consoles.
You never spend time with your arms suspended in the air. Just like you didn't have to on a mixing console.
The narrow rim of many monitors means that the controls would generally be even CLOSER to your hands than on many large mixing consoles, thus making arm fatigue even LESS of a potential problem.

Here is a picture of the general concept.
This one is kind of overkill, but just take out the Mackie Mixer and drop your Touch-Screen monitor in its place.
http://www.argosyconsole....igital8bus_70D8BC.html

~DPS

im using a sony vaio 15.5 inch laptop and the touch feature isn't bad.  I wish there was a way to zoom in on the screen for finer adjustments.  even on a larger screen this would be handy.  is this possible?

Ive been using a Dell XPS18 i7 which ia a 18 inch tablet for about six months. Its a great piece of kit completely changed the way I use Sonar.
I usually use it on my lap, but it has flip out legs that allow it to stand up like a monitor or lay it down like a mixer.
The touch aspect is awesome, but sadly you still need a mouse to be productive because there is no right click emulation available. I really would love to be able to use it without a mouse and am trying to work arrounds for the areas where touch hasnt been implemented fully.
After all my ultimate workspace would be a hammock in the backyard

A couple of things can help a lot when trying to use a touch screen.
I have found setting the default system text size to %125 improves the general usability
Its very useful to be able to change screen resolutions quickly. I uses HRC - Hotkey Resolution Changer to flick between three screen resolutions instantly when I am using a keyboard.
When I am just using the tablet by itself I use the Windows Magnifier. This in particular has changed the whole way I work. For example, if I am setting an envelope I can zoom in until only the controls I am focusing on are visible.
So a Rapture envelope window ends up being 350mm wide and 200mm high. Might look stupid but it makes tweaking a whole lot more satisfying than pecking away with that antiquated monstrosity known as a mouse.
 
The whole way I look at the plugin interfaces has changed. I used to think that the retro interfaces with their knobs and switches were a pointless distraction which might lead me to mix visually rather than use my earsw.
One of my favourite features in Project 5 was the way you could assign any controls to bars in the inspector and get rid of custom gui's completely
Now I zoom right in just to what I need. 
Because there in no right mouse click in Sonar touch, the last piece of software I use is a app called Touchmousepoint. Wothout it you cant really do much with sonar on a tablet. Its not ideal though.
 
 
 

Old thread alert. This thread was started in 2010. Lot of changes since then.

Old thread notwithstanding, there are software solutions to help work with a touch screen and Sonar. As recently mentioned there is a freeware virtual mouse to be found by searching for "lovesummertrue." I use their TouchMousePointer for right clicking and I also find it to be a bit cumbersome. It works, but Sonar having a touch and hold function for right click etc. would be a significantly better solution. At the same site they also have a bit of freeware for pinch and zoom; TouchZoomDesktop. It works well enough also but, once again, having more robust  pinch & zoom functions built into Sonar would enhance productivity. Having to open and close bits of third party software to achieve basic functionality interrupts your workflow. In addition, I use the "ease of access" keyboard found in Windows control panel as it has more keys available for Sonar's keyboard shortcuts and can be minimized to provide more screen real estate. This is an important consideration for me as I'm using a 15.6" GeChic OnLap touch screen to control a mini PC built into my pedal board as I try to strike a balance between portability and usability. Yesterday, I added a $10 bit of software from synergy-project.org which allows me to use my mouse and keyboard from a desktop pc to add these functions to my mobile mini-pc via software and network when in studio. Preliminary impression is thumbs up for easily added functionality. I'm a big fan of Sonar in general but, for me, the touch screen functionality is half baked. A quick look at Cantible 3's touch screen functions on YouTube are all that's needed to see that Sonar needs work in this area and it can't come soon enough for me. Cmon bakers; make it happen!
 
p.s. Thanks for the description of your use of the magnifier. I'll give it a second look...

Revenant threads are always the best
(Thanks to AT for giving me this excellent 'word of the week' -look it up)
Thanks for your top tips Vade.
I wasn't aware of that version of the onscreen keyboard. Its much better than the default.
The TouchZoomDesktop also looks most interesting.
 
Your comment, 
"I'm using a 15.6" GeChic OnLap touch screen to control a mini PC built into my pedal board"
has got my imagination in Hmmmmmmmmm... mode. You may have planted a GAS germ.....
What kind of pedal board and computer?
 
J