Sonar X2 * : Need RE:DESIGN Console.

make sure your voice is heard, post here http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/FeatureRequest.asp

...with a toggle-able option to "always have console folders follow track folders layout" (enable / disable).

like that console folders idea too.

The X2 console is an area where I think Cakewalk went completely the wrong way compared to 8.5 (most notably in relation to size, not functionality). Here's my list of needed updates:


1. Create a scalable Console View. What's the point of having a dockable console view if the console channels are entirely too large to be useful when docked? The console view should shrink based on the size. I don't need the full channels, but maybe just a volume and a pan slider. See Reaper for how to implement this properly. This probably means using vectors rather than bitmaps for the Console View, but I'd happily welcome this. 

2. Thinner channels. I hate this about X2. I see way too few channels open at a given time. Thinner strips would be better. And I know, there are thin strips and wide strips...really there should be a happy medium between the two with no selectable sizes. Just shave a few pixels in width from the wide strips.

3. Make more effects visible and use smaller font in the FX bins. I'd really like to see more effects visible in the bin at a given time (maybe 5 or 6) with smaller fonts for the text. Next to the volume and pan sliders, the effects bin is my used area of the console.

4. Full screen mode. When I'm in mixing mode, I don't need to see anything other than the console. There should be a true full screen mode for the console where everything else (including the control bar, menu, etc.) is no longer visible. See Cubase 7.

5. Add more Quick Group keyboard modifiers. I love how I can Quick Group faders, but I'd like to see Alt added as a keyboard modifier for Quick Groups in the mixer. If two (or more) channels are selected and I'm holding down the Alt key while decreasing the volume of one fader, the other faders volume should increase by the same amount. If I increase the volume of one fader while holding Alt, the other volume of the other faders should decrease. This would be super helpful for things like adjusting the snare top/bottom balance or the kick in/out balance. I'd also like to see holding the Shift key allowing for making very small changes (if this isn't already in there). See the BFD2 mixer modifiers.

6. Move the channel EQ to the Pro-Channel. Now that the expandable/collapsable Pro Channel is here, the channel EQ should get placed with the other Pro-Channel effects in the Console View. 

Bonus Feature REQ: Improved routing. I hate the fact that busses and tracks are treated as two different things. They should be merged, and the output of one track should be able to be routed (and even recorded) to the input of any other track like a buss. This would allow me to record the ouptut of one track as the input on another for something like Realtime bounces, or just crazy routing configurations for some really insane effects. See Reaper. 

I think I like all the ideas being offered here. Good work guys.

John T


Not sure I quite get the "move the channel EQ to the ProChannel" thing. I think it's really useful to have the small EQ plot on every channel.

You'd still have it, you'd just need to expand the PC module to see it.


And FWIW - I think I've submitted Feature Requests for all of these, some going back a few years (like the keyboard modifiers).

You know you can hide the EQ plot, if you like. Somewhat annoyingly, though, it's part of a group under "ProChannel", so if you hide that, you also hide the PC post and power buttons.

The thing I like about having the Channel EQ visible is that you can quickly & easily copy the entire EQ settings from one channel to any other, just by ctrl + dragging.

I'd like to have more sends visible, not over bothered about Folders.

Now that all of my Fx are in the PC, I no longer use the Fx bin and hide it completely.

Microtonic


I would like to see such console design in the next Sonar's updates. Why CW doesn't do it instantly? It is rather obviously, that such thing is needed.

MORE SENDS... 



Original size


MORE INSERT FX:

 

Original size

TRACK FOLDER IN CONSOLE: 



Original size

I don't like this, dont make it smaller!
Its always people on old 800x 600 that complain and think that everything is huge. Upgrade your screen full HD 1920 x1080 and you will see its not huge.
 
Follow the ideas in Cubase 7 mixer instead with "list" and resizable GUI.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMlEg2nPHAI
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7iuodLu8A4&list=SPcZ1vtdmuI2OCVUQfIidID7ZRVgA47jPO&index=4