Scrollable Folders and multiple Automation Lanes, an Idea

RE: Scrollable Folders and multiple Automation Lanes, an Idea (MUSEd)

Thu, 21 May 2009 05:34:14 GMT

Just bumping this as I think this would be a great feature for the next version of Sonar (or even an update). While it is possible to put automation in a separate track it doesn't seem possible to do this per envelope and automatic creation of lanes is much easier to work with (as in the latest Reaper version, Podium or Cubase).

I would add that I hope the next version also adds some automation editing features - easier copy/paste, automation node smoothing/reduction, and a bezier curve mode (look at how it's implemented in Podium or Reaper - even Cubase is behind in that aspect).

RE: Scrollable Folders and multiple Automation Lanes, an Idea (frankandfree)

Thu, 15 May 2008 19:43:15 GMT

I am getting aware, the whole folder-thing shares its purpose with Sonars Hidden Tracks, as both methods want to provide a non-continuous view of the track list. HavenÂ´t thought about that yet because i donÂ´t hide tracks.

I can see that hiding tracks is a very straight forward way to acchieve that goal, but being more the visual type of user i couldnÂ´t really live with sounding tracks that i only can reach through a menue full of checkboxes and not having an apparent hint in the track view that they exist. I would very likely forget i did that and be very surprised at some point" />.

So it seems i avoid to hide tracks out of the same reason you both mentioned as argument against my idea. ThatÂ´s how people think different i guess. I do consistently hide midi channel strips in the console, though. Would like a button for that (hide/show all midi strips).

I would appreciate opinions towards multiple automation lanes, too.

Frank

Edited an additional thought

RE: Scrollable Folders and multiple Automation Lanes, an Idea (frankandfree)

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:12:02 GMT

ORIGINAL: rhythmeus

Looks cool, will make sense in situations where we have too many tracks or, synths included and want most or all tracks to fit in the current view

ORIGINAL: ...wicked

My only concern about it would be not being able to see tracks that aren't otherwise hidden. It would drive me batty if something was sounding off and I couldn't figure out what it was.

Yup, my worry too....might restrict my visibility to all tracks ..and that makes me wonder if, in addition to the above, or as an alternative, would the ability to have folders within folders help in anyway?

Thanks for the input

Tracks would not be "more hidden" as they are in a fully closed folder now.
Note, that the "vintage" buttons are all still there, so you could expand the folder any time to itÂ´s full content. So nobody would be forced to work with this feature at all and any combinations would be possible.
Plus you have the numbering and the scrollbar-size telling you that thereÂ´s more in the folder.
Basically it would mean a third step between fully closed and fully opened. So you can monitor the relevant tracks in the folder without clutter.

IÂ´d like that for example in the folders that the synth rack creates, at edit time i would only display the midi and at mixing time only the audio track and can cange which i see with just a wheely fingertip.

I dont quite see the point with foldes in folders. A track in a folder in a folder would be hidden even deeper, or not? HavenÂ´t thought about that enough yet. When would i need that?

RE: Scrollable Folders and multiple Automation Lanes, an Idea (rhythmeus)

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:48:10 GMT

Looks cool, will make sense in situations where we have too many tracks or, synths included and want most or all tracks to fit in the current view

ORIGINAL: ...wicked

My only concern about it would be not being able to see tracks that aren't otherwise hidden. It would drive me batty if something was sounding off and I couldn't figure out what it was.

Yup, my worry too....might restrict my visibility to all tracks ..and that makes me wonder if, in addition to the above, or as an alternative, would the ability to have folders within folders help in anyway?

RE: Scrollable Folders and multiple Automation Lanes, an Idea (...wicked)

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:36:24 GMT

Looks pretty cool. I wonder how it would test.

My only concern about it would be not being able to see tracks that aren't otherwise hidden. It would drive me batty if something was sounding off and I couldn't figure out what it was.

Scrollable Folders and multiple Automation Lanes, an Idea (frankandfree)

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:57:41 GMT

I had an idea to enhance the Track View and would like to bring it onto the discussion table:
HereÂ´s a pic iÂ´ve thrown together:

The main idea are drag- and scrollable folders. You would just ALT-Drag the bottom of a Foldertrack to reveal just the portion of the folder content you like to see. As you can see, folders would be scrollable to your liking with the bars. (perhaps by SHIFT Mousewheel also?). The folder header would show the numbers of the first and last track it contains (would like to see that anyway)
That way you can easily have a track thats inside a large folder at the top of the list as a reference while working on a track deep down the list for example, and have the interesting parts of your piece always at view without dragging tracks to and fro.
IÂ´ve added grey lines that show in the clips pane too, because i thought it would be cool to see the hierarchie there. A nice addition could be if the folders would be dragged from there too.

Track 14 in the picture shows how multiple Automation lanes could be nicely integrated into Track View. ItÂ´s admittedly similar to how itÂ´s done in Logic, but with the extra benefit of scroll- and dragability as well as faders for easy editing of the entire automation envelope in question, like compression and offset. And a nice button to delete the envelope. This all would greatly diminuish the menue hopping for creating and deleting envelopes.

YouÂ´d just click on the icon (here a green arrow, a lightbulb would have been suitable too" />) to reveal another lane or hide it. The name field would be a drop down list of available parameters. Note, that the envelopes on the actual track 14 are dimmed. Envelopes that are not present as seperate lanes should not be dimmed and therefore editable right in the track as we are used to. Also, there is a dimmed representation of the clips in the envelope lanes (not editable).

Please discuss.

Frank