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Old 08-08-2014, 04:18 AM   #1
daexpert
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Default Reaper Is Disorganized And Lacks Cohesiveness

Although I do love the look of Reaper with the Rado 4, Reaborn, Reaborn 2, and Imperial themes, bere are some things which takes the fun out of composing in reaper. It's like I have to fight the program to get anything done. Everything is more tedious and confusing than it has to be.

1. The FX-browser is ugly, looks and feels like it's tacked on, can't properly dock it on the side.

2. The media-explorer also looks and feels like it's tacked on, and you can't properly dock it on the side.

3. The routing window looks horrendous.

4. The automation window looks horrendous.

5. The box surround your vst's when you click on the FX button looks horrendous.

6. The menu's are long, confusing, and disorganized. They need to be streamlined, tidied up, and simplified.

I don't think these problems are terribly difficult to fix, but until they are, Reaper will really be lacking something
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Old 08-08-2014, 04:39 AM   #2
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Yeah this is pretty much true. The lack of ability to skin these components or manipulate them in any way is a source of frustration.

I like the routing window but I hate having to tilt my head to read the labels. It can be really difficult to see what's going on with a large project.

The box around the VST is a curse and a blessing at the same time. I love being able to flick between plugins but then find myself constantly frustrated with aspects of this. Things get really messy when you undock the plugins too. It also feels like a huge waste of space to see a big empty box down the LHS of the plugin.
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Old 08-08-2014, 05:59 AM   #3
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7. Once you've opened 4+ fx windows, they always start covering the undo button meaning closure of window after window before you can get to iiiitttttt!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 08-08-2014, 06:10 AM   #4
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The other issues are unfortunate but #6 is the biggest annoyance.

They should really consider taking a page from the ReaMenus thing (only make sure it's actually complete ReaMenus is missing a lot of default functions + assumes SWS existance).

Default menus especially View menu are kinda laughable
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Old 08-08-2014, 06:18 AM   #5
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so. and because Reaper looks ugly at some points (subjective view) and because you are not able to get to fit it your workflow, you cant get your work done?? poor musicians ...

so for the windows I am not interested in how they look in the first place. and if you open windows, they take space on your screen. if you dont like it, dont open them. ah, yes, I see, you need them. so be it. they take space on the screen. I would say: live with it, or get yorself another DAW whose windows dont take up place on the screen.

palmfacing ...
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Old 08-08-2014, 06:23 AM   #6
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The bigger picture: For $60 you can't have the world. Reaper has a lot of great functionality for the money but it may never be as consistent on the general UI front as some other apps.

It's a give and take with them all. If you look at the overall UI of the app it was initially kinda modeled after, Vegas, it's also not the prettiest thing ever created.

Does this plugin UI below (the complete lack of any skinning, the sliders for controls instead of knobs, etc) ... erhmmm.... look ... familiar?



Actually, the Vegas design looks better and more practical to me. Not using 3d fader caps and fader groove lane graphics everywhere and using the overall UI space better. Not to mention (above) the entire FX chain is always accessible at the top of the window.



But yeah, you can see the family history there in the plugin windows.

Last edited by Lawrence; 08-08-2014 at 07:04 AM.
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Old 08-08-2014, 07:32 AM   #7
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Yup, feel free to spend $1200 on Samplitude or $600 on Cubase.
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Old 08-08-2014, 08:15 AM   #8
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Some of the skins look better than any other daw, it's the secondary screens that are butt ugly. It's my hope that someday everything will be skinnable.
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Old 08-08-2014, 08:29 AM   #9
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What a stupid thread

If it offends you so much, use another (more handsome)DAW
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Old 08-08-2014, 08:52 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
It's like I have to fight the program to get anything done. Everything is more tedious and confusing than it has to be.

I don't think these problems are terribly difficult to fix, but until they are, Reaper will really be lacking something
These 'problems' are predominantly about looks. Purely cosmetic.

I like this program for this reason.

When you get more familiar with it you might appreciate the focus on functionality over looks. And looks as they say are only skin deep
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:33 AM   #11
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1 Yes Vegas is much cleaner leaner and more usable for the fx panel
2 Looks do not equal usability.....WTF ? seriously, do you do everything with your eyes closed, have you never moved to a different app with the exact same functionality of a previous app and thought "Yep this sucks"
3 When somebody states the truth about your app/messiah of choice, this does not mean they want to eat your children or burn your face, stop being so defensive hahahaha, discussion is a good thing
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:41 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
Although I do love the look of Reaper with the Rado 4, Reaborn, Reaborn 2, and Imperial themes, bere are some things which takes the fun out of composing in reaper. It's like I have to fight the program to get anything done. Everything is more tedious and confusing than it has to be.

1. The FX-browser is ugly, looks and feels like it's tacked on, can't properly dock it on the side.

2. The media-explorer also looks and feels like it's tacked on, and you can't properly dock it on the side.

3. The routing window looks horrendous.

4. The automation window looks horrendous.

5. The box surround your vst's when you click on the FX button looks horrendous.

6. The menu's are long, confusing, and disorganized. They need to be streamlined, tidied up, and simplified.

I don't think these problems are terribly difficult to fix, but until they are, Reaper will really be lacking something
Let's see...

1. Ugly, sure. But I don't spend time staring at it. Open, type some keyword in to filter down, scroll with the mousewheel, select and close. It's efficient. I don't need fancy. Black and white text is suitable and fast.

2. Same answer as #1.

3. Here I agree. There are problems with the layout (not the skinning) of the routing window. There are a number of FR's in to fix this.

4. Again, same answer as #3. Layout needs work, but skinning is skinning.

5. I don't even notice it. I'm too busy mixing.

6. Absolutely not. The menus are deep, and flexible. In this case I would venture to be a bit rude and suggest that it's not Reaper that is disorganized and lacking in cohesion, but your workflow. Reaper allows you the freedom to customize nearly anything to suit your needs. You can take the time to do that, and take advantage of something NO OTHER DAW will let you do. Or, you can accept the "One True Way" that most other DAWs present for workflow. You shall do it the Logic way, or the ProTools way, or you shall not work at all. Personally, I find that ridiculous and am therefore a Reaper user with my own set up that works for me. Themes are just the visual icing on the cake. Workflow should be a higher priority and only Reaper lets you drastically reorganize to suit your needs.
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:44 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence View Post
Not to mention (above) the entire FX chain is always accessible at the top of the window.
Now this I find a very good idea.
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:46 AM   #14
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Yes Vegas is much cleaner leaner and more usable for the fx panel
I don't remember for sure but it might not have been that way in 2006 when Justin started Reaper. I'd have to look back at whatever version was out then.

But yes, having the full plugin chain listed up top is obviously a better general usability design.

Reaper's plugin window won't stop anyone from tweaking plugins and making music but I'm personally not a fan of the expanded plugin window, just to see the chains.
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:48 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
Although I do love the look of Reaper with the Rado 4, Reaborn, Reaborn 2, and Imperial themes, bere are some things which takes the fun out of composing in reaper. It's like I have to fight the program to get anything done. Everything is more tedious and confusing than it has to be.

1. The FX-browser is ugly, looks and feels like it's tacked on, can't properly dock it on the side.

2. The media-explorer also looks and feels like it's tacked on, and you can't properly dock it on the side.

3. The routing window looks horrendous.

4. The automation window looks horrendous.

5. The box surround your vst's when you click on the FX button looks horrendous.

6. The menu's are long, confusing, and disorganized. They need to be streamlined, tidied up, and simplified.

I don't think these problems are terribly difficult to fix, but until they are, Reaper will really be lacking something
Appearance can be changed. #6 specifically is easy to customize (one of Reaper's big features - trim them down or add to them however you want).

Reaper is first and foremost made to be a stable DAW for working with audio. Second is customization for just about any workflow or specific need for some audio task. However, appearance (GUI and all) for Reaper comes in dead last as a priority and many of us like that prioritization! This may not be the DAW for you if appearance is more important that audio production.

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Originally Posted by gpunk_w View Post
2 Looks do not equal usability.....WTF ? seriously, do you do everything with your eyes closed, have you never moved to a different app with the exact same functionality of a previous app and thought "Yep this sucks"
For an audio app? Absolutely never!
(And I do sometimes listen to a mix with my eyes closed! You don't do that?)

What I HAVE done with other apps when some bug or inefficiency comes up is look at the GUI work someone has clearly put effort in and thought: "You should have got the nuts and bolts core functionality working before goofing off with meaningless appearance bells and whistles!" So, appearance can make an impression in THAT way.

I like that I've never thought that with Reaper.

Different priorities

Last edited by serr; 08-08-2014 at 09:59 AM.
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:51 AM   #16
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Samplitude is $499. It doesn't even have an EFX browser of of any kind. You have to wade through the usual Windows file system to load a plug.

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1. The FX-browser is ugly, looks and feels like it's tacked on, can't properly dock it on the side.
No, it's not. It looks very nice. I dock the FX browser anywhere I like. Properly. It has all the functionality I require and compared to some of the other products available is a whole bundle of fun to use. Total non-issue for moi.

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Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
2. The media-explorer also looks and feels like it's tacked on, and you can't properly dock it on the side. 3. The routing window looks horrendous.
Well, it's not "tacked on". It's an integral part of the software. Looks great on my screen, anywhere I choose to dock it. Properly.

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Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
4. The automation window looks horrendous.
Again, looks fine over here. Mind you it could do with being dockable and change the parameters on screen with the selected track. No biggie, really.

Quote:
Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
5. The box surround your vst's when you click on the FX button looks horrendous.
Horrendous, really? I don't think so. The window is a tasteful light beige on my system with the FX listing in mid grey. Of the other 2 DAW's I use. Samplitude has absolutely no way to dock 3rd party or it's own native plug GUI's at all. Live has a nice system where you select a track via mouse or controller and it's native plugs, anything Live/Max4Live-made, show up at the bottom. Love it. But 3rd party plug GUI's cannot be docked. Don't love it. I've Reaper set up to show & change current track FX GUI's in a docked window as I select any track. Absolutely love it. Just hit a track track select button on me controller and the current EFX/VSTi GUI's are displayed. No windows to open or close. All automatic. Love it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
6. The menu's are long, confusing, and disorganized. They need to be streamlined, tidied up, and simplified.
True, this issue is the only point you've raised that I agree with. But the menus will only be confusing if you don't know where anything is. I don't know where much of Reaper's gubbins hides. There's loads of functionality that I don't know about in Reaper because I don't use it. I'm pretty sure there's a way to prune the menus to one's taste.

Quote:
Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
I don't think these problems are terribly difficult to fix, but until they are, Reaper will really be lacking something
Well, we don't really know do we? Maybe they are, may be they aren't. All we can do is guess and speculate. All DAW's lack something for someone, somewhere. But Frankel and his motely crew ain't developing this program for me with my own personal gripes and requirements. I could post a shopping list of this and that I want that most folks aren't remotely interested in, but I'd rather simply vote in the Feature Requests as any good democrat should.

Using the well worn car analogy, some of the speediest, most desirable cars in the world don't have a radio, air-con, Bluetooth or satnav. So vot? I still vont 'em.

Good thread, y'all.

ns

Last edited by nightscope; 08-08-2014 at 10:02 AM.
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Old 08-08-2014, 09:57 AM   #17
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It's not so much appearance, things are what they are. Some of it is just design. Look at the Vegas Explorer, it's an actual explorer, with nodes.

That would be a nice little change for Reaper's UI, but nothing to cause any drama over...



P.S. Take note what that allows, the nodes. Moving stuff around on the file system directly because you can view multiple folders at the same time. This is not (imo) a major change. Windows has a tree list common control built specifically for that. Not sure why it wasn't used there in R's Media Explorer.

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Old 08-08-2014, 09:58 AM   #18
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But yes, having the full plugin chain listed up top is obviously a better general usability design.
I'm tempted to make a feature request.
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:04 AM   #19
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I see myself, about 4 years ago, buying Reaper.
Just because it was the only DAW i hadn't yet.(yes, call me sick).
I fiddled around with Reaper and i found it to look just so ugly all over the place.
I thought: this can't be a good DAW, looking so ugly, i want Eye Candy !

So i moved to Logic, Cubase and Live (yeah, call me sick).
Then, a few months ago, i started reading again and watching tuts about Reaper.
This time investigating thoroughly in Reaper.
I began reading threads on this forum and all this got me very inspired to pickup Reaper again.
Why ?
Too much to mention in short, regarding shortcomings,disfunctionality and perfomance issues in other DAWs and the whole lot of performing,functionality and a 1000 other positive things in Reaper.

Please, trust me, just go deep into Reaper, you will see that it will make you a very happy person and the opinion about "lack of eyecandy" will fade away and you will problaby make a fool out of yourself, having had this opinion in the first place (just like me).
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:06 AM   #20
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It's just FR's, that's all. Nothing to get defensive over.

Reaper is a great daw, we all know that... but I don't think they'll be shutting down the FR board anytime soon, and nobody who likes using it will stop using it because of anything we talked about here.
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:12 AM   #21
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agreed, reaper's gui is fug.
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:25 AM   #22
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What I HAVE done with other apps when some bug or inefficiency comes up is look at the GUI work someone has clearly put effort in and thought: "You should have got the nuts and bolts core functionality working before goofing off with meaningless appearance bells and whistles!" So, appearance can make an impression in THAT way.

I like that I've never thought that with Reaper.

Different priorities
Different priorities and experience indeed, This is a UI discussion, if you want to get into nuts and bolts, well then people will end up very defensive when i start to point out the issues with Reapers nuts n bolts lol
The fact that you have never thought that with Reaper does not mean that Reaper does not have nuts n bolts issues, just that you have never discovered them

Goofing off with appearance = probably nothing to do with the nuts n bolts developer, it isn't at Cockos for instance.

I sure would be interested to see what themes the "Reapers appearance is fine" brigade are running, because if you are running anything but classic 1x with no toolbars and standard menus, then you are being a complete **** and don't actually realize how much you already prefer a 'better' appearance hahahahaha
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:29 AM   #23
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Goofing off with appearance = probably nothing to do with the nuts n bolts developer, it isn't at Cockos for instance.
Most of the people in the "other daws" actually designing UI's, the UI graphics, really have nothing at all to do with actually coding the app, like White Tie isn't coding Reaper either.

It's a flawed argument.

It's like saying "Steinberg should stop making samplers and concentrate more on stability in Cubase."... as if they personally know if those development teams are the same people... when in reality they actually aren't.

Coders code and graphic people do what graphics people do. I personally think the guy who said WT should skin the ReaPlugs had a great idea... especially looking at his previous really great plugin graphics work that some of the same "looks don't matter" people fawn over.

Last edited by Lawrence; 08-08-2014 at 10:40 AM.
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:44 AM   #24
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The fact that you have never thought that with Reaper does not mean that Reaper does not have nuts n bolts issues, just that you have never discovered them
Oh but I have! See my other recent posts if you want to read about them.
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Old 08-08-2014, 10:50 AM   #25
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So you are contradicting yourself then ?
You say you have never thought that with Reaper, and now you say you have ?
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:02 AM   #26
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So you are contradicting yourself then ?
You say you have never thought that with Reaper, and now you say you have ?
No... I said I don't see Reaper putting effort into cosmetic goofing off at the expense of functionality. I very much see this elsewhere!

I never said Reaper was perfect. It still makes a very professional impression on me (all things taken into consideration) and the performance issues I'm having don't make me want to give up on it.
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:07 AM   #27
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No... I said I don't see Reaper putting effort into cosmetic goofing off at the expense of functionality. I very much see this elsewhere!
Please back this up with facts, or simply put, shut up, unless you can back that up, that elsewhere there is a developer who is "Goofing off" with appearance rather than functionality (Actually in most cases the same thing) then you are simply just typing for the sake of it.
Not opinion, not what you think, but actual proof that a developer is indeed "goofing off" on appearance than functionality.

Out of interest, are you using Classic 1x with no toolbars and default menus ?
These are all appearance vs functionality
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:17 AM   #28
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1 Yes Vegas is much cleaner leaner and more usable for the fx panel
2 Looks do not equal usability.....WTF ? seriously, do you do everything with your eyes closed, have you never moved to a different app with the exact same functionality of a previous app and thought "Yep this sucks"
3 When somebody states the truth about your app/messiah of choice, this does not mean they want to eat your children or burn your face, stop being so defensive hahahaha, discussion is a good thing
yes, go on, make it a religious thing.

I would suggest you to shut up and go to another forum where the topic is a DAW with much nicer plugin UIs. sorry, sounds rude, is meant rude: if you were a musician and would care about music, you wouldnt come in here an rant away in such a stupid way. so I assume you are not a musician, but stupid.

go away ...
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:18 AM   #29
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I don't remember for sure but it might not have been that way in 2006 when Justin started Reaper. I'd have to look back at whatever version was out then.

But yes, having the full plugin chain listed up top is obviously a better general usability design.

Reaper's plugin window won't stop anyone from tweaking plugins and making music but I'm personally not a fan of the expanded plugin window, just to see the chains.
Agreed!
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:19 AM   #30
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lawrence View Post
Not to mention (above) the entire FX chain is always accessible at the top of the window.
Now this I find a very good idea.
Oh No!! Just for example

Do that with FX chain at the top of the window- like the Sony bullshit do- Maybe the fx window size is 4096px wide or it´s just impossible^^

Quote:
What a stupid thread
agree
Don´t feed the trolls^^

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Reaper allows you the freedom to customize nearly anything to suit your needs. You can take the time to do that, and take advantage of something NO OTHER DAW will let you do.
sign! No other DAW.. Cockos reaper make the differenz. Punkt

Quote:
Yes Vegas is much cleaner leaner and more usable for the fx panel
but wait.... Just for example


You can only see 9 plugs at 1246px wide ergo ~2600px for 19 plugs loooool

Last edited by ELP; 08-08-2014 at 11:38 AM.
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:19 AM   #31
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Anywho, back on topic. My $0.02...

Quote:
1. The FX-browser is ugly, looks and feels like it's tacked on, can't properly dock it on the side.
The biggest problem (for me, non visual) is that it doesn't list any presets, which is Vegas like but still not good. The visual problem is that it only lists one way. When you dock it right it won't just list straight down, but scrolls across.

The preset part is "more work" to have to load a plugin and then load a preset.

Quote:
2. The media-explorer also looks and feels like it's tacked on, and you can't properly dock it on the side.
Not so ugly but not being an actual explorer hurts it's usability a little.

Quote:
3. The routing window looks horrendous.
Dunno. Those things kinda all look the same to me.

Quote:
4. The automation window looks horrendous.
It really kinda does. It's huge and the kazillion check boxes look very Win 98. It's literally the single worst such window I've ever used in any DAW, visually and usability wise. If you open it on a track with a ton of plugs it doesn't really even fit on some screens.

Quote:
5. The box surround your vst's when you click on the FX button looks horrendous.
Well, it's white... but I've always thought that entire panel was a huge waste of space and mostly unnecessary. That full vertical space is never full, so as a purely practical matter, it's a waste of screen space when 2-3-4 plugs can be shown up top, like Vegas.

Quote:
6. The menu's are long, confusing, and disorganized. They need to be streamlined, tidied up, and simplified.
Those can be customized so, not that big a deal.
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:20 AM   #32
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yes, go on, make it a religious thing.

I would suggest you to shut up and go to another forum where the topic is a DAW with much nicer plugin UIs. sorry, sounds rude, is meant rude: if you were a musician and would care about music, you wouldnt come in here an rant away in such a stupid way. so I assume you are not a musician, but stupid.

go away ...
"3 When somebody states the truth about your app/messiah of choice, this does not mean they want to eat your children or burn your face, stop being so defensive hahahaha, discussion is a good thing"

And i am the stupid one hahaha (PS the messiah comment was irony, this is how some people treat their DAW, sorry your lack of sense of humour saw that as religous "A messiah is a saviour or liberator of a group of people" nothing religous about it, then again, the way you reacted, now that certainly seems religous, is Justin your saviour hahahaha)
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:26 AM   #33
Lawrence
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You can only see 9 plugs at 1246px wide ergo ~2600px for 19 plugs loooool
Lol. Just right click, they're all there on the context menu. Or scroll.

Plus, you can rename the plugs in the chooser to make the tabs smaller.


Last edited by Lawrence; 08-08-2014 at 11:43 AM.
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:32 AM   #34
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Originally Posted by daexpert View Post
Although I do love the look of Reaper with the Rado 4, Reaborn, Reaborn 2, and Imperial themes, bere are some things which takes the fun out of composing in reaper. It's like I have to fight the program to get anything done. Everything is more tedious and confusing than it has to be.

1. The FX-browser is ugly, looks and feels like it's tacked on, can't properly dock it on the side.

2. The media-explorer also looks and feels like it's tacked on, and you can't properly dock it on the side.

3. The routing window looks horrendous.

4. The automation window looks horrendous.

5. The box surround your vst's when you click on the FX button looks horrendous.

6. The menu's are long, confusing, and disorganized. They need to be streamlined, tidied up, and simplified.

I don't think these problems are terribly difficult to fix, but until they are, Reaper will really be lacking something
Bored,huh?

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Old 08-08-2014, 11:47 AM   #35
serr
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Please back this up with facts, or simply put, shut up, unless you can back that up, that elsewhere there is a developer who is "Goofing off" with appearance rather than functionality (Actually in most cases the same thing) then you are simply just typing for the sake of it.
Not opinion, not what you think, but actual proof that a developer is indeed "goofing off" on appearance than functionality.

Out of interest, are you using Classic 1x with no toolbars and default menus ?
These are all appearance vs functionality
I'm not going to start bad-mouthing other apps here right now. (But I have in the past if you're interested.)

I simply stated why I like one of Reaper's design philosophies.

So instead (and since the original complaint is aimed at Reaper), why don't you focus on your complaints of cosmetic issues with Reaper. You're certainly free to treat cosmetics as a higher priority (you're obviously not alone) and disagree with those of us who think differently.


You say the default theme sacrifices functionality for appearance?
Alright, I'm listening... What's the most efficient no bs theme to use for 100% functionality and 0% appearance then? I'll check it out and report back!
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Old 08-08-2014, 11:49 AM   #36
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What's the most efficient no bs theme to use for 100% functionality and 0% appearance then? I'll check it out and report back!
Like i stated, this is 1x classic with no toolbars and default menus....oh wait, you used the word efficiency, so lets just see if you think appearance and efficiency are not part and parcel when you use that set up

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I'm not going to start bad-mouthing other apps here. (But I have in the past if you're interested.)
Soooo, lets be honest here then, you are not backing up your claim and therefore it has no validity, so we can all agree then, no developers EVER "Goof off" on appearance over functionality.
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Old 08-08-2014, 12:15 PM   #37
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Like i stated, this is 1x classic with no toolbars and default menus....oh wait, you used the word efficiency, so lets just see if you think appearance and efficiency are not part and parcel when you use that set up
Wait... You just said: "Classic 1x with no toolbars and default menus ? These are all appearance vs functionality "

I've only ever used the default 'classic 1x'. What theme is more bare bones functional in your opinion?


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Originally Posted by gpunk_w View Post
Soooo, lets be honest here then, you are not backing up your claim and therefore it has no validity, so we can all agree then, no developers EVER "Goof off" on appearance over functionality.
Do I have to also explain the quip "Rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic." to you too? Come on now...


Seriously though, what theme do you recommend over the default 'classic 1x' for a functionality vs appearance kind of guy like me then? Or were you just trolling? This being a pretty trollish thread and all...
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Old 08-08-2014, 12:26 PM   #38
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while i do agree generally with the topic, most of what's here is appearance related, as has been stated already. the main real points seem to me to be in the topic and the final point about the menus. i agree with both while realizing that there are ways around the menu issue. as with much of the reaper experience, though, it comes down to a question of how much time you are willing to invest in looking for those ways around your issue.

i can give one example, though, from recent experience with regard to reaper inconsistency. i've lately been prepping a bunch of work for reasurround design and mixing. reasurround is riddled with inconsistency.

the main window has various visible knobs and sliders. the sliders in the upper part of the window are the same as we generally see throughout reaper's interface. however, the bottom of the window has many additional sliders for i/o gain. these sliders both look different than the typical ones and behave differently. they do not snap back to their default or 0 position on a double-click.

in addition, the graphical display does not match the non-graphical display. if one clicks the ui button to switch to a sliders-only view of parameters, the y axis slider, for example has a range that ends at 1.0. switching back to the graphical view, however, one can drag an icon well past the 1.0 position. that 'out-of-range' position will be reflected in the non-graphical view but, on touching the slider for it, it snaps back to the 1.0 position.

another example of inconsistency would be the fact that envelope points can sometimes have numerical entries given, sometimes not. there are two ways to get at the envelope point editor, once via ctl-double-click, and again via right-click and context menu. there is no action or main menu (to my knowledge) to access either of these control windows, though.

these are just a couple of examples of reaper inconsistency and they lead some, like, perhaps, the op, to the feeling that reaper is inadequate. i do not agree with that assessment but i do agree that there are inconsistencies. it almost feels like reaper gets 80% of the way there with some things and moves on. that doesn't bode well as the program develops as it will become harder and harder to refine.

sorry for the length,
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Old 08-08-2014, 12:47 PM   #39
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@Lawrence I am fair..I know what do you mean.
Maybe one solution:
Now: single Plugin window + FX chair plugin window = two windows... it´s a little bit stupid.. That´s true

possible solution:
Single plugin window has one little knob to open/close the Reaper FX chair as an sidebar(left side)

From now... you need only one window -single fx/complete fx chair
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Old 08-08-2014, 02:10 PM   #40
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1. The FX-browser is ugly, looks and feels like it's tacked on, can't properly dock it on the side.
For me it's a good "see everything, find everything" experience.

It's not conform with the rest of the theme, as it's pure system GUI stuff. Since I most often use this quickly, I don't pay much attention any more. Sometimes I literally type out a plugin name with one hand and just hit return, when the desired thing is the first in the list.

It's possible there would have to be more people to do the work to have it all drawn with non-system GUI elements that could be designed to be consistent with the rest of the interface.

The FX browser is neither beautiful, nor does it do all I wish it would, but it does a couple of things really well. It hasn't hurt my workflow to any significant amount yet, so changing this would be a lower priority to me.



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2. The media-explorer also looks and feels like it's tacked on, and you can't properly dock it on the side.
I find it useful for some things, like finding stuff, though it could let people sort their bookmarks. That kind of restriction, relegating THAT to editing a text file is 1970s GUI bullshit, so that particular aspect of the media explorer is high on my list of priorities since I use it so often. The stuff I appreciate about it is of course spectacular, like the file database feature.


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3. The routing window looks horrendous.
The text is quite tiny. I even posted an FR, which collects a couple of good ideas about it. Two of them have been realized, which is the highlighting of row and column, and painting patch points with click and drag. The stuff that's missing mainly concerns GUI clarity and making the line-drawing of patch points easier.

You can vote for it here: http://forum.cockos.com/project.php?issueid=960


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4. The automation window looks horrendous.
It's ok, compared to what it used to be, but it's still far from being called good, compared to what it should enable.

I can agree that a visually more effective design would help the functinality of this window. And more time-saving functionality.


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5. The box surround your vst's when you click on the FX button looks horrendous.
Never occured to me. I'd like borders consistent with the theme too. Maybe they'll write their on engine to replace buttons and stuff one day.


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6. The menu's are long, confusing, and disorganized. They need to be streamlined, tidied up, and simplified.
Tough to do right for everyone without hiding features that some may want to use right away. This is probably something you'll have to do yourself to be happy. And you can do it in Reaper.
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