Teaser: LedFest

[Unox]

Hi All;

This is the result of a newborn addiction. Yes, I made some serious music the last days, I edited voice'overs, I even talked to friends. I just didn't sleep that much.

I like theming.

Bit by bit I'm replacing all the .png's, just to see if I can think of something that suits my taste a bit more. Not because other people's work is inferior or anything else unfriendly, I just have to theme. I'm a bit oldschool, miss the desks and the Studers. Think you can see that. Most of the stuff you see comes from screendumps all over the net. Hires pressphoto's are a good start.

This will be a longterm project, I'm learning as I go along.

And, yes, there are a lot of leds in this theme. If you replace the tcp_volbg, volthumb etc with ledbars you will see them back in a lot of Cockos plugins. I did this because I draw volume most of the time, don't have to look at waving faders in the corner of my left eye. Anyways, when its done you can all tweak your heart out if you feel the urge, ofcourse I will post it here.

Ha, first hurdle taken: presenting theme. Now drink glass of something and find bed.

[IMG]http://img34.**************/img34/16/ledfestbig.jpg[/IMG]

[Mercado_Negro]

Awesome!

Thanks for your time and effort Unox, you're doing a beautiful/easy on the eyes theme there, keep the hard work as much as you can some of us will love it for sure!

[SiKo]

Awesome! Those ivory piano keys are really nice. And not to feel guilty baut it, cauz itz all digitallll ))

[MrMoto]

Really awesome! I'm already using your ivory keys and can't wait for this theme to be finished. Man, that's great artwork.

[d.bop]

Holy macaroni! Great work!

[JHughes]

I also like those keys. And the mesh behind the plugins.

[kelldammit]

gimme.

please.

looks great!

[Pashkuli]

One of my top 5 themes ever! I feel it.

Unox, I dare to make some comments on this so straight to the points:

1. Could you make the separation line between volume fader zone and pan (name) area more thin so it doesn't touch the pan text (maybe a pixel thinner from above, in the mixer)

2. And the buttons 'ar' 'monitoring' and 'input' in mixer to be more dark to better fit the darker background (maybe in a simmilar gradient manner)

3. Hmm I seem to kinda confuse in TCP pan and volume faders (just preffer volume faders to be "touchable" like real faders but that is a small caprice). I also would like the Phase button on the TCP to be like the Folder (not a button in fact so it separates the Nute and Solo buttons more visual)

4. Last but not least. The 'Track Name' in the mixer: could you make it somehow like stik note or stamp or etiquette... you know it.

P.S. I wonder what font is on the sends slots? I don't get how it appear on my Reaper GUI.

[White Tie]

I like this a lot - very individual with lots of character. However, I do worry that the stretching is going to kill you - how's it looking there?

[Unox]

Thanks for all the kind words everybody! Especially adXok, who came up with the idea of ledpans and got me going.

Originally Posted by White Tie

I like this a lot - very individual with lots of character. However, I do worry that the stretching is going to kill you - how's it looking there?

I'll make a version that's easily stretchable, without the pan/solo/mute skin. Stretching is no prob for me, I'm running the mixer with a fixed height on a seperate monitor. Maybe I (we all?) could bug Justin to implement the pan/solo/mute part of the mixer to be skinnable too, most mixers I sat behind had such a section. Pure nostagia.

The VSTrack gives some artifacts when pulled up/down, but has several 'sweet spots'. The sends can be stretched without problems, and the soon to come VSTparameters too.

WhiteTie, do you know where to find a noob tutorial on making knobs? How to make them glow a bit and stuff? I understood you'll have to give them an extra opaque 'glowinglayer', but right now I'm simply pasting/painting every pixel to my liking (1600% enlarged in Gimp), and that's a LOT of work.

1. Could you make the separation line between volume fader zone and pan (name) area more thin so it doesn't touch the pan text (maybe a pixel thinner from above, in the mixer)

You're right, I'll give it a look. All the buttons are going to be replaced, they're still from someone else. (Though the phasebutton in the MCP is my first try)

The trackname in the mixer.. It will eat up the whole undersection, still thinking about how to make that look nice.

Running automation really makes this theme great when looking at the TCPvolumeleds. The automationbars will have green leds ofcourse.

But aw, those totally white '-inf's at the top of each VUbar... Is that hackable? Spoils the mood a bit..

[Pashkuli]

Oh yeah! I saw that cool phase button but thought it is just active (pressed) or something. If others could look simmilar to it it will be great!!!

Listen to White Tie and his advices. He is The Man and that 'streching' problem could be a huge PROBLEM with your backgrounds. I know that with simple gradients the graphics couldn't look as cool as you see it and make it but after all others like White Tie himself and Max, Aldi and so on good themers inhere have done impressive themes just with simple colouring and gradients, glowing, etc..

Be creative! And one thing to remember maybe is that mixer channels always strech up-down and tcp right left. Maybe that a little clue for the background colouring you have to do.

[Unox]

Originally Posted by adXok

Oh yeah! I saw that cool phase button but thought it is just active (pressed) or something. If others could look simmilar to it it will be great!!!

Yeah, like them too. Just need to get them glowing right.

Listen to White Tie and his advices. He is The Man and that 'streching' problem could be a huge PROBLEM with your backgrounds.

I know (and bother him frequently), but like I said, the mixer in this state is a sort of 'fixed height', for use on a seperate monitor. The VSTrack will give artifacts, but has several sweet spots. The pansection will go out of alignment, I will offer a version were it is removed. The sends/fadersection stretch just fine.

You can also make grrrreat VUmeters with fixed height in the MCP. Again, they will be offered to those who work the same way as I do. Dunno anymore who made the VU's in this theme, but kudos, they stretch great!

[jedstar2000]

WOW those bar LED's are rocking

Outstanding work!

[Mr. Data]

Hey Unox,


this is really great work!

BTW: If you miss this hardware stuff, you might have a look at https://stash.reaper.fm/theme/311/ana...le%20api%203.0 by Pyerbass.
I'm reworking it right now so it fits my needs a bit more. And I can just affirm that this type of thing to do keeps you away from going to sleep.





-Data

[kelp]

Where is this theme? Searching "ledfest" in the stash comes up with nothing.

[Reflected]

awesome work!

if you could upload it (even if it's just alpha version), maybe people could give you some ideas with their own edits.

cheers.

[Mr. Data]

Originally Posted by kelp

Where is this theme? Searching "ledfest" in the stash comes up with nothing.

Unox posted just the pic as a teaser. It's not on yet.




-Data

[Lazz]

Awesome...cant wait!!!

[kelp]

Ah. I'm not even seeing the picture in this thread.

[Unox]

Originally Posted by Mr. Data

Hey Unox,


this is really great work!

BTW: If you miss this hardware stuff, you might have a look at https://stash.reaper.fm/theme/311/ana...le%20api%203.0 by Pyerbass.
I'm reworking it right now so it fits my needs a bit more. And I can just affirm that this type of thing to do keeps you away from going to sleep.

-Data

Ey, thanks! Great tips on how to get things 'glowing'...

I'll post a new picture soon. I'll focus on making it easy for everybody to use the theme, I'll keep the fixed height stuff for personal use.

Oh, and I made Dirty Faders! For that retrosound in your studio. Nothing says "this desks sounds superanalog" then a sweat-etched, tar sticken channelfader!

[IMG]http://img401.**************/img401/5128/dirtyfaders.jpg[/IMG]

[EvilDragon]

Could you dirty it up a bit more? Something like the piano keys

[Jae.Thomas]

DIRTY IVORY FADERS YES!

[Unox]

Originally Posted by Jason Brian Merrill

DIRTY IVORY FADERS YES!

Thing is, I made them from the pianokeys, but removed the yellowish glow for the dirty version.

Here they are! Elephaders!


[IMG]http://img35.**************/img35/8767/elephaders.jpg[/IMG]

[Jae.Thomas]

Originally Posted by Unox

Thing is, I made them from the pianokeys, but removed the yellowish glow for the dirty version.

Here they are! Elephaders!

[IMG]http://img12.**************/img12/4659/dirtyfaders3.jpg[/IMG]

totally awesome

[EvilDragon]

OMG OMG OMG!!!


Totally, totally YESSSS!

[kindafishy]

I think EvilDragon just dirtied up your faders a little bit more.

[Unox]

TCP_bg skinned...

[IMG]http://img34.**************/img34/6145/tcpskinned.jpg[/IMG]

Love the ledbars, still don't know who to thank for them. I trimmed them to fit. Will try a bit of border alpha-glow next.

For me it looks like the ledbars enter the TCP from a tunnel, taking a slight left turn.

Thanks again for all the compliments!

[Jae.Thomas]

hehe, great stuff!

[jens]

Originally Posted by kindafishy

I think EvilDragon just dirtied up your faders a little bit more.

this had me laughing...

[EvilDragon]

Yeah, me too Awesome joke XD

[stupeT]

Originally Posted by Unox

Thing is, I made them from the pianokeys, but removed the yellowish glow for the dirty version.

I am sorry but my wife would never allow this. So, stop it.

[Jae.Thomas]

Originally Posted by kindafishy

I think EvilDragon just dirtied up your faders a little bit more.

nah, just made em a bit sticky

[pattonfreak1]

WOW!
This theme is just... WOW!

[strunkdts]

can i change the colour of the LEDs on seperate tracks?

that would be cool>

really like ur work...looking forward to this.

[Unox]

Originally Posted by strunkdts

can i change the colour of the LEDs on seperate tracks?

that would be cool>

really like ur work...looking forward to this.

Skinning each track seperately.. Alas. Talk to Justin, I would love to have seperate skins for audio, midi, fx, groups etc. Even a blank panel in the mcp would improve workflow for me..

Anyway, remember ye olde Studer A80? Helluva machine, pure fluxpower. And to be hip, they included this little led-counter next to the humongous transportcontrols. So I turned it around:

[IMG]http://img15.**************/img15/25/lftransport.jpg[/IMG]

[nerdfactormax]

Originally Posted by Jason Brian Merrill

DIRTY IVORY FADERS YES!

10,000th post!

I think you win. We can all go home now.

[Jae.Thomas]

Originally Posted by nerdfactormax

10,000th post!

I think you win. We can all go home now.

its more like this:

[pixeltarian]

yeah. this is amazing. potentially my new favorite theme. can't wait till it's done. this is the first theme thread i'll subscribe to for just that reason.

the only thing I'd maybe change, is to make the pan LED's an every so slightly different color than the volume. just a teeny bit. like a little tiny bit more orange than red for the panning.

I also kind of wonder if it would look cool to make the LED's on the left and right slightly lit up for an organic look, like when the LED light is bleeding through the openings to the left and right.

[Pashkuli]

---------- [IMG]http://img15.**************/img15/25/lftransport.jpg[/IMG] ----------


---------- [img]http://img12.**************/img12/4659/dirtyfaders3.jpg[/img] ----------

Holy!!! That transport pannel is just the best for this theme!
And YES - Dirty Ivory Faders are so nice!

(I think the virtual keybord's keys do not have to be so dirty but you have the last word).

Anyway apart from the skining of the backgrounds and the problem with stretching them this theme is (will be) one of the best themes ever made!

P.S. Unox did you read the post where I suggested that the zero lines for the faders could be changed in color. Those should be in the rtconfog.txt file:

tcp_vol_zeroline 85000000
tcp_pan_zeroline 67000000 
mcp_vol_zeroline 85000000
mcp_pan_zeroline 67000000 
trans_speed_zeroline 99999999

I think 67000000 but do not know 85000000 and 99999999 which colors are... (I took those from Flatliner theme rtconfig.txt file)

[Unox]

Originally Posted by pixeltarian

the only thing I'd maybe change, is to make the pan LED's an every so slightly different color than the volume. just a teeny bit. like a little tiny bit more orange than red for the panning.

Mmmm.. I'll give it a spin..

I also kind of wonder if it would look cool to make the LED's on the left and right slightly lit up for an organic look, like when the LED light is bleeding through the openings to the left and right.

That's an idea! I'll have to cap the background of the tcp_volbg, tcp_panbg and mcp_panbg on both sides and give the faderleds a nice glow. No too much, otherwise the panslider in the mixer will travel too short. Gonna try that one out, thanks!

Originally Posted by adXok

Holy!!! That transport pannel is just the best for this theme!

Funny, innit? Googled my ass out for a nice example and came back home: Schwa made a plugin with these kinda leds. Screenshot, color pickertool in Gimp, done.

And YES - Dirty Ivory Faders are so nice!

(I think the virtual keybord's keys do not have to be so dirty but you have the last word).

This is what I'm used to look at. Got a nearly hundred-year old grand piano downstairs. Some elephants really suffered to allow me to play without sweaty fingertops. I dedicate this keyboard to all 26 who died bravely to give me their tusks.

I'll include the clean faders too. Sometimes you wanna clean your desk. Maybe I should include all kinda stages from clean to dirty, would be funny if they change over time. Reaper logs how many hours you use it, maybe Justin could implement such a feature? Every 10 hours of use the skin gets dirtier.. Now THAT would be an unicum in DAWworld!

Anyway apart from the skining of the backgrounds and the problem with stretching them this theme is (will be) one of the best themes ever made!

Thanks! Remember, this is not professional theming or whatever, just me having a great time.

P.S. Unox did you read the post where I suggested that the zero lines for the faders could be changed in color.

Yep, found this page:

http://www.cockos.com/reaper/sdk/advtheme/

Dunno yet what to do with the colors, when an idea comes up I'll change it. Anyway, theming is in practice so much easier then I thought, practically everything yo need to know is on that page, and Gimp is a good tool for it. I don't have Photoshop (really, I don't have it), so I miss out on the nice stuff like making easy glows, fading from dark to light on a surface, but anyway, it's a great hobby. I like solving puzzles.

Later!