Reaper UI

[brice]

Just over a year ago I started a thread called "Advanced UI" (closed after it drifted away from its purpose)

Over the time I collected quite a few requests, ideas, suggestions regarding REAPER's GUI, and tried to come up with my take on each of those.
I'll be updating this first post with more pictures.

Here's a general look at the interface:

(click to enlarge)

Detailed look:
- More docks


- Splittable docker


- Track Inspector


- Inline midi editing


- FX Browser


- Project Bin

(early concept, needs more work)

- InfoStrip


- Audio Editor

(Not done)

- Advanced Midi Editor


- Advanced Performance meter


- Live Item Properties


- Splittable Edit/Arrange


- Multiple Mixer views
(Oops no image yet)

- Different Track I/O


- FX Chain window tweaks
(Need to find that particular picture)

- Reapart (Amalgamation)


- Skinnable Tabs


- More control over the tracks colors

Being able to color only part of the track, have a different background and forground color...

- Different faders for Groups or the Master


- Separate Vol and Pan values
(Would make a lot more sense when/if reaper goes surround)



- Surround


Nitpicking:
- Start offset

(The default one is hard to see, and crooked if you look at it up close)

- Reamote FX indicator

A different set of bg images for the FX in the mixer view, so you can spot FX that are run reamotely at a glance.

This mockup is based on my WIP theme Zinc, but it's not about cosmetic, but rather about the various items positions.
I tried to use mostly what Reaper already has but making it more reachable or integrated into the workflow.

No doubt if some of those requests/suggestions are to be adopted it'll break reaper v2.x themes, so it'd only make sense if those made it into reaper v3.x or later (though as the community is very active, no doubt most of those could be updated quickly)

This is just my personal view on how I'd like Reaper to evolve/change and is not in any way related to Cockos inc. I'd love to hear your feedback, constructive criticism is always welcomed (if you don't like something, don't just say "it sucks", but try to give some reasons, and maybe a better solution), and I'll try to improve this mockup. This is a shared effort, and part of why I love the reaper community, most members share ideas and try to help Reaper move forward.

Finaly, I want to thank Justin, Schwa, and Christophe (even though I haven't had the priviledge to talk to you on irc) for making such a great app, and giving us, the users, so much insight into its developpment.
But also WhiteTie for his amazing work, and in no particular order, alex, bbb, Tallisman, Xenakios, airon, Steindork, Bevoss, and all the others I forgot on #reaper.
It's been a wonderful year, may the next one be even better.

[beatbybit]

wooo, brice!!

so you break the rules.. good, good!


hats off, mr.
these are beautyitful.
absolutely the 'taste' i like.

but wait a minute..

"- Amalgamation
(Not really something to show, though you can spot it on the infostrip picture)"


mmmmmh, i think it'd be cool to design the .reapart item (erm, the AmalgamationPart) differently from the "simple Audio item"


a border, or something tiny - but tricky..

[airon]

Fine work, and a strong presentation. I find it hard to fault, and taste would only affect colours for me.

At this time I'd only add ideas for the project bin area. Other than that this looks like what most of us want.

[signoc]

This is really good! hope to see it one day!

[hourglass]

this is the future of REAPER!

[LCipher]

Wow - that is nice. Great attention to detail. This looks better than anything on the market, including Cu*ase which to me has a great interface (and which I see some similarity).

Nice blend of different GUI element shapes (round, triangles, fonts, colors etc). Textbook example of why I *don't* like a certain "other" app (s*n*r) with its millions of the same shape / size icons etc.


Again very nice work. It's like looking at REAPER 2009 (I hope).

[dazzathedrummer]

nice work!

[Alex Stone]

As well as watching Reaper grow, some of us have also had the privilege of watching this concept and theme take shape as well.

Brice, outstanding work, and a testament to the old adage, attention to detail.

I would hope that the Reaper team give this some serious consideration, not only in terms of the overall theme, but the layout and design.

Great stuff.

Alex.

[Pashkuli]

Speachless...

[dungbeetle]

Absolutely sumptuous ...

[labyrinth]

There are so many wonderful pieces of work that can be implemented and so many would benefit, myself included. Nice Work Brice. I hope Cockos will accept some of these ideas.

[Mercado_Negro]

Brice you made it again!!!!!... Let's hope JSC see it for v3

[brice]

small update today,
general mockup shot updated
changed the .reapart stuff a tiny bit making it look slightly different than standard items, also added an alternative stereo panner on track 01 based on Jack's request

[Tallisman]

brice you are very talented.

and i like you.

and i hate this thread

and i covet these things

and i hope and i hope and i hope




and hope

.t

[Reverbio]

Buck ! .. bring it !

[NIXin]

Absolutely fantastic! This is what Reaper currently needs. It would do wonders to the marketing side.
+1

[aldi]

just like a year back, whatever happens then, i think the ui-ideas are fantastic and will someday make it in to reaper.

[Amberience]

Wow. I'm very impressed. Y'know, I can't fault it... I honestly can't! A few weeks from now, if I woke up and saw that Reaper 3.00 had all these changes, I would wet the bed!!

[Avatar44]

Nice...
What I like the most in this interface is the fact I feel the current Reaper is there, with no effort for a new way of working and thinking. This is why I feel that Cockos team must push Reaper a step further, because is nothing to loose, just so much to win...

[Amberience]

Bump. This is a really smart proposal.

[Chris_P_Critter]

Originally Posted by Amberience

Wow. I'm very impressed. Y'know, I can't fault it... I honestly can't! A few weeks from now, if I woke up and saw that Reaper 3.00 had all these changes, I would wet the bed!!

I have to agree with Amberience - except for the wetting the bed part.

I really like all of these ideas, Brice - Great art, and great concepts.

[Dali]

Originally Posted by Avatar44

What I like the most in this interface is the fact I feel the current Reaper is there, with no effort for a new way of working and thinking.

Words of wisdom.

Even Nicholas must not feel bad about it.

Nicholas ?

Dali

[never_mind]

Great! I love it! Looks stylish and very much like a pro audio application (whatever this is ) And yes, it keeps the typical Reaper look.

[Anton Farmer]

STUNNING!

Please make it happen and soon

Congratulations

Cheers
Anton

[never_mind]

Just one small point: I'd use anti aliased curves for the fade in / fade out buttons (the image labeled as 'Live Item Properties' in the initial posting). Just to polish it up a bit. But again, this GUI is outstanding.

[labyrinth]

Originally Posted by never_mind

Just one small point: I'd use anti aliased curves for the fade in / fade out buttons (the image labeled as 'Live Item Properties' in the initial posting). Just to polish it up a bit. But again, this GUI is outstanding.

ALWAYS have agreed with this since I first came to REAPER.

[brice]

I'm all for bezier curves for fades.
I didn't change what reaper has yet, only removed the white bg to get the point accross.

[StepOne]

great GUI ideas, love the mockups

[StepOne]

and track color gradients =

[Kearley]

Damn! If only this was the current UI.

Awesome!

[scottedog]

I think Reaper needs something like this to push it to the next level. Accessible functionality and a gorgeous GUI. A nice polished interface like that would really draw people in. Really be in the big leagues then.

In-line MIDI...DAMN!

[StepOne]

professional tools deserve a professional interface.

[bladerunner]

really excellent work. would love to see it become a reality

[malcolmj]

Great to see you back Brice. You have a real talent for interface design.

Of all the suggestions, I think the FX Browser/Docker idea would make the greatest single improvement to Reaper.

I hope some of these ideas can eventually make it into Reaper.

Cheers,

Malcolm.

[louisgriffin]

are any of the buttons/sliders etc. i see here in the screenshots available for download anywhere atm? i feel like i've seen these somewhere before in another theme.
if not, any possibilties of putting some of them up for download. would love to adopt my current theme with some of these beautiful looking buttons and sliders.

also interested to know what the main font you used there was? very sleek great job!

cheers, lou.

[daexpert]

That is a very inspiring user interface. Great contrast, great layout.

[brice]

louisgriffin: you may have seen those buttons on Cybolic's CybZinc (Zinc being the name I'll release this under - when I get the time, and feel it's good enough)
I released the original psd file of that mockup for a short while on my website, though I don't believe it's up anymore.
Main font, hmm, will have to get back to you on that one, didn't use anything fancy though ...

Once I complete thid theme (don't hold your breath), I'll release the psd's (photoshop document) of all the elements, so people can tweak them, change colors and overall have more controls than just playing with the png's.

This mockup was done mostly to generate ideas, it wasn't really about the look, just happened along the way and made it easier for me to work with, rather than cut bits and pieces from default theme.

I'm happy some people like it, but I'd rather have constructive criticism on things you feel could be improved upon, new ideas, things that'd help in your workflow.

[jet]

Pornography , We can only look.

[never_mind]

Even Digidesign made a fresh design for the upcoming Pro Tools 8.

[spikemullings]

Originally Posted by jet

Pornography , We can only look.

Very clever 1st post jet.

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