Consider Adding Metering to the Perform View
Nikolozi
I tweeted this idea earlier. But I have a feeling Logic's plug-in tile can display metering. So, it might be useful to turn Mela meters into parameters (i.e. into AUParameter objects) that can be added to Mela's Perform View and thus be exposed in DAWs via the parametersForOverview API.
Update:
From my quick tests it doesn't look the tiles display metering. But I imagine they might in the future. Might be worth submitting feedback regarding this to the Logic team.Jon Diercks
In general I think that AUv3 host paramters should be as broad and deep as possible, for maximum flexibility in integration with other apps like Mozaic.
The Perform area’s simplicity, with just 8 knobs, has value as a quick and easy way to group the most important controls at the top of the patch (it needs more flexible labeling though!). Visual feedback like metering can be addressed in separate lanes right below the Perform knobs. This can already be done to a degree using Macro modules like meters, at least as a way to visualize modulation signals. It would also be nice to have dedicated utility modules for XY visualizers, waveform oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, etc., that can be placed anywhere and monitor input from any source.
Nikolozi
Jon Diercks: > In general I think that AUv3 host paramters should be as broad and deep as possible, for maximum flexibility in integration with other apps like Mozaic.
Mela already exposes all parameters to the host. Well, maybe those hosts that can read the dynamically changing parameter tree. AUM is great for example. With Logic Pro I had to write some hacks.
parametersForOverview
API is specifically for the host to display the most important parameters in some small space. e.g. AUM shows only one next to the synth. Logic Pro for iPad does 3. > It would also be nice to have dedicated utility modules for XY visualizers, waveform oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, etc., that can be placed anywhere and monitor input from any source.
Yes, these would be nice.
Nikolozi
Just to add, I want to generalise the Perform View, so it's not always just 8 dials. Maybe it could be 2 XY controls and 4 knobs. Or a single XY control and a vertical slider on each side. It will be up to the preset designer to design the Perform View that makes the most sense for the preset.
Another idea could be, the global lanes that have been suggested a few times could be a replacement for the Perform View. On these global tracks the designer of the preset can choose whether they want to display macros, notes and/or visualisers etc
Jon Diercks
Nikolozi: all sounds great, thanks!
Jon Diercks
My opinion on this one and a few other requests like it has shifted, at least in the sense of prioritization. I recently picked up the “Surface Builder” app, and I’m finding that it already does way more than we should ever expect Mela to do in terms of providing visual feedback and touch control elements, so I’m content to let Mela focus on its core, synthesis. The existing Perform knobs and Macro silders & buttons are fine for the things they were designed for, and external tools like Surface Builder provide everything else that might be needed for such uses.
Nikolozi
Jon Diercks my latest thoughts/plans on this are to turn the Perform view into a module, so users can create as many instances as they like. The module will behave similarly to the perform view, where users can select which parameters to control remotely using dials (or slides, or XY etc.). For example, a stack module might have many interesting parameters in its submodules/sublanes. The user can insert a Perform module in front of it and map parameters they want to control that are inside the Stack. So the Stack can remain collapsed and still have access to the parameters the user cares about. I feel the module will be super flexible and helpful, whether it will be used for live performance or simply for easier tweaking of a Mela preset.
Regarding Surface Builder, the app looks great, and I'm sure a lot of users will find it super useful, but I think it still would be great if Mela supports a more customisable and flexible virtual music keyboard (than what it currently has) as well as chord triggering. For a few reasons, better integration, some users might be using Mela in hosts like Logic Pro, which is not ideal for MIDI controlling from one plug-in to the other, or even for Mac users. In fact, as Mela continues integrating features from my other apps, the one app left to integrate is my old Mac app, Easy MIDI. It's just that I don't consider that a high priority at the moment. But the Perform module has a slightly higher priority. If I can manage, I'll do it as one of the 6.x updates. Because as sublanes gain more usage, there will be more need for remote control.