I started to think about this again after a long time and also following a brief discussion on twitter to do with interfaces that were innovative. Let's face it, mobile music has moved a long way from the early days when Palm Sounds started in 2006. A lot has changed and there has been a huge amount of innovation. But even so I don't think that we should let the debate end there.
More recently I've seen lots of new iPad synth apps with some great sound design capabilities, but increasingly, with a common theme in terms of the interface. What's the theme? I'm sure you can guess. Lots of synth apps now have a very similar look and feel with the keyboard occupying the bottom third of the screen and the controls occupying the rest of the screen real estate. Now I'm not saying that this is a bad design. It works, and the reason it works is because users can relate to it very easily. It looks like hardware synths look. That's fine, I understand that, but it doesn't mean that it's the only design for a tablet synth, not does it mean that it's the best.
There are of course many synth apps that don't have this design, like TC-11, Jasuto, Audulus, Reactable etc. These apps and many besides have taken a range of different design styles that suit their own purposes. All of them different, all of them requiring the user to understand how to interact with the UI as well as the controls for the synth itself.
So what am I saying? Well, my point is this, the tablet and the phone are not synth hardware. They lend themselves to mobile use by design and so interfaces that take advantage of this very fact should be where mobile music creation apps are heading. That's my opinion. If I look back to the innovative work that RJDJ did with interfaces and gesture based apps I wonder where this has gone.
So, I'd like to see more interfaces that are suited to being mobile and making music whilst mobile, and also interfaces that are more playful and that encourage exploration and experimentation too.
You may agree with me, you may not. Either way, I'd like to see more debate on this, and I'd like to think that within the overall mobile music community we have the ability to take different approaches.
So, what do you think?
6 comments:
I like when synths on ipad looks like real synths, or at leas they are designed in this way ... it then looks familiar for me (i worked a lot with hw synths few years ago)... if synths looks on screen like real hw, it works for me as inspiration... so - my opinion - more those "real-alike" designs :-)
Good posting. I couldn't agree more. I personally despise many apps that mimic the look of real life hardware. They are missing the point one designing for the touch interface. My favourite, most playable, expressive and musical app? (Though not a synth) Thumbjam. They get how to maximize the the benefit of touch with a simple design.
Many developers are trying to appeal to the masses. People like getting something that they can use right away. A piano keyboard they are familiar with. Controls above the keyboard makes sense. Lots of presets so they can easily select different sounds. Then throw in a lot of other stuff to dabble with.
I am not familiar with RJDJ or gesture based interfaces.
But I am always on the lookout for a awesome play interfaces. Controllers, like gestrument and musix, with synths like animoog and nave and instruments like thumbjam and bs16.
I have heard great things about tc-11 on the control and the synth end of things. I will try it soon. I have a collection of major synths with very familiar elements and lots of extras.
Ios has lots of good synths with piano keys. Then there are a few interesting control apps with basic sound abilities thrown in. Then you tie then together with midi which takes some setup.
As a beginner keyboard player, I like alternative interfaces. Ones like NodeBeat and Poly are easy to get started with and the ability to make nice sounds easily really adds to the appeal. I know if I committed the time I could really get into Audulus but have so far had a hard time getting into it (and I paid full-price).
I love all the cool options in the "Traditional" and alternative interface apps but often wonder, who is really going to use all the available options. With most apps I barely scratch the surface of myriad of features and options.
Steve
Tc-11, Jasuto.. great synths. Their interface is not immediately convenient to do with most popular or conventional music style/genre. The inteface (or tool) leads what will be an outcome (well, in the case of i.e., Rebirth music first and tool next but that's how it's created) So, when unconventional interface gets popular, more "unconventional" music sytle/genre gets the light. What is music and sound, is the topic then. Most current music style is defined and artist are looking for new thing, new sound. I see recent modular synth or generative music popularity in this way. (eh, sorry for sorta scattered thoughts)
As some one new to synth and iso it helps to have something familiar. I do have Audulus and Reactable. For me something new and something old I like. It's a brave new world. I'm a sound junky, If the sound is strong I'm game.
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