Thank you for the quick reply.
Definitely the Philips Hue Lights will allow the app to get more mainstream, but the MIDI implementation will make us to just use your app to go without others.
Personally I use it in several fields.
In theater, I am just using it when I am directing lights (in that way I avoid wearing intercom). For little shows where it’s not necessary big programming, the Ableton Live feature is great to launch lights avoiding Qlab, but I can’t expose to launch a show with an iPad screen since I need to match perfectly the actor’s actions as you know. With a MIDI controller, I would feel confident enough to play it with your app. Same with little corporative events.
Another good use case is for little Dj parties (not more than 300 people), where 1 universe is enough (however if you extend the grid, it would be great to add more universes like other apps are doing). Matching the effects with the bpm is a great tool, but without a MIDI controller it’s a mess (fingers sweating, dust, and so on), because we need to switch the scene or effect JUST when the song structure changes. Therefore the Ableton Link feature is a great idea but not possible to implement in a semi-professional way.
So at the moment, I am switching between your app and other apps, depending on the need, but mainly using others because the first step is more comfortable. Regarding this first step, the “Light Control” area should have smaller controls to fit more in the screen (this would improve drastically the programming workflow.
For example, splitting the screen into 2 parts, the upper one placing 4 circular faders by each fader that you have currently. And keeping the “Presets & Sequences” area exactly as you have now. Also keeping the option to narrow or wide each with the scroller (taking part of the complimentary area) and the possibility to scroll inside each area. But basically, we need to be able to see at least 18 circular faders in half screen (here the 8x8 grid that I suggest for the “Live” area is not necessary). Being scrolling to fade the areas when you have more than just 3 fixture features, kills the workflow in my humble opinion. Even I woul place the master fader plus blackout function next to the project’s tittle if possible, to get more space below.
A solution for the circular faders would be to make them like the smaller squares in the Dashboard, where to change the level you have to push+hold+slide up/down. And when you want to get inside the submenu to change the fixture parameters, doing it with a quick push or double push. This would be wonderful.
However, the grid idea of the dashboard is a great feature that we are willing to use with MIDI. This feature will be perfect when you can scroll down to have more controls. And to make it even more perfect, consider that the majority of MIDI controllers are designed for an 8x8 grid.
Your grid is 10x6. This is a problem when MIDI is implemented because it requires an exercise of mental abstraction to relocate the controls (what you see on the screen it’s not what you see on the MIDI controller). So when there is a problem, it’s more difficult to fix it. Please consider this because it looks like a minor thing, but it’s very important to consider the standard distribution to live performances. And if you could make your grid to follow the grid of Ableton (this means, being able to create infinite grid boxes, and matching their triggering with the trigger of the same boxes in Ableton in the same location)… that just would be mindblowing. Imagine all the Ableton live performers, setting up different scenes in strategic triggers along with their project, creating in this way a music+light performance designed and triggered by the same person (however I recognize this feature would be for a minority).
Achieving both targets (Light Control and Live), could be drastically facilitated if you place everything (Wifi state, DMX Channels working, Upgrade feature, Light Control, Live, BPM, and title) in the same tab (the upper one). If you just put an icon with the comments pop-ups that you are already using, it’s enough. In that way will look very clean. If not, at least I would kill the tittle bar and place it in the upper bar, just in the middle of it. In my opinion, the tempo circles are not necessary since there is already the BPM one.
I hope this can help since I am promoting this app to my mates due to the Ableton Link feature (this opens a great range of possibilities in live events where synchro is a must). And will kill integrations like the Pioneer (and others) one (which forces you to program the lighting track by track, killing your performance freedom and the workflow). I can assure you that this feature, with the proper promotion, will become this app the first choice for a lot of theater operators, but especially for DJs (and will force the people to buy Ableton Live, so they should be the first company interested to help you with that).
I know that I came up with a bunch of changes, but the MIDI implementation is a priority imho. The distribution of the controls and UX would be a second-term priority.
Regards
