ZenBeats 2.x: some feature suggestions for the devs

nonchai · October 2020

1 ) add ability to change precount eg from 1 bar to 2 bars etc.

2 ) a mode where the volume faders can be much taller - they currently are too short for detailed control.

3 ) a much better thought out preset category chooser GUI. a scrolling list mode isnt optimimal. better to present a rectangular grid of casgtegories where ALL categories (lead/pad/keys etc ) can be seen in as single view.

4 ) the MIDI event editor GUI needs optimising. For example ( unless its buried in the 'Rtf-m" and I missed it ) having to hold-press and then pick an option in order to multi-select events isnt ideal. At the minimum - give us the options as a tool-bar so switching between modes can be a single click. And/or add an option whereby as a long-press automatically puts the editor into multi-delect mode. I suggest to the developers and product manager that you survey ALL the DAW and MIDI event type iOS apps out there and figure out which have the best implementation of a touch based piano roll MIDI-event editing.

5) Left panel "Channel strip" : hiding a bunch of common actions behind the clock-cog "settings" icon is poor GUI. Stuff such as delete/rename/cut/copy/duplicate. are NOT track "settings" but track "ACTIONS" and thus should not be hidden underneath an icon more commonly associated with "preferences and settings:.

6) ZENCORE. This is clearly the future for this app and Roland. So give us users ( new to Zenbeats ) the option of hiding all the old pre ZC1 instruments - that came with Zenbeats 1 - from view - where Zencore presets are the default - and the only other instrument option is 3rd pty AUv3 instruments and effects .

7 ) Give us an option to HIDE all the rarely used Apple AUv3 instruments.,

8) give us the option to hide from plugin-picker list. certain AU v3 plugins we are unlikely to want to use inside Zenbeats. In essence -the less choices and scrolling we users have to do the better.

9 ) For both ZenBeats and Fantom - support exporting in OMF (Open Media Framework) format as well as in Ableton format. This will make it much more useful for those who want to use ZB as a sketchbook for ideas but then develop a song into something requiring a full DAW.