Skins for the Kontakt Player?

[Garritan]

What would you think about skins or themes for the Kontakt Player? Maybe NI could make this a future feature.

Skins could be an alternative graphical interface for the Kontakt player where the user can change its look. They would not change the functionality of the Player, just the look. Skins could be customized and made into various themes. It\'s always been enjoyable using skins for Winamp and other programs.

Just a thought. Let me know if you are interested and I can run it by Native Instruments and explore the possibilities.

Gary Garritan

[mschiff]

I think it would be a wasted effort. I would much rather see them spend the time on added features to the engine (like disk streaming, etc.).

-- Martin

[sirbellog]

i Gary,
thanks for this proposal,
personnally I would like real hammer action keys on the virtual keyboard, rather than the current semi-weighted ones...
More SERIOUSLY,
the current skin is not really beautiful but I would VERY MUCH prefer larger menus, so that the arrow of my mouse does not miss the target 75% of the time, when I just want to reach for the instrument in the pop-ups like : dry>>brass>>fr.horns>>fr.horn solo mute....
Am I especially clumsy, or do some other people think that N.I player is made in Liliput ?

[Ned Bouhalassa]

I\'m all for it! After looking at the same interface every day, it\'ll be nice to change it every once in a while. images/icons/wink.gif

[Furlan]

I\'m all for it. I think that we get so wrapped up in sound performance and specs, that we forget that how we interact and \"interface\" with software can make a huge difference in the creative process. I think this happens more unconsciously than consciously. I feel that if the interface makes me happy, makes me smile, or is simply pleasant to look at, the creative powers within are tapped a little more easily. Not being frustrated by small type and fonts is another stumbling block that tends to slow down and impede the creative process. Sometimes good ideas are so fleeting, that we can lose them trying to negotiate the graphical part of the interface. GPO has such a transparent feature set in the standardized use of its controllers, that it only makes sense to make the graphical interface \"transparent\" too. I don\'t know what that would look like, but BIGGER FONTS would be very welcome.

[esteso]

I\'m for it.

[Johneecatt]

How about different skins with bigger fonts? Sounds good to me.

[Steve Gibons]

Count me in for skins. Bigger typeface especially.

[Alan Lastufka]

Gary, I was actually messing around with some skins that better match GPO Studio... I\'ll send them to you in an e-mail tomorrow and you can post them if you wish...

[Gromit]

I started a thread (\"http://www.nativeinstruments.de/forum/showthread.php?threadid=9182\") on the NI Kontakt board about user interface suggestions. There were many great ideas generated, but I have no idea if the developers ever read the postings.

Gary, if you could forward these to someone who actually would take them seriously, that would be great. Some, like number 4, could apply to the player, but some are just for full Kontakt itself. These are also mainly based on the fact that I use Kontakt and GPO live and the interface is horrible for that due to the font sizes and microscopic menus. Here is my starter list from the thread linked above...

1. Add undo
2. Enable deleteing a parameter, instrument etc. by right click menu instead of selecting then going to the top of the screen buttons. This way, it can be done without touching the keyboard or moving the mouse all over the place
3. When the EDIT button is pressed, auto scroll all of the instruments up or down so that the selected instrument is at the top of the screen to better expose the edit area as much as possible.
4. Add a mode that uses normal windows or mac pull down menus, dialog boxes and scroll bars for those of us with large screens and tired eyes.
5. Use conventional explorer/finder file tools such as double clicking on column seperator expands out to expose the longest file name.
6. Use standard windows control and shift selectors when selecting objects in the mapping editor.
7. Allow grouping of loaded instruments (sort of like layers in Adobe Photoshop) and allow various levels inside a group to be set and adjusted relative to each other. For example, if I set a piano and string as group and have the strings volume a little lower than piano. When I move midi fader, have the volumes change relative to each other instead of moving to the same level on both.

[liquid]

new skins.....yes

[Ned Bouhalassa]

I completely agree about the fonts. I first noticed the tiny fonts in Vokator. Then the new version of Absynth, and now here (and obviously in Kontakt). I guess the young users don\'t mind, but for us grey beards (I\'m 41), the tiny fonts are a drag... images/icons/rolleyes.gif images/icons/grin.gif

[Wirebird]

I\'m happy with the current skin, but I fully agree with the need for larger fonts.

Wirebird

[Ned Bouhalassa]

The thing about the fonts issue is that I\'m pretty sure that no one from NI will read this thread. Best bet is to visit the various forums on Native\'s web site and make our suggestions there: http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?forum_us (\"http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?forum_us\")

[Adam Burford]

How about a drag and drop interface for the instruments? Maybe start with a picture similar to the Audition, and pull instruments out of the orchestra and drop them into a chair (slot), drag \'em around with a baton of course. images/icons/wink.gif

[Alan Lastufka]

That sounds pretty Graphix-intense, but cool! I will see how I can work it into the next skin \'update\'...

BTW, for now... http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=001135 (\"http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=001135\")

[Wirebird]

Originally posted by Ned Bouhalassa:
Best bet is to visit the various forums on Native\'s web site and make our suggestions there: http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?forum_us (\"http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?forum_us\") <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">I have already rumbled a lot there about this issue images/icons/smile.gif

Wirebird

[Daedalus]

I don\'t even use kontakt, but I think the GUI could use a little simplification. It looks all cluttered and too \"high-tech\".

[rJames]

I\'m not at all interested in what the interface looks like but more about how it functions. One vote for no skins.

That being said, there is probably a better (more functional) interface to be designed. I just don\'t need to keep changing it.

The fonts and heirarchy are too small but I\'ve gotten used to how it works so no problem there either.

[thebedroom]

I\'m into the skins. alans is much more user friendly and musically pleasing. hope it happens.
images/icons/grin.gif

[Waywyn]

without any offence. gpo is really cool stuff, but this would makes it winampish and more a playtoy.

[esteso]

Lotta different opinions huh?

Well I just wanted to chime in with the small menus thing. This is a drag and a little bit more than an inconvenience since I usually have to take two or three swings before I connect with the right target.

This is a function of our monitors getting better resolution and the developers not changing the font to match the times. NI have other fish to fry right now so we might be waiting a while to see a change.

When the new Kontakt (1.5) came out I was delighted to see a \"bigger\" option but, alas, it only refers to the size of the window and has no effect on the fonts.

Cheers

[Alan Lastufka]

Originally posted by thebedroom:
I\'m into the skins. alans is much more user friendly and musically pleasing. hope it happens.
images/icons/grin.gif <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">Thank you very much!

[CadeBryant]

How is the Kontakt Player for GPO developed? Does Native Instruments supply the player to you? Or do they just give you the runtime engine and the SDK for you build an interface on top of it?

[Garritan]

Originally posted by CadeBryant:
How is the Kontakt Player for GPO developed? Does Native Instruments supply the player to you? Or do they just give you the runtime engine and the SDK for you build an interface on top of it? <font size=\"2\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">It is NI who designs, develops and suppies the Player. The idea of a skinnable interface is something I wanted to present to NI and see if it is doable in future versions. It seems technologically feasible and a feature that some may want. Certainly worth pursuing.

Alan - Great job and thanks. Hope to see some more skins by Alan.

Gary Garritan