Online Sequencer Forums

A quick note: If you don't feel like reading a huuuuuuge wall of text, just make your decision based on if the image looks cool enough for you.



A while ago, I constructed an image of a more "updated" look for Online Sequencer. During that time, I was bouncing ideas back and forth with some others on how the editor could be improved, and a new look was one of the highly requested (and feasible) options that came up.

Here are a list of features I incorporated into the image:

• The instrument menu would be relocated from the top to the sidebar. My theory is that it would create easier and quicker access to all instruments and a more organized selection menu for when we eventually have tons of instruments available. The selection menu does not feature the delay/reverb settings (I forgot to add them) but does not suggest they should be removed. Another feature I didn't add was instrument categorization. As you can see in the selection menu, all of the instrument colors are changed as a result of this idea.
  However, it only came a bit after I finished the image that the suggestion was made, so I could not work on adding it in.
  
• The save/export dropdown menu was moved next to the title bar. I wasn't suggested this, but it made sense. However, I left in the File/Edit menus as I didn't decide whether or not they would need to be removed later (maybe they'd have their own buttons?)
  
• All icons are the same, except the "play from here" icon. I chose a downward-facing arrow because of the nature of its function: to play from a certain spot. It represents it more accurately as a tool to point toward an area in the sequence from which the sequencer starts playing.
  
• The "Note Size" menu should be taken with a grain of salt. This image was made before the "grid" feature actually changed the size of the grid in the sequencer. As such, I made the menu reflect more upon what appeared to happen. However, I do stand with it being moved to the top since it better reflects its usage. This movement would better its accessibility in my opinion (though there would be a learning curve.
  
• The icons were only changed to match the rest of the sequencer. About midway through, I realized that it'd be fine for the time being to just leave them the way they are, and that's why all of them aren't finished.
  
• The logo and font are changed to a more modern look. I made the logo into a square and gave it a shadow to give it a more modern appearance, though this change certainly isn't top-priority.
  

Changes that were not pictured:
I had some ideas that didn't quite make it into the image either because it was too difficult to visualize, or I didn't have the time to make it.

• The sequence previews (the random/popular tab on the far right) should include a "latest" category. The previews for those sequences should include color (to represent the instruments) and text to show the name and author (if there is one) on the sequence. Maybe, for the popular tab, sequences can take a 4x4 grid and show greater detail to a sequence.
  
• I wanted to make the editor and player more distinct from each other. Maybe when viewing someone else's sequence, the basic editing tools don't show up and the tempo is locked, with a button showing "remix sequence" instead. It would mainly solve the minor inconvenience of accidentally placing a note on the sequencer while a song is playing but it could also open up many opportunities for new features such as locking sequences (only letting the author save/remix/edit/etc.,) adding comments, rating systems (in favor of a five-star or otherwise "online sequencer" themed system based on the five/ten star rating,) and reporting sequences.
  
• If the previous idea comes about, then I suggested that the sequencer "viewing" menu would have a dropdown menu with "info" such as the amount of notes (or even the amount of notes per instrument,) the date of creation, the author, and length of sequence. The save/edit menu would be replaced with a "report" menu with reasons such as spam/midi art/copy of other sequence/offensive/etc. This help us, the mods, GREATLY. Having to search through sequences and relying only on chat (which means some reports would go unnoticed) is a hassle. A report feature would improve our experience immensely. A comment system can be either bundled with the rating (might induce some chat flame-wars) or be separate from the rating system (might induce spam 1-star ratings.) Either way, a comment system could be of great use for beginning composers and experts alike who are open to help from the community willing to improve their sequence. What I can see already is a comment flame-war going on. Obviously, users would have to be logged in to comment, but that certainly wouldn't stop the bickering. That's why users would be able to report comments on their own sequence just like sequences would be able to be reported.
  
• Color themes for Online Sequencer. Say you've never used Grand Piano or Electric Piano in the entire time you've used the sequencer, or say, you're more of an acoustic guitar kind of person. A cool feature would be to change the theme to the color of your favorite instrument. Now, this doesn't mean the entire top is one static color. Just like the current look, the background color surrounding the logo (the notes on the logo would preferably change color too) would be brighter than the background color to the left of it, similar to the image on the top page. For brighter colors, the text would be switched to black so it's not made unreadable. Maybe, just maybe, the color theme can be something associated with the account, so when you log in, you'll keep the theme no matter what computer you're on.
  
• Make the sequence previews sent in chat more rectangular (and shorter.) I'd only take this into consideration if you don't enjoy the current previews taking up a considerable space in chat.
  
• Personal messages need to look more distinct compared to global chat messages or need to be moved to a separate window. I'd pick the latter only because it would be less cumbersome for me to go to a "direct messages" sidebar and click on someone's name and open up a direct message with them. This would probably look like a slimmer menu with the person's name at the top.
  
• Show who's online in a menu on the left or right side which shows the person's profile picture followed by their name. With this, it'd open up more possibilities such as an easy way to click on and mute/ban/report in chat or open up personal messages with. Maybe a feature to show who's typing in chat. I wouldn't be on board with this a hundred percent, but I certainly wouldn't be against it.
  
• Report certain messages in chat. To be honest, it seems like a feature that doesn't need too much explaining, as the only drawback I see is that someone would be spamming reports on another user's messages.
  
• Have a different highlight around moderators/admins/other ranks if they happen to show up. It'd probably solve a few member-related chat problems as some of them would probably look twice at what they're about to say whenever a moderator is around.
  

And uhhhh, those are all of the changes so far. It's important to note after reading this, that just because I am a moderator, doesn't mean that the changes that you see here are 100% guaranteed. This post is in the suggestions tab for a reason. If these changes were going to happen, this post would almost certainly be in either the update log or even its own post in the "news" category. All these are, are my own ideas as well as the community's ideas to better Online Sequencer in the future. Though I'm sure that some of these might be introduced come 2018--and the chances they will happen only grow if you make your voice heard!

Happy Sequencing,
DC

Being the conservative person I am on this site, I mainly disagree with the points pertaining to relocation on the list.

Most of my arguments about relocation are backed up by "I've been always used to this" while some of them I actually have a good opinion why they shouldn't be moved.

• Instrument Menu
  

The instrument menu being added to the left of the piano roll makes the GUI feel more choked. Yes, I know this is a really picky thing to be talking about, but less horizontal space on the sequencer equals more scrolling. More scrolling to people who don't know the shortcuts behind horizontal scrolling is equal to more inconvenience.

One way around it might be the option to hide the instruments into a sidebar, but even then that probably won't feel the same as opposed to dropping them down.

But for the sake of (visual) composition, I believe the best option is to replace the Popular/Random sequences with the instruments so that the GUI doesn't hog up both sides of the sequencer. As you can notice the left margin is uneven compared to the right margin, taking up twice as much space with the instruments and the piano roll side by side,

Unrelated note, but more instruments to this site will eventually make it turn it into another trash DAW, even if it's online. Giving your users more options to work with kinda ruins the point and creativity behind a couple of user created techniques that we've come to know and love.

• Grid
  

Okay, I'm about to get really salty on grid right now. Besides the fact that grid actually changes the appearance of the sequencer, it's just more sensible to call it that because it implies a certain interval that a note should be measured or attached to. Note length just implies the general length of the note, and really isn't a specific parameter you can work off from.

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I thought I had more to complain about, but other than those two I don't. But since I'm still posting on this thread, I'd like to name a few more community aspects that I'd like to have a possibility of being added to the website.

• Cumulative View Count
  

This would be displayed on your sequencer profile so that you don't have to add up the views on your sequences. An average displayed below this cumulative view count might be nice as well (Total count/# of sequences you own).

• Global Ranking
  

Yes, I believe there should be user leaderboards for certain achievements on the website. Their timeframes could be sorted by Today/This week/This month/All time as well. Moderators should be able to routinely verify and have the ability to erase a user off the leaderboards should they feel like someone is abusing the system.

The categories I thought of can include but are not limited to:
- Total Number of sequences you created
- Cumulative Views
- Most Popular (measured by cumulative average)
- Highest Rating (measured by five-star rating system)
- Instrument Usage (highest number of notes used for a specific instrument)