You like what they do, but not how they do it

[thelowerrhythm]

I really like the Klavis Twin Waves, a lot, but despise interacting with that sort of mode switching. Menu diving in general gets to me, so it's not often I even get close enough to learn if I like something or not.

Know any modules like this? Not just menu diving vs. not menu diving, but anything with an underlying pot of gold, but an interface you can't get into.

[hawkfuzz]

USTA the workflow is so close but not 100% what I'd prefer for programming.

[nolongerhuman]

Mode switching modules in general drive me nuts. They are already super small, having multiple functions in a tiny interface just makes me not want to use it. Seems like most people around love it though.

Loved the features, couldn’t get into the interface... off the top of my head:

Pam New Workout, Eloquencer, Clouds, Erica Blackhole DSP, Tides, Tempi, Disting...

For me though modular is more about the interface than almost anything else. So tiny screens, tons of button combos, unlabeled modes, any module that almost requires a cheat sheet, tiny pot shafts are all mostly avoided.

[megarat]

Mutable Instruments. Such great ideas, such great technical execution, such a great open-source community ethos, but I can’t stand the interface on most of the modules. Hidden/secret modes, status/settings indicated by an LED light/color w/o any legend on the panel, etc. I can’t abide that kind of opacity.

[BLogic12]

Reflex liveloop. amazing sound and function with a user interface from hell.

[studioutopia]

Mutable Instruments. Such great ideas, such great technical execution, such a great open source community ethos, but I can’t stand the interface on most of the modules. Hidden/secret modes, status/settings indicated by an LED light/color w/o any legend on the panel, etc. I can’t abide that kind of opacity.

Agree completely. When I finally decided to dive into modular, I was so excited to get into Mutable because I had some history with Shruthi (Shruthii? Shruthis?). I bought Plaits, Marbles, Rings, Stages, Tides, and Ripples. Love what they do. Totally hated using them.
All I have left of Mutable is Ripples and Stages. Stages does some fantastic things, but I find it so laborious to use. With the new firmware, it has bipolar LFOs and some cool random stuff... but I only use it when ochd and Batumi are busy. And I find Quadigy so much more gratifying as a complex EG... even with its menus. At least I can see exactly what is going on without a "lightshow translation".

[Freaky Steve]

Starling via scanner
Really cool concept just doesn't pull it off, documentation needlessly complicated, dead spots all over, sweet spots few and far between.
I knew I was in trouble when it was flashed with the wrong firmware for the version I bought.

There are 6 other firmwares I can flash it with but I'm thinking they are all going to be the same way.

Probably just end up writing my own sketch for it.

[racooniac]

i always forgot what the led colors on the qubit modules i had mean, so i sold them.

now i am an avid hater of remembering led colors.

same with mutable instruments.

PNW is cool for me tho.

[muleskinner]

Mutable Instruments. Such great ideas, such great technical execution, such a great open source community ethos, but I can’t stand the interface on most of the modules. Hidden/secret modes, status/settings indicated by an LED light/color w/o any legend on the panel, etc. I can’t abide that kind of opacity.

I agree.

I would also add Batumi to the list, and it gets worse with the 'expert' firmware.

People complain about screens but I would much rather have a module with a menu/screen than one with multiple functions hidden behind button press combos with no visual feedback as to what's going on.

[Raindeer]

Mutable Instruments. Such great ideas, such great technical execution, such a great open source community ethos, but I can’t stand the interface on most of the modules. Hidden/secret modes, status/settings indicated by an LED light/color w/o any legend on the panel, etc. I can’t abide that kind of opacity.

Agree completely. When I finally decided to dive into modular, I was so excited to get into Mutable because I had some history with Shruthi (Shruthii? Shruthis?). I bought Plaits, Marbles, Rings, Stages, Tides, and Ripples. Love what they do. Totally hated using them.
All I have left of Mutable is Ripples and Stages. Stages does some fantastic things, but I find it so laborious to use. With the new firmware, it has bipolar LFOs and some cool random stuff... but I only use it when ochd and Batumi are busy. And I find Quadigy so much more gratifying as a complex EG... even with its menus. At least I can see exactly what is going on without a "lightshow translation".

I think Plaits does take it too far, but Tides (V2) got this balance just about perfect. Look at the manual once and you’ll know exactly what’s going on because it’s all one concept and the knobs do not change function depending on mode.

[hel1]

for me is is the Morphagene, love the idea, gives great results but I couldn't get used to the way you have to use these button combinations. kept splicing when wanting to change reel, deleting when wanting to splice... (well, I can't really remember, but that was the problem)
so I swapped it for a Lubadh. also a couple of button combinations, but for me far more logical..

[Freaky Steve]

One that's the opposite of this, I thought it would be impossible to get my head around but ended up being very intuitive is 4ms SWN.
It does use a color scheme but it actually makes sense.
There are dual functions to all the buttons but they are clearly marked on the panel and make sense.

Has a really cool work flow 106 user presets, 106 user spheres.

Just a dream to work with even though the concept seems daunting as hell. If you thought such a complicated thing would be confusing, it really isn't after getting the feel of it. Cant vouch for the other 4ms stuff but they really nailed it on this one.

[staticmass]

Mungo D0. It's definitely not leaving my rack, but using the zoom feature feels like fumbling around in the dark. Fortunately its full of wonderful sounding surprises but I think it will be a while before what I do with it is intentional. The open layout in terms of feedback patching is awesome though. Hopefully the whole zoom thing will grow on me given what it allows for in terms of Karplus-Strong, etc.

[xcc]

for me is is the Morphagene, love the idea, gives great results but I couldn't get used to the way you have to use these button combinations. kept splicing when wanting to change reel, deleting when wanting to splice... (well, I can't really remember, but that was the problem)
so I swapped it for a Lubadh. also a couple of button combinations, but for me far more logical..

Same. I had to break out the cheat sheet every single time I used it, to the point that I realized I never used it anymore.

[bobbylandry]

Anything with a pot or slider that isn't reflecting what is actually happening. Drives me completely nuts.

Turn a knob to one spot, press a button, now that knobs does something different, turn it to some spot, now the knob position has no relevance to the first setting you made.

Encoders and a screen are cool, I can get into an old rompler or something with no problems at all. Lots of controls that do 1 thing and then there are presets, totally fine as long as there's a "panel mode" or whatever to make what's being played what the controls are actually set to. A set of envelope sliders with a button next to them to change which envelope they're editing? No way.

[veets]

Modules with sliders that have different purposes depending on setting.

I've ditched some of the more complicated modules for those that are direct and intuitive. I found otherwise I never fully utilize the features because I can't bloody-well remember how to get at them.

[Peng33]

Disting. 'Nuff said.

[Pelsea]

My peeve with many modules (especially Mutable) is inscrutable labels. I generally paste my own over the micro-icons. They are still a bit vague, but easier to learn.

[veets]

I just bought a Strymon Magneto after researching many alternatives. In the end I chose Magneto despite it being more expensive and consuming more hp than the others because it is totally straight forward from a UI perspective. I don't intend to slag the alternatives -- to each their own -- but often, as Pelsea points out, the design aesthetic and labels (and operation) are inscrutable. I'm left feeling like I never fully utilize the capabilities. Or am I just this guy?

[Daisuk]

Reflex liveloop. amazing sound and function with a user interface from hell.

This. Its got so much great going for it, but the UI is just insane, not user friendly at all.

I recently got a Netron Sound Dust of Time. It's excellent, but meny divey as hell, and the UI is not what I'd call intuitive.

Also, all the new Industrial Music Electronics modules - HD3 and Piston 3, hold an encoder and press a button and scroll through - blah blah. I hated it so much I just had to get rid of those modules.

[target_destroyed]

Pretty much any module with gratuitous button combos that I need a cheat-sheet to remember.

[bobbylandry]

My peeve with many modules (especially Mutable) is inscrutable labels. I generally paste my own over the micro-icons. They are still a bit vague, but easier to learn.
MIlabels.jpg

For Clouds I'm with you. It got discontinued and I think for good reason.

For Plaits I'm fully onboard with the way it's presented because I don't always want or need to know what type of synthesis method is being used. I have no idea what the symbols mean and I don't really care because I know the knobs will do what they say regardless of the synthesis method. And I think that's the point of the module. I also fully understand that's the antithesis of what a lot of people like about modular, which is totally cool.

[veets]

I recently got a Netron Sound Dust of Time. It's excellent, but meny divey as hell, and the UI is not what I'd call intuitive.

I just built one and enjoyed the challenge. It's an amazingly powerful device, but learning it will require patience and determination. (And then I'll probably sell it, when I inevitably fall short on both counts.)

[deftinwulf]

Echoing others' sentiments: anything with button combos, unlabeled (on the panel) functions, hidden modes that require a cheat sheet, push+turn encoders, and Disting.

I also hate those befaco pot-condom things that people use as "knobs" on t-18 shafts. I'd honestly rather have trim pots - at least they're easier to turn, and more grippy. Now that Thonk makes caps for the (long enough) trim pots, I'm starting to like them, actually. They are a better solution than Befaco's t-18 shaft caps, IMO. But I'd still prefer full size knobs and uncramped panel layouts above all.

[R.U.Nuts]

Mini shaft pots. I hate them. I avoid them where ever possible. They're OK as CV input attenuators or for set and forget parameters but that's it.
It's just so unsatisfying to turn them and make a module that is otherwise great look and feel cheap.