Feature requests, bug reports and forum
Hi everyone
Sorry I haven't been around much - really needed a weekend off to step away from the keyboard.
There's a lot of information to take in and quite of lot of threads running to many pages. I've only skimmed so far but I see a lot of recurrent themes, particularly with regards to features people would like and issues with AUs etc. I'm happy to explore these as I rely on feedback from you guys and try to use it to mix in and steer my own ideas.
I also see a lot of things I wanted to do myself but had to ruthlessly cut to keep timescale and product quality on track, so when I read about those I think, "yeah, totally busted - I know I've been naughty!".
It's been a heavy couple of months leading up to launch with many things to think about - not just writing the app but writing the user manual, making videos, screen shots and App Store description text, press releases, building a new website and setting up the forum (and getting those damned spambots locked down).
I also apologize if some of the guys who were involved in the beta test have seemed defensive about criticisms etc. They've been in a fairly unique position as they've seen the process from the developer's side and know first hand how much thought, time, work and consideration goes into it, and so probably feel they need to defend that when it's criticized. I've been here before with NS1 so I know the deal but obviously they weren't so it's a learning experience for them right now - I probably should have given them a heads-up on that but running on 4 hours sleep a day has probably led to me forgetting the odd important detail or two. I've discussed this with them and they understand how it works now. They are actually really nice enthusiastic guys who have consistently provided me with help, ideas, suggestions, testing, demo tunes and sounds - not to mention help with getting the website set up. This has all just been done as a favour to me basically, so they might actually be genuinely mad - difficult to tell 
So I know for a fact that their hearts are in the right places and they really do want to genuinely help, but sometimes that enthusiasm may have come over in the wrong way and/or been interpreted in the wrong way.
I want the NS2 forum to be a nice peaceful haven where people intelligently share ideas, suggestions, provide help, ask for help, talk about shared interests and have a laugh. What I don't want it to be is a place where other developers' apps are rubbished (because they are also written by real humans with feelings too) or threads that descend into arguments going nowhere. I'll be frank: I'm almost 50 now (40 still in my own mind) and just can't be bothered with that crap, so if I see it going on I'm going to bust some ass with no qualms whatsoever!
OK, so that's the ground rules laid down - hopefully you can see that they're for the best reasons.
Next week I'll setup some better categories for feature requests and bug reports and consolidate a lot on this information so each feature request and bug report gets its own thread so we can all track its progress, share ideas and hopefully arrive at agreeable solutions.
Which brings me to my last point. I have absolutely no shortage of ideas for future features and a lot of the stuff I've seen is on my list already. The thing I struggle with is not the feature - it's how to make that feature work within the limited confines of a touch screen interface whilst keep the overall UX clean and consistent. Also, an added complication is that I've also been maintaining an iPhone version and where possible I want to keep that consistent with the iPad version, which often limits design choices on the iPad - and I appreciate that the iPhone version is invisible to you at the moment. So when I set up the new categories I'll try and make it clear that although I'm interested in the feature suggestions, I'm much more interested in peoples' ideas on how those features might be implemented, as that's where you can really help and guide the future of the app.
So keep it chill everyone, and I'll start addressing the information overload from the last couple of days.
Cheers
Matt
Comments
Well said, now go have a beer (or coffee), stick your feet up and bask in the glory of the end of a long journey....just in time to start it all over again!
👍 excellent, good to get some ground rules!
👍🏻👍🏻 Nice post - I agree with the points you’ve made and have hopes that this will be a great forum.
Man, take some time. There’s enough there right now that we can take a few months to get the hang of it and then start glomming onto the updated features as you roll them out.
In the end, this may prove to be a boon to some of us. We can learn the app piece by piece and it won’t seem like such a big curve.
Also, when you get around to it, OP-1 style tape emulator, please? 🤠
No rush, though. 😇
Great post. I’m getting my hands on NS2 tomorrow. Finally!
Can’t wait.
Excellent post! Overall, I think the beta guys have done a great job, with only a few scattered problems. Thanks to Matt & the guys...
Wow. One of the best posts I’ve seen on the Internet ever. Best wishes to Matt, and I certainly wouldn’t begrudge a substantial break. There’s enough new in this beautiful thing to keep me busy for a year exploring it all.
Sadly there will always people with unreachable expectations. Shedding light on what is being considered for future point may settle them down. Or not. It certainly isn’t owed to anyone. I can say that much.
Yes, a fantastic posting that clarifies many things and brings down some cooking emotions.
Many thanks for this!
Take your time, Matt.
Thanks Matt for all your hard work and these wise words. Going to enjoy reading the forum threads and seeing everyone’s aspirations for the future of this wonderful iOS DAW.
That post was almost as good as the App.
Onwards and upwards!
Seems like a dude I’d wanna have a beer with. My only issues with what Matt said are this:
#1- I don’t see it as “bashing” the other apps. More like comparing features and lack thereof .. Things that Cubasis didn’t have that NS2 did, and Vice versa. As soon as the other apps were brought into the mix , things got more interesting and informative . A few feathers got ruffled but not much else .
#2- Re: “The confines of the touch screen”. Bitwig users are saying that the touchscreen implementation still cannot match the mouse implementation of a desk/laptop . That bothered me just because I love iOS and the touchscreen. It made me feel as if the touchscreen DAW experience will in fact never measure up to the mouse experience especially coming from Matt. Maybe for some things like Animoog and Geoshred it surpasses it . For DAWS, perhaps not so much.
I guess we can all rest easy in thinking that AU3fx routing and sistain oedal etc will in fact be implemented. One dude .. and he changed the facenof iOS music production in much the same that Wim did over at WML .
Nicely done Mister Matt. Keep her steady Captain, straight on til morning etc.
For me the “confines of the touch screen” are much preferable to the confines of the room with the desk and the chair and the PC and the monitor and the mouse and the keyboard and the hard drives and the speakers and the... I’m sure you get my point.
As far as features for NS2 goes, there’s nothing I need right now. There’s enough to keep me busy for a while already. Thanks Matt!
I think what would really set this app apart from the others is keyboard input and shortcuts. The only DAW app that utilizes keyboard shortcuts to my knowledge is GarageBand. Being able to copy and paste, or have various functions also controlled by keyboard would help speed up the workflow. Other than that, the obvious anticipation for audio recording has me pretty much satisfied. This is a great app and fills the gaps where so many others are lacking.
Thanks Matt ! Wise words of old man :-)
No, really, good lesson for me, will learn from it !
Nice post Matt!
No need that NS2 must be complete full featured and perfect from the very beginning!
That’s an amazing piece of software you’ve created here and I’m sure it becomes better and better with the time.
I can patiently wait for new features because I know they will come, no need to rush.
Congratulations for the release and keep up your fantastic work Matt! 😊👍
Sounds great. I'm looking forward to what comes next.
Cheers.
Good call Matt!
@Blip Interactive is all class!!!!!
Thanks for this Matt. And thanks for the wonderful app. That sentiment doesn't come close to how I feel about the app (both now and in the future) but words sometimes fail. The future of music making is bright here!
Thanks Matt for all your hard work on NS2. Exciting times await us
Great post Matt.
Just think that behind each avatar here is a real human being.
How we so easily detach from this from behind a keyboard....
Yeah ! would be really nice of more people would put real photo as avatar.. Not necessary that mad one like me, that was my reaction for NS2 being approved by Apple
Thanks pal!
Appreciate all your hard work.
We've been patient enough for NS2 so all good!
Bank / Program change?
I’m really hoping it’s in here and I just can’t find a ‘setting’?
Anyone able to confirm? Cheers.
Great post and greatly different but excellent approach to future requests! Thumbs up!
Thank you Matt, enjoy your time off
I would if I had more trust in search engines...
Mines a self portrait, but the resemblance is uncanny so it’s practically a photo 😉