New QSC Product - TouchMix

re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

mackerr said:
It has existed for more than a dozen years. The grandaddy of professional digital consoles in the live sound world, the Yamaha PM1D, could be operated without a CS1 control surface from the get go.
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Yes, the hardware has been around for a while, and recently hardware have become available in the hobbyist market where the chances are greater that mainstream solutions based on consumer type (iPad, iPhone, Android, touch PC etc.) devices will evolve. This we see in evidence already at iPad level, the next step must surely be bigger screen FOH and monitorland applications.


PS: I don't think whatever is coming from QSC is anywhere near this vision. From the video we are looking at a product to compete in the Mackie 1608 segment. (Which is why I'm surprised this topic is still in Varsity ;)~;-)~:wink: )
 
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re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Some years ago I believe it was the University of Michigan that performed an ergonomic study for a virtual theater mixer. Most of the board was a video display that could be arranged in a multitiude of ways, but they noted that one almost universal request in the market was for real faders and some real buttons (mute, solo, scene recall, etc.). Maybe times have changed since then but I think that there are still situtations out there where a completely configurable, all virtual user interface may not be the optimal solution.
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Brad Weber said:
Some years ago I believe it was the University of Michigan that performed an ergonomic study for a virtual theater mixer. Most of the board was a video display that could be arranged in a multitiude of ways, but they noted that one almost universal request in the market was for real faders and some real buttons (mute, solo, scene recall, etc.). Maybe times have changed since then but I think that there are still situtations out there where a completely configurable, all virtual user interface may not be the optimal solution.
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Studies like this may depend on who you ask... People who learned how to mix on a proper mixer will have that paradigm burned into their brain. Kids coming up, trained to operate video games with a wink and a nod, may be more flexible. Unfortunately new experimental systems cost money, and the big money purchase decisions are usually made by old school fader jockeys.

Change will come but slowly...

JR
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

John Roberts said:
Studies like this may depend on who you ask... People who learned how to mix on a proper mixer will have that paradigm burned into their brain. Kids coming up, trained to operate video games with a wink and a nod, may be more flexible. Unfortunately new experimental systems cost money, and the big money purchase decisions are usually made by old school fader jockeys.

Change will come but slowly...

JR
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I'm a new kid coming up, and I guess I'm part of the earlier generations of video gaming kids, but we played with a mouse/keyboard/gamepad/joystick/wheel+pedals/etc. I simply can't imagine not having those tactile tools. Touch screens are nice, but you have to look at them, and that's their downfall. I can grab the 5th fader of the second bank on a physical console without looking down, just like I don't have to look when I type on a physical keyboard, but on the iPad or almost any touch screen environment, I have to constantly look at the keyboards and controls.
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Max Warasila said:
I'm a new kid coming up, and I guess I'm part of the earlier generations of video gaming kids, but we played with a mouse/keyboard/gamepad/joystick/wheel+pedals/etc. I simply can't imagine not having those tactile tools. Touch screens are nice, but you have to look at them, and that's their downfall. I can grab the 5th fader of the second bank on a physical console without looking down, just like I don't have to look when I type on a physical keyboard, but on the iPad or almost any touch screen environment, I have to constantly look at the keyboards and controls.
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You don't have to look down if the virtual control panel is superimposed on you field of vision with something like google glass. A smart enough system could recognize the sound sources you are looking/pointing at and interpret your hand movements relative to the projected control surface and environment.

Of course this is a "little" ahead of the current market. Game technology is already getting good at recognizing player movements, but there is more work to be done integrating this all into a working system. Be patient.

JR
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Hmm... what exactly are yous guys staring at that you can't be looking at your displays/indicators/whatever ? I do like to watch the show and pick up the occasional visual cue but once I can hear everything I can see in the mix I usually switch to concentrating on what I'm hearing...
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Ron Kimball said:
Hmm... what exactly are yous guys staring at that you can't be looking at your displays/indicators/whatever ? I do like to watch the show and pick up the occasional visual cue but once I can hear everything I can see in the mix I usually switch to concentrating on what I'm hearing...
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My wife is telling me that she doesn't much care for me using PC and iPad during the show because I'm less attentive to signals from stage. Even worse when I'm on te iPad, because I move around so she can't even find me when she wants to signal me.
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Per Søvik said:
My wife is telling me that she doesn't much care for me using PC and iPad during the show because I'm less attentive to signals from stage. Even worse when I'm on te iPad, because I move around so she can't even find me when she wants to signal me.
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It sounds like Mrs. Søvik has the problem, not you. ;)
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

John Roberts said:
Studies like this may depend on who you ask... People who learned how to mix on a proper mixer will have that paradigm burned into their brain. Kids coming up, trained to operate video games with a wink and a nod, may be more flexible. Unfortunately new experimental systems cost money, and the big money purchase decisions are usually made by old school fader jockeys.

Change will come but slowly...

JR
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Yes the new dogs seem to grasp these interfaces intuitively. Recently did a 5 day festival with an X32. One of the bands had their own BE who had never seen an X32 in his life, yet in a few minutes he had figured out gates, limiters, EQ etc and had a decent mix happening. I realised that I was still thinking in terms of analog desk layout and then translating then acting wheras he (less than half my age) was a native to the format. He was still too damn loud.
M
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Mike Diack said:
Yes the new dogs seem to grasp these interfaces intuitively. Recently did a 5 day festival with an X32. One of the bands had their own BE who had never seen an X32 in his life, yet in a few minutes he had figured out gates, limiters, EQ etc and had a decent mix happening. I realised that I was still thinking in terms of analog desk layout and then translating then acting wheras he (less than half my age) was a native to the format. He was still too damn loud.
M
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There is a difference between predisposed to a certain kind of interface and which one is actually more effective. He's got half your age in experience he DOESN'T have on a particular workflow. Also, mental plasticity with age factors into this example. Your brain has a framework it attaches new things to, he on the other hand is still building his framework. Just saying there are more factors in here than the differences in interface.

I've worked with both, and I personally prefer a mix, similar to how most of the current digital consoles operate- part physical, part virtual. Perhaps we should start a poll, or if possible, find a more recent study with age group information.

And of course he was too damn loud. He's probably mixed on headphones run up to 11 for a few years at home already.
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Mike Diack said:
He was still too damn loud.
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Ah yes, the classic trick to make yourself sound like a better mixer. On many occasions I've seen BE's be told to turn down, and from that point their mix usually falls apart as if someone cranked the suck knob. Those few who can make the show sound amazing at comfortable volume levels are the ones who really have my respect for their ears and chops.
 
re: New QSC Product - TouchMix

Jeff Babcock said:
Ah yes, the classic trick to make yourself sound like a better mixer. On many occasions I've seen BE's be told to turn down, and from that point their mix usually falls apart as if someone cranked the suck knob. Those few who can make the show sound amazing at comfortable volume levels are the ones who really have my respect for their ears and chops.
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I agree 100%. If you can get all to play, this is always my goal. I used to do fair tent shows and all the old folks loved it because they could here everything at a reasonable level. The lower levels let you do some 'loudness' type contouring giving the low end plenty of head room and be clean and not bloated. Enough rig is a necessity in these cases.
 
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