Are you taking advantage of blocks?

[antic604]

I think that dimmed look of the blocks is clearly intentional and also the right way to do it imho, as it clearly communicates visually which part is providing the background layer and which elements are in the foreground.

Sure, I get it that it's intentional. But at a quick glance it looks like there's nothing there.

For instance, instead of gray, the outline of the clip and its contents could use track's colour. So for example - in blocks - on the yellow track you'd see yellow MIDI notes and yellow clip border rectangle, on a green (block's) background. An inversion of how regular sequencer looks. That would be distinctive enough.

[jam-s]

I think they chose grey as it tends to clash less with other colours... e.g. imagine a green midi note on an orange block.

[antic604]

I think they chose grey as it tends to clash less with other colours... e.g. imagine a green midi note on an orange block.

Yeah, maybe. It's definitely a difficult balancing act. But as of right now the block clips appear way more unimportant than anything that's laid on top, which doesn't make sense as they usually constitute 70-80% of my music, at least.

That's why I usually just convert blocks into arranger clips and delete them, which I guess defeats the purpose of this - otherwise awesome, albeit not perfect - feature.

[crimsonwarlock]

But at a quick glance it looks like there's nothing there.

That seems to rather be a problem with your eyesight, than with Reason

I think they chose grey as it tends to clash less with other colours..

Light grey is the universally accepted color in software user interfaces for data that can't be edited. Reason followes this rule, as blocks cannot be edited in track view. They didn't choose the color, they choose to follow accepted convention

[antic604]

That seems to rather be a problem with your eyesight, than with Reason

I don't think it matters in this particular case.

Light grey is the universally accepted color in software user interfaces for data that can't be edited. Reason followes this rule, as blocks cannot be edited in track view. They didn't choose the color, they choose to follow accepted convention

Gray is used to indicate something that is inactive / disabled. Block content can be readily adjusted by hitting B and doing the changes. Not to mention it's obviously active.

In DAWs (Cubase, S1 at least) data that can't be edited is marked with lock icon.

[EnochLight]

In DAWs (Cubase, S1 at least) data that can't be edited is marked with lock icon.

Ironically, I've always thought the way it looks in Cubase and Studio One is counterintuitive. Hate the lock icon approach. I much prefer the grey background.

[antic604]

Ok, I guess it looks better (i.e., more readable) with default theme:

blocks_light.png (293.89 KiB) Viewed 9160 times

[EnochLight]

Yeah the dark theme seems like it was never "finished". I hate that the mixer and rack devices still keep that eye-piercing beige even when set to the dark them. Blocks definitely look "off" with that on.

[crimsonwarlock]

Gray is used to indicate something that is inactive / disabled.

Not exactly, gray is used to indicate than a certain action is disabled, like the option to edit data. The parts in the sequencer tracks are basically buttons to their edit functions, as double clicking will perform that action. And that action is disabled for blocks in track mode, hence the grayed out state. Again, it is perfectly in line with accepted software conventions.

[antic604]

Gray is used to indicate something that is inactive / disabled.

Not exactly, gray is used to indicate than a certain action is disabled, like the option to edit data. The parts in the sequencer tracks are basically buttons to their edit functions, as double clicking will perform that action. And that action is disabled for blocks in track mode, hence the grayed out state. Again, it is perfectly in line with accepted software conventions.

Ok, but there's different shades of gray. I wouldn't mind if blocks were drawn as white clip content & borders one solid block colour background. Sort of inverse of regular sequencer.

[DaveyG]

Ok, but there's different shades of gray.

I think there are about 50. Or so I am told.

[crimsonwarlock]

Ok, but there's different shades of gray. I wouldn't mind if blocks were drawn as white clip content & borders one solid block colour background. Sort of inverse of regular sequencer.

Oh, I absolutely agree. Disabled screen components should still have enough contrast to be clearly visible.

Ok, but there's different shades of gray.

I think there are about 50. Or so I am told.

Of course you had to bring that up

[DaveyG]

I think there are about 50. Or so I am told.

Of course you had to bring that up

You set 'em up and I'll knock 'em down.

He's not going to sell much ice-cream going at that speed, is he?

[deeplink]

When dealing with a tall sequencer, having the background of the seqeuncer a different colour indicating sections of your song is really really useful for navigation and copying/moving things around