Aeros Controls Guide

Aeros Loop Studio Docs and Downloads
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We created this Controls Guide as a simple reference for new users to get started quickly.

Please comment if anything can be improved :slight_smile:

Aeros Controls Guide.pdf (2.2 MB)

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Can we get a set of midi commands, since, apparently, the Aeros already can send them.

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@Phil_Flood this is a bit off topic for this thread… but as of now the Aeros just passes through the MIDI commands it receives. We will be building out MIDI Out commands to the Aeros next month.

Currently, Aeros responds to MIDI IN commands of MIDI Clock, time signature (BB format), start/stop, next part (cc-102).

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I’m sorry David. I meant to say since the Maestro can already send them to the Aeros.

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This is guide with everything in one page is great. Really puts everything into perspective.

Here are some things to add to the PDF:

  • Scroll wheel scrolls any page that does not fully fit onscreen.
  • How to delete a part
  • How to delete a track

Here are some observations of the design based upon seeing this “all in one place”. I know this is not what you were thinking:

  • Overdub Recording waveform color of yellow is of little extra benefit beyond the new recording color of red. IMHI this distinction is unnecessarily complicated and not intuitive. Having too many color codes is worse than having too few. If you really want to indicate the difference, change the label on the button to “End Overdub” and “End Record” (versus the unhelpful “Play”).
  • Selected and Unselected Waveform colors don’t work well to indicate selection. It’s not intuitive and takes a bit too much thought. Please think about other ways to indicate “selected” (eg., a box or an arrow).
  • Double taps and Hold for varying lengths of time to mute/undo are a bit cumbersome. Not sure this is a good idea or not, but how about using the scroll wheel to select from multiple options? Have one operation (hold?) that brings up a menu with undo, redo, mute, delete track, etc. that you select via the scroll wheel click the button to choose the selected action. It would be less to remember. Not sure if the timing works…
  • UI either needs to intuitive or self documenting,. Only showing the labels for a single click is less than ideal.
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Thanks for your feedback @Quad

Currently you can’t delete a part. We will be adding this function in the future. Deleting and undoing a track are the same thing (except you can undelete with redo).

I disagree regarding yellow waveform being confusing. Most loopers use red for record and yellow for overdub and green for playback. We went with the paradigm that people are used to. The difference between the red and yellow waveform indicates whether it’s the first layer of a track which determines the track length and an overdub layer which is locked to the original length. The buttons are labeled with what action will happen when you press it, that’s why it reads “Play”. “End record” could imply stopping the looper.

I think the green waveform and clock is pretty intuitive to indicate a selected waveform because it stands out next to the blue waveforms. Easier to see the whole track change color than a box - and it looks better too.

I agree that double taps and holds are not ideal, but then we either need more buttons (which could be done, using the MIDI Maestro) or you need a two step operation like your suggestion with the scroll wheel. I personally think that would be more combersome because now you have to use the scroll wheel (and how would you change it from the volume control function?), scroll a list, select, and then press a track. much easier to have consistent commands, even if they are double taps and holds.

We have been debating whether to show the commands for double taps and holds. If we did for both, then we’d need to have 3 labels for each button: single tap, double tap, hold. That’s a lot of text on screen and confusing to the eye. We figured that we would just keep the hold and double tap commands consistent through out the operation of the Aeros so once you learn it, you can use it anytime. Single tap commands are the only ones that change depending on the state of the Aeros, that’s why we label these commands, so the labels can change as the commands change.

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Thanks for the reply @DavidPackouz.

On the naming convention for the buttons, I’m not the only one who has commented on this … as our early impressions of using the Aeros. At the risk of pissing you off royally, I humbly suggest:

  • Use “Playback” instead of “Play” as the label It’s subtle, but would work much better for those of us who are getting hung up on the word “Play” (because my brain and ears know I’m already playing).
  • On the mixer, please change “Select” to “Next Track” (or even “Next Track ->” or "->). That’s a more direct term and reuses the terminology used elsewhere. IMHO, “select” means the same as a mouse click, not change focus. Bonus points for this to be on the same button as the 2x2 and 6x6 (where exit is on the mixer today); this will help with consistency and muscle memory (but there’s the challenge of how to make Exit obvious).
  • Change “Select Part” to “Next Part” in 6x6 mode. The subtle distinction between 2x2 and 6x6 is a lot to capture in a label. That is less important here, than having the word “Next” in the name, getting rid of one more term in the UI, and making the buttons consistent across pages in the UI. Try it; I think it will feel right.

This stuff is very nuanced, easily biased, and a series of tradeoffs The challenge for you (as someone who is intimately familiar with the Aeros and knows how it is built) is that you are tainted by your fluency and knowledge (which is a complement as well as a challenge). Anyhooo, I don’t want to get wrapped around the axle here, but I do hope you test your assumptions, give the user an option for alternates, or otherwise think how to solve this. The observation/feedback is more important than the suggested fix. When using the Aeros while playing guitar (multitasking), we need all the help we can!

FYI, using color to indicate selection is almost never used by itself in a UI. OK to have green in addition to some other element to indicate selection. Also a portion of the world can’t distinguish between colors. (In general UI’s that have more than one way to indicate/do things are generally easier to use and counter-intuitively can be simpler if done well. People find and use the mechanism that works for them (e.g., command keys, buttons, menus) ). Not sure there’s truly a standard for loopers that is common knowledge; SS is introducing the graphical looper UI to most of its users. Lots of examples of bad UI’s being “standard” until someone comes out with a better way of doing things that breaks the mold (e.g. iPhone) All for a good looking, simple UI, but…

On the double press/hold labels, perhaps add a reminder feature “press and hold the right two buttons” that shows the other labels for the actions? That gets it out of the way, but provides a way to refresh your memory of the extra commands while playing. This is similar to the menu, but simpler.

Thanks for indulging me. I would have written a shorter post had I more time! A bit of healthy debate makes for a better outcome.

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