Well, kinda. He does the whole Patreon gig, so maybe buy the guy a coffee once in a while if you use his stuff.

 

for me its a Catch 22. Most plugins I use are relatively "Set and Forget", so their GUI is usually already minimized or closed within 5 minutes of opening it. I would rather the plugins I am going to really work on Automation for, to look nicest. Which sucks; because when running those you need as much free cpu as possible and having everything redrawing like that can be cpu crushing.

a low graphics mode per plugin would be nice.

 

I think it depends on how you learned audio editing. People who learned to mix on a console probably don't need an elaborate GUI. On the other hand, those who have worked with a graphical user interface from the beginning will need much more graphical input to quickly get used to a working environment. This is a matter of learning curve only.
In addition, our brain is particularly good at taking in information through the eyes. Small graphical aids are probably helpful for everyone.
A completely overloaded colorful and flickering GUI, on the other hand, is probably a hindrance for everyone.
For me I love nice looking things and given two plugins have a logical approach an intuitive design and good sound quality I would definitely take the better looking one.
In this meaning the GUI may just be a proxy to the underlying knobs and faders
As always: it depends
And its a matter of taste.

Spoiler: GUI for cars

Analog instruments were chosen for the Prosche GT3 (top), whereas the Renault has a graphic display.
As a result, however, the information delivered is identical.
Wich car would you choose?
The Renault of course? The info is more intuitive!?

 

Only reason I bought my Fabfilter plugins is because they look delicious on my screen

 

They taste good too if you you have access to a 3D printer.

 

There are dozens of YouTube "influencers" acting as "reviewers" most of them unintentionally hilarious.

There main conclusion as to whether the plugin is "awesome" or "sucks" is largely down to the "cool" graphics.

"As I turn this knob, the animation is showing you how it's effecting the sound"

Reviewer points to a flame graphic that is getting more "orange".

Classic examples...

 

The GUI can be the determining factor in whether I use a plugin or not. It's almost as important as the sound itself. A shitty GUI can ruin even the best plugin.

 

This is a strong argument against the GUI. I mean the placebo-like effect.
But as a person unsusceptiple to placebo, I can say that I also have tremendous issues with being inspired.
I think, when it comes to music, placebo and inspiration are one and the same. One simply cannot make an emotional music without giving in to emotions at least a little bit. You can't cut out the placebo without cutting out everyrhing else that makes music interesting to the listener.
BUT a discipline helps, and so do bona fide plugins with good UIs.

 

On a more serious note: Apart from aesthetics I really need some visual feedback, like a gain reduction meter in a dynamics plugin, that validate my auditory impression. There is a reason why at some point in music technology visual aids (the simplest probably being a VU meter) have been added to the toolbox.

That's why I never clicked with the Airwindows stuff (except for two or three of his reverbs, in reverbs I don't need any visuals since setting the right reverb sound is strictly auditory to me). I could never use EQs or compressors with only generic sliders. And with saturation / tape etcetera plugins there is also the issue of gain staging: if you can't immediately see the input level, than it feels unintuitive to me.

Softube added their Extended Features with input and output meter / slider to their whole plugin range, which is great and makes gain staging much easier, in particular for their plugins without dedicated input control (like Saturation Knob, which was unusable before without additional gain staging plugin in front and after it).

 

Good points all around..

Would like to add sometimes it's not about the sound, it's about the mental state. Looking at something pleasing for a long amount of time probably does not disturb your creative mood. Looking at something that we are consciously and constantly thinking is unattractive can pull us out of our creative mood.

Should we not do whatever we need to sustain our mind's flow state. And should we let anyone else be the judge of what that involves?

 

which is your favorite pizza? I'll make your favorite pizza in plug-in form...

how about this ?

 

Last edited: Feb 6, 2022

Well it looks like I need to move with the times because a basic EQ to me still looks like this.



I just think of Plugins as tools.

Thats why I thought I'd start this thread.

I didn't know a hammer needed go faster stripes painted on it but it's starting to look like it dose.

 

It's like the old black and white television, nobody wants that anymore. There are such great graphic designers
and our outside world is also colorful, the sky is blue, the grass is green and the roses are red.
So with your black story you will not inspire the masses. Are you maybe color blind?

 

My take on it is, if you feel good about something, you'll get your best work done.

Also... Best service engine????... And they say too much PORN makes you go blind?? Use that for half an hour and you'll be doing Stevie wonder Impressions.

 

I agree to a degree. I don't need something visual to help with something my ears are listening to, BUT, when a GUI is hard to view I find that counter productive. It gives me headaches.

 

For me the gui matters in the sense of mental state as @SharkBait O-reily mentioned above. It's not necessarily a functional issue, its more of a flow-state/vibe/mood issue. Kinda like how different studio setups dictate different tones or energy. You'll be inspired to make different musical choices in a setup with neon lights and pop culture posters than you would in a more subdued or upscale classical environment.

But on the flip side, plugins with unnecessary over the top graphical animations such as "scorch" which @Stuck In The 80s mentioned, come off as low quality & unfocused in my opinion.

 

Man, do you happen to have Pizza Synth? I can't find it anywhere

 

Hey @zalbadar , welcome.

I can be very pleased with results of nice looking plugins, just for the fun of working with them, visually as well as sonically.

 

Last edited: Feb 6, 2022

https://www.kvraudio.com/product/pizza-synth-by-nusofting

but unfortunately no longer available ....

 

Nani is one of the few where "good-looking " can hinder your work