Same size audio blocks.

MusicMan81

ST4 Build: Build 1897
Device & iOS Version: iPad M4 2025

Current Limitation / Use Case:
All audio blocks have a different size and can be harder to see, read or follow..

Proposed Feature:
Set the same block size in normal view mode for all audio parts.

Benefit / Impact:
I think, it can be helpful for several reasons, it allows you to read better the name, and also let you get the (remaining timing feeling) per se…. When you have a part that the block is 3cm wide you can se like the song progress bar moving, but when you have another one with a shorter name, it gets really small in the view mode, maybe 1-1.5cm as example, so maybe the name is shorter but the audio is larger, so the progress bar fills in a very different timing. Is more like a visual aid.

When you have fewer block parts, and all of them fits the main view, they all auto resize to the same size, but when you have much more, they all have a different size.

Here are 2 examples, the first one have all block parts the same size (which I find better) the second one, all different and “in my opinion, harder to read, follow) especially when you are performing and 1-2 meters from the iPad.

Thanks in advance @peter for all the effort into the app.

peter

This was changed intentionally. In the first beta all region buttons had the same size. I changed it to use only as much space as needed in order to fit more onto the screen.

MusicMan81

peter ok, I understand, unfortunately a deal breaker for me, I work with medleys and having a clear visual is crucial for my work, but no worries, maybe more people need the other way around.

Thanks.

Damir

peter This was changed intentionally. In the first beta all region buttons had the same size. I changed it to use only as much space as needed in order to fit more onto the screen.

The more loops I see in view the better, so why not use 2 line labeling to even more improve the button size , some buttons are too large because of single line label
Give us the opportunity to reduce this by having VERSE on top line and number 1 underneath this way we can pick and choose to keep our buttons smaller and I would like them tighter together as at the moment they are too far apart wasting valuable space , I never had issues with hitting the wrong loop in ST3 when the segments were reasonable size even though they were joined now we have nice big buttons and miles of space between them , I think a small dark space is enough and double line labeling and we should all be reasonably happy.

Large spacing looks nice but more buttons is more useful , too large buttons means bigger side movement, more out of view segments and jerkier movement when staying in middle , smaller buttons less eye movement when repositioning.

MarkGuitar

MusicMan81 ok, I understand, unfortunately a deal breaker for me, I work with medleys and having a clear visual is crucial for my work, but no worries, maybe more people need the other way around.

Is this a scenario where having both the region buttons and the waveform displayed would help? Having the waveform would give you a better indication of the length of time of the segment, rather than the button?
When the discussion about what to display here was happening, showing both was mentioned.
Not sure how difficult it would be for @Peter though.
And showing both might be CPU intensive.
Just a thought

Damir

MusicMan81 ok, I understand, unfortunately a deal breaker for me, I work with medleys and having a clear visual is crucial for my work, but no worries, maybe more people need the other way around.

Medleys are easy in waveform view because they normally aren’t short segments so you could easily have multi song medley displayed very nicely and have it easy to rearrange them on the run.
Waveform is not so good for very short audio segments, that’s why we now have an alternative which works really well if you need to manipulate the arrangement.

AnthonyB

With regard to the Audio Region sizing, I'm going to add a 3rd variant into the mix.

Fixed Width - as per earlier ST4 release. Each Audio Region is same size. Does the width vary from song to song depending on number of regions vs screen width? This appears to be preferred option (?) for people that use the regions as 'tap targets' as they provide more consistent targets to aim for.
Variable Width (based on region name) - what we currently have as of Build 1905. Allows more regions to be displayed on screen.
Variable Width (based on region duration relative to song duration) - so this would have the Audio Regions mimic the behaviour we currently see on the song progress bar, where each region's width correlates to the duration of the region relative to the song duration.

I add the 3rd option because I'm on the cohort of people that just use the Audio Regions as a glanceable "where am I in the song" reference. While the 2nd option also works OK, what it doesn't cater for is the "is Verse 2 the long variant, or is it Verse 3?" scenario. The suggested 3rd option would have the region width be relative to the duration so you could see at a glance "oh, this is the long Verse coming up".
Now, I do concede, the existing in-region progress fill does sort of give you that same infotmation, i.e. if the audio region fill is only half-filled, we're not at the end of that region! But I find the contrast of the fill vs non-fill not as easy to quickly "glance and guage" as if the regions were also different widths.

Also, to @Damir 's point about the spacing between the audio regions, I would agree that they could be tightened up to save some space. That may be personal preference so possibly a Global Setting of Audio Region spacing = and whatever value makes sense (px?) so if people want them hard up against each other, they can. If people want them spaced (especially if using as tap targets) a bit more, then also their choice to suit their device screen size.

MusicMan81

I’d love to have those options, but I know that for @peter everything must be crazy complicated because for each request we make, there’s more than one way or option that will suit everyone’s needs. In my case I cannot work like @Damir, having everything in one screen or the more the better, I respect his workflow but it doesn’t suit my needs, but I get it, we all must make compromises specially Peter because no matter what he do, there’s always going to be people happy and people sad with the outcome.

That’s why I have avoided to put in my post “I don’t like it, is bad, etc etc” what doesn’t work for me it might work for someone else, so I’m always telling Peter “maybe more people need the other way around”

So I think the safest way to make Peter life easier is, wait and see if the final release suits my needs, and if not I’ll look for other app that suits me, the app cannot be tailored just for me, or anyone else…. I think we are putting Peter in crazy complicated scenarios.

But, that’s just my opinion.

peter

MusicMan81 The waveform view with regions is already implemented. Just select it in Settings > User Interface. It will look and work similar to what you are used to in ST3.

MusicMan81

peter I know you can view waveform with regions, but is not what I’m talking about.

Is like you did it in the first st4 release, all audio regions the same size. Apparently I’m the only one who uses this, so it’s ok. Maybe for the sake of the entire users having different sizes always aiming for smaller and fitting a larger amount is what fits the most…. But @AnthonyB idea is a cool one, to have 3 options that fits all.

But as I said, I’ll wait and see what you think will be better and I’ll adapt or choose what fits me in the end. No worries Peter.