Analysis of the synthesizer user interface: cognitive walkthrough and user tests

Seago, Allan (2004). Analysis of the synthesizer user interface: cognitive walkthrough and user tests. Technical Report 2004/15; Department of Computing, The Open University.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21954/ou.ro.0001601d

Abstract

The aim of this report is to analyse the user interfaces of two electronic synthesisers and to report the results of user tests conducted on these interfaces.Work on interface design in the sound synthesis domain here has tended to focus on the development of experimental input devices which capture physical gestures, and which are mapped to synthesis parameters. However, relatively little attention has been given to the analysis of existing audio and music related hardware and software (e.g. electronic synthesizers) from the HCI perspective. In the context of HCI, sound has, for the most part, only been considered as a means of providing warning or monitoring feedback to users of systems in which it otherwise does not play a role [1]. Auditory interfaces have sought to present data, which would normally be presented visually, in aural form, sometimes for the benefit of users with visual impairments [2][7][13]. Studies of software/hardware interfaces in which the creation, editing and storage of audio material is the prime focus are scarce, however [8] [15].Ruffner and Coker's review of synthesizer interface design [15] focused on the control surfaces of four contemporary instruments, and commented on the degree to which they conformed to design principles identified by Williges et al. [16] They concluded that the demands placed on the user by the interfaces made them far from ideal for the purpose: noting that, in general 'user interface principles have been, at best haphazardly applied' in the design of the synthesizer interface, the authors also suggested a number of issues that should drive future research in this area. Another more recent study [5] has applied an heuristic evaluation to an electric guitar pre-amplifier interface.As well as critically examining the control surfaces of the two instruments, the types of controllers and their layout, the study presented in this paper will seek to examine the user/system interaction required to complete three tasks typical of these instruments, firstly, by using the `cognitive walkthrough' technique, and secondly, through a number of user tests.The two synthesizers to be examined are the Roland XP50 and the Korg Trinity. The internal sound generation mechanisms of these instruments are broadly the same, using PCM samples as the basic waveform library, but using techniques derived from traditional analogue subtractive synthesis to process them [4].