Through the whole development of Samplitude Access, the key aim has been to bring a stable working environment to the user, while still offering access to all of Samplitude’s features. This has been a constant challenge, simply due to the nature in which a visually impaired user has to interact with the program. There are occasions when specific configuration needs to be incorporated to allow information to be passed to the screen reader. So, this has meant having floating windows available to pass that information along.
In these latest releases of Samplitude Access, we now only have 1 floating window and all other previous floating windows are now on Samplitude’s docker, which means focus is much more efficient. Add to that, it is now not possible to execute actions within any focussed windows that don’t actually apply within that focussed window. So, as Samplitude would allow such actions to happen, due to it being a very dynamic program, which allows windows to be dragged in many areas of the UI, it was important that this aspect should be addressed. Previously, actions to open and work in other windows would still execute, because this is the native and expected behaviour, but it was obvious this could be a problem, if for example wrong keystrokes were made, as focus would be taken away from where a user was expecting to be.
Samplitude Access has introduced a host of new features, and the accessibility has been taken to a whole new level in these releases. From the very latest midi options available directly in the VIP/Arranger to audio object editing from the track level in the wave Editor, through to management of all 5 Object Editor plugin slots and the Midi editor getting a full range of commands to manage your Midi editting, this release brings a seamless and robust solution to the user. Add to that the user now has another very powerful option to work with objects with the brand new advanced object solution.
There has also been a re-design of how plugins are handled in the VIP/Arranger, tracks, buses and folders can now be easily managed and inserted specifically into your project, which brings a very efficient workflow to your fingertips.
All in all, we are very proud of this release, and it is felt across the beta team that this is where the project has needed to be, but due to many obstacles put in our way, it hasn’t been easy to achieve. From Samplitude updates, unstable Jaws development, the challenge of configuring a highly visual program and the complex nature of how this DAW works, we now feel we are there. So, fingers crossed the users also feel the same way!
