Musicians would love 4-track capabilities.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for writing. I would be interested in talking about funding or working with you to develop a 4-track version.

From a music composition point of view, the critical limitation of DAWs (GarageBand, ProTools, etc.) is that they are distracting. Traditional composition (say, 15 years ago) happened in two steps (1) writing and arranging, often using a 4-track, and (2) re-recording with pro equipment. The process worked because it forced the musician to focus on writing good songs (i.e. their art).

Today, many musicians spend more time using their mouse than working on their art, and it's not entirely their own fault. DAWs have probably had a greater influence on popular music than anything else in the last decade. Many musicians have become disillusioned because they feel their artform has been wrecked by technology. I believe an artist needs a limited canvas in order to focus on doing something well.

Here are some of the features I would expect to see in a computer-based 4-track:

* an extremely simple UI; even simpler than the old Tascam recorders were
* really great tape saturation simulation (guitarists want this)
* VU meters
* export to GarageBand

Many musicians (especially those over 30) would intuitively know how to fit a 4-track into their process. They'd use the 4-track to develop their ideas, and export to GarageBand when they're ready to begin tweaking. This creates the necessary separation between composition and everything that happens later.

People would use a computer-based 4-track mainly for emotional and artistic reasons, so it would be important to get the vibe right.

My background is in UI design and software engineering, and music. Reach me at jdueck [{at}] gmail if you're interested.

I'll second this!
I use a Fostex MR-8 MkII for most ALOT of my stuff now - infact, I use it for most of my stuff.

This being developed into a 4-track would be my like a home away from home for me.

One reason why I'd support this is because I have parents who were willing to buy me a Fostex for my birthday, I probably wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise - if there would have been a Multi-tracker simulutationesque program on the market for the sort of price-tag we're talking then things may have been alot easier.

Wow. I would pay $99 or more for a simple, easy on the eyes, virtual multitrack tape recorder, that looks and acts like a real one. Like a mid-90's Tascam/Fostex Portastudio. Make it 8-tracks and you'll offset the complicated demand for bouncing tracks.

Keep the design choices really simple. Recording on 8 tracks, EQ, PAN, no Effects, Master Volume Level, Track Volume Level, Index Marks, Punch-In/Punch Out, Apple Lossless/MP3/AIFF Import and Export. Same "Box of Tapes" and color-coding from TapeDeck. Shouldn't take you more than 15 years and 272,000 pots of coffee to create. When you do though, you'll be rich!

I must say, I love your niche of software. Highly-detailed, simple to use, virtual simulations of real world devices. You are adapting software to the human world. Kinesthetic Software. A variation on that might be a cool company name. I wish more software designers would do this! It's exciting to see!