Hey all!
Wasn’t sure where to post this, Engineer_Comp_Geek recommended I start here.
I am a music producer/audio engineer who does a fair bit of studio design and install work.
One major component of this is patchbay and rack design. Patchbays in a recording studio provide a means of interconnection between all hardware in the studio: audio interfaces, consoles and rack gear such as effects units, preamps and other signal processors.
There are several options for wiring different types of gear together that creates default signal paths that may be rerouted manually via patch cables to say, add a compressor or equalizer at a certain point of the signal path.
This can get very complicated, and is generally a huge learning curve for new engineers and hobbyists. There are no existing tools to simplify this process, and typically the design and planning is done on graph paper or in excel.
Some tools such as visio and the like allow for rack design - what goes where in the rack and where the rack is located - but they do not provide a simple means of assigning hardware to patch points and organizing them in a logical way that accounts for connection defaults (normalling) etc.
I am looking for an independent developer to explore the possibility of a web, iOS or Android app to allow for patchbay planning and design. Specifically, simplifying the process of arranging connection points and testing virtual signal flow to examine workflow and ergonomics.
The app would not pass audio, use DSP or have anything to do with actual operation. Instead, a simple drag and drop of hardware connections from a list, with the ability to specify the default connection state (normalled, half-normalled, iso, mult) and flag feedback loops or open connections. It would account for connector type (xlr/trs/tt/ts), impedance and balanced vs unbalanced signals, in order to generate a complete list of cabling requirements per design.
I can spec everything, and build wireframes etc, and in general handle all elements of the audio engineering/technical knowledge side. I can’t code however.
Would like to discuss options, pricing and feasibility.
Again, there are no solutions like this out there. Ive hunted for years and it is such a niche that nobody but an audio engineer would come up with the idea. But properly implemented it would be a godsend for novice engineers, busy installers/designers and hobbyists looking to take their studio to the next level. Patchbays are hard to grasp until you’ve built several and the lack of planning tools compounds that.
So yeah, anybody with the technical knowhow and interest please contact me. This would be a paid job, or would offer project equity if needed, in lieu or alongside payment.
Thanks!