Quote from Specterx:
Might as well try and revive this thread since I have a question...
I have been using volume bars for some time as I found that the price action looked 'smoother' or cleaner than with time bars. However, I realized a potential problem the other day: it's essentially impossible to make use of sloping S/R trendlines when using volume bars, because a volume chart moves to the right at a variable rate. Therefore, a trendline may be well-defined on a time chart but invisible or poorly-defined on a volume chart.
This actually seems to bring up a whole category of issues with exotic bar types. I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that the vast majority (75-80%) of traders use constant time bars. If your job as a trader is to predict what the crowd will do when situation X arises on the chart - for example, that sellers will step in when the price hits a trendline - it would say it's important that you're seeing the same picture as everyone else.
I suppose that with experience you could look at a volume chart and see a different picture than the rest of the crowd, but one that gives you the same information - if that makes any sense. Either way, I'd love to hear from people with experience using volume charts or perspective on this issue...
Quote from spinner:
Actually I think some people have moved beyond volume bars to range bars. Range bars are working well for me.
This isn't true and comes from lack of knowledge and familarity with using them.Quote from ProfLogic:
IMHO . . . Range bars 3 steps backward not forward.
Example: What is the range of the eMini S&P going to be tomorrow, in the first hour or in the opening 5 minutes.
Range bars are for breakout traders and we have all seen how a breakout is easily exhausted time and time again. I'm not saying they don't have their place but the purpose of viewing price is to view it with as much clarity as possible not add more inconsistency and noise into how we view price.
Quote from MandelbrotSet:
This isn't true and comes from lack of knowledge and familarity with using them.
Don't believe me?
Put in the time and start working with them ... I think you'll find that they are very easy to use, once you get some basic knowledge down.
Quote from ProfLogic:
...The environment is now perfectly viewable, stable and non-varying. You now need to choose the chart increment to best suit your trading style (Intraday, Swing, Position or Long Term) and as stated earlier, spend the screen time to learn just exactly what does price do consistently in the "time frame" that you wish to trade.
I don't use the term "interrupt" because it implies a subjective action. I prefer "read" because what the ultimate result of this environment is, is to be objective in your decision making process trading on price consistencies.
Price does move methodically. One just has to view it in a stable non-varying environment to see it.
Quote from bronks:
Just a little thing that caught my eye, Prof. and it just may be semantics, but, doesn't the fact that volume doesn't close at 2 million contracts (or whatever number you wish just as long as it's the same) everyday, throw a bit of skew into the contracts per bar stable/non-varying evironment?
If this was brought up before then disregard, as I only read the first few and last pages of this thread. Good one, it is.
Quote from ProfLogic:
Using volume bars isn't about "volume per day" it's volume per bar. Watching price as a constant where each bar is made up of the same volume smooths thing out emensely.