im the beginner - you are the pro. I guess you are right, becausce you got the experience.
But I do not know what exactly you mean as frontier? it is not almlost the same? I tried pretty often the circles to modulate (I think this is what you mean). Smoother are my results with the scale spline.
What I dont like is that the peak is so fat. But if I slim the peak - the surface is not so smooth how I need it.