# 100% FLAT GUI for Next Cubase **URL:** \ **Category:** Cubase\ **Tags:** feature-request\ **Created:** [February 5, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903 "2021-02-05T23:18:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![vncvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f14d63/32.png) [@vncvr](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/vncvr)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 8:05pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/21 "2021-02-06T20:05:46Z")
What kind of monitor are you using? Monitors play a big impact on how things look. My laptop screen is horrible compared to my LG Ultrawide in terms of the contrast, colour, flatness, etc. Remember when events had a gradient! that was only a few versions ago. good riddance _edit_ And when I say my laptop screen is bad… I mean it’s _really_ bad. I can’t get it to look right no matter how I tweak it. Everything either looks completely washed out and faded, or, it has a eye burning contrast, there’s no in-between . ---
**Author:** ![Nico5](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/nico5/32/92492_2.png) [@Nico5](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Nico5)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 9:22pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/22 "2021-02-06T21:22:34Z")
> [@weld77](#): > > the arrange area is surrounded by a peripheral mess You can hide and show the left, right and bottom zones on demand (key commands and/or macros and/or midi remote control) to reduce the distraction and increase available arrangement window space. ---
**Author:** ![ggmanestraki](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/ggmanestraki/32/109799_2.png) [@ggmanestraki](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/ggmanestraki)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/23 "2021-02-06T21:41:02Z")
No, please. Enough flatness and darkness. ---
**Author:** ![weld77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f17d59/32.png) [@weld77](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/weld77)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2021, 11:44pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/24 "2021-02-06T23:44:43Z")
> You can hide and show the left, right and bottom zones on demand Thanks, I know this and do this already. Can’t do anything about the toolbars tho, but I’ve reduced those down to a minimum so they are less distracting. Still feel that little “ugh…” in my eyeballs whenever I have to open the inspector. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![garymusic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f6c823/32.png) [@garymusic](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/garymusic)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 1:24am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/25 "2021-02-07T01:24:19Z")
I’m pretty happy with the way it looks now in Cubase Pro 11. Spending time on this would take away time for enhancing functionality. ---
**Author:** ![fese](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/fese/32/121132_2.png) [@fese](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/fese)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 5:37pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/26 "2021-02-07T17:37:07Z")
I agree, the problem with the UI is the busyness and overall inconsistency. Maybe it has gotten a bit better in 11, I am still on 1.0, and that still has UI elements from the SX days… Different fonts, different iconography, even different scroll bars. And as someone who really cannot stand those modern black/dark UIs, it is really hard to make a light color set, as that means really bad contrast in some areas. In general I have neither a problem with flat design UIs nor with skeuomorphic ones as long as they’re executed well. ---
**Author:** ![vncvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f14d63/32.png) [@vncvr](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/vncvr)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/27 "2021-02-07T18:09:28Z")
I don’t get it… people using a music program talking about it likes it’s photoshop or a video editor… to each their own, but I’m very happy ---
**Author:** ![Yegor24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Yegor24](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Yegor24)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 3:09am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/28 "2021-02-08T03:09:01Z")
I quite like the UI as it is. What bugs me is that some icons/buttons are low resolution, some are high resolution, there are alignment issues here and there. Overall there is lack of consistency. ---
**Author:** ![DAC\_Protogen](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/dac_protogen/32/117877_2.png) [@DAC\_Protogen](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/DAC_Protogen)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 5:14am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/29 "2021-02-08T05:14:29Z")
Yep, with some of the major updates, Steinberg is like “let’s overhaul this area and that dialog”, but also introduces new plugins and features for better marketing. But that leads to exactly this inconsistency. And to a whole bunch of half-baked features with each release. ---
**Author:** ![luke7020](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@luke7020](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/luke7020)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2021, 11:09am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/30 "2021-02-08T11:09:11Z")
There are definitely inconsistencies across the UI. They’re not huge but they do make you think it’s not as slick as could be. Some of the plugins are ugly and small. Some are skewmorphic. Some are flat. Inconsistent. However on the whole the UI in general for me is very pleasing on the eye. I’d go so far so say it looks gorgeous. In cubase 11 anyway. Really modern, easy on the eye colours. I like it a lot. Logic ableton etc all look uninspiring in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Moneto](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/johnny_moneto/32/329861_2.png) [@Johnny\_Moneto](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Johnny_Moneto)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/31 "2021-02-09T13:24:46Z")
The UI looks like it is a skin. I tried to open it with the old srf editor from Steinberg (myMP3 anybody?) but that version is outdated. It was worth the try 😃 ---
**Author:** ![davegrooveq](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/davegrooveq/32/93295_2.png) [@davegrooveq](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/davegrooveq)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 1:05am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/32 "2021-02-14T01:05:26Z")
HELL NO, i use Live often and it’s like using microsoft excel for music. Cubase has it just right ---
**Author:** ![JBuck](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/jbuck/32/184463_2.png) [@JBuck](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/JBuck)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 8:50am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/33 "2021-02-14T08:50:48Z")
[![](https://i.ibb.co/fDhkDT1/3.png)](https://ibb.co/wc9Sc20) This must be one of those cases where I see a new car and think ‘Hmmm… that is one ugly car’ then 6 months later I get it. This new UI is fugly, but maybe I’ll get it in six months. If I actually upgrade to 11 that is. ---
**Author:** ![DAC\_Protogen](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/dac_protogen/32/117877_2.png) [@DAC\_Protogen](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/DAC_Protogen)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 11:14am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/34 "2021-02-14T11:14:48Z")
I think it looks a bit more pleasing, especially on a HiDPI screen like on my iMac, BUT these new areas have much less contrast now, which I think is a step back in ergonomics. The old version of this was much easier to navigate with the eyes, as areas were separated more clearly. I hope Steinberg puts a little more contrast into the UI again. ---
**Author:** ![JBuck](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/jbuck/32/184463_2.png) [@JBuck](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/JBuck)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 1:43pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/35 "2021-02-14T13:43:10Z")
I’m no coder but I get the impression the changing UI elements is quite an easy task. Like it doesn’t really affect the main program code. So Steinberg probably move stuff around every release so we the users get that ‘New, I didn’t just blow $100 feeling’. ---
**Author:** ![dylanmixer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/45deac/32.png) [@dylanmixer](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/dylanmixer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/36 "2021-02-14T19:20:17Z")
Hard disagree. I for one am disappointed by the flat look of the events now, compared to the gradients of Cubase 8 and 9. ---
**Author:** ![Cookie\_Jarvis](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/cookie_jarvis/32/407093_2.png) [@Cookie\_Jarvis](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Cookie_Jarvis)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 10:19pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/37 "2021-02-14T22:19:48Z")
Flat “design” seems more like a lack of design to me… but it’d be a boring world if we all liked the same thing 🙂 Bill ---
**Author:** ![vncvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f14d63/32.png) [@vncvr](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/vncvr)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 11:29pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/38 "2021-02-14T23:29:56Z")
such a relief those gradients are gone! Such an eyestrain when editing, and sort of disorienting because the colours one uses to reference the track colour, is not vertically consistent and is only pure at the top of the event. Now the events through and through match the track colour and it’s much easier to see… Some people also have to 200 track colours of slight varying shades, and the slight differentiation from one shade to the next was really non-apparent because of the gradients. Now you can clearly see the slightest colour differentiation. I could not go back. ---
**Author:** ![vncvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f14d63/32.png) [@vncvr](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/vncvr)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 11:30pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/39 "2021-02-14T23:30:59Z")
Left is 11? I prefer the black on the right ---
**Author:** ![garethk](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/garethk/32/94628_2.png) [@garethk](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/garethk)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 11:20am UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903/40 "2021-02-15T11:20:23Z")
I prefer high contrast buttons. And the relative contrast and colors of most of the displays are customizable. A gui style is never going to 100% agreeable to 100% of users. The only option in reality would be to have it totally customizable like Reaper, but for a long-lived DAW like Cubase it would definitely mean building the entire core software from scratch. Clearly not an option. I think the Cubase GUI is better than it’s ever been and I also far prefer new features to be in other areas. [Previous page](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/100-flat-gui-for-next-cubase/693903.md?page=3)