A question for Mr. Quellmann

Cubase
1

Over the years, I have read countless forum posts from users frustrated with the Cubase interface. Every time a new update approaches, everyone crosses their fingers, hoping for a visual overhaul. Yet, time after time, Steinberg ignores our requests and rolls out the same embarrassing graphics—or worse.

I would like to ask Mr. Quellmann if it is possible to show the design team what a modern interface actually looks and feels like in 2026. For instance, let’s show them RME’s TotalMix FX version 2.0. Just don’t embarrass them by mentioning that TotalMix has been completely free for nearly 30 years. I hear that while they might ignore customer feedback, they are otherwise very sensitive people. Thank you.

2

I apologize for not being Mr. Quellmann.

Wrong.

Not everyone because I don’t want a visual overhaul. Does that mean I’m 100% happy? Not me. I think everyone has different opinions as to what looks and works best for them.

Did you take a poll about this? I have seen similar posts here, and many users have different opinions. Of course a forum represents a very small fraction of all Cubase users. That’s not to say that it can’t be improved, and perhaps it may be a slowly developing change.

Sometimes an interface is very subjective. Dairy Queens Vanilla is still the most popular flavor in the world. I prefer chocolate over vanilla. But really…and more specifically from Baskin Robbins, I like Raspberry Cheese Louse. But those idiots discontinued it! So I must suffer for whats available or switch to someone who makes better ice cream.

Our requests? Are you are speaking on behalf of myself? That’s a poor assumption. From what I have read, not only in this forum, but others, users have quite different opinions of the current interface.

I use and like Total Mix, but that RME interface is a far cry from a DAW interface IMO.

3

TotalMix FX … Never heard of it, so I had a look. Yuck no thanks.
Quite happy with the current Cubase mixer.

A feature request is fine but please don’t assume you speak for the many.

4

The problem Cubase has, it seems to me, is that it has everything including the kitchen sink, and so the interface is crowded, to say the least. Having a “clean” interface would surely require much of the functionality to be hidden away behind more buttons/menus on the already cluttered toolbar.
On top of that, as @Greg_Purkey says, everyone has their own idea of a “good” gui.
And, on top of that, a few dozen calls for a flatter/not so flat interface doesn’t mean much. I’m sure Steinberg does it’s research and has a better idea of what will sell.
And isn’t that what it’s all about?

5

1.) TotalMix isn’t “Free”, it is bundled with hardware in which only then it is useable - and at that - RME hardware is by no means cheap… I think their lowest budget interfaces is the BabyFace which is $1000usd. Also, obviously, TotalMix isn’t a DAW, it is a signal router with some DSP processing.

2.) Forum users are the minority of users, but also the vocal “loud” majority - which can skew perception.

3.) From what I’ve seen on the forum, for every post there has been about “GUI Needs to be better/overhauled”, I see just as many if not more people saying it doesn’t (myself included).

4.a.) I’m very curious about how long you have been using Cubase, and what you mean by “Overhaul”… Because the current iteration of Cubases GUI is the end result of “overhauling” it… over many years…

4.b.)… As I’ve said in another recent thread about “Cubase GUI not good”… People have been complaining and creating these types of threads for as long as I can remember (I’ve been using since SX3) - it has at the very least been a major back and forth discussion since version 5…

There’s always a group of people who say “Cubase GUI must change”, for example, “Cubase GUI needs to be more flat” - it becomes that and that group of users becomes placated, but then another group of users enters the chat freaking that the change is terrible and needs to be reverted and that their world is ending… and then a couple years later, another new group of people enter the chat saying, “Cubases GUI needs to be overhauled or else I’m switching DAWS”.

If Mr Quellmann does indeed end up reading this thread… I have to say as a user since SX3, and a professional/power-user since around version 8… I’m pretty tired of GUI changes. I’ve pretty well been fine with every iteration of Cubases GUI because it doesn’t affect me getting work done… It’s the constant changes themselves that are annoying, not what the changes are or are not.

It took me a bit to get accustomed to the current iteration, but I think I like it the most and am completely content with the current style… Apart from a few specific UI/UX protocols and details (like menu systems).

Imo, the more neutral and utilitarian the better - it looks the most professional, and looks best when you work with a video preview on the screen, and plugins pop nicely.

5.) when it comes to broad stylistic “overhauls” - by the time peoples requests are absorbed, and by the time the UI changes are planned/tested, and implemented - the trends have already changed again and so the company is just perpetually “behind” on UI trends.

At what point does one realize that isn’t going to work, and isn’t a good development path? Development wise, it’s a silly and immature thing to chase which hinders the software and development into a negative feedback loop of never being consolidated.

… Hence the benefit of not caring about UI trends, and developing something that is neutral and utilitarian. It just needs to be as functional as possible. There is nothing non-functional about the current UI style…

Nothing about the UI is stopping Hans Zimmer or Ian Kirkpatrick or Tom Holkenborg or Amon Tobin or any other number of top tier talent from getting work done.

6.) As someone who uses TotalMix, I’m failing to see what it is about TotalMix that Cubase should be?

7.) You’ve called on a developer in a new thread with a non-descriptive title with a question and opinion that is incredibly abstract. If I’m being straight with you, it’s utterly totally blatantly not useful. You’ve given zero details, personal use-case examples, direct aspect/feature comparisons, etc…

What is it about RME TotalMix? Are you using Cubase MixConsole/ControlRoom as your live monitoring mixer and there aspects of TotalMix you feel would benefit live monitor mixing/routing in Cubase?

I’d place a bet that not a single person on this forum, developer or user, will have any idea what you’re talking about - even those who also say “Cubase GUI need overhaul” - because you might have completely different ideas on what overhaul means.

There might even be aspects of what you want that I agree with, but I definitely don’t agree with Cubase needing an “overhaul”. That’s an extremely drastic word for a program that just consolidated it’s GUI style across all aspects of the program, old and new.

Here are some examples of UI/UX suggestions/complaints of mine, very specific and detailed:

-UI/menu protocol design - example: Pre/Post Commands Menu in PLE - Cubase - Steinberg Forums

-IMPROVE PRESETS + MENUS - static pop-out browser instead of drop-down, save/replace, more - Cubase - Steinberg Forums

-MediaBay: Set Up Results Column: PLEASE(!) get rid of this drop down menu + Presets - Cubase - Steinberg Forums

-Project Logical Editor: Make Preset Menu a Pop-Out Browser, also, where is ‘Create New’? - Cubase - Steinberg Forums

-Complete reworking of Project Logical Editor GUI/UX - Cubase - Steinberg Forums

-DrumMap Editor - Note Head types are obscured by too narrow-non-resize menu (another bad menu) - Cubase - Steinberg Forums

For whatever it’s worth, apart from some of the details/UI+UX protocols, I think Cubendo has the best GUI on the market, and Steinberg have found the near perfect balance of neutral/utilitarian without being completely boring and bland looking (like Logic) or janky like Reaper, or Reskin-Old like Pro-Tools, etc, etc.

6

I don’t think you can use it unless you have an RME product.

Total Mix is not a mixer in the traditional sense. It’s a router used with RME gear, and IMO quite genius…but takes a while to understand because you have to re-learn from traditional mix consoles. For me, once I got it…it’s like wonderful!

If the OP means the look of the sliders, and other functions that reflect a traditional mix console, I see nothing special about it. But it is very functional.

Barry Johns doing multiple tutorial sessions is quite thorough.

7

@Eugene01, I’ve been using Cubase since 1992. I’ve seen a lot of changes in its visual appearance, and while I sometimes get a little nostalgic for the Cubase SX interface, I wouldn’t go back. I’m very comfortable with what Cubase offers today.

However, if you really want a more modern interface, use UAD’s Luna. There’s a free version where you can use all your VST plugins. The Pro version isn’t that expensive either. Although I much prefer Cubase, I do enjoy using Luna occasionally.

Cubase is certainly not the only DAW that can meet your needs…

8

I thnk Cubase mixer is the best one among DAWs, that said there are things to improve: snapshots working as we´d all expect would be amazing!

I agree that everyone has different opinions and so a more customizable mixer could make more people happy.

10

More modern? What exactly is more modern about their interface? It can’t be the looks of the mixer because that looks like the 70’s.

11

Maybe I misunderstood. I was under the impression that the original poster was unhappy with the current Cubase mixer and was asking for it to be more like the RME mixer. Not sure if he meant the looks or functions.
Also saying that this was the request of the majority of Cubase users

12

To be honest I switched TotalMix back to the old view. With the same window size I was not able to read some of the buttons anymore with the new GUI.

13

Yes, I like it; it’s modern vintage, like a large part of their plugins. They’re consistent in their approach… The product is excellent nonetheless.

Cubase is my main DAW, but I sometimes get nostalgic for those good old mixing consoles…

14

Too much wasted space and analogish stuff going on in Luna. Fine if you are just doing classic 8-24 track recording/mixing/production… Not so fine if you have huge projects, templates, need to maximize what you can fit on screen (Project window, Left/Right Zones, Marker window, Video Preview, lower zone, mediabay, etc) use a lot of plugins, etc.

15

It’s ableton that should be embarrased about their gui, not cubase.

16

Yeah, gotta agree on Live, worst GUI I have ever seen, followed by a vanilla install of Reaper :slight_smile:

17

Vanilla Reaper is like jumping into an ice bath, and then working out which clothes to put back on.