And here are the results for August 2019. Thanks to everyone who participated! The result are calculated by the rank and the number of votes (Rank 1 => 10 points, Rank 2 => 9 points, Rank 10 => 1 point). What do you think about the results? Any surprises?
1 Move tracks within the MixConsole
2 Export to Video
3 Chord Detection from audio
4 Polyphonic audio editing
5 Stereo effects on mono channels
6 Bezier curves in MIDI editor
7 Open all Plug-ins of one track in one Window with tabs
8 General improvements to MIDI Editor
9 Smart tools for MIDI editing
10 Automation shown directly on tracks
11 Gapless Audio Engine
12 Scalability of the user interface
13 Multitrack Audio Warp
14 Improved zoom and scroll bars
15 Full coloured tracks in the MixConsole
16 Modulators like LFOs for all parameters
17 Multiple Track Freeze / Unfreeze
18 Customizable right click menu
19 Smart Tool (Range/Select Tool)
20 Analog MixConsole emulation
21 Improved Import Tracks from Project function
22 New Arpeggiator
23 Multiple VST Instruments in one Instrument Track
24 Improved integration of Dorico.
25 Audio Export with Send and Master effects
26 MixConsole Snapshots including automation
27 Plug-in Sandboxing
28 Automation saved with TrackVersions
29 External Controller integration improvements
30 Multiple active projects simultaneously
31 Horizontal mouse wheel should scroll the mix console
32 Expression Maps UX improvements
33 Renaming Plug-ins in Plug-in Manager (Alias)
34 VariAudio in Project Window
35 Slicing in Sampler Track
36 Track Header with Volume, Pan, Inserts & Sends
37 Loop based production features (like clip launcher)
38 Free Warp On Project Window
39 Audio Connections overhaul for external FX and instruments
40 Beat Designer in Lower Zone
41 Ripple Edit
42 Multitouch screen support
43 MIDI Editor UI Tabs for Controller lanes
44 Inspector In Lower Zone
45 Multi quick control
46 Increase the number of Sends
47 DDP export for mastering
48 Improved Event Envelope editing
49 Global Tracks in editors
50 Improved VST Transit functionalities
Interesting. I must admit Iām stunned that something like āshow volume/pan in track headersā is so low on the list, though it might be that some people that have only used Cubase (and no other DAW) donāt know what a big and immediate workflow speed enhancer this is for nearly everybody (aside from those who want to see the least possible amount of things in the track headers). Also that Free Warp and Vari Audio in the project window, and Automation saved with Track Versions are so low is surprising to me.
As anyone else will be, Iām happy about some things in the top 10 and disappointed that others are so low in the list, but cāest la vie ā not everyone will ever be happy. Pretty bummed that gapless audio is now not in the Top 10 anymore, because it feels like such a significant advantage when you use other DAWs and experience it. Hopefully itās in the works anyway (Iām assuming it is), so that Cubase can be up-to-date with other DAWs.
Let me first thank Matthias for the continued communication with us here in the forum. It has been great to hear from someone on the Steinberg side of things. A lot of the results didnāt match up a closely to my personal preferences compared to the previous poll, but regardless there are a lot of great features on the list. I could find some value in the majority of these potential features.
I am surprised that the Gapless Audio Engine dropped from #1 to #11. However,I realize the previous poll was scored differently. It is still my personal #1 request.
I was glad to see the tabbed VST window at #7 which is another one of my favorites.
Seeing Export to Video at #2 was a little surprising to me because I thought Cubase was considered to be mainly an audio product and that Nuendo was the way to go for video work. I only use Cubase for audio, so it is one of the few features on the list that I wouldnāt find any value in, personally.
Finally, I was surprised to see the plug-in alias (rename) all the way down at #33. I really donāt like the way the plug-in names are truncated and would have thought more people would have ranked it in their top 10. In theory, this one seems like an easy fix, but I realize it may more involved than what I think it is.
I share the same sentiment that others have here. Iām happy about some things that are highly ranked and unhappy that the feature I want most is ranked so low (multi quick control.) Iāve seen some people here who were confused by how you label it, since they thought itās just adding more quick control slots. Perhaps something like ācontrolling multiple parameters with one quick controlā would be more descriptive?
Iām also gonna comment on one of the highly-ranked features here: chord detection from audio. This is a job for Melodyne, especially now that weāve supported ARA. And even Melodyne, being as good as they are, havenāt managed to do it perfectly because chord detection is still fairly difficult for computers to do, especially with multiple instruments. Therefore so thereās no reason for a DAW maker to put their resource on this only to end up with a tool half as good. Also musically, transcription is really something that musicians should do themselves.
I am kind of suprised/shocked that so many feature requests came from the electronic production/midi department instead of the mixing department.
I use Cubase as my main recording/mixing and mastering tool and there is no need for things like chord detection or (big) changes to the midi editor. Not really sure what export to video makes on the list.
I am happy though that tabbed windows and polyphonic editing made it into the top 10. Really shocked that plugin aliases is so low on the list, with an alias you could give each most used plugin a short name, for a much faster search and easy visibility (like for the fabfilter plugins). And it seems to be one of the easier fixes compared to other things.
Iām similarly bemused that video export is high on the list. I would prefer Steinberg avoid that rabbit hole and concentrate on audio-related features. There are plenty of video editors out there to satisfy that need.
Equally, I think those who really needed the video functions that were removed when Quicktime died will have already moved on to using other products. It would however be extremely convenient to be able export (render) a region of video between the loop markers complete with audio for use as a quick demo!
Whether video export should really be one of the top priorities is debatable, especially considering there are already plugin solutions such as VidPlay/VidRender. Similar arguments apply to (3) chord detection, anyone who really needs this will already be using Melodyne. Should Steinberg development resources be wasted re-inventing the wheel? IMHO it would be better to improve the ARA2 integration to achieve the same thing.
In that list, also I see an emphasis on fixing and enhancing existing features rather than adding new features.
Thank you for reaching out for our input. I am a bit surprised that so much MIDI was voted for in the top 10. Hopefully, more mixing tools will be included in your next major update.
Export to video isnāt anything like a video editor, nor a rabbit hole. Itās a basic requirement for those working with video to be able to export.
MrSoundman (on the same subject) - Cubase is still very much one of the most-used, if not THE most used - DAW for professional composers. I donāt know of any who have swapped DAWs just because this feature has been missing for a couple of versions, though it most definitely has been a PITA to work round this.
I agree with this in a huge way. Melodyne is so good at it, and now that we have integration with Melodyne (which will keep improving), I strongly hope that Steinberg isnāt diverting much-needed resources for this. I use Melodyne a lot in various ways, and even I donāt want this in place of other highly needed everyday workflow and speed-related things.
ā¦ such as Variaudio, which is actually better and easier to use in Cubase when dealing with monophonic audio. People who do not have budget for Melodyne will of course vote for polyphonic VariAudio. To those I say, try out the demo of Melodyne, and start saving ā¦ youāll have a better solution, and quicker.
Well,
Most of the mentioned feature in the list are very important and useful, no doubt! Finally Steinberg should focus the attention on the MIDI / Composers
Tools. The last few years the focus was around 90% on the Audio and the MIDI was almost abandonedā¦
Would be great if we have more simplified and Score Sheet - like way to working MIDI.
Much faster and simple way to assign Expression Maps
To have, for example, Violins I and all their available articulations on single Instrument Track
Exactly the same way as the Notation Software work
/Even ability to combine articulations from different libraries, for example - Legato from Orchestral Tools, con sordino from Spitfire Audio/
For now the fastest way is to open MIDI Track per VI library patch and use the KeySwitches directly in the Key Editor. And it is the most common
practice, because during the composing process one should be focused on the creativity, not on tech thingsā¦ But then if you need to transfer such
project into notation softwareā¦ itās a terrible nightmareā¦
So, would be awesome if the guys provide us Scoring software workflow in Cubase!
I have up to 16 articulations per Instrument Track. The fastest way IMHO is to use Expression maps set to āAttributeā.
I am also glad to see MIDI editing get some attention.
Hello J. Buckingham,
Thank you for the reply!
Well, the direct E.Ms. mapping (to map articulations during the composing process) is actually the fastest way, but it isnāt available in Cubase, nor in Dorico.
Combination of both, predefined and direct mapping, provide much faster way for working with E.Ms.
The screenshot attached by you shows another problem that needs to be solved. Š¢he articulation list in the Controller Lane takes so much screen space.
Imagine if you have more articulations, but not wide screen monitor?! To me the Articulation Lane should contain single line and the maps to be selected from right mouse click drop-down list. Once again the Score Sheet - like conception is a must to have!
