As a long-time Cubase Pro user, using it daily in a professional studio for both composing and recording, I honestly expected version 15 to finally make a real step forward in two areas that have become essential in modern workflows:
A proper Clip Launcher
Built-in Splice integration (ideally via MediaBay)
These are no longer “nice-to-have” features. They are industry standards at this point, especially for composers, producers, and hybrid studio setups.
What makes this more noticeable is that Studio One has already added both:
A Launcher / clip-based workflow for non-linear creation and arrangement
Native Splice integration directly inside the DAW
Unfortunately, Cubase 15 includes neither.
This is disappointing—not because Cubase lacks depth or power (it clearly doesn’t), but because these features feel like the logical next evolution of an otherwise excellent platform.
Many of us were hoping Cubase 15 would be that release.
I truly hope this feedback is taken seriously, because Cubase remains my main DAW—but modern, fast, sample-based workflows and clip launching are becoming impossible to ignore.
I have owned Ableton Live for 20 years, and I have used clip launching in earnest (own music, excluding auditioning demo live sets) zero times. I do not agree that clip launching is a “industry standard”. Splice integration I could take it or leave it.
Same here. I need neither of those features. Sure, I can ignore them if they were there, just as I do with those pattern editors, but I would personally prefer that SB would focus more on improving usability for linear recording, editing and mixing…
Btw, a clip launcher has already been requested before here, so it might be advisable to add to that thread an/or leave a vote if one is in favor of such a feature.
Mate Cubase right now as it is can only be used in a Studio. Needs to add these features for live playing/looping too. Needs to become more flexible. If someone does not like some of those features can chose to ignore them!
I ala couldn’t be bothered the least by those two features. And, frankly, I think Cubendo has actually gone too far in the direction of the edm producer. It comes a time when you simply have to choose the best tool. EDM has other better suited tools, and was never the real focus of Steinberg. I’ve use the sampler track a great total of two times since it appeared. Couldn’t care less about modulators (although some might find them useful).
The great missing features are actually real workflow enhancements, like the availability of functions to key command mapping; pre-fader cue sends by default; etc etc.
Because they try to appease to the ever growing base of bedroom edm producers, that are surpassing in numbers proper musicians playing and recording music. The same with those dreaded midi chord pads, utterly irrelevant but more and more available for those who can not be bothered to study the actual core of their craft.
For that you have Vst Live. And actually I’ve used Nuendo as a live vst host, in a laptop. But prioritizing live looping features in a daw is a big no-no in my book, sorry. As I told before, you have other great tools to do that. Which in turn can not compete with Cubase where it excels. It’s great to have different tools adequate to different roles, right?
As a long time Cubase pro user, using it daily in a professional residential studio I can honestly say these are things that I actually had to look up. That’s how much it bothers me not having these features.
Nothing wrong with requesting features that you feel would benefit you but making out that Cubase is somehow a dinosaur without them is a bit of a stretch.
Who is “us” and how do you define “industry standard?”
Honestly saying “us” is a bit insultimg let alone presumptuous because I’m part of “us” and I dont think either suggestion is important for what I do.
Steinberg is probably the best to know “us.” They got their road map. They got their data of different Cubase user groups. They might even have data about the “most popular DAW” as opposed to peoples feelings who proclaim it here without any verifiable data.
Of course always vote with your wallet and do the best you can with what you got. When that becomes unbearable, switch to Studio One. Last I read, they made some big mistakes about their users, and they are paying dearly for it today.
One thing that should be discussed at length, apart from these two:
MIDI Remote looks like a feature that was developed as an afterthought, then abandoned once Steinberg realized the complexity of the task they gave themselves.
Not being in compliance with the European Acessibility Act which is in effect since June despite being a company based in an EU country.
Is Steinberg locking certain features that are standard across most if not all DAWs to the top tiers of Cubase or just Pro. I find funny that they are doing this big motion with adding things for Live and Bitwig into Cubase and some of those features only exist in Pro when the exact same feature is present across all versions of Live and Bitwig. Things like Modulators, Pattern Tracks, MIDI Plugins and a few other things.
Please provide info on what you’re talking about – in my view what you’re saying doesn’t make sense. The Score Editor for example is included in all levels of Cubase products, whereas it was previously a Pro feature. Other DAWs don’t even include Score Editing – by your reasoning, should they each do so?
I don’t know. The complaints about how Cubase lacks contrast, it’s fonts are harder to read and configurations to change how it looks being removed doesn’t seem to indicate a software going in accordance to a directive aiming at making sure software should be more accessible. Mind you, complaints that have been echoed since version 13.
Modulators exist in all versions of Love and Bitwig. On Cubase? Pro-only feature.
MIDI Plugins exist across all versions of Live and Bitwig. On Cubase? Pro-only feature.
Now, I’ve mentioned these two features in the post you quoted, so I’m just repeating them in a different form.
But I asked if you actually think all DAWs should match all features of other DAWs.
Are you actually familiar with what the law requires and the exceptions it provides?
The forum is full of complaints, which is typical for forums on the Internet in general – that doesn’t reflect a consensus among users. Cubase occupies its place in the market due to their long history of innovation and leadership in the field, and they compete in a market that has changed and challenged them as products become cheaper, and the user base moves from expert users and enthusiasts to a much broader customer base. Prices for their products go down in real terms every year.
