Inconsistencies need fixing

With v9.5 and on Steinberg seems set to make Cubase a more modern and clean looking DAW. In that spirit I hope they also start addressing general inconsistencies and menu “weirdness” in the coming updates.

For example, in the Console right click menu:

  1. Add FX Track
  2. Add Group Track
  3. Add VCA Track
  4. Add Group Channel To Selected Channels
  5. Add FX Channel To Selected Channels
  6. Add VCA Channel To Selected Channels

Can someone please explain to me why the order of 4 and 5 is reversed and inconsistent with FX, Group and VCA the first time around? And why on earth is it referred to as “Track” in the first 3 menu items and suddenly “Channel” in 4-6? :confused: It just makes the menu cluttered and unintelligible.

Something like this would make WAY more sense.

  1. Add FX Track
  2. Add Group Track
  3. Add VCA Track
  4. Add FX Track To Selected Channels
  5. Add Group Track To Selected Channels
  6. Add VCA Track To Selected Channels

Or even shorter with a “Track” headline or something along that line

    • FX
    • Group
    • VCA
    • FX to selected
    • Group to selected
    • VCA to selected

There are a bunch of things that are equally confusing and beg so many questions.

- Why does some DAW functions require 2 different key commands to turn a feature on/off while others use only 1?
(Toggle = easier to remember, simpler to use and more or less standard in software nowadays).

- Why is the layout of the Eq on the otherwise great CC121 hardware controller not consistently reflected in the software? And why no hardware update in over 10yrs to reflect the technical development? Things like these make Steinberg seem somewhat tired, old and sloppy compared to the fresh and thorough hardware ecosystem of Presonus, just to use one example.

- Why is Mute yellow and Solo red? To me it seems it should be the other way around? Like most other DAWs, where Mute is red, since audio is stopped, “warning, no audio!” I am sure people have been going “It’s been like this forever, it doesn’t matter if it defies logic!” :unamused: If you are working in multiple DAWs, this can be a bit confusing. How about making it possible to switch in the color prefs?

- Why is the Console setting for “Default Stereo Panner Mode” under “VST”? :open_mouth: It just makes no sense. This is just a random setting in the Preferences. In my opinion the entire layout of the Preferences is pretty confusing and in dire need of an overhaul, both graphically and structurally. I could go on and on.

Don’t get me wrong, Cubase is great. It’s managed to stick around for 30 yrs, but that might also be a good, strong reason why it’s time to look over the whole layout of the menus to match the intuitive and consistent feel of younger DAWs, to move Cubase fully into 2019. It feels like some things have just stayed the same since early days, without anyone reflecting over it, taking time to question it or bring it up to speed.

Now is the time.

Steinberg has long gave up on making the most versatile DAW. They lost to PreSonus and they are now doing trial and error. All they focus on is to make uncracked DAW. The are lot of things need to be updated in Cubase. Piano rall, Beat designer, the interface has useless big roundish borders on plugins. I wander who is responsible for the UI or they us College students with no experience. I even doubt. It will take them 10 years to realize this request is useful.

I am not even talking about Steinberg turning it into the most versatile DAW, but at least make it up to par with what’s expected in 2019 when it comes to menu navigation, design and intuitivity. I have friends that really like the features of Cubase but unfortunately feel it’s not an option because It lacks navigational logic and in lots of places looks like a 90’s remnant.

Dude if Steinberg will change something, oldfags with baby duck syndrome will raid this forum and cry this is a “dealbreaker” and “workflow killer”

I don’t think they have a choice in the matter. If Cubase & Nuendo doesn’t evolve and adapt within the next couple of years, I believe they will have a hard time attracting new users.

Steinberg might be doing ok right now, but without new users they will eventually fade away. That’s just the way it is.

If they do research, proper. They must have known by now that they are hardly attracting nsw users, especially new genres. Cubase is a great DAW but less or not radical enough to attract new users. I don’t know how did they get in to this position. I grew up every producer dreaming about Cubase.

Innovation leads to success.
Long time success often leads to complacency.
Complacency leads to stagnation.
Stagnation leads to decline.

My hope is that Steinberg is aware and the changes we have seen in the software is the beginning of a total refresh.

Two things, CC121 forum NO! Groove Agent 5 Forum NO! WHY ?

As CC121 is still promoted at Steinberg Website IT IS A PRODUCT and THERE ARE USERS!
Very disappointing is you get a manual from 10 years ago and many webshops promote CC121 with Cubase 6 or something like that.
The controller works Fine. But has some mistakes in Cubase 10, that need to be adressed. But NO Forum, NOwhere to talk about it…
You BUY and get stuck with… NO Answers…

The same with Groove Agent 5, great tool great update to 5.
But NO Forum.
You have to fish out the Groove Agent 4 Forum to finds anything on 5 ?
Sluggishness…

I agree, these things add up and make Steinberg look sloppy, tired and dated.

The Steinberg website isn’t exactly a wonder of user experience either.

For instance: If you’re in the shop and put a product in the cart but you decide you want to read a bit more indepth about the product before you purchase, you can’t click the product for info, so you have to go back to the main menu and navigate to the product from there. Once you have read what you need - there is no shoppingcart (wtf?!) :open_mouth: So you have to go back to the store and navigate to find the product. Again. And even though you’re logged in to your Steinberg account - of course it’s not the same account as the store account. So you have to log in there as well. Again.

Seriously. What major company has a website that poorly designed in 2019?
Everyone else tries to make a purchase as easy and smooth as possible. But not Steinberg.