I’d rather they fix bugs and focus on things song writers and studio musicians need. EDM producers could use alot of these things as well (even if they don’t know it yet)!
Additions/improvements to the macro/command system. I.E. An easy way to call up a ‘specific’ VSTpreset with a single key-command or macro…not just get a dialog to go hunt it.
A few other automation lane types…such as…macro player, record/monitor toggle, etc.
Beef up the real time MIDI transformers, and/or give us MORE of them.
A way to tag events so that the arranger track can ignore them on specific repeats, and/or recognize and play tied notes upon repeating (I.E. The song starts with pick-up beats, last note of a section ties to a note over the repeat bar back to the first full bar of the arrangement).
I’ve long wanted simpler things like, more event types in the logic editors (and full documentation for all the data types). I.E. It’d be nice if we could use the Logic Editor to move notes living in a part into the expression map ‘key-switch’ lane. I’d love it if I could have the logic editor find all the generic ff dynamic markings from an imported XML, and change them to the translatable version of ff that expression maps can use (or why doesn’t it just import them properly in the first place?). The parameters already exist in a data table somewhere…just allow the logic editor to address and manipulate those fields!
A few minor additions to the score editor’s expression map system. Namely in regards to using things like legato and hold pedals.
Unlocked drum maps after importing from something like Groove Agent. It could save time if after importing such a drum map from an instrument, we could change the output port(s) in addition to the MIDI channel(s) (I know an xml hack to unlock it, but it steals time, sigh).
Improvements to XML score import/export.
Built in loop-back/virtual MIDI port(s).
AUX Sends on Instrument tracks (like MIDI tracks have). Oh, and can we have at least 16 of them?
More sets of Quick Controls (or the ability to expand the one we have, and include a way to select among them in places we need Quick Controls).
More/better logic editors! I’d like to have them for anything and everything the DAW can do! Tempo tracks, automation lanes, arranger tracks, and more!
Allow us to put more/smarter conditions on a Project Logic editor playing back a macro.
Give us some sort of global variables we can store and manipulate information with in Logic Editors.
Allow the MIDI Logic Editors to ‘create arbitrary events’ (not just transform/delete/add-to) according to set conditions.
Logic Editor for VST automation lanes.
Automation Lane versions, and the ability to easily export/import the info on these lanes independently to disk. Yeah, we can kludge in the effect by working with complete MIDI tracks and building 12+ step macros…but in this case, a one click solution already done for the user would be nice.
Instead we get stuff like a sample track (already had Groove Agent and it worked fine). GUI changes. New skins for old plugins, and sometimes new or overhauled plugins.
The new sample editing features are a big plus…but alot of the fluff intended for EDM producers…well, darn near every bit of it we can already do inside our instruments or add with plugins.
Unfortunately, we can not add or tweak ‘editors’, fix nagging little bugs, etc, with plugins.
Honestly…I could care less about having a DAW do ‘instrument level things’ like pump VST controls with LFO. After all…the plugins/instruments we paid a king’s ransom for ALREADY have their own LFO routines! Why would I want to put this job off on the host? For the ones that don’t have LFO, comb filters, etc…I have bidule and other plugins that can achieve the same effect (and can also use it to enter/swap plugins and stuff in unarmed tracks while the transport is going/DAW is playing without any glitches). A lot of the stuff EDM producers want…they can have with a ‘plugin’.
Anyone that needs Cubase in a live performance scenario (DJ, EDM, stage keyboardists, etc) should have a serious look at Bidule! That thing is kind of ugly to look at, but it’s amazing to use, and patches all sorts of features for real time monitoring and stream manipulation (all remote controllable and VST/OSC/MIDI automatable) into ANY DAW. For Cubase in particular…because of the way ASIO Guard is implemented, it can be a real challenge to make major changes to the signal flow while the DAW is playing and not get stops/clicks/etc. Arming/disarming tracks…not a good idea with Cubase while the transport is rolling if an ‘audience’ is listening. Strategic instances of Bidule can solve that…allowing for real time spontaneous, smooth sounding swapping of plugins and more!
Sometimes the stuff EDM producers demand conflict with things all the other studios need. EDM folks want more control over ‘real time’ stuff…things that require the main cores over logical processors, and can quickly max out the audio buffer unless the DJ is very careful about building things, taking advantage of discrete processing, etc. They tend to expect the DAW to do things their plugins and instruments are already capable of if they’d just open the plugin (perhaps read the documentation for it) and USE IT.
If I had a nickle for every time someone asked (and came in here to slam Cubase for not having it without a little work on our part) how to pump a VST control for a synth that has its own IMPRESSIVE LFO matrix built in (one that can even be taught to do things relative to tempo), I could buy quite a lot of new kit with the rolls of nickles
Studio musicians/producers for other genras of music are more likely to just need LOTS OF TRACKS and instruments (and the way ASIO Guard is designed, benefits these people more…they’ll bounce down and save the stuff that is seriously impacted by latency and real time precision for last…it’s not unusual for them to have projects with hundreds, or even THOUSANDS of tracks).
Please don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against adding new features that appeal to EDM producers. It’d be nice however, if we could get some the stuff on our 10+ year old wish lists (sometimes things no other DAW can do at this point either) as well!