ORIGINAL: Willy Jones [Cakewalk]
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Feature Request: http://www.cakewalk.com/Support/FeatureRequest.asp Include This Post Link to FR: http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.asp?m=1691899 Support the following FR List by submitting it to Cakewalk, include the link to this post Feature Request List updated: May 07, 2009
01: Key Toggle 3 Track Views: "F" key toggles between three views (user-settings) for 1: Fully Expanded, 2: Mid-Way, 3: Ultra-Compact View.
[SongCraft] 02: Color Side-Bars in Track and Mixer Views: (
See Pic, page one 1st post, Trk View). Not to replace Track-icons but as an alternative option to use color gradient bars that are more compact and include presets and user-presets in right-click menu along with custom color gradient pallet for creating new user-presets.
[SongCraft] 03: Envelope Enhancements, Auto-Zoom: New Node-Shapes and depending on zoom-level the Nodes will increase in size as you zoom in making it easier to click-n-edit.
[SongCraft] 04: Envelope Enhancement, New Nodes Shapes: (
See pic page one 1st post). By having different shapes makes it easier see and grab nodes.
[SongCraft] 05: Envelope Enhancement, New Nodes: - Character Node - which is like a Transient Shaper and BBE combined! For example: the ability to add definition anywhere in a track, or reduce harsh transients anywhere in a track.
- Noise Removal Node - that can clean up tracks with ease! Remove guitar hum, buzz, noises
- Peak Node - pinpoint accuracy on peaks with the option of using just one node....
....Singular Mode: the ability to use just one Env Node, thereby making it much more easier and faster to work with envelopes. More accuracy! Pinpoint precision edits. Includes Time Range defined by milliseconds, seconds, minutes, bars or measures. Including various curve options.
* All nodes can be setup with default options in Envelope Properties including time-range.
[SongCraft] 06: New Clips View: (
See pic page one 1st post). Transparent background with black border edges, colored wavs (foreground). And as usual with SONAR the view (colors) are fully customizable, don't like the dark-gray background? change it to whatever color you prefer. Don't like the pascal wav colors? change them all to whatever color you prefer. Just as you can do now with SONAR. :-)
A timeline or should I say, Tick-Line (no numeric values, since those values can be seen on the main timeline and because it would take up more space adding those numeric values) runs between all clips making it easier to do precision edits. See pic
Having a transparent background gives the clips a clearer, neater appearance without the need of unsightly vertical lines. Reducing eye-strain.
[SongCraft] 07: Envelope Tool-Bar: (
See pic page one 1st post). Making it easier for anyone new to SONAR, an Envelope Tool-Bar that also includes Off-Set (O = on/off) and Properties (P). Properties - Options to setup default settings for nodes particularly singular mode. Ability to Show/Hide any of the various different nodes (also by key-commands) Including the ability to select one or more tracks and simply click a node or right-click on clip or use k/b short-cut commands to insert nodes.
[SongCraft] 08: New Audio-Snap Editor - View (ASE or ASV): Looks very much like the current PRV except you're editing audio real easy like you would edit midi, yes it's much like using Melodyne. This is a feature request I submitted long before Cubase.5 was release with their version of VariAudio. By integrating V-Vocal and Audio-Snap features into the one editor (Audio-Snap-Editor). For example: ability to ctrl+A then quantize, correct pitch and/or transpose. Easy and Advance editing such as being able to micro-edit pitch, and/or move timing slightly ahead or behind the beat. Add Swing or copy timing from existing track then apply, and with the option to save custom presets.
[SongCraft] 09: Enhanced PRV and Audio-Snap Editors: (
See pic page one 1st post). The piano graphic should be much narrower by default, it can look a bit nicer too. The reason being... better appearance and more workspace.
[SongCraft] 10: New Tab-Selection Bar: (
See pic page one 1st post). Especially to help Newbies! Displaying various buttons to switch from different views: Track, Main Mixer, Mixer Only, Busses Only, Audio Snap Editor, PRV, MusicStaff, Customize. (see pic) The New GUI new Tab Selection View (like the tabs currently already used in SONAR) But these tabs makes it easier for newbies to navigate various views (or via keyboard shortcuts for us experienced users) and by default when you hover over any of the tabs there's a roll-over keyboard shortcut info that tells you what the keyboard shortcut is (this hover option can be turned off).
The tabs are positioned on the lower bottom border of the main workspace windows, Options to move the Tabs Navigation Bar above in the main menu bar up top OR remove the Tab Navigation Bar entirely from the workspace but still being able to access via keyboard shortcuts.
[SongCraft] 11: Perfect Sampler: Consolidate, integrate all the Best of CW Softsynths into a new all in one Mega-Sampler which I'll dub the Perfect Sampler.....
with the ability to load any file format, up to 64 chn mixer (i/o) with multi-effects directly accessible in Perfect Sampler. Inlcu' separate outputs (various options). Content sound library manager browser with search fully integrated in the Perfect Sampler (no separate popup window). Ability to layer sounds (by assigning same midi channel). Advanced and Easy modes for editing sounds (ADSR, Filters, Env, LFO and Velocity) Onboard fully customizable and flexible Arpeggiator.
Perfect Sampler content sound library consisting of the best sounds from Rapture and Dimension Pro plus Roland Juno, GrooveSynth and Fantom. Larger sound library for Producer Edition including incredibly realistic rock guitar + bass sounds that includes amp and speak simulators effects (extra FX additions for Producer Edition)
[SongCraft] 12: Perfect-Drummer: Same GUI design as Session Drummer2 but vastly improved: A little more compact! 24 pads, the usual tuning and width controls. Tab Interface options such as: 24 channel Mixer (24 i/o), multi-effects all directly accessible within the Perfect Drummer GUI (8 effects inserts per channel). Inlcu' separate outputs (various options) Content sound library manager browser with search that is fully integrated in the Perfect Drummer GUI (no separate popup window). Ability to layer sounds (simply by assigning same midi channel). Advanced and Easy modes for editing sounds (ADSR filters, Env, LFO and Velocity controls)
Onboard fully customizable
Arpeggiator and the new Perfect Beat Creator fully integrated into Perfect Drummer. The new Perfect Beat Creator is like having a smart drummer onboard that turns a few hits into a complete midi-drum pattern (per-measure of either 2, 4, 8, or specify user amount in options inclu' key signature), save user-presets settings. Other tools in Perfect
Beat Creator includes various swings, grooves, time signatures, intros, fills and breaks. Beats created are in perfect sync to the current project tempo automatically. Large content sound library include all the classic Roland TR-series, 808, 707, 909. Also include new better sounding rides, cymbals and accoustic kits. Add more percussion sounds including world/ethnic and other sounds such as one shot vocals and movie-FX. Include a much larger sound and midi pattern library for Producer Edition.
[SongCraft] * Three Additional Suggestions for Perfect Drummer:
*
13 Add Cakewalk's Velocity features to Perfect Drummer. [CandleSayshi] *
13.B Have 25 Pads:
Regard 12 perfect drummer. Can we make it 25 pads rather than 24, small thing, but 2 octave keyboards have 3 C's ie 25 keys. Also if a Trigger pad is developed bigger than the likes of the Trigger finger and legendary MPC of 5 by 5 pads, it's covered.
[Scoot] *
13.C: Beatscape May Be a Better Starting Point: Beatscape may be a better starting point for the Perfect Drummer, not Session Drummer. I don't think the Cakes have finished with Beatscape anyway - it hasn't replaced all the functionality of Cyclone, and I don't see the point of two 16-pad instruments within Sonar...
Anyway, 16-pad hardware controllers are pretty much standard, so I don't see the advantage of moving to a 24- or 25-pad GUI in terms of external control. I think it would be preferable to keep the Beatscape GUI more-or-less as is, but expand the instrument so that it consists of 128-ish pads, for example, like Ableton Drum Racks/NI Battery- 16 pads being visible at any one time, or have the ability to open multiple instances of it, each separate instance having its own step sequencer synced to the host tempo, like Fxpansion Guru. I think they are the apps to beat now. I'd love to be able to drag and drop single hits, layered or otherwise, or loops, in any format, from your Perfect Sampler onto any of the 16 visible pads and go from there. Of course, all the loop manipulation functionality of Beatscape, Cyclone, Phatmatik, Recycle, etc, would come as standard, plus the usual library of acoustic and electronic hits, and loops.
[Prunesquallor] 14: Enhanced Track Inspector: Needs to show all widgets of the selected MIDI track.The compact view you have would be far more useful if this were so.
[John] 15: Auto zoom for a Selected Track: This would automatically zoom the track to a preconfigured zoom level just by activating the track. When another track is active the last track goes back to the default zoom and the new one zooms in to the zoom that setting.
[John] 16: CV Highlight Active Track: This is for a CS but would be useful no matter what. Selecting a track that the CV isn't showing via a CS will jump that track to be seen and hi-lighted.
[John] 17: Track templates can be applied to existing tracks: [John] 18: Fully Maximize View ~ Clear Tool Bars Button: By turning off all tool bars. Pressing the button again will restore them to the state they were in before they were turned off. This could be user configurable to also minimize track headers and so on. The idea would be to 'Fully Maximize Workspace', things such as the track inspector could also be turned off with this button. The tabs and such all non needed stuff would be turned off with this single button. Maybe even the window title bar for Sonar too. This idea 'Fully Maximize View ~ Clear Tool Bars Button' would be consistent across all views such as Trk View, PRV, Mixer View, Music Staff.
[John] 19: Play Order Track: The ability to rearrange a project with sections playing according to their order in a play order track. This is done without moving or editing any track. Cubase SX 3 had this and it is a great tool. I see Gorden has this under play lists it should be "play order tracks". Not that the name is all that important.
[John] 20: True instrument tracks: Not a workaround-like MIDI and audio combo, a real different kind of track that won't misbehave and be buggy. Preferably one that can accept both audio and MIDI FX inserts.
[Vuterly] 21: Better synchronisation between synth rack and track view: If you delete something from the synth rack, its associated instrument track will become orphaned. Equally, if you delete an instrument track, you would somewhat expect the associated synth to disappear as well. I just don't find the present setup very intuitive.
[Vuterly] 22: Envelopes automatically copied within groove clips: That is, if you have a groove clip and use some automation on it, the envelope should automatically be copied when you drag out the clip and create further instances of its material.
[Vuterly] 23: Transport no longer disrupted by saving or insertion of new softsynths: This really annoys me, partially because I compose using loops and add instruments on the fly, but the saving thing must surely get to everyone.
[Vuterly] --[# 24 removed]--
25: Better Marker System: Including regions and smooth, realtime marker transitions (not a substitute for a 'playlist', but still useful for some playlist purposes.)
[Marah] 26: Better Plugin Management: Not just at the install-and-scan level, but at the choose-insert-and-use level.
[Marah] 27: Better Automation Presentation and Management: [Marah] 28: More Flexible, less linear, Multi-Destination Routing: Including a less strict track/bus/folder split.
[Marah] 29: Fewer Dialogs: Especially modal ones, and more functionality on those dialogs that are necessary.
[Marah] 30: More Customization: And a better customization system and interface, including better integration of toolbars (which need to be way more flexible than at present), menus, and keybinding, with full-command availability.
[Marah] 31: More command (and visual) consistency across modes and views: [Marah] 32: Better Project and Asset Management: including a per-project-folder-based 'clean audio folder' tool that doesn't require a brute-force system-wide trawl through a terabyte+ of cheap hard drive space. (Though ironically, cheap hard drive space makes an improved CAF less pressing. But still.)
[Marah] 33: Realtime, transport-integrated play rate control ('varispeed'): That is optionally pitch-independent. I've been using this in another host and it's impossible to overstate its day to day usefulness. I really can't imagine working without it.
[Marah] 34: Sonar - Less Yearly Update Driven Development: [Marah] 35: Sonar Stage Performer: Mode in sonar that works perfectly for live use with the ability to trigger lighting, projections & live audio without issue.
[TheBigLongy] 36: Not requiring a name for each new project started: Sometimes I just want to jam! Not everything I create has a specific name to begin with! Etc.
[Vuterly] 37: Plugin Chains: [Wicked] 38: PlayLists - Performance Sections: Play Order or whatever everyone else is calling them (because they all have them). We need the ability to define sections of our linear sequencer and more flexibly cut/copy/paste/re-combine/sequence/loop/and trigger. The grouping tools intro'd last version were so very inadequate for all but the simplest editing tasks.
[Wicked] 39: Plugins input Selectable: At the very least make all plugins input selectable so we can route a separate audio track to it.
[Wicked] 40: Revamp Drum Maps: Revamp DRUM MAPS (which lets face it, are 1999 technology) it might actually become way more usable.
[Wicked] 41: Node Thinner: No I don't think John is referring to a SlimFast drink LOL!!
The Node Thinner is when we use a CS for automation.
[John] 42: New Technical Assist: A program (optional separate application especially handy for newbies) specifically for Cakewalk DAW products that scans for issues and assist with plugins, audio, midi, controllers setups and troubleshooting. Log Report with additional option for direct Email to Cakewalk Technical Support. Diagnostics Scan specifically designed to ensure SONAR DAW apps are installed correctly and kept in excellent condition and includes clean up tools to remove unused files from within the new Technical Assist program. Technical Assist is like having your own personal technical support and is especially ideal for users who are new to SONAR and needs assistance in setting up and troubleshooting. Help Assistant that displays clear diagrams with step by step guides and recommendations to help assist in setting up audio, midi controllers and ACT. Searchable Assistant also includes direct accessed to SONAR operations help manual. Therefor once Technical Assist is installed it will overwrite and install an update for SONAR help operations manual which can then be accessed via the new Technical Assist program.
As Willy (CW) explained (see his post: page 2. post 35). 42.B Technical Assist PDF Manual: in the form of revamped PDF, an improved searchable Knowledge Base to compliment the existing help manual (not as a replacement) that's based on troubleshooting (a basic check-list) and setup guides from the help manual based on the first chapters of SONAR Power book together in one clearer to understand diagrams, step by step guides, (as a guide only).
[SongCraft] 43: Some of the best Features from P.5: Either as a plugin, or whatever best to smoothly integrate.
[SongCraft] 44: Option for Envelope Lanes: To track view, optional meaning you could view envelopes also the old way or toggle the lanes on and pick which evelopes are viewed in the lanes. I think everyone has experienced the frustration of constantly having to show/hide envelopes when the nodes are aligned one on top of the other. Often various envelopes share the same paremeters and it makes it difficult to work with them, one on top of the other. Or at least when you mouse over close nodes, a selection box should be made available for nodes in close proximity allowing for the selection of nodes not on the top level, or both. Also, it would be nice if you could multi select envelopes across the lanes to modify several envelopes at once.
Also, it would be very helpful if
node data showed up in the event inspector and could be modified from there. The event inspector is already kinda the global place to modify event data, enelopes should also be editable from this global tool.
[WDI] 45: Node Selection Box: A selection box should be made available for nodes in close proximity allowing for the selection of nodes not on the top level, or both. Also, it would be nice if you could multi select envelopes across the lanes to modify several envelopes at once.
[WDI] 46: Node Selection (included in Inspector): Also, it would be very helpful if node data showed up in the event inspector and could be modified from there. The event inspector is already kinda the global place to modify event data, enelopes should also be editable from this global tool.
[WDI] 47: Midi Chord Creator: simply select the chord shape to be triggered from one note. additional to this, the hord shape could also be manipulated in different ways. midi signal such as controller of key in a different range to change to Minor, with another trigger to change Inversions and chord shapes.
[Scoot] 48: Midi FX Split: Allow 2 seperate chains of effects to run off the one input. allowing for more complicated routings. Midi output and channel selector, to allow the output and channel to be selected from an effect. One stays normal, the other through the 'Midi Out' to select another synth for intant layering, ('Chord Creator' of 'Echodelay' (1 mili second delay and Pitch Offeset) could then be used to play the second synth at octaves of other intervals.
[Scoot] 49: Option to Remove the Faders in the Console View: For those of us with large control surfaces and Monitors , An option to remove the faders in the console view , Like a Meter Bridge that I could position right above my control surface on my monitor. There are already all of the options there to reduce the clutter with the exception of the faders. I don't need on screen faders as I have real faders sitting right in front of me.
[Tcaster] 50: Auto-Portamento: It would be great if sonar could include an 'auto-portamento' note tool whereby notes that overlap will experience portamento for the amount of time that they overlap. This was a feature present in fruity loops so I assume Cakewalk should be able to implement something similar.
This is convenient for times when you want a portamento slide to last for a crotchet, or quaver, or what have you without having to worry about the exact time it should last in milliseconds and without having to create an envelope that is constantly being readjusted to change the synths properties.
[Russell.87] 50.B: Similar Auto-Portamento: Similar to what Russel.87 just posted... I've often wished it was possible (is it??) to easily add,. with just a click, things like mod wheel or pitch wheel 0-values, so that those controllers can be precisely zeroed out. I suppose it can be done by drawing it in the contoller lane, but a button or command that would just insert the event at the current now time would be easir and more precise and reproduceable. When I need these, I usually just record one in realtime and then just slice slip edit everything but the return to zero and move the clip to where I need it. Is there an easier way?
[Marah] 51: Effects Rack Option for Mixer and Trk Views: Ability to expand the Effect Bin View (Opens another window/view similar to the Synth Rack). Selecting another track will change the Effects List accordingly.
52: Larger Display for Names/Titles in Trk View: (See pic, page one. Track View). Allows more space for better naming/description of tracks yet still keeping the trk view ultra compact.... this may seem like a minor FR but it certainly would be nice! For example: currently if I wanted to name a track; [Very_Nice_Ricky_Bass] .... it would display something like this .... [VryNicIckyBss].
[SongCraft] 53: Keybindings Dialog Search Function: Also the ability to print out the Keybindings.
[John] 54: Macro Recorder and Player [John] 55: Envelope Latch Mode (For CS) [John] 56: Upgrade Music Staff. [John] 57: Track Templates can be Applied to Existing Tracks [John] 58: Midi Output Selector: To allow the output and channel to be selected from an effect.
[Scoot] --[ # 59 removed]--
60: Instrument Tracks? Bah! DOA to me. I personally never cared about having them separate but for one major thing: When you select a Midi track connected to a Softsynth SONAR should recongnize that. Not just for mute/solo/etc (which it does) but for Bouncing and Exporting.
[Wicked] --[# 61 removed]--
62: Vertical Sizable; Fader/Meter, Sends, Fx Pane Views: Here's my thing. Look at the console view. The original screen size is 1680x1050 (22" monitors). Note the wasted space above the input field. And this is on a widescreen monitor. Meanwhile there's only room to see 2 sends at a time.
My solution is get rid of that empty space above the input field and make the following horizontal rows vertically sizeable (stretchy): fader/meter, send pane, fx pane.
[agincourtdb] 63: Option to Rotate PRV 90 degrees: Ability to rotate the PRV view 90 degrees. So that the keyboard note indicator on the left side is now on TOP, aligned to how one would be sitting at a real keyboard.
[Wicked] 64: Multi-Veiw Options ~ Console: What's needed is the ability to have multiple independent instances of Console View, each able to have a different view. That alone would be a good improvement, and I suspect quite an easy one to implement. (PRV already allows multiple independent instances, and it's super useful.)
Also, the ability of each Console View to wrap channel strips into two (or more) rows. And to not require that all strips show the same control sets. And to be able to change the order of the strips independent of thier order in Track View.
[Marah] 65: SONAR Display Confirmation for Either 32.Bit or 64.Bit Versions: I wish Cakewalk would consider making some sort of Visible distinction in the Taskbar or somewhere to tell the User whether they are using Sonar 32 or Sonar 64. I use both and find myself forgetting which version I'm using and loading a Plug in like Hypersonic into the 64Bit version and crashing or Freezing Sonar 64. Man it doesn't even tell you in the Help | About section. C'mon guys this is really obvious, one little line in the splash file saying 64bit version?? or a Line in all that wasted space next to the DROPOUT area?
[Desparate Dan] 66: SONAR Portable Edition (Music Production Sketch Pad):
Specifically designed to run very effectively on NetBooks (mini Laptops), ideal for anyone on the road. Include SONAR PE audio and midi editing features/capabilities.
SONAR Portable Edition being very lean it will run off a USB Stick but being so small a person may misplace it (lose it) LOL!!, therefor once a customer purchases SONAR Portable Edition and then registers it at CW have it always available for download in the customer-registered-area online.
Specially designed Plugins for SONAR Portable Edition, optimized for excellent CPU efficiency in particularly 3 new VSTi and/or DXi Softsynths and also the currently available Sonutis FX suite or a new more CPU efficient FX Suite.
Make it possible to easily install and run smoothly on NetBooks using onboard sound-card! Although depending on the NetBook one can add an external interface. Point is, the idea being 'Total Portability' for anyone on the road.
[SongCraft] >
Alternative Marketing ideas: * ASUS NetBook Bundle. --- CW adds SONAR Portable Edition pre-installed and configured on Asus NetBooks. Perfect solution for anyone new to DAW's or wants a 'No fuss setup, ready to fly' (not including Air-Flight tickets LOL!!) --- Include SONAR SE and PE info' offering generous discounts for example: SONAR Producer and Studio Editions.
[SongCraft] * Bundle SONAR Portable Edition with Producer Edition as an extra bonus
[John] 67: Track Bundles: The user could select one or more tracks and then use the Tracks-->Bundle option that would bring up a dialog box asking them to pick an export format, say Full Resolution, Draft Resolution MP3, etc. and then SONAR would create the smallest bundle file possible for the given format (sending only visible portions of clips - stripping off the rest) The user could specify if they want track FX applied or left as plug-in references. On the import side of the fence the user would import the track bundle into an existing project.
I have done online collaborating the hard way, so I know it can be done using what we already have, but something like this would be a real workflow enhancement.
[eric_peterson] 68: Allow for tracks as busses/sends and feedback routing [Funkybot] 69: A new arpeggiator (I hear the Project 5 one was good)
[Funkybot] (also see listed # 43: Some of the best Features from P.5)
[SongCraft] 70: Auto assigning of multi-output VSTs with mixed mono/stereo outputs [Funkybot] 71: Improve Mixer Worklfow With Shortcuts (these are all admittedly hijacked from BFD2's mixer, which is a pleasure to use):
A. Shift select should gang channel faders/pans/sends without me having to click to create a "quite group"
B. Alt As A Modifier on Ganged Channels: Alt key plus any movement on a fader should make that fader move where I wanted but ALSO have the opposite effect on other channels. Example: I have a bass and kick channel selected and ganged, if I move the kick up 1db the bass should also go down -1db)
C. Ctrl click to select channels in the mixer
D. Quick Bus creation (make a button for this on the mixer)
E. When channels are ganged and I click the new Bus Creation button while holding down Alt, all of those tracks should be routed to that bus
[Funkybot] 72: Multiple Freeze Layers: Freeze once, Freeze again, unfreeze the last one at a later time, make some changes, freeze again, unfreeze everything.
[Funkybot] 73: Preview Queue for Loop Explorer: I'm sure I'm not the only one that finds this very annoying. When you go into loop explorer and you hit auto. It keeps repeating over and over. The option clicked is auto, not auto + loop so why should it behave that way? I know its called loop explorer but not only loops are used when selecting audio from there. Its a pain when trying to find something like a good snare, when your trying to just click them to preview but then you have it rapidly repeating.
[THA REAPER] 74: Option for Loop Explorer: Optional way to fix the location in the loop explorer to selected locations on your hard drive.
Its kind of tedious when you have all your loops in sounds organized in specific folders already, and you need to go around in different locations within your your whole hard drive with + and - drop down directory's the start of each new project. Why not have the option to be where you want to be quick and easy instead of being forced to collapse a bunch of folders each project.
Kontakt is a good example of what I mean:
See Pic [THA REAPER] 75: Compose View: I think Staff View, PRV, Step Sequencer etc. could be done away with. Because all of them are merely different methods for composing note data to instruments, and moving from one to the other is just translation. So, I think that they could all be compiled into one "Compose View" where instead of going through different views to input MIDI data, you can just change your method for inputting data, and moving between the different methods you wouldn't lose any of your inputted data, because it could just be reinterpreted precisely with whatever method you've chosen. The only part where this becomes a problem is the current way that the Step Sequencer operates. Because you won't always have or want your data to line up exactly. This could be circumvented though, if you give things like the Step Sequencer's articulation control a bit more power, by something like having the articulation as a per-row/per-cell thing, instead of global.
[Candlesayshi] 76: Synth Rack n Plugin Explorer: I think that the Synth Rack should be docked to the interface in the Track View on the right side, directly across from the strips themselves. With the rising popularity of laptops and widescreen monitors, horizontal screen real estate is easy to come by, vertical, not so much, so, it'd fit well right there, but it's mostly done for the other things I'm about to mention. From within the Synth Rack, there should be multiple tabbed views. For instance, the main Synth Rack that we all know already, with your project's synths all stacked up and automatible parameters exposed if you want them, etc. then a Plugin Explorer, which could couple capabilities from the Plugin Manager, and other things as well. The Plugin Browser could still contain your custom layouts that you've made with the Plugin Manager, but also, you should be able to reorganize your plugins right from that view, by just dragging them around, and save the updated layout right away. In the same way, maybe you could see your effect plugins in the same window, and put them on a track by just dragging them to that track. Or making a new instrument track by dragging an instrument to an empty part of the track view, or replacing a synth the same way. Or hold down Ctrl and select a bunch of synths to drag them all to your project and have them open in separate tracks, all in a very intuitive, as well as immediate way. Things like that.
Also, another tabbed view accessible from that new Synth Rack could be Routing View. With the Synth Rack right across from the Track Strips is easy to imagine how this could work out. In this view, the boundries of the Synth Rack extend to the boundries of the track strips, with hardware I/O either under the synths or at the bottom inbetween the strips and rack. Through this you could reroute your entire project by connecting "virtual cables" across the gap between the strips, rack and hardware I/O. Through this you could also pretty easily have things like, sending a MIDI track to multiple instruments, an "external instrument track" to complement the already implented software instrument track, an easy way to include multi-out instrument tracks, etc.
[Candlesayshi] 76.B: VSti Chainer Mode: ( adjunct to synth rack update ) Simple efficient vsti chainer for real time playing of softsynth stacks, Midi ( keyboard )split functions, virtual midi patching. Usable as an efficient sub host for laptops and real time live playing. Sub hosts functions should then be importable into main host for synth rack presets.
[Rbh] 77: Option to automatically mute previous takes on a track without having to use punch-in mode.
[dke] 78: The Mute Tool work more consistently in it's various modes ie: ALT Click mutes an entire clip the same way as pressing Q, It should IMO mute the clip as if you did a click drag to mute the entire clip, so that you could then un-mute the sections you want too.
[dke] 79: Ability to Hide individual layers when using Layers in tracks [dke] 80: More advanced Cakewalk publisher integrated into the next producer version which allows redbook audio format, inputting ISRC codes and arranging the tracks in the manner that Pyro does.
[Jon Con] 81: K-metering option if it was at all possible [Jon Con] 81.B: AES-17: I'd settle for Sonar actually following the AES-17 spec for metering. As it is, Sonar's RMS meters are down 3 dB from the AES spec. Not good.
[Tarsier] 82: Retrospective Record: This is in Logic and Cubase [and FL Studio]. It lets you play a MIDI keyboard to a track and will hold the data for a while in a buffer. Thus letting you save this as if you had armed a track and put it in record mode. Never loose your brilliant improvisations ever again. All you have to do is hit a hot key or combination and what you just played is put on the track.
[Arkiruthis] 83: Allow saving of fade-in and fade-out profiles.
[Pscherer] 84: Better Video Support: Okay, sorry. Sonar desperately needs better video support if it is to remain the "go-to" application for PC-based composition and post production. I do a great deal of post production, it currently makes up about 95-98% of my work load and Sonar's support of video is simply too cluttered and ineffective for me to be able to produce at the rate I need. Currently Sonar's video playback is prone to skipping out, doesn't do a great job supporting a variety of video codecs, has a terrible time exporting out video and audio and also has static video playback. Sure there are work arounds, but when other apps have had superior video playback and functionality over Sonar since around 2003.... it's time for Cakewalk to step it up! Especially since so many other facets of Sonar are great. Okay, rant over. :P
[Nathan Madsen] 85: Micro-Freeze: If you have a midi/synth track, you have to freeze and unfreeze the whole synth at once. That's quite annoying especially if you've frozen 16 audio tracks of a multi-timbral synth, and then need to change one note in a single part. Conversely, some synths use randomization and thus can play the same MIDI groove differently each time, making it necessary to "chase down" a good performance by freezing and unfreezing. Here's how this can be made easier.
1. Micro-unfreeze. Select a frozen audio/synth track and a range on the time ruler. Click "Micro-unfreeze". The softsynth feeding the track gets reloaded, but - none of the other tracks or other portions of the selected track get unfrozen. Then you can make the change you wanted to the MIDI, click "re-freeze" (or unclick "Micro-unfreeze"), and voila - the part that you edited gets re-rendered to the track (as a separate audio clip in a different layer). There will be some caveats, of course - although the re-freezeing will only affect the selected time range (plus possibly some effect tails added on), the processing will be done for all tracks driven by the softsynth even if the audio won't be updated for them. Oh, well.
2. Micro-freeze; For an instrument track: select a midi clip, click "micro-freeze". Voila: the clip gets rendered to audio and appears as an audioclip on that track (the MIDI events in the frozen clip are muted). All remaining MIDI clips on that track still appear as MIDI clips.
For separate MIDI+Audio tracks. Select a MIDI clip. Holding down a special shortcut key combo, drag it to an audiotrack that is fed by the synth to which the MIDI track outputs. The MIDI clip is rendered with the synth and the output of the synth that is sent to the destination track is frozen in that track. The original clip is not muted as it may be driving other tracks.
This feature would allow easy in-line use of beds. Instead of finalizing all the music played by a synth, the user could "print" his work to audio one clip at a time. Thus again, the user would be spared the frustration of waiting to commit work that may or may not be final.
Under the covers: each audio track fed by a synth would have to "know" at which segments it is unfrozen. If a synth is not connected to any tracks on which there are unfrozen portions, the synth can be unloaded. But even if the synth is loaded, it's much cheaper to have a synth idling while its frozen sound is playing, than to have the synth rendering notes - at least for reasonably-well implemented synths.
Whatd'ya all think? Are there any scenarios I haven't thought of here?
[Yevster] 86: Font Options: for Track-Titles in TV and CV
[Montezuma] 87: Sample/Audio editor: Loading up Soundforge all the way everytime just to do something often very simple is kind of annoying. Something like an integrated Pyro Audio Creator, I suppose? Though integrated into SONAR similar to the way that V-Vocal is integrated. I just think it'd be cool to just double-click an audio file and have it open in a sample editor quick rather than it opening in Loop Construction View or the Clip Properties.
[Candlesayshi] ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Oct' 11 . 2009 Adding the latest FR to the list: *
Display Waveform in Average RMS I'd love to have an option to see the waveform in average RMS (either instead or in addition of the absolute sample value one) and the max value indicator to show the dB's in average RMS. Naturally the RMS waveform would be less detailed than the absolute one, given it's the average of a period of 50 ms, but it would have some obvious advantages.
Also, I'd love to see the waveform change when I make changes to gain or pan with the clip envelopes and/or the input trim/pan.
Submitted by: Jyri T.
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Length of selection"!!!! (in minutes:seconds:frames) Fer gawds sake this almost stone-age feature needs to be included for those of us in the broadcast field. Or for those of us in a wheat field, for that matter.
Submitted by: Yorolpal
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1.
Ability to "record" ANY track by hitting "R" button - currently you cannot "record" and audio track which receives audio from a soft synth.The "R" button is not there
2.
Abilty to enable "automation write" while the project is playing 3.
Dump the concept of tracks-buses and the limitations by this seperation
Make any track able to route into any other track, essentially making the second track what we currently refer to as bus.Make sure that suggestion 1 of mine is also applied to these new concept tracks (you can record ANYthing you want regardless of what the "source" is)
4.
Combine the current "folder" concept with my suggestion 3 so that when the user creates a folder with tracks in it,automatically the "folder" track is also a sub-bus for the included tracks with its own volume fader ,pan knob etc etc .Take a look at Ableton's Live 8 new "grouping" feature to get an idea
Submitted by: the Geek
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*
Layouts need to REALLY save your layout!
1. Layouts need to save hidden/shown tracks
2. If I select, ferinstance, my Flute1 and Flute2 track and view the piano roll (so I can see note info for both tracks in the one piano-roll window), save that piano-roll Layout, and then reload that Layout, it reloads TWO SEPARATE WINDOWS, one for each track instead of one window with both tracks (like I saved!)
Submitted by: wwzeitler
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* The ability to
arm tracks for automation during playback (basically as has been done for record)
* A
change in the fader appearance like the ones Buddy110 has allowed people to download and patch in, there's nothing wrong with them as such but I prefer the rounded faders he's added to Sonar. Also the option of different segmented meter colors would be a nice addition. Make it easier for us to change it rather than feel like we're hacking into sonars coding
* Abililty to
disable labels on the console view when not using segmented meters, as you can in the track view.
*
varispeed, something similar to what pro-tools and logic have
*
more mastering functions - being able to burn redbook CDs from Sonar and add ISRC codes to individual tracks for the mastering process (studio one has an awesome implementation of that), possibly more advanced Cakewalk publisher features, similar to that of pyro/cd architect. (aaaah I've requested this one before)
*
ability to run Sonar in TDM mode and open PTF files within Sonar (as far as I'm aware, logic can do that and it could become useful for compatability between studios)
*
import tracks/buses/folders from other session files with their settings intact (plugins, volume settings, automation data, EQ and routing in tact).
*
a network ability similar to nuendo - being able to ring fence tracks from being edited by another user whilst both work on the same project (say one person is tracking vocals whilst the other is editing the drum takes, the person working on the drums, ring fences them from the other user, who can still play the drum files, just won't be able to edit them, delete any parts or add any plugins to the tracks)
*
color coding tracks in the console view(like protools and reaper an example is here http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/877390/reaper.png), I do use images at the bottom of the console view to help me quickly distinguish different track groups but the color option would be awesome on large projects and I'm working on alot of EQs at the same time.
*
mac osx compatibility - this isn't so much of a feature request for me but I honestly think that cakewalk and roland could capitalise on a Sonar version for OSX now, a number of companies seem to have disbanded any support for windows (metric halo, appogee) in favour of OSX
*
ability to "skin" Sonar, both samplitude and reaper do this and it could be a really cool feature
*
s curve bends for automation lines
*
reset mix button/function - allowing engineers to start over again, it would delete all automation, fader, pan, send, EQ settings, sets all volumes across the board to 0db, Pan to C and EQ Flat etc. Upon clicking this button or using this function sonar prompts the user to ask if they wish to save their mix settings before resetting and then confirms they definately want to do this so they can revert to it if they wish and then compare the 2 after they've finished and settings could still be undone if they accidently made a mistake
*
group freeze option, if I group say 5 drum tracks together using the quick group option and then click on any of the freeze buttons on one of the tracks, it would be useful for Sonar to freeze all tracks one after the other.
* asio 2 support
Submitted by: Jon Con
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* Thanks to everyone who contributed to the above list
There are some FR listed that have already made it into 8.5.1, I'll go thru the list again (re-edit later), also some idea's on this list can do in a workaround way but I guess we prefer a more direct, easier way in regards to better, improved, enhanced, faster workflow.
If I missed someone's post/FR then let me know? :-)
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