Sonar 8 Wish List

Yes, I want that as well: PRV and integrated staff view that is designed to be highly effectively used.

What would be nice too is if -- I must say it again -- Finale-like notation capability is added and the musical signs you write are automatically taken care of in the MIDI part of the DAW and vice versa.
DAWs these days all look alike and I truly think the next step is to FINALLY include proper notation tools. I grow very tired. Even if most people don't need it, there are people who actually need it and it would most likely bring more people to SONAR as it would be a more complete versatile product. Proper notation capacities and such would eliminate the need for another dedicated notation application. It would make SONAR more of an ultimate DAW.

There are many composers, musicians, and such, in the world who use the big programs such as Finale or Sibelius. Many of them know their way around DAWs too. Well, these notation apps lack the sophistication of a DAW and DAWs lack the sophistication of notation. The logical answer is to put it all in one.

Difficult? Probably. I remember it was probably also difficult to come up to invent the wheel. Or what about engineering of buildings? Or what about cars and their improvements? Hell, it even took a while before the creation and use of fire were optimized. Technology moves on, and if I don't see any proper superior notation tools in DAWs, I see that the technology of DAWs doesn't have much to offer anymore.

Why not team up with the makers of Finale or Sibelius, or whoever necessary, and get it done? Adding all these little things don't mean much, but adding such a major thing like serious notation perfectly streamlined in a DAW would OWN. Let me say again: IT WOULD OWN.

Yes, keep them both at the same zoom, and when you select a note in one, it is highlighted in the other. if you select a note in one and move it around, it moves around in the other, even before releasing the mouse button, etc.. Samplitude has this feature nailed.

Here are a few things I would like to see:
Make your app Microsoft .Net Developer Friendly
Hosting the Microsoft CLR like SQL Server 2005 does would allow everyday developers to create robust functionality like importing tracks from your favorite Online Collaboration website (such as MyOnlineBand.com).

Like SQL Server you can enable or disable certian CRL features and allow users to disable this all together if they are experiencing performance related issues. Check out Steven Pratschner's book "Customizing the .Net Framework Common Language Runtime". This is the only book I know of on the subject and it is pretty good.

Export Score as a PDF
I have been working with allot of drummers lately and one of the things I often do is create a Midi drum track t give them an idea of what I am looking for. The Score view in Sonar does create a drum score based on the Midi track but it does not give you a legible way to export it. I would like to have the ability to export either to PDF, PNG (or other image format), or to Microsoft word. The PNG image would be somewaht easy to do if you had the .Net API and used the GDI stuff.

Vista warnings
When running SOnar in Vista, I find that the base product works well in normal user mode but certian plug-ins who do not behave as well will crash Sonar in a brutal fashion if you do not run as an Administrator. You should have a warning that detects that fact that the plug-in requires "Run as admin" o not allow the plug-in to load.

Auto-Save
I think I posted this before but it's worth repeating. Seems like low hanging friut to me.

sharkboy, for the PDF export, check out the freely available "pdfcreator"..it should solve your problem

Good points!
I like the idea of markers and loop regions being integrated. I use both extensively and often find myself looping to what I already marked by region.
Could you elaborate on what a modal dialogue is? Sounds like developer-ese. If you mean dailogues that spawn further dialogues than yes, kill them all. And please make the default button for every dialogue (the focus as they say in website-ese) whichever one gets you out of that damn dialogue and agrees to it. I know Sonar well enough by key commands that the darn dialogue boxes are really slowing me down. f'rinstance the track properties could be split into stuff like changing the color(should be an optional menu item), stretching/looping could be its own right click item, and track properties could just be waveform redraw/where is the data at.
double plus one on key bindings. I still cant get Sonar to behave with my CS the way I like. Why not sh*tcan the old procedures for CS and bindings and have just one place for both. Its the same thing really.
In general I think there is a lot of vestigal stuff in Sonar that could be cleaned out.

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes
I like the idea of markers and loop regions being integrated. I use both extensively and often find myself looping to what I already marked by region.

Yah. I think the easiest way to implement regions/playlists/and multiple looping arrangements is to be able to make certain markers loop markers. This way you can designate multiple looped areas between any two markers, and then have a playlist where you say "take loop region V1, play x4" "take loop region C1, play x2" etc.

then all you need is a "conform to playlist" command and WHAMMO, there's your whole dang song.

Or, of course, you can integrate P5's groove matrix the way everyone has been freakin' about and be done with it.

ORIGINAL: dewdman42

Yes, keep them both at the same zoom, and when you select a note in one, it is highlighted in the other. if you select a note in one and move it around, it moves around in the other, even before releasing the mouse button, etc.. Samplitude has this feature nailed.

+1!!

That would be terrific. And, as a bonus, we would have no more "notation wars" on this forum, as anyone could choose in which graphic environment to edit the midi data.



wb

I'm more of an audio guy and use very little MIDI. Since v7 was a MIDI upgrade, they should go ape**** on the Audio for v8.

1 - Improve the built in "Channel Strip" effects. The EQs are okay but the comps suck. Vintage channel makes up for this, it would be kinda cool if it were integrated into the console itself. Computers are getting so powerful that there is no reason why the default EQs and Comps can't have more mojo, include analogish saturation of the mix-buss.

I'd have 3 types of "mixers" available:

A. Clean: This would be the current Sonar 7 mix engine with eh Sonitus Eqs and Comps built into the Console.
B. SSL: Emulate the SSL G series (or whatever works best) "circuitry" regarding the EQs, Comps, Bus compressor and saturation. Kinda like stealing the Waves Plugins and just incorporating them directly into the Console.
C. Neve: Same as above only with a Neve or Amek Console emulated. Heck, they could sell additional "consoles" as add-ins and you know we'de buy it.

ORIGINAL: DH123

I'm more of an audio guy and use very little MIDI. Since v7 was a MIDI upgrade, they should go ape**** on the Audio for v8.

I think this is incorrect!! S7 was pretty even in the Audio vs. MIDI upgrades.

Sidechain was a massive audio feature. So were the two LP plugs. And many of the featurettes were audio related, i.e. dim solo. Not to mention external inserts.

The bakers seems to have find a nice balance between audio and midi in each release. Sometimes we don't need the feature on one side but they are always there.

Though i do agree with you S8 needs a whole new compliment of audio effects. Colored EQs, compressors, envelope followers, transient modifiers, spatial modifiers, panners, modulators, stereo width plugs. Everything needs to be revisited. The currently included ones are all starting to show their age!

Someone mentioned freq analyzer in EQ. Thats huge!
Something like a N-tap delay (N unlimited) would be killer.

And again on the MIDI side:
INSTRUMENT TRACKS :-) *My all MIDI projects would be half sized with these!!
P5 style arp
VST midi FX
MIDI send

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

Yeah, this is why I dont really hang out here anymore.

Don't give up,,, Sonar isn't really that frustrating and difficult to use,,, just keep at it and you'll eventually get somewhere.

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

Thanks for your Stars of Wisdom

It's my pleasure


- Calaverasgrandes - You are now Blocked -

ORIGINAL: SongCraft

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

Yeah, this is why I dont really hang out here anymore.

Don't give up,,, Sonar isn't really that frustrating and difficult to use,,, just keep at it and you'll eventually get somewhere.

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes

Thanks for your Stars of Wisdom

It's my pleasure


- Calaverasgrandes - You are now Blocked -

oh gosh what will I do, an Aussie blocked me?!
Well as long as he doesnt put me on his "talent" website I am fine.
Grow up dude, er uh, I mean "mate". just because you are on the other side of the planet and its the internet doesnt give license to be rude. If you met me in a bar I doubt you'd take the same tone.

On to more grown up stuff;
About the loop thing. I was talking about loop recording. Like selecting a region, click "loop and autoshuttle" hit record, burn 3 takes of guitar, keep the good one.
But the other looping feature needs work. I hate how it will try and "round up" whatever clip you select for looping. You gotta keep an eye on the looping and autostretching dialogue. It will take a 5 beat clip and try and stretch it to 2 measures. Then it sounds all speak and spell-ized. Which is cool if you "belie-e-e-e-ve in lo-o-ove". Not so cool if its your guitar riff.
the idea of conform to playlist.

About all the ideas for plug ins. I got one a while back that negates this all! how about being able to define a 3rd party plugin as the default channel strip plugin. Then you could use UA neve eq on each channel, TC powercore 247c for every channels compressor and so on. I really only have issue with the Sonitus EQ. It sounds fine on one channel, but as it stacks up it sounds lame. I end up using TC Powercore EQsat more often.

on the MIDI side:
INSTRUMENT TRACKS :-) *My all MIDI projects would be half sized with these!!
P5 style arp
VST midi FX
MIDI send

big +1 on these!!

P5 is great! Love it and PE is perfect for audio, love the mixer, subs, bus and plugins are awesome. Although I mostly do audio (98% of) it would be great to have a bit of P5 thrown in. I'm feeling in an experimental mood and I need to shake off my old school dinosaur techniques and let loose, have fun.

+1 for the previous suggestions about adding some of that P5 brilliance

+1 mixer default LP and VC as standard on master.

+1 for Red Book

My list is simple

better radikal sac support or at least fix it

1+ for correctly functioning external inserts

Well, maybe I missed some responses, but I think I'm the only one here who is OK with the Sonar GUI just the way it is. Besides, this is a no-win, can't-please-em-all situation for CW anyway. That said, if they ever make Sonar look anything like that freakishly hideous monstrosity called Ableton Live, I'm outta here.

I renew my request for the ability to access the Insert > Soft Synth menu by right-clicking in the track inspector (yes, I've made this an official FR several times).

ORIGINAL: harmony gardens

Nested folders would be nice

Definitely. Even one level of nesting for grouping drums, synths, guitars, vocals, etc. would be very nice.

ORIGINAL: gsoler

Delete multiple track warning: When I'm deleting a track, sometimes other tracks are selected without me knowing it -and they get deleted without a warning. A little dangerous I think.

I like this idea - would've saved me countless Undo's over the past few years.

ORIGINAL: kwgm

Please revise asset management.

Yes, oh God, yes. Please.

ORIGINAL: Cary

Instrument tracks. The current system is rather clumsy.

I disagree. I like the flexibility of having MIDI and audio on separate tracks, especially when I'm using lots of automation on both types of tracks/clips - makes things much easier to on my eyes.

ORIGINAL: tim101

7) More intelligent real time fade behaviour
When I have a bunch of identical but delinked clips in the clips view, say kick drum hits, and I want to put the same fade out on them all, it doesn't happen - Sonar seems to take the start of the first fade as the start of all the fades. All the fades except the first go from the very start of their respective clips instead of half way in or whatever. Yes, I know I can use a process dialogue box, but I want to lassoo a bunch of clips and fade them with a simple mouse movement. Am I missing something here?

Lasso clips, hold SHIFT and fade them with a simple mouse movement.

It was mentioned above to change the per channel eq's and comps...to better ones. How about allowing the user to change the default Sonitus eqs etc to whatever they choose! UAD, etc, etc. Thanks!

One more vote for IMPROVED NOTATION and staff view capabilities (since it's pretty pathetic now).

My dream: To be able to have PRV and Staff Views open in separate panes, with controller data and/or velocities in panes below. And maybe even Tempo in still another pane? (I hate the way Tempo View causes me to "fly blind" when I'm adjusting a ritard. or accel.).

I've put these in as suggestions to Cakewalk, and I'm sure hoping they'll get addressed in Sonar 8. Because the reality is that if the notation side of things doesn't get addressed, I'm SERIOUSLY going to have to consider switching to a DAW that takes notation seriously.

Here's hoping!

Steve Main

Working with tempo.

1) Tempo track visible in Track View and PRV.

2) Ability to draw non-linear tempo changes.

3) Scale Tempo; ability to select time region and adjust tempo for this regoin only from current BPM to new BPM.

ORIGINAL: cryophonik
Well, maybe I missed some responses, but I think I'm the only one here who is OK with the Sonar GUI just the way it is.

I'm with you. Every version half the people love it an the other half flip out. I've been okay with the GUI changes since SONAR v1. 'Sides, with the color options now you can almost skin the darned program!

I think someone mentioned they wished they could change the font-size on some of the widgets... I think that's the only thing that I could see being a good idea since people work on resolutions of all flavors nowadays.

But yeah, GUI schmUI, give me new features!! And don't waste my time with any more plugins, I've got VSTs coming out my nose!

Speaking of tempomaps, I would love it if Sonar would make some features like what Digital Performer has for calculating tempos over a region of time that will hit or come close to hitting as many markers as possible as hit points, etc.. DP actually has a lot of cool film scoring features...Sonar should pay attention to.

stmain, check this out: http://forum.cakewalk.com/fb.asp?m=1267781

GUI 3d improvements on the track panes similar to Wavelab, etc.

Make a "simple" view (with limited on screen feature access) and a "advanced" view (normal view) both of which can be customized. Sonar is getting cluttered and it would be nice to be able to flip back and forth depending on what I'm doing. Of course the important part is letting the end user set up how each view looks.

Thats it for me.

would love a low cpu envelope shaper plug like the one in cubase. that would get a LOT of use here.

In addition to the existing markers, be able to add markers for NOTES/COMMENTS in any bar you want.

ORIGINAL: calaverasgrandes
oh gosh what will I do, an Aussie blocked me?

I don't think he's an Aussie, he's quite likely from the USA. Just below SongCraft's avatar his location is given as From: US.

Songcraft is indeed an Aussie making his home in the USA. He's mentioned this himself a while back.

I would love some more gridlines (subdivisions) vertical viewing option for arrange page.

ORIGINAL: mudgel

Songcraft is indeed an Aussie making his home in the USA. He's mentioned this himself a while back.

Thanks for that, Mike. I'm not really sure why Calaverasgrandes mentioned SongCraft's nationality. Maybe there's some history there, I don't know and I don't particularly care.

Is it me or does Sonar STILL not create new clips, muting the previous ones, when recording MIDI in Loop mode? I am still on S6. If this is the case then this should be fixed in S8.

3. Project Sections and Play Order Track – I want to be able to re-arrange a song without cutting and pasting! It would be great to be able to assign different sections of the song (chorus, verse, etc) to a “project section” and then re-arrange and save different versions of the song. Then, you should be able to “flatten” any version into the main version in the tracks pane.

This is a really great idea, you could just copy a section icon and all the grouped elements would be moved whereever you move it in the project. You could use it to duplicate chorus sections to.

Right now you have to moved all the sub tracks one by one, ouch, and line them up etc..

Time of selection indicator. I'd like to select part of the song and see how long it is in minutes and seconds.

I'm with you there, Vladimir, and I'll post a formal request again, along with what's probably my main feature request:

A Vertical Reference Guideline, so you can see exactly where your clip will land and line it up with other events/clips! This was discussed at length a while ago, and lots of folks agreed it would be very helpful, but it didn't make it into 7.x.

I'm going to make another formal request for this one, and I hope others will join me. It's a PITN to just eyeball a drop, when all the information is there, just not represented well visually.

-Susan

EDIT: BTW, since we're on P.6 already, here's the official FR request page again (you can put it in SONAR 7, since there's no listing for S8 last I checked):
http://www.cakewalk.com/support/featurerequest.asp

ORIGINAL: Susan G

I'm with you there, Vladimir, and I'll post a formal request again, along with what's probably my main feature request:

A Vertical Reference Guideline, so you can see exactly where your clip will land and line it up with other events/clips! This was discussed at length a while ago, and lots of folks agreed it would be very helpful, but it didn't make it into 7.x.

I'm going to make another formal request for this one, and I hope others will join me. It's a PITN to just eyeball a drop, when all the information is there, just not represented well visually.

-Susan

EDIT: BTW, since we're on P.6 already, here's the official FR request page again (you can put it in SONAR 7, since there's no listing for S8 last I checked):
http://www.cakewalk.com/support/featurerequest.asp

Aye, aye, this is ridiculous.
Moreover, it should be possible to show markers as vertical lines, optionally... and this option should be independent of showing a grid of vertical rules.
It should also be possible to snap to markers (&/or clip boundaries, etc), independently of snapping to regular time intervals. Finally, for what it's worth, I find the highest 'strength' of snapping still too subtle.

well, i was gonna say sometnig but someone already said it...
but i'll say it anyway...
in case u wanna automate a cntroller and u don't have aknob to assign it to,
how about:
All Controller data are recorded as envelopes not events even if they are recorded with playing MIDI notes at the same time.

Finally, for what it's worth, I find the highest 'strength' of snapping still too subtle.

How so?

-Susan

Greater 'magnetic' strength would be appreciated (and familiar), is all. I'm used to Wavelab, an excellent audio editor from which the Sonar designers/developers could learn a lot.

ORIGINAL: Twangist

Greater 'magnetic' strength would be appreciated

agreed. i have note value for inline PRV set to 16ths and mag strength at max. often i'll stretch or move notes and even tho i move it as close to a 16th as i can, sonar places it at some wacky value.

often i'll stretch or move notes and even tho i move it as close to a 16th as i can, sonar places it at some wacky value.

If you turn OFF magnetic strength altogether, a note can only move to snap grid locations. As you drag it from one gridline to the next, it won't move at all until your mouse is halfway to the next gridline, and then it will snap all the way over. This is pretty much what you would get with a "super" magnetic strength setting.

I wonder if this is a function of your Zoom setting. From the "Snap to Grid dialog" Help Topic:

Magnetic Strength
Use these buttons to choose the strength of Magnetic snap. Magnetic snap means that when you're dragging the boundary of an object, you can move the boundary freely until the boundary gets within a certain number of ticks from the snap target. The closer the object gets to the snap target, the more strongly the object is pulled to the target. Note that if you are zoomed out a certain amount, the time boundary around the snap target will appear to be quite small, and you might think that the Snap Grid is not functioning. If this is the case, zoom in closer to enhance your editing experience. If you're dragging a whole clip, magnetic snap is not in effect.

If I set mine to "High", it's definitely very snappy!

-Susan

What I would like is simply a gapless engine, e.g. o more stutters when setting loop points, switching looping on-off, adding-removing plugins and thelike. Then I would be a happy camper.

Oh yeah, and a resource browser would be nifty too, that that you can view all the clips that you use in your project and drop them where you like them. I like to assemble my tracks that way and miss such a feature dearly.

ORIGINAL: Twangist

ORIGINAL: Susan G

I'm with you there, Vladimir, and I'll post a formal request again, along with what's probably my main feature request:

A Vertical Reference Guideline, so you can see exactly where your clip will land and line it up with other events/clips! This was discussed at length a while ago, and lots of folks agreed it would be very helpful, but it didn't make it into 7.x.

I'm going to make another formal request for this one, and I hope others will join me. It's a PITN to just eyeball a drop, when all the information is there, just not represented well visually.

-Susan

EDIT: BTW, since we're on P.6 already, here's the official FR request page again (you can put it in SONAR 7, since there's no listing for S8 last I checked):
http://www.cakewalk.com/support/featurerequest.asp

Aye, aye, this is ridiculous.
Moreover, it should be possible to show markers as vertical lines, optionally... and this option should be independent of showing a grid of vertical rules.
It should also be possible to snap to markers (&/or clip boundaries, etc), independently of snapping to regular time intervals. Finally, for what it's worth, I find the highest 'strength' of snapping still too subtle.

YES!!! more/easier references with regards to clips and edits...

and an AUDIO POOL PLEASE!!!!!

AANNNNDDDDD!!!!!!

Stereo Rewire ability please! Even if it's stupid simple (ie: odd ch:L, even ch:R) I don't care...just DON'T make us add 64 rewire channels...Tracktion does this perfectly already....

PPPLLLEEEEAAAASSSSSEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

When's the next major upgrade coming out?

I don't know if it has been requested, but could you please add OSC support in Sonar8.
It would also be nice to be able to have an OSC track that I could sequence messages on.

Great thread- there is nothing more I want than workflow enhancements! If not already suggested:

1. organize sections of measures by group (like Acid does)

2. display # of measures highlighted (when pvr is set for measures)

3. in transpose box- why do I have to scroll from 0 to get to 12 or -12? Have a button for those.

4. Piano Roll view- have option to light the midi notes that are playing back, as notes do in staff view

Freezable BUSSES

If you turn OFF magnetic strength altogether, a note can only move to snap grid locations. As you drag it from one gridline to the next, it won't move at all until your mouse is halfway to the next gridline, and then it will snap all the way over. This is pretty much what you would get with a "super" magnetic strength setting.

ah, thank you for the tip!!

ORIGINAL: mikeinFL
3. in transpose box- why do I have to scroll from 0 to get to 12 or -12? Have a button for those.

Right click on + or - .

Or type it in.

What is really needed is a solid macro language for stuff like that. A quick macro recorder would go a long way in stopping some of the little things that are good ideas but to small to be worth a program rewrite.

"[" and "]" increment/decrement value by 10s (or 12s with transposition).

Pen for fixing/modifying a waveform.

+10 to that my friend.......It's a pain bouncing 10 tracks seperatly using the first two stereo outs.

I’d like to see a function that would allow the ability to switch plug-in presets at a specific point on the time line. This would allow changing EQ's at a specific time, changing a reverb characteristic at a specific time, changing an amp setting at a specific time, etc. Something like pushing a preset on a pedal board.

Controller envelopes can do this already. Just choose the parameter you want to change and add an envelope to control that parameter. I use this often to change a reverb/echo on a track.

Max Arwood

What I would need is a better staff view. I don´t talk about notation features. I´m working with big orchestral templates and i can´t understand why the staff view is limited to 24 tracks I think. Also when the track names on the left border are not readable if they are longer and if you hit space to play the score the names and clefs of the tracks disappear until you scroll around again. This all is very annoying. PLEASE!!!

Yes!!! some of my favs from this thread...

MACRO RECORDER
PENCIL TOOL TO DRAW WAVEFORMS/FIX CLICKS ETC
AUDIO POOL...


and......




There are only a few things holding me back from switching 100% to Sonar...(still using Cubase SX 3.1 most of the time )

1. No option to pick-up/chase held midi notes. This is mandatory. Don't know why it's not an option.

2. No time-slider in Import>Audio or Rip CD dialog?! What?!?! What if I want to hear the last 12 seconds of a 5 minute file?

3. Plugin delay compensation bypass. ie: I'm at 99% of my finished mixdown (with plugins and UAD plugs etc), but got inspired to add one more piano MIDI track. I will get 100ms of latency with all the plugins, so I have to bypass every single effect bin in every track and group...blah... One button would solve this.

4. OGG File compatibility. Please...can we have the ability to import OGG files without crashes? Thanks.

5. Record in Play..."capture up to 10 minutes of any incoming audio you play in Stop mode or during playback, “after the fact”. This is possible because C****e can capture audio input in buffer memory, even when not recording." Very life-saving if you've needed it!

6. Console/Track highlighting. Another feature I thought would be obvious. Select a track in the track view, the same channel highlights in the console. Simple. Smart.

7. Tape-Machine Style monitoring. (http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.asp?m=1215835&mpage=1&key=??) - Implemented in 7.0.2!!!

8. "Select All Following" - hit a key command, and all the clips FOLLOWING the NOW TIME get highlighted. SUPER important when editing for film, dialog etc.

9. "Move to Now" - select a clip, hit a key command and the clip snaps to the current NOW TIME position. VITAL when syncing effects etc for film etc...

10. Macro Recorder. For the ability to chain several Sonar commands in a row and trigger it by a single key command.

11. Much more flexible track/channel preset handling. (ie: Saving and loading track presets (with sends, FX bin setting etc) OVERTOP of a current track, without adding a new track and having to drag and drop audio clips from old track to new etc..

12. The ability to scrub clips WITHOUT having to turn off a mute button or putting the channel fader up. Handy if you are importing someone else's OMF and need to hear what a specific clip is without going through more steps/mouse clicks.

13. Perhaps simmer down on the vertical scroll? ie: I'm zoomed in to see two audio tracks at a time, and I want to ALT-SELECT a region across several tracks to remove silence..when I bring the mouse cursor down to the bottom of the track view...the page just TAKES OFF and I'm suddenly looking at my last track (and have WAY more tracks selected than I wanted). Can we SMOOTH the vertical scroll a little more (instead of JUMPING track by track?)

14. Fix the V-Station Powercore Bug

15. When adjusting the pan control in the console with a WHEEL-MOUSE wheel, at a certain point when moving the wheel, the whole console suddenly starts scrolling.

16. I have a 64 track song, and I'd like to organize the mixer so I can select which tracks to show at one time. IE: is there a way I can 'group' all my drum tracks and then assign that to a key command to show only those tracks? And also do this with all BG Vox, etc...? That way I can flip between the track views as I need... instead of scrolling for 64 channels in the console (since SONAR refused to do auto-scroll when selecting a track in the track view)...similar to the current "Track Manager" but able to save view presets etc...instead of simple check on/off.

17. Update the 'remove silence' function to 2007 (ie: a little graphics with the waveform might be nice).

18. Ability to automate mute & solo buttons on busses/groups!?!?!?! How can you miss this one?!?!

19. Make the KEY BINDINGS window searchable? Instead of forcing the user to spend two hours looking for one command.

20. Is there a way we can dbl-click the track/channel FX bin and get a BIG window that shows all the plugs at once? (instead of scrolling up and down each bin)?

21. Make a more obvious indicator in the FX bin when editing a plug. So I double-click a compressor plugin, perhaps highlight/circle the compressor name in the FX bin with a bright red or light blue color so I know which plug on which track I'm working with? especially helpful when having 4 plugins open at once.

22. Where the heck are the simple RW/FF controls? Yes, I know we can go measure-by-measure, or spend all day making markers. But what if I just want to RW back a few beats in front of the current bar?

23. How about the simple ability to ENABLE WRITE AUTOMATION while already in playback?!

24. Some kind of indicator on controls that already have automation? (check out REASON for this feature). Highlighting or circling the control with a green colour to show it already has automation? (of course, this will be user optional in the prefs.)

25. More automation modes please!! (ie: Touch, Latch, Overwrite, Jump, Skip and Hop).

26. The ability to move more than one track at a time with the mouse(in the track view window). (note: NOT audio clips, but actual tracks) without having to go through the whole long process of Select multiple tracks, Track->Sort, choose selected and ascending/descending etc...Just make it a simple mouse drag.

27. Simple Waveform drawing tool (to take out 1-sample ticks etc....). Very basic, Very obvious, Very useful...please?!?!

28. A MUCH more accurate (aka: LESS WILD) scrub. Something smooth with shuttle option on single tracks.

29. The ability to assign the track name to all clips on the same track. ie: I dbl-click the track name, rename it and hit SHIFT-ENTER, and that will also rename all clips to the same name.

30. Please tell me there's a way to GROUP CLIPS in the track window? PLease!?!?! please tell me. I can't find anything in the help file.

31. A useable AUDIO POOL (like Cubase SX)!!

32. Make the GRID LINES IN THE PIANO ROLL change to the same as grid value. ie: if I select 1/8 note for grid, put some darn 1/8 note grid lines! If I select 1/16 notes for grid value, then show some 1/16th note grid lines!

33. Give us at least a LITTLE flexibility with fades on audio clips!!! (ie: more than 3 basic fade curves, the ability to use points in a fade-curve option window etc)

34. Please make it possible to turn on/off the audio metronome during playback.

35. Make the MUTE and SOLO buttons on audio track layers a little bigger please?

36. Make the Maximum Zoom Out REALLY ZOOM OUT! I have 45 tracks, and I want to see ALL of them. Not just the top 16....zoom out should actually ZOOM OUT. Thanks.

37. When adjusting volume envelope points on automation, can you also display the DIFFERENCE in db? and not just the actual value (ie: I move a point from -8dB to -6dB, can you display a +2dB tooltip too?)

38. Make it possible to move crossfades between audio. ie: I x-fade two audio clips, and after listening I realize I need to move the x-fade a little farther. Let me just grab the x-fade and slide it anywhere I want.

39. Make the dB range in the Sonitus EQ selectable? I don't think many people here ever use 15dB of cut/boost when eq-ing, so perhaps having the default at 6dB range makes more sense? BUT, also add a drop down to the EQ to select 12, and 15dB range too? Will make it easier when changing EQs with the graphic points. Just an idear!

40. Treat the bus channels more like regular mixer channels! ie: we should be able to Actively SELECT bus channels (the same way as tracks), and ALSO MAKE THE SELECTED BUS CHANNEL SHOW UP ON MY MCU'S SELECT LIGHT TOO PLEASE!!!

41. another 'inspector' type of window for showing audio clip information (ie: total clip length, start time, end time etc..) in user selectable time bases, ie: ms, samples, beats, smpte time etc... IN REAL TIME. Not some kind of right-click>show info window...

42. The abilty to 'split' control surfaces (ie: Mackie Control + XT) into two devices. So we can have audio tracks show on the Mackie XT, while showing Bus channels on the Main MCU!

43. Make the 'un-solo ALL' button work for busses too please! Please do not treat the busses so differently from the regular audio channels (ie: allow selectable busses, allow mute/solo automation etc).

44. When dragging/dropping midi or audio clips from explorer to the track view, please make it a more obvious display of where we're dropping them? (ie: make a long vertical bar pointer at the beginning of the clip along with a tooltip stating current bar position?!)

45. Allow us to select multiple tracks/channels in the console view (for easier output routing when changing several channels at once. IE: I want to see all the current tracks that route to FF800 Analog 1 ONLY and re-route them to FF800 Analog 3 etc).

46. Capture last take as recording ( if you just play around with your song on a miditrack whithout being in record mode, you can press a key and Voilá what you just played is now recorded, like magic. Logic and Cubase have the feature since years ago)

47. Legato "quantize" Your midi notes will be shortened or lengthend( is that a word?) to just reach the next midinote and not overlapping

48. Don't let Roland take your programmers away from working on this list.

49. The ability to change project sample rates WITHOUT having to start a new project and re-import the tracks and re-create the busses and the mix levels etc.

50. Have an 'auto mute' option for track layers. When I record onto a single track with track layers enabled, please mute the previous layer when recording a new take. Instead of having the user try to click that dang super-duper-small mute button on the layer. This should be an option in the prefs.

51. introduce a track delay positive or negative, I've found only Time+ for midi, But Audio?

===47. Legato "quantize" Your midi notes will be shortened or lengthend( is that a word?) to just reach the next midinote and not overlapping===

Legato.cal

I argee with the rest of the list and have some more...

another big vote here for 21st century workflow. we need more than just the standard multitrack tape paradigm. the P5 groove matrix might be what we are looking for, or at least a starting point.

i want to be able to audition audio and midi from my hard drive in context w/ the project - tempo sync'd of course. a related idea would be if you could browse sonar tracks from other projects in the context of your running song -- tempo sync'd of course.

the overall paradigm is building songs from saved bits and ideas.

ORIGINAL: rdolmat

39. Make the dB range in the Sonitus EQ selectable? I don't think many people here ever use 15dB of cut/boost when eq-ing, so perhaps having the default at 6dB range makes more sense? BUT, also add a drop down to the EQ to select 12, and 15dB range too? Will make it easier when changing EQs with the graphic points. Just an idear!

right click on the graph and you can select the +/- frequency range

ORIGINAL: rdolmat

22. Where the heck are the simple RW/FF controls? Yes, I know we can go measure-by-measure, or spend all day making markers. But what if I just want to RW back a few beats in front of the current bar?

i never saw the point in FF/RW controls in computer software - i find clicking on the timeline much more convenient. I agree changing the resolution of the slider could be useful.

Rob

ORIGINAL: robert.t

ORIGINAL: rdolmat

39. Make the dB range in the Sonitus EQ selectable? I don't think many people here ever use 15dB of cut/boost when eq-ing, so perhaps having the default at 6dB range makes more sense? BUT, also add a drop down to the EQ to select 12, and 15dB range too? Will make it easier when changing EQs with the graphic points. Just an idear!

right click on the graph and you can select the +/- frequency range

ORIGINAL: rdolmat

22. Where the heck are the simple RW/FF controls? Yes, I know we can go measure-by-measure, or spend all day making markers. But what if I just want to RW back a few beats in front of the current bar?

i never saw the point in FF/RW controls in computer software - i find clicking on the timeline much more convenient. There is always the sliding bar that you can drag.

Rob

Thanks for the first point!

But I have to disagree with you on the second. It's MUCH faster to simply keep your left hand on a FF/RW key command and hit it when necessary, as opposed to moving the mouse each and everytime to either a slider somewhere else on screen, or the time line...especially when you're zoomed OUT full, and you need to only rewind a few seconds.

FF/RW would be a HUGE help for people who do tons of editing (ie: me ;) and honestly, how much coding will that take?

Mine is "gapless audio" and being able to arm and unarm tracks while sequence is playing.

Sonar is pretty behind on that one. I don't know of another daw that has this restriction.



Other than that though I can't think of too much to add to the list.