Suggestion Box for DP 10 MOTU Link

[davidh]

A way to switch between Soundbites and Volume Automation focus in the TO with a key command.

+1 actually +15
This would be HUGE timesaver when mixing in the box.

[Phil O]

Regarding VCA faders, I would first like to see MOTU fix the problem discussed in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=56479&hilit=faders+group

I'm always in favor of fixing what's broken BEFORE adding new features. But that's just me.

In that thread I said it wasn't a bug, it was just a bad design choice, but I now think it was SUCH a bad design choice that I'm calling it broken.

Philippe

[Michael Canavan]

Regarding VCA faders, I would first like to see MOTU fix the problem discussed in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=56479&hilit=faders+group

I'm always in favor of fixing what's broken BEFORE adding new features. But that's just me.

In that thread I said it wasn't a bug, it was just a bad design choice, but I now think it was SUCH a bad design choice that I'm calling it broken.

Philippe

Sure, but this is the sort of thing that VCA faders solves. You don't have to physically move any of your faders, no relationship between faders needs to be or is changed because it's going past zero etc. MOTU made a choice to preserve relationships between faders in relation to infinity gain, and a lot of other DAWs react exactly the same way. Probably not changing, but if you can group racks with a VCA fader your issue with the method MOTU implemented is solved.
VCA faders are like group tracks or like bussing tracks without the issues with sends needing to be readjusted for the new volume levels.

[waxman]

Exactly... Live Analog Consoles are configured with subs, or groups etc... Once your drums are balanced you send to a group and you mix from one location. If you have to run down to the south 40 to tweak something ok. But, having the balance fader for a group of tracks is essential. So in the DAW world with a gazzilion tracks "hidden" by screen space or a limited number of control faders getting sets of instruments down to groups in one location is a BWT... "beautiful workflow thing" I use auxes and in my template to achieve this but they Auxes are not quite as functional as the VCA fader in PT.

Keep the requests coming. I have worked on a design MI software team. Breaking stuff and suggestions from users are gold. MOTU takes these seriously and as always the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

At various times in DAW development, all the companies borrow design from each other. Sometimes even headhunting engineers. PT has borrowed liberally from DP. I think at this time there are a few features that are essential. Don't be surprised to see DP in near future implementing what was introduced in the latest vs or PT... Specifically, Color, VCA's or Groups, Pop out inline Aux Sends, Mackie Protocol track show hide among others. Hope how soon!

[philbrown]

A way to switch between Soundbites and Volume Automation focus in the TO with a key command.

+1 actually +15
This would be HUGE timesaver when mixing in the box.

It's one of those things where people say "What's the big deal?" but I do that move back and forth literally hundreds of times a day. I thought automation lanes would solve that, but it didn't in my case, anyway.

*Also a laurel and hardy handshake to Waxman.*

[stevenew]

Probably too late for DP 10. That must be well past the User Requirement stage by now. But here's my long time
- Make note names in the Drum Editor a preset that is a completely independent object (not linked to MIDI Devices) that can be saved and used in other projects.

Please please, Drum editor is one of the few things in DP that I have to refer to my "How To' notes every time I setup a new project.

Track selector in Meter Bridge please!

[waxman]

...

*Also a laurel and hardy handshake to Waxman.*

I accept... There's a new sheriff in town!

[KenNickels]

At the very least I hope they put back right-click MIDI editing in the Sequence wind0ow, as there is in the MIDI window. I don't know why they removed this core feature in the first place.

[toodamnhip]

Please FIX the breakpoint, drifting, ramping automation issue when pasting automation data around in a sequence, and FIX the snap shot automation issues with Waves plug ins and other plug ins.

**Breakpoint automation issue explained.
It is almost impossible to paste automation settings around a song without creating ridiculous, unwanted, automation RAMPS. When mixing, once I get lets say-a “Chorus”-- perfect, I need to paste either all the audio with automation, or just the automation to subsequent choruses. The end result is unwanted ramps in all data sets, EQ amounts, volumes, plug in data etc. The only way to avoid these ramps, is to make automation snap shots just before the 2nd chorus to buffer off the automation data from the previous verse 2 in this example. This creates tons of work and unnecessary automation bottle necks, just before chorus 2, for example, as there is now needed, a snap shot at beat 4 of verse 2, as an “automation buffer", followed a quarter note later by chorus 2’s automation.
So, you have chorus 1 fully automated. Then verse 2 begins. Lets say the vocal volume at verse 2 is 50, and you paste chorus 2’s vocal automation in, which is at 100. You end up with a ramp from the beginning of verse 2 (50)-to the start of Chorus 2, (100). Now multiply that ramp by ALL PARAMETERS of automation, and you see what a mess you get! So, you have to go to beat 4, just before chorus 2, and snap shot from that point, back to the prior automation data, with the command-“from counter to previous change flat”. This may seem like a simple solution, but when you have to wall of automation in various sections the song to allow for copy and paste of prior perfectly mixed sections, it becomes very complex and makes a lot of work and unnecessary automation data. This ends up choking DP’s play back if done too much. Terrible.
When music supervisors come and ask me to move sections around quickly, I cannot do so without snap shotting all sorts of automation buffers to avoid ramping. So a music supervisor or record co. asks for changes quickly, and they cannot be a simple matter of pasting things around,,,no way. I am seriously losing hours on this flaw in DP’s design and I am going to be forced to go back to Pro Tools if this is not fixed. In Pro Tools, and other programs, the program automatically pastes ONLY the new data into a chorus 2 lets say, and does NOT ramp all the automation from the earlier verse to the start of the paste in Chorus 2 This is a terrible problem guys..Please...Please Please.. I would gladly have a tech video support meeting to show this problem if there are any questions.
**Snap shot automation- I have to manually tab through all waves plug in parameters, and some other 3rd party plug ins, before snap shotting, for DP to “see” the data and accurately automate the settings. Or, I have to manually nudge every parameter before snap shotting. Its as if DP does not “see” the graphically displayed data, and needs numeric entry. To replicate this issue, load any Waves pre set and try to snap shot. You will see the parameters go to random setting the moment you snap shot. Now instead, tab through all the settings and try again, and it will work properly. DP needed to be numerically shown the info.
**And last, please fix the numeric display of 3rd party plug ins in DP, especially waves.

[waxman]

Many companies come up with cool new features. What features from other DAW's you would like to see added to DP? For instance:
Color bars top and bottom in channel strip.
VCA's.
Pop out faders for sends.
Show hide channels over Mackie, HUI Protocol

[toodamnhip]

Many companies come up with cool new features. What features from other DAW's you would like to see added to DP? For instance:
Color bars top and bottom in channel strip.
VCA's.
Pop out faders for sends.
Show hide channels over Mackie, HUI Protocol

Ability to paste sections around without automation data ramping.

[waxman]

Duly noted...

[toddbooster]

Full VST 3 support, and better compatibility in general with Windows versions of plugins (Slate plugins of all things are blacklisted by the plugin scanner). Oh and better optimization for Windows too; it's got a way to go in the departments of feeling snappy and looking good.

Edit: tl;dr bring the Windows version up to feature and performance parity with the Mac version.

[philbrown]

The ability to import and export markers (especially export). Markers that a pgm like DSP-Q can read and use as CD track markers. MOTU's half-baked CD burning feature surfaced (sort of) and then quietly disappeared I guess. They could at least provide the functionality described above though, so markers could flow through to another program. This is something that would definitely be a time saver for me every week.

[waxman]

What's a CD? Ok just kidding. Request sent...
My clients are 99% mp3 to their iPhone over internet... play in their car on the way home from the session... hahaha... some just listen on iphone speaker and don't even use headphones... sad

I once had a rack of 12 cassette decks that I would run off a copy from the 1/2 inch 2 track after the session. Then out with the 2 track and in with the DAT Deck. Out with the dat deck and in with the computer with Bias Peak to CD.
Peak died... DSPQ to file to Mac burn CD... now it's virtual voodoo. They say send me a cloud bro, I'll check it...

Times they are a changing.