I agree w/op--more plugins aren't what I'm looking for...oh, how i lie. not entirely true!
a) *good* va drum kit
b) distortion/tube/amp emu
Here's some thoughts...some of it may be doable already, but if it is, then the process could be improved...
a) Comprehensive MIDI mapping w/out using MIDI plugins. Let me define MIDI maps at the global project level, at the insturment level (if I've selected a given insturment) and at the track level (a given instance). Let me right click on any control, click "Learn", hit a knob, and that's that.
a1) ahhh...right click...
a2) tooltips?
b) Keyboard splits..
c) Integrated patch management vis-a-vis unisyn. We have consoles, lets build a library so that if I say 'oi! MKS-50!' that console pops up without me having to build a pg programmer from scratch.
d) vi / MIDI / loop cataloger db ala kore but better. Let me press a button, and have my entire patch memory not only downloaded on to my computer for cataloging, but also record a series of notes for demo purposes. This way I can scroll through sounds of a MIDI or vi insturment without having it on and patched up in the patch bay if I so choose.
d2) Better drum track handling. Let me define a drum track as such--separate from a MIDI or audio track. let me set it up as a single virtual insturment omposed of multiple insturments. So if I want the kick to be channel1 from the analog synth, hihat open/closed to be from the model 12 and snares note C# from a groovebox/sampler/rompler, let me define that in a single interface. Naturally, I build this kit from the catalog of drum components I've got. If I want to use 4 romplers, an analog an model 12, so be it! Maybe I can browse by kit--hmm, let me see what drums this rompler has--or by sound: show me all snares,...
Also, let me enter variable length patterns for each element of the kit, so my kick consists of one measure, hihat of two measures and snare of four measures, and DP figures it out. Let me name these patterns, and lets store these inside the kiot; the input sequence MIDI track would dictate which pattern to play when..
Also, DP should recognize if an insturment is not multi-timbural, then I cant use that insturment in other parts of the track; if is multi-timbural, then that channel is somehow locked so my crunchy rompler hihats stay that way--I can't plop that rompler down elsewhere.. Then let me switch the patterns on the fly, either at a piece level (swapping out the one measure kick beat for a three measure fill) or at an insturment level (switch to a new set of patterns for each piece in the kit). Probably a good idea if I can group patterns too across the entire kit (not at a piece level though). For each piece in the kit, hide the implementation, so that all i see is the name I define, and perhaps a few knobs I slap down that route to hardware/vi behind the scenes.
d3) lets extend the concept to layered insturements. perhaps i can make a layered folder, then any MIDI/vi insturments I place in there gets treated as the same MIDI insturment for MIDI in / audio out purposes. so where a drum track assigss one note to each layered insturement, this concept has has every insturment sharing all notes--or maybe some kind of split definition. let me define invidiual sends/inserts for each layered sound, and also let me define kobs for the folder level, which can communicate perhaps different cc messages to different insturments but from the same knob. Maybe I want a volume knob, or a knob that does resonance for half the insturments and cut off for the other half. Let me save this virtual rack of sorts...
e) A proper step sequencer that I can setup multiple patterns for, feed that into insturments, vi or external MIDI. then let me define MIDI controls to change aspects of the step sequencer (eg right click, 'learn' etc). Also, instead of referring to patterns by bank and letter, let me name them and select from a drop dow box.
f) skinnable consoles
f1) nrpn/rpn transmissions from consoles. i was majorly bummed out to discover I couldn't rig up MOTU's own vi's to a console.
g) auto freeze: if I go to bounce a track, and it IS ALL unfrozen vi/MIDI tracks, do a freeze--but hidden, perhaps call it 'recording arrangements'--then bounce, and I'm never the wiser.
h) programmable note creation. Not Karma, but...well, karma?
i) I'm sure I' missing this somehow, but a new record mode for MIDI tracks that allows me to record only one given cc/note/etc easily.
j) if nothing else, when I load model 12, and I have a MIDI track pointed to the mode 12, therum kit patc should reflect automatically model 12.
I'd often thought about drawing up my MIDI sequencer, but haven't the time so....not sure any of this makes sense to other folks, but to me, it would be great! Don't get me wrong, I love DP, but I think these items, oriented towars a more...err...limited?
user / musician would go a long ways to sharpening the DP knife edge to a contemporary point.
apologize for the length, spelling and grammer errors. It's late and I'm too tired too correct...but some ideas in case anyone is listening!
