To begin to take RB to the next level. You hear around here a lot of talk about how RB does things other DAWs do not, and does not do some things they do!

RB as a stand alone Digital Audio Workstaion Is powerful and very unique. The very fact it has many of the features that Band In A Box has puts it in a different catagory as programs like Sonar, Cubase, and Reaper, since they have none of these features. The advent of Real Drums gave it a real leg up, then adding Real Tracks to that mix was truly amazing. The last three versions were focused on adding and refining RTs so that they take up less room, generate faster, and sound better. AS this year goes on small bugs and little enhancements will hopefully be cared for that solidify the 2011 release. But let's begin to take a real hard look at 2012!

Now it is time to add in a few basic features that other programs have and take RB to the level it deserves. Number 1 on that list is finishing the VSTi coding so that the program works with some of the better VSTi plugs out there, and not just the ones that require no tempo lock. 2. Add an actual automation envelope feature instead of the old record fader feature which take way to much effort to get right. 3. update the output channel to function as a true main buss with effects bin, and maybe a couple built in channel effects that make it like a mastering buss. 4. a Groove clips or acidized loops as Pat Marr mentioned once, would be a great addition to the RT/Rd world as sampled loops that respond to timing and pitch are a great way to fill in some gaps in the creation flow.

Lastly when you think of features that exist like ACW, RT/RD generation, ability to add pieces of RTs in specific places, you already have a very powerful tool, and adding these other features would give a package that would be so rich and complete that it would atract so many people. And give the others something to think about. I already do 90% of my stuff in RB, these features would polish it up.

Then small refinements, GUI enhancements, and new styles and RTs would then be the order of the day for future releases.

.. and for #3 I'd like an icon (or button) on the main screen to open that buss easily.
But you already know that.

I think with the correct soundcard setup A1 is a true main out buss though .. not sure what you are saying there.

I might not understand that one Bob. What i know is that in Cakewalk you have a main out that is really the control where things sum at the sound card, and PT/RB works the same. In Reaper any buss can be a master and or sub, and that is tooooo much control In MTS there is a true Master buss and effects busses and sub groups are added as needed, and at the master bus a limiter and such can really have an effect on mastering.

In Cake and PT/RB, the A1 buss looks just like any other buss and they are confusing as to what you have, and how you make them work properly. Also with buss architecture like MTS you can route a midi synth directly thru a Audio effect at the track level. I would love to see PG take a page out of that and allow a midi track send the audio signal to a buss with audio effects and back to a true Master buss. If you use a synth like Kontact, or Sampletank in RB, you can open effects after it, but that effect , well effects every track routed thru there. so you can't place a distortion on the midi guitar track without it effecting the strings. You can bounce or render the midi to audio and place an audio effect there but still you lose a level of control.

Somebody did a graphic showing the routing in RB. It really helped clarify the signal path.

There are quite a few options when using the subgroups. The A1 output is pretty much a master out though. What goes out of there is what goes to the soundcard output (which can be affected by the soundcard settings of course). So the FX in those slots are on everything leaving the final output. (therefore your mastering slots)

To be able to put FX on a MIDI track wihout affecting other tracks using the same synth you need to open another instance of that synth. You have 16 available softsynth slots to choose from.

I would have bet money (and lost) that version 2011 would implement the VSTi support that was the heavy hitter all year long on the wishlist. But that's mostly because I didn't know what cool stuff they were already planning for 2011


When you have to come up with 50 new features for every release, it makes sense to save something for later. Due to clusters of additions that naturally go together, their current offering reached 50 new features without having to steal glory from the next release.


There were some really impressive new features this time.. elastique being the centerpiece. If I had to choose between elastique and better VSTi support, I'd have to say I like the release of 2011 exactly as-is.


Regarding busses: that's a topic that would make a good tutorial video.

Good idea.

I would like to vote for all of this Rob. I think a proper mixer and an overhaul of the gui would be part of my wish list. I am no expert, but the way that PG handles sound using MME and not a proper Asio seems disctinctly dodgy too and leads to compromises and ad hoc ways of using the program - for example, as I insist on using a decent piano app, I cant record it in RB or BIAB - with BIAB I have to run outside the app in ASIO whilst BIAB runs in MME. As for RB well I cant even get it to run at all. I dont wish to hijack the thread, just accept please that I have tried every setting on my Liquid 56.

So please...

A proper mixer (incorporating fx channels, faders, routings, Master out and other basics.

VST support (VTS 3 has some very interesting features)

Update the tired GUI

Sort out the handling of sound so that its all ASIO and all inside the application


BIAB is the best and most important program in my arsenal but for me its totally crippled - I cant even record my performances

Zero