I posted this inside another discussion but thought I would post it here for open dialog from users.

When discussions start about where RB/PTPA fit in the DAW landscape many of us have strongly defended it as a very powerful and feature rich DAW choice. Yes it has many great virtues. Features no other DAW has, those being the awesome BiaB capabilities. This DAW can do things a far more well know, and mainline program could never begin to do.

Yet the problem lies in that, while it is all that a a bag of chips, it still suffers from being fragmented as it is a wonderful marriage of BiaB and PTPA. That is both incredible and limiting in one moment.

I sent a note to the Peter, Andrew, and a couple others recently suggesting that future plans should include a lotta love for RB. BiaB is at a point where it either has to morph into something it was never intended to be, and I fear become a train wreck doing so, or slow down it development to a slow boil.

Imagine BiaB with no 50 new features next year instead 25 nagging bugs solved like the 255 limit. 202 new real tracks including ambient tones, breakbeat drums and a bunch of new current RTs and RDs. That addresses what many are clamoring for modernizing.

Next a complete and total update of RB. Modern mixer view something like studio one with inserts and sends, with excellent FX chains and new powerful plugins. Get rid of the 255 limit, updated and complete automation, not just volume and panning, not just fader moves. Build it into a DAW that rivals Studio one, Reaper, Cubase, Cakewalk, etc. but one that includes BiaB generation capabilities. Focusing on RB on allows it to be broken out from BiaB, allows it to become a paid product that generates revenue for PGM. This lets BiaB rest and catch up. It would still be a source of revenue with it becoming even more solid and a stable and many of its old bugs squashed for good. Lots of time and resources could be diverted into a wider more diverse RT development. Lots of resources diverted to RB so it can be one of the best, most advanced and stable DAWs around and used along side BIaB and a continuing to develop Biab plugin would be a lethal line up.

If RB is tethered to BiaB so tightly that it can’t be separated properly then develop a new DAW with all the features of a prime time DAW like Bandlab cake, but with the plugin integrated natively much like the integration of melody era into studio one a DAW that has all the riches of a program like studio one, or bandlab, but opens .sgu .mgu file natively, and features the plugin version 3.0 with many enhancements. PTPA is sitting there 75% of the way there, maybe it is the basis for this new product. A few years back 10 to be exact Presonus took a old underdeveloped DAW named Kristal audio and completely rewrote it to become Studio one. Maybe PGM takes a open source DAW like an ardour, and completes it, with the next generation BiaB plugin (3.0)as one of the core features. Add to that some awesome new effects like world class compressors, limiters, EQs, and more.


I would love to hear others thoughts on this.

HP Win 11 12 gig ram, Mac mini Sonoma with 16 gig of ram, BiaB/RB 2026, Reaper 7, Harrison Mixbus 11 , Presonus Audiobox USB96