Letter to Sequel development team...
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:35 am
Hello,
Im writing with the hope to connect with the Sequel 3 development team Both with praise and suggestions for the product. First a bit about me. Im a professional writer and illustrator and a musician and composer for 35 years. While my involvement in music could be deemed semiprofessional at the moment I have composed, recorded and toured on a professional level as well as scored professionally for TV and multimedia in the past.
Over the past several months in the quest to find the perfect DAW for myself to settle into for future composition and recording work, I have tried about every DAW that will run on the Mac. I spent no less than a week with some and in some cases a full month long trial period learning the ins and outs of the particular software package. Additionally I own Cubase 7.5, Logic 9 and X, Studio One, Garageband, Bitwig studio, and of course Sequel 3 and have spent countless hours with each. I came away from the experience feeling that Sequel 3 has been my hands down favorite to work with in spite of its shortcomings. It is by far the most intuitive to use, its clean and organized UI make for a far better creative workflow than anything else available. And Its more in depth features (which are numerous) are wisely kept a close second layer below the features one uses on a regular basis, allowing for both simplicity of use and power in an uncluttered and creatively productive user experience. The downside is it suffers from serious stability issues that have not been addresses in the two years I have owned the product and that so many limitations are written into it that it is hardly worth even using on a serious level.
Again I own Cubase 7.5 but would have gladly paid as much for a stable less limited version of Sequel 3. I own logic and spent a full month learning pro tools and would much rather have a stable less limited version of Sequel 3. In fact I would gladly uninstall all my other DAW’s from my computer if I had a stable less limited version of sequel 3.
The reason? Sequel is different, it has a new approach that is designed as usable software and not a copy of an outdated approach. I think it is fare to estimate that 99% of your customers are “artists” like myself who are “creating” on the software they use, and who are far more interested in a tool with an intuitive workflow that fosters their creativity than an emulation of an old school analog mix desk. This is not even an experience that most musicians today have ever even had a foot in. And that is why Sequel is so special. Sequel is not Cubase. It is not even an intro to Cubase, you have several versions of that. I hope you know that you have created a unique tool here with Sequel one that in many way works better than Cubase from a creative workflow standpoint. I for one would love to see it developed to its full potential.
Here are some thoughts on how it could be improved...
1) Don't change the UI. This is where Sequel shines!
2) Fix the stability issues. No one will use a tool that does not work.
3) Add regular VST support so users can utilize other instruments and Fx plugins. As is, the VST3 only support makes it so limited that it is almost pointless to even try to use. You are dooming this software to fail with this alone.
4) Allow for more than three Fx plugins on tracks and on the master channel. This is often too little for professional use.
5) Drop the self assigned Fx plugins on the tracks (compressor in slot 3) and on the master channel. From my frustrated experience changes to these most often compromise the stability of a project and cause crashes. We can assign these ourself just fine.
6) Create an effects track like in Cubase so that sends will be possible. I can see this being accessed via a “send”plugin inserted on the track Fx slots so it would be cleanly placed in the FX rack display.
7) The inline EQ on the Fx rack could do with an analizer.
I will end here, sorry for the logn winded letter. If you would like to hear more please feel free to contact me.
Sequel is a great package, or in all fairness i will say a package with great potential.
I hope it is not forgotten in the trend of iOS development. And I hope someone ther at Steinberg sees the great potential that I do.
Sincerely— James Stimson
Im writing with the hope to connect with the Sequel 3 development team Both with praise and suggestions for the product. First a bit about me. Im a professional writer and illustrator and a musician and composer for 35 years. While my involvement in music could be deemed semiprofessional at the moment I have composed, recorded and toured on a professional level as well as scored professionally for TV and multimedia in the past.
Over the past several months in the quest to find the perfect DAW for myself to settle into for future composition and recording work, I have tried about every DAW that will run on the Mac. I spent no less than a week with some and in some cases a full month long trial period learning the ins and outs of the particular software package. Additionally I own Cubase 7.5, Logic 9 and X, Studio One, Garageband, Bitwig studio, and of course Sequel 3 and have spent countless hours with each. I came away from the experience feeling that Sequel 3 has been my hands down favorite to work with in spite of its shortcomings. It is by far the most intuitive to use, its clean and organized UI make for a far better creative workflow than anything else available. And Its more in depth features (which are numerous) are wisely kept a close second layer below the features one uses on a regular basis, allowing for both simplicity of use and power in an uncluttered and creatively productive user experience. The downside is it suffers from serious stability issues that have not been addresses in the two years I have owned the product and that so many limitations are written into it that it is hardly worth even using on a serious level.
Again I own Cubase 7.5 but would have gladly paid as much for a stable less limited version of Sequel 3. I own logic and spent a full month learning pro tools and would much rather have a stable less limited version of Sequel 3. In fact I would gladly uninstall all my other DAW’s from my computer if I had a stable less limited version of sequel 3.
The reason? Sequel is different, it has a new approach that is designed as usable software and not a copy of an outdated approach. I think it is fare to estimate that 99% of your customers are “artists” like myself who are “creating” on the software they use, and who are far more interested in a tool with an intuitive workflow that fosters their creativity than an emulation of an old school analog mix desk. This is not even an experience that most musicians today have ever even had a foot in. And that is why Sequel is so special. Sequel is not Cubase. It is not even an intro to Cubase, you have several versions of that. I hope you know that you have created a unique tool here with Sequel one that in many way works better than Cubase from a creative workflow standpoint. I for one would love to see it developed to its full potential.
Here are some thoughts on how it could be improved...
1) Don't change the UI. This is where Sequel shines!
2) Fix the stability issues. No one will use a tool that does not work.
3) Add regular VST support so users can utilize other instruments and Fx plugins. As is, the VST3 only support makes it so limited that it is almost pointless to even try to use. You are dooming this software to fail with this alone.
4) Allow for more than three Fx plugins on tracks and on the master channel. This is often too little for professional use.
5) Drop the self assigned Fx plugins on the tracks (compressor in slot 3) and on the master channel. From my frustrated experience changes to these most often compromise the stability of a project and cause crashes. We can assign these ourself just fine.
6) Create an effects track like in Cubase so that sends will be possible. I can see this being accessed via a “send”plugin inserted on the track Fx slots so it would be cleanly placed in the FX rack display.
7) The inline EQ on the Fx rack could do with an analizer.
I will end here, sorry for the logn winded letter. If you would like to hear more please feel free to contact me.
Sequel is a great package, or in all fairness i will say a package with great potential.
I hope it is not forgotten in the trend of iOS development. And I hope someone ther at Steinberg sees the great potential that I do.
Sincerely— James Stimson