I think if DAWs could pass their own MIDI data directly to VSTs, we wouldn't have to deal with nearly as much keyswitch input.

For example, look at ACE Studio—it reproduces natural instrument performances without keyswitches, right? That's because the AI model references the MIDI notes, which is exactly the "DAW to VST" relationship I'm talking about.

Some sound libraries have a look-ahead feature that analyzes incoming MIDI notes in real-time to switch articulations automatically, but that introduces latency.
While you need that when playing on a keyboard, for someone like me who does everything via MIDI programming, it's incredibly frustrating.

I often find myself thinking,
"The DAW already has the MIDI data—it knows exactly which measure has what note. It could mechanically determine if it's sustain or staccato, or if it's legato because of consecutive long notes.
But since the DAW can't share that with the VST, I have to manually input keyswitches, which is totally inefficient."
It really pisses me off.
Of course, you still need keyswitches to force a specific articulation.

A DAW like Reaper would be fine since you can do anything with scripts, but unfortunately, the one I use doesn't have that.
Between that and a few other reasons, I finally reached the point where I started developing my own MIDI editor.

On a bit of a tangent, I really hate apps that can't be controlled via scripts, not just DAWs. I know that's just my personal take as someone comfortable with scripting. Niche requests almost never get implemented, so no matter how many updates come out, my frustrations never get resolved. It feels like being told, "You're the only one who wants to do that." In that regard, I love apps like Blender or Adobe products that let you extend them freely—they're so exciting to use. I wish more DAWs were like that.

What do you guys think about the main topic?

 

Yeah. Midi is still stuck in '82.
The fact it didn't really change when it went from 5-pin to usb and later into DAWs directly is sad.
I mean would've been easy, right? We went from USB 1.0 to 4.0 with video and everything without sacrificing compatibility.
Why wouldn't that work with Midi?

 

Can I guess you are not using Cubase and/or Art Conductor?

If someone’s deep into Cubase orchestral workflows with Expression Maps or something like Art Conductor, they usually aren’t complaining about “having to manually enter keyswitches” or wishing the DAW could just figure out articulations from MIDI. That’s more common of someone not really working with a structured articulation setup yet. The problem stops being “this is too much manual work, I wish we had lookahead in DAW” and becomes more like template management, mismatches in library mappings, broken behavior between different Kontakt instruments. Those are all real too.

So when I see “Reaper would be fine” or vague references like “the DAW I’m using,” it usually reads like someone thinking at the raw MIDI and keyswitch level, not someone already using a mapped orchestral workflow. You'd have valid, but different complaints.

 

Umm we had 'MIDI DAWs' before anything MIDI went USB..

The argument here makes no sense. USB is a transport protocol. The fact that the pipeline increased substantially over even the last 5 years means nothing whatsoever to MIDI. MIDI is data that uses whatever method of transport it has available, whether its direct serial connection, a 5 pin-DIN plug, or sent down a USB, or USB-over-Thunderbolt pipe. Making USB have more bandwidth doesn't magically change the rules of MIDI and how it works.

 

I don't know. I think you'd be better off just using keybinds (make selected notes legato, create note matching selected notes' beginning/end (= add articulation keyswitch), ..), and/or an articulation manager if you're still struggling. These 'automagic' things are just about 'okay' when they do work and an absolute catastrophe and colossal time waster when they inevitably blow up and destroy hours of work.