Steinberg Joins DAWproject Support – Can Avid Ignore It?

With the recent launch of Cubase 14, Steinberg has introduced support for the .dawproject format, a significant step toward greater interoperability between DAWs.

This adoption places Steinberg among the ranks of PreSonus and Bitwig, which have already embraced .dawproject, facilitating a more seamless experience for audio professionals navigating between DAWs.

This move by Steinberg underscores the industry's slow but steady shift toward greater cross-compatibility – yet, Avid, with its widely adopted Pro Tools software, remains notably absent from this initiative. But can they ignore this?

A Growing Movement for Cross-DAW Compatibility

For those unfamiliar with .dawproject, it is an open file format designed to make project transfers between DAWs straightforward and lossless. Created with interoperability in mind, it allows a session started in Cubase, for instance, to be opened in Bitwig without requiring elaborate export processes or a painstaking reconfiguration of track setups. By eliminating many of the headaches associated with DAW incompatibility, the .dawproject format seeks to provide a more user-centric approach, empowering creatives to work without unnecessary restrictions.

Audio professionals have long been caught in a crossfire of DAW exclusivity. The unique features of each DAW have historically served as both selling points and, paradoxically, limitations. Our research has shown that many pros rely on multiple DAWs, each for its specific strengths. But until now, working across DAWs has often meant the unnecessary task of transferring files manually. With Steinberg’s support for .dawproject, we see a signal of what could – and arguably should – become standard across the industry. Just as VST and AU plugins are standards embraced by almost all audio applications.

Read more about dawproject

Why Pro Tools Needs to Embrace .dawproject

Avid’s Pro Tools, known as the “industry standard,” is a mainstay in professional studios worldwide. Its ubiquity is unmatched, and for many, it’s synonymous with serious music and post-production work. However, Pro Tools’ influence also creates an interesting tension: as the frontrunner, it could drive industry standards, but if Avid is resistant to adopt .dawproject it could suggest a reluctance to open up to the larger ecosystem.

AAF is often cited as an interface between Pro Tools and other DAWs and NLE’s however, there’s a lot to say about AAFs, not all of it good;

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From a business perspective, proprietary formats can serve to retain users within an ecosystem. However, in an age where collaboration is increasingly remote and cross-disciplinary, barriers to interoperability seem outdated and counterproductive. For Avid, embracing .dawproject could signal a new era of accessibility, positioning Pro Tools not just as the industry standard but as a forward-thinking, cooperative tool.

Some may argue that Avid’s dominance reduces the need for this integration, as many studios already operate primarily within the Pro Tools environment. However, workflows are changing. Professionals now expect more flexible solutions that allow them to seamlessly transition between DAWs based on the specific needs of a project. An Avid embrace of .dawproject would cater directly to this evolving professional landscape and arguably cement its relevance in an increasingly hybridised workflow environment.

Steinberg’s Cooperation with Avid: A Path Forward?

Interestingly, Steinberg has recently made gestures of goodwill toward Avid users. As of last week, Steinberg announced that it had worked to include elements of its ecosystem that benefit Pro Tools users. This move stands as a reminder that cooperation, rather than competition, may serve both companies’ interests in today’s interconnected industry. By taking steps to enhance Pro Tools users’ experiences, Steinberg has shown an openness to collaboration that benefits the user base as a whole.

This raises an important question: isn’t it time for Avid to respond in kind? If Steinberg, PreSonus, and Bitwig are willing to open their doors for smoother project transfers, Avid could enhance its reputation and user loyalty by offering the same.

What Avid Stands to Gain

The benefits of interoperability are not merely theoretical. By adopting .dawproject, Avid would provide users with a streamlined workflow, reducing the need to convert files or risk data loss in transitions. In a practical sense, adopting .dawproject could lead to significant time savings and open the doors for Pro Tools users to collaborate more easily with those using other DAWs.

Moreover, the adoption of .dawproject would reflect positively on Avid’s brand as an adaptable and responsive company, let’s be honest, that’s not often the perception. In an age where users have diverse needs, the emphasis has increasingly shifted toward flexibility and customer-centric development. Avid could appeal not only to existing users but to a broader, younger audience that may otherwise look to more flexible alternatives.

The industry, too, would benefit from an Avid move toward openness. Imagine a world in which DAW compatibility is a given – a reality where a professional can work in Pro Tools in one session, collaborate with a colleague using Cubase in another, and experiment in Bitwig, all without the pain of DAW compatibility.

It’s Your Move Avid

In many ways, Avid’s next steps represent a pivotal moment in the DAW industry’s progression toward greater user empowerment. It’s one thing to talk about collaboration in marketing terms, it’s entirely different to do it as an engineering initiative.

With Steinberg’s support for .dawproject, the foundation has been laid for a more inclusive, cooperative future. The format’s benefits are clear: simplified workflows, streamlined collaboration, and a unified creative environment that reflects the multifaceted nature of modern music production and post-production work.

For Pro Tools, embracing .dawproject is about more than keeping up with Steinberg or PreSonus. It’s about positioning itself as a champion of innovation and interoperability, a leader unafraid to meet the demands of today’s interconnected workflows. As audio professionals continue to embrace a more fluid way of working, Avid’s stance on .dawproject will signal how well it understands – and responds to – the needs of its users.

It’s time for Pro Tools to join the .dawproject party. The door is open – let’s hope Avid steps through.