Zrythm v2's missing features list still contains 19 v1 capabilities, even after alpha.3 restored several big pieces of the rewritten DAW. The important bit is that the list has changed since the first public alpha, so older posts can make v2 look rougher than it currently is.
Alpha.1 launched with a blunt warning about missing tools such as chord pads, stem export, plugin sandboxing, detachable views, event viewers, and richer audio editing. Alpha.2 then brought the chord pad back with scale presets, chord suggestions, chord editing, and chord-track recording, while alpha.3 added native VST3 hosting and reworked multichannel routing.
The Zrythm v2 public alpha build is therefore not a frozen preview from May. It is moving quickly, but plenty of daily-production stuff still has not crossed over from v1.
Audio editing needs the same kind of nuance. Zrythm v2 now has an audio editor with adjustable gain and fades, yet the project still lists deeper part editing, including editing in an external app, as not ported. Saying "the audio editor is missing" is now too broad because basic clip work exists; the missing part is the deeper editing workflow v1 users may expect.
A few gaps sit in the unglamorous middle of normal DAW work. Clip linking is still listed as absent, as are event viewers with editable object parameters, per-context object functions, punch-in and punch-out recording, record-on-MIDI-input behavior, and device-bindable parameters for external control. None sounds dramatic alone, but they are exactly the bits you notice once a project gets busy.
"Bounce anything to audio or MIDI" is also still missing as a v1-level feature. The current build handles WAV import plus Type 0 and Type 1 MIDI files, but the broader file workflow is unfinished, with the built-in file browser and support for several older formats still sitting on the porting list.
Automatic project backups are another slightly messy case. The README still names automatic backups as not yet ported, while alpha.3 fixed a bug involving backup pool files overwriting files in the main project pool. Some backup-related code clearly exists, but you should not assume the full v1 workflow has returned, and MIDI snapshots and DAW autosave solve different recovery problems when you are testing unfinished sessions.
Multi-monitor users lose some convenience too. Detachable views remain missing, searchable preferences have not been ported, and serializable undo history is still on the outstanding list. These are not demo-reel features, but they change how comfortable the app feels over a long session, and built-in file browsing matters for the same reason when you are auditioning material.
Older formats and isolation are where the holes remain. VST2, DSSI, SFZ, and SF2 SoundFont support are still listed as not ported, and optional plugin sandboxing is missing. The practical point behind process-isolated plugin sandboxing is simple enough because third-party code can fail without taking the main host process down with it.
Carla no longer fills that gap either. Alpha.3 removed Carla plugin hosting after it had already been disabled, so the old v1 assumption of leaning on Carla for extra formats or bridged hosting does not describe the current architecture.
The remaining list also includes deeper signal routing, aux sends, direct arbitrary connections, in-context listening that dims other tracks, and the v1-style ability to automate almost anything through events, CV, modulators, and macro knobs. V2 already has substantial routing and automation, but those broader v1 workflows are still being rebuilt rather than merely hidden behind a new interface.
Alpha.1 launched with a blunt warning about missing tools such as chord pads, stem export, plugin sandboxing, detachable views, event viewers, and richer audio editing. Alpha.2 then brought the chord pad back with scale presets, chord suggestions, chord editing, and chord-track recording, while alpha.3 added native VST3 hosting and reworked multichannel routing.
The Zrythm v2 public alpha build is therefore not a frozen preview from May. It is moving quickly, but plenty of daily-production stuff still has not crossed over from v1.
The old missing-feature list is already partly stale
Chord assistance is the clearest example. Anyone reading the alpha.1 announcement today could reasonably come away thinking the chord pad is absent, but the current codebase lists a chord pad, chord editor, chord suggestions, and chord symbols as available features.Audio editing needs the same kind of nuance. Zrythm v2 now has an audio editor with adjustable gain and fades, yet the project still lists deeper part editing, including editing in an external app, as not ported. Saying "the audio editor is missing" is now too broad because basic clip work exists; the missing part is the deeper editing workflow v1 users may expect.
A few gaps sit in the unglamorous middle of normal DAW work. Clip linking is still listed as absent, as are event viewers with editable object parameters, per-context object functions, punch-in and punch-out recording, record-on-MIDI-input behavior, and device-bindable parameters for external control. None sounds dramatic alone, but they are exactly the bits you notice once a project gets busy.
Workflow gaps still matter more than headline features
Stem export remains on the not-yet-ported list. You can render a mix, but handing a session to somebody who needs separate printed parts is a different job, and project files and stems carry different baggage when the other person needs dependable audio instead of your whole session environment."Bounce anything to audio or MIDI" is also still missing as a v1-level feature. The current build handles WAV import plus Type 0 and Type 1 MIDI files, but the broader file workflow is unfinished, with the built-in file browser and support for several older formats still sitting on the porting list.
Automatic project backups are another slightly messy case. The README still names automatic backups as not yet ported, while alpha.3 fixed a bug involving backup pool files overwriting files in the main project pool. Some backup-related code clearly exists, but you should not assume the full v1 workflow has returned, and MIDI snapshots and DAW autosave solve different recovery problems when you are testing unfinished sessions.
Multi-monitor users lose some convenience too. Detachable views remain missing, searchable preferences have not been ported, and serializable undo history is still on the outstanding list. These are not demo-reel features, but they change how comfortable the app feels over a long session, and built-in file browsing matters for the same reason when you are auditioning material.
Plugin compatibility still has some sharp edges
Current v2 builds support VST3, CLAP, LV2, LADSPA, and AudioUnit, so basic third-party hosting is not the weak spot it was early in the rewrite. Alpha.3 pushed VST3 further with native hosting, searchable presets, parameter groups, DSP and latency diagnostics, and host transport data for tempo-aware plugins.Older formats and isolation are where the holes remain. VST2, DSSI, SFZ, and SF2 SoundFont support are still listed as not ported, and optional plugin sandboxing is missing. The practical point behind process-isolated plugin sandboxing is simple enough because third-party code can fail without taking the main host process down with it.
Carla no longer fills that gap either. Alpha.3 removed Carla plugin hosting after it had already been disabled, so the old v1 assumption of leaning on Carla for extra formats or bridged hosting does not describe the current architecture.
The remaining list also includes deeper signal routing, aux sends, direct arbitrary connections, in-context listening that dims other tracks, and the v1-style ability to automate almost anything through events, CV, modulators, and macro knobs. V2 already has substantial routing and automation, but those broader v1 workflows are still being rebuilt rather than merely hidden behind a new interface.
