What features do you wish lighting controllers had that just don’t exist yet (or are done terribly)?

Been thinking a lot lately about the state of lighting control software and hardware — both for live shows and installed venues — and I keep running into the same frustrations over and over. Figured this community would have strong opinions.

Not talking about “I wish [X software] wasn’t so expensive” — more like, what actual functionality is missing or half-baked? Things you’ve had to hack together workarounds for, or features you’ve begged manufacturers to add for years?

A few things on my mind to get the conversation going:

∙	Audio reactivity that actually works musically — not just a glorified VU meter slamming your strobe. Like, something that understands rhythm, frequency bands, transients. Does anyone actually use the built-in audio tools or do you always end up doing it yourself?

∙	Better mobile/remote control — iPad/phone control that doesn’t feel like an afterthought. Why is this still so clunky in most systems?

∙	Fixture management at smaller venues — GDTF and RDM are great in theory, but the workflow for actually using them in a real gig context still feels rough. Auto-discovery that just… works?

∙	Timeline editors that don’t require a film degree to use

What am I missing? What do you find yourself complaining about to your console in the dark at 2am during load-in? Would love to hear from people doing everything from small club installs to touring rigs.