What would be the best plugin to emulate the 'beat detective' effect in Pro Tools on Cubase SX2? Also, is it possible to get a Pro Tools software sequencer to work without any Pro Tools hardware? If not, what is the cheapest and best Pro Tools package? Cheers.

~Ryan

The only alternative I know of is Zero-X MTQ.

If you go to www.beatcreator.com you can download a free public beta version of BeatCreator Pro, which will most likely be released under the name MTQ (multi-track quantizer).

I use BeatCreator for a lot of stuff and I think it's an amazing program, MTQ should do what you're looking for and a bunch more!

Cheers I'll investigate the MTQ pronto!

Well, SX does have it´s own beat calculator. You can slice up loops in cubase easily as well by creating hit points in the sample editor. Don´t know if you´d really need another tool to do that kind of stuff. Maybe if you´re in need of a certain special feature delivered only by a certain tool, but that surely depends of what you actually wanna do.

Cheers

Marcello

lydianguy wrote:

Also, is it possible to get a Pro Tools software sequencer to work without any Pro Tools hardware? If not, what is the cheapest and best Pro Tools package? Cheers. ~Ryan

Cheapest = Pro Tools Free

Best = Pro Tools Not Free

You're asking about a Pro Tools sequencer, and PT doesn't have a very good reputation for its sequencer. If a software sequencer is what you really want, consider something else.

If you want PT but don't want to shell out for the hardware, try PT Free or maybe someone else can suggest one of the hardware packages that is bundled with PTLE (my brain is not up to remembering which ones they are). PTLE usually comes with a hardware interface, which is different than spending megabucks on PT TDM with all its cards and processors.

Someone who knows more than me can elaborate.

Cheers guys, I guess I need delve a little deeper into the finer points of Cubase SX. I just wanted to be able to analyse two loops at two different grooves and speeds, and then fit them into the same groove and tempo. Maybe this is possible with Cubase SX, and if so I don't need another plugin, hurray!

...I was always under the impression that Pro Tools was best for handling audio, but I guess I neglected to realise that it was a hardware based host. I'm gonna stick to my trusty sw1000xg soundcard I think

Protools Mbox $449.95, and PT LE is included, but beat detective is only available in the much more expensive TDM versions.

PT LE is a great soft and with my workflow it beats every other soft out there.

The Mbox can be used as an Asio card as well, and VST/VSTi can be used when wrapped with the VST2RTAS tool as well as Rewire(with reason and live)

And about "PT doesn't have a very good reputation for its sequencer" I dont think so anymore.
Most the reviews of PT LE 6 about the midi sequensing says its good like the rest(cubase logic) but all hosts are different and so are PT LE too.

So if you are a mac user you should test the protools free and see if you like it, if not, try the other ones.

good luck

Lex