Cubase 7.04 is released

[lotus2035]

i think they should just ditch the channel strip. it like, so steinberg, let me get this straight... you want me to believe that professional producers with very modern, fast cpus, using the best plugins they can buy, choose to use the cubase channel strip? why? what benefits does it offer over plugins. nothing, thats what. it offers no benefits and clutters up the mixer

Yep. I really like C7 overall and am still happy I upgraded, but the whole channel strip thing is a horrifically stupid failure.

I agree that it's a bit of a mess on the mixer itself and I don't use it there. However I think it's a nice addition on the channel edit window, I use it there all the time. Being able to change the order of the strip units and move the whole strip pre or post inserts is handy too. I don't think its a total loss by far. I have it switched off in the mixer I don't even think about it anymore.

[BERFAB]

i think they should just ditch the channel strip. it like, so steinberg, let me get this straight... you want me to believe that professional producers with very modern, fast cpus, using the best plugins they can buy, choose to use the cubase channel strip? why? what benefits does it offer over plugins. nothing, thats what. it offers no benefits and clutters up the mixer

Yep. I really like C7 overall and am still happy I upgraded, but the whole channel strip thing is a horrifically stupid failure.

I agree that it's a bit of a mess on the mixer itself and I don't use it there. However I think it's a nice addition on the channel edit window, I use it there all the time. Being able to change the order of the strip units and move the whole strip pre or post inserts is handy too. I don't think its a total loss by far. I have it switched off in the mixer I don't even think about it anymore.

What's wrong with having saturation/comp/EQ/limit options available right in the channel? I personally like the saturation options, and I've also found the occasional use for the comp.

Sure, I've got other plugs that do this too, but it's nice to have the option.

Don't like it? Don't use it.

Cubase (and every other DAW on the market) has literally dozens of features that I don't use (and dozens more I don't even know about ). But it's nice that they're there when I bump up against a problem that may be easily solved with them.

Cheers
-B

[zvenx]

Can you route FX channels to groups now or still no?

you couldn't before?
I never had that problem, except if I tried to route it to a group that had that fx in the send channel....(hope that makes sense)....

rsp

[AstralExistence]

and I've also found the occasional use for the comp.

which is exactly my point. cubase is a professional daw designed for professionals and used by professionals. cubase is almost half a grand. users of cubase shouldn't have to find "occasional" use or look for a reason to use the damn channel strip effects. the channel strip effects effects should be top class. instead, the channel strip effects are so damn piss poor, that the user must try to find a 'reason' to actually use them.

[BERFAB]

and I've also found the occasional use for the comp.

which is exactly my point. cubase is a professional daw designed for professionals and used by professionals. cubase is almost half a grand. users of cubase shouldn't have to find "occasional" use or look for a reason to use the damn channel strip effects. the channel strip effects effects should be top class. instead, the channel strip effects are so damn piss poor, that the user must try to find a 'reason' to actually use them.

Well, I've said this many times before on other threads: If I was buying Cubase for the first time right now, I would never spill as much cash for 3rd party plugs as I have done in the past.

The only reason I don't use the built in comp more is that I have a lot of other choices that I'm already more familiar with. But if was just starting and I already had it on the strip, quite frankly, it'd be a no brainer.

To each his own, but I certainly don't see the addition of new effects on a strip to be a negative.

Cheers
-B

[sockofgold]

As promised, here is the mixer in 7.04 (it's 1080p):
http://i.imgur.com/Rbvq3lV.png

I tried to show as much as possible--the visibility panel, the master meter, and all of the racks, but bear in mind, they can all be hidden. The 7 tracks on the right are all "pinned" to the right, so the scroll-bar does not affect them.

The tracks can be re-sized horizontally from tiny to freaking huge, and the fader/meter area at the bottom can be resized as well.

There is still some work to be done on the GUI for sure, but if you compare it to the 7.0 screenshot, I think most would agree it's definitely getting better. (The appearance of the strips' GUIs did not change, so I didn't bother showing any of that.)

edit: Crap, I should have shown the meter bridge as well, but you're smart people--you get the idea.

[zvenx]

you have given me an idea......I always used the zones to emulate v6 and before mixers....that is only my outputs were pinned right.. but pinning fx and groups to the right like you did makes it sooo much more efficient.... I am going to 'borrow' that idea.
rsp

[sockofgold]

you have given me an idea......I always used the zones to emulate v6 and before mixers....that is only my outputs were pinned right.. but pinning fx and groups to the right like you did makes it sooo much more efficient.... I am going to 'borrow' that idea.
rsp

Yep, in C6, I always had to have two mixers open next to each other--one with VSTi and audio tracks, and the other with groups, FX, and main out. I was really happy when I learned about the pinning feature in C7's mixer.

(For anyone reading, be aware you can also pin tracks to the left side--it's just not a feature I personally use.)

[zvenx]

that's how I did it too. I now use one mixer, but use the mixer settings presets (or whatever it is called) in the top left of the mixer

[kmonkey]

Can you route FX channels to groups now or still no?

Uhmm...that's possible since long time ago. Maybe we don't think on same thing but i could easily route and send FX to groups since for years..

[Compyfox]

I still don't see a need for routing FX channels to groups - they are friggin return channels for funks sake! Even large scale consoles don't have inserts for that, and routing is also not possible. UNLESS you use regular channels (groups) as FX channels to have more control on an analog console.

So I really don't get the constant bitching about the routing limitation.

Heck I finally want a modular environment built in, but this is why there is MUX, MetaPlugin, Bidule or buggy eXT is for.



Regarding the pic of v7.04.
The more they edit, the more ugly it's getting.

Seriously, I just got used to the v7.03 GUI. At least they dropped a bit the fades, but now it's looking even more bland. I also still miss the knobs, so that wasn't a ported FR.

And did you turn off the new "channel width lock" feature (mixer setup)? Or did they drop that again?


I'm still on 7.03, which is why I'm asking.

[kmonkey]

I still don't see a need for routing FX channels to groups - they are friggin return channels for funks sake! Even large scale consoles don't have inserts for that, and routing is also not possible. UNLESS you use regular channels (groups) as FX channels to have more control on an analog console.

So I really don't get the constant bitching about the routing limitation.

But... there isn't any limitation really. I really don't know who is bitchin here and why? I didn't even saw bitchin really..

And for funks sake i see need for this just as easy and i saw it on hardware mixers as well. It's called groups and subgroups Anyway imagine having one drum kit, two auxes and then everything routed to one group. On that master group you can then aply comp, image pan. eq and everything is applied to that group, individual tracks routed to that group and of coruse auxes routed to that group, so basically all your drums and FXauxes goes through that one master group, or subgroup or call it whatever you like.

You can dothat easily in Cubase, can do it in Ableton (drumracks), and i remember doing it in FL Studio so nothing unusual there really..

[Aiynzahev]

As promised, here is the mixer in 7.04 (it's 1080p):
http://i.imgur.com/Rbvq3lV.png

I tried to show as much as possible--the visibility panel, the master meter, and all of the racks, but bear in mind, they can all be hidden. The 7 tracks on the right are all "pinned" to the right, so the scroll-bar does not affect them.

The tracks can be re-sized horizontally from tiny to freaking huge, and the fader/meter area at the bottom can be resized as well.

There is still some work to be done on the GUI for sure, but if you compare it to the 7.0 screenshot, I think most would agree it's definitely getting better. (The appearance of the strips' GUIs did not change, so I didn't bother showing any of that.)

edit: Crap, I should have shown the meter bridge as well, but you're smart people--you get the idea.

Thanks. That is better. It wasn't just the way it looked before that was the problem, it feels clumsy on the trial version I have.

And regarding FX groups, well I am using artist, maybe there is a limitation for some odd reason.

But lets say I have 2 reverbs and 3 delays and I decide I want to cause them to be "pumped" through side chaining, well I can just send all those FX channels to a group so now I have to set up the side-chaining thing on each one of those.

Or say I want to apply a filter effect to them just for a bar or two. We're not all recording bands you know.

But it can be done if you don't use FX channels in the first place, if you just use normal groups and use FX insert plug-ins.

[kmonkey]

As promised, here is the mixer in 7.04 (it's 1080p):
http://i.imgur.com/Rbvq3lV.png

I tried to show as much as possible--the visibility panel, the master meter, and all of the racks, but bear in mind, they can all be hidden. The 7 tracks on the right are all "pinned" to the right, so the scroll-bar does not affect them.

The tracks can be re-sized horizontally from tiny to freaking huge, and the fader/meter area at the bottom can be resized as well.

There is still some work to be done on the GUI for sure, but if you compare it to the 7.0 screenshot, I think most would agree it's definitely getting better. (The appearance of the strips' GUIs did not change, so I didn't bother showing any of that.)

edit: Crap, I should have shown the meter bridge as well, but you're smart people--you get the idea.

Thanks. That is better. It wasn't just the way it looked before that was the problem, it feels clumsy on the trial version I have.

And regarding FX groups, well I am using artist, maybe there is a limitation for some odd reason.

But lets say I have 2 reverbs and 3 delays and I decide I want to cause them to be "pumped" through side chaining, well I can just send all those FX channels to a group so now I have to set up the side-chaining thing on each one of those.

Or say I want to apply a filter effect to them just for a bar or two. We're not all recording bands you know.

But it can be done if you don't use FX channels in the first place, if you just use normal groups and use FX insert plug-ins.

Oh i don't know i never ever used sidechain in my life but someone other might jump in..

[Compyfox]

You can dothat easily in Cubase, can do it in Ableton (drumracks), and i remember doing it in FL Studio so nothing unusual there really..

Cubase had one major issue according to users - routing back wasn't possible, only routing forward. I've never needed that, I'm used to oldschool mixing with analog consoles and certain limitations.

Fact is, the Group Channels can be forwarded (routed) to other channels, and has send slots for further routing. IIRC, the FX channels can be routed (forward) to the summing bus, but has no additional send slots (which makes sense - it's a return channel).

So... creating Groups and Subgroups can be made however you want. ProTools doesn't have any send channels either, you need t setup a regular channel for that - just like a normal console.


So yeah... I actually find the Cubase route dead simple, since you know what's going on, it's color coded (caps), and you can't do much wrong in terms of routing.



Regarding sidechaining:
FX channels forwarded to a group channel for sidechaining "should" be possible, but I can't confirm that. I never needed it. If I needed side chaining for reverb for example, I used a simple Cubase built in sidechain comp on the individual channel (AUX).