Cubase freeze question

[vikernes]

I'm working with a freind of mine who just recently got Cubase and we're toying around and stuff... Basically, I use Sonar and I often freeze a VSTi and then add FX and stuff on that clip or whatever. In Cubase I tried freezing and it freezes the VSTi but it creates (what Cubase calls) an invisible clip. What I don't get here is how do you get to see and manipulate that clip? I often snap different clips with other clips precisely, down to the waveform (I hope I'm making sense, I can't find the correct wording). Obviously since I can't see the freezed clip in Cubase, such a thing is not possible.

As I said, I use Sonar, so I've gotten used to freezing my VSTi's and then drag them around, manipulate them etc... How do you do this in Cubase?

[jupiter8]

I don't think you can.Ableton Live works the same way which is a bit daft in my opinion.

Do a bounce instead.Then Cubase makes a real audiofile instead. Mine automatically makes an audiotrack and imports the bounce.If that is default behaviour or if i made something do make it behave that way,i can't remember.

Of course you have to manually disengage the VST.

[vikernes]

I don't think you can.Ableton Live works the same way which is a bit daft in my opinion.

Do a bounce instead.Then Cubase makes a real audiofile instead. Mine automatically makes an audiotrack and imports the bounce.If that is default behaviour or if i made something do make it behave that way,i can't remember.

Of course you have to manually disengage the VST.

Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Do I have to solo the VSTi, export as audio mixdown and then import that into a seperate audio track? If so, than this sucks. I Sonar I use freeze a lot so I can see the waveform which is very handy for long pads and stuff to see how long they play and then (i.e.) adjust the release in the used VSTi. Is there a quicker way to bounce that MIDI to audio? Like 1 button?
As I said, I know nothing about Cubase. Is there a function like in Sonar that let's me see the waveform of the VSTi track when playing?

[BERFAB]

I don't think you can.Ableton Live works the same way which is a bit daft in my opinion.

Do a bounce instead.Then Cubase makes a real audiofile instead. Mine automatically makes an audiotrack and imports the bounce.If that is default behaviour or if i made something do make it behave that way,i can't remember.

Of course you have to manually disengage the VST.

Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Do I have to solo the VSTi, export as audio mixdown and then import that into a seperate audio track? If so, than this sucks. I Sonar I use freeze a lot so I can see the waveform which is very handy for long pads and stuff to see how long they play and then (i.e.) adjust the release in the used VSTi. Is there a quicker way to bounce that MIDI to audio? Like 1 button?
As I said, I know nothing about Cubase. Is there a function like in Sonar that let's me see the waveform of the VSTi track when playing?

If I understand what you are asking, here's my experience:

1) It's called "freeze" which is why you can't manipulate the track after you do it. This is a CPU saving function for those who use dense MIDI. However, that said, I almost never use it because it is much faster and easier to simply render the track to Audio.

2) Going to audio is generally a 2-click affair. Solo the track and export to the format you want (i.e. 32 bit float, or 24, 16, etc.). When the track renders to audio, a window will pop up asking if you want the new audio to be placed in your current project. Click yes, and your new audio track is right there. If you want to avoid this 2nd click, there's a check box (I think) that allows automatic import.

Hope this helps.

cheers
-B

[jupiter8]

You'll have to solo the track but Cubase automatically creates an audiotrack and imports the file for you.

I don't know why they made the freeze that way.Same in Ableton Live. Why it does'nt give you just an audiofile is beyond me.

I don't freeze wery often and when i do,i do the bounce thing. Not very cumbersome but IMO it could have been implemented better.Maybe it is and i have'nt found it.
Cubase is a very deep program. Maybe it is possible to do a macro that works exactly as i want to but as i said i don't use it much so i have'nt bothered.

[kritikon]

Do I have to solo the VSTi, export as audio mixdown and then import that into a seperate audio track?

Yes and yes and no. As mentioned, Cubase automatically places any mixdown on its own newly created channel. So it's a pretty short and piss-easy process.

Two clicks instead of one...that must be such hard work, I don't know how you could cope with it...

Freezing IS rendering. If you use Cubase, the difference is that you get a visual representation of the audio clip if you render. It is exactly the same process with freezing, except it is a macro that solos the VSTi etc and you don't get a visual representation.

So...either use mixdown (I too do that...I never ever use freeze - it's a pointless feature as far as I'm concerned) or use another host. Simple as that.


From what I gather, some other hosts do give a visual representation of the frozen clip (simply, they have a slightly better macro for rendering than Cubase, admittedly). I assure you that not using that silly little blue Freeze button has never hindered my workflow in the slightest...