Cubase/Melda Users

[Hexspa]

Hey, hope you're well. Considering a switch to Cubase. Mainly, I want a timeline that works how I want, a chord track is a plus, and I haven't found these in the DAWs for which I currently have licenses.

Demoing Elements 11, everything seems to be working fine. The installer is better than a previous one I tried. Overall, I keep being delighted in small ways.

I'm wondering if there are any landmines of which I should be aware. It seems like almost every DAW, at some point, says, "Gotcha!" and it's unpleasant.

Thanks.

[Tyrs]

MPlugs should work fine. But other Plugins can make problems. I switched approx. one year ago to Reaper. No issues with any plugins, any formats etc... But I had to set it up to look like and to react like Cubase

[Hexspa]

Ok. I've only been demoing for a few days and Melda seems fine. I'll be sure to check out some other ones I have.

Thanks for the heads up.

[Alan Valdez]

I use Cubase 11 and own the MCompleteBundle Melda are my to go fx all the time, they work excellent! Have mixed songs with more than 120 tracks without an issue

[Hexspa]

I use Cubase 11 and own the MCompleteBundle Melda are my to go fx all the time, they work excellent! Have mixed songs with more than 120 tracks without an issue

That's awesome, Alan. Way to work. Thanks for the info.

I'm spending a little time in Studio One 5 right now. We'll see in about a month what I end up with. More than anything, I'm looking for a timeline that works how I want when changing tempo and time signature for rehearsal. I'm surprised how different the behavior is among the DAWs.

[Tyrs]

More than anything, I'm looking for a timeline that works how I want when changing tempo and time signature for rehearsal. I'm surprised how different the behavior is among the DAWs.

Applying time signature changes as well as tempo changes in Reaper works stable and intuitive, for me the best DAW, if you're interested in complex structures. And this says someone, who worked for many many years in Cubase exclusiveley

Check out this vids:

[Dirk Diggler]

I agree to try the free trial of Reaper, to me Cubey is not even a close comparison anymore.
Reaper does so many things the other DAWs can't even dream of doing. It's so able to customize to many different workflows, including being able to loop very close to Ableton if that's your thing.
It makes a great live host as well.

Of course the most important fact with this thread, never a problem with free and paid Melda products.

Kenny's videos and others are great too, actually all the Reaper videos I've seen are incredibly informative. If you ever have a question or issue, search and I bet someone has a YouTube video to solve it. If not the Reaper forums are incredibly helpful if needed.

Sure try Cubebase trial, but side by side it with Reaper.
By the way if you're at all thrifty, compare the pricing options including updates.
Good luck,
Dirk

[Hexspa]

Thanks, friends. I've been using reaper for nearly two years but it has a particular issue for me. That is how the arrange view jumps around when changing tempo.

For example, you set your cursor at measure 9 and change tempo via the tempo field and the view will no longer be centered on your cursor. This results in constant scrolling to keep the view on previously recorded material. Given that I use reaper as a rehearsal tool, these scrolls add up.

Further, when changing time signature, reaper doesn't allow you to lock markers to a bar. This may also be true of Cubase. What happens is that the markers are linked to a beat. Let's say you're in 4/4: on measure 5, beat 1, you're on quarter note 17. If you change the time signature to 6/4, your marker will remain on quarter note 17 but now it's measure 2, beat 5. This is a hypothetical example since I'm not sure precisely how reaper manages time. For sure it's not how I want.

Having checked this out in Ableton, Waveform, Cubase, and Studio One, it's become clear that part of these issues are due to a 'time linear' vs 'beats linear' timeline. That's not the whole story, though. These two issues, plus a few others, are hilariously among the few issues in reaper that cannot be changed.

I've posted about these and a few pet issues in the reaper forum a few months ago, maybe a year, and have periodically returned to plead my case. As you may know, Cockos developers do not always respond to feature requests directly. Update after update has come but Godot has not arrived.

Reaper is a great tool and I'm happy to have learned it. Many times, I've felt like quitting using it only to figure out the issue in the end. This one does not appear to be resolvable with my current skill set. Hence, I'm knocking on other doors.

But, I agree, Kenny is a legend and I might not have learned to use reaper without him.

Cheers.

[Tyrs]

Update after update has come but Godot has not arrived.

LOL
For me Reaper was THE solution, but but if Godot doesn't arrive, then mayby you find your Holy Grail in Cubase

[Alan Valdez]

I have tested all DAW and still don't get why people like reaper, I know how to use Cubase really well (Certified by Steinberg on all levels) probably need to mix an entire song to get used to, but still don't have plans to move to other DAW.
Also... have read that reaper users can't use Waves plugins, still not sure about that.

[Tyrs]

probably need to mix an entire song to get used to, but still don't have plans to move to other DAW.
Also... have read that reaper users can't use Waves plugins, still not sure about that.

Hehe, indeed, it takes time to get used to Reaper after working with Cubase for such long, same here. You need to adjust everything to work like in Cubase, but this takes time. But fir me it was worth it. After new plugin releases stopped working and the issues with formats became more and more annoying and the response from Cubase was "all the plugins and formats are the issue", it was the perfect time to switch. Just started Reaper and all issues were gone, the most addictive tool
Never experienced issues with Waves plugins, is there already a thread?

[Alan Valdez]

OK! Still don't get it,,Cubase works great and already own tons of plugins from Waves, PA, Melda Production Ik. Using vst3 most of the time. Not sure about the Waves threat, just knew from a friend who always send me audio to edit because reaper can't handle or do certain things.

[Tyrs]

I mean Cubase can the perfect tool for you and that's cool. I would never recomend to change a tool if the one you're using works for you. Hexpa asked, if there are any known landmines and I shared my experience.

Apropos landmines - is VST1 still supported in current Cubase version? I think I've read few months ago, that Cubase was considering to stop it.

[Hexspa]

I actually did find an issue or two with the way Cubase doesn't store zoom settings per-project and how the locators also do not 'stick' to bars when changing time signatures. Since I've already posted on their forum, I won't air any more laundry here.

These are all powerful tools but, clearly, not all are suited for all for all things.

[Dirk Diggler]

@Hexspa you can easily place time signatures and markers on the bar or off the bar in Reaper.
I use that feature all the time, perhaps you need to turn snapping on? By default it does just that.

There are so many user adjustable preferences I understand the confusion, any time I've had an issue it was almost always a simple preference change.

Hey I've got nothing against Cubebase at all, just like I wouldn't suggest Reaper for a looping Ableton workflow, but even that can be done.

Dirk