Presonus Studio One 5.2 vs Cubase 11

[jancivil]

Studio One is way ahead of Cubase as far as the modern music maker. Presonus have done a better job of adapting, and keeping up with todays user. Studio One has attracted users who come from bad DAW's. So now it's the issue of trying to add this or that because "My daw had this". I think they need to figure out a lane, and stick with it.

Thanks for highlighting the reasons why is it "way ahead"

"the modern music maker" is all copies of the one guy, tho. Non-conformists need not apply.

[kev2525]

I think he means scale snapping. In Cubase you have that option now.
Set your scale to F minor for example and whichever keys you press, all you hear and record is F minor scale notes or chords. So it automatically moves all out of scale notes to F minor scale real time.

Got it. So S1 has scale snapping when editing MIDI, but not for real-time recording.

I believe you can - it's in the Note Editor Inspector.

I meant exactly that, snapping the scale while you play live. It quantises automatically. I think the S1 scale feature is more for editing after the fact? That is how it worked in V4 as far as I can recall.

Here is a vid explaining the feature in Cubase. It works for Chords too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NWc5Wotq7A

[eclipxe]

You're right - you can't do this natively.

You can throw a Chorder midi fx on the channel though and have it snap to scale.

I attached a set of presets I generated with various scales and keys. I've been using them for some time now and they work pretty well. Let me know if you notice any errors if you end up using them.

Scales.zip

I think he means scale snapping. In Cubase you have that option now.
Set your scale to F minor for example and whichever keys you press, all you hear and record is F minor scale notes or chords. So it automatically moves all out of scale notes to F minor scale real time.

Got it. So S1 has scale snapping when editing MIDI, but not for real-time recording.

I believe you can - it's in the Note Editor Inspector.

I meant exactly that, snapping the scale while you play live. It quantises automatically. I think the S1 scale feature is more for editing after the fact? That is how it worked in V4 as far as I can recall.

Here is a vid explaining the feature in Cubase. It works for Chords too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NWc5Wotq7A

[rardier]

After playing 3 weeks with studio one, I confirm I like it more for producing than cubase(faster, on my computer more polyphony, the audio engine don t stop, note repeat) but it s really better than cubase in setting a custom cluster of midi controller IF you know how to read/modify/create device xml file even better with javascript and use tool like midiox or bome translator. I hate the generic remote control on cubase to control vst plugins (it s ok-ish to control cubase parameter but disgusting to control vst parameter and instance of plugins) and I hate the fact that there s only 8 quick control. But triggering automation read and write on cubase is more simple and I like it more. Also I can t really explain why but the gui on cubase is to me ...more easy to look at (color, character font, vu meter) more refined . Since the beginning I had in my mind to keep cubase for mixing and I m still thinking so, because there s a bug in s1 (no pdc on track with plugin having latency after sidechain) and I already told that before but cubase tools for mixing suit me more (vu meter, control room, vari audio, sidechain,batch export) . If I had to choose only one and taking in account the price I would say s1 but if money is not a criteria I m better with cubase...having both is a lot of fun

[andypryce]

because there s a bug in s1 (no pdc on track with plugin having latency after sidechain)

Hopefully this will be fixed with the next maintenance update

[jancivil]

I'm glad I have not a lot of need for Cubase's quick control or vst control, it's kind of pathetic, insanely outdated.

[antic604]

I'm glad I have not a lot of need for Cubase's quick control or vst control, it's kind of pathetic, insanely outdated.

Can't argue with that

[EnGee]

In the end I chose Cubase between the two. Although Studio One is friendlier than Cubase in the beginning, but Cubase is the more capable especially in midi composition. So, in the long run Cubase would fill my needs whatever complex it is.

Overall, Cubase is more polished but the learning curve is higher. This is not a problem for me because I'm intermediate user already and can achieve what I want faster and better than other DAWs.

The main concern for me is one of the future updates might clash with some hardware driver (like nVidia) and instability would occur. For now, I solved the cpu spikes by pausing one drive (I use for work) and putting the sample rate to 44.1 kHz and the bit depth to 32 float. However, I still have the Artist version of S1 just in case (which I'm totally fine working with it).

[chk071]

I'm glad I have not a lot of need for Cubase's quick control or vst control, it's kind of pathetic, insanely outdated.

I've been fiddling a bit with it recently. Still don't like it. The track quick controls are too limited, and the VST quick controls are something I probably will never get my head around. I read the manual, I read some explanation attempts on the Steinberg forums, and I still don't get it.

The best implementation for me to date is Studio One's Control Link. I don't use it anymore though, because, when you learn your controller for it, you lose the ability to use VSTi's internal MIDI learn (obviously... it basically just overrides the "normal" MIDI CC messaging), which basically renders stuff like Komplete Kontrol useless.

I went the "no bullshit" route now: Don't learn the MIDI controller for Control Link at all, and use the softies internal MIDI learn. Means I have to use controller templates for Largo and V-Station, as they don't have a MIDI learn system, but, that's alright. Bit of work going through the MIDI CC lists of those instruments is a nice sideline as well. And, for V-Station, my keyboard even had a built in template, as it's from Novation.

[jancivil]

I've read quite enough on it. I kind of needed it for one thing I bought, which was very dodgy on any recent Mac OS to begin with (Korg NanoKontrol2) but it wouldn't do any MIDI with current Cubase on the platform, it would control the Transport and mixer channels in the order they appear and that's about it (supposedly uses the Mackie CU paradigm but that's about meaningless except for the actual device). I have done in order to try and help someone else, as well. I wanted to control not only CC with it but host automation. Learn function never worked for either (wasn't needed to control transport or faders in the mixer). It's not a very transparent implementation (QC or VST Control), and the documentation is the usual (which may well read better in German) SNAFU.

[jancivil]

I demoed Studio One late in 2016 when I was unable to authorize Cubase after a theft (and an unused activation code was lost). I didn't hate it, didn't love the GUI, did very little in it. It would be my second choice because the semblance is the closest to Cubase afaict.

[EnGee]

IMO, Studio One Artist (version 5) is a great value for the money. I sold the Pro and bought instead the Artist v5 (I have also v4). To be honest, even if I don't use Cubase, I would use the Artist version of S1. I won't be missing S1 Pro!

NanoKontrol2 is nice for Cubase if you don't have another Mackie Standard controller ( or any controller is using this template). I found that "set Marker" works on the fly and going next and previous is very handy in Cubase. Its small size is a benefit so I put it besides the mouse and keyboard for fast navigation. I really liked a lot this workflow, but the problem is my Artutia keylab controllers stopped working as they use the same Mackie template. I read about it and it is a headache to make the two working together (must use another midi channels set). So, I use only my PC keyboard for navigation now while the keylab is for everything else. Anyway, the keyboard shortcuts in Cubase is a pleasure to work with (especially the keypads).

Regarding the quick controls, well, although I already set the keylab (which it has buttons for DAW and Instrument sets) for both the Track and VST, but I rarely use it. I just use the mod wheel mostly and if I want to use another, I use the automation lanes with mouse drawing. In midi expressions it is very practical to use the lanes and mouse to draw the modulation.

[jancivil]

Ha. I got the thing because what I was using, the Arturia Keylab sort of quit working. It was probably a shite hub really, though.
Set marker worked. I did everything known to try and get it to do CC, to no avail. A lot of people reported the same, turns out for years. I reckon it may be strictly a problem w. Mac OS, and they seemed to care very little about it. There's a whole workaround 'delete the drivers', and different problems on Logic vs with Cubase. The Arturia needed no such setup, it worked like everything else, you assign the control and it communicates the data. The Korg was a brick as far as MIDI except to control the transport. Don't recall if the mixer faders were off of MIDI or what that was, but its faders made nothing CC happen in anything.

[EnGee]

Have you tried this setup:

nanoKontrol2 setup.jpg

Here is the discussion that I was talking about (if you setup nanoKontrol after you had the keylab, then the nanokontrol will override the keylab functionility regarding the knobs and sliders).

https://forums.steinberg.net/t/cubase-9 ... ail/676089

[jancivil]

Yeah, all of that. That's in the documentation. I got rid of it long ago, no worries. Thanks