Seeking Advice on DAW Templates and Workflow Optimization

[bardaxx]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been working with Cubase for quite some time now, and I’ve recently started exploring the idea of optimizing my workflow with better template setups. While I’m particularly interested in how others approach this in Cubase, I’m open to insights from users of any DAW, as I believe there might be some universal principles or creative approaches that can be applied across platforms.

Specifically, I’d love to know:

1. What kind of templates do you use? Are they genre-specific, or do you have a more generalized setup that you adapt as needed?
2. How have your templates evolved over time? Did you start with something basic and add to it, or did you dive in with a complex setup from the get-go?
3. Do you have any tips for optimizing templates to improve workflow and creativity? Any specific routing tricks, track organization methods, or use of certain plugins to keep things efficient and inspirational?

I appreciate any advice or experiences you’d like to share. Looking forward to learning from the community!

Thanks in advance!

[cryophonik]

I'm a Logic user, but I've always been a big fan of custom templates. I have two primary templates that I use - one for creating full projects and another one specifically for tracking vocals. My main template consists of blank instrument and audio tracks organized into folders: Drums, Percussion, FX, Bass, Guitar, Synths, Vocals, Backing Vocals. Each of these are colored by instrument type, have matching track icons for quick ID, and pre-routed to busses of the same name, color, and track icon. I also have for auxiliary busses set up as send effects for reverbs and another four for delays. Again, these are all blank/empty and basically just an empty shell for new projects, with the exception of a single instance of a basic piano (TruePianos) that I use for figuring out melodies, chord progressions, or whatever. I also have the template set up with six different screensets so I can easily select different combinations of mixer, PRV/MIDI editing, audio editing, etc. just by hitting the numbers on my keyboard. I have a pair of UAD Apollos and I use one (X6) as my main output and the other (Twin X) set up with my Slate VSX headphones so I can easily switch over to them without any re-routing. Finally, I also have custom presets saved in my library that let me just drag in a pre-made combination of MIDI, audio return, and editor for each of my (currently) 15 hardware synths and drum machines that are pre-routed and ready to go. This template has been a long time in the making for my specific needs and actually dates back over a decade to my former days as a Sonar/PC user. I've just re-adapted and improved it over time.

My vocal recording template is much simpler and has the basic piano track for whatever, a couple of tracks for the backing tracks in their own folder/bus, a folder track for lead vocal parts with their own folder/bus, and another for background vox/harmonies. Again, all color-coded with track icons (I'm a neat freak, what can I say?). The key part is that I have my busses set up for individual headphone routings (mine vs. the singer's).

[WackyZoundz]

I have a few templates for quick composition/jamming (Genre-based), one template for mixing and one for mastering. Additionally I'm experimenting with a package system by either merging several plugins into one (only VST2 sadly) or using modular hosts to build my own super-plugins (like custom multi-band compressors with functions you can't find in any product). The mixing and mastering templates evolved the most over the years because I keep learning new tricks and finding better plugins.

If I had to give a tip: Put effort into planning and research. I wrote a lot down and created flowcharts to get a better overview of what I need in which case. It might be tedious and boring but it saves a lot of time later and also reduces technical/quality issues. You need to get as fast as possible to good results no matter if you're jamming, recording, mixing or mastering. If you have to fight with the DAW for hours to get that sound you have in your head, then you already lost the game. Make sure the solution is no more than a few clicks away.

[WackyZoundz]

Each of these are colored by instrument type, have matching track icons for quick ID, and pre-routed to busses of the same name, color, and track icon.

That's a good tip. It saves so much time when you don't have to search the mixer for a particular channel. Even without being able to read the text (like when you're too far away from the screen) you take a quick look and know immediately where the toms are. You can't confuse things anymore with color codes.

[cryophonik]

If I had to give a tip: Put effort into planning and research. I wrote a lot down and created flowcharts to get a better overview of what I need in which case. It might be tedious and boring but it saves a lot of time later and also reduces technical/quality issues. You need to get as fast as possible to good results no matter if you're jamming, recording, mixing or mastering. If you have to fight with the DAW for hours to get that sound you have in your head, then you already lost the game. Make sure the solution is no more than a few clicks away.

Bingo, and great advice!

[WackyZoundz]

I find it easier to work in layers/steps. Example: In my mixing template I have on each insert a certain tool chain to help me tackle usual problems first before starting with sound design. Gain staging (+/-60 dB), DC/hum filter, declicker/decrackler, noise gate, highpass/lowpass/lowshelf/highshelf filters and a Tilt EQ for quick spectrum skewing. This gets me fast to the second layer where I can do the actual sound design (and where I can use prepared effect packages). The Tilt EQ alone saves a lot of time because EQing a "flat" spectrum results in less extreme gain settings in following EQs and a fuller, more "commercial" sound. I also don't have to repair and design at the same time anymore which turned out to be slower and might even get me stuck in a repair-design loop where I end up going back to something I should not have to touch a second time.

This isn't meant to be a how-to guide like "You need to use a Tilt EQ!", this is a setup that works for me and how I can work faster. It's the result of lots of trial-and-error, research and planning. Analyze your workflow and think about it "offline" with a sheet of paper or a text file so nothing can distract you. The primary goal is to speed up each process because time is the most valuable thing. The less you have to serve the DAW, the more the DAW can serve you.