Things I hate about... - Cubase 7

[Amon1973]

Granted, you can download and then use the core installer on an offline rig. But you need(!) to have an online rig in order to get the core installer. That is unintuitive.

Maybe you missed my post, the complete installer 7.0.2 available on the website includes everything, also the core installer and can be used on a completely offline rig. Will never need to go online.

Of course, you will need to go online to download it, as you have to download the license... but you can do both things on any computer.

[Compyfox]

See, and this is my issue - why not include at least the core installer on the DVD?! No, you have to download it one way or another to even get Cubase 7 to run.

I do have severe issues with that.

[Amon1973]

I understand, but we also have to download updates, plug-ins, updates for the plug-ins, upload previews of the mixes via ftp... it really doesn't make much difference, frankly speaking. And once downloaded you can just make a backup and have it available at any time

You can also download it while you're online and write on KVR

[bM3w]

You can also download it while you're online and write on KVR

What? You have to go online to post on kvr? WTF?

[codec_spurt]

Well, at least you're not bitter about it and regret your purchase, that's the main thing.

I'm a Cubase user since Cubase 3.7 - I never really switched to another host. So I live with the showstoppers for years now. But this is just plain stupid.

I'm with ya. Or rather I used to with ya. I'm with Studio One now, but never mind all that. I used Cubase since it was Pro-24 and bought an Atari rig with Cubase v1.0. I got rid of that and moved to hardware keyboards/sequencers and then bought Cubase when VST came out - 3.7 pretty much like yourself.

I would buy Cubase if they sorted out the windows problem. I heard they had sorted it and others said, no, not really they hadn't. So.. I don't know. The dongle is a passion killer. And the price just screams, eh, I'm an industry standard, I can do what I want. Funny thing is, it is a bit of an industry standard, and I am sure there would be massive uptake if a/Steinberg changed their arrogant attitude, b/got rid of the dongle, c/made it a reasonable price, d/sorted out the windows and the fugly interface as a bonus.

But what do I know?

I'm more than happy with studio one, because as you know it is written by the guys that wrote the software I was using all those years ago. It is lean and mean and growing in userbase by the day. I give it two years and things will look very different in PC industry standard DAW land.

But, as I said: What do I know?


Anyway, hope you sort it out soon. You've invested a lot of time and energy and I can see why anyone would be loathe to give that up, so hopefully you'll be up and running soon. Logic moved to Apple a couple of years ago and that gave them breathing space, but if I was a Steinberg company holder (Yamaha) I'd be more than a bit worried about 'disruptive technologies' shall we say. Then again Cubase has a pretty big user base of people like yourself that despite the constant teething troubles, aren't likely to jump ship, unless it gets REALLY BAD.
Obviously it hasn't reached that point yet.


cheers.

[LawrenceF]

I haven't gotten around to tryng the Cubase demo after my first attempt. I'll probably just wait now, or better yet, maybe just wait for the Nuendo 6 demo since that demo lasts much, much longer if you don't work in it everyday. My Nuendo 5 demo is still active with loads of time on it. The Nuendo demo is like a free swiss army knife. Pull it out when you need it, burn 20 minutes of demo time, shut it down immediately. I think you get 16 hours. I have about 12 left.

Anyway, with all the recent "new version" stuff, Cubendo, X2, Reason, Live, DP 8, Bitwig eternally looming, PT 11 on the near horizon, it's all been a bit anti-climatic. This leaves the door open for Apple & Logic, and it's my personal pick for "sleeper of the year", in whatever year they show it.

As to Cubase 7, dunno, haven't tried it yet. My subjective impressions of the new console is that they listened to the criticisms of the old console (for 6-7 years) and went too far, overdid it, over-reacted, and still left out one of the things most people complaining were asking for, moving mixer channels directly. Go figure.

[SJ_Digriz]

Nuendo can, and I assume Cubase can too, change the colours.... you can make it bright red if you choose too or blue or whatever colour you want.

Not the mixer you can't, unless Nuendo has a feature C7 doesn't. The mixer remains an indistinguishable mishmash of gray on dark gray/light black. It looks good if you don't have to actually use it. It terrible to use trying to find highlighted tracks or an enabled/disabled plugin. It's horrid. It's a mouse clicking disaster as well.

To the person who is having crashes, I have to say that C7 is rock solid for me and a few others that I know. It isn't stability that has us pissed off. It's this stupid tablet/hipster friendly, but work unfriendly mixer.

[LawrenceF]

If you parse some of the "official" comments about Cubase 7, they seem to be kinda moving towards a really powerful version of Sequel, saying the mixer was "only the first phase". Curiously enough, and as odd as it may sound on the surface before it happens, that may actually work out exceptionally well for the Cubase arrange page, if they don't screw it up.

I still maintain that Sequel arguably has the best general production workflow of any Steinberg app ever... and I'm still waiting for them to move over some of the good bits like it's clip splittng. It's partly a test bed, and a really nice little chunk 'o code. Media Bay, Beat Designer, The Arranger, just about everything they share in common works much better (workflow wise) in Sequel

It's (partly anyway) clearly pointing to the future of Cubase, once they get out from under the really terrible windowing system.

I also think that name may actually not be coincidental. Like the sequel to Cubase? It kinda points to what Cubase would kinda be like if they had the opportunity to re-write it from scratch... which likely isn't possible given how much stuff is in Cubase, so it's gonna be a long and slow transition.

[ericj23]

Interesting idea

I always thought Halion 4 was the model for future Steinberg GUI design - all moveable resizeable dockable undockable editors, but I can see that not being ideal

I fear the new mixer is about being touch friendly though

The real reason I posted though is are you a sequel user? If so can you tell me if the content is much good. I can get a copy and always fancied lots more tagged media bay content

[LawrenceF]

Yeah, I own Sequel 2. It's occasionally a fun change to jump into it and experiment with some stuff and export Steinberg XML and import that into Studio One and keep working on it.

As to the content...

The Steinberg *.vstsound content is pretty much the same stuff at certain levels with some differences here and there between versions, more stuff the more you spend. They recycle a lot of the same content but I'm sure they also add new stuff (new loops, midi loops, samples) as they make new major versions also. Midi loops are pretty small so there's likely been lots of new midi loops (and audio loops and samples) added since Cubase 5.

The sounds in Sequel are quite usable for a $70 app.

[asnor]

And don't let me get started on the new "hub" - it has never worked for me once. So I turned it off instantly.

How'd you turn it off?

[Panphobia]

I started on cubase 5, and I could easily write a post as long and angry as the OP. I will spare you

After cubase 6 came out and version 5 was STILL unstable as all hell, I decided to put my dongle up on ebay. I moved to reaper and couldn't be happier. I am not at all surprised to see some of the same problems I had with 5 are still there.

I dont miss the (involuntary) beta testing, I don't miss the messed up windows that they STILL DIDNT FIX TWO VERSIONS LATER WHICH IS A MAJOR WORKFLOW KILLER and stops inspiration in its tracks, and I don't miss the unfriendly forums.

Seriously get out while you can. I have a baby version of studio one that came with my sound card (programmed by the guy who made cubase as has been mentioned) and its pretty awesome as well. When I moved to a different host it was great: Reaper is forward looking, while cubase is just the same tired old code re-wrapped again and again for the last decade or so.

But if you MUST stay, try using the 32 bit version - it is much more stable than the 64 bit version (at least this is the case with cubase 5, and why on earth would they have fixed it?)

[trimph1]

I see someone had to mention .....reaper.


I have yet to even try Cubase 7...I'm staying on 6. At least that is stable here...

[Compyfox]

I understand, but we also have to download updates, plug-ins, updates for the plug-ins, upload previews of the mixes via ftp... it really doesn't make much difference, frankly speaking. And once downloaded you can just make a backup and have it available at any time

You can also download it while you're online and write on KVR

You miss my point here.
The installer is not even on the darn DVD!
So you are FORCED to download it off of their server.

It's not like old Cubase versions, where you can go into the studio and just install, then realize "whoops, I need to download the license", then maybe go over to a friends place and bug him to install the drivers and the key.

No, you're used to that by now. But the icing of the cake is... you got the license loaded and "upgraded" beforehand. Then you go over to your studio, install Cubase - and then the screen blares at you "sorry bro, but I don't have the installer on the disk - I need to download it first". And you're in the studio without an internet connection, dropping the F-bomb.

It's not even written on the darn box, that "content needs to be downloaded first" in order to even run Cubase!


It's like CAPCOM releasing Capcom x Marvel or some stuff like that, but only with 4 fighters active out of a roster with 40 characters, and you have to go online, pay 30 quids extra (additional to the 60 you already spent) to unlock the rest. But the marketing was explicit with saying "you have that and that roster (in this case, 40 characters) - nothing needed to download".

I could constantly rage on about DLC, for all kinds of purposes, and being forced to stay "online" and "connected". But I went far enough already.

Not the mixer you can't, unless Nuendo has a feature C7 doesn't. The mixer remains an indistinguishable mishmash of gray on dark gray/light black. It looks good if you don't have to actually use it. It terrible to use trying to find highlighted tracks or an enabled/disabled plugin. It's horrid. It's a mouse clicking disaster as well.

At least a hue/saturation feature for vertical lines would be great. Else, yes - crazy clicking, stupid color schemes, the fader heads are too flashy (I could tone that down to taste with Cubase 6), the Always-on-top bug.

Definite showstoppers.

The thing is... even if I adress these issues through the official Steinberg support - I already know the reaction. Either you get the finger, or nothing happens. Or both.

To the person who is having crashes, I have to say that C7 is rock solid for me and a few others that I know. It isn't stability that has us pissed off. It's this stupid tablet/hipster friendly, but work unfriendly mixer.

The crashes are annoying, since they happen on initial load (initializing of plugins) of Cubase, which ultimately locks out certain tools I use. Else, nothing really crashed on me either.

A praise goes out to the search function for plugins however. Then again, ifI write ToneBoosters - it shows my ToneBoosters folder, but I can click on the + symbol as much as I want, no submenu opens. So I have to search for the plugin name instead.

So much potential, so many bugs.

And don't let me get started on the new "hub" - it has never worked for me once. So I turned it off instantly.

How'd you turn it off?

Program Settings, where Auto Save is located as well. You can toggle the hub on/off there and get back your old usability. Meaning, the old "splash screen".




Someone maybe has a quick guide how to get back the darn listen channel? I want to constantly place ARC there. Then again, Wavelab doesn't have such a mode either - so funk it - back to old usability.

[Amon1973]

I understand, but we also have to download updates, plug-ins, updates for the plug-ins, upload previews of the mixes via ftp... it really doesn't make much difference, frankly speaking. And once downloaded you can just make a backup and have it available at any time

You can also download it while you're online and write on KVR

You miss my point here.
The installer is not even on the darn DVD!
So you are FORCED to download it off of their server.

It's not even written on the darn box, that "content needs to be downloaded first" in order to even run Cubase!

No, I perfectly get you point, I just got used to download and don't care anymore.

The box also reports something like "To complete the Cubase installation, an additional 500MB download is required" (lower-right corner of the front... at least my box).

It's like CAPCOM releasing Capcom x Marvel or some stuff like that, but only with 4 fighters active out of a roster with 40 characters, and you have to go online, pay 30 quids extra (additional to the 60 you already spent) to unlock the rest. But the marketing was explicit with saying "you have that and that roster (in this case, 40 characters) - nothing needed to download".

Don't get the similarity here, as you don't have to pay to access the complete installer or to unlock additional content, but hey, whatever.

Some complain about features, some about stability...I've been a happy user since SX2 and I think Cubase improved constantly - although I get that some might think otherwise: it's mostly down to preferences and workflow. I also get great performance and stability on my systems... not arguing about the ability to tune a system, sometimes it's just matter of bad luck with components themselves.

Compyfox, it could be worth checking your plug-ins - VST SDK2.3 and older are not supported in C7 and MIGHT not work correctly... crashes on initialising could be an outcome of this.

Sorry for those who feel bad about 7.