Impressed with Cubase- am I crazy? What impresses you?

[LawrenceF]

Here's a variation of the above using dummy outputs. I'll explain...

1. I set up dummy outputs in VST connections to match the EZ outputs and saved it as a vst connection preset.
2. I assigned the EZDrummer multi outs to those outputs.
3. I assigned the inputs of my audio tracks to those outputs and switched on the input monitor for those tracks.
4. I saved those audio tracks as an *.xml track archive.

So unlike the one above using groups, this one allows applying track presets. You can also still render your drums here to new tracks (faster than realtime) so it works well.

Project templates, *.xml templates and other things can make great use of dummy output (summing bus) routing.

So whenever I want my default EZDrummer setup I change my VST connections to EZDrummer (enabling the dummy outs) and load my *.xml archive. The track archive also remembers the input routing and the monitor state so it all comes back.

Of course EZ still has to be manually assigned to those outputs. It's still a workaround.

[susiwong]

Hi Lawrence,
talk about truly creative thinking !
I'll have to try that as soon as I have time.
I was aware of your first method but don't use it anymore for the following reason:
PDC for audio tracks and VSTi outputs does not increase latency, as opposed to groups and master, a very important difference for me as I mostly use UAD and Duende for drums (+ Bootsie's fine plugs which are unproblematic).
In your 2nd scenario however there's a chance to have your cake and eat it, too.
Perhaps, have to test as this is really unconventional.
Many thanks, great idea !
Cheers,
susiwong

[koolkeys]

Wow, lots to try there. I'm still learning the ins and outs(pun intended) of the VST connections and how people use connections that aren't technically "connected" to anything.

Of course, I still have to do my image restore since my onboard audio is having problems and crashes to a blue screen many times when messing with soundcard changing and configuring.

Brent

[hao nao]

I kvrmarked this thread sometime last week or so because there were so many good tips

thanks, all!

[koolkeys]

I kvrmarked this thread sometime last week or so because there were so many good tips

thanks, all!

Indeed! Especially as somebody new to Cubase(at least to the later versions), this has been a huge help.

Brent

[koolkeys]

Just to add to this thread. I didn't realize there were TWO ways of comping tracks. Just discovered "Stacked 2" mode in the record settings of the transport bar. I discovered it through a video(posted conveniently at the forum of another host):

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 562&ref=mf

Very cool. Didn't even know that was there!

Brent

[hibidy]

Just to add to this thread. I didn't realize there were TWO ways of comping tracks. Just discovered "Stacked 2" mode in the record settings of the transport bar. I discovered it through a video(posted conveniently at the forum of another host):

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php ... 562&ref=mf

Very cool. Didn't even know that was there!

Brent

Yeah, cubase comping......we can haz!

The bitch becomes naming the damn things as not to get lost in a sea of comps/wavs/etc

Or is that something that is improved in C5?

[LawrenceF]

The bitch becomes naming the damn things as not to get lost in a sea of comps/wavs/etc

Or is that something that is improved in C5?

Not sure what you mean, can you explain? You can name takes in the description field in the info line and like naming anything else, you do it one at a time...



Or rename the regions here...



...or here in the audio editor since it's all one file ...



...or the descriptions here in the project browser. A single click on the name field allows editing.



These various options have been available for quite a while. No shortage of options.

[hibidy]

The bitch becomes naming the damn things as not to get lost in a sea of comps/wavs/etc

Or is that something that is improved in C5?

Not sure what you mean, can you explain? You can name takes in the description field in the info line and like naming anything else, you do it one at a time...



Or rename the regions here...



...or here in the audio editor since it's all one file ...



...or the descriptions here in the project browser. A single click on the name field allows editing.



These various options have been available for quite a while. No shortage of options.

All I meant was comping is easy in cubase, editing the comps in cubase is pretty easy, REMEMBERING to name them so that you are not in a sea of faceless wavs is NOT easy

[LawrenceF]

All I meant was comping is easy in cubase, editing the comps in cubase is pretty easy, REMEMBERING to name them so that you are not in a sea of faceless wavs is NOT easy

Oh sorry... when you asked...

Or is that something that is improved in C5?

... I took that to mean something different. Not sure how a program update from 4.1 to 5 can help you remember to name takes?

Just yanking your chain a bit but you can see my obvious confusion no?

No harm no foul hibidy... I just didn't understand.

[hibidy]

All I meant was comping is easy in cubase, editing the comps in cubase is pretty easy, REMEMBERING to name them so that you are not in a sea of faceless wavs is NOT easy

Oh sorry... when you asked...

Or is that something that is improved in C5?

... I took that to mean something different. Not sure how a program update from 4.1 to 5 can help you remember to name takes?

Just yanking your chain a bit but you can see my obvious confusion no?

No harm no foul hibidy... I just didn't understand.

It's all good! I worded it poorly (who me, naaaaa, not me)

I guess if there was a feature I'd like would for there to be some kinda prompt or reminder.......other than the one stuck to the wall, that I don't always remember to look at!

[koalaboy]

Another Cubase 5 question, for you knowledgeable folk:

Could you create a VST expression map that would allow you to effectively create a pattern track for a VST ?

So, say I was using Guru, or ERA, or maybe even Reason ReWired. They all allow pattern changes on MIDI input.

I could obviously just put a MIDI note on the track, but it's not very clear when I come back at a later date, so could I create a VST expression map, that gives me drag/droppable (or suchlike) 'expressions' named as 'Guru Pattern 1' or 'Breakbeat' that effectively just play that note ?

If so, can they also be a 'toggle' such that they're either held for the 'length' of the expression or are just one-shot ?

It probably sounds like a daft request, but it's something that I'd find very useful.

Thanks.

[D.Wako]

I kvrmarked this thread sometime last week or so because there were so many good tips

thanks, all!

Indeed! Especially as somebody new to Cubase(at least to the later versions), this has been a huge help.

Brent

+2

[koolkeys]

Just to add to the thread, when I first got Cubase, I was worried that a couple of minor things may be missing that I was used to in Sonar.

First, a "zoom all" for both horizontal and vertical at the same time. There doesn't seem to be a direct way to do this, so Cubase macros come to the rescue again!

My other worry was resizing of multiple tracks, such as all at once or only the selected tracks. I am happy to say that both are possible in C5. I know this may not be news to anyone else, but for me, it's a big one. Holding ctrl down while dragging the size of a track will resize all tracks in the project. Holding alt down while dragging a single track in a selection of multiple tracks will allow you to just resize the one track instead of all the selected tracks. Of course, resizing a track normally while others are selected will resize all of the selected tracks.

These are very minor things, and probably not important to many. But not all hosts let you do this, and I don't know why.

Brent

[koolkeys]

Ok, strangest thing. I restored my system to an earlier image for reasons unrelated to Cubase. I installed Cubase as well as the bonus content disk, but for some bizarre reason, HalionOne is nowhere to be found. ALL the content is there, I can see it on the hard drive. But the plugin itself is not. I can't add it inside of Cubase, and it's nowhere on my hard drive, especially in the folder where it is supposed to be.

I run the Cubase disk again, and it says that it's already installed. I tried a reinstall. Nothing. HalionOne shows up in my uninstall software list. So everything says it's there, but it's not! And no matter how many times I run the installer again, it's not being installed.

Then, I look at my instrument options when adding an instrument track, and not all of my instruments(which are clearly in the folder where my plugins are at) show up. Actually, many of them don't, even though a couple of them do(all in the same folder).

What's going on here? Something is strange. I even uninstalled C5 completely and started over. No luck. All this did NOT happen before restoring to the earlier image. The image is just an earlier version of the same Vista installation. Nothing else is different. I'm confused.

Please help!

Brent