Cubase Elements has ~95% of what I need from a DAW :o

[antic604]

This actually caught me by surprise!

I sold 11 Pro few months back, because I found it overwhelming and confusing. But recently I managed to grab a 2nd hand license for Elements 11 for like $15 so I just got it and I'm actually stunned how much more I enjoy it!

It seems to have everything that I need without all that extra fluff, considering my projects are small in track count, mostly MIDI-based and I have a sizeable collection of VSTs already. So far I only couldn't find an easy way to quantize audio drum loops (but I can slice them at transients and manually slide & stretch on track) or render in place (but I can freeze or export and load the audio back). But most of everything else is just there!

I was planning to upgrade to 12 Artist when it comes out, but I might just stay on Elements 11/12!

Who'd have thought?

(obviously it doesn't have Bitwig's audio-rate modulation system and modular environment, clip launcher, complex device chains, hybrid tracks, plugins sandboxing, etc. - but netiher does Cubase Pro, so that's not the point).

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I don't know what I expect of this thread. Just wanted to share my experience I guess? But if someone has an experience of lesser version actually being (more than) enough for them, then I'm curious to hear about it, too

[chk071]

It's a blessing that they decided to add sidechain, finally, in one of the last paid updates.

Have fun.

[antic604]

Have fun.

Cheers!

[xbitz]

I've chosen Bitwig as the main because it handles Fadeport8 better than Cubase and Möss has created a nice script for Push

so plugin handling part is far better in BWS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vryZTmZT6CM

from sound design perspective if you have Falcon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbPp2gkakh0
not gonna miss BWS too much

[middle_color]

Every DAW has 95% of what i need

[Danilo Villanova]

Studio One 5 Artist is also insane value for money, even more than Cubase Elements which has track limitations and less bells and whistles.

[Jolaff]

What will you do with the 5% left ?

[chk071]

What will you do with the 5% left ?

Would be interesting what those 5% are.

[antic604]

What will you do with the 5% left ?

Would be interesting what those 5% are.

That's just a margin I left in case I find something.

[kritikon]

Same here, though I went for Artist rather than Elements. I always used to have the full version, but this time coming back after a break I really sat down and went through the whole feature list with a fine tooth comb. And realised Pro didn't offer me anything I needed over Artist for several hundred $$$s more. I had Elements as a freebie with a Korg synth I bought and TBH I could have made music quite happily with Elements. But I wanted Loopmash and that was the decider. Elements has everything you need to do a professional job IMO just a few less bells and whistles. Whereas Pro has everything, I suspect most hobbyists and amateurs don't actually use much of the "everything else" that is thrown in. And if you were scoring - not sure Cubase would be the program of choice anyway.

I can't think of any DAW where I wouldn't want at least some third party plugins so Cubase is no different there. Though it's easy to overlook what's already in there. e.g. I found Ozone Elements was def not as clear as the included Cubase Maximiser (at sensible levels) - it's just easier to use. And things like the Multitap delay is quite a fully featured delay - very deep when you go into it and very capable. Off the top of my head...I thought render in place was cut down or even missing in Elements and I use that a lot.

But yeah - too easy to get sucked into thinking we have to have every bell and whistle available. There's still a whole load of stuff in Artist that I have never used...

[antic604]

...I suspect most hobbyists and amateurs don't actually use much of the "everything else" that is thrown in.

Probably, but I don't think I would manage with Bitwig 8-Track, Live Intro or S1 Artist.

Although I might be biased (or rather - it's a special case) because I know full versions of those other DAWs have features that I'd want to use and there's no workarounds for the lesser versions, whereas in case of Cubase it seems like there's no Pro feature that's missing from Elements that I actually need.

[syntonica]

...I suspect most hobbyists and amateurs don't actually use much of the "everything else" that is thrown in.

Probably, but I don't think I would manage with Bitwig 8-Track, Live Intro or S1 Artist.

Although I might be biased (or rather - it's a special case) because I know full versions of those other DAWs have features that I'd want to use and there's no workarounds for the lesser versions, whereas in case of Cubase it seems like there's no Pro feature that's missing from Elements that I actually need.

Actually, S1 Artist is basically Pro without the Show page. There are a couple other features that, while nice, are not essential and not included.
https://www.presonus.com/products/Studi ... e-versions

I'm on the fence as to whether I want Bitwig, S1 Artist, or tough it out with Logic and try and fall in love with it again. (We've been splitsville since v7.)

[antic604]

Actually, S1 Artist is basically Pro without the Show page. There are a couple other features that, while nice, are not essential and not included.
https://www.presonus.com/products/Studi ... e-versions

For you, perhaps

I'd definitely miss Extended FX Chains (this in particular!), Scratch Pads, Chord Track, Multi Instruments - those I use all the time.

[xbitz]

^^^ the absence of a scratchpad is a sore spot, container devices can be replaced with

single band
https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/P ... PatchWork/
multi-band
https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_MB7Mixer/

I can see chord track in all the three versions https://www.steinberg.net/cubase/compare-editions/ gonna get track version in Artist but Time Warp exists only in Pro that's sad but if u use only MIDI anyway

[antic604]

I can see chord track in all the three versions https://www.steinberg.net/cubase/compare-editions/

I was talking about Studio One, though.