Here is an interesting approach done by SPL and their hawkeye plugin. Maybe not the most beautiful plug-in, but I found the idea worth exploring.
“The graphical user interface (GUI) follows aviation industry guidelines for designing cockpit instruments. HawkEye presents all information uncluttered, minimizing eye strain over extended periods of use.”
It applies to German businesses?
Something to take note of:
Test your image out on this website:
This is how complex this matter is when it comes to accessibility. This graphic doesn’t work for certain color blindness types. In my screenshot below, certain people won’t be able to differentiate red and yellow. I mention this just so we all see that this can be complicated.
Steinberg is not a German owned business anymore, it is owned by Yamaha and far as I know incorporated in America as well. Again why have to be forced to do right? Just do right.
Steinberg should hire you.
I would’ve loved to be a consultant. I’m secretly attempting to do a massive redesign of their interface as a part of my research. However, I think my online presence and criticisms likely annoy them. So they probably won’t call me. Luckily, I’m on good terms of Cycling 74.
That’s not correct (maybe somebody else already answered this, but man this thread is so long it’s hard to keep up with). My first Cubase was Pro 12, so I can use Pro 12, and also Pro 13 since I paid for the upgrade. But, I asked specifically if I was licensed to use an older version to open older projects from other people that are posted online. Just to make sure they open as close as possible to the original.
But somebody pointed me to an article in the help that says that you don’t have the choice to run an older version. So unless you owned that older version, you can’t use it.
One thing I’d really like to know is why the link on the new C13 update takes you to the release notes for the latest versions of C12. Where can I find what was changed in Cubase Pro 13.0.20?
Steinberg, based in Germany, may be owned by Yamaha but it doesn’t change my point, right? The ADA is an American thing. Does it apply to foreign software companies?
That’s not the point. You keep missing it. Of course they should do the best they can. The point is whether they knew what they were doing and basically gave you guys the middle finger, or if it was just an honest mistake. That’s the point. Assuming German engineers read the ADA isn’t something I would do.
Yes it does and when California’s AB1757 passes they will be forced to do so. Also if a product is sold in the US you better believe they are away of US laws when it comes to ADA compliance. Right now it’s voluntary but it will be required hopefully by law soon. Anyways enough back and forth on this. I’ve spent too much time in forums in the last month. lol
Well then there you go. You don’t know if they read it, you don’t know what procedures they had in place, you don’t know if they ignored it all or if it was just a mistake.
I’d give them the benefit of the doubt. I’d rather not think that they simply don’t care about those with disabilities and purposefully ignore them.
Not me. Not for as long as they been in the game. They know and knew better than to push that disaster. I would dare say 90% of the chatter about 13 with both programs is negative right now every where. Forums, Facebook, other sites, competitor sites, studio talk. Barely anybody is giving it praise. Very BAd Business move they did.
They know and knew people that were visually impaired would suffer from the design and did it anyway? Man, if I could read minds as good as you could… You’d make a killing in live poker.
Anyway, you see the worst in these guys so by all means carry on doing that. I’m sure it helps…
I just want to mention one thing to be fair. Sure, most people hate the new GUI and have very valid complaints about it, myself included. Some of those complaints are from people with visual impairments for whom this update is anywhere from difficult to impossible to use because of the bold text and lack of depth among other screwups from the Cubase UI/UX team.
However, there are a couple of facts that put Steinberg in a much better light than most software companies out there. If you are a visual artist and are forced to deal with Adobe software, you know that Adobe pushes updates all the time, most of which have zero to do with bug fixes, but rather with flashy new features to attract more subscribers to their expensive subscription plan.
And you also know that once you updated to the latest major version, IF you set it to not delete the old version, fine, if not, you have to uninstall the newest version, then install the older version. But at least you can use it, although Adobe doesn’t really make changes to the GUI that are as drastic as this one from C12 to C13.
However, you also know that in the Adobe world, if you created a project in, let’s say, After Effects or Premiere, and you want to open it in the previous major version, you’re screwed. Some people posted how to edit the project files, but good luck with that. Adobe changes things all the time, sometimes two major versions a year if not more.
Right now, if you hate the C13 GUI with the fiery passion of a million burning suns, and you started a project in C13, you can open it in C12, and correct me if I’m wrong, but everything works. And I’m not talking about a tiny little project. I opened a project that I started in C12 months ago but recently continued on C13 for many versions, and it has close to 200 tracks, or what you would call “the kitchen sink”.
I duplicated the latest .cpr just in case, and opened it in C12. It opened just fine, and played from start to finish.
So the thing is, if you jumped to buy the C13 upgrade, then started or moved several projects to it, and you hate the new GUI, nothing stops you from opening them in C12 until Steinberg fixes these problems.
Finally, talking about Adobe, if you have the bad luck of being forced to use Adobe products at work because everybody uses Premiere, After Effects and Photodinosaur, you know how unstable those are, especially Premiere and After Effects, and you know how incredibly stable Cubase is. The only times it crashed on me was because of some crappy plugin that wasn’t well coded. But for most part, it’s rock solid.
That was one of many reasons that made me switch from Logic Pro X, an app made by the same company that makes my computer and its OS, and at least one year ago to around March of this year crashed just by looking at it.
The only reason you cannot run 11 and older is because those require a USB dongle. If you have a dongle there might be a way to get a key for version 11 installed to it with some fiddling, or by contacting Steinberg support. That would cover all versions of Cubase that used the old eLicenser system.
I’m not sure since I upgraded from 11 to 12 and the installers took care of the dongle stuff automatically; however, it may well be that your purchase of Cubase 12 or 13 included a code that if typed into elicencer control panel it’d get a special non-upgradable/transferable version 12 key on a dongle (Technically it’s a version 11 key, but it’ll say something like, “Upgraded to Cubase Pro 12 with standard Licensing”).
It’s worth a try to poke around in your My Steinberg account to see what codes/vouchers/etc might be lurking there for things like ‘downgrade keys’ to older eLicenser based products. The stuff is already on my usb dongle, so I don’t see anything in my account under vouchers anymore…at one point there was a ton of stuff and options in there! I do still see all my registered keys that are on dongles or soft-eLicensers.
If you own a dongle, but didn’t get a dedicated eLicenser Control Panel code (specifically for downgrade situations) when you first purchased Cubase 12, with the dongle plugged in you might try entering the download access key that you got to register Cubase 12 in the older eLicencer Control app. There is ‘some chance’ that it might just accept that code and cough up a downgrade key for your USB dongle.
If none of that works and you want/need older keys, I’d recommend contacting Steinberg support directly from inside your MySteinberg account with your case. It should be possible to make some arrangements to get a special downgrade key added to a dongle and shipped to you. The worst that can happen is support ignoring your query, or saying no…
I installed the trial version of Cubase 13 Pro yesterday, and as far as performance goes, it’s on a few tests I have no complaints. Apparently the latest update has improved a lot and so far everything works. I like the way of closing the project, all plugins work. I like the new chord pads … What I completely don’t like is the new look … I don’t know who designed it but it’s a huge step backwards … The user interface is unfortunately not very clear and looks terrible … This change was not necessary and nobody needed it … Cubase Pro 12 looks much more modern and clear … I don’t understand why there are two bars at the top of the screen … Complete nonsense and waste of space … In terms of functionality and performance - everything ok (so far) and in terms of appearance - a big disappointment . In my opinion, it should be that if Steinberg wants to drastically change something then it should present at least two versions of the user interface and customers choose which one they like better. There is no philosophy here. Just make a quiz with one question about the new user interface and then it will be clear how many people like it or not…
No, the reason I cannot install Cubase 11 or earlier is because the licensing doesn’t allow it, like I said above and is clearly stated on Steinberg’s website: Steinberg Licensing: A New and Exciting Era Begins | Steinberg.
“The new Steinberg Licensing system does not apply to versions of our products prior to the first version that uses the new system: so if you buy, say, a new license for Cubase 12 as a brand-new customer, you cannot run Cubase 11 or earlier,”
Now, if my first Cubase had been 11 or 10 or earlier, yes, probably I would be licensed to run all those versions.
I still suggest that if you want/need older keys, send your case in a support ticket.
At this time I don’t really see a reason to need it other than going WAY BACK to something like SX and version 5 to import old Atari files or something (and I’d personally isolate it on a clean Virtual Machine). Otherwise it’d be more trouble than it’s worth as the newest HALion Sonic 7 and Groove Agent content isn’t going to jive well with those old versions, and it’d be a major PITA to roll it ‘all’ back that far.
Still, if you really NEED it for some reason and state why…I’d imagine support would sell you a dongle and help you out. I can’t promise of course, but I’ve had great support like that over the years, as have many of my peers. The first step is to reach out and ‘ask’.
Hey there everyone,
I really want to say thank you to all of you who took the time to post here and show your concern of your favorite DAW.
Also all the bugs and screenshot you posted really helped me decide.
For now I’m avoiding buying the Cubase 13 Pro, and I’m happily working on the Cubase 12 Pro.
Would probably wait for Cubase 14 Pro, because I don’t seem to believe they will change they UI in 13’s version, but let’s hope they do!
Blessings.
For me I think Steinberg have lost an eager - albeit amateur - user who normally jumps on a new release. Never again. Lesson learnt.
