I’m curious how other users manage their music folders and files and what u think is the best option. I created a master folder “Cubase Projects” and have a folder for each project within the master. I know some just keep separate folders for each project and don’t use a master project folder. Once in a while I see a file in the master and I’m not sure which project it belongs to. I’d like to hear your opinions. Thanks
I have a dedicated hard drive and all my project folders go to this root.
E:\
And I make sure I have created at least one new project with the Steinberg Hub and pointed to this location.
Using the Hub to start projects mean I always get named/number new folders created. When I want to rename the project and folder on the fly I use the command:
“Back up Project”
This makes a new project folder, with options for names, and saves the current song in the folder, with a new name also. Works well. I can easily see in my E:\ which folders have:
quick ideas (Hub’s names)
more developed projects (my names)
Yes, I have a master ‘Projects’ folder and then a separate sub folder for each project. I use a common sample library folder and have the options to copy audio files on import unchecked. That way my hard drive doesn’t get clogged up with duplicate files when I use the same audio files in several projects. When a project is finished or needs to be sent to someone else, I use the ‘Back Up Project’ feauture to create a new version in a new folder so it contains all the audio samples/tracks for future use.
I use a dedicated drive for the projects. The first folder level is the band, the 2nd is the album, the 3rd is the song. Then the song folder is the Cubase project folder.
Drive → Band → Album → Song
I save versions of the project with my own incrementing version numbers, e.g. Song_01_shortcomment.cpr.
I also create a Development folder in the Cubase proj folder where I move old version numbers (auto backups, csh files) so I can keep the project folder tidy, yet keep all my old projects (and this has saved my bacon many times!!).
If I’m doing video then I create a Video folder, and if I receive stems from anyone then they go in a separate folder too rather than the Cb Audio folder (just so they’re separate).
I export mixes into the Audio folder (because its quick) but then I move them up into the main project folder so they’re easily visible. Again, I move old mixes into Development to keep the proj folder tidy.
If I have any shared audio between songs then I keep this at the Album level in a sub-folder, and I drag them into each project. Or, sometimes I use a ‘Library’ which is like having extra Pools which can be shared between song projects. This can be great if you are doing some processing on an audio file because each project which uses the library will then get the same processing through using the library rather than just the WAV file being referenced from each song’s pool.
If I’m also mastering the album then I’ll move all the final track mixes to the album level in a Mastering->FinalMixes folder and I’ll make that Mastering folder another project folder where I master in Cubase and export the tracks into a MasteredMixes subfolder… And so it goes on because I’ll then have to author the CD, etc, and that will produce final separate CD track wavs that go off for digital distribution. Jeez, it all has to be kept tidy somehow, more subfolders 
Each to his own though, this is just how I work and I think many people work in different ways.
BTW, I back up my whole drive every night to a large external HD using SyncBack, which copies all changed and new files (but leaves deleted files on the backup). Life is too short not to…
Finally, to finish off the rambling info, I always create a new project folder somewhere when I start a new song, rather than trying to use a general project and then move it on somewhere else. Its just easier for me to understand it that way 
Mike.