Cubase muting all other programs while open

Cubase
#1

Hi all,

I just got Cubase Elements 6 and I am trying to watch video tutorials to learn the basics. I have zero experience with DAWs.

The first problem I have run into is that Cubase silences all other programs while open. Thus if I am following a tutorial, I have to reload the tutorial each time I maximize the Cubase window.

I have searched around for a solution, but could not find one.

I have tried going to Devices --> Device Setup --> VST audio system, and checked “release driver when application is in background” but this has no effect.

(my soundcard is realtek HD audio–onboard sound card, my AISO driver is "generic low latency ASIO driver.)

Is this “muting other programs” an option I can turn off?

#2

Try downloading and installing the ASIO4ALL driver, setting Cubase to use that, and switch release driver in background on. Maybe that’ll work?

#3

Splits suggestion is a good one. Even though it may or may not have any effect on the behaviour of ‘release audio driver on background’, using the generic ASIO driver is usually a bad idea.

#4

Thank you both for the help,

I switched my driver to the ASIO4ALL driver per split’s suggestion. It worked! The videos in the background continued to play regardless of how I was using Cubase.

However, now Cubase is entirely muted when I minimize/maximize it (while running a background video only) and I have to re-open Cubase to get any sound from it at all.

Is there a way to get Cubase and other programs to ignore each other, so that neither one cancels the other out?

#5

Probably not, Cubase is set up to take full control over the audio driver. You either use Cubase without anything else, or you use something else without using Cubase. That may be a bit annoying in this case, but it prevents a whole lot of problems if Cubase can randomly not access certain inputs or outputs because another application hijacked them :wink:. You don’t want your recording to suddenly lose input signal because someone calls you on skype (random example).

#6

Multi client ASIO drivers can allow what you desire, but you’d probably have to buy a sound card with ASIO drivers that supports that.

#7

Thanks Split,

I will keep that in mind. For now I am just taking notes from the video, then going into Cubase when I’ finished. Not super efficient, but it works :slight_smile: