Digital Performer chunks feature vs. Cubase

Cubase
#1

Hi,

I’ve always been rather curious about this - Digital Performer has the “Chunks” feature, which allows multiple sequences within the same project.
Which means I can really play with the tempo within each sequence, and it doesn’t affect the other sequences. For film composers, that is a real plus.

However I’m not sure how DP works in terms of the instruments loaded in multiple sequences within the same project. Are ALL instruments from ALL the sequences loaded at the same time, regardless how many sequences? Or does DP actually enable or disable the load depending on which sequence you activate within the same project?

If that’s the case, is it any different from simply having load everything for the project in Cubase? If that’s the case, then might as well just use Cubase and load everything anyway?

#2

Chunks are very different from anything in Cubase, and a fantastic feature that DP has. I believe it loads up everything for each chunk, because otherwise you couldn’t play them back-to-back without loading each one separately. A friend of mine on DP uses it all of the time for composing (and it fills me with envy, I must admit) and he doesn’t run into CPU overload issues with huge sessions, so it must do it in a very smart way.

#3

From what I remember, DP has the “VR Rack”. This is where one instance of each VI used across chunks is held. (So if you use Kontakt in 4 of your chunks, only one instance of Kontakt is loaded to be used across all four.) I believe it pre-loads a small portion of the libraries used across all chunks and very cleverly manages the efficient loading of sounds in time for playback.

I’m sure there’s a lot I’ve forgotten, but the VR Rack concept is a real winner.

#4

DP’s chunks feature is indeed a great feature, and I hope Steinberg will give us something similar. I haven’t used DP in years, and definitely still miss it. Reaper also has a great feature called “subprojects” which is different, but in some ways similar and in other ways far more powerful, since you can nest subprojects within other subprojects. Either Chunks or Subprojects would be my most requested feature for film composers, both help achieve a similar end via different routes, and both are very powerful. And strictly for sound designers, subprojects are a godsend. Surprised they haven’t shown up in Cubase or Nuendo yet.

#5

Wow, thanks guys. Just the frickin info I needed!

Yeah I definitely felt something is off with Cubase!!!

Arrrrrrgh!!! But I’m sooooooooooo used to using it and so familiar with it, it’s hard to switch.

That’s like marrying someone only to find out she has a d*ck and she kept it from you this whole time, or something lol

CUBASE! FILM COMPOSERS NEED MULTIPLE SEQUENCES WITHIN THE SAME PROJECT! EACH SEQUENCE ABLE TO PLAY WITH INDIVIDUAL TEMPOS, WITHOUT AFFECTING THE REST OF THE PROJECT!

#6

LOL. That’s a bit of an extreme analogy…

The downside of something like that: I’ve heard horror stories that a corrupt project file can really really really ruin your day especially if you aren’t meticulous with backing up at regular and crucial points.

All your cues for the entire project: POOF!

But, yeh, it would be kinda neat.

#7

Any updates on this for Cubase 11?
Cant seem to find anything.

I’m scoring an incredibly complex 8 minute animation sequence and a “Chunk” feature would be crazy useful - not to mention episode/feature length projects. : )