Feature request - better Qwerty Notation combined with Track archives promotion/siting

Cubase
1

We all know Cubase is becoming more and more complex. Songs are getting more and more complex and trying to organise big projects - e.g a whole film, is a daunting challenge.

Many of us have lots of samples, VSTs etc. Media Bay is not user friendly as it can do little with Kontakt Files, Omnisphere preset files and so forth. Media Bay is not “where it is at” to use an old phrase.

The very heart of any Cubase Project is the track. The main representation of the track is the Project Zone representation and the track list is where we start.

VST Presets are not where it’s at, they sare partial information, track presets are not where it’s at, they are only part of the sound, likely pre fx, reverb etc. Tracks and their Archives are the main vehicle. Why?

Track archives give you the nearest to the final sound, as delivered to the Master. They contain most EQ, tweaks, finishes levels, and inserts. There are some caveats of course, group channels change things, but the “body” of the concept of a track’s sound, might be considered the musical component - how it is, haircut and all.

On a track, Track Names is our only qwerty input. There could be so much more. We get about 20 spaces.

I would like to see a drop down notepad-like space on ctrl clicking on the track name.

Here you can describe what you want to yourself in your own terms.

You can also save the current track as a Track Archive.

There is a mechanism for creating and viewing default folders for track archives and you can customise this. Something with more appeal than bare operating system folders.

Track Archives get understimated because of their position under File/ Export/ Selectred Tracks (better file export Track Archives) and the odd runaround you have to use to interact.

We need them available in the Track List.

Imagine if you had a space where you could make any notes you wish maybe a paragraph or more. Somewhere you can have hyperlinks to Utube videosor links to Adobe PDFs on your hard drive.

Here are a few things you might write about a track called “Imaginary dragons”.
"VST reponds well to chorus,

“Also try the “tyrano beast” preset.”

“Uses Roomworks, Revelation is slicker”

“This track represents the third Wilderbeast”

“This track is Act 4 Scene 2 track 14.”

“Try also Kontakt Gorrilla Synth too.”

“Good for screams”

“Dont forget to feed the dog”

whatever works for you… no coding no clicking around.

This space would be searchable, individually per track, or even by searching words on your notes , project wide, and system wide. Like this, you could simply search for any note that could be about “Cinderella” of “Joe’s work”.

So, a proper space, with proper editing and copying facilities, pictures, right there on the track name - not just a black box in the in Inspector. It could be part of the identity of the track list.

It could have an Archive button which can directly archive any track at any time according to the project name/trackname format, or your own custom choices. It can maintain a list of substitute Track Archives

If an appealing GUI for your “Master Archive” was available (not boring MS Wins), it could be an appealing place to organise and think.

I believe users could refocuss, not loose stuff in project/ 14.5b track AFX.15.B, they coul feel organised. They would feel more in control, the experience would be more meaningful.

Z

2

I use Track Archives, to export Tempo, Signature, Markers and Audio Tracks, while referencing recorded files, and I import data to a secondary system (I reference audio files and use the internet to transfer files).

If I need to selectively import tracks from another project, I use the Import Tracks from another project feature.

A Track Archive is an XML file, so of course it is possible to include more text entries, but the format is not always reliable, for example navigating the track list can be problematic, once you have rendered new tracks, this is even before an archive has been created.

Also, upon importing a Track Archive, often automation data in the receiving application, becomes corrupted but the format is great and allows a complete separation between recording and mixdown workflows.

3

Not quite what I meant I meant a document style interface with special entries - one of which would be to reference Track Archives and call them, not have the whole package in XML.

Here is an example I am just coming back to a track after three months. It’s got a VST called Watchmaker in teh track - set up rfeady to roll but i forgot how to operate it. If I had made notes AND these notes were available as memory prompts this woud save time hunting for the manual. Here is a pic I could copy, but no, not in cubase and certainly I could not associate it with a track:

image
image1531×448 67.4 KB

For me personally this would be what I need for my memory. Someone else it might be a note about distortion or something. It’s a space to make personal notes about tracks/track archives and categorise them

4

TIp: If you want to go this way…

I used to use a Master Template and still do, but I also set up on my hard drive a Track Archive repository and then exported all the Big section folders as track archives - for example Woodinds, Synths, Vox… a “Master Track Archive”.

I can then pull them more quickly than import tracks. I also have track archives which I think of as “Palletes” for example for a particular track, I might choose a particualr piano, legato strings etc. I can pull and push tweaked tracks to these pallettes. A kind of smorgasboard for sounds for a particular purpose

Z

5

I believe you are talking about annotations, in parlance to what a document might contain, or otherwise footnotes, for objects in the DAW.

This is an area of the DAW that should be improved, no doubt. The basic Notepad would be a start but I think to be able to annotate things, would require some kind of modifier key to be used.

There was also talk about an API, that I believe would expose objects in the DAW, that are currently off limits to scripting or programming.

6

The Notepads in Cubase are severely compromised - to the point of hardly anyone uses them. They cannot cut and copy, they do not support hyperlinks, they are confined to a small space - no full screen view, (for most), no bold, italics, underline, no pic support. The worst bit, for me is you cannot cut some info from say a manual, or a web page and paste it in.

Cubase needs to realise that as things get more and more complicated, we all need the ability to make notes, in the DAW, in the locality that is pertinent to the task. This would make the product much more approachable. It’s a mindset thing people assume rthey know what a sequencer is and think within contrained ideas. In teh early days Steinberg made leaps like creating VSTs and Cubase Score, but now we need more help as more features has meant more complexity.
Z

7

Definitely the DAW is becoming more and more complex with each iteration.

All of the new routing options available that are now, the extra panes in the Editors and Project page, with all of this new information, and I imagine more to come, it is true that the DAW is becoming more and more complicated, as opposed to being complex.

Learning everything that an Engineer, Musician or Composer needs to know might be ok when you are using it almost every day, but intermittent use means things can be easily forgotten and having something available where simple text information can be entered is not nearly enough, but there are security risks for adding things like links and images so that is something to keep in mind as well.

8

Yes. Bottom line is that it is about eyeballs and customers. You can buy it and hardly use it or you can use it. Cubase is a labrinth for learners, there is a constant stream of new jargon to acquire whilst trying to dance a tune. It grabs you and throws an engineering straightjacket on you then dares you “get out of that before you can make this tune”.

Cubase is intimidating. It is WONDERFUL, but it is also intimidating.

It is button mania. Explain to a newbie the exact way the studio setup does, and half way through the first 10 minutes, they will overload, they will go to a loo break -n maybe bolt out the loo window.

I began with Cubase Score, fantastic at the time, the program is now much more pliable, functional, musical but this factors up the complexities. It takes years to learn.

I have been arguing for an AI help function too. If you put a query like “What do the cogwheels of a VST called Watchmaker do?”, as I have just done, you get a coherent answer a, a step by step, maybe even suggestions. Steinberg need this.
The Operations Manual, though valient and worthy, cannot get anywhere near this question and even dragging out the VST manual, finding the page, will take much more time than the query.

Videos are a great help but you must find the passage you need, another musicless activity. Utube lacks a A B repeat function, so complex physical actions like playing a keyboard passage, cannnot be looped and slowed. It takes more set up…

Concept:
Musicfull versus Musicless

Musicful: A cubase task that directly results in aural sound -recording for example, writing in Key Editor.

Musicless: Tasks like setting up your midi inputs for a new device, arranging Mixer viksibilities.

We have too much of a percetage of the latter. For learners especially one can do hours or weeks with no product.

In India, there were ceremonies where God’s were dragged from A to B, by young men with pins in their backs, dragging the effigy. The Juggernauts I believe This is a reflection of the modern sequencer experience. It can be painful.

Nothing wrong with having an easy helping hand, environmentally aware (i.e. which Cubase window) and informative.

9

The guy in the first bit is probably a Cubase user. It’s a kind of masochistic experience in a way. He has the correct input, the correct MIDI channel, the correct Inserts, its all routed to a group channel and it comes together!

10

Please consider that it might be disrespectful to paint something that is part of some people’s culture and done voluntarily as a punishment, enforced by others.

11

I think you need to do research. Your view is too narrow. It is often a mark of respect to consciously endure pain, ascoss India, Yogis are another example

12

I meant it the other way round: you are describing Cubase’s way as the “punishment”. Of course, not really punishment. More like something that bothers you and that was done by others.

13

Until such time, there is Melda Note Pad that takes an insert slot. Its the best that I have found. But no pictures.

Snapshot is pretty bad since it cant resize. If there are alternative for pictures, Im all ears.

Other track notepads seem to be no longer supported.

I agree with the OP. Better intrgeation and word pad features for links, photos etc. And connect it with the master notepad.