I’m learning Cubase 15, learning the media bay right now. The database style is really good. But running into problems because what I need is for files to carry their own metadata. For my audio programs to read/write the files. I don’t agree with a proprietary format, when it comes to content files that should be universal, like samples.
Wav samples are horrible for metadata, so I’m wondering about converting my sample library to flac. I ran a test and cubase isn’t writing metadata to flac files either. And I heard that cubase doesn’t support flac in its sampler or something (that’s a joke, right? A daw in 2026 supports all audio file types, RIGHT?)
I could use a tool to convert my library from .wav to uncompressed flac (level 0 compression). To just change the file container, so that it can carry all the metadata I want. Then I could have my library be read by any program I want. But this cubase media bay not writing to the file is bothersome.
How do you guys set up your sample library? What file format do you use, and how do you deal with metadata?
Why do you need to add metadata to sample files?
Wavelab is designed specifically for the addition of metadata and has a very extensive set of tools for such things.
For compatibility. If I’m going to spend time rating my samples for the future, I need that work to be permanent. When metadata is written to files properly, then I can go into my file manager or other audio program, and my ratings etc. benefits me there too.
I’m talking about my personal sample library, that I already have. The Steinberg factory samples and presets stuff they can handle it how they want because they own it, but not my samples.
In the media bay I added three stars to this sample:
It didn’t get written to the file:
Windows is showing 5 stars for everything for some reason. It’s bugging out on me, but it’s definitely not 3 stars.
I tried adding 2 stars to this hi hat sample, with Dopus:
Rescanned in the media bay. Didn’t work.
So there is different alternating data streams going on here. I think Dopus uses its own, and cubase is using its own database.
I tried the same tests with flac and got the same result.
The Media Bay is a database for finding and managing your content, it does not modify any files and it does not see what DOpus or Windows have in their environment.
Oh, you said wavelab. Ya I see that now. Trying it out.
With .wav it writes things like comment to a riff chunk and the rating to an 1d3. So it now has two tags. I’m not sure that matters, but it probably does. With the flac filetype there is no ratings available in there. I thought flac was better for metadata but guess not.
Dopus overwrites the tag so now wavelab can’t see it. Dopus can read the metadata but not write it without corrupting it. I’ve had this issue before, with other audio programs. *sigh
Well I wish it did. It’s right there reading the files anyway, but someone just decided, “we could make our program write to the files but nah. Let’s join the other audio companies in making metadata as difficult and confusing as humanly possible instead.”
Obscure data isn’t that important for the general masses, but things like ratings, comment and genre is inexcusable.
I’m going to abandon trying to put metadata on my samples. It’s a complete waste of time. This is why we can’t have nice things.
“The problem with software is it’s made by computer programmers.”
- Edward Longshanks, King of England, 1304
Ogg vorbis was a promising prospect. But it doesn’t carry ratings. And the sampler control doesn’t support it. Same with .wma windows media audio. And again I can add metadata with mp3 tag or dopus but cubase can’t read it.
The Halion free version can’t create sample instruments. Kontakt doesn’t support ogg, but you’ll never guess what does. Frikkin Image Line’s Directwave, that came out probably before I was born. And I think Harmor does too.
That’s one of the things I’m looking at; melodic playing (creating instruments) with samples (Directwave sucks at basically everything). I’ve had nothing but bad results with the Kontakt stretching algorithms. So a sampler that can do everything is worth its weight in gold.
