I would like to ask the following question regarding installation of Cubase. I have Cubase file extensions in my hard drive
which I happened to stumble upon ,and they are tracks I have recorded 10 years ago. All my VST instruments and drum machines I had installed I no longer have… My main concern is the following, If I Purchase and install Cubase, will the audio/guitars still be stored within that Cubase file? And also I don’t have an external sound card anymore so will I be able to hear any sound? Please excuse my novice question its been almost 10 years since I’ve lost contact with sound recording and I’m considering picking up where I had left off.
I don’t think you’ll get much joy using internal audio and may, as you fear, get nothing at all. As for audio/guitars, they should be exactly where you left them within the project folder but they were never stored within the Cubase file itself.
In general, it may help you to know that Cubase installs separately for each version. So 5, 6, 7, 8 each have their own set of VSTi’s, plugins, settings (as do the .5 versions). People keep the old versions for old projects because things have a habit of changing over time and you may need to open an old project with the software it was written with. You can always find this out by dropping the project file into Notepad - the version will be at the top or bottom of the file.
As for stuff you no longer have installed, you may find built-in equivalents, otherwise you need to reinstall them.
SX3 is still available for pre-CPR project files (ALL/ARR). What version were you last using?
Thanks for the reply, regarding the version i have no idea… As these tracks were recorded in 2006, so Ill see which version was out back then. Ill try find the person which sent me the recorded files.
So in general once I find out which version of Cubase it was, I install it, and then upgrade to the latest Cubase version?
Ill also see for an external sound card. I remember I had an M-audio back in 2005… Any recommendations would be great.
And I also recorded using a POD which had various amps simulators to choose from. Like I said, I’m picking up from a long time ago, so my knowledge is outdated.
I can’t help you with the interface question, it’s years since I bought one and I don’t know what’s out there. Sorry.
Regarding installation, I’m assuming you don’t have Cubase, so you have to buy the latest version (I don’t think you can buy old versions). What happens next depends on what files you have. You can load audio files into anything but if you’re trying to access old project files (CPR) things can get interesting. There have been several changes to factory plugins since 2006 and some have disappeared (but may be available on SB’s ftp site), so some may load fine, others won’t but may be replaceable by current equivalents. You won’t know until you try. Don’t forget, you can find the project version by dropping it into Notepad.
Why not install Cubase Elements trial (or full version trial if you have a usb elicenser) and see how far you get opening these projects. Hopefully you were fairly organised about recording and the audio files are in a sub folder of the project folder where the cpr is.
Although it may not run particularly well you might get by with using the free ASIO4all driver with your built in soundcard…at least for starters. If you decide you want to work on the tracks and record more overdubs etc, then you would need to buy an interface.
I’m actually doing something similar myself, having just built a new machine and clearing out the drives from my last 2 music computers and while the mixes from that long ago are all over the place because almost all plugs are missing, the recordings and arrangements are completely recoverable.
Thank you both for your insight regarding cubase installation, I downloaded a trial version, and I opened up the files.
The audio seems to be there, but unfortunately I cannot hear any audio, It must be to do with my audio settings, and Im trying to find a way around this issue now. The funny thing is when I open up Cubase I cannot hear sound from Youtube videos, seems there is a conflict of some sort. When I close Cubase the sound works again. This is a screen shot with some
of my audio settings below, Ive also saw a tutorial about Cubase sound settings, but Im afraid of resetting in case it ruins
my PC sound and then I have problems, listening to music, or watching videos.
I have a good Soundblaster that came with my machine and could never get even that working, let alone the on-board (which I have in fact disabled). You need to invest in a proper interface with its own ASIO drivers or not bother, to be perfectly blunt. Don’t worry, it needn’t break the bank (The Hardware forum may be a good place to start looking, not here)
Glad you’re on the road, anyway. I got a great deal out of resurrecting old tracks and breathing new life into them. Hope you manage to sort this last step out.
One last thing: In Device Setup, there is a tick box to release the driver in background (e.g when you switch to YT) but the drop-down in your screenshot is obscuring the setting…
(The Hardware forum may be a good place to start looking, not here)