I have a bunch of projects in 32-bit Cubase 6.5. They are full of VST plugin effects and instruments. I will soon get a new host and install Cubase 10, but don’t have it yet. Once I do, how would I open these projects in 64-bit Cubase 10 so that I have the same plugins in the same places with the same patches/settings? I understand that 32-bit plugins need to be jbridged, but my concern is how do I know that, say, track 4 had VST instrument X on it, and what the settings were? Or better yet, does C10 have the ability to note that it needs to use jbridge, and then load the 32-bit plugin (or, when the 64-bit version exists, just use that but still keep the settings)?
As long as you save the various plug-in’s presets, using the plug-ins internal librarian along with Cubase’s preset saving function as a backup strategy within your original C6 setup, they should still be recallable in C10 using jBridge. If something doesn’t translate correctly directly from opening the C6 Project file in C10, this “double save” strategy may be your saving grace.
Still, some presets may not translate from a 32bit plug version to a newer 64bit version upgrade, so YMMV. Screenshots of the editors in C6 could be used in a pinch. And if all else fails, you can export a C6 track as an audio file for reference to rebuild a new version in C10…or just use the dub if no editing is required and be done with it.
Oh boy… I tend to just set configs for the piece I’m working on and never bother separately saving out “presets”, or Kontakt “multis” or whatever. So there’s that. But in the case of a set of plugins in, say, a channel’s insert set, what would C10/64 see on those inserts when first opening a project that was last saved in C6/32? Will I be able to see the names of the plugins that were there? I wonder if I’m misunderstanding something, but it seems that with a large collection of 32-bit projects, it’s going to be somewhat fussy to re-open those. And I will want to have a copy of C6/32 around too to be able to open up projects to see what was supposed to be on various channels… does that sound like the reality of the situation?
Once I get a new platform, I can test some of this myself, but I don’t have it yet and just wanted to start understanding the process…
Thinking about this further, let me ask this. Let’s say I have a 32-bit C6.5 project that has:
10 instrument tracks, each with an instance of (32-bit) Zebra on it. Each of those Zebras has a different patch that has been created and adjusted just on that track. It’s not a preset.
A rack instance of (32-bit) Kontakt, and in that instance of Kontakt there are several different instruments loaded, again with customized/tuned settings just done there in the rack… it’s not from a preset or multi.
Now, what happens when I open this project in 64-bit C10 on a machine on which both Zebra and Kontakt are installed in both 32 and 64 bit versions. Also, jbridge is available on the machine.
What do I see on each of those 10 tracks when I first open the project? Do I see 64-bit Zebra? 32-bit Zebra with jbridge? Or just “no known instrument”?
Also, What will I see in the rack?
And at this point then, how best to get everything back to the way it was, with either 32-bit versions and jbridge, or 64-bit versions? At this point 32 or 64 is far less of a concern to me than getting back all the custom patches/settings. Or at the least, having some indication of what used to be there.
Do I really need to go back through 10s of tracks each on many projects in C6, saving out every single preset on every vst instrument and every plugin send effect and insert? Then manually re-create every insert, reload every custom preset, etc?
It would be easier just to stick with 32-bit for all those projects!
This is a problem for everybody using DAW’s, your stuff will not load properly after a couple of years, be it Logic or Cubase or whatever. Some tips: keep your old system for reference and working on old projects. Bounce/freeze/consolidate complete tracks to audio with all the plug ins and import in Cubase 10 on your new system.
That’s actually the only thing that has worked for me (using DAW’s since 1992): Turn everything into separate audio tracks from bar 1 1 1 1 to the end.
Keep your MIDI for if you decide to change stuff. Make a note of the tempo etc.
Import these tracks in your new DAW of choice. Unfortunately, I’ve often been too lazy to do this.
Also, make a stereo master file for reference. Worst case scenario(nothing works), just record everything again using the master as a guide. Often surprisingly easy to do with proper musicians.