How to get a click track?

[Stephen57]

@SteveInChicago

@Stephen57

Anyway, the original post got me thinking. If I wanted to create an actual click track in Cubase, for example, one click every 24 frames, or, one click every 30 frames drop or non-drop TC, I’m not sure I’d know how to go about doing that in Cubase. Perhaps some kind of Logical Editor process? In other words, the tempo of the music or tracks could be changed, but the click track would stay locked to time code frames. Can Cubase do that?

I think so

Set the project framerate to the one you need,
set the ruler to timecode,
set the snap value to 1 frame.
Put your clicks on the track and arrange them, they will, of course, snap to timecode while that ruler is active.
Set the Time Base of the track to Linear.

I wrote that from memory, but I think that’s how.

Thank you, Steve. That’s very useful. I’ll have to put some time into working with this. I’ll let you know how it works out.

[Stephen57]

@Nickeldome

@dmbaer

@Nickeldome

I must say that Steinberg is not really known for their well written manuals.

OT, but I must disagree. IMO, Steinberg’s documentation is excellent - what there is of it anyway. Take the HALion manual. Very accurate and detailed. What’s missing is a “big picture” section that gives the newbie a place to get started. This is also a problem with the Wavelab manual. The other universal problem seems to be that Steinberg manual indexes are so lightweight they are all but useless. But if you understand the big picture and know where to find the information you’re looking for via the table of contents, the documentation is really quite good.

I wouldn’t say they’re bad or anything but just not very inspiring and to much of an enumeration of menu items that speak for themselves. I mean you don’t have to point out that on every track type has a solo button which is used to solo the track. IMO things like that are best described in a ‘common’ section for all tracks so you don’t have to repeat yourself like 10 times over. And there are several parts where complicated functions just get mentioned they exist in the menu without going into any detail of what it actually does and how to use it. It’s no more than a reference manual which is sufficient for it’s purpose but not very inspiring. Like ChrisDuncan an I said earlier, Mackie had the right touch. Compact, to the point, with some excellent examples of usage and with a touch of humor.

Today Steinberg manuals are written in a minimalist corporate software style that doesn’t really match the potential and creative nature of this software and rather follows the style on how we can configure and operate ATM. And IMO that’s a pitty.

That’s exactly how I feel about the Operations Manuals. They explain the functions in the most basic terms, but little to no information about practical or typical usage is provided. I really think Steinberg should do better in this regard. It would only help it with its marketing program. A better trained user base will drive interest in the program and all the company’s offerings.

Lastly, I’d suggest that users heavily annotate the PDF documents as you go. I’ve been doing that and it’s been very helpful. Sometimes I have to read the manual 10 times before what it is telling me becomes clear. I fault the documentation more than myself for this issue, but by annotating the PDF file I’ve managed to create some useful notes. So, when I go back to Page XXXX for the 12th time, I can re-read my notes or perhaps make new ones. If you’re not already doing so, I suggest users learn to annotate the PDF operations manuals.

[Stephen57]

@SteveInChicago

@Stephen57

Anyway, the original post got me thinking. If I wanted to create an actual click track in Cubase, for example, one click every 24 frames, or, one click every 30 frames drop or non-drop TC, I’m not sure I’d know how to go about doing that in Cubase. Perhaps some kind of Logical Editor process? In other words, the tempo of the music or tracks could be changed, but the click track would stay locked to time code frames. Can Cubase do that?

I think so

Set the project framerate to the one you need,
set the ruler to timecode,
set the snap value to 1 frame.
Put your clicks on the track and arrange them, they will, of course, snap to timecode while that ruler is active.
Set the Time Base of the track to Linear.

I wrote that from memory, but I think that’s how.

Steve, I realize this is now way off the topic of the original post so I’ll keep it brief. Perhaps I’ll open up a topic in the Lounge for some discussion of this. I did experiment with what you said and do think an actual frame-rate synchronized click track could be created in Cubase. However, since it’s wildly off topic from the OP’s question, which I think has been very well responded to by users, I’ll refrain from expanding on it here. I’ll say this, the more I deeply I learn Cubase, the more I realize how much depth is really there. Thanks and take care, Steve.

[bobsfilms]

Funny how people go on and on and on and on and on about a bunch of nonsense and don’t actually cut to the chase by specifically revealing the answer to the question.

[KHS]

@bobsfilms

Funny how people go on and on and on and on and on about a bunch of nonsense and don’t actually cut to the chase by specifically revealing the answer to the question.

Agreed.

To keep it short, use CTRL+T which will open the tempo track which is the term used in Cubase.