I gotta say.. Cubase for editing audio ain't a patch on PT!

Cubase
21

Sorry to upset you Mattias. That wasn’t my intent.

I haven’t ignored your suggestions.
I replied to your post answer about about hitting 2 different keys to achieve what I wanted to do. I then replied saying that I wanted to toggle the key and Cubase doesn’t have that functionality which is a bummer.
The benefit of toggling one key is evident. Ok… cubase doesn’t have that capability. I make a note of it being a ‘wanted’ function and move on to the next thing… if I find that thing difficult to implement I make another note and move on.
I’ve just reviewed my original post and tried to find the emotional stuff you are talking about. I’ve honestly shared my experience and frustration. Emotional? ok.
But in reviewing your replies there’s quite a few emotional statements you’ve made in response.

I mean… I’m critiquing difficulties I’m having within a software program. It’s not an attack on you or anyone.
Anyway, whatever… I’m looking for solutions to my difficulties. This is an open public forum and talking about genuine frustration is not off limits. I’ve encountered this many times in forums.
Just click on a topic you’re attracted to.
We could go back and forth all day but I think it’s waste of time. Opinions are like arseholes… we all have one.

22

NINE TRUTHS OF THE DAW UNIVERSE:

  1. The best DAW for you is the one you know the best.
  2. No DAW is perfect.
  3. Everyone has different needs and preferences.
  4. Different kinds of projects may benefit from different workflows, but even this is still subjective based on numerous factors.
  5. Given an unbiased and open mind plus equal effort/time in learning, it can be objectively and technically shown that DAW X is faster than DAW Y at a specific task or workflow, but that does not mean that it is better overall for a specific user without broader context.
  6. Fortunately, it is possible to make a rational, aggregate, individual assessment that DAW X might be “better overall” for you than DAW Y, once sufficient context and details about the overall workflows you need or desire are considered, and more importantly, what kinds of content and projects you actually deal with are also considered. See items 1-5 above.
  7. DAW comparisons without sufficient context are largely useless.
  8. Per capita, there are more talented DAW developers and plugin developers in Germany (just in Hamburg and Berlin alone) than anywhere else in the world, and if they could all get together and agree on a perfect DAW with perfect workflows for everyone, then there would, in fact, be world peace, and then the gods of music of all ages past, present, and future, would all rise up in a glorious choir of joyful celebration, and then, at long last, threads like this would cease to exist.
  9. See item 1 above.
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23

Ya’ll are spoiled!

Well remember having to get it done with this…

image
image1500×1125 75.7 KB

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24

Think about it this way:

Either you are here to learn in which case “going back and forth” makes sense because we who are trying to help you need to know that you’re understanding our suggestions and are reaching a solution. I’ve looked at your other threads and you don’t seem to engage that way. If you can’t figure out how to map the return key to a key command that takes you to the beginning of the timeline then the problem isn’t Cubase, but you wouldn’t know (that you’re the problem) because of how you engage with other users here.

Or, you’re here not to find solutions but to argue that Cubase/Nuendo for editing pales in comparison to PT. If that is the case you should expect people to respond in kind, because as you point out this is a forum. If you are now saying that we should not go “back and forth” because you just don’t feel like being contradicted then you should go away and just start a blog instead. That way people can go to your blog and read your thoughts about editing in Cubase if for some reason they think a random person’s opinions matter, and this forum can be left alone for its actual purpose which is to support each other and to talk to each other.

It actually doesn’t look like you are.

It looks like sealioning.

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25

Gotta be the word of the day! Sealioning - Wikipedia

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26

Although, having a single keystroke toggle to zoom in full and back out again, would make a solid Feature Request… I’d soon switch to using that. :smile: :+1: :muscle:

So, combine (highlight a range), then ALT+S to zoom full, then ALT+` to Undo zoom - but on one key.

Or, sort of the same thing, using ‘Zoom Mem’ (records current view) → highlight a range → then ALT+S, then ‘Zoom Zap’ to bring you back to the view you logged at Zoom Mem… though, all on a one key toggle…

Still, @lutley I for one can’t wait to read of all these other ‘PT editing methods/tools’ you use, that blow Cubase out the water for workflow/intuitiveness. Really go into some detail - screenshots, vids, use cases… all that will help.!

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27

A lot of ranting, and posturing, but little specific description of the problem so someone else can even understand the specific editing issues.

Please, focus on a PT step-by-step reproduction of the objective. Then do a Cubase step-by-step reproduction to achieve the same objective. Then people can comment, and maybe even help. As it is, it’s hard for me to follow what you are even attempting to convey because you retreat to generalities and a lot of emotion.

I’m still waiting for this list. But again, if you wish to make any point, make it so people can follow your reproduction steps.…not your thoughts. Sometimes a video or .GIF helps.

If more users in this forum would temporarily set aside subjective thoughts, emotions, and especially self-importance (assuming it’s not intermittent) and objectively list step-by-step reproductions (including the user OS and some basic info) a lot more could be achieved in a shorter time.

FWIW, I know PT, but rarely use it these days.

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28

I’ve been using for a LONG time, and this video hipped me to some hugely time-saving things I never knew about. Thank you!

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29

It’s called focus.
ProTools is focused on, and has it’s roots, in audio editing.
Cubase is focused on, and has it’s roots, in MIDI editing. Of course they can do both, and both do it well. Just differently.
2 cliches come to mind:
Different strokes
and
One man’s meat.

30

Dear Fellow Cubasians:

When you read a post like this, please do not take this as a personal attack.

Because someone has an issue with your software of choice, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are wrong.

This attitude (although understandable) helps neither the issue-poster nor our community. Many software companies take this approach and it’s really counter-productive and benefits no one.

There may be some things that other DAWs do better than Cubase.

Why not try to understand these differences and perhaps bring the best part of other DAWs into Cubase?

The options are:

  1. The poster doesn’t understand the feature = an issue with discoverability, help docs or workflow (I have loved Cubase since the days of Mac OS 7/Cubase 3.5 but let’s be honest, these aren’t Steinberg’s long suit. It’s ok for our team to have things we can do better.)

  2. The other option is that the other DAW does something more efficiently = perhaps there is a way to bring that approach into Cubase either via a Macro (are they shareable?) or other approaches?

Or even bring that approach into Cubase as an option or enhancement.

Being open to other approaches is the best way for everyone to benefit. I mean, what do we have to lose?

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31

The OP wasn’t wrong as much as he wasn’t right. He just did not say what does not work for him in the software. So far it was just a superficial generic rant.
That’s the reason why he got a lot of counter-posts from others. You could also call it poor forum behaviour from the OP’s side.

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32

I feel like you’re talking about people that aren’t in this thread. I think you’re reading the replies the wrong way.

33

Your post is a good one for a few reasons.
You’re talking about the content of the discussion without being emotional.

My original post is in frustration… ie… emotion, because Id just spent 3 hours trying to do something I consider to be super basic functionality… ie, returning the play head to the start of the project.

I actually still haven’t solved the issue.
When the selection and cursor tools are combined the selection tool takes precedence over the cursor tool. In this mode, if I press return, or whatever shortcut key that functions as ‘go to start’ the start of the project is “selected”, but the play head remains at the previous cursor position.
If I click off of the waveform into a blank area the selection tool is now automatically replaced by the cursor (cursor mode is selected) and then pressing return places the play head at the start of the session.
The issue being that once in the combined tool, in selection mode Cubase assumes you want to be in that mode still whilst pressing return or any other key that shortcuts to ‘go to start of session’.
In PT the ‘magic tool’ doesn’t behave in this way and to me this makes perfect sense.
I also was surprised that there’s no single key toggling in Cubase which is a super effective method in PT. I can’t imagine a more efficient workflow that toggling one key for 2 functions.
The honest point I was trying to make was that (for me) after this 3 hour period of trying PT seems to make a lot more logical sense off the shelf.
After all, that software started life as a virtual tape machine thus the editing of audio and its simplicity is probably its no.1 priority.
The whole reason I’m trying with Cubase is that its functionality and workflow is superior to PT in other areas of music creation.
I’ll be making a list of these sorts of basic functional frustrations I come across as. I go and I’ll post them in more of a summary post.
I only realised how efficient and elegant PT audio editing is after using Logic and Cubase.
Regardless of familiarity with programs it seems to me that PT is infact simpler to use for audio editing off the shelf.

35

With Range and Cursor tools linked, ‘precedence’ for one over the other is determined by where on the event the cursor is positioned - upper half = Range Tool; lower half = Main selection cursor.

Deciding you want to make a Range selection for example, then yes, that becomes the focus for subsequent actions (but not always.!)

I’m not following this quite well, with respect to Cubase’s (go to start) performance…

To help, say what you want to happen (what happens in PT.?) after making a selection (range), and you then execute your ‘go to start’ shortcut.?

Right. In Cubase, when a selection (Range) has been highlighted on an event(s), that then has preference for any following action.

However this is not a ‘limitation’ in Cubase.

Depending on what you want to achieve, you can for example keep the highlighted range intact and perform a separate action to move the Playhead to the start/end of the selected range. Or move it to the start/end of an event, move it by a quantise value, or to the start (return to zero) or end of the whole Project, ready to perform another action.

BUT, I guess here’s the kicker for you (and what I don’t yet understand with PT’s ‘magic tool’ behaviour), in Cubase there is no ‘one-key’ toggle for the two types of functions above.

Summary:- before the waters are muddied even more, please be clear and complete describing what two (seemingly separate) functions you enjoy using in PT, that you can make happen by toggling its ‘Magic tool’ cursor. And that has frustrated your workflow for hours on end in Cubase.

Looking forward to the detail please…

36

NO, IT DOESN’T.

How many times do people have to tell you it doesn’t? It doesn’t. It does not.

I just tried it. I enabled the “Combine Selection Tool” and then made a range selection. Then I pressed the"Return" key which I had mapped to the command “Go To Project Start” in the key commands editor. When I do this the “play head” goes to the start of the project.

What are your settings in the “Transport” menu:

image

??

You’re wrong, again.

Here are some functions that toggle and can be mapped to key commands:

Automation Mode Trim
Suspend Preview
Windows/panels (transport, mixer, markers etc.)
Record Enable
Solo / Mute
and so on…

If someone told you that PT editing was inferior to Cubase/Nuendo editing after having tried Pro Tools for three hours would you give them the time of day even?

Maybe learn the basics first, eh?

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37

You know, I’ve heard this complaint quite a few times over the years. I’ve never used Pro Tools so it’s hard to understand what the issue is.

I know it’s a pain, but if you make a video of the behaviour of Pro Tools and then the same with Cubase all the “its not Cubase it’s YOU!” responders will get a better idea of your point.

It might be that there is a way to set up Cubase to work the same as Pro Tools.

38

I learned to use Pro Tools around the time of Cubase 9.5 while working as an intern editing podcasts and radio commercials.

As a beginner, I immediately clicked with Its default template, keyboard layout, and workflow. Speed was critical, and out of the box, it did exactly what I needed it to very quickly.

I can relate to OP here. Cubase 9.5 did not feel nearly as fast and immediate for my needs. This would change over time, but again, at that time, I was a beginner.

While I’m not a professional musician, I now prefer Cubase above everything else for my own musical projects and feel like it’s come a long way since 9.5 and can’t live without its mixing workflow.

I moved on to WaveLab for podcast/radio work and have been using it for years now.

I’m not trying to ruffle feathers or engage a flame war here. Just thought I’d share my first time experience.

39

Almost strange how simply seeing an image can evoke an emotional response! :slight_smile:

Had this only the other day when opening a drawer on my desk and seeing there my trusty yellow marker pencil and some blades from yesteryear, before the mouse, before drag’n’drop, before mobile phones, before the internet, before the …

I’ll get my coat.

40

I toggle 1 key for 2 functions all the time in cubase… i have many setup in the macro section, it’s quite easy to do :wink:

One i use the most is to toggle between snap/zero crossing…
very rarely do i need both off/on at the same time, so i have set this up as 1 key command…

Logic as absolutely horrible for audio editing in comparison imo, but hey, cubase is not really a daw for beginners or novices, it needs a lot of time to learn everything, because it can do so much, but its not really setup to do anything super easy as it has so many functions and is built for a wide variety of users.
But once you have set it up for your workflow, if that’s audio editing, dance music, orchestral scoring bla bla, its great, you just need to deep dive for a while to figure out you best setup :slight_smile:

41

Whether you have issues with CuBase or not Dom’s Video: 10 Audio Tips For Lightning Fast Editing In Cubase shows very quick ways to do things…