So I often find it frustrating when I want to use certain Inset FX (plugins) and save them as presets, but the limitation is in Cubase this is an all or nothing chain on an individual channel/group, etc. It would be very useful in a workflow to be able to save portions of an FX chain on any given channel and insert them before, after, or in between existing plugins on a channel. For instance, I have a kick drum that has been mixed with Eq and Compressor plugins already, but by the end of my bussing chain, I notice it’s very clicky sounding. I don’t want to interrupt my mixing but I know I have a saved set of plugins to address something like this, so being able to just insert a group of plugins into an existing FX chain without removing, or re-routing existing plugins would be super helpful. Bitwig has such functionality and you can even put a group of plugins within a group of plugins. Bitwig uses “Racks” as the label of such feature where I could make a chain of whatever you want, like say a standard mixing chain, EQ-Compression as a rack to load into any FX chain at any one insert slot. To go further the EQ rack could have 3 different EQs you may want to bounce between pending on the source and purpose like PRO-Q3 for surgical clean EQ and an API clone EQ for color and simplicity and a Dynamic EQ. Then the compressor rack could have similar choices. So in effect, you load your preset rack that is just one EQ and one Compressor, choose which ones to be active at any given moment, or have all of them on if you really wanted. The freedom of plugin routing has always been frustrating to me in Cubase and most DAWs. Even simply being able to group plugins to a rack, and turn off 3 out of the 7 plugins on a single channel in one click would be very useful. The possibilities become very large once this door is opened, as I find this feature as a need for various different reasons in any stage of the workflow, whether it be recording, mixing, mastering, or in any genre. Well sorry for the lengthy request but this is my two cents on the idea.
There are several 3rd party plugin chainers out there that work very well, both free and paid for.
Have you tried any of those?
I have not, I will have to look them up and give it a try. Though I think it would make sense to just be part of the DAW functionality.
I tried finding any free ones and they all seemed kinda sketchy and none I found could function well enough. The paid ones are either overpriced for just making a hub for plugins, or too convoluted as they do much more than just act as a hub. DDMF Meta seems to be one of those at a reasonable price but does way more than I need it to, as well as provides an interface and GUI that I am not a fan of. Do you have any specific recommendations worth trying? Thanks for the idea of using a 3rd party plugin, hopefully, I can find one simple, effective, clear, and reasonably priced.
I never had much need for one. I use StudioRack by Waves on occasion for its multiband features, but that’s about it.
Ahh bummer. I tried that, and it seemed it would have been perfect except it only supports Waves plugins., of which I use one or two seldomly. Thanks again for the recommendation though.
Blue Cat’s PatchWork may do what you want.
It does, there are a handful of options that do accomplish it, but $100 seems a bit steep for basically just plugin foldering. Granted that is an oversimplification but it fuels my reasoning for the feature request.
It does a lot more. Worth the money for me.