Insert Time is a mess

Cubase
1

I frequently need to insert time in a mastering project to create space between songs before final rendering.

The only built-in option is Insert Silence, but it has several problems:

  • All tracks must be selected, including the Marker Track. It’s easy to miss one and cause project errors.

  • If the selected range touches the start or end of an event, Cubase splits the event, often leaving a tiny fragment. In these cases the volume envelope is also lost.

  • Automation lanes get new points at the range boundaries, which makes the project messy after the operation.

What I really need is something like Process Bars, but working with time instead of bars—an operation that simply shifts everything to the right cleanly, without splitting events or altering automation.

Is there any way to achieve this in current Cubase versions?

2

Unless I am misunderstanding,

If you want to insert silence for the whole project, just use the locators.

If you are using the range tool to align an exact amount based on waveform/events, use your selection tool first, then use Locators to Selection, then Select None, Insert Silence.

You could turn this into a macro.. and further, if you are annoyed that you are always having to change your locators… create a PLE that selects a cycle marker that extends the length of the project and incorporate selecting that cycle marker and setting locators to it into the PLE/Macro at the end of the command sequence.

4

so, if i understand correctly, the insert time works based on the locators when nothing is selected?

5

yes it will be global when there is no selection based on the locators (i believe for hidden tracks as well)

an additional tip, if you want to multiple tracks across the project with some selected and some not,

  • make your initial range selection reference
  • set the locators to that range
  • select the tracks you want to affect
  • with the range tool still select, use ‘Select in Loop’

A range selection will be made for all tracks that are selected only within the locator range.

1 Like
6

Sorry for interupting, but this sounds like a WaveLab (AudioMotage) jobb!

Otherwise, you could just start next song a bar or two forward form the end of the first. Why is that a problem.

1 Like
7

yes, it will move all tracks, tempo, time signature markers etc… just make sure no tracks and events are in “Lock mode”

3 Likes
8

“Insert Silence” with locators still has these two problems excerpted above. And it also won’t work with tracks that are frozen, so you first have to unfreeze all tracks (and make sure NOTHING is locked because those won’t be included in the operation). So yeah, there are … issues with this.

9

You could simply convert time into beats in your head (or with a calculator) and then use Process Bars.

2 seconds at 60bpm are 2 beats. :slightly_smiling_face:

If you don’t like to calculate create a ruler track to compare time to beats.

10

So then use Insert Bars

otherwise, how would Cubase know how to relocate an event if it isn’t going to get split?

edit

Can you take a video of

Are using ‘Snap To Events’ and is zero crossing off or on?

11

Thanks, I wasn’t aware of Process Bars (that’s the dialog you’re referring to, right?). I’m going to try that out!

12

In key commands it’s called ‘Insert Bars’

13

after “insert silence” the red event was split and the envelope was lost. in the attached image you can see a small red line at the right. added automation points are at sight too

the range was set with snap on. the start of the range was the end of the red event.
expected behaviour is that the silence is inserted without affecting the red event

image
image1193×408 12 KB

14

Zero-Crossing snap off?

Also make sure there isn’t something else being snapped to.

Insert Bars won’t work for you it seems like…

It could just be that you are using the wrong software for the job, WaveLab is meant for this kind of thing.

The event snippet end is interesting though

15

if i’m producing and want to add silence in the middle of the song, i also need this. ableton and protools has simple tools to make this right

zero crossing is off

16

This is what Insert Silence and Insert Bars is for

For the time being

you can create a PLE key command to delete any event under x.xxx amount of length (ie, anything small enough that it wouldn’t be an intended sound or part of the project).

You can then have a Macro of: Insert Silence + PLE: Delete Events Under x.xxx and bind a key command to that, and use that as your Insert Silence