Hello all - I posted recently asking some questions about the score editor in Cubase, and that is a separate question. This one is more speculative, and I’m hoping someone can provide me with some insight into what may happen/work here!
In my searches online to solve my questions regarding the use of the score editor, I came across some folks that successfully integrated and synchronized Dorico and Cubase through the use of MTC (midi timecode) and I was wondering how this was possible (or if it is worth the effort to set up). Currently, my workflow consists of composing in Cubase, exporting midi, and engraving in Dorico. I am trying to learn the ins and outs of the score editor so that I might be able to rely on that a little more heavily, but I’m not quite comfortable with it and my scores just do not look how I desire them to (never mind the couple of things I just haven’t figured out yet in the first place.)
My secondary question is this - why have Dorico and Cubase not been more closely integrated yet anyway? Now, I’m not naive - I am sure this would be quite a developmental undertaking, but that being said I’m sure a large part of the user population of both of these programs would benefit greatly from having some sort of built in functionality to do this. I’m not saying I think it should have already existed, but I’m at least hoping it’s being worked on - this would be extremely beneficial.
Better yet, why not integrate perhaps a mildly simplified version of Dorico into Cubase as its score editor anyway? I feel like the programs dwell so close to each other - with Dorico’s “Play” menu feeling awfully “DAW-like” and Cubase having a score editor - why not put two and two together?
Even if it was a requirement that you own both programs in order to be able to do this… if I didn’t already own them both, I would at least consider paying that premium!
If I remember @dspreadbury’s previous explanations correctly, it is simply a matter of development priorities. Time spent integrating Dorico and Cubase/Nuendo is unavailable for other tasks.
I suspect closer integration will come in the future, but not until the priority rises above other feature requests for Dorico or there is a desire within Steinberg to retire the existing Cubase/Nuendo score editor.
I don’t own Dorico, so I will answer with some counter-questions:
Can you run Cubase and Dorico at the same time on the same computer?
If so, does Dorico understand incoming MIDI Time Code?
If so, you need to install a software, a virtual MIDI cable (google it, it’s freeware). This virtual cable will be used to establish a MIDI connection between Cubase and Dorico.
Set up Cubase to transmit MTC over the virtual MIDI cable, set up Dorico to receive MTC.
Is it worth it? No idea, only you can be the judge of that.
This is likely the largest long-term project that Steinberg is working on. IMO, there are three big reasons why it is likely taking so long: 1 - huge differences in internal data structures and methods, and how all that relates to core Cubase functionality with things like how time, midi, and the audio engine work, 2 - huge differences in application frameworks and legacy code issues, which are way more complex than non-programmers realize, and lastly, 3 - the resulting impact on user experience and the need to minimize feature gaps and regressions/bugs.
In other words, this is like massive open heart surgery, and it will take years to do it right and make people happy (and not break too many things). I imagine it won’t be until Cubase 15 or even 16 at this point. Cubase 14 is likely too early. But when it is released it will be the headline feature, and a major DAW milestone, setting a very high standard for all DAWs, and setting up Steinberg for many years to come IMO. I believe Steinberg is taking this very seriously, not to mention it’s a big part of their long-term strategy of why Dorico became part of the Steinberg family, and all internal parties on both sides have likely worked out the entire roadmap by now.
Just an opinion based on bits picked up over the years. Time will tell if I read the situation correctly. I invite Steinberg staff to confirm the above, although they most likely won’t comment on such far-reaching plans.
I personally would not want to see ‘integrtion’ primarily because score eding and production is an enterprise of its own, and a DAW for all intents and purposes audio engineering. I would rather each be the best it is at its particular task.
I hear you, but that isn’t necessarily the use case for everybody. For me, I use Dorico and Cubase both for music production and music composition. I use them so closely together now as it is, and I think a lot of people do the same, particularly in the film/tv/games industries, and I think it’s probably useful for a large number of those people to have either access to their scores in Cubase or access to the DAW within Dorico, so if we could have the best of both worlds in one program it would severely impact our workflow in a positive way. For me, I compose almost all of my music expressly within the DAW as even though I’m classically trained and feel that I can “understand” my music better if I work with sheet music, I often feel hat leaving it behind can allow me to be more creative. But every piece of music I write is one that is designed to be played - therefore sheet music is a necessity. If I could just stick in one program and compose my music without being hindered by the score, but also still have the ability to create and edit the score as intuitively as I can in Dorico, it would just cut out a step in my workflow which would be great. And both programs already kind of have the other built in in a minimal way, with Dorico’s “Play” mode and Cubase’s Score Editor, so its just a matter of mushing the two together (of course as mentioned, a huge developmental undertaking, but at least in concept it is merely their combination)
Totally agree - I don’t even necessarily want Cubase to have full integration of Dorico within - more or less, I want the score editor in Cubase to be as intuitive and functional for me as Dorico is, but I don’t necessarily need them to be the same thing.
