We have been using Cubase Pro (13.5) and lower versions over the years in our studio. Today we spent $500 and purchased Wavelab pro 12 mainly for mastering a couple of current projects and as my friend would say… I’m as lost as last years Easter Eggs…. we spend a couple of hours yesterday trying to work with it … all I can say is this software learning curve is probably the most time consuming software that I have used in my 40 years in studios… Let me explain.
We have a couple of projects that we have tracked mixed and edited over the last few weeks… We cut the project in Cubase pro 13.5, finished all the overdubs and mixed them at 48Khz and saved them as .wav files 48k-24 bit. The idea was to use Cubase to this point because we know it then, open up Wavelab and use it to master the ( I guess you all them clips) I call them songs… When we tried to bring the songs in to the Montage it wanted to resample them to 44.1k ( we want to master at 48k and then resample at the end (that want I have done for years. We could not figure out how the heck we run the program at 48K… we looked up under the project preferences and it did not have a 48k option, we see 44.1 and for some crazy reason it also has a choice of 96k and every-time we tried to bring a song in Wavelab wants to convert it! I don’t want to do that! Isnt there a way that the program can be used as a stand alone mastering software. I understand it can be combined with Cubase but right now we have done all the work in Cubase alone and the various plug-ins…
I’ve tried to find a video that would show us how to use it as a pure mastering program but all the videos I’ve found consists Tracking, editing the projet in Wavelab and them using the mastering section to finish it off. What do others do when they work with ProTools and other DAW ‘s and then just want to master with Wave Lab….it really can’t be this difficult can it?
I’m going to try to go out and do a deeper dive tomorrow in the studio to figure this out… why cant I just use Cubase as my DAW and Wavelab mastering section as a tool to master the songs (clips) I may take time latter to learn the complete program features and use it to start a new project but right now I’m so confused that if I could send this software back I would.
• If the active file is a 44.1 kHz file, WaveLab switches the device driver sample rate to 44.1 kHz. You have nothing to do.
• If the active file is a 48 kHz file, WaveLab switches the device driver sample rate to 48 kHz. You have nothing to do.
• etc.
The above implies your device driver does not have a locked sample rate.
If your audio device has a fixed sample rate, then the simplest solution is to activate the Resampler in the Master Section so that it matches the sample rate of your audio device. If you set it to 44.1 kHz, for example, then any file in WaveLab will be able to play, whatever its sample rate.
However, in mastering, it is recommended to have an audio driver that supports switchable sample rates (by the host) to avoid the software resampling stage.
Perhaps I need to give a little more information…In our studio we use 16 NEVE 1073 OPX preamps (2 sets of 8) The opx only has a Clock out and is the master so everything is locked to that. My DAW is a PC running windows and we run either ProTools or Cubase depending on the client and or project. Our sound card is the RME Raydat card and we have it used via the optical ins and outs and it has it’s specific driver package… .we have never hand an issue with any of the software no matter what software we are using… When we have a project we track at 48k, then we mix and Edit in Cubase or Protools at 48k 24 bot .wav files. OUr goal is to master at 48k and once were happy we will resample at 44.1 for the master cd…. been doing this for the last 30 or 40 years. 30 years ago I had a program called CD Architech Id open the files in that add any processing , add the IRQ codes and bun the cD in all the projects I have done I have never run in to an issue… I just need to make sure the wave lab project from the beginning is 48k and bring the files in at 48 is what I am guessing but I think there was a way to use “CD Standard” set up and that would change everything to 44.1/16 bit…. I guess I need to do a little more reading and go through the “New Project” set up and read every step…
In WaveLab, the project has nothing to do with Cubase, so don’t try to compare too much.
If you want to create a CD/DDP, you will have to create what is called an Audio Montage.
If you don’t want to resample your audio files to 44K, you can create a 48K audio montage to host these files.
When you need to create a DDP from this montage, you need to activate the resampler in the master section, so that to create a 44k audio stream. If you don’t do this, WaveLab will recall it to you.
Well…I’ve spent quite a bit of time reading and watching videos on the program and although components of the program are famillar its going to take abit of time to better understand it. I am going to see if there is any users near buy and ask them if I can get them to come by to help speed up the learning curve… I will proably be in the studio tomorrow and do more reading and looking at the program a little deeper.. I appreciate the help and suggestions … I think I just need to get in front of it and push some buttons and see what happens…. I am sure I’ll be back with lots of questions.
I have been using WL for 30 years. My first WL was version 1.6.2. Over the years it has grown to the point where it is now. PG is a genius and seems to be able to sculpt WL into what is needed in the mastering profession over the years.
It is a complex program but is not as hard to use as you are stating. There are some wonderful “how to” videos done by Justin Perkins and the documentation is very well done. Suggest downloading the manual from Steinberg’s website as a .PDF so you can refer to it when questions pop up.
I have interns who are used to using Pro Tools or some other DAW and it takes a few days to get them up to speed in WL but none of them has problems adapting.
Best of luck and I hope your learning curve is short. As you have found out this forum is great for getting questions answered.
Thank you for your response, I agree that it’s just that start up learning curve that we have with most new softare it just seems like this on is more intense until I get to know the options. I did down load the manual from the website and I am sure that will help. I also have watched a few of the videos on youtube but I think until I understand the layout and features I’m getting confused a bit. I’d like to find an easy step by step start up video on setting up the program and features. My needs right now are I just want to do some light work on the project songs that I created in Cubase and explore the options in WL… but most of these videos seem to want to do a lot more and I get confused because I’ve never seen the program before.
My Windows 10 (for now) computer has the RME RayDat audio card installed as it lets me connect up to 4 ADAT optical connections and in speaking with Tech support at RME that is the AISO driver I need to use with my set up because of our routing needs in the card. I have no issues with Cubase and Protools as my work is always at 48K 24bit in both tracking, overdubs, editing and mixing and I end up with the 48k 24bit .wav file. when we tried to use those files it keeps saying we need to resample whch we would rather not do at that point. In my system and drivers I have to shut off everything including my Studio Clock to hange sample rates. I usually at the very end of my process take the 48k files and bounce them to 44.1 16 bit to make a CD witch is very different when trying to use WL mastering. I do not know if we even chose a sample rate when we first started to use it… Perhaps if I set everything to 48k in WL and tell it not to resample I may be able to get the files I want. Even with Sound Forge in the 90’s and CD architect that is what I did.
In looking at Wave Lab it looks like once I can get things set up it perhaps be easier to use but right now… .I”m a bit lost. Just to be clear that in my set up and combination of equiptment including my Sony DMXR 100 digital console with the ADAT cards it’s limited to 44.1 or 48.
One more question.. .is if I set everything to 48k will I be able to do all the edits and mastering on a file and then once finished can I then set the program to resample to 44.1 and burn the CD? I do not want to work at 48K
Thanks again for the response… .My system may be a little different than some of the newer set ups.. .but it’s worked just fine for me since 1994
Thank you for your reply… I think you will see in my answer to Tom Bethel I’ve coverd my questions and confusion … I am going to spend more time in the studio today to work some of my issues in regards to sample rate and my system set up options… I think when we opened the first project we may not have made the changes we needed, there were so many options I just didn’t understand the terminology…. I’ll post more after today I”m sure.
Sorry about the confusion… Too early and not enough coffee… It should have said I don’t want to work at 44.1 I have started looking at various videos… it’s just going to take time and figure this out.
