Mediabay - why use it ? opinions

Cubase
#1

I have now been studying the Mediabay for a while and I think I got to the point where there is nothing more to learn, but I still ask myself why I want to use it or what the benefits over a normal explorer are.

I have listened to much of Cubases content in the mediabay but to be honest, I dont find it very impressive. The tagging might be smart but if the content really doesnt sound that good it seems like there is no sense to start using the tagging/attribute thing.

So I would like to hear other opinions on the Mediabay - there might be something I missed.

Regards Dr Tolle

(dont get me wrong - I love Cubase, - just not the sound content that comes with it)

#2

You can add your own content and tag it?

#3

All loops and all sample packs are boring. 99.99999999% of cases a loop is a rejected idea from a music producer beat-maker that was not good enough to make into a song or instrumental to sell. That fact that everyone else has them means they will be generic by default. I don’t use any loops. I also rarely touch media bay. Just create better original content yourself from scratch. Even if Cubase were to source rare loops and put them in, as soon as it’s in Cubase, it’s not rare anymore and will quickly become overused and generic. As has been suggested above, you can use Media Bay for loops you find yourself if you do want to use loops.

#4

Sure I could do that. The problem with tagging is that it takes time. As I have around 100.000 sound-files (mostly sound-effects for sound-design) and tagging those would take me at least a year. I already know where most of the sounds are located as they are separated in folders and categories.

Dr Tolle

#5

I use it rarely, mostly to sync my own channel / VST presets with another computer via DropBox. It’s not perfect but it works with some restrictions.
But to search or organize in MediaBay is a mess because of loading a plugin every time an entry is selected.

#6

I use MediaBays (not Right Zone) for previewing wav and midi files. I don’t use tagging feature because I use several DAWs.
I also use MediaBays to access wavs in the Project Folder when I want to drag and drop them into 3rd party plugins.

#7

I share everything, if anything I use a basic sample to modify it.

#8

For some (many?) users, Media Bay is not needed or used. But for users who need to search, sort, index, tag, etc., many loops samples, presets, etc., it can be handy. If you don’t find it useful, don’t use it.
Personally, I could do without it. Perhaps I will look for a way to remove it (delete the component files?).

I made a feature request some years ago about making it possible to disable or completely remove many of the functions in Cubase to “simplify and clean” the interface and code. Think of the “modules” in Cubase that are used by select users… Media Bay, Video, Generic Remote, Transit, Control Room, more… These features are what makes Cubase stand out and provides capabilities for some but can be clutter for many users.

#9

I never used to use media bay until i updated from cubase 8 to 10 a few months back and was gobsmacked at how media bay had evolved. It’s now so powerful and useful, other than some refinements here and there.

I spent a few months categorising all of my personal samples a few years back - so everything is properly organised into drums - bass - acoustic yadd yada. Meaning that it only took around half an hour to tag 1000sof samples into cubase.Now I have a super powerful categorised, tagged and filed system of all my best samples ready to use in cubase.

It’s saved me so much time, whenever I need a highly specific sound, or just some inspiration, I can simply and quickly dial it in either from media bay or the right hand zone. Plus all the samples play perfectly in time with your song - you don’t even have to load them in - you can try them out during song playback. Super powerful.

I now use medially all the time.It’s incredible and has changed the game for me as a dance music producer.

#10

It does take time if you tag properly and avoid what I call group tagging which can result in limited or little usefulness in the long run. For perspective, I spent weeks tagging thousands of patches in Unisyn which later MOTU abandoned. Then came Kore and it’s excellent browser with tags, but I had learned my lesson from Unisyn, and happy I didn’t do much tagging since NI abandoned Kore. So with Media Bay? No way. I’ll do some special tags, but nothing comprehensive. Personally I think tagging has to be approached with great caution meaning don’t invest too much time with it unless you are sure you will be rewarded in the long run.

Wow! You realize how integrated it is into Cubase right? No presets of any kind?

If it only took you 30 minutes to tag thousands of samples, then you must not be entering very many categories other than the very basics. Typically, for myself it might take 15-30 seconds per patch to hopefully accurately categorize and describe each patch. Then again, you are making use of tagging and for the most part, I’m not…other than what has been factory tagged. :laughing:

#11

I do now! I tried moving the file “mediaservice.dll” to the desktop. I thought I would still be able to load presets in individual instruments or track presets etc. I just thought I wouldn’t have the Media Bay to browse through all presets, samples, etc., in ONE PLACE. But, as you have pointed out, there are NO presets available at all. Obviously, the service scans and indexes all presets and knows what they are applicable to and allows you to see them when they are appropriate.

So, I could still do without the Media Bay (i.e. the one stop shop for browsing presets, samples, etc.), but, of course, the “mediaservice” is needed.

#12

Maybe 30-60 minutes. I can’t recall exactly. But it was painless once I got the hang of hot cubase handles tagging. I had to ask for help on this forum as I didn’t think mediabay could do it. Once I had all the info I was good to go. If your samples aren’t perfectly organised in advance of starting the tagging then you’ll be there forever. Like I said, I had spent many many weeks organising my samples in advance. And they are all categorised to the minutia detail. Drums. Acoustic. Hip hop. Heavy metal. Sabres kick. Etc etc. This then means you have a database that can be easily set up in any daw you move to. In cubase I tagged each folder / subcategory folders of multiple samples at once. You don’t have to do them individually. If you did you’d be there for weeks. There’s no need to tag a folder of 100 snares 100 times. You do it once for the at folder of snares.

#13

Yes I have been thinking about doing the tagging with folders but was just not sure if it was possible or how it works. I have never really tagged samples before but luckily all my samples are already categorized. I might test this out. Thanks.

#14

#15

Agreed and…
+1 for your feature request. I could not find it ( I may have previously +1’d it). Maybe you can resubmit as I am all for preference options to disable certain functions.

Regards. :sunglasses:

#16

If you take the time to figure out how to use and customize media bay to your advantage for your specific work type, it will speed up certain things for you.

#17

It may have been on Cubase 9 or 8 or even 7…

I don’t even look at the Feature Request Forum anymore. It got too big and, frankly, kind of annoying with too many very specific user task requests. You know, “a button to shorten all selected MIDI notes by exactly three tics, and raise the pitch by 1 semi-tone”. Things that could be done with LE, macros, key-commands, etc.