I use Cubase 10.5. I’ve used VCA faders and Groups. I am interested in organizing my tracks as groups (or VCA) within groups, and I don’t know how to do this. Here’s my example: I have 2 kick drum tracks (miked 2 different ways). I’d like to have kick1 at 75% volume mixed with Kick2 at 25% volume. I’d like to make that a group or VCA (called KickDrumMix). Then I’d like to have all my other drum tracks, and group them together with the KickDrumMix in something called “Drums”. Then I’d like to group my Drums, Bass and Guitar into a group called “Band”. So ultimately I’d have 2 faders at the top level: “Band” and “Vocals”, and the band would have a group called “Drums” and the Drums would have a subgroup called KickDrumMix. Could someone please help me out how I can architecture my Cubase productions into nested subgroups like this?
Errrr… you just do it. Personally I would use Group Tracks. I am not sure where you are stuck. Can you tell in detail which hurdle you can’t jump?
I’m trying to understand if Cubase supports multiple levels of nesting tracks which is a super common piece of functionality in (for example) video editing applications. Kickdrum versions 1 and 2 nested within drums, nested within instrumental, nested within music track, nested within soundtrack. Its just such a common sort of functionality in other timeline based software I use, I’m surprised its not supported in music software. Like putting a group inside a group inside a group.
You need to shift your position a bit to look at the matter differently. Instead of thinking containment or nesting of objects, try thinking about signal flow and output of each track.
So, using your last example:
“Kickdrum version 1” Audio track: Output to Group “Drums”
“Kickdrum version 2” Audio track: Output to Group “Drums”
“Drums” Group: Output to Group “Instrumental”
“Instrumental” Group: Output to Group “Music Track”
“Music Track” Group: Output to Group “Soundtrack”
Does it make sense?
As @ggmanestraki said in Cubase a group does not comprise an object, that can be attached to another object.
You rather route the flow of the signal not unlike water in a set of canals.
What you ask for is a very common usage in DAWs. The final result would look something like this in the project view:
In this example I also used Folder tracks, to organize the tracks visually.
…and like this in the MixConsole, where we can see the routing above the faders:
Thanks so much. I’ve used Cubase for ages and have never known how to organize my templates like this. I’ll try this out this afternoon.
@gigasaurus I’ve just started to set up my first proper template - I was expecting it to be difficult / non-intuitive, but honestly, the hardest part was choosing a colour scheme!