So I’ve been checking out the new export functions in earnest today to deliver stems, and either I’ve missed something or I’ve misunderstood the sales blurb.
Say I want to export a “Guitars” stem, amongst others. Previously I’d have soloed all relevant Guitar groups and tracks, with send FX as necessary, and printed the Stereo Out. On completion, I’d disable these tracks for avoidance of error and move on to the next stem.
Now I’d assumed that by selecting multiple tracks/groups with the “Link” button I could effectively queue up export jobs like before - but this isn’t possible - it will always export as multiple tracks rather than as one stem. Don’t get me wrong, the new functions are useful, but its still going to take quite some babysitting to break down a track into multiple stems. I guess I’m just going to have to further group per stem all relevant groups and tracks? Just feels like a faffe.
Please help me if I’ve got this wrong!
The link feature is meant for multi-track export, it’s simply linking the channel section to the export selection. ie, all that feature is really doing is speeding up multi-channel batch export channel selection.
If you are wanting to do sum-stems like you are explaining, you should be using the direct out panel in the MixConsole with ‘Summing’ mode engaged and then having either a group channel or output those are being summed to.
or just select the multiple channels of guitar and do a stereo mixdown setting, add to job cue. then select the drums and bass, stereo mixdown setting, add to job cue…etc.etc
Thanks for the input - I love that even after using CB since back on an Atari STE I’m still learning new angles.
I’ve never had to use the direct out panel before. Just read the manual on it and “summing mode” and tbh I’m not much clearer.
Can you shed some light as to how I can use it to export multiple stems of groups and tracks, all routing through the stereo buss FX?
yes I will make a gif animation video, give me a sec
Thanks - but what do you mean by “stereo mixdown setting”? If I solo eg guitar tracks, add a stereo export to the queue, then solo drums and do the same thats not going to work is it?
I’m not working in 11 yet, so its hard for me to describe what I mean without it in front of me.
forgot one detail in above video, unassign output of the stem groups so you don’t hear them in the project
the other way is using Audio Connections
Thanks so much - so these would still be routed through the stereo buss FX even though they’ve been unassigned, cos that’s the point where my previous workaround tries (dummy outputs etc) fell down?
They wouldn’t be routed through the stereo bus, unless you wanted them to. I turn them off because otherwise, the sound would be doubled as you’d be hearing both the individual tracks going to the stereo bus as well as the stems.
I’m not sure how that would work if you did want the stereo bus inserts, how that works with the new protocol, if it would end up doubling the sound or not - or if you can leave the stereo bus outputs disabled and still use the Export Window to route there.
if that got messy or didn’t work and you did want the stereo bus inserts on your stems - I would maybe create a new dummy stereo master bus output and then just copy over the inserts:
Even - if - new Export does allow sum exports, or does in the future - I would likely still do it the way I am showing you - because - imo, a.) it’s better project organization. b.) It will allow you to re-use these stem groups/outputs/dummy stereo 2 master again and again if you have to do changes/revisions which saves you wasted time re-doing the export channel selection and c.) it allows you do some mixing on the individual stems if need be for whatever reason.
I’m NOT %100 sure if the above would work… might have to set those stem outputs to the dummy as regular outputs instead of the Direct Out/Summing Mode outputs for the Export Window to catch them… I’ll leave that to you to test because I’m still on Cubase 10
Thanks again for the thoughts. Yeah I would have gone the multiple dummy output route, but my Stereo buss leans heavily on UAD so its not feasible always without the risk of running out of DSP.
I think you should be able to still process everything through the main stereo bus… you might just not want to listen to the project when the stems have it activated and you - might - not be able to get an overall stereo export of the entire project as you will have combined your regular project tracks and the stems making everything louder - - - - - unless - - - - you might be able to momentarily disable the stereo main out assignments of all the tracks in the project, leaving only the stems going to main stereo out…
…I’m positive there is some workaround somewhere you can do.
yes I think that is maybe what you will have to do if the new Export isn’t able to get the stems individually to the Master Stereo, and or, if you also want a stereo out of the entire project.
You could utilize maybe the MixConsole Snapshot feature to re-enable all the individual track outs back to normal quickly… if they added that ability in C10.5 or C11… in 10, SnapShots doesn’t include the Direct Out panel unfortunately.
I think, moving forward, the solution would be for them to integrate the Snapshots into the Export dialog - then just setting up a Snapshot per stem. It’d be so simple & elegant.
Why would you need a Snapshot per stem?
Snap 1 - Full Mix. Snaps 2 to X - Miscell channel combinations for needed stems.
Export Job 1: Activate Snap 1 - Stereo Out / add to queue
Export Job 2: Activate Snap 2 - Stereo Out / add to queue
…etc…then hit batch queue export. Simple!
Oh I see what you’re saying, yeah that could work. It might not even be necessary though
I am wondering if there is something I’m missing, and perhaps what I’ve always wanted to do is somehow, now possible. But I can’t figure it out.
The main client I do work for needs 3 mixes…a full sing version (so LEAD and BACK vocal busses are both on), a background vocal version (so LEAD BUSS is muted), and finally, an instrumental. I have always hoped someone someday would make a queue where those versions could be lined up, and with one click all bounced at once.
I thought it it would be great if you create MIX Snapshots of these (but the Steinberg didn’t include mutes with snapshots, so I’d have to do it with a fader…) and if they perhaps made it possible to Mix/Bounce SNAPSHOTS in the queue…but atlas not at this time.
Is there anyway this could be done with the new features? If one could only mute busses in the EXPORT dialog you could line each of these mixes in the queue and be done!
Thanks for any input.
Oh jeez - having never had to use mix snapshots I didn’t realise that Mute status wasn’t included! Can’t understand that - seems like a massive oversight!