So after Pro Tools customer service gave me the shits (don’t ask), I’m giving Cubase a crack.
I’m pretty happy with the GUI and how things seem to work. The language Cubase uses is fairly different to Pro Tools so I’m still getting my head around that but overall I’m liking what I see.
I’ve mostly got a template with things running how I want them to run, with a few exceptions that I’m sure Cubase can do, I just don’t know how. I’ve done a bunch of experiments with group tracks and the like, but I feel like I’ve dug myself into a hole here and got lost! Any tips would be appreciated
#1) I like to record each instrument individually, then send them to a bus. EG:
Rhythm Guitar 1 (Panned hard L, No output)
Rhythm Guitar 2 (Panned hard R, No output)
SENDS TO
Rhythm Guitar BUS (Output)
#2) I would like to then send all those busses to a Mixbus, which is also going to the main output. EG:
Rhythm Guitar BUS
Bass Guitar BUS
Drum BUS
Vocal BUS
SENDS TO
MIXBUS
MASTER OUTPUT (Mastering Chain)
#3) How can I set up the grid to have the correct time signature for each part? Also, how can I set markers on the grid to make it easier to find certain sections?
#4) If there’s a magical “Songwriting Talent” switch somewhere here, do let me know! I couldn’t find one on Pro Tools either…
Select the tracks you want to go to your bus channel. Right click and select Add Track/ Group Channel to selected tracks. This will create the GROUP BUS and route the outputs of the selected tracks to it in one go.
Selected those GROUPS/BUS you made for Bass, Drum, Vocals etc and do the same thing, right click and select Add Track/Group channel for selected tracks. All your busses are now grouped and output on one fader bus. Then select that final bus and do the SAME thing again and call it MIX BUS . Now you should have a MIX buss and a MASTER bus. If you wanted to RECORD the MIX bus or RTD you could just add a Stereo Audio track and select the MIX bus group as the INPUT for the track.
IF you need to route to different outputs using the busses from your interface, look here at 12:00
Whole video is good info BTW. 5 CUBASE ROUTING TIPS - YouTube
Chris has great videos. Also check out the Cubase channel under Steinberg on YouTube and watch Greg Ondos videos
Project/Add Track/Signature Track. Select your DRAW TOOL, number 8 above qwerty keys. Pick your measure and double click.
“In the global track controls area of the track list, click Add Other Track or Use Track Preset .
Select Add Signature Track.
Select Draw on the Project window toolbar and on the signature track, click at the time position where you want to insert the time signature event.
Edit the numerator and the denominator to change the value of the time signature event.”
Project/Add Track/Marker Track
Same thing here, DRAW TOOL and just click to add markers
In fact I have a magical “Songwriting Talent” plugin that I sell. Its only $29.99/month and if you dont renew it’s a sweet $299 to get back on the perpetual train. HA
Selected those GROUPS/BUS you made for Bass, Drum, Vocals etc and do the same thing, right click and select Add Track/Group channel for selected tracks. All your busses are now grouped and output on one fader bus. Then select that final bus and do the SAME thing again and call it MIX BUS . Now you should have a MIX buss and a MASTER bus. If you wanted to RECORD the MIX bus or RTD you could just add a Stereo Audio track and select the MIX bus group as the INPUT for the track.
IF you need to route to different outputs using the busses from your interface, look here at 12:00
Whole video is good info BTW. > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mGth8rjKv4
Chris has great videos. Also check out the Cubase channel under Steinberg on YouTube and watch Greg Ondos videos
Done, and done! Cheers for the help!
Project/Add Track/Signature Track> . Select your DRAW TOOL, number 8 above qwerty keys. Pick your measure and double click.
“In the global track controls area of the track list, click Add Other Track or Use Track Preset .
Select Add Signature Track.
Select Draw on the Project window toolbar and on the signature track, click at the time position where you want to insert the time signature event.
Edit the numerator and the denominator to change the value of the time signature event.”
Okay, I got lost here after using the draw tool to double-click at the measure I need a time signature change. Not sure what you mean by Global Track Controls?
Project/Add Track/Marker Track
Same thing here, DRAW TOOL and just click to add markers
And I’m pretty sure this will become obvious once I find the thing you were mentioning up there!
In fact I have a magical “Songwriting Talent” plugin that I sell. Its only $29.99/month and if you dont renew it’s a sweet $299 to get back on the perpetual train. HA
Good GOD that is 100% why I’m doing this. I didn’t know how much it cost to jump back on. Personally, I think it’s a bit poopies and I’m currently arguing with them and threatening to take them to the ACCC for Misleading Business Practices. Not sure how far I’ll get but we’ll see how we go. THIS IS AN ARGUMENT FOR ANOTHER THREAD.
MORE QUESTIONS:
So as I go along and use it, obviously I’m going to find a few things that I know how to do in PT but not in Cubase. A couple of other things which have come up:
Drum Editing
Ugh…I know. Fortunately, I like how the drum editing was working in Cubase. However, I’d like to randomize each hit within a certain range. Is there a randomize velocity function?
Sidechaining
I saw a tutorial online on how to do this, but the sidechain button wasn’t there when I looked. I’m assuming that since I’m using Elements, side-chaining won’t work at this point?
Behaviour of Play\Stop of the cursor.
With PT, if you stop audio, the playhead will go to where you started it from. In Cubase it seems to continue where it was stopped. Can I tweak this somehow?
POSITIVES:
Cubase seems to like Virtual Instruments way more than Pro Tools which is nice
Folders is…such a simple idea that it hurts me to see PT not do them. I mean really.
Seems to use a lot less PC power as well. I’m doing more and getting away with it in Cubase.
It seemed to reamp nicer?
I like that I’ll be able to use MIDI controllers and Control Surfaces properly. Frankly, it seems like Cubase is way better for home studios rather than pro studios (but I don’t see why these advantages wouldn’t pay off for a pro studio either? Another rant for another time…)
Good luck with Cubase. You will find your way soon enough. However, I am not quite sure that anyone over here would want Cubase to work like Pro Tools. Every time I have used Pro Tools I have hated it. I have hated the way it looks, the way midi has much less functionality, the cost of hardware and “the subscription model”.
I…have to admit to not understanding what you’ve said here. Cubase really does use a different language to PT doesn’t it? We’re probably talking the same thing but not realising it (Read: I don’t realise it )
WHAT I MEANT:
I’d love to go into the drum editor, select all the snare drum hits for example and randomize the velocity of each hit as being somewhere between 100-110. I don’t really want to go in and edit EVERY hit myself. Randomizing within a range would be helpful.
[quote=“HFloyd”]
Sidechaining
I saw a tutorial online on how to do this, but the sidechain button wasn’t there when I looked. I’m assuming that since I’m using Elements, side-chaining won’t work at this point?
[/quote]
Correct
YAY for not doing things wrong! BUGGER for not being able to test it, but I’m sure it’s fine
[quote=“HFloyd”]
Behaviour of Play\Stop of the cursor.
With PT, if you stop audio, the playhead will go to where you started it from. In Cubase it seems to continue where it was stopped. Can I tweak this somehow?
[/quote]
Many of the general program behaviour parameters can be adjusted in preferences - also this one.
Oh god that menu is massive. No worries, I’ll have a fiddle. Cheers for the heads up
“- Behaviour of Play\Stop of the cursor.
With PT, if you stop audio, the playhead will go to where you started it from. In Cubase it seems to continue where it was stopped. Can I tweak this somehow?”
Preferences/Transport, check the Return to Start Position on Stop, hit Apply then OK, done
Cubase ELEMENTS doe NOT have Sidechaining
“I’d love to go into the drum editor, select all the snare drum hits for example and randomize the velocity of each hit as being somewhere between 100-110. I don’t really want to go in and edit EVERY hit myself. Randomizing within a range would be helpful.”
On every instrument and or midi track if you open the INSPECTOR for the the track ( Alt+I or Option+I), you have MIDI INSERTS and the MIDI MODIFIER plugin can apply random velocity for the track if you need that.
****I would encourage you to start a NEW THREAD for EACH thing you have a question or issue with so things dont get lost in the thread. Do a search before of course and check the manual as always.
You can PM me anytime you want as well, I’ll try to help as much as I can
I’ll send a few screenshots to Shanabit. I think I’m hitting the limits of Elements because things that are described here just aren’t coming up as options. Wouldn’t be surprised if I’m looking in the wrong spot! Wouldn’t be surprised if I’m not either.
That being said, overall it’s been a pretty positive experience
Note: That playhead tweak has MADE MY LIFE SO MUCH BETTER JESUS CHRIST.
I use Numpad zero, hit it once for stop and again to return to last start position. Numpad enter to play, plus and minus to move playhead, hold Ctrl to move it in bars.
I started with Cubase last June,I really like the way we can make our own custom key commands etc
Personally I really like the look and feel of Cubase 10.I have got a lot to learn,but learning the keyboard shortcuts first, so the more I use Cubase,the more I will get to grips with everything,he,he
Heck,I have even got a PDF,for the keyboard shortcuts sat on my desktop for reference,ha,ha.I have used other daws in the past,so the transition to Cubase has been reasonably painless.
)
