By default your audio files are saved in a folder named Audio in your project folder. That is a real folder on your hard drive. By default Export will save to the Export folder in your project folder. This will keep all your files for the project in one place…the Project folder
Yes, and I’m sure that default setup is perfectly fine for many people. But when you want a bit more structure, for example, keeping instruments and vocals in separate folders, or putting the comped tracks that are ready for mixing into their own folder, it becomes less practical.
You can create those folders inside the Pool, but they are only virtual folders; they don’t exist on the actual drive.
For example, if I want to copy all the ready-to-mix tracks from the project to another studio, I’d like to be able to copy that folder that I created inside the Pool browser from the drive and be on my way. At the moment, I can’t do that, because the folder I created in the Pool doesn’t exist physically. If I open the project’s Audio folder in Windows Explorer, all the files are still sitting side by side, and the folder structure I created in the Pool is nowhere to be found. In a large project, this becomes a bit of a mess pretty fast.
That’s really the point of my original post.
It would simply be a time-saver for people who like to keep their projects well organized at the file-system level as well as inside Cubase.
Don’t use the Pool, use your file system to create folders you want and copy anything relevant into them. Keeping all your files in the project folder is about as organized as you can get
I usually take the 2 track renders and copy to another folder and then open that in Wavelab…that way I have the original project complete and can move it around or burn to bluray which is how I keep my files.
“Don’t use the Pool”
Yes, that is the problem I suggest we fix.
Instead of using virtual folders in the Pool, make them actual physical folders that Windows Explorer recognizes. Problem solved.
Each project can now be organized within the Pool (=the Project Audio folder) and be read by Windows Explorer.
And to clarify. I’m not talking about “just” a mixdown file. I want to keep hundreds of files organized. The Pool is the closest we get inside Cubase, but it’s far from perfect. Your suggestion “Don’t use the Pool” is correct. However, I would prefer that we can use the Pool to organize our files.
The Pool just looks at where you told the program to keep your audio files, just use your preferences and OS to create folders, etc. I never use the Pool. Create folders in the project folder and keep things there like notes, etc.
With real folders in the pool you’d have to be very careful when moving or deleting them.
Deletions - instead of “gone forever” move then to the Recycle Bin. But’s another issue.
True. That’s why I just suggest it to be an option, for those who appreciate it.
That being said, we already have a real (physical) folder structure within each project (Audio, Auto Saves, Images, Track Pictures) that we should be very careful with. So this is not a big change. The only difference would be additional physical folders (instead of virtual ones) inside the Audio folder, that we could also access with Windows Explorer.
Just one example.
I prefer to have my comped and edited, mix-ready, tracks in a separate folder inside the Pool, for staying organized. Not in the same folder as every recording that was done in the project. This is fairly simple to do inside the Pool. However, as it is now, If someone needs those mix ready tracks, I can’t just use Windows Explorer to copy that folder, since it doesn’t exist.
If I was offered the option (in Preferences) to have physical folders in the Pool, instead of virtual ones, I would choose “physical” right away and never look back
Have you tried to create a sub-folder structure in the Project’s Audio Folder & stock it with some audio files. Then drag the whole thing into the Pool. What happens, does the folder structure come with it?
I agree with you @HenrikDK . I think the whole fil system functionality is well over due for Steinberg products. They should make it way more modern and the challenges are not only for the audio pool and recorded files. It would be very nice to have the option to move your vocal takes into a separate folder for cleaner file finding experience. It is many issues with files in other feature like the sampler track. There should be a more dynamic option how to keep track of all these files appearing with the new features. I see the project folder is getting a little better folder structure so I hope Steinberg is streamlineing these thing more in the future. The best way to organize your audio folder now is to be very structued with the track names in advance of recording.
