I am an Ableton and Pro Tools user and one of the features I am most thankful for is when I click anywhere on the grid (even inside of clips/regions), the playhead automatically moves to that point. This makes playback way smoother as I navigate around a project.
As far as I know, there is no way to do this in one click with the Smart Tool in Cubase. You need to use a modifier key, is a bit uncomfortable, or you can use a key shortcut to jump the playhead to cursor but its an annoying extra step. You can use the bar ruler at the top too but on a 27” monitor this is a long way to travel with a mouse and is frankly too tedious to even consider.
I would like to have the option to enable a “Playhead Follows Smart Tool Cursor” setting or something of that sort so I don’t need to involve a pesky extra key and speed up my workflow. If anyone else agrees please upvote!
Can you explain what you mean by “Smart Tool”? That is not a Cubase term.
Have you found the setting “Locate when clicked in empty space”? (Preferences→Transport). If you enable that, you can click in any empty space in the project window and the playhead will jump to that location. Works with most of the Cubase tools. Doesn’t work in editor windows, though.
I know what you’re talking about. I have set up my mouse to send Alt + Left Click on the middle mouse button. Might be an option while waiting for your request to make it into Cubase.
Yes, I meant the combined selection and range tool mode. Thanks for the correction @Johnny_Moneto
As for clicking in empty space to move the playhead, this becomes a bit like playing minesweeper when you have a project full of MIDI regions. I find myself struggling to find an area that isn’t occupied by MIDI, forcing me to click far away from my working area, so in reality its just as uncomfortable as using the bar ruler
Plus, this method doesn’t snap the playhead to the grid which is super infuriating in its own right
Thanks for the suggestion. I happen to have a really unstable middle mouse button so this solution is annoying for another reason, but either way, I find it bizarre to have to jump through hoops to be able to accomplish something that is a basic workflow feature in other professional DAW’s.
This ought to be a really easy fix so I hope the Cubase team sees this soon and implements a setting that allows moving the playhead by placing the range selection cursor anywhere, even inside of MIDI parts, without needing a key modifier.
I hardly think holding down a modifier key can be classified as “jumping through hoops”. Besides, I’m sure I could find a long list of workflow features in Cubase that is missing in ProTools. Some things might be better, more refined or more intuitive in one DAW compared to another. It’s what it is. Just try to find the tools that works the best for you.
Users have a tendency to suggest adding preference settings that would fine tune an application to become more intuitive or flexible from their point of view. If Steinberg listened and implemented all of these suggestions, we would end up with mile long list of user preferences. It wouldn’t be user friendly and a complete nightmare from a developer standpoint.
I know this post might read as a discouragement or have a negative connotation. I’m sorry about that. I do believe that everyone should have the right to suggest whatever features they want. So even though this is not a feature I personally will vote for, I’m glad you brought it up.
PS. Perhaps it’s time to let that old, broken mouse go?
Ok, that’s a feature request for a future release… Beware though, its one that may not arrive for several years yet.
Happily, there is a solution for you right now, whilst you are actually working and living, now… lose the daily frustration and get yourself a new mouse, that has configuration software, then map ALT+SHIFT+Click to the middle button.
