Reviving old Cubase songs from the mid 2000s – what's the best way to do it?

Cubase
1

I stopped using Cubase in about 2007. I still have a few old songs I’d like to revive, but I don’t have the software and I don’t have the PC that used to have the software. From looking at Wikipedia, I believe my last version was probably 4.0

I’ve considered a few options:

  1. Get a new version of Cubase, and see if the songs load.
  2. Get an old version, like 4.0, somewhere on the net and try loading it up and see if the songs load.

Can anyone in this community offer some advice?

Thanks!

2

My old projects made with CB LE 4 open in CB Pro 10.5. But, as expected, none of the the VSTs I used back then are found when I open in 10.5 because I no longer have any of those versions of the VSTs. Accordingly you need to reassign new VSTs as appropriate.

Back then I did not archive my projects by mixdowning each track with it’s assigned VST. Nowadays this process is much easier and I do that. I actually render in place each track with & without the VSTs.

Regards. :sunglasses:

3

Thanks! That sounds like a plan. Given that Cubase elements is so much cheaper, is there any reason I shouldn’t go with that version?

4

When you buy a newer version of Cubase Pro, it gives you a license for all the older versions. So theoretically, you could buy the new 10.5, install 4 or whatever the last version is that you actually used and open your projects. That way you’re getting exactly the same as what you had before in terms of the stock plugins and such. Theoretically it will open in 10.5 but they’ve upgraded the stock plugins a few times since then so it might sound slightly different and some of the stock plugins were taken away. You could though, download Cubase 4 and jBridge the Cubase 4 plugins. Then the old projects should load up in 10.5 and find the Cubase 4 plugins if you have any projects that use a missing/discontinued Cubase 4 plugin.

5

It depends. It doesn’t have Vari-audio if you used that and it wont give you the license for Cubase 4 as well as far as I know but you might wanna check with Steinberg on that. I know the pro version also gives you a Cubase 4 license as it gives you a license for every prior version of Cubase.

You can download a 30 day trial to test things out and open your old projects.

6

That really is up to you based on your needs and what you can afford. Of course “better” versions are just… better. But, if you don’t need all the bells and whistles, then a version like Elements works good. I used CB LE4 for several years before upgrading to the better versions.

As far as the old VSTs go… Remember, CB 10 and above dropped support for 32 bit VST plug-ins. I suppose, as mentioned, you could get them to work but, I would kiss them goodbye and use the 64 bit new ones as necessary to get the sound you want. Your system will work much better without those oldies muddying things up.

Good luck and have fun. :wink:

Regards :sunglasses: