Speedy tracking workflows?

Guys,

What are your tracking workflow tips? In recent years I migrated to tracking solely in pro tools, as I was working in studios I done this to speed up my efficiency… But I still remain in cubase for all composing and production … I had a session these last few days where I tracked the vocals in cubase… And now im slower at tracking in cubase than PT lol.

Some questions…

Do you typically have a record track so that you can hear the mic at all times, during record and or playback… For example with tape machine style you cant hear the singer during playnback if the wish to say stop or something to that effect.

Is there a dialog box similar to PT when duplicating a track not to include versions etc? I found that duplicating tracks to record new stuff on was a little messy because it carried all the versions with it and caused some issues later on…

I would love to hear your tracking tips and tricks for a sound workflow… I also find that the cursor sometimes isnt as efficient as PT and would like to be able to set that to either go back to where it started or to stop where i stop i forget this setting in cubase…

And lastly is there a way to play from the cursor or do we always have to go up to the timeline to select where we want to play from?

These are things I am ashamed to say i dont know how to do in Cubase.

PS is there modifier key used to lock a part on the arrangement window to its current position when moving from on track to another? I guess ctrl+click but why does it still let it slide horizontal on the track your bringing it from?

There’s a keycommand for duplicate track without data. I’ve set it to option-d. Quite handy for tracking

it will snap into place when you let go.


regarding takes; just keep recording over the same track then expand out and use the wonderful ‘hand,takes tool’ to just make your comp. It’s effortless.


MC

I monitor the vocals outside of cubase.


I use a MOTU 828x which comes with cuemix. Outside of cubase, within cuemix I have the phones monitoring the mic… and I can also put reverb on this using the cuemix software.

Means I know I’m not going to get feedback etc.


You could totally set it up within cubase using control room though…

If you use numpad 0 instead of space to stop playback, then another hit on numpad 0 returns to where you started playback. So use numpad 0 to stop and return and numpad “enter” key to start playback, instead of using “space”.

ctrl numpad 1 to set Start, ctrl numpad 2 to set End. Ctrl 3 to 9 to set markers. Use them without ctrl to recall.

Btw I tracked a band not so long ago on a protools rig (first time for me) and I have to say, Protools is absolutely better for that job, with the way the busses work.
In Cubase I don’t use the monitoring for band tracking as it gets in the way, I rather use totalmix from my RME card.
That way the band can hear themselves and what was recorded before, makes punch in/out much easier.

yeah… for band recording protools is amazeballs.

Thanks guys…

Yes I have to say in a fast paced recording environment pro tools is a winner. It kills me to say that. I have been a cubase user since I was 12. And refused to look at pro tools for years because of it… But for tracking and getting into a mix quickly Pro tools is much easier to work with.

BUT… I would never touch it for composing .

Anyway to get cubase to just play your selection?

Tonight while tracking the client we wanted to do another take but keep some ones they had done. To do this i would copy the part and duplicate version as we would the other parts in the piece to hear during punch… What is a more effiecient way to do this?