Splitting One Project Into Multiple Projects

I am new to Cubase and I recently made a live multi-track recording that included many tunes all in one project. I think I would like to split each tune into its own project and master each one individually.

Question 1: Am I on the right track? Is this the best process for one long take with many tunes?

Question 2: What is the easiest way to break the project into individual tunes.

Thanks!

-Micah

If it’s a gig then you’d probably find it easier to keep it all in one project, that’s what I do. If it’s a studio project then you should probably split it up to get better control over each song (as their sound can diverge more than a live gig). You’d still end up for example wanting the same drum sounds across all the songs but you can use preset saves for that (that’s what I do too). There’s no hard and fast rules of course. Could do some initial editing on all songs before splitting up for example.

Whenever I need to split a project, I simply duplicate the directory and change the new dir name and then go ahead and edit both projects separately. There are other ways to do it, I’m sure people will chime in. This duplicates all the audio as well, which is generally what I want - I’ll go and tidy up or delete unused audio later in the safe knowledge that I’m not effecting the other project.

However, as you’re splitting a project which uses parts of the same original audio files, I’d recommend that you store (or move) those original audio files in a separate directory outside the song project folders (but within say the album folder) with a usefully obvious name like ORIG_Audio. That way you’ll not delete it and you’ll know where it is.

Well, that’s how I do it anyway…

Mike.

Thanks Mike. It is a live gig recording. I was thinking of doing all of the EQ’ing and some compression to the entire project but then breaking it up to add things like reverb and delay for specific songs.

What I was hoping for is something like what I used to do years ago in Sound Forge; make a selection and save it as a new file. If that isn’t possible, I will follow your recommendation of duplicating the directory.

-Micah

You should have a look through the manual because there are other ways via the File menu, it’s just that I don’t use them.

I don’t know if you have a lot of experience so if I’m not teaching you to suck eggs then I’d recommend you keep the whole gig in a single project and rely on automation and splitting of tracks. Usually best because there may well be global EQ changes right the way through the mixing of the whole project.

Split the guitar tracks and any other instruments (keys maybe) up into the different sounds, e.g. clean, crunch, solo etc. You can then EQ them separately, and as there’s a virtually unlimited track count this is usually a good way to go about it. But if you’re really using a lot of effects for each different track then you might end up with CPU overload I suppose.

I guess it also depends on your budget too. For example, I’m currently prepping up a live gig and the budget is limited so it’s quicker to keep it in one project. It’ll be mixed to the budget in a single project and I’m sure there will be plenty of automation involved…

Mike.

there is Greg Ondo’s tutorial i think it this one(on slow internet cant see the video at the moment :neutral_face: )

if its this video it shows how to make new “real” audio files from regions…

anyway you can do batch export for the song/files u want for each song and import them to new songs projects…

use the backup project function.

Obviously save the complete project first under a name like “complete project” Then cut and delete all the audio from the project except for the song you want, then do a backup project, this will create a new song directory and copy all the audio that’s on the arrange page.

Repeat with the next song, etc, etc, etc

+1

It’s best if your thinking of moving any versions of audio or tracks around the only real sure way of doing this is " back up project" . Not a quick process for what you want to do but it’s a fail safe way

Thanks, very helpful thread. I’ve just started recording live drums so this is very timely for me. I’m understanding the suggestions as follows:

  • do any project-wide alterations first (e.g. general levels, panning, eq for individual drums, make a group track, etc.)

  • split and separately save each ‘song’ so these can be individually worked on further.

Steve.

but dosnt this one saves all show long files?! if its a 2h show u wouldnt want 30 ch 2h long
for each song in each project !!! unless the way u suggest create new files as long as each song from the all show files.

No, It only saves what is on the arrange page, if you select the correct options.