Just a thought but it would be awesome if Cubase had a “track category” feature which would allow you to change the track category from a customizable list. From here you could set the default color for each of the different track categories which would automatically apply once you set the “category” for each track. Perhaps it would allow you to set the “icon” too perhaps, which could be separate from the “picture” and also one of the items that are available in the track control settings window and/or perhaps replace the little keyboard icon on the left side which feels a bit misleading at times? This would allow for independent naming of each track without fear of naming something incorrectly interfering with any auto-coloring you have set. Of course the list would be customizable based on the users needs but what I’m picturing for it is things like DRUMS, BASS, GUITAR, STRINGS, VOCALS… as well as sorting by track type such as Audio, Midi, Group, VCA, FX, Fader, etc.
As of right now, and I could very well be doing this inefficiently, I am creating individual PLEs for each of the track categories I want in my project. Bass, guitar, drums, strings, etc. and based on their name I have them set to a different color. (Well, actually 5 PLEs for each track category because I want slightly different colors for Groups, Audio/Midi, VCAs, Folders, and FX tracks). I then create a macro and add each of these individual PLEs to it, set that to a keyboard shortcut and I have an auto-colorize system for my project. It’s very cool that this works but it feels somewhat fragile for a few different reasons and I definitely think it could be improved.
For example, I need to be careful about what I name each track. I have to be sure to include the name that I’ve included in the PLE in the track name. I can’t simply name a track Omnisphere or GrooveAgent, I have to name it Synth: Omnisphere or Drums: GrooveAgent which makes it hard to see the full name of the track and just feels kind of redundant. Also if I later realize that I forgot to include one of the names I would like Cubase to recognize for the auto-colorization macro in the PLE (for example vox for vocal tracks), I would have to go in and edit all five of the PLE’s I’ve created which is a bit time-consuming.
Hopefully I’m doing this wrong and there’s a more efficient way of creating this that someone else can clue me in to. But it does seems like a customizable track category system such as this would be very helpful.
