Maybe this has been debated before, but are there any plans for fixing the VCA-behaviour?
Currently the cubase “VCA” operates in “moving faders” - style, a mode of operation only found as an option(that nobody actually uses) on Digico mixers.
Proper VCA operation does not actually move the faders of the channels assigned to it - and for people like me, who mostly mixes live sound on actual mixing desks with proper VCAs, the cubase vcas are counter intuitive and not at all usefull.
And did I mention that they are not actually VCAs?
For reference, check out any digital mixer from any well regarded brand - Midas, soundcraft, Avid, Yamaha, Allen & Heath, Digico, SSL
Or any analog mixer with VCAs for that matter…
VCAs do not move the assigned faders!
Does faders move even if set to trim mode automation?
As I recall they stay in place and wait for relative movement.
Just seen analog consoles on film, and constantly see faders moving - is that something else than VCA’s?
I’ve just watched FooFighters Sonic Highways dvd’s - and see faders move also as they play back.
But did not see which consoles was used in a particular place( 8 cities they recorded in for album).
So it would be about realtime movement of vca fader does not move the controlled tracks faders.
Tested Reaper 5.4 just recently, and testing this working as this tut - I did not fancy not getting visuals where you are, you could be well on overs and not see it. Or on infinite low - and you have no clue.
VCAs became all abstract, kind of - something is done but you only see on meters that something is happening.
You at least get some kind of reference to existing automation - this is way over or at infinite low.
Having no other reference to VCAs, I kind of prefer getting visuals.
ok, here the sum of movement automation+vca went really low
Thinking if movement goes below infinite low, you won’t get back to same relative level moving same amount up later.
You have to do some gain staging for this not to happend.
But tut did not fully investigate automation. Example was all without existing automation of what you control with VCA.
And no running of it all to see what moves and is shown visually - he just wrote automation, and then left.
A pity tut did not show this. I think ProTools does it like Cubase - and you get ghost curves on top of existing automation.
So Reaper scored no points in VCA area for me. I felt left in the dark. Reaper did not allow nesting VCAs either so left it at that.
Especially when you come at gigantic projects, with a range of VCAs controlling other VCAs - I want visuals.
How many play throughs are you going to do - before knowing no overs anywhere.
That’s common sense for me.
It would be simple to have it both ways. just change the preferences between “moving faders style” and “VCA-style”
I guess this depends on your background and what you are used to working with. I do live sound on actual mixing desks with proper VCA operation, so for me, the cubase way is complete nonsense.
