I typically use Studio One, and am currently trialling Cubase 13 Pro. Apparently, Cubase is stronger in midi handling, which is most of my work, hence the trial.
It’s probably cause I don’t really know Cubase, but the interface appears really messy! Finding things is hard and requires multiple steps. There do not seem to be any context menus (right click). For example, in Studio One I can right click on any object, and it shows me all the allowable operations on that object, furthermore, it keeps a list of my most commonly used ones near the top of the context menu. And the Cubase interface in general is fairly unattractive and cluttered (I know that’s subjective and I’m hoping that can be changed).
There must be something I’m missing? Surely the user workflow can’t be this convoluted. Can anyone provide tips on how to maximise effectiveness, or tell me where I’m going wrong? Maybe it requires a different mindset?
Any software seems “convoluted” until you find your way round. Only practice is going to help you there. After all, one man’s simple is another man’s wtf.
Context Menus - Cubase is chock-a-block with them, I don’t know how you’ve missed them.
Software that does this drives absolutely bonkers. I like items to be in the same place every time. Muscle memory, and all that. (One man’s simple is another man’s wtf.)
When asking about usability in such general terms, it can be difficult to advise how one should proceed without knowing the task in question. All software like this has its own workflow that must be learned.
Maybe you can offer some specifics about where you’re getting hung up or what functions you expect to be at hand in a given context?
There are context menues on right click in Cubase. You can change this in the Cubase Preferences.
This is how I always set it. I need context menues instead of the toolbar to be shown on right clicking. I.m.o. this should be default, but maybe more people like to see the toolbar when clicking right. So it’s all configurable in Cubase.
Yeah, I think as a fellow user said, it’s just the traction you have to have to learn the software. I for one opened Studio One and could not decipher a single thing. It’s just what you are used to.
@dynamaltee can you tell me the specific preferences I need to enable? I did look through there before posting, but didn’t see anything that might help & I have looked again after your suggestion, but nothing I tried has had any effect.
@Semarus@Googly_Smythe , yes, I wasn’t clear enough. I’m interested in midi events in the arranger & the midi editor. There are no context menus for either. Yes, I can see context menus for other objects, but I am less interested in those. As I trialling this purely for midi functionality, this is the main thing I am interested in.
@somecomposer well I hope so, although I think Cubase could be better (see last comment).
@manassas77 thanks for that. The Ctrl trick is also working for the midi events and editor, so that is an improvement! The fact that you have to use 2 hands instead of 1 highlights a usability problem & unfortunately it does not show all allowable operations, but thanks for that tip, it’s useful.
In learning terms it’s called “ Negative Transfer of Training”. In essence, starting from scratch and having no idea where any controls are is simpler than transferring from another platform and expecting them to be somewhere they are not. The only solution is practice and avoid reverting to the original platform if possible. S www.redtapemusic.net
I think you are not mistaken with your position regarding Cubase (or Nuendo). I also use Studio One and Pro Tools, and the workflow of Cubase/Nuendo is not good; things are hidden. Furthermore, when we insert a plugin that works in multichannel mode in Cubase, it does not automatically convert the track to other multichannel configurations of the plugin as it does in Pro Tools. This makes the workflow very difficult. On the other hand, when it comes to music production, Cubase and Nuendo are excellent; in addition, the stability is unmatched. I hope Steinberg improves the workflow of its DAWs in the future.
I am a Pro Tools Ultimate user. I recently made a crossgrade to Nuendo 13. The positive side of Nuendo is that it manipulates three-dimensional objects from multichannel tracks, Pro Tools is limited to operating with objects from a stereo track. On the other hand, in Pro Tools I can directly insert a multichannel plugin into the mono/stereo channel and operate (and switch) the track within a diverse scenario: 2.0, 5.x.x, 7.x.x, 9.x.x, etc. and Ambisonics modes (Pro Tools Ultimate supports up to seventh-order Ambisonics). Furthermore, the plugins operate in successive chains, for example, we can start with an Amb 3rd scenario and end with another plugin in 9.1.6. I confess that I have a lot of difficulty working in Nuendo using the power of the extensive features of plugins such as Sound Particles, ab Brewers, Eventide, etc. Still, I’ve admired the way Nuendo operates the panner tools, which are much deeper than Pro Tools.
If Steinberg improves the insertion of multichannel plugins directly into a mono/stereo track, Nuendo will certainly be the most powerful tool, in my opinion.
Thanks.
I see you’re an efficient person when it comes to typing and I also see that you had a conversation about a possibly different workflow in the Nuendo forum already.
In regards to general workflow and user interaction design I agree. There is a good room for improvement in Cubendo. Even though I’ve been dealing with Cubase for more than 30 years now, so what is off-putting to some is totally normal to me at times.
Returning to this rather than musing about how we learn stuff.
Here’s some items worth exploring
The Logical Editor lets you manipulate MIDI Data in a bunch of different ways. Take a look at its stock Presets to get an idea of what it can do. It also has a few variants one for live incoming MIDI data & another to manipulate items in the Project Window.
The Chord Track has a variety of uses. You can use it to create block Chords on an Instrument Track, force Notes to be in the Chord and/or Scale, color code the Notes in the Key Editor based on the Chord/Scale. It even has a Chord Assistant to help write progressions. And if you drop an Audio File onto it will analyze & turn it into Chord Events.
The MIDI Modifiers and MIDI Inserts let you do stuff like Transpose, Randomize Velocity, etc. on the fly.
Using Track Versions makes it easy to create & compare different ideas.
And of course the Score Editor if you are into that sort of thing
and I also see that you had a conversation about a possibly different workflow in the Nuendo forum already.