What do we want to use Cubasis for?

Cubasis
#1

Reading through the features requests and topics I notice that we want to use Cubasis in very different ways and for differing purposes, but haven’t talked a whole lot about these “use cases”. Maybe we can define some typical scenarios with their most important features and workflows.

Depending on the resonance (or even another poll) Carlos and Frieder would have an additional perspective for their priorities. Additional tutorials and documentation explaining the necessary workflow would it make much easier for newcomers to get going (greetings to a fellow former VIC20 user who would like Cubasis to behave like an ancient 4-track :smiley: )

I’ll start with some ideas in no particular order:

  1. The rehearsal buddy: quickly generate and restructure song mockups from midi parts, easily record rehearsals and demo parts (simple multitracker)
    Features: chord track (maybe to display in large letters as well), shuffle parts in timeline (currently a pain, I’d love an arranger track/mode), tempo/signature track, larger midi part library + save midi parts in media window (maybe export & trade as well?), continuous audio recording while in loop mode, large record mode view (with punch in/out, metronome display, tempo, input level, time, monitor)

  2. The musical sketchpad: quickly put down ideas. Actually much like the first half of the rehearsal buddy.
    Features: see above plus more sounds and instruments, maybe a fretboard input

  3. The remixer/production helper: manipulate audio data and add midi/VST instruments
    Features: time stretch, audio transpose, tempo track, find hitpoints, a sample player (to assign samples and sound kits to, a midi drum editor and actually all other Cubase 7 audio features :blush: Hm.

  4. The midi master: manage a park of midi appliances in live settings.
    Features: not exactly my field. Sysex support, save snapshots, marker track to jump between parts/loops.

  5. Classic DAW: produce finalized songs :stuck_out_tongue:
    Features: Tempo track, automation, as many audio features as possible, more instruments and sound packs with Cubase7 compatibility, 24 bit recording (not sure about 96 kHz), bidirectional export to and from Cubase7 (last one is a tough nut, maybe it could be done by “updating” = only transfering back midi + audio as 1 mixdown file per track)

Anybody thinks this is worth further exploring?

#2

i think 2. is the most realistic case at the moment.
for 1. and 4. there are already better apps.
3. and 5. needs a lot of more horsepower then a ipad have.

the most important parts for me are stabilty and a touch optimized gui.
meteor for example, drives me nuts with the touch inoperability of the loop adjuster.
to say it even simpler “power is nothing without control”

people ask for a sampler or other instruments. ok. but look at beatmaker2 or meteor (in app p) its looking great for the feature list, but they sounding crapy.
rather I go with 24 bit or a drum editor, this will rise the level of user comfort.

point 2 of your list is mostly my “use case”.

Jan

#3

I want to use it for 3 but it will take a lot more development to get it there if we apply Murphys Law, at the rate we are seeing updates anyhow (and I might add I am impressed so far with the level of support).

It’s a groundbreaking and frustrating time for IOS as it shows all the potential yet its not quite there with no complete solution. If you look at the apps out there its clear with a few years more of development of both the hardware and software it will be an awesome production environment indeed. :sunglasses:

#4

For me its the lack of “the one” solution the strength.
Think of a great modular environment .
If want the complete package, then i take my laptop studio one/ cubase/ ultimate 8 … and im done.

Jan

#5

Hi AverageGuy,

I agree with starcorp re your option 2 being, at present, the most realistic application for Cubasis. This is not just down to the features of the app but also the processing power of the iPad (I’m using a 3rd gen model). That said, I suspect both these limitations to shift over time…

The other thing that will clearly influence how people feel about the various items on your list - and in particular option 5 (it would be great to be able to achieve this) - will be what other recording environment a user has available to them. If you are fortunate to also own a desktop system (running Cubase, etc.) then, at present, I guess you would not choose to ‘finish’ a project in Cubasis. However, if you are new to the whole multitrack recording world and your iPad/Cubasis is the tool you rely on, then I suspect you will just work around the limitations (e.g. no mix automation) to get the job done. The iPad/Cubasis combination is still pretty impressive stuff and way better that the Teac 144 I started my own ‘home’ recording experience on way back in the day :slight_smile:

Best wishes,

John

#6

#2 for me. Start a Project in Cubasis and export to Cubase for finishing. Or if you have something in Cubase that needs more playing around with to improve, just Bounce it and export to cubasis, now you have a ton of wicked iPad synths to mess around with. Export the results (midi / audio / …) back to Cubase and finish the track.

I also use it a bit like #3, the pads and keys and such. Steinberg should add the cubase quickcontrols either to cubasis, or to cubase ic pro along with keys and pads from cubasis

#7

I’m going to use mine for 2, and also as an ancient 4-track. I just got an iPad mini as I’ve broken my collarbone so I can’t play my keyboard and having a month off work would drive me mad without being able to make music. I plan to use it live as a digital 4-track as I’ve found laptops to be unreliable in large venues with large bass bins (another band i’m in found a solution to this by fitting SSD RAM). As it doesn’t have the same power as Cubase 7 I’ll just bounce down groups i.e. drums, synths, guitars into separate audio tracks which should be pretty stable CPU-wise and give me more control over the sound than the current 2-track backing we’re using on a trusty old DAT player. Only got Cubasis today so haven’t had time to test out the theory :slight_smile:

#8

For me, it’s a “fun” way to relax in my living room away from my stressful 60-hour per week Cubase 7.0.5 rig! I.e. making music like I did when I was younger, for enjoyable reasons and not for clients :wink:

#9

From a couple of days use of Cubasis I’ve found that the restrictions it has compared to Cubase 7 are actually quite refreshing and productive. I’m one of those people who will spend hours trawling through my VSTis finding the right sounds before I even play a note. Without that luxury I’m forced to just get on with writing a tune, takes me back to the old days of just having a drum machine, a couple of synths and a sequencer

#10

That is EXACTLY how I feel T00thfa1ry. :sunglasses:

#11

HI

I agree with the last few posts … it’s relaxing to use! I feel free from the ‘responsibility’ of a giant virtual mix console, control room monitoring, a million patches and possibilities, wires and cables … all of which still make disappointing music most of the time ( clearly not my fault … lol ).

With Cubasis I love that it just fires up, I noodle around with no particular goal and before I know it an hour has gone by and there’s 8 bars of pretty decent output! It does feel like the old days when a drum machine, a synth and a mic came together to make something I never thought was possible!

I hope Cubasis retains this vibe, though I still want track automation and a keyboard with Scale Correction.

#12

i’d be happy enough with a decent drum editor, track automation I can live without for rough ideas

#13

i think this sums it up :slight_smile: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10201685228752429&set=a.1088166844327.14922.1231127307&type=1&theater&notif_t=like

#14

I have to think I must be the VIC 20 user wishing for an ancient 4 track… :smiley: In its concentrated form, I guess this might be correct analysis but it is also something like " guilty with an explanation "

My primary Cubase use is a large tower desktop with multiple monitors in a room set up strictly for music. A full size keyboard with more guitars than anyone could really use and more cables than I have used in 45 years of band travel. Laptops I have but don’t really see a big difference when connected to interfaces and more wires for improved portability.

This iPad has allowed me to sit in front of the TV, talk to my wife a bit ( trust me, an important component ) and eliminating a computer for 90% of the reading, searching and other things we all use it for and experiment with recordings and ideas using Cubasis . If I were able to attach something like the iO Dock, only better, it eliminates packing up all that stuff to record my little quartet or larger in live environments. I have tried the internal mics and there is almost a point where they do an ok job. With a little more control, I know I can create lasting recordings of our playing.

I would love to have the guys set up in my studio and record tracks but I am so happy just to have the live stuff, I can forego the high end studio tracks. After all, some really great albums of my era were just live set-ups. Ten years after, grateful dead, old and in the way, Jefferson airplane, lee michaels, …you get it. Yup, that’s my era. Plug the iPad into a few mics via a small self contained interface…ooh!

This may explain why any sounds with words like techno make me run the other way

#15

I want it to control a largish live MIDI rig as cleanly and simply as possible. Period.

I have no interest whatsoever in virtual instruments or living on my iPad. I need it to easily import complex MIDI files developed on a full powered DAW and make it easy to map the tracks to an EXTERNAL set of MIDI sound modules via whatever MIDI interface I have connected.

Seems I am in the minority (even though every gigging pro I know needs this functionality badly).

#16

I too am interested in controlling external hardware…it’s great to set an iPad on top of my analog synths and sequence away!

I noticed an issue with the way that Cubasis is handling MIDI Thru and MIDI channel assignments for external devices, but SB is aware of it and AFAIK it’s on target to be fixed in the next update.

Dealing with a massive DAW setup is one of the major detractors of dealing with (any) external gear, and for me Cubasis solves this brilliantly.

#17

This is exactly what I’ve been saying…it’s enough of a job dragging all kinds of guitars and amps out to a gig and if you wanted to try to record it as well…ugh. With this new self-contained plugin interface and a few mics, it all fits into a small bag

Oops, just bent the dongle again !

#18

My goal is for Cubasis to be a complete solution–I want to do everything in house on my tablet. :slight_smile: Never settle for less! :slight_smile:

#19

I agree. . I might even decide to buy an ipad if that were the case :smiley: