I didn't even see those in the key commands list last time I looked hah. Thanks that worked perfect! I haven't messed with the key commands much yet because Im trying to relearn them as they are and see if I run into any snags, but that one had to go.

 

Cubase is still the most balanced daw, meaning it offers the most tools of any daw and the workflow works for you.
Every daw is specific for a certain genre or workflow, FL, Ableton, Pro Tools, etc.
Cubase covers it all, maybe not in a flashy hip way but you know you are covered in case you need to do any audio editing task.

 

I use Cubase since version sx (cracked) and bought Cubase 5 I think and stuck with it. It just fits with my workflow. Tried many others.
I am also more familiar with Logic these days, I think I could work with that as well, as it is very similar. But I am a PC guy, and these days I do not see much benefit in using a MAC over an PC.
A few things I like better in Logic is the grouping and how that works (folder = group), the ARP vst, the distortions (clip/bitcrusher). What I tend to see is that in Logic the 'stock' plugins are used more than those of Cubase. Render inplace can be improved, also being able to render FX only (it is possible, but not as easy as in Logic). I also think the synths are always pretty weak in Cubase and that they should focus more on EDM, as many producers use Cubase. They seem to be much more band and guitar orientated.

I also always wish Cubase could be more stable, it is better, but I still think there are too many sudden crashes, for me those are a complete lock up (stuck screen, needing to restart), or not being able to close Cubase (force quit via Task Manager).
I am not totally convinced about their new way of activation, we will have to wait and see, but I am worried in the end you need to be online all the time. I work offline most of the time. For me the dongle was never a problem, or had any issues with it.

 

Been using since Atari ST days but a bit jealous of some of the Reaper Themes I've seen for their mixer so 'Themes'

 

I used a bit of Cubase 3 back in the day and had no issues with it. It had a pretty good workflow and lots of depth.

 

I like Cubase, I've actually recorded a couple of songs in it, the workflow is a mix between Studio one and Pro tools, so it wasn't hard for me to fall into, hopefully version 12 will bring some stability fixes, it doesn't really need any new features as far as I'm concerned, and with Steinberg dropping the dongle, hopefully we'll see it on the sister site....

 

My viewpoint as a long term Cubase user is that it is excellent for composing & film scoring, as well as one of the best options for a mixing environment on the market, but it has fallen drastically behind the curve from an electronic producer / sound designer's perspective.

I have been waiting a long time for simple improvements that would keep it up to par in these areas. Things like updating quick controls to be multi assignable macros (like Ableton has had for a decade), a better system for native modulation than the incredibly dated MIDI inserts (which are clunky to use), a native option for FM synthesis / audio rate modulation, better VST hosting without the need for jbridge (like Bitwig), a native method for multiband crossovers (like an FX wrapper capable of hosting any 3rd party VST in multiband)... Cubase doesnt even have an option to do this with native FX.

In the end I bought Bitwig Studio in their holiday sale & it covers my needs way better than Cubase does. It's going to take something a lot more groundbreaking than what's been in their latest lack lustre updates for me to ever update Cubase again beyond 11 pro. The only additions Ive been excited about since like v7 were mixer snapshots & bezier curves in automation / MIDI CC lanes. Bitwig's modulation system just blows it away though. It has all the features I mentioned above, implemented to perfection in the most intuitive way, as well as a clip launcher, the ability to drag & drop events between active projects, the grid for making modular devices. I still prefer Cubase for mixing duties & will have to use it for any ARA2 related task until Bitwig has this functionality added, but aside from these 2 areas, Bitwig is light years ahead of Cubase for my needs as a Drum & Bass producer & sound designer.

Cubase would be at the very bottom of the list of DAWs I would recommend to an aspiring electronic musician these days. Just way too dated in far too many areas to be a good recommendation for these purposes

 

Equivalent functionality in FL

Patcher (and its improved in 20.9)

Controllers, automation editor (new in 20.8.4 ig)

Fruity Wrapper

$200 // Lifetime Free Updates. Vector GUI. No dongles / eLicensers. Image Line seriously have been literally killin it from last few updates

 

Cubase 12 will bring new tools for working with midi devices

 

Do you mean like Logic with Novation Launchpad?

In the last version, you can make live loops (MC, Ableton-style) and handle them in real time with the LP, or with an iPad. See there

I see all these new features as improvements, they finally understood that DJs and EDM composers too can have a use of a pro DAW.

Cubase feel old compared to that.

 

as someone who has used cubase a long time & recently switched to Bitwig, I have to strongly disagree there.

sure you can do a lot of what Bitwig can do, but it’ll take 5 times as long.

especially anything that requires native modulation or multiband processing.

here’s a list of just some of Bitwig’s features that currently leave cubase looking like a dinosaur:

1. Add any FX (native or 3rd party) into 2 or 3 band multiband FX wrappers

2. build your own instruments & FX (reaktor style) with the poly grid

3. modulate anything with one of 30 different mod sources. Great for creating your own dream synth. Want to use Diva’s oscillators with Fabfilter Volcano 3 as a filter & a Valhalla reverb & modulate them all with the same envs & LFOs? No problem!

4. drag & drop anything between projects (multiple projects can be active at once)

5. never deal with VSTs causing crashes (Bitwig’s VST hosting is just genius)

6. create grooves incredibly fast with note repeats & other note FX

7. clip based automation

8. drag events to a clip launcher for arrangement ideas & then drag the whole collection of clips back to the arrangement timeline

9. audio rate modulation between any source & target you want

10. Excellent native FM & phase modulation synthesis

11. assign macros to control as many parameters as you want in unison at varying depths.

12. use volume shaping tools / MSEGs (like LFOtool) to modulate parameters via audio rate instead of midi cc, which makes for much smoother modulation curves at slow rates

13. hybrid tracks that support both audio & midi make for far less cluttered arrangements

I could keep going to prove my point.

cubase is beyond dated

 

As a longtime Cubase user myself I would not complain if Steinberg implemented and drew some inspiration from their fellow germans (and swede) in Bitwig.

 

I found they leaked С11 beta pdf, they was new feature called midi api, but they move it from v11 to v12. Very impressive

 

midi 2.0 maybe?

 

no. midi 2.0 is different thing. Midi api is more about workflow and control cubase

 

After years of stagnation, I left Cubase and moved to Studio One. No regrets!

 

I tried to give Steiny the benefit of the doubt & wait it out. Obviously the outlay for a new DAW when i have a prefectly good DAW in Cubase Pro was not an ideal situation.

I can see Steinberg eventually getting up to date on features such as the multiband FX wrappers & possibly updating QCs to act like Bitwig or Ableton's multi use macros, but I cant ever see them being able to implement such an intuitive modulation system, or the ability to nest any 3rd party FX within any 3rd party instrument, so it acts like one plugin that can be modulated by the same source like you can in Bitwig. This would take a complete overhaul of how Cubase works & I just cant see it ever happening.

Recent feature additions have been pretty much redundant for me. I never use the score editor, i have melodyne studio 5 so variaudio is pointless to me now we have ARA2. I use fabfilter pro q 3 as my main go-to EQ, so the spectrum comparison in the channel EQ is redundant.

Mixer snapshots, bezier automation curves & easier sidechaining are really the only additions I make use ofthat have been added in at least the last 6 annual updates.

Seems people crying about the elicenser dongle & apple M1 support are more important than actually keeping the DAW functionality up to date with its competitiono. as a PC user who has never taken issue with the dongle, I wasnt expecting too much to get excited about with v12, so I bought Bitwig because Im sick of these feature requests being ignored to add new native FX I already have better 3rd party solutions for.

 

S1 scratchpad like solution (definitely no needs clips launcher)

and track versions should contain automation-related data, rack instances should be replaced BC Patchwork like container devices,

MIDI learning (and adding MIDI generator plugins easily) needs BCPatchwork + Zenith combo at this moment

 

Last edited: Jan 19, 2022

Agree! The sandboxing and modulation possibilities are worth "borrowing" alone. We'll also see what further ARA2 brings.

Steinberg are removing the dongle for Cubase 12.