In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Ask questions and get answers about how to make music in any particular way. Hardware or songwriting or whatever.
Post Reply
User avatar
Sober
Niemöller
Posts: 1731
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:40 am
Instruments: Pedal steel, mandolin, etc etc
Recording Method: Pro Tools
Submitting as: Sober, I'm Steel Learning
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Midcoast Maine

In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by Sober »

I'm done. Cubase isn't for me anymore. Maybe editing all day with Vegas (which is built off the Acid engine, my first DAW) has made me realize how silly and cumbersome Cubase can be. Maybe I'm becoming an old man. Maybe it's so fucking unstable that it freezes when I open a project and I have to reboot.

I have one project to finish, then I'm done with it for good. I'm not sure what I'll move on to. I'm sure I'll grab a copy of Sonic Foundry, the direct descendant of Acid, but I don't want to be chained to it. I should really learn the nuts and bolts of ProTools. My buddies like Logic. Then there's Ableton, Audacity, and so on.

Help me out, Songfight. I need a DAW that is compatible with my M-Audio MobilePre USB, and supports both DX and VSTi plugins. I'm running Windows 7 on a laptop. Does ProTools fit this bill? My #1 desire is a good workflow. Cubase is great for capturing, but the editing is tedious as hell. I want a program that's easy and fast no matter what I'm doing.

Thanks!
🤠
User avatar
ujnhunter
Niemöller
Posts: 1912
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:09 pm
Instruments: Bass, Keyboards, Crummy Guitar & Animal Noises (especially Donkeys)
Recording Method: Reaper 5.9x, Tascam FireOne/Behringer UMC202HD/Avid Eleven Rack/Line 6 UX2, Win 7 PC / Win 10 Laptop
Submitting as: Cock, Chth*.*, D.A.H. (Der Alter Hahn)
Pronouns: His Infernal Majesty
Location: CT, USA
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by ujnhunter »

I don't know anything about the software that you've mentioned... but I switched from Cubase to Reaper a couple years ago... I'm still using Reaper. Bonus: It's cheap!
-Ujn Hunter
Photovoltaik - Free 6 Track EP - Song Fight! Liner Notes
Billy's Little Trip wrote:I must have this....in my mouth.....now.
User avatar
jast
Niemöller
Posts: 1339
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 7:03 pm
Instruments: Vocals, guitar
Recording Method: Cubase, Steinberg UR44
Submitting as: Jan Krueger
Pronouns: .
Location: near Aachen, Germany
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by jast »

I like REAPER, too, but it has a few disadvantages compared to the, ah, more heavyweight choices, and I think it's fair to mention them. For example, it has a lot less non-destructive editing capabilities for recorded files. You can't, for example, non-destructively quantize an audio track. Also, while all the most important plugins are there, there's nothing beyond that. You're on your own if you want amp simulations, nice-sounding reverb (there's a convolution reverb plugin included, but no impulse response files) or a usable vocoder (there is one shipped with REAPER, but... well, you can probably guess how powerful it isn't), or a number of other things. It does, however, support VST and DX plugins.

Personally, though, I'd choose REAPER over what I've seen from Cubase any day. Note that its trial version is not crippled in any way, except for perhaps displaying a nag screen when you start it up.

PS. Audacity is little more than a wave editor (though a good one at that). Don't bother.
User avatar
roymond
Ibárruri
Posts: 5263
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 3:42 pm
Instruments: Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Logic
Recording Method: Logic X, MacBookPro, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Submitting as: roymond, Dangerous Croutons, Intentionally Left Bank, Moody Vermin, The Reverend
Pronouns: he/him
Location: brooklyn
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by roymond »

Logic won't help much on a Windows machine.
roymond.com | songfights | covers
"Any more chromaticism and you'll have to change your last name to Wagner!" - Frankie Big Face
User avatar
Caravan Ray
bono
bono
Posts: 8745
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 1:51 pm
Instruments: Penis
Recording Method: Garageband
Submitting as: Caravan Ray,G.O.R.T.E.C,Lyricburglar,The Thugs from the Scallop Industry
Location: Toowoomba, Queensland
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by Caravan Ray »

Love the Fieldingesque (or perhaps Barthesque) thread title
User avatar
signboy
Goldman
Posts: 712
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:33 pm
Instruments: things that make noise
Recording Method: lots of stuff plugged into lots of other stuff
Location: hillbillyland
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by signboy »

Wow, I can not believe how much people dislike Cubase. I have tried just about everything, and Cubase has the cleanest, most intuitive workflow for me.
Irwin: I'd sell my soul to jesus to program drums like signboy.
User avatar
JonPorobil
Ibárruri
Posts: 5682
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:45 am
Instruments: Piano, Guitar, Harmonica, Mandolin, Accordion, Bass, lots of VSTs
Recording Method: Cubase 10.5
Submitting as: Jon Eric, Jon Porobil, others
Pronouns: He/Him
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by JonPorobil »

signboy wrote:Wow, I can not believe how much people dislike Cubase. I have tried just about everything, and Cubase has the cleanest, most intuitive workflow for me.
I use Cubase for some things. I would do entire songs on it if it didn't have that variable latency issue on my computer.
"Warren Zevon would be proud." -Reve Mosquito

Stages, an album of about dealing with loss, anxiety, and grieving a difficult year, now available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms! https://jonporobil.bandcamp.com/album/stages
User avatar
ujnhunter
Niemöller
Posts: 1912
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 1:09 pm
Instruments: Bass, Keyboards, Crummy Guitar & Animal Noises (especially Donkeys)
Recording Method: Reaper 5.9x, Tascam FireOne/Behringer UMC202HD/Avid Eleven Rack/Line 6 UX2, Win 7 PC / Win 10 Laptop
Submitting as: Cock, Chth*.*, D.A.H. (Der Alter Hahn)
Pronouns: His Infernal Majesty
Location: CT, USA
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by ujnhunter »

signboy wrote:Wow, I can not believe how much people dislike Cubase. I have tried just about everything, and Cubase has the cleanest, most intuitive workflow for me.
I didn't dislike Cubase, it worked fine for me, granted I had the non-crippled LE 1.07 (1.08 and up all took away FX channels and tracks etc...) but it's easier for me to use Reaper now.
-Ujn Hunter
Photovoltaik - Free 6 Track EP - Song Fight! Liner Notes
Billy's Little Trip wrote:I must have this....in my mouth.....now.
Eric Y.
Niemöller
Posts: 1797
Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2004 12:36 pm

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by Eric Y. »

Sober wrote:I'm sure I'll grab a copy of Sonic Foundry, the direct descendant of Acid, but I don't want to be chained to it.
FWIW, Sonic Foundry is not a descendent of Acid, it is the manufacturer that originally published Acid (among other programs) before being bought out by Sony.
User avatar
fluffy
Eisenhower
Posts: 11267
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
Instruments: sometimes
Recording Method: Logic Pro X
Submitting as: Sockpuppet
Pronouns: she/they
Location: Seattle-ish
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by fluffy »

Why not get the latest Acid Pro? It's still available (for $300), and I always liked Acid's interface. I'm actually glad that recent versions of Logic have made their UI more Acid-like - I mean, I spent a lot of time learning Logic 6/7's cantankerous UI (which still made more sense than Cubase's) but I was more than happy to unlearn it and relearn on 8 when that came out.
HeuristicsInc
Ibárruri
Posts: 5351
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:14 pm
Instruments: Synths
Recording Method: Windows computer, Acid, Synths etc.
Submitting as: Heuristics Inc. (duh) + collabs
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Maryland USA
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by HeuristicsInc »

yeah, i still use acid also. it has some issues, but i've grown used to them.
-bill
152612141617123326211316121416172329292119162316331829382412351416132117152332252921
http://heuristicsinc.com
Liner Notes
SF Lyric Ideas
User avatar
roymond
Ibárruri
Posts: 5263
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 3:42 pm
Instruments: Guitars, Bass, Vocals, Logic
Recording Method: Logic X, MacBookPro, Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Submitting as: roymond, Dangerous Croutons, Intentionally Left Bank, Moody Vermin, The Reverend
Pronouns: he/him
Location: brooklyn
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by roymond »

HeuristicsInc wrote:yeah, i still use acid also. it has some issues, but i've grown used to them.
-bill
I keep reading this thread title as "In which Sober forsakes Cheesecake". And I never really had issues with Acid. But I stopped using it after high school. And back then we didn't capitalize it.
roymond.com | songfights | covers
"Any more chromaticism and you'll have to change your last name to Wagner!" - Frankie Big Face
HeuristicsInc
Ibárruri
Posts: 5351
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 6:14 pm
Instruments: Synths
Recording Method: Windows computer, Acid, Synths etc.
Submitting as: Heuristics Inc. (duh) + collabs
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Maryland USA
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by HeuristicsInc »

i did forsake cheesecake. i never liked it much anyway, and it would give my poor digestive system fits.
-bill
152612141617123326211316121416172329292119162316331829382412351416132117152332252921
http://heuristicsinc.com
Liner Notes
SF Lyric Ideas
User avatar
Sober
Niemöller
Posts: 1731
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:40 am
Instruments: Pedal steel, mandolin, etc etc
Recording Method: Pro Tools
Submitting as: Sober, I'm Steel Learning
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Midcoast Maine

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by Sober »

Eric Y. wrote:
Sober wrote:I'm sure I'll grab a copy of Sonic Foundry, the direct descendant of Acid, but I don't want to be chained to it.
FWIW, Sonic Foundry is not a descendent of Acid, it is the manufacturer that originally published Acid (among other programs) before being bought out by Sony.
*disclaimer - I am very drunk.

Really? I thought Sony bought Sonic Foundry's Acid and used the audio engine to build on top of to create Vegas. Sony calls the audio editor they package with Vegas "Sonic Foundry." At any rate, Vegas is basically Acid with video. I fucking love editing with it, my job is easy as shit working with it.

I didn't really dislike cubase, it served me well for.. 4 or 5 years? I've had it since 3X was brand new. The version I have is very unstable, though, and I feel that it's time for me to move on. I'm growing as a music and video producer at nearly the same rate as I was when Blue was crushing my soul on a weekly basis back in '04, so I feel like I need to continue my learning process by becoming an expert in a more marketable editor.

When I separate from the military, I plan on making a living from audio and video production in the civilian sector, even if it's as a freelance news reporter douchebag. I'm working my ass off to be ready for that (I think I have the douche part covered). In my current drunken state, Protools seems to be the obvious choice. Will revisit when I'm less drunk.
🤠
User avatar
fluffy
Eisenhower
Posts: 11267
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:56 am
Instruments: sometimes
Recording Method: Logic Pro X
Submitting as: Sockpuppet
Pronouns: she/they
Location: Seattle-ish
Contact:

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by fluffy »

Sonic Foundry made Vegas well before the Sony buyout. My understanding is that the existence of Vegas was a huge factor in the acquisition, much moreso than Acid - even if not, Vegas is actually a major product that Sony cares about quite a lot while Acid always struck me as being sort of a low-priority toy curiosity at this point.
User avatar
Sober
Niemöller
Posts: 1731
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:40 am
Instruments: Pedal steel, mandolin, etc etc
Recording Method: Pro Tools
Submitting as: Sober, I'm Steel Learning
Pronouns: he/him
Location: Midcoast Maine

Re: In which Sober forsakes Cubase

Post by Sober »

So I tried Ableton Live, and I can't believe people use that crap. So awful.

I went ahead and got Acid Pro 7. It fully supports every plugin I have, it's the same interface I edit video on at work, and the resource load is much lower than Cubase. I do like some of the minor workflow stuff better in Cubase, but I think I'll settle right in. I'm already finding some very cool tricks that have come about in the... 6 years since I've used it?

It feels like home.
🤠
Post Reply