One of the oldest sequencers, in conjunction with Logic (antique-timers may additionally keep in mind the golden generation of Pro 24 and Notator), Cubase has, through the years, imposed several ergonomic, technological, and conceptual requirements on the opposition. Releasing a new version of Steinberg’s flagship software program continues to be an event in itself, even though it has to be admitted that nowadays, the pretenders to the king of sequencers’ throne are pretty severe. As a result, innovation and excellence are no longer specific to Cubase and, without even bringing up different sequencer heavy-weights (Logic, Sonar, Pro Tools, Samplitude, Digital Performer, and Ableton Live), the ultimate decade has visible many new challenges, with various rate tags and popularity, but full of amazing capabilities: Fruity Loops, Melodyne, Tracktion, Energy XT, Reaper …
As aggressive as this, it is manifestly an increasing number of hard to face out in a marketplace. Cubase 4 had its critics even though it launched the VST3 standard, delivered its outcomes and digital devices up to date, inaugurated a new media control machine, and you could ultimately move effects from one song to every other by using drag & drop. But it regarded greater like they were seeking to seize as much as the opposition rather than actually innovating … Even the more authentic improvements, like management of outside hardware (in particular Yamaha’s, because the Japanese producer had currently bought Steinberg) and the emergence of manage room focused functions were interesting, however, did not affect all users and therefore didn’t always justify the multiplied software fee: around $879! Fortunately, when the astonishing Logic eight got here out for around $500, it forced Steinberg to rethink its fees and marketing strategy: you may now locate Cubase five for around $500! With tremendously thrilling updates: four.1 and four.5 (aspect chain control for his or her effects, better routing control, additional soundbanks for HALionOne, etc..), and this 5th model, Steinberg is doing its first-class to seduce us. Let’s get into details…
When I’m 64
The container is heavy, and that’s an awesome signal. In addition to the USB dongle and serial number that can help you check-in, it, in reality, contains 2 manuals: a short begin manual and an alternatively big comprehensive manual that doesn’t, however, cover the consequences nor virtual contraptions included with the software, but which might be covered in PDF files. There are 4 DVDs: the DVD to put in the program, a DVD with sounds and samples, and DVDs with a 90-day demo model of HALion Symphonic Orchestra. Note that further to the manuals, the installation DVD includes a massive number of instructional movies that are very well accomplished and address all the sequencer’s key components. When you remember that there was a time that Steinberg changed into placing out manuals most effective in PDF layout, we can only thank the German employer for having modified its approaches.
The installation went easily, and after double-clicking on the purple icon, I became in familiar territory: the venture window. This version’s first novelty would not leap out at you, as it’s invisible: Cubase now completely helps 64-bit generation. Wasn’t this already the case? Yes and no, because even though Cubase four became well-matched with sixty four-bit running systems, the code hadn’t virtually been rewritten for this. Therefore, it remained basically a 32-bit utility but was able to stroll on a 64-bit system, whereas Cubase 5 is now to be had in complete sixty-four bits.
What’s the large deal, approximately 64 bits? It’s simple: it increases the addressable memory area. 32-bit operating systems manage at exceptional 3.2 GB of memory, even as a 64-bit OS can theoretically pass up to 128 GB (I say theoretically, due to the fact there presently exists no system, available to most of the people, that has that a whole lot RAM). A very crucial detail at a time when digital ROMplers include banks of tens of Gigas for rendering a single instrument (BFD, superior drummer 2, Vienna, EastWest Symphonic Orchestra, Ivory Piano, and many others.) and simplifying the lives of those who do audio/video and want to manipulate huge videos inside their sequencer.
Low Tech Propellerhead!
But not everything is rosy inside the land of sixty-four bits. Although Steinberg is devoted to helping Mac OS X, Vista 64, and the imminent Windows 7, no aid for Windows XP 64 is officially anticipated (it doesn’t necessarily imply that it might not make paintings). Please don’t neglect to check your plug-ins: some developers already feature sixty four-bit compatibilities, and Steinberg proposes, via VST Bridge technology, to apply 32-bit plugins inside the sixty four-bit versions of the sequencer. However, it is nevertheless rather possibly that one or two of your old effects, which you’ve had for a long time to your VSTplugins directory, will crash or refuse to start. Using the VST Bridge additionally consumes resources in proportion to using a true sixty four-bit plug-in … In addition to those small inconveniences, the fundamental downside of sixty four-bit is the incompatibility with Propellerheads technology: in case you use Cubase 5 64-bit in a sixty-four-bit OS, you may not be capable of use REX document formats, nor the ReWire platform: so farewell using Cubase with Reason, Ableton Live and Melodyne, among others… Of route, the Swedish developer will possibly no longer go away from the scenario because it stands, but currently, no declaration has been made on this issue … What can we do in that case? Install the 32-bit version of Cubase five, which runs easily on a 64-bit OS, until Propellerhead makes a move. This is disturbing of the route, but it cannot be blamed on Steinberg. Let’s take a glance now at features to change the manner you use Cubase.
Cognito, Ergonomic Sum
There’s no revolution in terms of interface; the German developer appears to have opted for, with this launch, making the interface easier and increasing work go with the flow. Take, for example, the brand new Automation panel that brings collectively in a single-window the principle automation instructions. One-click on now suffices to arm all of the tracks in reading or Write modes. At the same time, you may pick out to show or conceal automation facts and have interaction/disengage playback or recording functions utilizing Type: Volume, Pan, EQ, Sends, Inserts. The time stored is massive!
As for controls, a bunch of small improvements was made, such as the presence of a digital keyboard that permits you to play tracks from a QWERTY keyboard (beneficial while you’re on a computer on the street, and also you don’t have a keyboard), or a loose utility for iPod/iPhone that allows you to let your remote control the delivery bar via WiFi … First-class, you might say, but now not sufficient to justify an improve. Except that Steinberg has also taken this event to fulfill the wishes expressed by way of many users, integrating, firstly, an export of more than one audio file.
Total Export, Hallelujah!
Requested ages in the past, the Total Export function now makes it viable to export a couple of tracks in a single shot. Until now in Cubase, while you wanted, as an example, to make a CD of sixteen audio tracks present to a friend or a studio operating beneath any other sequencer without the OMF layout, you needed to do music by track, using the Solo and Mute buttons: a waste of time! Now, inside the Mixdown window, take a look at the little bins on your outputs, audio tracks or gadgets, and outcomes tracks. The best element lacking in this window is the ability to enable/disable the consequences inserted in tracks so that you can effortlessly supply dry music. However, it can nonetheless be done in the mixer or project view. It might have been excellent if Cubase controlled lossless audio codecs (Monkey Audio, among others). Anyway, even though Steinberg is catching up with the opposition more than innovating on this factor, this simple characteristic on my own is well worth the improvement from any model of Cubase to this new version.