Steinberg Cubase 5

Steinberg's Cubase is an incredibly powerful program that, quite frankly, needs a bit of a face lift. More and more features enter its clutches and the program reaches a point to where I was not able to figure out how to begin setting things up without a bit of a romp on the internet and a downloading of extra drivers. That is odd that I seemed to have to do that. This is in my opinion the biggest problem that Cubase has. It is a fantastic MIDI sequencing program and has so many different parameters and comprehensive controls for MIDI data, and something like that can be gotten into immediately. However, the general audio configuration is just absolutely horrendous the first time. Granted, this is not terrible since once it is figured out, it becomes quite simple. So do not take this rating too badly.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Cubase is fantastic for MIDI, but when it comes to audio, it is not really a slouch either. That said, none of its offerings compare to its competitors like Pro Tools and Logic. I even prefer Reaper's built in things over Cubase's. That is quite silly, considering that Steinberg pioneered the VST format.

However, for MIDI, which is honestly the very first thing one should consider when working with Cubase or considering buying Cubase, it is absolutely superb. Never before have I seen a program that can so easily and intuitively process MIDI data. The problem again comes in its graphical user interface, which is dated and bloated, and not all that inspiring to someone attempting to choose a digital audio workstation.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall I like Cubase. I worked with it for a while, and the expression of the MIDI parameters is the one hook that Cubase should be more aware of. Even with the more recent Cubase 6, Cubase is not a terribly inspiring program to work in unless you already know all of the insides and outs. The only reason you are reading reviews on a website is because you do not know the ins and outs, so unless you are a huge MIDI buff, I suggest not even considering Cubase right now.

Steinberg cubase 5 is a great midi production software program, I have been using cubase for years and now I use 6. I love it, it is exactly what I would want out of a software of this type. It can be hard to understand at first, but you will get the hang of it in no time.


SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I have been using Cubase since SX3. I was not using it by choice, but because I did not have the money for Pro Tools and did not know about Logic. After going through a few different DAWS I settled in Logic Pro and loved it. Still had Cubase on my Mac but was having so many problems with it crashing and freezing that I stopped using it. They issued a 6.5.3 update and it's been running smoothly on my iMac so I took the plunge into Cubase 6 because I am primarily a midi sequencer rather than Hardware user.

OVERALL OPINION

I am so glad I made this upgrade. LoopMash 2 is simply ADDICTIVE! There should be a reality rehab show on LoopMash 2 addicts. They made some much needed improvements on that. The Drum replacement feature is the quickest and most seamless experience I have had with wanting to audition deferent drum sounds but still keep the original groove of the loop that was recorded or imported. Halion Sonic SE is finally the right primary sound source for this DAW. Halion One of the previous two versions was well intended but fell short. However, with Halion Sonic SE the sounds programmed by the Yamaha sound designers and the VST expressions integration and other Motif workstation like features I can finally have a pallet of radio ready sounds to use out the box without having to always pull in 3rd party plugins, not that it's a bad thing. The new layout takes some minor getting used to, but it all makes sense for those who have been using Cubase and it all flows. The drag and drop features using Media Bay and it's integration with LoopMash2 and Groove Agent One. I could go on and on about what I am impressed with .

I was completely sceptical to Cubase at first. I thought it was just another DAW that people used as a cheaper replacement for Pro Tools. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter what you use though. Cubase is a very strong competetor for Pro Tools. It is a very stable and quick to use DAW that is marketed at a brilliant price too. I had no compatability issues with it at all, it installed sweetly on both of my computers. The main setup is very simple, allowing you to set up midi channels based off VST instruments or add in Audio channels for sampling or sample loops that you want to use in your song creation.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Cubase is a very good DAW for doing what it says on the tin and more. Plugins such as HalionSonic come with it and are brilliant additions to any producers arsenal. Cubase is very good with memory usage and CPU usage, a lot better than FL studio is during a high level project with lots of plugins running. I haven't been using cubase for a long time as I have only just encountered it during college.

OVERALL OPINION

The stock plugins that come with Cubase are some of my favourite features. It is very accessible and can allow PC keyboard usage if you do not ahve a midi controller. Obviously a midi keyboard does help any ventures but it isn't really neccesary as you can use your PC keyboard. I am a huge fan of the mixer that Cubase offers, it looks a lot more professional than any other DAW I have used. The mixer is superb and even the stock effect plugins that come with it are near to industry standard with some tweaking of the presets that come with them. Cubase is easily overloaded though. You should save regularly in cubase and set the project folder to be somewhere you will not forget about. I reccomend an entire new folder on an external hard drive for all folders and projects relating to cubase as it can be a nightmare to find lost work. Knowing what I know now, I would pick Cubase as a DAW to learn as it offers professional results at a much more modest price to Pro Tools.

I've been using cubase for years. Since SX 2 basically. It's great for someone like me who needs a fully functional recording environment that won't break the bank. In the past, cubase has been an "almost there" program, riding the curtails of Pro Tools and Logic. But I'm confident that Cubase 5 is a real competitor. Everything has been figured out. Audio tracks are laid out well and the program does a good job of customizing itself quickly to the users needs.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I use Cubase for a number of recording purposes. Typically either live tracking or studio song recording. It does everything I need. VST integration is flawless assuming my VST's work correctly. It's MUCH more stable than previous versions of cubase. In past builds, I would experience crashing sometimes when I messed with interface or driver settings. Latency was always an issue. Not anymore. Cubase 5 is very stable and crashes pretty rarely. I've been a happy user for over a year now and I must say the organization of the mixer is improved a lot. The quick options on each audio track are usually all you need. Cubase has done a nice job of minimizing the need to go into the menus and mess with settings.

One issue that still needs to be solved is the metronome sound. It's a really annoying beep sound. Why they don't include some type of old style click or tap is baffling to me. This is a small complaint, but as a musician I need a good click to track to. The one included is terrible.

OVERALL OPINION

I like the simplicity of Cubase over some other interfaces. Like anything, it has a learning curve, but once you get the ins and outs Cubase is a dream to work in. I am hooked on Cubase for life because I have so many hours invested in learning it, and this new revision is well worth the money for me. It solves a lot of my little gripes in one update. If you already use cubase, this is a must have. If you're trying to pick a software for recording, I would say to at least look at this one. In my opinion it can't be beat for the price. I know a lot of pro's who use it and they say it hangs up there with Pro Tools and Logic.