Benefits of Cubase Templates and How to Speed Up Your Workflow

Officially known as Steinberg Cubase, it is computer software developed by Steinberg in Germany. The company is known for development software and equipment, mostly for music, arranging, recording and editing. The very first variant of Cubase was introduced into Atari ST computer, and its recording was through MIDI back in 1989. By January 2003, the US firm Pinnacle Systems acquired Steinberg which then was operating as an independent entity before having Yamaha Corporation acquiring the company by the following year in December.

Basic Operations

Users of Cubase make projects, wherein the operator gets to edit raw audio tracks, MIDI files and much other related information such as lyrics. These are then presented in various format range that includes an editing console, musical scores, event lists and much more. The operator also has the option of creating mixes into a stereo. This file, in .wav extension, is then ready to be burned in a Red Book format to a CD. It can also be burned in other file extensions like .mp3. Depending on the creator, he or she can share or publish their creation on the Web.

How You Can Speed Up Your Template Creations

This article assumes that you already have some knowledge about creating templates, which is the purpose of Cubase in the first place. You may have already used other music software that creates music templates, which may give you familiarity how everything is done. Cubase is widely popular among DJs, but musicians of any genre are open to using Cubase templates.

If you are new to these Cubase templates, they are already constructed music pieces that you listen to, and you are free to tweak or personalize the track according to your wishes. This is basically to quicken music creations. You’d hear other musicians, particularly purists that see templates as some cheating. But as you read through everything here, you will find out why many musicians, even professionals, use these templates.

There are free templates available online, but professionals prefer to buy them. One of the reasons is because of quality – something that is compromised from free Cubase templates. The templates sold online are created by professionals. Newbie musicians find it helpful using these templates to learn how to compose and incorporate different instruments, channels, audio, MIDI, effects; modify, customize or add synths, loops, plugins and much more. The only time that you are cheating is when you release the template as is and even claim it as your own.

Speeding Up Your Workflow

Beginners of creating Cubase templates always experience that slow pacing when they are trying to find out how the software works. Here are tips that will help you get faster with Cubase.

Efficiently managing windows

Cubase is capable of doing multiple things, and a lot of them need to be opened in a separate window. It doesn’t matter whether it is a VST instrument, for the mixer or one of those many available sections. Some are lucky if they are working on their piece using 2 large monitors. But for those who don’t, use your creative mind and take advantage of window management. Go to Window -> Workspaces and you can load and save various window layouts. For example, you make one layout for tracking, another for editing instruments and a separate one for mixing. From this menu, pick the Windows option, and you will get those floating palette wherein you can immediately minimize, activate, restore or close any window that is active in a project. You can even do this without locating it manually with your mouse.

Take advantage of the VST Instruments Window

In Cubase 7.5 version, the window for VST Instruments is quite a powerful one, not to mention it gives you access to different shortcuts. This will save you a lot of time, too. You get to display the quick controls of any instrument; it will let you freeze up any instrument right away or open up its own GUI, mute or solo its input. It’s also got the search field that provides you a way to find a particular instrument quickly, no matter how many times are being loaded. Instruments can also be swapped quickly just by clicking the presents and their name on the preset name field. You will also notice the Track and Rack instruments displayed in various sections, thus giving you better and more convenient navigation.

Maximize the Track Versions

By using the Track Versions feature, you get to create different versions of a track without having to duplicate any tracks in the Project view. What this means that you can try out different recordings and edits or a part and at the same time maintain similar effects on the chain and also without filling up the screen with a lot of duplicate tracks. You get to toggle in between then without worrying about duplicates. They are easy to do, not to mention you get to rename or delete hem when you decide on a particular track that you want to stick to.

Utilize MixConsole

MixConsole feature comes with very powerful viewing choices that you can take advantage of. This is especially true when you load up a lot of projects all at once – it can get difficult to navigate that way. In this feature, you just need to click on the button Channel Visibility Agents located at the top left. You have the option to choose to filter your view by showing only the things that you want to see at any time you prefer. Amongst the most helpful options here are only channels that have data anywhere in between the 2 cursor points; only tracks that have data at one point where the cursor is placed; and only tracks that have data on them. These choices can be used to filter out quickly any empty tracks or just show the channels that have data on them for mixing.

These are just some of the tips that will help you get your Cubase templates creation faster than before. You might even find a few tricks of your own!