SOUND ON SOUND

[willie45]

Hi

I'm increasingly struggling with arthritic fingers and I'm really restricted in guitar due to a severely deformed left pinky and extreme pain in some other finger joints. My keyboard use is similarly curtailed. I'm trying to find ways of easing my playing difficulties. I'm also ( slightly, only slightly ) considering ditching my Mac and moving to windows as retirement looms and Macs aren't cheap and recent issues have diminished my enthusiasm for them a little. I'd at least like the option.

With all this in mind, I was looking at Cubase and notice that it has the chord assistant which looks like it might be helpful for me and might even fill in some gaps in my theory knowledge. Also, I can get a crossgrade deal on it which makes it pretty affordable. However, I've read on here and elsewhere that it isn't totally stable on Macs and as I might stay with Mac this is concerning. Studio one is being mentioned very positively but I don't know if it has a similar chord assistant feature to Cubase.

I know people have discussed Cubase v Logic a lot but I haven't heard my specific question being raised so I started this thread. I will trial Cubase of course but maybe I won't do whatever would cause me issues or maybe it would only emerge through time so I thought it worth asking.

I suppose my questions are

1. Is this chord assistant feature similarly implemented elsewhere?
2. Is Cubase really problematic on Mac (and windows)?

If the answer to 1 is yes, would Studio One do everything Cubase does? If the answer to 2 is no, then Cubase is definitely on the table for me.

A bit of googling has thrown up a "Chord Track" function in Studio One which might be similar except instead of using a single note on the MIDI keyboard to play a chord you select the chord with the mouse in the software. this also seems to have the advantage of being applied to selected tracks whether MIDI or audio.

If I have this right, then the only thing I'd miss is using the keyboard to compose progressions on the fly and having to mouse it.

Have I got this right?

[The Elf]

I can tell you that Cubase is rock solid on Windows from my perspective. I don't recall the last crash I had.

But I've never used the chord features, so can't comment on that aspect. All I ever use is the chord track to give me a visual aid.

[Zukan]

New PC build, Jedi processor, acres of ram, configured to run audio seamlessly.....Cubase always freezes on quit. This problem has persisted with me over 3 PC builds.

[The Elf]

New PC build, Jedi processor, acres of ram, configured to run audio seamlessly.....Cubase always freezes on quit. This problem has persisted with me over 3 PC builds.

I've had that from time to time in the deep past. I never got to the bottom of it. It just went away eventually. I'd probably suspect AI drivers, but who knows?

[OneWorld]

Hi

I'm increasingly struggling with arthritic fingers and I'm really restricted in guitar due to a severely deformed left pinky and extreme pain in some other finger joints. My keyboard use is similarly curtailed. I'm trying to find ways of easing my playing difficulties. I'm also ( slightly, only slightly ) considering ditching my Mac and moving to windows as retirement looms and Macs aren't cheap and recent issues have diminished my enthusiasm for them a little. I'd at least like the option.

With all this in mind, I was looking at Cubase and notice that it has the chord assistant which looks like it might be helpful for me and might even fill in some gaps in my theory knowledge. Also, I can get a crossgrade deal on it which makes it pretty affordable. However, I've read on here and elsewhere that it isn't totally stable on Macs and as I might stay with Mac this is concerning. Studio one is being mentioned very positively but I don't know if it has a similar chord assistant feature to Cubase.

I know people have discussed Cubase v Logic a lot but I haven't heard my specific question being raised so I started this thread. I will trial Cubase of course but maybe I won't do whatever would cause me issues or maybe it would only emerge through time so I thought it worth asking.

I suppose my questions are

1. Is this chord assistant feature similarly implemented elsewhere?
2. Is Cubase really problematic on Mac (and windows)?

If the answer to 1 is yes, would Studio One do everything Cubase does? If the answer to 2 is no, then Cubase is definitely on the table for me.

A bit of googling has thrown up a "Chord Track" function in Studio One which might be similar except instead of using a single note on the MIDI keyboard to play a chord you select the chord with the mouse in the software. this also seems to have the advantage of being applied to selected tracks whether MIDI or audio.

If I have this right, then the only thing I'd miss is using the keyboard to compose progressions on the fly and having to mouse it.

Have I got this right?

I can't help with a Cubase v Studio One dialogue but was curious about "might even fill in some gaps in my theory knowledge" what gaps are there? I have time on my hands and if you need any help, I would be happy to help fill those gaps, depending to what extent of course. I don't know what your existing knowledge is. I might suggest one of the standard texts - The Rudiments of Harmony (or it might be Music) which is a small handy book which takes people as far as Grade 8.

I might add that whether Cubase or Studio One, or whatever DAW with chord editors, a good understanding of the elements of harmony will help you get more from the software.

[OneWorld]

New PC build, Jedi processor, acres of ram, configured to run audio seamlessly.....Cubase always freezes on quit. This problem has persisted with me over 3 PC builds.

I once had the same problem, Way back when, tracked the problem down to an errant VST

[willie45]

Thank you all for your help. I have read a few times of Cubase being a bit problematic on Mac and it worried me a little. I don't know if these were widespread issues or not.

Re the music theory, thank you very much for your offer, @OneWorld and I very much appreciate your kindness. I have a fair theoretical grasp of basic theory including chord structures and scales etc but I guess I was meaning that if I wanted to play a chord like eg a Eb7add9 or something on a keyboard or consider the actual notes I'd have to play on a V, VI, II progression in the key of F#minor, I'd have to pause and work it out whereas I liked the idea of having the software do it for me. I don't know if I've made sense or not.

I'm pretty keen on Studio One from what I've read and seen though I know Cubase is highly regarded so ......

[RichardT]

Thank you all for your help. I have read a few times of Cubase being a bit problematic on Mac and it worried me a little. I don't know if these were widespread issues or not.

Re the music theory, thank you very much for your offer, @OneWorld and I very much appreciate your kindness. I have a fair theoretical grasp of basic theory including chord structures and scales etc but I guess I was meaning that if I wanted to play a chord like eg a Eb7add9 or something on a keyboard or consider the actual notes I'd have to play on a V, VI, II progression in the key of F#minor, I'd have to pause and work it out whereas I liked the idea of having the software do it for me. I don't know if I've made sense or not.

I'm pretty keen on Studio One from what I've read and seen though I know Cubase is highly regarded so ......

I use Cubase 11 on Mac. I get occasional crashes, but they mostly seem to be down to VST instruments (Cubase usually tells you what program caused the crash when it restarts). For me, it’s reliable enough that I’m happy with it. YMMV of course! I don’t have anything to compare it to. I wouldn’t call it ‘rock solid’ though.

I use the scale assistant sometimes. It can be very useful for adding harmony lines that stick within a scale - it’s saved me a lot of time! I don’t use the chord track though so I can’t comment on that.

[Eddy Deegan]

New PC build, Jedi processor, acres of ram, configured to run audio seamlessly.....Cubase always freezes on quit. This problem has persisted with me over 3 PC builds.

I once had the same problem, Way back when, tracked the problem down to an errant VST

If it's that, then it could take Zukan several lifetimes to track down ;)

[OneWorld]

New PC build, Jedi processor, acres of ram, configured to run audio seamlessly.....Cubase always freezes on quit. This problem has persisted with me over 3 PC builds.

I once had the same problem, Way back when, tracked the problem down to an errant VST

If it's that, then it could take Zukan several lifetimes to track down ;)

LOL, I feel Zukan's pain, because I have been in the same situation. Then one day I took on the Hercluean task of cleaning out the stables and Cubase life got better thereafter.

[Kwackman]

Thank you all for your help. I have read a few times of Cubase being a bit problematic on Mac and it worried me a little. I don't know if these were widespread issues or not

Long time Cubase/Mac user here, and over the many years (decades!) I've had very, very few problems.
Obviously YMMV.

[Zukan]

It's a tough choice. Do I try to locate the fault by testing each and every plugin or wear pork loin y-fronts and flick a lion's testicles?

I've ordered the pork loin y-fronts.

[The Elf]

It's a tough choice. Do I try to locate the fault by testing each and every plugin or wear pork loin y-fronts and flick a lion's testicles?

I've ordered the pork loin y-fronts.

Binary chop(!), Zukan - remove half of your plugs and test. If all is well put back half the ones you took out. If all is not well take out half the remaining plugs. Half, half, half... You can see the pattern.

With three or four moves you should be down to a handful of suspects.

[Rich Hanson]

I can't speak about the Cubase chord track as I've not used it.

I am, however, a Studio One user and I do sometimes use the chord track. It is, as you surmise, largely a manual process - you define what chords you want on the chord track and then which tracks you want to follow it. I don't use it often, but playing around with it can spark ideas, at least for me.

Typical scenario for me is to put something semi-random into a step sequencer and then play around with the chords.

And it can also affect polyphonic audio too - turn your guitar major chords into minor chords or vice versa, etc.

It can also analyse audio to extract a chord track, which can be interesting when it gets it wrong!

[CS70]

Just a hint - if you start from scratch on Windows, you can get Cakewalk for free, buy any of the chord helpers available (some are detailed at https://iconcollective.edu/best-chord-g ... r-plugins/ for example) and you will have a rock solid system that does not restrict you in any way with respect to Logic and Cubase... and you will have spare change. Lots of spare change.

With CW (and Reaper) on Windows, nowadays it makes no sense to get something else if you aren’t bound by your existing experience and knowledge in a specific DAW.