# Cubase 5.5 Out...



## misterbee (Jun 21, 2010)

No problems withit here so far...


----------



## José Herring (Jun 21, 2010)

Looks nice so far. Going to check it out on my project and give some feedback.


----------



## Toxeen (Jun 21, 2010)

Same here. 
Digging the decent visual changes, the more contemporary button design and especially the new export functions. Also, multi-core support has been improved since 5.0 which is great for an efficient work flow.


----------



## José Herring (Jun 21, 2010)

Seems to be working but video playback is killing the performance. I thought it was suppose to be better in this version? I'm trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong, but in 5.0.1 video playback was just fine with low cpu now with the same file in 5.5 I'm have spikes going from 40% to 80% cpu usage. Something is really amiss.

Jose


----------



## Tom tom (Jun 21, 2010)

Haven't tried the update yet. What kind of system are you running Jose?


----------



## José Herring (Jun 21, 2010)

Tom tom @ Mon Jun 21 said:


> Haven't tried the update yet. What kind of system are you running Jose?



i7 cpu with XP32bit. NVideo 8400GS video card 528mb. 

It was doing great in 5.0.1 so it has to be the new video engine.


----------



## misterbee (Jun 21, 2010)

Hmmm... not gonna run this on my main install just yet. Visual improvements are nice, but having several issues with plugins. Toontrack plugs and one or two Voxengo plugs had to be re-authorized. Kontakt and Trilian have issues loading samples (Trilian taking a long time to load patches, Kontakt stalling on loading patches).


----------



## José Herring (Jun 21, 2010)

misterbee @ Mon Jun 21 said:


> Hmmm... not gonna run this on my main install just yet. Visual improvements are nice, but having several issues with plugins. Toontrack plugs and one or two Voxengo plugs had to be re-authorized. Kontakt and Trilian have issues loading samples (Trilian taking a long time to load patches, Kontakt stalling on loading patches).



Weird. I have all the same plugins except Trillian and I've had no problem. I'll do some more testing tonight.


----------



## misterbee (Jun 23, 2010)

Messed around on it again last night. The Kontakt patches that are problematic seem to be the more intense ones, like LASS, Scarbee basses... etc. Much less intense libraries (eg, JABB), have no problem loading. Those that do have problems loading, if I resave the patches (as is recommended with the latest Kontakt U/G), the problem appears to disappear. The odd thing is that this delay (we're talking 2 minutes plus to load a LASS patch) didn't occur before the 5.5 upgrade. I guess I just need to spend a few hours waiting for patches to load and resave and the problem will probably go away. Not sure what would happen using the batch re-save. The warning that comes up kind of scares me out of doing it. I don't particularly want to re-install all my libraries at the moment. Trilian is still much slower loading with 5.5 than previously.


----------



## dcoscina (Jun 23, 2010)

No Mac 64bit. Dealbreaker. I have it on my system but I can't say as though I'll use it as much as Studio One Pro or Logic 9 because they are both 64 bit. 

I'm waiting for PT8LE and DP7 to go 64 bit as well.


----------



## José Herring (Jun 23, 2010)

misterbee @ Wed Jun 23 said:


> Messed around on it again last night. The Kontakt patches that are problematic seem to be the more intense ones, like LASS, Scarbee basses... etc. Much less intense libraries (eg, JABB), have no problem loading. Those that do have problems loading, if I resave the patches (as is recommended with the latest Kontakt U/G), the problem appears to disappear. The odd thing is that this delay (we're talking 2 minutes plus to load a LASS patch) didn't occur before the 5.5 upgrade. I guess I just need to spend a few hours waiting for patches to load and resave and the problem will probably go away. Not sure what would happen using the batch re-save. The warning that comes up kind of scares me out of doing it. I don't particularly want to re-install all my libraries at the moment. Trilian is still much slower loading with 5.5 than previously.



Do you need to update your database. I know I haven't done it in a while, but when I did do it (like 2 years ago) it seemed to speed things up.

It just seems odd because I have a rather large template and the patches seem to load just the same as before.


----------



## misterbee (Jun 24, 2010)

josejherring @ Wed Jun 23 said:


> Do you need to update your database. I know I haven't done it in a while, but when I did do it (like 2 years ago) it seemed to speed things up.
> 
> It just seems odd because I have a rather large template and the patches seem to load just the same as before.



This could be the issue. Kind of odd that the Cubase upgrade should do this though. No loading speed issues prior to that upgrade. Anyway, I'll find time over the weekend to try and get it all sorted out.


----------



## Waywyn (Jun 24, 2010)

Oh man, Steinberg seriously does it again.
Okay, still no 64bit but to me personally it is still the top and to go sequencer:

- multibatch stem export. Rendering out stems within minutes.
- Combining sample library articulations with score sheet articulations
- built in Melodyne in the audio editor
- the Freeze function and clearing up not only CPU but also RAM
- lots of other stuff ... but just to name a few ...

Logic go home! >8o 8) o-[][]-o


----------



## Colin O'Malley (Jun 24, 2010)

Question for Cubase friends: does Steinberg speak of a 64 bit version of Cubase coming any time soon? Also, do they usually update Nuendo with the new features at the same time as Cubase or does it depend?

Thanks, 

Colin


----------



## misterbee (Jun 24, 2010)

You Mac fans think its co-incidence that Apple are the only ones who have a 64bit DAW on your platform?

Just like the Intel change over, its suspicious. Would be great to know from developers if they believe Apple are keeping them in the dark on something to give them a deliberate headstart on capturing new users.


----------



## Stephen Rees (Jun 24, 2010)

misterbee @ Thu Jun 24 said:


> You Mac fans think its co-incidence that Apple are the only ones who have a 64bit DAW on your platform?
> 
> Just like the Intel change over, its suspicious. Would be great to know from developers if they believe Apple are keeping them in the dark on something to give them a deliberate headstart on capturing new users.



Although I've not used it personally, Presonus Studio One is 64bit on the Mac too and it runs AU, VST2 and VST3 plugs.


----------



## rayinstirling (Jun 24, 2010)

Windows 7 x64 here and Cubase 5.5 x64 is doing great.
I had a particular project where the template and cue being both Play and Kontakt instruments where showing heavy in processing and streaming. Before it was a struggle and a high latency needed to play the thing but now. A mere 10% showing on the performance bar. Not a glitch!

Things move on!


----------



## José Herring (Jun 24, 2010)

Colin O'Malley @ Thu Jun 24 said:


> Question for Cubase friends: does Steinberg speak of a 64 bit version of Cubase coming any time soon? Also, do they usually update Nuendo with the new features at the same time as Cubase or does it depend?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Colin



Cubase has been both 32bit and 64bit for a while now. I heard the early versions of Cubase 4 64bit had problems but I hear now it's pretty stable.

Thonex would know more about Nuendo. I know that they had the latest video engine in Nuendo before they had it in Cubase, but that Cubase is usually the first to release an update then later on they release it for Nuendo. But it's hard to say which one is more advanced in terms of updates.


----------



## NYC Composer (Jun 26, 2010)

josejherring @ Thu Jun 24 said:


> Colin O'Malley @ Thu Jun 24 said:
> 
> 
> > Question for Cubase friends: does Steinberg speak of a 64 bit version of Cubase coming any time soon? Also, do they usually update Nuendo with the new features at the same time as Cubase or does it depend?
> ...



Cubase5.5 ( the latest) is 32 bit on Mac, and 32 bit only. Trust me.

Steinberg's basic statement on a 64 bit Mac version-' we're working on it'. No projected date.


----------



## Waywyn (Jun 26, 2010)

Considering the fact that Cubase has been reprogrammed from scratch by using Cocoa, which is the actual programming language of OS X ... it should give a hint that at least the foundation to go 64bit has been done.


----------



## José Herring (Jun 29, 2010)

Waywyn @ Sat Jun 26 said:


> Considering the fact that Cubase has been reprogrammed from scratch by using Cocoa, which is the actual programming language of OS X ... it should give a hint that at least the foundation to go 64bit has been done.



I wonder with this means for Cubase on PC? Whether the two version will not be cross platform but rather two different versions for the two platforms?


----------



## Waywyn (Jun 29, 2010)

josejherring @ Tue Jun 29 said:


> Waywyn @ Sat Jun 26 said:
> 
> 
> > Considering the fact that Cubase has been reprogrammed from scratch by using Cocoa, which is the actual programming language of OS X ... it should give a hint that at least the foundation to go 64bit has been done.
> ...



My guess is: basically nothing. Since ever I was able to open PC created Cubase projects on my MAC as long as it was above VST (SX and following (basically since session files were named .cpr))

Cocoa is just the programming language of OS X as C++ is the one for Windows.

As far as I know a project file of Cubase basically has nothing to do with the OS. You are also able to watch Flash, HTML being able to visit all kinds of websites from a PC or MAC or open and use audio and midi files. Content doesn't have to be able to handle several OSses.


----------



## germancomponist (Jun 29, 2010)

Waywyn @ Thu Jun 24 said:


> Oh man, Steinberg seriously does it again.
> Okay, still no 64bit but to me personally it is still the top and to go sequencer:
> 
> - multibatch stem export. Rendering out stems within minutes.
> ...



+1 o-[][]-o


----------



## José Herring (Jul 11, 2010)

Just a brief update:

Been running 5.5 since the release just about everyday 4 hours a day. The problem of losing my audio is completely gone. Don't know what cause it initially so therefore I don't know what solved it. As far as I can tell it had to do with having to re-initialize the Asio drivers if I opened and old project then closed it without saving it in 5.5. Kind of a quirky thing, but as of now that I'm using 5.5 only and all my current projects have been saved in 5.5 I've had no issues at all.

Probably one of the most streamlined and stable version of Cubase I've ever used.


----------



## Fernando Warez (Jul 11, 2010)

Jose, do you use VST expression? I hear it slows down the system, anyone having this problem on PC?


----------



## José Herring (Jul 11, 2010)

Fernando Warez @ Sun Jul 11 said:


> Jose, do you use VST expression? I hear it slows down the system, anyone having this problem on PC?



No I don't use it.


----------



## rgames (Jul 11, 2010)

Fernando Warez @ Sun Jul 11 said:


> Jose, do you use VST expression? I hear it slows down the system, anyone having this problem on PC?



Not sure if you're asking specific to 5.5 but if not then no, it doesn't slow me down on 5.1. It is still a bit buggy - oftentimes articulation changes are not correctly chased when starting playback in the middle of track. But there are some workarounds that are only mildly annoying. Those might be fixed in 5.5 - haven't tried them yet.

Have you heard that the expressions cause slow downs in 5.5? Hadn't heard that.

Overall it's a great tool. Why don't you use it Jose? I find it immensely useful, especially because there are so many articulations that I could never remember what keyswitch went with what - now it's a written in a controller lane on the track's MIDI editor view.

rgames


----------



## José Herring (Jul 11, 2010)

rgames @ Sun Jul 11 said:


> Have you heard that the expressions cause slow downs in 5.5? Hadn't heard that.
> 
> Overall it's a great tool. Why don't you use it Jose? I find it immensely useful, especially because there are so many articulations that I could never remember what keyswitch went with what - now it's a written in a controller lane on the track's MIDI editor view.
> 
> rgames



The way I work doesn't lend itself easily to keyswitches so I just put each articulation on it's own track.


----------



## Fernando Warez (Jul 11, 2010)

Thanks guys.

Richard, it's good to hear the problem doesn't occur on all system. But do you mine describing how you use VST expression a little? Like how many articulation per instruments do you use on average? And how/where you select articulations? Is it the key editor or do you use the staff editor? And do you use attribute or directions? Or a bit of both. And how many maps per project do you use on average? The reason i ask is that it could help narrow down the problem. From what I've read so far, it appears the more maps you use slower the system is. And my experience is the more articulation i have in a map the slower it is i think. It's been a while... Just give me an idea how you use it if you can.

Jose, you don't have to use keyswitch at all if you want. Imagine this; you record your part, you then open the key editor, select a note(or a group of notes), right click and chose from a drop down menu the articulation you want. That's it! And you can have as many as you want. At least that's the way I've setup my maps. For that you need to use attributes only. Directions appears like controllers below. And I'm pretty sure you can do the same in the staff editor if you prefer. I said you can have as many articulation as you want but i had to stop at around 84 articulation or something. More than that and they were hidden below the screen. That's obviously a bug. I figured 84 was enough anyway. :wink: I use instrument banks in Kontakt so it's very easy to drag and drop instruments in. That part is easy. Setting up these huge map in Cubase is an other story... Especially since it's new in C5 and there's a few glitch that makes it harder than it should be. Much harder in my case. But if you use smaller templates it should be fairly easy and faster. I've grouped my articulation like this. Long notes, perf(s) legato, short notes, dynamics, tremolo, repetitions etc.. and gave each group it's own color. So now i know when the notes are blue in my key editor these are short notes for example. And you can see the name of the articulation too if you magnify enough. 

There's no need to have 1 articulation per track anymore, that's crazy! Someone in LA needs to pay you a visit and give you a kick in the but.  Seriously, give it a try and see if it works well on your system. Cause if it does, your project window will never look the same.

P.S. Just a thought. If you or Richard decide to use instrument banks in Kontakt, there's a multi script Nicki wrote that will fix the cc chase problem with banks.


----------



## rgames (Jul 11, 2010)

I have six different expression maps in my orchestral template: high/low strings, high/low woodwinds, high/low brass. The strings and brass have the most articulations per map - something like 20 each. Woodwinds have 10 or 12.

On a typical track I'd say I use no more than 5 or 6 different articulations. I assign them via the controller lane below the MIDI scroll editor. Can't recall if they're attributes or directions - I set them up a while ago.

It just occurred to me I might know what you're talking about re: speed problems. I ran into something similar: 

http://www.cubase.net/phpbb2/viewtopic. ... expression

Basically, when I was cutting and pasting MIDI data that had articulations assigned, Cubase was making huge numbers of copies of the articualtion changes. So when playback got to the point where those MIDI data were being sent, the system was overloaded and would hang for a minute.

Is that what you're talking about re: speed problems? If so, you can open up the list editor and see if you're having the same problem.

rgames


----------



## Fernando Warez (Jul 11, 2010)

Yea, you use direction and i use attribute. I'm 99% sure.

The behavior sound quiet similar but it occurred only in the key editor here. That's when i had articulations assign of course and the problem went away if no articulations were assign. I didn't really do anything else than that as i was building my maps so... It sounds to me like it could be related. 

I have win xp installed waiting for win7 but i think I'm going to install Cubase to have a look in the list editor.

How did you fix it?


Cheers.


----------



## Fernando Warez (Jul 11, 2010)

You know i was cutting and pasting group of notes inside the key editor a lot. I did that to add/test new articulations... Sounds even more related now. So this you or Steinberg fix it?


----------



## José Herring (Jul 11, 2010)

Fernando Warez @ Sun Jul 11 said:


> Thanks guys.
> 
> Richard, it's good to hear the problem doesn't occur on all system. But do you mine describing how you use VST expression a little? Like how many articulation per instruments do you use on average? And how/where you select articulations? Is it the key editor or do you use the staff editor? And do you use attribute or directions? Or a bit of both. And how many maps per project do you use on average? The reason i ask is that it could help narrow down the problem. From what I've read so far, it appears the more maps you use slower the system is. And my experience is the more articulation i have in a map the slower it is i think. It's been a while... Just give me an idea how you use it if you can.
> 
> ...



Ummmm... I understand all that. I'm just heading in a different direction. I mix a lot of different patches playing the same material at the same time. A simple example would be using a trem patch with a sordino patch then blending in stacc up down patches to simulate bowing. Or using spicc and stacc patches and applying different envelopes to make it more musical.


----------



## rgames (Jul 12, 2010)

Fernando Warez @ Mon Jul 12 said:


> You know i was cutting and pasting group of notes inside the key editor a lot. I did that to add/test new articulations... Sounds even more related now. So this you or Steinberg fix it?



It is not fixed in the 5.1 version I'm using. I read through the 5.5 updates and it didn't appear to be addressed, so I haven't done the upgrade. Don't know if it's fixed in 5.5.

My fix is to open up the list editor and look for LONG lists of the EXACT same data at the EXACT same time and delete all but the first. For me it only happens at the start of copied data, so I know where to look.

I can't recall exactly how the art's show up in the MIDI data - they're not notes or controllers, IIRC. So you can filter those out. I think part of the issue is that Cubase uses the MIDI data stream to send a tiny bitmap of the score image associated with the articulation (hashes for tremolo, dots for staccato, etc - no idea why it does that) - that eats up a lot of MIDI bandwidth when it repeats it over and over. So playback chokes at those points.

Been a while since I looked at the problem, though, so I don't recall exactly. Going off fuzzy memory...

rgames


----------



## Fernando Warez (Jul 12, 2010)

rgames @ Mon Jul 12 said:


> Fernando Warez @ Mon Jul 12 said:
> 
> 
> > You know i was cutting and pasting group of notes inside the key editor a lot. I did that to add/test new articulations... Sounds even more related now. So this you or Steinberg fix it?
> ...



Yea, once i hit the bed last night, it came to me that the work around was going to need some work in the list editor, as you've already mentioned this earlier. I guess my brain works better in a horizontal position :mrgreen: . And I'm glad the list editor will finally get some use hehehe!

Well, if that solves the problem I'm gonna ow you a whole truck of these o-[][]-o . I was REALLY stuck here. 

Thank you very much for you help, Richard.

P.S. Nice website BTW. Very professional.


----------



## Pietro (Jul 19, 2010)

I thought I'd chime in and say, that after a month of holding back, I finally installed 5.5 yesterday, and so far, I don't regret.

- The new look is a matter of taste and getting used to. I'd love an option to change the font though.
- Video seems stable. Older projects seem to work fine under new video engine too.
- One thing about video is, that some formats may use more than 25% CPU just for video playback (...) on a quad core Intel Q6600
- Old projects seem to open and play properly
- I noticed a slightly lower CPU usage (maybe an autosuggestion).
- Reverence new true stereo support is a nice feature, especially while there's an excellent set of impulse responses available for free . You know which ones.

Overall I think it's a good update. No problems so far.

- Piotr


----------



## Scott Cairns (Jul 20, 2010)

Ive installed 5.5 onto both a MacBook and my WinXP desktop machine. No problems here. Support for the Apple Remote is back. (that could've been re-introduced earlier, its the first time Ive used it.)

Opening .cpr files between computers and different OS's has been flawless for me. A song I created on PC opened in Snow Leopard with all the right Trilogy, RMX and Omnisphere patches. Good stuff.


----------



## José Herring (Jul 20, 2010)

Scott Cairns @ Tue Jul 20 said:


> Ive installed 5.5 onto both a MacBook and my WinXP desktop machine. No problems here. Support for the Apple Remote is back. (that could've been re-introduced earlier, its the first time Ive used it.)
> 
> Opening .cpr files between computers and different OS's has been flawless for me. A song I created on PC opened in Snow Leopard with all the right Trilogy, RMX and Omnisphere patches. Good stuff.



That's good to hear. I've been running it everyday for a while and have to say that this is one that Steinberg got right. For me it's way better than 5.1.


----------

