1. How to use the steinberg forum---and---2. Maintenance update question.

[SIRRISH]

1. I am a new user; I must be ignorant because just the FORUM itself is confusing and I don't know how to use it. If I did post something, I wouldn't know where to find the answer. I am totally lost. So, I went online trying to find a youtube video on HOW TO USE THE STEINBERG FORUM; and I found nothing at all. Is there not some kind of tutorial or video or SOMETHING that will tell the HOW TO's of USING THE FORUM? And, now that I have posted this THREAD . . . once it is answered . . . where will I go to find my answer . . . do I have to look through all the many different threads until I find mine? Or is there a more organized and user-friendly way to read my answers?

2. I have been using Cubase SX for many years. I have about 80 original songs on it on my old Windows XP computer. I bought the new CUBASE 8 and discovered quite GLEEFULLY that my songs on Cubase XP will load and function on Cubase 8; THAT was SOOOO EXCITING TO DISCOVER! So now my QUESTION: I have noticed that there are about 4 to 5 maintenance updates available already for my CUBASE 8. So, now that my Cubase 8 uploads and works with my old Cubase SX files WITHOUT the UPDATES . . . will loading these new updates interfere with this presently enjoyed compatibility between CUBASE SX and CUBASE 8?

SIRRISH

 

[Chili]

If I remember correctly, you have to use the unique id number from your cubase USB hasp to log onto the steinberg forums. Maybe that's changed over the years.... haven't been on there in a long time.

For your question: generally, the maint updates should not affect compatibility. BUT!!!! If I were you, I would save all your projects as Cubase 8 files. Even go as far as Saving As with a slightly different name.

Example:

Open Cubase SX song ProjectName.cpr in Cubase 8 and Save As... ProjectName_8.cpr. Then you'll have two cpr files; one from Cubase SX and one from Cubase 8. Do that for all your projects and perform the maintenance updates.

But again. I doubt the maint updates will affect compatibility. If the SZ projects open now, they will after the update.

 

[SIRRISH]

Hello Chili, thanks for your reply about the compatibility issues regarding Cubase SX and Cubase 8. HOWEVER, I have discovered that THOUGH I "THOUGHT" THEY WERE COMPATIBLE, when I try to upload some of my Cubase files to Cubase 8, parts of a file are missing . . . and sometimes the whole song. So, one time someone told me that I would have to EXPORT my songs from Cubase SX and IMPORT them to Cubase 8> And, there was a process for that. Do you know how I EXPORT FILES to be used to be IMPORTED to a more advanced software? Thanks...RISH

 

[JimmyS1969]

File management. This can be a tough thing to explain.

Your files for a project 'should' always be in one single folder that includes 'Audio' and 'Images' files. As well as the .cpr files. If the 'Audio' folder is not in there, then it is being saved to another location that you have not identified for the project. It happens when not paying attention. Been there done that. Newer versions of Cubase will also have a 'Track Pictures' folder and others like 'Melodyne' included in the same main folder if you are using them. The most important is to have ALL of the 'Audio/Images' files in the folder you are working with. If not you are the only one guessing where they are saved. Easy to lose.

Say I open a new project and forget to designate a folder location. It will be saved to the last opened one. So that means that my new project may be saving audio files to a completely un-related project. If I delete or move that old project folder, then Cubase will not be able to find the files for the new one.

So, for the future, when you open a new Cubase project, always check the box 'Prompt for project location'. This will save you much pain later. By default, it goes to 'Cubase Projects' on your 'C' drive. Not a good thing in my past experience...

For now since it seems you have not organized so well, open the project you are working on that you have files all opening. Edit>Back up Project>Set Project Folder in 'New Folder' location. This will save all of the necessary files so that you do not lose your project files or info. Keep close record of that and save to another drive if you have that ability. A project folder with the name of the project is absolutely imperative to keeping your work organized!

Now, know that once you open a project in Cubase 8 and save, it will not open in SX anymore. Make sure to keep them separate. You can have two of the same projects saved in different versions of Cubase. Just make sure you do not save in a newer version and delete the previous. Best to have two hard drives to keep them totally separate entities. Main important thing is to have all of your data for each project organized in one folder separate from ones in other versions of Cubase. Do not stray from that or you will have yourself a big pain in the ass...

I hope this made sense and helped. I screwed some projects up badly in the past. That is why I am trying to help here. Some find these things obvious. It took me countless hours to understand why and fixing my f-ups...

 

[JimmyS1969]

Should look like this. This is a 28 song project I am working on. All audio is in this folder. Saved to 3 hard drives just in case. But the idea is that everything is in one place and organized.

 

[JimmyS1969]

I am no guru of Cubase by the way. But I have learned much in the last 7 or so years using Cubase and learning on forums. That is why I am here to help when I can.

 

[JimmyS1969]

Hello Chili, thanks for your reply about the compatibility issues regarding Cubase SX and Cubase 8. HOWEVER, I have discovered that THOUGH I "THOUGHT" THEY WERE COMPATIBLE, when I try to upload some of my Cubase files to Cubase 8, parts of a file are missing . . . and sometimes the whole song. So, one time someone told me that I would have to EXPORT my songs from Cubase SX and IMPORT them to Cubase 8> And, there was a process for that. Do you know how I EXPORT FILES to be used to be IMPORTED to a more advanced software? Thanks...RISH

To the direct question of 'export' to another DAW - or one that is not communicating; you only need to export each wav file starting at the same point in time. Meaning that each starts at the same point when exported.

I hope your Cubase programs will work without this, but that is typically the way anyone would share files from one DAW software to another. I do that often when importing tracks from another that uses Protools. The recorded wav files are the same for any DAW. But the files that tell software where they are located are not the same. Meaning a Cubase 'cpr' file means nothing to say 'Garage Band' software. It is only a file that tells Cubase what to do with the files. It does not contain any audio information.

 

[Chili]

About file management and backward compatibility, I think Jimmy said it all. I've opened songs from when I used Cubase SE3, a sister program to SX. I recorded those over 10 yrs ago!! If you're getting warnings and errors for lost files, that's because they aren't where the cpr file is expecting them. You can use the Media Bay to go look for the missing files and bring them back into the program.

I keep one folder for each song. All audio, images, cpr files, mixdowns, finalized, everything... gets put into sub-folders under the one main folder. Some folders are created by Cubase, some I create.

The last time I reloaded Cubase, it streamed all the audio files to some default folder on the c: drive. I guess I forgot to update the path or change a setting. My c: drive started filling up (it's a small SSD drive). I had to go in and manually move them to the correct folder on my d: drive and then tell cubase where they were. It was a pain.

So, you should be able to open old projects with Cubase 8. Just gotta know where your files are and bring them in manually if they aren't where Cubase expects them. The media bay will tell you the name of the missing files.

 

[SIRRISH]

Thank you Jimmys69. I am so impressed in your thoroughness of your answer. I can see by reading this that I have already screwed up some tunes by opening them n Cubase 8 and saving them. I hope I have other copies elsewhere Again l thank you for your time and efforts in my behalf; your answer were very helpful. RISH

 

[rob aylestone]

Plus it is really vital to always get into the habit of giving track names proper titles, otherwise in a folder for that song you have everything as the track name - which is the same as every other song! So searching for (as an example, track 1 - brings back thousands of tracks with that title all in a folder called unnamed or equally unhelpful. So you really need to save a song into it's own folder, with all the tracks at the very least labelled bass, guitar etc. Trouble is, changing them later in the project doesn't change the file names - it has to be done before you record anything.