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FL Studio to Cubase learning curve?

Hey guys,

What's the learning curve for Cubase, how does it compare to fruity loops?

Any long term users offer good places to start/tips for getting up and running asap.

Cheers,

Lunar.

a week max

I'm on cubase5 and find it dead simple. I find I use a few basic all the time such as grove agent as a vst inset for drums (often several instances - one for kicks for example). Drag samples in from your files into media bay, then drag em to grove agent pads and your ready to play.

Any tips you want just contact me.

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Butler I'm on cubase5 and find it dead simple. I find I use a few basic all the time such as grove agent as a vst inset for drums (often several instances - one for kicks for example). Drag samples in from your files into media bay, then drag em to grove agent pads and your ready to play. Any tips you want just contact me.

I'd appreciate a link to the basics.

I'm very experienced with FL and can use it to do pretty much what I like, never the less I have (fully legitimately) got hold of Cubase and would love to learn a new DAW.

I know nothing of it as I stand.

Any links to forums or video tutorials that are useful would be much appreciated.

quote:

Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 I'd appreciate a link to the basics. I'm very experienced with FL and can use it to do pretty much what I like, never the less I have (fully legitimately) got hold of Cubase and would love to learn a new DAW. I know nothing of it as I stand. Any links to forums or video tutorials that are useful would be much appreciated.

You'll find that Cubase5 has a very in-depth help file...Always being your number 1 place to start...

If you have specific DAW questions you can always google/youtube it.

Having gone from FL9XXL to Cubase5 just recently myself, I can tell you that it shouldn't take long...

Pretty much everything is laid out the same way in terms of midi/event sequencer, piano roll, mixer, sends etc...The main thing is simply figuring out where the hell everything is at.

I find automating in cubase5 to be a little bit more annoying though, as it doesn't have the nice parametric editing that FL does...but Cubase5 has far superior rendering and built-in VST's...oh and vari-audio yeaaaah. (I've heard that the latest FL will have something similar though, lol)

quote:

Originally posted by theterran You'll find that Cubase5 has a very in-depth help file...Always being your number 1 place to start... If you have specific DAW questions you can always google/youtube it. Having gone from FL9XXL to Cubase5 just recently myself, I can tell you that it shouldn't take long... Pretty much everything is laid out the same way in terms of midi/event sequencer, piano roll, mixer, sends etc...The main thing is simply figuring out where the hell everything is at. I find automating in cubase5 to be a little bit more annoying though, as it doesn't have the nice parametric editing that FL does...but Cubase5 has far superior rendering and built-in VST's...oh and vari-audio yeaaaah. (I've heard that the latest FL will have something similar though, lol)

Nice, thanks for that. FL came with a getting started guide that was really useful.

I know there is google, but often you find a load of shit.

Is the piano roll as good as FL? I've used Ableton, but it was poo tbh.

Hard to say on the piano roll...there's pros and cons...

I find Fl easier for manual midi input...but now that I have a midi controller that's a bit of a moot point...

I'd still say that Cubase5's piano roll is much more intuitive and simple to use than FL's.

Having gotten really comfy with Cubase5, I hardly find myself opening up FL anymore...

quote:

Originally posted by theterran Hard to say on the piano roll...there's pros and cons... I find Fl easier for manual midi input...but now that I have a midi controller that's a bit of a moot point... I'd still say that Cubase5's piano roll is much more intuitive and simple to use than FL's. Having gotten really comfy with Cubase5, I hardly find myself opening up FL anymore...

Sounds daft, but I worry that cubase is took messy/complicated. Fruity is really stripped back and I like that. Cubase, etc just seem so bloody all over the place.

quote:

Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 Sounds daft, but I worry that cubase is took messy/complicated. Fruity is really stripped back and I like that. Cubase, etc just seem so bloody all over the place.

It's really not...give it a week. Again, it's all over the place because you're acquainting yourself with a new DAW...Just like FL was probably all over the place for you when you first started with it...(was for me :S)

Trust me...Cubase5 is a definite step-up in quality and 100% worth learning. Also, the more DAWs you can work with, the more collaboration your opened up to...

If you want all over the place...pickup Reason 4, load up some synths and VST's...then press the tab button. You'll go "WTFisthisIdonteven!?!?"


Fl is still pretty baller for it's price though.

quote:

Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7 Sounds daft, but I worry that cubase is took messy/complicated. Fruity is really stripped back and I like that. Cubase, etc just seem so bloody all over the place.

Then why change???

i would say cubase is probably the most intuitive DAW out there. Extremely simple to grasp.

Oh no we lost another one.

Way to turn your back on a good program trader... lolz.

Seriously though why do so many people leave FL? I've had the impulse plenty of times myself but its such a ridiculously quick program to lay down beats in.
Not to mention the piano roll is prob one of the more important aspects for me, and using the piano roll on Live or Reason puts a huge kill on my inspiration to even want to produce. I've only opened Cubase randomly like 3 times in the past but I wound up wasting so much damn time doing tasks that would take 30 seconds in FL.

Sure it likely has a ton of features I don't even know about, but I don't even use all the features in FL. All I need is a decent piano roll, a easy to navigate interface and I'm set. I should also mention I was never confused the first time I saw FLs interface, and every other program has been a bitch in some way to get use to.

If Cubase is the most 'intuitive DAW' out there than FL must be the most intuitive sequencer... lol

Its really easy, you just have to find a proper way to program drums.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ Robby Rox I've only opened Cubase randomly like 3 times in the past but I wound up wasting so much damn time doing tasks that would take 30 seconds in FL.

Like?

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad i would say cubase is probably the most intuitive DAW out there. Extremely simple to grasp.

Really? I suppose it depends on the person but I found Logic to have a much better and more intuitive UI, but I did previously use Garageband so that may be why it seemed so simple to me.

Either way Cubase and Logic are my favourite 2 DAWs

HERE'S A COOKIE CUTTER WORKFLOW PLAN FOR YOU OP:

1) Open cubase (you don't say!)

2) Set up a basic template (I've never gooton my head around why I had to do this - seems like a stupid unecessary step - seems to need this as a starting place where songs are placed). All I want is a new project end of, but for some reason you have to select a template to work from.

3) Now start a 'new project' - from the left hand drop down column

4) In the middle of your screen should be the main controller with functions like rec / play etc.
Chose a tempo by going to the right hand end of this controller. Select 'track'rather than fixed, and now dial in the tempo you want.

5) On the left of this bar is something like 'midi' - it's where you setup how the thing will record - I usualy set to 'merge / mix' otherwise on a loop you will find each cycle overwrites what was there!
Also on the left of this bar controller thang is 'quantise'. For now you probably want to set to 'auto'.

6) Selelct PROJECT from top menu bar - now setup the project - I usualy go for 44.1 and 24 bit.

7) Now 'save as'. Choose a name to save it with.
Now 'save as' again with the number 1 or something after your name (before the .cpr) so you always have 2 copies in case one fuks up.

8) ASSUMING YOU START THIS WITH A KICK > Hover with mouse over to the left side (not all the way to the left) and there is a column - if you click right in the correct place it will come up with a list of 'add track' options.

Select 'add vst / instrument' track
Then choose 'groove agent' as your instrument.

9) Set up a loop section. You just drag the left hand handle at the top of tthe working area to say bar 13 and the right hand handle to bar 14.

Click the loop tool on that central bar controller thang. It should turn blue when loop is on. Your looking for a roughly circular arrow.

10) YOUR READY TO MAKE MUSIC.
Go to the track containing groove agent you just set up.
Look for a little button to press that turns yellow - it's like a little speaker. Turn this on (mind you this is for a midi keyboard - I never use piano roll).

Open groove agent to select your kick sound.
This is done by clicking on the little gate / keyboard image to your left on the track.
Now the drum machine will open.
Use the usual load bar at the top of the drum machine to scroll through cubase kits. Minimal tech for example.

I don't want to overload you - just get to this point and see if you can record a kick loop first.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad i would say cubase is probably the most intuitive DAW out there. Extremely simple to grasp.

I found exactly the opposite. I had the dubious pleasure of having a crack at cubase earlier this week and found it EVEN LESS intuitive that pro tools. Which is REALLY saying something for me.

Coming from a PT and then ableton background, I have to say this thing is just a pain in the arse, the audio editing is even worse than live, and it took me forever just to work out how to open up a VST window once you'd instantiated it. It turns out its a tiny little button a quarter the size of your fingernail, which completely blends in with the background.

Now, I appreciate that cubase has a lot of great features, but the fact that it takes me several clicks just to adjust the volume of a track while I'm working on it is just not my cup of tea, neither is the obscure little VST edit button, neither is the fact that junk like the "expression sets" takes up more space in my workspace than the edit button for my vst, or the gain control for the channel. And to this point, I still haven't worked out how to loop a segment so I can create a drum loop and keep it rolling throughout the whole track.

My advice; try another DAW unless you're deeply masochistic. Like me, who can't stand the idea of a damn program beating me, so I'll probably try to produce a track in it anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ Robby Rox Oh no we lost another one. Way to turn your back on a good program trader... lolz.

It's a long story, I'm not abandoning FL at all, but I also understand how much I leanr simply getting new samples or new synths let alone a whole DAW.

I am not prepared to buy a new DAW because I fear I won't like the program or whatever.

However I have been given a fully licenced (& Legit) copy of Cubase SX so figured it would be daft not to at least investigate into it futher.

quote:

Originally posted by Richard Butler HERE'S A COOKIE CUTTER WORKFLOW PLAN FOR YOU OP:

See that's what I am talking about.

My god, FL it's simply File > New. Then drag and drop your drums into the pattern creator. Viola.

When I start up cubase I go

new project => empty

right click => Load VST Instrument

take pencil draw from bar 0 to bar 9 (8 bars...) => Double click and begin adding midi

OR : Press record, play keyboard...

repeat...

Receive song.

To bring up any vst instrument, you click on the track in the sequencer, click on channel on the left, press the little piano button. If you want your mixer for that track, you press the little e. You can also rotate through them by mouse scrolling or opening your main mixer.

The other wonderful thing is that cubase will assume all seperate "event windows" (where your midi is sequenced in das sequencer)

This means I can take a 4/4 kick track, copy it right in front of itself, and edit the new event without it messing with the old one. With FL you have to tell it to be unique...

FL requires an extra 3 steps for this...not to mention you cant line up your sequencer off of any specific event in FL, you always have to line it up in the master sequencer which is a royal pain in the ass when adding content.

Took me 10 minutes to make a minute long sample track in cubase that's automated, compressed, eq'd and mastered...

My argument is still : What you understand will always be easier, but do what you find best. (and in order to find out what's best for you, try EVERYTHING!)

So yeah, up to your tastes really

My friend really really loves reason and it's annoying "Rack" style mixer...I can't stand wasting my time with that...but alas, he won't give it up.

Welllll thanks for your input guys.

I'm deffo gonna give it a go.

Thanks again!

quote:

Originally posted by kitphillips Now, I appreciate that cubase has a lot of great features, but the fact that it takes me several clicks just to adjust the volume of a track while I'm working on it is just not my cup of tea, neither is the obscure little VST edit button, neither is the fact that junk like the "expression sets" takes up more space in my workspace than the edit button for my vst, or the gain control for the channel. And to this point, I still haven't worked out how to loop a segment so I can create a drum loop and keep it rolling throughout the whole track.

It does not take several clicks to adjust the volume, and you can choose which buttons you want to display in which order everywhere in the working environment.

quote:

Originally posted by Mad for Brad i would say cubase is probably the most intuitive DAW out there. Extremely simple to grasp.

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quote:

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I have officially learned a new term

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