Basic formatting question.

[BORNintoMUSIC]

I've basically been using Cubase SX3 for about 6 months now. So I'm still getting used to some things.

Let me give you an idea of how things are setup:
We are using a total of 5 Microphones, two guitars, and a bass which are plugged into an Alesis Multimix Firewire 16 mixer, via XLR.

In cubase I have all of those connections set to mono.
When I record everything in cubase there is one track per microphone and instrument.

So, here are my questions:
Lets say I want to add an effect to the vocal track (or any track for that matter) during one specific point over the song. Do I have to cut the part I want to add effects to and put that into a separate track? Or is there a better way of adding effects?

Also, can you guys tell me how you format your recording sessions in Cubase?

Lastly, I can never figure this out. Randomly throughout our recording sessions the metronome will work and at other times it wont. I've looked under the appropriate properties window and the metronome is enabled, loud enough, and checked to be played during recording and playing sessions. But for the life of me I can't figure out why it comes through our PA half the time.


Thanks so much,
Brandon

[brandondrury]

Lets say I want to add an effect to the vocal track (or any track for that matter) during one specific point over the song. Do I have to cut the part I want to add effects to and put that into a separate track? Or is there a better way of adding effects?

There is a better way. Read up on FX Tracks (or is it Effects Tracks) in Cubase.

Create a new FX track. It'll ask you what effect you want. Select your reverb of choice. Now head over to the Window thing where you control your inserts and such for your vocals. On the right side towards the top, you'll be able to click in a box and select "FX 1 - Reverb" or something to that effect. Turn on the send and crank up the level. Play around with the level and the reverb in the reverby parts of the song until you get what you want.

Then head over the the actual vocal track in the main window thingy. In the bottom left corner you'll see an + sign. Click on it. If you click on the name of the little miniature track that pops up, you can select a ton of different options. You'll want "FX1-Reverb send level". Click the "W" which should be green. Now you can draw the amount of reverb you want at any given part.

If this explanation sucks, look up automation in Cubase.

You can control level or turn an effect off or on. You'll definitely want to be using Aux sends / FX tracks (same thing) for your reverbs. I wouldn't put reverb on an insert.

I hope this helps.

Brandon

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Create a new FX track. It'll ask you what effect you want. Select your reverb of choice. Now head over to the Window thing where you control your inserts and such for your vocals. On the right side towards the top, you'll be able to click in a box and select "FX 1 - Reverb" or something to that effect. Turn on the send and crank up the level. Play around with the level and the reverb in the reverby parts of the song until you get what you want.

Brandon - I did what you said last night and it opened up a whole new world for me!!!!!!!! My god... I feel like tard that just realized he could crap for the first time. It sounds like automation should have been something I learned the first few times I used cubase, but it never came up. I'll repost The Pot Song with automation and see if it helped improve the song.

Although I do see one limitation thus far with automation. Say you want effects applied to one specific word sung during the chorus. So far I have been automation the FX Channel volume level, taking it from the off position to the correct volume level I want to hear it at. But if I only want effects to one specific word, that doesn't give me much time to slide the volume bar to the position I want it in.

I think I may have realized the answer to my question while typing this in. Do you have to manually draw the automation in, if you want to be that precise?

Thanks so much Brandon. Understanding this automation feature has made me so excited. I can't stop thinking about engineering during work. Man am I in the wrong business right now... too bad there arent many engineering jobs available to poor saps like myself.

[brandondrury]

Although I do see one limitation thus far with automation. Say you want effects applied to one specific word sung during the chorus. So far I have been automation the FX Channel volume level, taking it from the off position to the correct volume level I want to hear it at. But if I only want effects to one specific word, that doesn't give me much time to slide the volume bar to the position I want it in.

Are you trying to automate using the fader real-time? I find this method impractical with a mouse. It's more for people who have control surfaces.

I always manually draw in my automation. Make you turn snapping off. Otherwise, all your dots will end up on a specific beat or specific measure (whatever your snapping is set to). This is usually undesiderable with automation.

Read this:
Volume Automation: The Most Powerful Mixing Tool

Brandon

[BORNintoMUSIC]

Are you trying to automate using the fader real-time? I find this method impractical with a mouse. It's more for people who have control surfaces.

I have been using it with a mouse. I'll start putting all of that in manually... although I do prefer "real time". heh...


When you say "control surface", is that a piece of hardware that links the hardware faders to the software faders in Cubase?

Thanks!!
Brandon

[brandondrury]

Read this:
Getting Started With DAW Control Surfaces and Faders

I'll start putting all of that in manually... although I do prefer "real time".

Well, there are a number of benefits to the real time method. There are benefits to getting exactly what you want out of the automation too. Whatever works for you is the right way.

Brandon