Film Composing

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2004 5:44 pm

Hello,
I have always used Cubase VST for composing music for film. I have not yet upgraded to SX, SL, Logic etc. for a number of reasons. Now that I am busy with my new laptop, I have run into some minor driver issues using my Mbox with Cubase VST. In a nutshell, Cubase VST has a minor distortion/clicking issue using the Digi ASIO driver provided for Protools LE 5.3.3. It seems that Digi only has SX/SL listed as compatible software with the ASIO driver, thus it has become obvious to me that I may want to upgrade once and for all. I am pretty loyal to Steinberg products not to mention due to the fact that I am a PC guy so I'm leaning towards SL....

So here's my question.... What is everyone else using for film scoring and why?

Best regards,
mIchAEl

Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 11:04 pm

I was a long time VST user, until I made my transition to OSX.

I do have SX on my PC, it's at my songwriting partners place so I don't know it in detail.

It's an easier transition on PC, all your plugs will work.

Make sure you get SX2, SX1 on PC suffered from the "Poof" syndrome. Unexpected quits without generating error messages.

Be aware that if you make extensive use of muliple arrangements, SX can only import the first one from a VST song. You will have to save the other arrangements as songs.

I gave up on Steinberg on the Mac, SX2 still has about 60 of the over 120 bugs present in SX1. And they saw fit to add over 30 more bugs.

For up to date info check out the PC forums at Cubase.net

Cool

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 1:50 pm

Hey G,
I haven't heard about this "poof" problem that you mention but it sounds like it would suck! I was actually looking at SL v.1 because I figured I might be able to hook up a deal on it as everyone wants v.2 now! We'll see. I have used SX before and quite like it. I have a friend who is a Mac/Logic guy and we used to eternally fight about who's was better. Now we've concluded that whichever platform you choose is good. I quite believe that too.
Best regards,
mIchAEl

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 4:12 pm

This may not be helpful but I'll mention it just in case. Minor distortion/clicking issues can be because of the wrong size buffer...the computer can't keep up with the audio. I'm sure you're aware of that already but just in case.

Sioux

Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:04 pm

Hey Sioux,
Thanks for the tip but I have already played with the buffer settings and it's the same result no matter what! I should elaborate a bit here, not only do I get a clicking sound but the computer itself actually stutters. If that makes any sense at all! For example, when a track is playing, I will get the crack sound for 1/2 a second, then the song will continue from the actual spot that the crack sound cut in, not from the place in the song that it would have been at if the crack never took place. Sort of like pausing it for the half sec. then unpausing it again to play more. I am a little confused about it. It never happened on my AMD tower that I migrated from. so, in fact I don't really know where to begin trouble shooting with it but I've just taken a stab at it and said I think it's a driver issue! What it's done is forced me to write music in Protools (I'm sure that that's what they want...) I'm writing some hip hop for a short film. I have heard that Protools is going to really work on their MIDI capabilities with the next release and boy, I can hardly wait!!
Regards,
mIchAEl

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:03 am

Quote:

Originally posted by mIchAElpEdErsEn:
...the computer itself actually stutters. ...I will get the crack sound for 1/2 a second, then the song will continue from the actual spot that the crack sound cut in, not from the place in the song that it would have been at if the crack never took place. Sort of like pausing it for the half sec. then unpausing it again to play more.

Hi Michael, I get the same type thing on the server, this happens when we start demanding processing power, only when stretching out to several weeks advance. We need to defrag and compact data on the operating side, but will have to shut down to do it. Not always possible running 24/7.

As far as my own small system that I am playing with, I will close all possible services. On your system, it may require some things to run. It could be as simple as a USB connection to something, looking for an active desktop, wscript error, detecting for drives etc. Perhaps there is a log that can tell you what happens at that particular time. Search advanced, under files named log, see if you can find something there.

That is the single most aggravating drag about computers when you don't know or expect them to burp. Perhaps the computer forum can help. I have found some sites on the web to minimize any problems with my win 98. I think I searched optimizing "your operating system" for audio, I saw others listed. That's 98, so what the hell do I really know Very Happy

?

--Rick

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:52 am

Hey Rick,
Thanks for the search tip. I've been to the Digi forum,the Cubase and a Dell forum with no responces at all. (Great forums... ha ha) I haven't tried just typing in keywords like optimize and audio into google to see what comes up. I will try that today and let you know what happens. It's funny, problems like this are annoying but I can't help but enjoy trying to figure it out. Some people like crosswords, I like computer puzzles!
Best regards,
mIchAEl

Posted: Fri Jan 16, 2004 11:16 pm

Do you have a seperate drive for audio? wireless card? a lot of USB devices?

Sounds like something is eating up CPU cycles on your machine.

Also you need enough ram, so your hard drive won't be used for virtual memory. Not a good thing if you are recording.

To me CubaseVST5 isn't broken and if you have it on Windows it will continue to work. Until Steinberg changes the VST2 format.

But SX is a new program with a whole array of new bugs. For me my Steinberg experience was like paying to be a beta tester, when in reality they should be paying me.

In the end I had to take emotion out of the equation and make a business decision.

Steinberg is continually updating it's sound engine. Which they state is cause for newer versions not being able to import a finished mix from a previous version.

I started on Cubase3.x, The transitions from Cubase3 to Cubase4, Cubase4 to Cubase5, Cubase5 to SX1. Required you to remix old sessions to use the new product. SX2 now has the Nuendo sound engine, it's different from the SX1 engine.

Through all of the transitions you could load your songs but things like automation, and the internal dynamics would not transfer.

None of the competition has that business practice. Imagine the noise if Pro Tools6 could not load PT5 mixes. Logic5 can open Logic6 sessions minus freeze tracks.

It wasn't a problem when it was just my songs, but as I had more clients, more completed projects.

There is no time/budget available to remix completed projects, just to use SX. So my Cubase5 sessions will live and die in Cubase5. All new projects are in DP, or Logic.

I was going to give them a few versions to see if the Pinnacle purchase would improve the quality of their releases.

I don't know about the windows world but, they are not competitve in the Mac world.

So check out the forums at Cubase.net for a while.

Also be aware that Steinberg is currently undergoing a major restructuring. They may not be out of the woods yet.

:p:

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