I have been running Cubase LE for a couple of years now without crashing. Typically when you experience a crash it is the computer not the software. You did not give your specs or OS so it is only possible to guess. It is also recommended that you have two seperate drives one for OS and one for recorded tracks. Are you recieving error messages or does it all just freeze?
What are you doing when "silencing"? I assume you mean removing, lowering the volume of, a specific sound. Are you talking about removing for example the drummers count in before the song, or a count during a rest in the performance? Because for the most part that is simple and there are a few ways to handle it, one of the easiest is volume automation.

As for your crashes. I agree with jg49. Tell us the specs of your computer. Laptop/Desktop, CPU, RAM, etc and the trackcount of your project. I assume you are on XP SP2 and you don't run a virusscanner when Cubase is up.

For removing the count in I wouldn't do volume automation but rather touch the beginning of the event and slide it past the last count before the song begins. If you do any overdubs it might be helpful to split that part so you can mute it and unmute it when you need it.

seems to be fixed

Thank you for your replies,

It seems to be up and working. I uninstalled and reinstalled and found one update online that fixed crashes. It's a brand new DEll XPS M1730 running Vista (fully updated) with 4G of RAM and 2.4 MGhZ processor so I figured it wasn't the laptop.

I messed around silencing the clicks (exactly, I mean the 4 clicks going into a song, and then hi-hat clicks in the middle of songs to keep timing), and that has seemes to work, but I didn't use any overheads so all the cymbals are unfortunately on the tom mics. My Tascam US-144 only has 4 inputs so I had to work with what i've got. So, my main problem is the hi-hat clicks in the middle of the track I can't really silence because it still has sizle left over from the cymbals, I tried a noise gate, which worked a little, and a fade out which sounded strange...

jg49--where would I find the volume automation? I'm guessing it has something to do with read and write automation, which I do not fully understand yet, but am trying to learn about it.

Sorry for my newbosity, your help is most appreciated.

In Cubase when you enable automation on a track by clicking on the small "W" = write, a line (black if the track has not been automated before) will appear, as the track plays any volume alteration you make will be delineated on this line as well as any additions of plugins like reverb for a short or long passage. When finished making the changes click off the "w" and click on the "R"= (read) and the changes will occur automatically during playback. There are many functions you can automate like panning, compression changes, EQ settings that change etc. You really need to read the manual section on it, because it is something I do without really thinking about it anymore. For example if the write button is on you can take the pencil tool and draw in your volume changes by setting points on the now red line (automated ) and drawing it to wherever you want.
For "muting" small sections of tracks you can use the scissors tool and clip both sides of the section you want to silence and click on the small section you have created (enlarge if nec. so that it is a least an inch on the screen) and two small triangles will appear in the upper corners (fade ears) and a single small square at the bottom of the section which if you click on with the mouse you can drag downwards until the waveforms disappear (this is a gain control.) You will not lose the section it just will have no gain which can be brought back by reversing the procedure or even raising the gain of the selected section or track.

Automation allows you to tweak the gain or whatever on multiple tracks simultaneously, what in analog parlance was known as riding the faders, but often required six hands (three people) at the same time. Modern software DAWs allow tremendous variations in our approach to solving situations, so in the case of removing the drum stick count I can think of five ways off hand to arrive at similiar results, which way is best depends on what your exact needs are what you are comfortable with as a work flow.

Just a side note you should read the sticky regarding windows tweaks (vista) for recording, eg: disable wireless, anti-v, etc. You might not experience a problem until it is too late by disregarding some of this regardless of the newness or speed of your laptop.

Wow, lots of info...thank you very much. I will most definitely re-read the automation instructions in the manual. I read over it a couple times but didn't really soak it in.

I will try the scissors trick and mess around with automation and see where it takes me.

Thanks a ton for being so helpful!

These are very complex programs and experimentation and rereading is required for anyone without a great deal of experience and a photographic memory. I still read the manual and learn new tricks about stuff I could not absorb the first seventeen times LOL!

This is true for most DAW's. God bless good manuals and help files!

Another Cubase question...

Alright, so I have recorded my demo, which is 20 minutes long (the songs basically run into each other to form one long opus or movement if you will).

My question is: how do add track marks, or separate the songs? I would like to keep it one long 20 minute flowing piece, just tracked so when I put it on CD, you could skip forward to different songs, or just listen seamlessly.

I've looked through all manuals and googled it but didn't get any results.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Check out pages 54-55 in the manual. I don't know if these are the same type you want.

I could tell you how to do it in Protools and Audition and Tracktion but somehow I think that won't help.....

Just to touch on something else signatures said "but I didn't use any overheads so all the cymbals are unfortunately on the tom mics. My Tascam US-144 only has 4 inputs so I had to work with what i've got"

I often use a three mic set up for drums when doing mobile recording and channel availibility is in short supply. Kick, snare, single overhead with good results, even when using four mics I would not have a dedicated tom mic. I assume you guys are retracking parts over your original drum session. I find it is best to go with three mics and some sort of scratch rhythm track (keys, guitar,etc.) The single overhead correctly placed will give you better overall drum sounds than using the close mics to pick up the cymbals. YMMV

Iam using the Tascam US-144 but not with Cubase LE 4..It crashed for months then I sorta gave up...Then I got another hardrive just with 20GB
I added that to my PC as a dual boot because this time I have WINXP PROF..not as my main drive (XP home)
I disabled a few things that I didn'T need I just wanted a plane copy of XP PRO with SP 2....to try this Tascam once again...and BAMM it works without crashing..but I have no anti virus or firewall no programs acept
for MIXCRAFT 4 its like Cubase and AUDACITY another like cubase..
and ...so I have no idea what was making my pc crash...UNTILL!!!........

I read the back of the TASCAM BOOK...admit it guys we didn't follow the rules of the TASCAM...!!! If you follow each install requirement ..it will work...ok so it doesn't work with service pack 3...do we need it..NOt realy!!

so do yourself a favor I get another hardrive as dual boot ...install winxp pro service pack 2 or home/..Not sure if home will work ...it didn't on my other drive..).......but I had service pack 3 etc..
remove all the stuff you don't need...and disable automatic updates!

keep the internet but with no updates like google taskbar or anthing like that...download stuff to your main hardrive in that drive ..when you dual boot to your new drive go to the C: drive and take your recording sotware and copy shortcut to your new desktop..

The only thing I had to do was install my TASCAM driver software on the new Desktop ...thats it

So the only thing you should have on this drive are shortcut's and a folder for your saved music.

If you have any issues email me...quote a post!!

FYI: If your going to browse the internet: Because the internet needs flash and all sorts on X's to see websites...use your main drive..
Do not DOWNLOAD on the new drive!! paste in your c: drive or wherever you can find it
once your in your your dual boot desktop locate and paste!!

I know I repeated lost of stuff...seems like I need to be clear with people
installing this thing...

think about it..do you think bands are playing games while recording tracks lol I'll tell ya one thing..not in there right mind would they take the chance to loose it all!!

Hope this helps