Very informative video (as usual when it's coming from you). The A/B comparision gave me the idea to use this for monitoring headphone vs speakers and using Waves NX Ocean Way vs Realphones. Unfortunately setting these up as cue mixes in the Cubase 12 control room didn't work quite as expected :) What I did was: -Setup a monitor output in the control room to be my main output. Then add Waves NX and Sonarworks (with headphones correction) plugins to this output (as this will be my main mixing channel) -Setup CUE 1 and add Realphones and Sonarworks (with headphones correction) to be an alternative mixing on headphones channel -Setup CUE 2 and add sonarworks (with speaker room correction) to be my alternative mixing with speakers channel I thought at first that this worked great, until I found out that the plugins on the monitor channel (when active) are also present in the CUE mixes. Of course, in hindsight :P, because the CUE mixes are sent to the monitor channel... Luckily I found another way which does achieve what I originally intended. I'm sure you already know this trick but I didn't and perhaps someone who reads your comments also doesn't. Instead of creating CUE outputs in the control room, I now have created 3 monitor outputs in the control room (one for headphones with waves nx, one for headphones with Realphones and one for the speakers). Each of these has its own plugins which, as opposed to using CUEs, do NOT interfere with each other. The trick to be able to do this with only a single physical output on my sound interface (MOTU M2) was to disable the Cubase control room option 'Exclusive Assignment of Monitor Channels'. With this option disabled you can now assign the same physical output to multiple monitor outputs in the control room. You just can't use them at the same time but that is not a problem in this case! I can now quickly switch between Waves NX and Realphones (or listening through speakers) by simply Activating the correct monitor output in the control room :)
Thanks so much for this info. I always used an audio track with all my mix tracks routed to a group track. Using the Cue sends in the control room is so much easier. GREAT!!!
Just a quick heads up,if you register to plugin alliance, you can often get Metric AB for 30$ with the email deals, seasonal deals and all. 3 years later, still love it. Referencing saves years.
CD is good for sure...I also use HD Streaming like Amazon HD and I heard a lot about www.hdtracks.com/ where you can purchase music in lossless quality
I followed step by step the control room trick and I'm not getting any sound. I see the level meters moving, but I can't get any sound and I've matched all my settings with the ones in this video :/ EDIT: Never mind, didn't have an audio device selected in Monitor 1.
Hi, I set up the control room with cues as you explained. Unfortunately there is no sound from the reference track. But my mix is playing either on "mix" aswell as on 1", can you help me? The signal will be showed from the reference track but only on the track
I used to have mine setup just like yours at 11:00 but all the sudden the "Mix" and "C1" buttons don't work anymore. Now I have to keep it on "C1" and I can only swap back and forth by selecting "Mix" or "Cue" from the upper area under "Cue 1". I don't know what I changed but it's really annoying because I'm used to using the large buttons just like you did in this video. EDIT: Wow I didn't realize I had solo'd the reference track. So... if you do that, the buttons under the top "Cue 1" section will allow you to still hear the main mix if you select "Mix" for anyone interested.
Hi Chris. I heard a podcast where an mixing engineer told that its possible with cubase to switch with one knob from Mix A to Mix B (maybe in use with different drumsamples) Can you describe that workflow please?
It's not clear why I need the reference plug-in for mastering. In another video, you said that for lower versions of Cubase we need the reference plugin for mastering. Why would I invest in a plugin to be able to master in lower versions of Cubase, when I could use that money to get the Pro version of Cubase? I don't get it.
The master meter only reflects the mix signal even when switching to the cue. Is there a way of maybe routing the cue to the master so that when you switch back and forth between the mix and the cue, the meter reading corresponds accordingly?
Chris, you left out one important step in using the control room for mixing with the reference track! Your main mix must also go through the control room via the Monitor1 output!
You’re truly invaluable! Whenever I need to learn something about Cubase, your channel is my go-to. Clear, concise, and always on point. Big respect and gratitude for all your hard work! BIG Thank you !!!
I like using the control room, the only hic, is when you solo certains tracks, it automatically mute the reference track...The reference track should be totally independent...no?
Yes, you're right, but you can activate SOLO DEFEAT on the Reference track, this way it will stay ON even if another channel is in Solo. From the Mix Console, ALT+SOLO on the channel will activate Solo Defeat on this channel :-)
Hey Chris! Another off-topic question (as usually expected from me lol...) What is the make and model of the Mic you use to record your voice for these RU-vid videos? Thx! Attila
wow, fantastic video chris, i used magic ab for many years too and i´m currently using metric ab (and very happy with it) but i will try out the control room now, because of the possibility to use it with a key command, thank you very much for this awesome tip!
If anyone wants to buy Metric AB, Plugin Alliance allowed me to share some voucher codes: Code 1* ANY-2999 * This code is NOT valid for these products: AMEK EQ 200, bx_console SSL 9000 J, Dear VR Pro, ENGL Savage 120, Gig Performer 3, KNIF Knifonium, NEOLD V76U73, Shadow Hills Class A Code 2* ANY-3999 * This code is NOT valid for these products: AMEK EQ 200, bx_console SSL 9000 J, Dear VR Pro, ENGL Savage 120, Gig Performer 3, KNIF Knifonium, NEOLD V76U73, Shadow Hills Class A Code 3* ANY-4999 * This code is NOT valid for these products: AMEK EQ 200, bx_console SSL 9000 J, Dear VR Pro, ENGL Savage 120, Gig Performer 3, KNIF Knifonium, NEOLD V76U73, Shadow Hills Class A All codes valid until Sept 6, 11:59pm California Time (PST) Use All 3 Codes - in 3 Different Orders PLEASE: Only 1 Code per Order!
@@mixdownonline I'm glad that I could help, I'm going for the Shadow hills and/or the Iron maybe...unfortunately my most wanted from PA, the SSL 9000J is not included in the sale!
Beautiful Chris!!! Just a quick one, do you think there is a significant difference in sound between the AXR4 and the RME UFX+ if you know? Thanks so much for all your invaluable help on your channel!
Can you use multiple references with the Control Room method? I really like the way that works but I like using a few songs to reference. Atm I’ve just got several audio tracks in a References Folder outputting to a separate group like you showed. Cheers
Never thought of using Track Versions for multiple Cue Reference tracks! That's awesome! I always added several Cue channels instead. Very handy tip! Thanks Chris :)
Hello Chris I noticed that when I duplicate a vocal track and try to manipulate the notes using variaudio, the notes in the main vocal track also change. Can we avoid this? Thanks
That's because by duplicating a track, the duplicated track will share the same Audio Event Source, so you need to create a new Audio event of the same recording. Follow Denvin's tip here to create a new version of your event and you'll be ok :-)
I am using the second way. I have three separate reference tracks set to the main stereo out, which is plugin free. I am using the separate bus for the mix itself. The trick with Cue gives u only one reference track and for me, this is the downside.
@@boogie2266 yeah but this way you are getting all cues used, and if you would want/need to use them for other purposes, you wouldn't have the available. Also, you would have to change the settings in the I/O section depending on your project setup. Seems like much more work. With separate reference tracks is just my unless work, I think😊
Hi @Chris , I used to use the 2nd way you show here, but just discovered a much simpler one, available also in Cubase Elements, Artist and Pro, even in Cubase 5 - which you could use / add even when you are finishing the mix, if needed: From VST Connections, just add a new output bus, which you route to the same audio outputs of the audio interface, as the first (default) Stereo Out. This creates another Stereo Out (Stereo Out 2), in the Cubase's mixer, and all you need to do is to route ONLY you reference channel track, to that Stereo Out 2, and that's all. I think it's easier than routing ALL your other channels through a Group - ST OUT, and THEN that group to main Stereo Out. Also this way, the mix uses the main Stereo Out on which you can add final plugins, and the reference track, is using a duplicate of the stereo out with no plugins, but which leads to the same phisical output of audio interface. Cheers!
Although simpler, you cannot use Control Room using this method (as your Busses cannot be sent to the same outputs). NOT using CR opens up a whole other mess...at least for me.
Great video. I like using the Listen button for reference tracks which also works nicely for multiple references. And you don’t need to setup the cues and still have all the control room advantages. I have a video about that on my own channel.
Fantastic vid, Chris! I set it up as you described and when I toggle MIX & C1, it switches as expected; however, I have one issue. I am also using a subwoofer and when selecting C1, the ref track is *not* routed to my SUBWOOFER output channel and all the other tracks are sent to the subwoofer in either case. This is because I route my ST OUT group trk to both my MASTER & SUBWOOFER output channels w/ direct routing summing ON (similar to your TEST track from another video). Is there a better approach or a workaround so just my REF track feeds MASTER and SUBWOOFER outs when C1 is selected and ONLY the non-reference tracks are fed to SUBWOOFER & MASTER outs when MIX is selected?
I also have a Sub but I use an external controller to manage my monitors so this way the Monitor/Sub routing doesn't go through Cubase cause I don't think there's a way to use a Cue Mix with a Sub in Cubase
Hi Chris, great video. I noticed on your control room you had the abby roads studio plugin, is it pre fader or post fader? maybe you could do a video on the control room insert section. Thanks- SUB403
The Control room inserts is form monitoring only so Post Fader from the Stereo Out of Cubase. Check out my Control room video. Let me know if you need something more on this. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u9uS1btVSgY.html
I use "4th way", combination of your first and third way. A/B Metric in Cubase Control Room. From there everything routed to my phones and monitors separately (this way I can use, for example, two different Sonarworks plugins, one for headphones, and one for monitors). A/B Metric has "Loudness Match" feature which instantly helps you match your track to a reference one, so you don't get fooled by "louder sounds better". Thanks Chris, great video as always.
Terrific info Chris, much thanks. On a separate issue, have you already, or could you possibly do a video on how you set the parameters on your span plugin?
Great video and another reason why I'm going to have to get my head around using the Control Room. I'm purely an amateur at all this and have recently been using the Master Match component of IK Multimedia's T-Racks 5 to help me compare my mixes to a reference track or two. I'd love to see you review this product and specifically, give your opinion of how good its 'auto-matching' is. I know that one click mixing/mastering is a pipe-dream but Master Match certainly seems to steer me in the right direction.
I can do that. Quick tip by the meantime. Keep the Bass in the Center and High Pass or EQ instruments that the low frequencies are masking the Bass. That could be a good start point.
Hi, yess Metric A B from Plugin Alliance, a good one, remember it's the main AB plugin of Daniel Wyatt, you speak about this in your excellent live with him ;-)
Merci pour vos vidéos ! Comment gérer le fait que les références soient des masterings et pas des mixages ? Non pas au niveau du volume mais au niveau de la compression , et des eq . Appliquez vous un pseudo mastering sur votre master buss pour pouvoir comparer ? Encore Merci à vous .
C'est une bonne question. En mix, j'utilise les références pour me donner une bonne idée si je suis dans la bonne direction à plusieurs niveau. Je prends toujours en consideration que la référence est masterisé. En général, quand mes mix sont prêt pour le mastering, il reste pas grand chose à faire. J'applique pas de pseudo mastering au Mix Buss sauf pour un Limiteur que j'active durant le mix seulement et qui ne travaille pas énormément.
Chris Selim - Mixdown Online merci pour votre réponse . Je fais exactement comme vous :) cela me semble la bonne marche à suivre. Enfin pour moi bien sur , encore merci pour vos vidéos toujours utiles et pertinentes et bonjour du sud de la France !
@@mixdownonline I do but I'm still working on it because right now I have the main output (monitors) and a headphone output but this way i have to put the plugin in both to use it which is taking more resources. If I generate a second monitor output for headphones I can only switch between those two and can't have them both on unless I set it like that in my soundcard mixer...so I'm still figuring out how to use it best! ;-)
Great explanation here......I recently got the Metric A/B, and I'm still learning it. I've been wanting to set your way of creating 2 stereo mix busses. I've also just started using the control room feature, which has been fantastic!.....Finally I have a convenient way to check things in mono(my interface doesn't have that feature) :-)
