Non-Linear Arranging In Cubase

[braincell]

I don't know how many people are using the Arranger Track in Cubase but I am finding it fun. The Arranger Track option is a direct response to the enormous popularity of Ableton Live but since I don't want to learn Ableton and because I still like to do a lot of linear work, I am using this. I'm sure it is very limited compared to Ableton Live but it is good enough for me.

[dante]

Reason has Blocks. Is that the same thing?

[Mr Arkadin]

I have to say in my wandering days after I left Steinberg (due to the awful Cubase SX1) I tried almost all the DAWs: Traktion, Samplitude, Reaper. Ableton was the one I had no idea what it was about. I mean I honestly did not know what I was supposed to do. I'm not sure if it had a linear arrange window back then, but the screen I saw was, well, I don't know what it was. But I realised quickly that that wasn't how I wanted to work and ditched it.

So, no, I don't think I'll be checking out Cubase's version as it obviously doesn't suit my way of working - I'm an old-fashioned linear kind of guy I guess.

[Bud Weiser]

Reason has Blocks. Is that the same thing?

Don´t know if it´s exactly the same but it is similar at least.

IIRC it was 1st working in one of Cubase SX3´s updates, but I sold SX3 and type from my head here.

I´ve found it interesting because I was able to import song material from Notator as sequences and MIDI files and then shuffle these around w/ that feature until I heard the same like when it was being played back from the ATARI and Notator which was pattern based and playback was organized in the arrange pattern window w/ parallel levels A,B,C and D, the levels running simultaneously and vertical like in a tracker.

IIRC, blocks in Reason shuffle audio/MIDI clips around, isn´t it.

I never used that in Reason up to now because I´m not busy re-doing old songs all the time,- but I think that´s how it works.

Bud

[braincell]

I'm finding I'm doing things I would not normally do with the Arranger Track. For instance, I create a part which is only one beat and throw that in once in a while. That changes the time signature in a weird way yet it still sounds natural. This feature makes it easy to experiment with the structure and you can learn it within 10 minutes because it doesn't have many options like Ableton does.