I can’t imagine that if the computer (light) version of Cubase AI is confusing you, that you would find the iPad version easier. My recommendation is to find the right tutorial material to get you up and running with the computer version - you probably have everything you need, right now. Perhaps, going to a “Club Cubase” meeting, if there is one in your area, would be helpful.

The fundamentals for all DAWs are basically the same. You need to create the setup (granted: this is the most difficult task — but fortunately, you only have to do this once). Because once you get it setup correctly the computer will dutifully remember your setup preferences. When people find Cubase AI “fiddly”, “overcomplicated” and “confusing” it has been my experience on this side of things, it is mostly due to trying to figure it out without any assistance from the documentation.

Let’s skip for a minute in this discussion, the Setup... and assume that those hurdles can be cleared up. Let’s say you are all setup correctly.
If we discuss what you’ll be doing you’ll find all DAWs are basically the same. They exact places you go to do things may differe slightly but over all they are the same. once you can drive a car, just because the dashboard of a Chevy is different from a Cadillac doesn’t mean you can’t drive it... of course, you can. This why I say if you have issues with Cubase, the issues will probably be the same with Cubasis, or whatever else you use...

SCENARIO 1: You can record MIDI Tracks... you can playback MIDI Tracks that you’ve recorded... you can overdub new MIDI Tracks to the ones you’ve already recorded.... and then finally, you can “mixdown” the MIDI Tracks rendering an Audio File, typical stereo .wav format as your finished product.

SCENARIO 2: In a different workflow scenario... you can setup to record Audio Tracks... you can overdub new Audio Tracks to the existing Tracks... and finally, you can “mixdown” the project again to a stereo .wav format file as your finished product.

SCENARIO 3: a combination of both Scenario 1 and 2, where when you are comfortable with the routines, you can freely mix and match the workflows as you desire, as inspiration hits. This is where you want to get to ultimately.

I’ve found in my 30+ years of helping folks, that what causes most to stumble are the same misconceptions over and over. These include:
_ that One setup will cover all scenarios — there are at least 3 setups... record, overdub, mixdown
_ that there is one correct way to proceed and the manual will tell them this... it usually does not
_ that doing a serious project while attempting to learn IS an okay idea... if definitely is NOT

We can help you with the basics of getting started with Cubase AI (the free entry level software that comes with your instrument) —Recommended you make a serious attempt at developing a workflow for yourself using this software, first.
We can get you SETUP. Which is about 85% of the difficulty in using Cubase. If reading and following step-by-step instructions works for you we can do it that way. If that is not your best way to learn, then video support is available. If you need a tutor sitting there with you — we mention Club Cubase (they meet once a month in many of the major markets... it is what it sounds like, a bunch of Cubase users getting together to share knowledge and experiences).

If I did install Cubasis on my current iPad and then bought a new one later in the year, could I run it on the new one without having to purchase Cubasis again?

That’s a crystal ball question that assumes the new iPad that you buy is concerned with music production... no one wants to predict what the next Apple anything will be capable of doing... if they think too many people are dropping their tablets in the bathtub, they might remove all connection ports and go with a water tight design that precludes you from connecting anything external with a cable (exaggeration? Perhaps, but sillier stuff happens).

I can tell you with Cubase on your computer because your license exists separate from your physical computer. Even if you get a new computer, or your current computer crashes or is stolen or drowns, because your license exists in your MySteinberg Account. You simply contact Steinberg and you're up and running again in minutes!

Specific questions on the transfer of Cubasis to a new iPad can be handled by emailing Steinberg via your MySteinberg Account. They will be able to best tell you what the actual steps would be. Contact them directly.

Many thanks for your reply, you are 100% correct as usual 🙂

Like a lot of aging software developers, I’m absolutely useless when it comes to reading manuals! I was trying to create something whilst learning at the same time and not having much of a clue how best to go about it. I will make it my New Year’s resolution to find some video tutorials and read documentation so that I get the actual setup procedures clear in my mind first of all and then take it from there.

To be honest, I’m not exactly sure what I want to do with it at the moment. Currently I just play all my synths at the same time (using hold buttons and sustain pedals etc) and just make things up as I go along. But I was thinking that I could set up some decent drum and bass projects using cubase and then play along to them - to try and make life easier for myself as it’s not ideal trying to play 5 different synths at the same time 🙂

I did manage to get a drum loop to play from Cubase through my MODX but then struggled with the interface. I also noticed that everything on the PC was going through the MODX (YouTube videos etc) - is this normal? Once I closed Cubase, the sound went back to coming out of the computer speakers.

I find learning from videos easier than reading so I’m going to look for some ‘beginner’ videos 🙂

Well I've been trying to get on with Cubase but once again struggling just with the setup.

I've followed one of the articles (Mastering MODX: Audio Record on DAW, Part I) which I did partly do the other day and I set the VST Audio System details up but they hadn't saved for some reason so I had to go through that again.

Now I've set the MODX up to 'Audio rec on DAW' and at first thought that the loopback wasn't working until I realised that it was but at a very very low volume. I upped the volume of the performance to maximum but it's still barely audible whereas if I was playing directly from the MODX it would probably be too loud.

When I have Cubase up and running, all the audio from my PC is trying to go via the MODX so that messes with me trying to watch Youtube instructional videos at the same time. I do have my ipad as an alternative to this though so it's not the end of the world.

I believe I've managed to record an audio track but when I play it back I can't hear anything at all.

I'm beginning to think that it's just far easier to stick with the sequencer on my MOFX6 to be honest 🙁

Okay... it is excellent that you are making the attempt to get this going. It will be worth the effort.

We can help you get over the first basic hurdles. Here are some facts that will help you understand what is happening:

1) The MODX is both an Audio and a MIDI Interface for your computer. What this means is it can takeover all duties of your computer’s soundcard. So it is perfectly normal for it to send audio for your computer functions to the sound system connected to the Main L&R Outputs. These MODX Outputs should be connected to a quality pair of Studio Monitors. As Audio Interface, the MODX is responsible for sending all audio into and back out of the computer.

2) When you are setup to use a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) like Cubase, you will be sending audio from the MODX via two pathways.
One is the digital signal that travels to the computer via the USB connection; the other is the analog signal that travels directly to the speakers via 1/4” signal cables.

The digital signal travels to Cubase via USB, Cubase can Record it; this recorded signal is then sent back Out via USB to the MODX as audio interface — the MODX then converts the digital signal to analog and sends it to your Monitor Speakers (connected to the MODX Main L&R Output).

The digital signal path takes slightly longer to get to the speakers (this is called latency). But it is important to realize that both pathways exist, simultaneously. Your job as the ‘recording engineer’ is to manage each of these signal flows. You can choose which one you want to “monitor” at any time. One is scientific (objective), the other is subjective. Here’s what this means....

LOUD versus LEVEL
As humans, we describe sound with words like “loud” and we speak of “volume”. These are analog terms.
Machines, like recorders, don’t use these terms... the terminology changes; words like “gain”, and “level” are used.

It is not just semantics... how LOUD your speakers are playing does not affect the LEVEL that gets recorded to the recorder (Cubase). In fact, recording to Cubase can take place even when your speakers are Off.

Loudness is a perception of how much signal enters our head and body via air molecules being put in motion.
The digital signal that travels from the MODX via the USB cable, moves no air molecules to do so. You can’t hear digital signal. We only know “how much” signal is arriving by looking at a device used to measure the ‘work’ a signal can do (a meter). We increase or decrease the level of this signal by increasing or decreasing the ‘gain’. If we send too much signal, a red clip indicator will alert you that you have too much signal... you need to trim (reduce) the gain (the amount of signal being sent).

Setting levels is not subjective, it is objective. The object is to get a good amount of signal recorded without going into the red (clipping).
Setting levels can actually be done without hearing anything. You could just rely on your meters.
When you see the gain setting is causing decent movement on the meter, then you can continue the Routing... at this point you can choose to send the signal to the speaker system. (While you can record with monitoring, of course, you want to hear it...)

This means Routing the digital signal to the Cubase Outputs... this returns the signal (still digital) to the MODX Audio Interface which then converts the digital signal to analog signal. It is analog signal that can be sent to your speakers. How loud you make the speakers is complete subjective. You can make it LOUD or you can play it Soft... this does effect what Cubase is dealing with recording-wise. Cubase is dealing with recording digital signal, and does so prior to the conversion to analog... your ears can’t hear (digital signal)....

Summary
So as you can see. This digital signal arrives in Cubase, gets documented (timestamped, and recorded), then sent back out to the audio interface which then converts it to analog... this process takes a small amount of time, called the “latency”.

But we mentioned, that the MODX synth is directly set to send audio to the speakers as well. This signal exits the MODX already analog, and arrives at the speakers (speed of light). This is called the “Direct” signal. We strive to calibrate our system so that the two signal paths sound exactly the same. One gets there immediately, one gets there a few milliseconds late.

This is where you get to choose which of these two signals you wish to monitor. If you are playing the keys, how long do you want to wait to hear what you played?
Don’t worry it’s a rhetorical question. When latency exceeds 30ms, you as a human find it impossible to play properly. With timing delay, by the time it reaches 30ms it simply becomes laughable... you simply cannot play. Single digital latency may be passable but fortunately with hardware you can opt to avoid the latency all together. Just mute the latent signal and opt to monitor the direct signal.

This way you do not have wait for the computer to process and send the signal to the audio interface which must convert it to analog, and then finally arrive at the speakers. You want to MONITOR DIRECT.

There are times when you would want to monitor through the computer, but for our entry into this — let’s deal with the concept of direct monitoring... it eliminates all possible problems which can arise from computer latency.

I believe I've managed to record an audio track but when I play it back I can't hear anything at all.

This could be due to several things... do your Cubase meters show good record level?
“Good record level” - this varies depending on the type of signal you are working with. Musical levels are not static - they move all over the place, some low level, some much higher levels... good level is level that does not clip, and sound clear and clean. You want nice dynamics... dynamics are a fundamental you want to capture. Rookies concern themselves with only the high levels, professionals seek to preserve the natural distance between the soft and the loud, whenever possible.

If you have decent record levels then we must consider which of the signal paths you are attempting to turn up. For example, say you can see that something was recorded, but nothing is playing back... this could be a Routing issue. Follow the signal flow starting at the Audio Track.
Check:
The Output assignment of the Track... this is shown in the Track Inspector (leftmost column, when Track is selected)
In Cubase, go to STUDIO > AUDIO CONNECTIONS > OUTPUT tab
Make sure you are returning audio to MODX Main L and Main R