Track Preset improvements

Hi there,
I’ve been using the track presets (along with the Media Bay) for quite some time now to build a large “Database” of instruments that I can easily search from using the various attributes. I really like it since it’s speed up quite significantly my workflows. whenever I have an idea for a sound, I load up the Add track Preset screen, start typing for what I’m looking for and/or using the attributes and instantly get a list of matching instruments I can quickly load and be ready to go. This is dependent to the fact that I initially took the time to properly fill the metadata properly as I saved the track presets.

In my case, I created an empty “template” that contains a few tracks already such as tempo, video, markers, a bunch of folders for my instruments (strings, woodwinds, percs, etc) a bunch of FX tracks (for my delays and Reverbs) and a bunch of Group track for my routes. They were also existing in the project from where I saved the each Track Preset. So when I start project, I start from that template which is a one to one match of what was existing when I saved the track preset originally. This means, the FX tracks and group tracks when I saved the track preset, and when I load it in my new project are identical. In that case, the track preset should retains those mapping and restore them as I load the track preset, but it doesn’t.

Another issue (seems like Bug?) if two different track presets use a similar Expression Maps with a different name (ie, Cinematic Studio Strings Ensemble and Cinematic Studio Solos Strings Ensemble), for some reasons, both will end up with the same Expression Map, even though you saved them with their own appropriate one.

Here’s a few improvements I’d like to see which could bring this as a real game changer, in order of importance:

1- Save Outputs and Sends. When we save a track as a track preset, it save everything except for the Output and Sends. So whenever you load a track preset, even though you’re using a project that contains the exact same group track and/or FX tracks as when you originally saved it (as explained above), it doesn’t detect them, and therefore, leaves the Sends empty, and route the output to Stereo Out. I understand it cannot force it when it’s not there, but when the tracks are there, it should be able to remap them accordingly.

2- Save Track preset screen attributes. Would be great to have the ability to define the fields (attribute) we have in the Save Track preset screen, so it can match what we are using. In my case for instance, I also use the Album, Plugin Vendor and Comments as extra attributes, but I can’t edit them at the save stage. I have to do it in 2 phases. 1, I save using the default screen, and 2, open MediaBay, browse to my newly saved instrument, and edit the missing fields. quite annoying and time consuming.

3- Category / Style /SubStyle. Would be great to have the ability to expand the list. Right now we have to work only with the predefined list. If there’s a way to expand this, it’s not easy to find…

From a discussion I had with other composers on another forum, the first one is really what people are looking for. The 2 others would just make it easier and more efficient to use.

Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Kind regards,
Martin

I 100% support all this

These are useful and sensible improvement ideas and I agree with the priority hierarchy of them as well.

+1

Yes…+10000%

So little work needs to be done as export/import tracks already maintains the full path with sends, outputs, etc…

LOGIC has a great implementation. If we had a check list when you import to bring in whatever you need would be a great solution. Here is what it can look like as it is in LOGIC…

+1, especially for routing issue

+100 !

Also +100% Especially being able to add your own descriptors to the Category/Style/Subset, for example “sound design” “sub bass” etc.

Yes +1!! especially the Routing/Sends issue.

+1, would make track presets really useful

I’m not sure I understand when this bug occurs, what does “similar” Expression Maps mean, exactly? Expression Maps that are identical except for their name (i.e. same keyswitches, articulations etc.)? How “similar” do they need to be for that to happen?

I’m currently building a template and writing a lot of Expression Maps, sometimes I reuse the same map for multiple instruments from the same developer. While it’s a VEPro Template, I also wanted to take the occasion to save things as a track preset, so it would be good to know what the bug is, exactly.

+1 for preservation of sends and routing

Well, I haven’t toroughly test it out to find out all scenarios or isolate the issue per say, since I moved away from using Expression Maps since then. But what I did was, let’s say I took the 1st Violins, then created an expression map for it. Then started from it, but saved it as 2nd Violins for the 2nd violins, then if I save the track as a Trackpreset, next time I’ll load my 2nd Violins, it will use the 1st Violins Expression Map rather than what I saved originally, which was 2nd Violins Expression Map. Now, is it happening because most settings are identical between the 2, or is it because I started from the first to create the second, I can’t say. but I do know that adding the track preset back in a project won’t retain the setting you’ve specified when you saved the track preset in that case. Hope it make sense?

I was really expecting Track Presets would save Sends and Groups in C11 since they had already done it with Import Tracks from Projects. Definitely something sorely missing from Track Presets.

Another problem I have is how slow they load their previews on the right zone browser. It would be great to turn off preview there. Even better yet I think it’d be nice to be able to add your own AUDIO preview to each Track Preset. This is the way that Komplete Kontrol does it and why it loads previews so fast.

Just to add my full support for this suggestion. Logic does this feature right and Pro Tools now far exceeds what is capable in cubase. This is often the case. Steinberg will rush a feature release and then ten years later Pro Tools will implement the feature properly.

Anyway I hope Steinberg do the right thing.

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Yes - this is what is needed; the proper logical conclusion, from when this was first introduced. We’ve had one iteration of improvements; now’s time to complete the task.

+100

Especially input and output routing issues. I use track presets to recall multichannel set-ups for instrument routings (for both midi and audio), sequencer routings (midi) and combinations. It’s crazy that (by way of example) when loading a track preset that has 8 channels of midi coming in from a sequencer on 8 separate midi tracks, that the preset will remember channel filtering for each of the 8 tracks, but not the track input source from the sequencer’s’ midi into Cubase. Same goes for the corresponding audio track output routing (from an instrument to a sub-group) or effect.

Sometimes, I just want a preset without ins or outs, and it should be able to do that as well if the preset is saved when there are no assigned ins or outs. But on my system, I have midi ins and outs from all my devices named as well as the instrument audio which are normaled (through a patchbay) so specific instruments audio always appears on specific interface channels (and are named as such in my channel/buss presets). So having a track preset recall routing would really speed up my workflow.

The idea of track presets is great, but this has always been incomplete and it would be a HUGH timesaver if they could spend the time, finish it, and include ALL the track info.

And on a related note, it would be great to have multi-format track presets so (again by example) if I want to use my main controller keyboard on a midi channel, sent to a hardware synth, with an audio track for the synth coming back in, I could load one track preset that does both the midi track for the keyboard (out to the synth) and the audio track inputs from the synth. As it is, this requires 2 track presets, one for the midi and another for the audio. Not a deal breaker, but being able to combine different types of tracks in a single track preset would be great.