I got Cubase SE 3 a few years ago, with the intention of using it for a bit of recording and tune making using guitars. I found it as always a bit of a complicated faff.

I notice they are now on Cubase Essentials 5. Is it a significant improvement in terms of ease of use?

As you already have Cubase SE 3, learn that. There are hundreds of guides on the interweb/youbook.

Essentials will be just a cut down version, less tracks, instruments slots and things.

This is me using Cubase:

😯 😆 😐 👿 😳 😐 😮 😡 😥 😕

I never really got on that well with Cubase, but then I was making loop based music. I preferred FLStudio as I seemed to be able to work quicker with it.

Tried using Cubase years ago… Gave up!

I hear the modern version is better, but I just found it way too illogical and cluttered

Have had a quick play with Fruity Loops Studio… Seems very user friendly, would recommend downloading the demo and having a play.

Of course though, everybody is using Ableton live these days. You can again download the demo, or pick up a version a generation or 2 old off ebay for practically nowt. Personally, I’ve not really got into Ableton, have given it a quick go, but don’t think it’s for me.

My DAW of choice so far is still Logic on the Mac. I’m still only running 7.2, haven’t found the need/reason to upgrade to 8 or even 9 yet, though I wouldn’t really reap the benefits as I’m still running it on a G5 machine, and 8 and 9 are optimised for Intel machines.

I think it depends what you’re used to – I’ve been running Cubase for twenty years and I find it easy and quick to use, whereas I struggle with something like Logic. As mentioned above, Essentials is just a slimmed down version. With loops, I find it’s easier to edit loops outside of Cubase (I use Soundforge), then use Cubase to arrange, add vocals, live instruments, etc.

Is there something specific you’re trying to do molgrips or are you just finding it generally frustrating ?

you should take a look at Propellerheads Record, I found it much more intuitive than Cubase ever was, some nice effects for guitar as well

Why do they insist on making the user interfaces look like recording desks? It’s not like most people have ever used one..

I’m a Reason user (from 2.5) and my christmas present to myself is an upgrade to Record. Propellorheads rule.

I’ve been using ableton live from version 4

I think it either make complete sense to you or it doesn’t – you can get wentry level version free with a lot of guitar stuff