Cubase Artist Vs. Pro Compared: Which Is Better?

by Alex.   Last Updated On July 8th, 2022.
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Cubase is one of the, if not the best, Digital Audio Workstation or DAW in the market. Whether you are an expert in the industry or are a first-timer in music production, you should get Cubase, as creating music is made easy by this software.

Cubase comes in multiple options. However, the two premium ones are the artist and the pro version. The Cubase artist option has numerous advantages that will benefit your learning process in creating music. It has pro-grade mixing, scoring, and production abilities. The Pro version has advanced features like advanced post-production and professional composing.

Despite their $250 difference, you should opt for the Cubase pro version as its robust, flexible, and easy-to-use interface allows you to create professional-sounding audio and music from your computer easily.

In this article, we will tackle what Cubase artist and pro are, their features, and which of the two is the better choice for music production.

Let’s get right into it.

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Cubase Artist

Cubase comes in several different versions, and the first of the two premium packages is the Cubase artist version. The Cubase artist version has extensive features that allow you to create any electronic music you like quickly. It is a complete package with a state-of-the-art synthesizer and a wide array of sound modules that enable you to produce high-quality music.

This tailor-made version for creative artists makes recording, editing, and producing music seem easy and enjoyable to indulge in. The artist version of Cubase also has exclusive VST plug-ins that most music creators find useful, like chorus, delay, and reverb. Its VST connectivity also allows you to connect musical instruments easily, such as keyboards, a guitar, and many more.

The Cubase artist version also has a ton of MIDI construction kits and loops. These building blocks allow you to start the creative process of creating music sketches, audio editing, and full song productions.

Cubase artist users can choose between the integrated interface or the command line interface, which makes mixing music easy. In fact, you can mix up to 128 MIDI tracks and 64 audio tracks, and its impressive range of motion-based musical instruments allows you to make any music, whether speech or polyphonic tones.

Cubase artist best features

Some of the best features of Cubase artist are the total automatic delay compensation, spectralayers for easy extraction of instrumentals, and vocals from any audio file for easier audio editing; this is great for producing acapella. Lifelike drum sounds, virtual stock instruments, arrangement tools, and 16-bit stereo audio tracks.

It also enables users to have up to 8 premium instruments playing up to 2600 sounds, including Halion sonic SE, virtual analog synthesizer, and retrologue 2. It has pitch correct for efficient vocal editings like VST bass amp and VST amp rack, unlimited instrument, audio, and MIDI tracks.

And lastly, a Variaudio 3 for precise tuning of instruments such as vocals.

Who should use the Cubase artist version?

For just 346.42 USD, you can access all of the Cubase artist features listed above. The Cubase artist version is great for musicians, bands, people starting in music production, and project studio operators.

This software, which encourages an average level of music editing, recording, and mixing, allows you to produce music from your computer easily.

Cubase artist system requirements

To use this application, your computer must be running a macOS Catalina, macOS Mojave, or macOS big sur. And for windows computers, you need to have an intel i5 processor or faster, 4 GB ram, up to 35 GB of available disc space, windows 10, and the Steinberg USB eLicenser.

digital audio workstation equipment in recording, broadcasting studio or live

Cubase Pro

Cubase Pro delivers studio-quality audio throughout the creative process. It is versatile for every genre of music and is used to record, master film scores, edit, and mix. Memory management is more advanced than other DAW, and the audio interface is the best in their genre. Cubase is perfect to use in both music and video.

The main Cubase pro version includes new features like auto-cue recording, Fx racks, beat repeat, noise shaping, ring modulation, and many more. A massive advantage of the Cubase pro vs. the artist version is the mixer which allows artists to mix tracks together.

In addition, Cubase pro has tons of valuable features like the ability to share your music online, batch export to mp3 and other formats, and even cross different platform software. Quite simply, it is a complete-featured DAW with extensive MIDI libraries.

Cubase pro’s best features

The Cubase pro full version has many features, including 4K and Retina-Class displays, multiband imager, professional effects, key editor, and MIDI roots.

In addition, the Cubase pro has a customizable Floating Transport Bar, enhanced synchronization, new sample sets, a new audio alignment tool, and the ability to integrate chord track progressions for a much smoother sound effect.

Who should use Cubase pro?

The Cubase Pro is made for music engineers, professional music producers, and top music composers in the industry. Suppose you’ve already had experience with the Cubase artist. In that case, upgrading to the Pro version might be a good choice, as its powerful recording abilities and superior features allow you to make the most professional-sounding audio.

For just $687, you can access the endless tools of the Cubase pro version and create virtual instruments and MIDI compositions straight from your computer.

Cubase pro system requirements

Since the Cubase pro has tons of additional features, you need a slightly faster laptop computer to run this software. For Mac devices, you should have at least a macOS Catalina, macOS Mojave, or macOS High Sierra, and a thunderbolt two-port.

For Windows devices, you should have an i5 or higher processor, a thunderbolt 3 port, at least 4 GB of dedicated ram space, and a display resolution of 1440 x 900 or more.

Similarities of the Cubase pro and artist versions

The Cubase pro and artist versions are similar in that they are top-tier Digital Audio Workstations. In addition, the two versions also have free trials and can work on several platforms such as android, ios, windows, and Mac computers.

In terms of support, both Cubase versions have access to email, phone, and chat support if you ever run into trouble using them.

Difference between Cubase artist vs. pro

A significant difference between the two Cubase versions is the pricing. The Cubase artist costs $391.90 per license, while the pro version costs $687 per license. However, this huge price difference between the two versions is well-compensated with the pro version’s vast array of sounds, an extended toolset, and a variety of plug-ins.

Other features that you won’t get from the Cubase artist version are the ability to enhance your mixes with a super precise equalizer, global tracks to sync your tempo alterations, and a squasher to improve reverb and tame bass, and an imager for more efficient and organized planning.

Why choose Cubase artist?

You should choose the Cubase artist version because it is an excellent functioning standalone DAW with a user-friendly interface, accessible editing features, and an extensive array of built-in sounds.

Why choose Cubase pro?

You should purchase the Cubase pro version because of its advanced audio editing tools. It has an even more extensive collection of sounds, tons of instrumental sounds, plug-ins, and the ability to share your content online quickly and export to multiple audio formats.

How to use Cubase?

You can use Cubase after downloading the Cubase software from the Steinberg website. Click and start the program and look over to the opening page. To begin editing, import your files by clicking on an empty audio track.

After you’ve done your editing in your tracks, you can now go to panels and tap on the mixer to further edit your audio. Once finished, you can export your file to an mp3 format or directly share your content online.

Which is better of the two?

Cubase Pro is indeed the better between the two versions. While most people tend to choose the less expensive version of Cubase, they are losing out on the many cool features in the pro version. If you are starting in the music production industry and still building your home recording studio with a small budget, then opting for the Cubase artist version is excellent to get familiar with the tools and features to create high-quality music.

However, suppose you have the funds to upgrade. In that case, you should immediately upgrade to the Cubase pro version. Its extensive features like the new score editor, time warp, and multiple added Cubase elements make it the far better choice for creating professional-sounding music.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you upgrade from Cubase artist to Cubase pro?

Yes, you can upgrade your current Cubase artist version to the full pro version for just $250. Some retailers even allow artists to pay as low as $7 per month for 36 months.

Is Cubase artist enough?

This entirely depends on what you are going for. If you are trying out music production, then the Cubase artist version is more than enough, as it has the appropriate tools that will allow you to create excellent quality music.

However, if you are planning to create professional-sounding audio, then the features in the Cubase artist is simply not enough, and you should upgrade to the full version.

What is the difference between the Cubase pro and the artist?

The most significant difference between the two is the pricing and their features. The Cubase pro might be the more expensive choice between the two. However, they make up for it with their extra features like the control room, extensive VST processors, a Sampler Track, and Advanced Audio Export, making them the better choice for movie studios, sound engineers, and top artists in the industry.

Are the tools in the Cubase pro better than the artist version?

Yes, the Cubase pro is super effective at recording multiple audio tracks with the capabilities of live inserts and even removing tracks if it does not suit your preference.

Do professionals use Cubase?

Yes, Cubase is used by professional sound engineers and top music artists because of its superb audio editing capabilities and easy-to-get-used-to interface. Cubase has the best intuitive MIDI editors out there in terms of MIDI functionality.

Is Cubase hard to learn?

Like any other Digital Audio Workstations in the market, Cubase also has a steep learning curve, especially if you are a beginner in producing music; however, their tutorial videos and youtube guides make the learning process easier.

Conclusion

Cubase is indeed the best DAW available on the market (aside from Pro Tools and REAPER). Its plethora of features allowing professional-grade mixing and music production makes them the best choice for artists worldwide.

We hope this informative article has helped why you should choose the full Cubase pro version instead of the artist.