It's about time I updated my copy of Cubase.

I've been comparing Cubase Artist edition vs Cubase Full. It seems to me that there isn't much benefit for getting full at this stage. I have no real need for surround audio processing, or control room features.

The only thing that concerns me about artist is the limit in tracks. ie for Cubase full vs Artist (in brackets):

Unlimited audio tracks (Cubase Artist 6.5: 64)
Unlimited MIDI tracks (Cubase Artist 6.5: 12
256 physical inputs (Cubase Artist 6.5: 32)
192 kHz sampling rate support (Cubase Artist 6.5: 96 kHz)
256 group channels (Cubase Artist 6.5: 32)
Unlimited instrument tracks (Cubase Artist 6.5: 32)
VST instrument rack with 64 instrument slots (Cubase Artist 6.5: 32)

Now not even my most intensive project to date features over 64 audio tracks or 32 instrument tracks. But I know how frustrating it would be should I hit that limit. I'm also a big user of the Tonic filter, Embracer and Monologue instruments, which don't come with the artist. However I could live without.

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products..._features.html

Has anyone had experience with both artist and full cubase. Would you need more than artist for dance music? I also like the idea of artist being a more streamlined package / less bloatware, so workflow may be a bit quicker.

Only 12 midi tracks? Instant no right there.
64 audio tracks also seems like a lot but tonnes of people go way over once you start counting FX.
32 instrument tracks is also limiting.
Embracer and Monologue are great.

Go with full.

Artist is 128 midi tracks, not 12. External FX is very important IMO and midi devices is something I use from time to time but both are useless if you don't use external gear. I use REVerence and MultibandCompressor in basically every session however you probably have other plugins for those duties. Multitrack editing has been useful at times.

Oh right, the emoticon changed the 8 into a smiley. Haha, I thought 12 for MIDI was tiny

I look at it this way. It's 100-200$ extra (I'm going to go for Educational pricing. Love being a student again!) for full Cubase. With the amount of extra stuff, if you were to buy it as plugins, would be worth at least $500. I forgot to mention VariAudio, which I often apply to FX and synth lines for whacky effects and build-ups.

Full it is!

yeah full for sure i went from artist to full and it was heaps better
if only for just external instruments and efx