Finally, I got to spend some quality time with my latest home recording software, Steinberg Cubase SX3. I'm not the most patient person on the planet. I'm not real big on learning new programs, either. I get so excited about using them, that I drive myself nuts pushing buttons until I figure everything out.

This time I wanted to go a different path. You see, when I taught myself Vegas, I didn't bother to buy any tutorials, DVDs, or even read guides online for using the software. Granted, Vegas is extremely simple in nature when compared to a full blown music production tool such as Cubase SX3, but the fact remains that I never properly learned the software.

Actually, I discovered a few features in Vegas just 4 or 5 months ago that saved me an enormous amount of time and work. Why didn't I bother just buying a $3 used book from Amazon? I still ask myself that question. A least now I know better.

Anyway to make a long story short, I got through the entire “Getting Started” book today. This included 11 tutorials that walk you through the very basics of Cubase SX3. I must say that this is one well thought out program. Just about any idea I have to make it better ends up being explained just a few paragraphs further.

I plan to do a big review of the software in a few weeks when I'm fully comfortable with the software, but I must say that the Steinberg guys have gotten it right and then some! I had about 20 complaints about Cubase VST 5.0 that I had written down after using it about an hour. With Cubase SX3, I don't have any complaints yet. Everything is so well thought out and easy to use. This thing was built for creating music!

I've been really happy with the sounds I've gotten with this thing in my limited use. I can tell that the VSTi virtual instruments are top notch (at least by my beginner standards). I messed with the EQ very briefly and it seams to be a lot better than I had expected. It certainly kills the factory Sonic Foundry Vegas EQ. I even liked one of the reverbs I tried out in one of the getting started tutorials.

Overall, I couldn't be more happier with my purchase of Cubase SX3. I'll tell you all about in the weeks to come.