OK, I've gathered some tips and tricks about recording and mixing in Cubase SX, and added afew of my own. Some of those tips actually are useful for other programs as well.

* When mixing, if you're using VST Instruments, they might take up a lot of power from the processor and will leave you with less resources for effects (dynamics, EQs, Delays, Revers etc.).
What you should do is dump it as audio file, then disable the VST instrument.
To do so on Cubase SX 1, solo the track you want to dump, and export it as audio mixdown. Make sure you check the options Pool, and Audio Track. In Cubase SX 2 you can just choose the output of that instrument without the need to solo it.
Also make sure you put the right locator far enough from the end of the track, so if you have any reverb or delay, they won't be cut off during mixdown.

* Try and use the aux sends as much as possible, and not use reverbs and delays separatly for each track as inserts. using the same effects for several tracks will save a lot of power and will allow you to add more dynamic processors for your mix.

* Using a loop sample on your song? is it too slow/fast? no worries. use the time stretch tool.
Right click the loop and choose Process---Time Stretch then choose the correct length that you want for it.
---You can also change it's pitch to fit your song. Right click the file, choose Process---Pitch Shift.

* Want to save some hard drive space. In Preferences, check the option for 'delete overlaps'. That way, every punch-in you do on a track, will remove the part that you recorded on, and at the end of your session, choose Empty Trash, so it'll delete all the takes that you did not use.

* When you start a new project, I recommend saving it to a new/empty folder. that way, when you want to back-up your song, you'll be able to do it without adding audio files that belong to a different song.

* Save! Make it a habbit to save (CTRL+S) as often as possible. nothing is more irritating than working on a song, finally getting a good take, or finishing a nice mix, then Cubase crashes, or Windows crashes/freezes and you need to do it all over again.
-- There's also an option for Auto Save in the preferences, which will make copies of your session file as .bak file. If Cubase crashed, next time you open that session, it'll tell you that you have a back-up file that is newer than the last time you saved your song and will allow you to use it. It'll then rename the .bak file as your projects name with a number after it, to indicate the latest version of your project.

* shortcuts. Try and remember as many shortcuts as you can. you won't believe how easier it'll make your recording session. You'll find that there's a shortcut for almost everything, and you can also easily change those shortcuts to suit your needs.
You'll find the shortcuts list in the 'File' menu. You can save presets of shortcuts, if case there are others who use the same computer and prefer different settings.
[This message was edited Mon Apr 19 14:14:48 2004 by MrSoundMan]