User manual

26
The Project window
Background
The Project window is the main window in Cubase. This
provides you with an overview of the project, allowing you
to navigate and perform large scale editing. Each project
has one Project window.
About tracks
The Project window is divided vertically into tracks, with a
timeline running horizontally from left to right. The follow-
ing track types are available:
About parts and events
The tracks in the Project window contain parts and/or
events. Events are the basic building blocks in Cubase.
Different event types are handled differently in the Project
window:
• Video events and automation events (curve points) are always
viewed and rearranged directly in the Project window.
• MIDI events can always be found in MIDI parts, which are con-
tainers for one or more MIDI events. MIDI parts are rearranged
and manipulated in the Project window. To edit the individual
MIDI events in a part, you have to open the part in a MIDI edi-
tor (see “The MIDI editors” on page 337).
Track type Description
Audio For recording and playing back audio events and audio
parts. Each audio track has a corresponding audio chan-
nel in the mixer.
An audio track can have any number of automation tracks
for automating mixer channel parameters, effect settings,
etc.
Folder Folder tracks function as containers for other tracks,
making it easier to organize and manage the track struc-
ture. They also allow you to edit several tracks at the
same time. See “Folder tracks” on page 53.
FX Channel FX channel tracks are used for adding send effects. Each
FX channel can contain up to eight effect processors – by
routing effect sends from an audio channel to an FX chan-
nel, you send audio from the audio channel to the effect(s)
on the FX channel. Each FX channel has a corresponding
channel strip in the mixer – in essence an effect return
channel. See the chapter “Audio effects” on page 150.
All FX channel tracks are automatically placed in a special
FX channel folder in the Track list, for easy management.
An FX channel can also have any number of automation
tracks for automating mixer channel parameters, effect set-
tings, etc.
Group
Channel
By routing several audio channels to a Group channel,
you can submix them, apply the same effects to them,
etc. (see “Using group channels” on page 127).
A Group channel track contains no events as such, but
displays settings and automation curves for the corre-
sponding Group channel. Each Group channel track has
a corresponding channel strip in the mixer. In the Project
window, Group channels are organized as tracks in a
special Group Tracks folder.
Instrument This allows you to create a track for a dedicated instru-
ment, making e.g. VST instrument handling easier and
more intuitive. Instrument tracks have a corresponding
channel strip in the mixer. Each instrument track can have
any number of automation tracks in the Project window.
However, Volume and Pan are automated from within the
mixer. It is possible to edit Instrument tracks directly in
the Project window, using the Edit In-Place function (see
“The In-Place Editor” on page 356). For more information
on instrument tracks, see the chapter “VST Instruments
and Instrument tracks” on page 169.
MIDI For recording and playing back MIDI parts. Each MIDI
track has a corresponding MIDI channel strip in the mixer.
It is possible to edit MIDI tracks directly in the Project
window, using the Edit In-Place function (see “The In-
Place Editor” on page 356).
A MIDI track can have any number of automation tracks
for automating mixer channel parameters, insert and send
effect settings etc.
Marker The Marker track displays markers which can be moved
and renamed directly in the Project window (see “Mark-
ers” on page 54). A project can have only one marker
track.
Arranger The Arranger track is used for arranging your project, by
marking out sections in the project and determining in
which order they should be played back. See the chapter
“The Arranger track” on page 96.
Ruler
(Cubase only)
Ruler tracks contain additional rulers, displaying the time-
line from left to right. You can use any number of ruler
tracks, each with a different display format if you wish.
See “The ruler” on page 33 for more information about
the ruler and the display formats.
Signature Time signature events can be added and edited on the
signature track, or in the Tempo Track Editor window. A
project can have only one signature track. See the chap-
ter “Editing tempo and signature” on page 401 for details.
Tempo You can create tempo changes within a project using the
tempo track. A project can have only one tempo track.
See the chapter “Editing tempo and signature” on page
401 for details.
Transpose The Transpose track allows you to set global key
changes. A project can have only one transpose track.
See the chapter “The Transpose functions” on page 103.
Video For playing back video events. A project can have only
one video track.
Track type Description