6.0

119
The Mixer
• If you hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] and click on a fader,
it is reset to its default value, i. e. to 0.0 dB for audio-re-
lated channels, or to 100 for MIDI channels.
Most Mixer parameters can be reset to their default values like this.
You can use the faders to set up a volume balance be-
tween the audio and MIDI channels, and perform a manual
mix by moving the faders and other controls while playing
back. Using the Write function (see
“Enabling and dis-
abling the writing of automation data” on page 158), you
can automate the levels and most Mixer actions.
About the level meters for audio channels
When playing back audio in Cubase, the level meters in
the Mixer show the level of each audio channel.
• Directly below the level meter is a small level readout –
this shows the highest registered level in the signal.
Click this to reset the peak levels.
Ö Cubase uses 32 bit floating point processing inter-
nally, so there is virtually limitless headroom – signals can
go way beyond 0 dB without clipping. Having higher levels
than 0
dB for individual audio channels is therefore not a
problem in itself. The audio quality will not be degraded by
this.
However, when many high level signals are mixed in an
output bus, this may require that you lower the output
channel level a lot (see below). Therefore it is good prac
-
tice to keep the maximum levels for individual audio chan-
nels roughly around 0 dB.
About the level meters for output channels
Output channels have clipping indicators.
• When you are recording, clipping can occur when the
analog signal is converted to digital in the audio hardware.
It is also possible to get clipping in the signal being recorded to disk. For
more information, see
“Setting input levels” on page 78.
• In the output busses, the floating point audio is con-
verted to the resolution of the audio hardware. In the inte-
ger audio domain, the maximum level is 0 dB – higher
levels cause the clipping indicator for each bus to light up.
If the clipping indicators light up for a bus, this indicates actual clipping –
digital distortion which is to be avoided.
Level meters for MIDI channels
The level meters for MIDI channels do not show actual vol-
ume levels. Instead, they indicate the velocity values of the
notes played back on MIDI tracks.
MIDI tracks set to the same MIDI channel and output
If you have several MIDI tracks set to the same MIDI chan-
nel (and routed to the same MIDI output), making volume
and pan settings for one of these MIDI tracks/Mixer chan-
nels also affects all other Mixer channels set to the same
MIDI channel/output combination.
Using Solo and Mute
You can use the Mute and Solo buttons to silence one or
several channels.
The following applies:
• The Mute button silences the selected channel.
Clicking the Mute button again unmutes the channel. Several channels
can be muted simultaneously. Muting group channels can have two dif
-
ferent results depending on how the Preferences are set (see “Settings
for group channels” on page 128).
• Clicking the Solo button for a channel mutes all other
channels.
A soloed channel is indicated by a lit Solo button, and also by the lit
Global Solo icon on the common panel. Click the Solo button again to
turn off Solo.
!
It is also possible to make static volume settings for
an event on the info line or with the volume handle
(see
“About the volume handle” on page 97).
!
If the clipping indicator lights up for an output chan-
nel, lower the level until the indicator is no longer lit.
A muted channel
in the Mixer.
A lit Global Mute icon on the com-
mon panel shows that one or more
channels are muted.