6.0

22
VST Connections
About this chapter
This chapter focuses on the settings you can perform in
the VST Connections window. Here you can set up input
and output busses.
Since input and output busses are vital for working with
Cubase, a large part of this chapter concentrates on bus-
ses and this is also the reason why you find this chapter at
the beginning of the Operation Manual.
The VST Connections window
The VST Connections window is opened from the De-
vices menu. It contains an Inputs and an Outputs tab,
which allow you to set up your busses.
Setting up busses
Cubase uses a system of input and output busses to trans-
fer audio between the program and the audio hardware.
• Input busses let you route audio from the inputs on your audio
hardware into the program. This means that when you record
audio, you will always do this through one or several input
busses.
• Output busses let you route audio from the program to the
outputs on your audio hardware. When you play back audio,
you will always do this through one or several output busses.
Once you understand the bus system and know how to
set up the busses properly, it will be easy to go on with
recording, playing back and mixing.
Strategies
The bus configuration is saved with the project – therefore
it is a good idea to add and set up the busses you need
and save these in a template project (see
“Save as Tem-
plate” on page 41).
When you start working on new projects, you start from
this template. That way you get your standard bus config-
uration without having to make new bus settings for each
new project. If you need to work with different bus config-
urations in different projects, you can either create several
different templates or store your configurations as presets
(see
“Presets” on page 24). The templates can of course
also contain other settings that you regularly use – sample
rate, record format, a basic track layout, etc.
Input busses
• Most likely you need at least one stereo input bus assigned to
an analog input pair. This will let you record stereo material. If
you want to be able to record in stereo from other analog input
pairs as well, you add stereo input busses for these, too.
• Although you can record mono tracks from one side of a ste-
reo input, it may be a good idea to add a dedicated mono in-
put bus. This can be assigned to an analog input to which you
have connected a dedicated microphone pre-amp, for exam-
ple. Again, you can have several different mono busses.
• You probably want a dedicated stereo input bus assigned to
the digital stereo input, for digital transfers.
Output busses
• You probably want one or several stereo output busses for
monitoring and listening to stereo mixes.
• For digital transfers, you need a stereo bus assigned to the
digital stereo output as well.
Preparations
Before you set up busses, you should name the inputs
and outputs on your audio hardware.
The reason for this is compatibility – it makes it easier to
transfer projects between different computers and setups.
For example, if you move your project to another studio,
the audio hardware may be of a different model. But if
both you and the other studio owner have given your in
-
puts and outputs names according to the setup (rather
than names based on the audio hardware model), Cubase
will automatically find the correct inputs and outputs for
your busses and you will be able to play and record with
-
out having to change the settings.