Operation Manual
Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, Sabine Pfeifer, Kevin Quarshie, Benjamin Schütte This PDF provides improved access for vision-impaired users. Please note that due to the complexity and number of images in this document, it is not possible to include text descriptions of images. The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
Table of Contents 7 7 7 Introduction About the Program Versions Typographical Conventions 8 8 14 15 16 Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio Setting Up MIDI Connecting a Synchronizer Setting Up Video 17 17 18 20 21 22 22 VST Connections VST Connections Window Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs Adding Input and Output Busses Presets for Input and Output Busses About Monitoring Editing the Bus Configurations 24 25 27 28 28 29 30 32 33 34 34 35 39 41 42 Project Window Toolbar Status Line Info L
91 91 92 92 93 93 94 96 97 98 98 99 100 100 100 101 Track Handling Adding Tracks Removing Tracks Moving Tracks in the Track List Renaming Tracks Coloring Tracks Showing Track Pictures Setting the Track Height Selecting Tracks Duplicating Tracks Disabling Audio Tracks (Cubase Elements only) Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks Handling Overlapping Audio How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks Track Presets 106 107 108 109 109 110 111 112 Parts and Events Audio Hand
262 262 262 272 273 276 278 279 Audio processing and functions Background Audio processing Freeze Edits Detect Silence The Spectrum Analyzer Statistics Time stretch algorithm 368 368 371 372 374 376 378 379 VST Instruments VST Instruments Window Adding VST Instruments Presets for Instruments VST Quick Controls Playing Back VST Instruments About Latency Import and Export Options 281 281 286 297 297 Sample Editor Window overview General Functions Warping audio Working with hitpoints and slices 382 382 3
505 505 506 511 512 515 515 519 520 521 Chord Functions Chord Track Chord Events Scale Events Voicings Converting Chord Events to MIDI Controlling MIDI Playback using the Chord Track Assigning Voices to Notes Extracting Chord Events from MIDI Recording Chord Events with a MIDI Keyboard 522 522 525 526 527 528 531 531 533 536 539 540 541 Chord Pads Chord Pads Zone Functions Menu Preparations Chord Assistant Assigning Chords to Chord Pads Moving and Copying Chord Pads Playing Back and Recording Chords Chor
Introduction About the Program Versions The documentation covers two different operating systems, Windows and Mac OS X. Some features and settings are specific to one of the platforms. This is clearly stated in the applicable cases. If nothing else is said, all descriptions and procedures in the documentation are valid for both Windows and Mac OS X. The screenshots are taken from the Windows version of Cubase.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio IIMPORTANT MPORTANT Make sure that all equipment is turned off before making any connections. Simple Stereo Input and Output Setup If you only use a stereo input and output from Cubase, you can connect your audio hardware, for example, the inputs of your audio card or your audio interface, directly to the input source and the outputs to a power amplifier and speaker.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio About Recording Levels and Inputs When you connect your equipment, make sure that the impedance and levels of the audio sources and inputs are matched. Using the correct type of input is important to avoid distortion or noisy recordings. For microphones, for example, different inputs can be used, such as consumer line level (-10 dBV) or professional line level (+4 dBV). Sometimes, you can adjust input characteristics on the audio interface or on its control panel.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio 3. On the ASIO Driver menu, select your audio hardware driver. The selected driver is added to the devices list. 4. In the devices list, select the driver to open the driver settings for your audio hardware. 5. Open the control panel for the audio hardware in the following way: • On Windows operating systems, click the Control Panel button. • On Mac OS X operating systems, click the Open Config App button.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio Audio Channels Lists the available audio channels. Bits Per Sample Shows the number of bits per sample. Sync Reference Shows if the driver is used as sync reference. NOTE To take advantage of DirectX Full Duplex driver, the audio hardware must support Windows Driver Model (WDM).
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio NOTE Make sure that any other audio application accessing the audio hardware is also set to release the ASIO or Mac OS X driver. Setting Up Busses Cubase uses a system of input and output busses to transfer audio between the program and the audio hardware. • Input busses let you route audio from the inputs of your audio hardware into Cubase. This means that audio is always recorded through one or several input busses.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio Plug and Play Support for ASIO Devices The Steinberg UR824 hardware series supports plug and play in Cubase. These devices can be plugged in and switched on while the application is running. Cubase automatically uses the driver of the UR824 series and re-maps the VST connections accordingly. Steinberg cannot guarantee that this works with other hardware. If you are unsure of whether your device supports plug and play, refer to the documentation of your device.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up MIDI • By using ASIO Direct Monitoring. This is a combination of the other methods. RELATED LINKS External Monitoring on page 150 Monitoring via Cubase on page 149 ASIO Direct Monitoring on page 150 Setting Up MIDI IIMPORTANT MPORTANT Turn off all equipment before making any connections. PROCEDURE 1. Connect your MIDI equipment (keyboard, MIDI interface, etc.) to your computer. 2. Install the drivers for your MIDI equipment.
Setting Up Your System Connecting a Synchronizer 3. To hide a MIDI port, deactivate its Visible column. 4. Click OK. Setting Up All MIDI Inputs When you record MIDI, you can specify which MIDI input each recording MIDI track should use. However, you can also record any MIDI data from any MIDI input. You can specify which inputs are included when you select All MIDI Inputs for a MIDI track. PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > Device Setup. 2.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Video Setting Up Video Cubase plays back video files in a number of formats, such as AVI, QuickTime, or MPEG. QuickTime is used as the playback engine. Which formats can be played back depends on the video codecs that are installed on your system. There are several ways to play back video, for example, without any special hardware, using a FireWire port, or using dedicated video cards.
VST Connections To play back and record in Cubase, you must set up input and output busses in the VST Connections window. The bus types that you need depend on your audio hardware, on your general audio setup, and on the projects that you use. VST Connections Window The VST Connections window allows you to set up input and output busses. • To open the VST Connections window, select Devices > VST Connections.
VST Connections Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs The following columns are available for the bus list: Bus Name Lists the busses. Click the name of a bus to select or rename it. Speakers Indicates the speaker configuration (mono, stereo) of each bus. Audio Device Shows the currently selected ASIO driver. Device Port Shows which physical inputs/outputs on your audio hardware are used by the bus. Expand the bus entry to show all speaker channels.
VST Connections Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > Device Setup. 2. On the VST Audio System page, make sure that the correct driver for your audio hardware is selected. If this is the case, your audio card is listed in the Devices list on the left of the Device Setup window. 3. In the devices list, select your audio card. The available input and output ports on your audio hardware are listed on the right. 4.
VST Connections Adding Input and Output Busses 4. Activate/Deactivate ports. 5. Click OK. Adding Input and Output Busses PROCEDURE 1. In the VST Connections dialog, click the Inputs or Outputs tab. 2. Click Add Bus. The Add Input Bus dialog opens. 3. Configure the bus. 4. Optional: Enter a name for the bus. If you do not specify a name, the bus is named according to the channel configuration. 5. Click Add Bus. The new bus is added to the bus list. 6.
VST Connections Presets for Input and Output Busses Presets for Input and Output Busses For input and output bus configurations, you can use different kinds of presets. • A number of standard bus configurations. • Automatically created presets tailored to your specific hardware configuration. On startup, Cubase analyzes the physical inputs and outputs that are provided by your audio hardware and creates a number of hardware-dependent presets. • Your own presets.
VST Connections About Monitoring About Monitoring The default output bus (Main Mix) is used for monitoring. You can adjust the monitoring level in the MixConsole. RELATED LINKS Setting the Default Output Bus (Main Mix) on page 20 Editing the Bus Configurations After you have set up all the required busses for a project you can edit the names and change port assignments. The bus configuration is saved with the project.
VST Connections Editing the Bus Configurations Renaming Multiple Busses You can rename all the selected busses at once using incrementing numbers or letters. • To use incrementing numbers, select the busses that you want to rename and enter a new name for one of the busses, followed by a number. For example, if you have eight inputs that you want to be named “In 1, In 2, …, In 8”, you select all the busses and enter the name In 1 for the first bus. All other busses are then renamed automatically.
Project Window The Project window provides an overview of the project, and allows you to navigate and perform large scale editing. Each project has one Project window. The Project window is displayed whenever you open or create a new project. • To open a project, select File > Open. • To create a new project, select File > New Project. The Project window is divided into several sections: 1) Toolbar Holds tools and shortcuts for opening other windows and various project settings and functions.
Project Window Toolbar 4) Overview Line Shows events and parts as boxes and allows you to zoom and navigate in the project. 5) Inspector Shows controls and parameters for the first selected track. 6) Track List Shows the track types and their controls. 7) Add Track Allows you to add a new track. 8) Ruler Shows the timeline and the display format of the project. 9) Event Display Shows the parts and events of the project. 10) Racks Shows the MediaBay.
Project Window Toolbar State buttons These buttons show the mute, solo, listen, and automation states. Auto-Scroll Allows you to activate the Auto-Scroll and Suspend Auto-Scroll when Editing options. These determine if the waveform display is scrolled during playback. Transport Buttons Shows the transport controls. Arranger Controls (Cubase Elements only) Shows the controls for the arranger track. Tool Buttons Shows the buttons for editing in the Project window.
Project Window Status Line • To open the context menu instead of the toolbox, press any modifier key and right-click in the event display or editor. If Pop-up Toolbox on Right-Click is deactivated, press any modifier key to open the toolbox instead of the context menu. • To change the number of rows in which the tools are arranged on the toolbox, keep the right mouse button pressed on the toolbox until the mouse pointer changes to a double arrow, and drag to the bottom or right.
Project Window Info Line Info Line The info line shows information about the currently selected event or part in the Project window. • To show or hide the info line, click the Set up Window Layout button on the toolbar and activate or deactivate the Info Line option. Editing in the Info Line You can edit almost all event or part data on the info line using regular value editing.
Project Window Ruler Ruler The ruler shows the timeline and the display format of the project. Initially, the Project window ruler uses the display format that is specified in the Project Setup dialog. • To select an independent display format for the ruler, click the arrow button to the right of the ruler and select an option from the pop-up menu.
Project Window Inspector Timecode Hours, minutes, seconds, and frames. The number of frames per second (fps) is set in the Project Setup dialog with the Frame Rate pop-up menu. You can also display subframes by activating Show Timecode Subframes (File > Preferences > Transport). Samples Samples Time Linear Sets the ruler linear to time. Bars+Beats Linear Sets the ruler linear to bars and beats.
Project Window Inspector Inspector Sections The Inspector is divided into a number of sections that each contain different controls for the track. Not all Inspector sections are shown by default. The available sections depend on the selected track type. • To hide or show sections, click on their names. Clicking the name for a hidden section brings it into view and hides the other sections. • To hide or show a section without closing the other sections, [Ctrl]/[Command]-click the section name.
Project Window Global Track Controls Visible Items This section displays sections currently visible in the Inspector. Pin Allows you to pin the open/close status of the selected Inspector section. Add Allows you to move an item selected in the hidden sections list to the list of visible sections. Remove Allows you to move an item selected in the visible sections list to the list of hidden sections. Move Up/Move Down Allows you to change the order of an item in the list of visible sections.
Project Window Track List Track List The track list shows the tracks that are used in the project. When a track is added and selected, it contains name fields and settings for this track. • To decide which controls are visible for each track type, right-click the track list and open the Track Controls Settings dialog. RELATED LINKS Customizing Track Controls on page 88 Dividing the Track List You can divide the track list into an upper track list and a lower track list.
Project Window Event Display Event Display The event display shows the parts and events that are used in the project. They are positioned along the timeline. Racks The racks zone of the project window allows you to display the VST Instruments and the MediaBay. • To show or hide the rack zone, click the Set up Window Layout button on the toolbar and activate or deactivate Racks.
Project Window Zooming in the Project Window • Click the VST Instruments tab to add and edit VST instruments from within the rack zone of the project window. • Click the MediaBay tab to drag audio events and MIDI parts into project window or to drag audio events and MIDI parts from the project window into the MediaBay and store them as audio or MIDI loops. Zooming in the Project Window You can zoom in the Project window according to the standard zoom techniques.
Project Window Zooming in the Project Window Zoom Submenu The Zoom submenu contains options for zooming in the Project window. • To open the Zoom submenu, select Edit > Zoom. The following options are available: Zoom In Zooms in one step, centering on the project cursor. Zoom Out Zooms out one step, centering on the project cursor. Zoom Full Zooms out so that the whole project is visible. The whole project means the timeline from the project start to the length set in the Project Setup dialog.
Project Window Zooming in the Project Window Zoom Presets You can create zoom presets that allow you to set up different zoom settings. For example, one where the whole project is displayed in the Project window and another with a high zoom factor for detailed editing. The Zoom Presets pop-up menu allows you to select, create, and organize zoom presets. • To open the Zoom Presets pop-up menu, click the button to the left of the horizontal zoom control. The upper part of the menu lists the zoom presets.
Project Window Zooming in the Project Window IIMPORTANT MPORTANT Zoom presets are global for all projects. They are available in all projects that you open or create. Zooming In On Cycle Markers You can zoom in on the area between cycle markers in the project. • To zoom in on a cycle marker, click the button to the left of the horizontal zoom control to open a pop-up menu and select a cycle marker. The middle part of the pop-up menu lists any cycle markers that you have added to the project.
Project Window Snap Function Snap Function The Snap function helps you to find exact positions when editing in the Project window. It does this by restricting horizontal movement and positioning to certain positions. Operations affected by Snap include moving, copying, drawing, sizing, splitting, range selection, etc. • To activate/deactivate Snap, activate/deactivate the Snap icon on the toolbar. Setting the Snap Point (Cubase Elements only) You can set the snap point at any position of the audio event.
Project Window Snap Function Snap Types You can select between different snap types to determine the snap point. • To select a snap type, open the Snap Type pop-up menu. The following snap types are available: Grid If this option is activated, the snap points are set with the Grid Type pop-up menu. The options depend on the display format that are selected for the ruler. When you select Seconds as ruler format, the Grid Type contains time-based grid options.
Project Window Cross-Hair Cursor Shuffle Shuffle is useful when you want to change the order of adjacent events. If you have two adjacent events and drag the first one to the right, past the second event, the two events will change places. The same principle works when changing the order of more than two events: 1 2 3 4 5 4 2 5 Dragging event 2 past event 4… 1 3 …changes the order of events 2, 3, and 4. Magnetic Cursor This grid type lets the project cursor become magnetic.
Project Window Edit History Dialog The cross-hair cursor works as follows: • When the Object Selection tool or one of its subtools is selected, the cross-hair cursor appears when you start moving/copying a part/event, or when using the event trim handles. Cross-hair cursor when moving an event. • When the Object Selection tool, the Cut tool, or any other tool that makes use of this function is selected, the cross-hair cursor appears as soon as you move the mouse over the event display.
Project Window Edit History Dialog Setting the Number of Maximum Undo Steps You can limit the number of maximum undo steps. This is useful if you run out of hard disk space, for example. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Preferences > General. 2. Set the number in the Maximum Undo Steps field.
Project Handling Creating New Projects You can create empty projects or projects that are based on a template. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > New Project. Depending on your settings, either the Steinberg Hub or the Project Assistant dialog opens. 2. 3. In the location options section, select where to store the new project. • To use the default location, select Use default location.
Project Handling Steinberg Hub Steinberg Hub When you start Cubase or create new projects using the File menu, Steinberg Hub opens. Steinberg Hub keeps you up to date with the latest information and assists you with organizing your projects. It consists of the News and Tutorials section and the Projects section. News and Tutorials section The News and Tutorials section displays Steinberg news, tutorial videos as well as links to the user forum, downloads, and Knowledge Base.
Project Handling Project Assistant Template list When you click on one of the category items, the list below the category bar shows the available templates for this category. Any new templates that you create are added at the top of the corresponding list. Location options This section allows you to specify where the project is stored. Open other This button allows you to open any project file on your system. This is identical to using the Open command on the File menu.
Project Handling About Project Files Template list When you click on one of the category items, the list below the category bar shows the available factory templates for this category. Any new templates that you create are added at the top of the corresponding list. Location options This section allows you to specify where the project is stored. Open other This button allows you to open any project file on your system. This is identical to using the Open command from the File menu.
Project Handling About Template Files Template projects are not saved in project folders and therefore contain no subfolders and no media files. • To open the location of a specific template, right-click a template in the template list and select Show in Explorer (Win) or Reveal in Finder (Mac). Saving a Project Template File You can save the current project as a template. When you create a new project, you can select this template as a starting point for your new project.
Project Handling Project Setup Dialog Renaming Templates PROCEDURE 1. In Steinberg Hub or the Project Assistant, right-click a template and select Rename. 2. In the Rename dialog, enter a new name and click OK. Project Setup Dialog You can perform general settings for your project in the Project Setup dialog. • To open the Project Setup dialog, select Project > Project Setup.
Project Handling Project Setup Dialog The following options are available: Author Allows you to specify a project author that is written into the file, when you export audio files and activate the Insert iXML chunk option. You can specify a default author in the Default Author Name field (File > Preferences > General > Personalization). Company Allows you to specify a company name that is written into the file, when you export audio files and activate the Insert iXML chunk option.
Project Handling Project Setup Dialog • If you select a sample rate that your audio hardware supports, but that differs from its current sample rate setting, it is automatically changed to the project sample rate. • If your audio hardware is externally clocked and receives external clock signals, sample rate mismatches are accepted. Bit Resolution Allows you to specify the resolution of the audio files that you record in Cubase.
Project Handling Opening Project Files • FLAC Files, Free Lossless Audio Codec, is an open source format. Audio files recorded in this format are typically 50 % to 60 % smaller than regular Wave files. NOTE If your recorded Wave file is larger than 4 GB and Use RF64 Format is activated on the When Recording Wave Files larger than 4 GB pop-up menu (File > Preferences > Record > Audio), your recording is saved as an RF64 file. This way, you do not have to worry about the file size during recording.
Project Handling Opening Project Files • To open the project inactive, click No. This reduces load times for projects. Activating Projects If you have several projects opened at the same time in Cubase, only one project can be active. The active project is indicated by the lit Activate Project button in the upper left corner of the Project window. If you want to work on another project, you have to activate the other project. PROCEDURE • To activate a project, click its Activate Project button.
Project Handling Saving Project Files Saving Project Files You can save the active project as a project file. To keep your projects as manageable as possible, make sure that you save project files and all related files in the respective project folders. • To save the project and specify a file name and location, open the File menu and select Save As. • To save the project with its current name and location, open the File menu and select Save.
Project Handling Reverting to the Last Saved Version Saving Project Files As a New Version You can create and activate a new version of an active project file. This is useful if you are experimenting with edits and arrangements and want to be able to go back to a previous version at any time. • To save a new version of the active project, press [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-[S]. The new file is saved with the same name as the original project and an attached incremental number.
Project Handling Removing Unused Audio Files Removing Unused Audio Files You can use the Cleanup function to locate and delete unused audio files in the project folders on your disk. PREREQUISITE Make sure that you have not moved or renamed files or folders without updating the project files to use the new paths. Also make sure that the project folder does not contain audio files that belong to projects that are not saved in the project folder. PROCEDURE 1. Close all projects. 2. Select File > Cleanup.
Project Handling Creating Self-Contained Projects Preparing Archives The Prepare Archive function allows you to gather all files that are referenced by your project to ensure that these are in the project folder. This is useful if you want to move or archive your project. PROCEDURE 1. Select Media > Prepare Archive. If your project references external files, you are prompted if you want to copy them to your working directory.
Project Handling Creating Self-Contained Projects Back up Project Options Dialog This dialog allows you to create a backup copy of your project. • To open the Back up Project Options dialog, select File > Back up Project. Project Name Allows you to change the name of the backed up project. Keep Current Project Active Allows you to keep the current project active after clicking OK. Minimize Audio Files Allows you to include only the audio file portions that are actually used in the project.
Tracks Tracks are the building blocks of your project. They allow you to import, add, record, and edit data (parts and events). Tracks are listed from top to bottom in the Track list and extend horizontally across the Project window. Each track is assigned to a particular channel strip in the MixConsole. If you select a track in the Project window, the controls, settings, and parameters displayed in the Inspector and the track list allow you to control the track.
Tracks Audio Tracks Audio Track Inspector The Inspector for audio tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit your audio track. The top section of the audio track Inspector contains the following basic track settings: Track name Click once to show/hide the basic track settings section. Double-click to rename the track. Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track. Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Read Automation Allows you to read track automation.
Tracks Audio Tracks Pan Allows you to adjust the panning of the track. Delay Allows you to adjust the playback timing of the track. Load/Save/Reload Track Preset Loads or saves a track preset or reverts the default presets. Input Routing Allows you to specify the input bus for the track. Output Routing Allows you to specify the output bus for the track. Audio Track Inspector sections Apart from the basic track settings that are always shown, audio tracks provide other Inspector sections.
Tracks Audio Tracks Equalizers Section Allows you to adjust the EQs for the track. You can have up to four bands of EQ for each track. Sends Section Allows you to route the track to one or several FX channels. Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel.
Tracks Audio Tracks Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Audio Track Controls The Track List for audio tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit your audio track. The track list for audio tracks contains the following controls: Track name Double-click to rename the track. Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track. Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Read Automation Allows you to read track automation.
Tracks Instrument Tracks Freeze Audio Channel Allows you to freeze the audio channel. Instrument Tracks You can use instrument tracks for dedicated VST instruments. Each instrument track has a corresponding instrument channel in the MixConsole. An instrument track can have any number of automation tracks. • To add an instrument track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Instrument.
Tracks Instrument Tracks Write Automation Allows you to write track automation. Record enable Activates the track for recording. Monitor Routes incoming MIDI to the selected MIDI output. For this to work, activate MIDI Thru Active in the Preferences dialog (MIDI page). Freeze Instrument Channel Allows you to freeze the instrument. Volume Allows you to adjust the level for the track. Pan Allows you to adjust the panning of the track. Delay Allows you to adjust the playback timing of the track.
Tracks Instrument Tracks MIDI Modifiers Section Allows you to transpose or adjust the velocity of the MIDI track events in realtime during playback. Instrument Section Shows the audio-related controls for the instrument. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Instrument Track Controls The Track List for instrument tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit your instrument track.
Tracks Instrument Tracks Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track. Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Read Automation Allows you to read track automation. Write Automation Allows you to write track automation. Record enable Activates the track for recording. Monitor Allows you to route incoming MIDI signals to the selected MIDI output. For this to work, activate MIDI Thru Active in the Preferences dialog (MIDI page). Bypass Inserts Bypasses the inserts for the track.
Tracks MIDI Tracks MIDI Tracks You can use MIDI tracks for recording and playing back MIDI parts. Each MIDI track has a corresponding MIDI channel in the MixConsole. A MIDI track can have any number of automation tracks. • To add a MIDI track to your project, select Project > Add Track > MIDI. MIDI Track Inspector The Inspector for MIDI tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to control your MIDI track. These affect MIDI events in realtime, on playback, for example.
Tracks MIDI Tracks Monitor Routes incoming MIDI to the selected MIDI output. For this to work, activate MIDI Thru Active in the Preferences dialog (MIDI page). MIDI Volume Allows you to adjust the MIDI volume for the track. MIDI Pan Allows you to adjust the MIDI pan for the track. Delay Allows you to adjust the playback timing of the track. Load/Save/Reload Track Preset Loads or saves a track preset or reverts the default presets. Input Routing Allows you to specify the input bus for the track.
Tracks MIDI Tracks MIDI Modifiers Section Allows you to transpose or adjust the velocity of the MIDI track events in realtime during playback. MIDI Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track.
Tracks MIDI Tracks MIDI Track Controls The Track List for MIDI tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit your MIDI track. The track list for MIDI tracks contains the following controls: Track name Click once to show/hide the basic track settings section. Double-click to rename the track. Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track. Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Read Automation Allows you to read track automation.
Tracks Arranger Track Arranger Track You can use the arranger track for arranging your project by marking out sections and determining in which order they are to be played back. • To add the arranger track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Arranger. Arranger Track Inspector The arranger track Inspector displays the lists of available arranger chains and arranger events. The arranger track Inspector contains the following settings: Track Name Double-click to rename the track.
Tracks Chord Track Current Arranger Chain Shows the active arranger chain. Arranger Events Lists all arranger events in your project. Click the arrow for an arranger event to play it back and start the live mode. Stop Allows you to stop the live mode. Jump mode In this pop-up menu you can define how long the active arranger event is played before jumping to the next one.
Tracks Chord Track Chord Track Inspector The chord track Inspector contains a number of settings for the chord events. The top section of the chord track Inspector contains the following settings: Track name Click to show/hide the basic track settings section. Mute Mutes the track. Record enable Activates the track for recording. Acoustic Feedback Allows you to audition the events on the chord track. For this to work, you need to select a track for auditioning in the track list.
Tracks FX Channel Tracks Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Chord Track Controls The Track List for the chord track contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit the chord track. The track list for chord tracks contains the following controls: Mute Mutes the track. Select Track for Auditioning Allows you to select a track for auditioning the chord events. Record Enable Allows you to record chord events.
Tracks FX Channel Tracks FX Channel Track Inspector The Inspector for FX channel tracks shows the settings for the FX channel. When you select the folder track instead, the Inspector shows the folder and the FX channels it contains. You can click one of the FX channels shown in the folder to have the Inspector show the settings for that FX channel. The FX channel track Inspector contains the following basic track settings: Track name Click once to show/hide the basic track settings section.
Tracks FX Channel Tracks Inserts Section Allows you to add insert effects to the track. Strip Section Allows you to set up the channel strip modules. Equalizers Section Allows you to adjust the EQs for the track. You can have up to four bands of EQ for each track.
Tracks FX Channel Tracks Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. FX Channel Track Controls The Track List for FX channel tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit the settings for the effect. The track list for FX channel tracks contains the following controls: Track name Click once to show/hide the basic track settings section. Double-click to rename the track.
Tracks Folder Tracks Read Automation Allows you to read track automation. Write Automation Allows you to write track automation. Mute Automation Deactivates the automation read function for the selected parameter. Automation parameter Allows you to select a parameter for automation. Bypass Inserts Bypasses the inserts for the track. Bypass EQs Bypasses the equalizers for the track. Bypass Sends Bypasses the sends for the track. Channel Configuration Shows the channel configuration of the track.
Tracks Folder Tracks The folder track Inspector contains the following basic track settings: Track name Double-click to rename the track. Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Record enable Activates the track for recording. Monitor Routes incoming signals to the selected output. Folder Track Controls The Track List for folder tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit all tracks in the folder.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Group Channel Tracks You can use group channel tracks to create a submix of several audio channels and apply the same effects to them. A group channel track contains no events as such, but displays settings and automation for the corresponding group channel. All group channel tracks are automatically placed in a special group track folder in the track list, for easy management. Each group channel track has a corresponding channel in the MixConsole.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Output Routing Allows you to specify the output bus for the track. NOTE When you select the group folder track instead, the Inspector shows the folder and the group channels it contains. You can click one of the group channels shown in the folder, to have the Inspector show the settings for that group channel. Group Channel Track Inspector sections Apart from the basic track settings that are always shown, group channel tracks provide other Inspector sections.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Equalizers Section Allows you to adjust the EQs for the track. You can have up to four bands of EQ for each track. Sends Section Allows you to route the track to one or several FX channels. Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Group Channel Track Controls The Track List for group channel tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit the settings for the group. The track list for group channel tracks contains the following controls: Track name Double-click to rename the track. Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track. Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Read Automation Allows you to read track automation.
Tracks Marker Track Channel Configuration Shows the channel configuration of the track. Marker Track You can use the marker track to add and edit markers that help you to locate certain positions quickly. • To add the marker track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Marker. Marker Track Inspector The marker track Inspector displays the marker list. The marker track Inspector contains the following settings: Track name Double-click to rename the track.
Tracks Ruler Track Cycle Allows you to select a cycle marker. Zoom Allows you to zoom in a cycle marker. Add Marker Allows you to add a position marker at the project cursor position. Add Cycle Marker Allows you to add a cycle marker at the project cursor position. Ruler Track You can use ruler tracks to show several rulers with different display formats for the timeline. This is completely independent from the main ruler, as well as rulers and position displays in other windows.
Tracks Video Track NOTE Ruler tracks are not affected by the display format setting in the Project Setup dialog. Video Track You can use the video track to play back video events. Video files are displayed as events/clips on the video track, with thumbnails representing the frames in the film. • To add a video track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Video. Video Track Inspector The video track Inspector contains a number of parameters to control the video track.
Tracks Customizing Track Controls The track list for the video track contains the following settings: Mute Video Track Mutes the track. Customizing Track Controls For each track type you can configure which track controls are shown in the track list. You can also specify the order of controls and group controls so that they are always shown adjacent to each other.
Tracks Customizing Track Controls Hidden Controls This section displays controls currently hidden in the track list. Visible Controls This section displays controls currently visible in the track list. Width If you click in this column, you can set the maximum length for the track name. Group Displays the group number. Add Allows you to move an item selected in the hidden controls list to the list of visible controls.
Tracks Customizing Track Controls Track Name Width (global) Allows you to determine the global name width for all track types. Apply Applies your settings. Reset All Allows you to restore all default track controls settings for all track types.
Track Handling Adding Tracks PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track, or right-click the track list. 2. Do one of the following: • Add a track of a specific type. • For some track types a dialog opens that allows you to insert several tracks at once. To add a track based on a track preset, select Add Track Using Track Preset. The Choose Track Preset dialog opens that allows you to select a track preset. The number and type of added tracks depends on the selected track preset.
Track Handling Removing Tracks Configuration Allows you to set the channel configuration. Audio-related tracks can be configured as mono or stereo tracks. Speakers Shows the speaker names according to the track configuration. Track Name Allows you to specify a track name. Add Track Adds the track and closes the dialog. RELATED LINKS Track Presets on page 101 Removing Tracks You can remove selected or empty tracks from the track list.
Track Handling Renaming Tracks Renaming Tracks PROCEDURE 1. Double-click the track name and type in a new name for the track. 2. Press [Return]. If you want all events on the track to get the same name, hold down any modifier key and press [Return]. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK If the Parts Get Track Names option (File > Preferences > Editing) is activated, and you move an event from one track to another, the moved event will automatically be named according to its new track.
Track Handling Showing Track Pictures Showing Track Pictures You can add pictures to tracks to recognize your tracks easily. Track pictures are available for audio, instrument, MIDI, FX channel and group channel tracks. PREREQUISITE Adjust the track height to at least 2 rows. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click any track in the track list. 2. From the track list context menu, select Show Track Pictures. If you move the mouse to the left on a track, a highlighted rectangle appears.
Track Handling Showing Track Pictures Factory Shows the factory content in the pictures browser. Pictures Browser Shows the pictures that you can assign to the selected track/channel. User Shows your user content in the pictures browser. Import Opens a file dialog that allows you to select pictures in bmp, jpeg, or png format and add them to the user library. Remove Selected Pictures from User Library Removes the selected picture from the user library.
Track Handling Setting the Track Height Zoom Allows you to change the size of the track picture. Rotate Allows you to rotate the track picture. Setting the Track Height You can enlarge the track height to show the events on the track in detail, or you can decrease the height of several tracks to get a better overview of your project. • To change the height of an individual track, click its lower border in the track list and drag up or down.
Track Handling Selecting Tracks The following options are available: Zoom Tracks x Rows Zooms all track heights to show the specified number of rows. Zoom Tracks Full Zooms all tracks to fit in the active Project window. Zoom x Tracks Zooms the specified number of tracks to fit in the active Project window. Zoom N Tracks Allows you to set the number of tracks to fit in the active Project window. Zoom Tracks Minimal Zooms all track heights to the minimum size.
Track Handling Duplicating Tracks The following applies: • When this option is deactivated and no event/part is selected in the Project window, the up/down arrow keys on the computer keyboard are used to step through the tracks in the track list. • When this option is deactivated and an event/part is selected in the Project window, the up/down arrow keys still step through the tracks in the track list – but on the currently selected track, the first event/part will automatically be selected as well.
Track Handling Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks You can organize your tracks in folders by moving tracks into folder tracks. This allows you to perform editing on several tracks as one entity. Folder tracks can contain any type of track including other folder tracks. • To create a folder track, open the Project menu and in the Add Track submenu select Folder. • To move tracks into a folder, select them and drag them into the folder track.
Track Handling Handling Overlapping Audio Handling Overlapping Audio The basic rule for audio tracks is that each track can only play back a single audio event at a time. If two or more events overlap, you will only hear one of them: the one that is actually visible (e. g. the last lap of a cycle recording).
Track Handling Track Presets Track Presets Track presets are templates that can be applied to newly created or existing tracks of the same type. You can create them from virtually all track types (audio, MIDI, instrument, group, FX, VST instument return, input, and output channels). They contain sound and channel settings, and allow you to quickly browse, preview, select, and change sounds, or reuse channel settings across projects. Track presets are organized in the MediaBay.
Track Handling Track Presets • MIDI track parameters • The VST instrument used for the track • Staff settings • Color settings • Drum map settings MIDI Track Presets You can use MIDI track presets for multi-timbral VST instruments (not in Cubase LE). When creating MIDI track presets you can either include the currently set channel or the currently set patch. The following data is saved in MIDI track presets: • MIDI modifiers (Transpose, etc.
Track Handling Track Presets • VST instrument settings NOTE Modifiers, inserts, and EQ settings are not saved. VST effect plug-ins are available in VST 3 and VST 2 format. NOTE In this manual, VST presets stands for VST 3 instrument presets, unless stated otherwise. Applying Track Presets When you apply a track preset, all the settings that are saved in the preset are applied. Track presets can be applied to tracks of their own type only.
Track Handling Track Presets RELATED LINKS Filters Section on page 350 Loading Multi-Track Presets PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select several tracks. NOTE Multi-track presets can only be applied if track type, number, and sequence are identical for the selected tracks and the track preset. 2. In the track list, right-click the track and select Load Track Preset. 3. In the Presets browser, select a multi-track preset. 4. Double-click the preset to load it. RESULT The preset is applied.
Track Handling Track Presets Creating a Track Preset You can create a track preset from a single track or from a combination of tracks. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select one or more tracks. 2. In the track list, right-click one of the selected tracks and select Save Track Preset. 3. In the New Preset section, enter a name for the new preset. NOTE You can also define attributes for the preset. 4. Click OK to save the preset and exit the dialog.
Parts and Events Parts and events are the basic building blocks in Cubase. The tracks in the Project window contain parts and/or events. 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 containers for one or more MIDI events. MIDI parts are rearranged and manipulated in the Project window.
Parts and Events Audio Handling Audio Handling When you work with audio files, it is crucial to understand how audio is handled in Cubase. When you edit or process audio in the Project window, you always work with an audio clip that is automatically created on import or during recording. This audio clip refers to an audio file on the hard disk that itself remains untouched.
Parts and Events Parts Parts Parts are containers for MIDI or audio events, and for tracks. RELATED LINKS Folder Parts on page 111 Creating MIDI Parts A MIDI part is automatically created when you record. It contains the recorded events. However, you can also create empty MIDI parts and later add events to them. You can create MIDI parts in the following ways: • Draw a part on a MIDI track with the Draw tool. You can also draw parts by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and using the Object Selection tool.
Parts and Events Auditioning Audio Parts and Events • Double-click with the Object Selection tool on an audio track, between the left and right locator. NOTE You can use copy and paste or drag and drop in the Audio Part Editor to add events to existing audio parts. RELATED LINKS Audio Part Editor on page 306 Auditioning Audio Parts and Events Audio parts and events can be auditioned in the Project window with the Play tool. PROCEDURE 1. Select the Play tool. 2.
Parts and Events Scrubbing • Import audio or video files via the File > Import menu. When you import a file this way, a clip is created for the file and an event that plays the whole clip is inserted on the selected track, at the position of the project cursor. • Import audio or video files via the File > Import menu.
Parts and Events Folder Parts Folder Parts A folder part is a graphic representation of events and parts on the tracks in the folder. Folder parts indicate the position and length of the events and parts, as well as on which track they are (their vertical position). If part colors are used, these are also shown in the folder part. Editing Folder Parts Any editing that you perform in the Project window to a folder part affects all the events and parts it contains.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events This section describes techniques for editing in the Project window. If not explicitly stated, all descriptions apply to both events and parts, even though we use the term “event” for convenience. When you are using the tools for editing, you can in many cases get additional functions by pressing modifier keys (e. g. pressing [Alt]/[Option] and dragging with the Object Selection tool creates a copy of the dragged event).
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Select Submenu • To open the Select submenu, select Edit > Select. The following options are available, when the Object Selection tool is selected: All Selects all events in the Project window. None Deselects all events. Invert Inverts the selection – all selected events are deselected and all events that were not selected are selected instead. In Loop Selects all events that are partly or wholly between the left and right locator.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Removing Events To remove an event from the Project window, do one of the following: • Click on the event with the Erase tool. • To delete all following events, but not the event that you clicked and all events before it, press [Alt]/[Option] and click on an event. • Select the events and press [Backspace], or select Edit > Delete. Moving Events You can move events using any of the following methods: • Use the Object Selection tool.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events NOTE To avoid accidentally moving events when you click on them in the Project window the response when you move an event by dragging is slightly delayed. You can adjust this delay with the Drag Delay setting (File > Preferences > Editing). “Move to” Submenu • To open the Move to submenu, select Edit > Move to. The following options are available: Cursor Moves the selected event to the project cursor position.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events 2. In the event display, select the events or parts that you want to move, and use the Move Left/Move Right nudge buttons. The selected events or parts are moved to the left or right. Renaming Events By default, audio events show the name of their clip, but you can enter a separate descriptive name for events. • To rename an event, select the event and type in a new name in the Name field on the info line.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events To resize events, do one of the following: • Click and drag the lower left or right corner of the event. If Snap is activated, the Snap value determines the resulting length. If several events are selected, all will be resized in the same way. Normal sizing Sizing moves contents • Use the Trim buttons (Nudge palette) on the toolbar. This will move the start or end position of the selected events by the amount set on the Grid Type pop-up menu.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events RESULT The part is stretched or compressed to fit the new length. • For MIDI parts, this means that the note events are stretched (moved and resized). Controller data will be stretched, too. • For audio parts, this means that the events are moved, and that the referenced audio files are time stretched to fit the new length. A dialog shows the progress of the time stretch operation.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events • You can select several events on the same track and click on one of them with the Glue tool. A single part is created. • To glue an event together with all following events on this track, hold down [Alt]/[Option] and click on an event with the Glue tool. Duplicating Events can be duplicated in the following ways: • Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag the event to a new position. If Snap is activated, this determines to which positions you can copy the events.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Repeating Events can be repeated in the following ways: • Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and click the handle in the lower right corner of the last selected event and drag to the right. • Select Edit > Functions > Repeat to open a dialog, allowing you to create a number of copies (regular or shared) of the selected events. Fill Loop You can create a number of copies between the right and left locators.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Locking Events If you want to make sure that you do not edit or move an event by accident, you can lock it. Locking can affect one or any combination of the following properties: Lock Option Description Position If this is locked, the event cannot be moved. Size If this is locked, the event cannot be resized. Other If this is locked, all other editing of the event is disabled. This includes adjusting the fades and event volume, processing, etc.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Muting Events You can mute events in the Project window. Muted events can be edited as usual (with the exception of adjusting fades), but are not played back. Muted events are grayed out. • To mute events, select them and select Edit > Mute. • To unmute events, select them and select Edit > Unmute. • To mute or unmute a single event, click on it with the Mute tool.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Region Operations Regions are sections within a clip. Regions are best created and edited in the Sample Editor. However, to access the following options, select Audio > Advanced. Event or Range as Region This function is available when one or several audio events or selection ranges are selected.
Range Editing Editing in the Project window is not restricted to handling whole events and parts. You can also work with selection ranges, which are independent from the event/part and track boundaries. Creating a Selection Range • To make a selection range, drag with the Range Selection tool. When the Range Selection tool is selected, you can select selection ranges options via Edit > Select.
Range Editing Creating a Selection Range Invert Inverts the selection. All selected events are deselected, and all events that were not selected are selected. Only used for event selection. In Loop Makes a selection between the left and right locator on all tracks. From Start to Cursor Makes a selection on all tracks, from the start of the project to the project cursor. From Cursor to End Makes a selection on all tracks, from the project cursor to the end of the project.
Range Editing Editing Selection Ranges Editing Selection Ranges Adjusting the Size of Selection Ranges You can adjust the size of a selection range in the following ways: • By dragging its edges. The pointer takes the shape of a double arrow when you move it over an edge of the selection range. • By holding down [Shift] and clicking. The closest selection range edge will be moved to the position at which you clicked. • By adjusting the selection range start or end position on the info line.
Range Editing Editing Selection Ranges Moving and Duplicating Selection Ranges • To move a selection range, click and drag it to a new position. This will move the contents of the selection range to the new position. If the range intersected events or parts, these are split before moving, so that only the sections within the selection range are affected. • To duplicate a selection range, hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag.
Range Editing Editing Selection Ranges Paste Time at Origin Pastes the selection range from the clipboard to its original position. Existing events are moved to make room for the pasted data. This option is available in Edit > Range. Global Copy This copies everything in the selection range. This option is available in Edit > Range.
Playback and Transport This chapter describes the methods for controlling playback and transport functions. RELATED LINKS Transport on page 669 Transport Panel The Transport panel contains the main transport functions as well as many other options related to playback and recording. • To show the transport panel, select Transport > Transport Panel or press [F2].
Playback and Transport Transport Panel Record Mode Determines what happens to your recordings and to any existing events on the track when you are recording. This section also contains the automatic MIDI record quantize function. Locators Allows you to go to the left or right locator position, and to activate Auto Punch In and Auto Punch Out. Furthermore, you can set the left and right locator position numerically and specify a pre-roll and a post-roll value.
Playback and Transport Transport Panel MIDI Activity Allows you to monitor the MIDI input and the MIDI output signals. Audio Activity Allows you to monitor the audio input and output signals. Audio Level Control Shows clipping indicators and an output level control.
Playback and Transport Transport Panel 4. On the transport panel, click the Pre-roll Amount and the Post-roll Amount fields and enter the pre-roll and post-roll values. 5. Activate Use pre-roll and Use post-roll. 6. Activate Record. RESULT The project cursor rolls back by the time specified in the Pre-roll Amount field and playback starts. When the cursor reaches the left locator, recording is automatically activated.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu • To move to another playback position, turn the jog wheel to the left or right. The further you turn the jog wheel, the faster the playback speed. The original playback speed is the fastest speed possible. You can turn the jog wheel as many times as needed to move to a location. If you click the jog wheel during playback, playback automatically stops and scrubbing starts.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Playback Functions Post-roll from Selection Start/End Starts playback from the beginning or end of the currently selected range and stops after the time set in the post-roll field on the transport panel. Pre-roll to Selection Start/End Starts playback from a position before the start or end of the currently selected range and stops at the selection start or end, respectively. The playback start position is set in the pre-roll field on the transport panel.
Playback and Transport Setting the Project Cursor Position Metronome Functions Metronome Setup Opens the Metronome Setup dialog. Metronome On/Off Activates/Deactivates the metronome click. Precount On/Off Activates/Deactivates the precount. Synchronization Functions Project Synchronization Setup Opens the Project Synchronization Setup dialog. Use External Sync Sets Cubase to be synchronized externally.
Playback and Transport Left and Right Locators • Use the functions on the Transport menu. • Use key commands. NOTE If Snap is activated when dragging the project cursor, the snap value is taken into account. This is helpful for finding exact positions quickly.
Playback and Transport Auto-Scroll • Press [Alt]/[Option] and click at the position in the ruler. • Adjust the Right Locator Position value on the Transport panel. To set the right locator to the project cursor position, do one of the following: • Press [Ctrl]/[Command] and on the numeric keypad press [2]. • Press [Alt]/[Option] and click R on the Transport panel. To set both locators, do one of the following: • Click and drag left or right in the upper half of the ruler.
Playback and Transport Time Formats Time Formats You can set up different time formats. Selecting the Primary Time Format In the Transport panel, you can select the primary time format. This is the global display format that is used for all rulers and position displays in the program, except the ruler tracks. PROCEDURE 1. In the main transport section of the Transport panel, click Select Primary Time Format. 2. Select a time format from the pop-up menu.
Playback and Transport Locating to Specific Time Positions Switching the Primary and Secondary Time Format (Cubase Elements only) PROCEDURE • In the Main Transport section of the Transport panel, click Exchange Time Format. RESULT The primary and secondary time formats are switched and all rulers and position displays are updated. Locating to Specific Time Positions You have several possibilities to locate to specific time positions in the Project window.
Playback and Transport Metronome Metronome You can use the metronome click as a timing reference. The two parameters that govern the timing of the metronome are tempo and time signature. • To activate the metronome click, activate the Click button on the Transport panel. You can also select Transport > Metronome On or use the corresponding key command. • To activate the precount, click the Precount button on the Transport panel.
Playback and Transport Metronome Precount Options Section In the Precount Options section, the following options are available: Precount Bars Allows you to set the number of bars that the metronome counts in before recording starts. Use Project Count Base Activate this to let the metronome play one click per beat according to the project count base. Use Count Base Activate this to set the rhythm of the metronome. For example, setting this to 1/8, gives you eighth notes (two clicks per beat). Use Time Sign.
Playback and Transport Chase Beeps Allows you to activate beeps generated by the program. Adjust the pitch and level of the beeps for the Hi (first) beat and Lo (other) beats using the sliders below. Sounds Allows you to load audio files for the Hi and Lo metronome sounds in the Sound fields below. The sliders set the level of the click. Chase Chase is a function that makes sure your MIDI instruments sound as they should when you locate to a new position and start playback.
Virtual Keyboard The Virtual Keyboard allows you to play and record MIDI notes by using your computer keyboard or mouse. This is useful if you have no external MIDI instrument at hand and you do not want to draw in notes with the Draw tool. When the Virtual Keyboard is displayed, the usual key commands are blocked because they are reserved for the Virtual Keyboard.
Virtual Keyboard Virtual Keyboard Options AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Close the virtual keyboard to make all key commands available again. Virtual Keyboard Options 1) Note Velocity Level This slider allows you to adjust the volume of the virtual keyboard. You can also use the up and down arrow keys for this. 2) Change Virtual Keyboard Display Type This button allows you to switch between computer keyboard and piano keyboard display mode.
Recording In Cubase, you can record audio and MIDI. This chapter assumes that you are familiar with certain basic recording concepts and that some initial preparations have been made. • Set up, connect, and calibrate your audio hardware. • Open a project and set up the project setup parameters according to your specifications. Project setup parameters determine the record format, sample rate, project length, etc. that affect the audio recordings that you make during the course of the project.
Recording Basic Recording Methods NOTE The exact number of audio tracks that you can record simultaneously depends on your computer CPU and hard disk performance. Activate the Warn on Processing Overloads option (File > Preferences > VST) to show a warning message as soon as the CPU overload indicator lights up during recording. RELATED LINKS Editing - Project & MixConsole on page 654 VST on page 671 Activating Recording You can activate recording manually or automatically.
Recording Basic Recording Methods Stopping Recording • To stop recording and playback, click the Stop button on the Transport panel or use the corresponding key command, by default [0] on the numeric keypad. • To stop recording and continue playback, click the Record button or use the corresponding key command, by default [*] on the numeric keypad.
Recording Basic Recording Methods Using Pre-Roll and Post-Roll You can set up a pre-roll and a post-roll for recording. PREREQUISITE Select File > Preferences > Transport and activate the Stop after Automatic Punch Out option. PROCEDURE 1. Set the locators to where you want to start and end recording. 2. On the Transport panel, activate Auto Punch In and Auto Punch Out. 3. Activate Use Pre-roll and Use Post-roll. 4. Specify a Pre-roll Amount and a Post-roll Amount. 5. Click Record.
Recording Monitoring Re-Recording PROCEDURE 1. Activate Transport > Re-Record. 2. Activate recording. 3. Hit the Record button again to restart recording. RESULT The project cursor jumps back to the record start position and recording is reinitiated. Pre-roll and pre-count settings are taken into account. NOTE The previous recordings are removed from the project and cannot be retrieved using Undo. However, they remain in the Pool.
Recording Monitoring 3. Select File > Preferences > VST. 4. Open the Auto Monitoring pop-up menu and select a monitoring mode. RESULT The monitored signal will be delayed according to the latency value which depends on your audio hardware and drivers. You can check the latency of your hardware in the Device Setup dialog (Device > Device Setup > VST Audio System). RELATED LINKS VST on page 671 External Monitoring External monitoring means listening to the input signal before it is sent into Cubase.
Recording Monitoring 3. In the Device Setup dialog, select your driver in the Devices list on the left to display the driver settings for your audio hardware, and activate the Direct Monitoring checkbox. If the checkbox is grayed out, your audio hardware (or its driver) does not support ASIO Direct Monitoring. Consult the audio hardware manufacturer for details. 4. Select File > Preferences > VST. 5. Open the Auto Monitoring pop-up menu and select a monitoring mode. 6.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics RESULT Incoming MIDI is echoed back out again. RELATED LINKS MIDI on page 661 Audio Recording Specifics Preparations Selecting a Record File Format You can set up the record file format, that is the sample rate, bit resolution, and record file type for new audio files. PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Project Setup. 2. Set up the settings for Sample Rate, Bit Resolution, and Record File Type.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics 4. Navigate to the folder that you want to use as record folder or create a new folder with the New Folder button. If you want to have separate folders for different types of material (speech, ambient sounds, music, etc.), you can create subfolders within the project Audio folder and assign different tracks to different subfolders. This way, all audio files will still reside within the project folder, which will make managing the project easier.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics Selecting an Input Bus for the Track Before you can record on your track, you must add and set up the required input busses and specify from which input bus the track will record. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector for the audio track, open the Input Routing pop-up menu. 2. Select an input bus.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics Audio Record Modes By selecting an Audio Record Mode you decide what happens to your recording and to any existing events on the track where you are recording. This is necessary because you will not always record on an empty track. There may be situations where you record over existing events, especially in cycle mode. • To select an Audio Record Mode, click the audio symbol in Record Mode section of the Transport panel and select a record mode.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics Undoing Recording If you decide that you do not like what you just recorded, you can delete it. • Select Edit > Undo. This removes the events that you just recorded from the Project window and moves the audio clips in the Pool to the trash folder. To remove the recorded audio files from the hard disk, open the Pool, right-click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics Recovering Audio Recordings after System Failure Cubase allows you to recover audio recordings after a system failure, because of a power cut or other mishap, for example. When you experience a computer crash during a recording, relaunch the system and check the project record folder. By default, this is the Audio subfolder inside the project folder.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics Naming MIDI Ports MIDI inputs and outputs are often displayed with long and complicated names. In Cubase, you can rename your MIDI ports to more descriptive names. PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > Device Setup. 2. In the Devices list, select MIDI Port Setup. The available MIDI inputs and outputs are listed. On Windows systems, the device to choose depends on your system. 3. Click in the Show As column and type in a new name. 4. Click OK.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics Setting the MIDI Channel and Output The MIDI channel and output settings determine where the recorded MIDI is routed during playback. They are also relevant for monitoring MIDI in Cubase. You can select the channel and output in the track list or in the Inspector. PROCEDURE 1. In the track list, select the track to which you want to assign a MIDI channel and output. 2. In the topmost Inspector section, open the Output Routing pop-up menu and select an output.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics Recording MIDI You can record MIDI using any of the basic recording methods. When you finish recording, a part that contains MIDI events is created in the Project window. NOTE If you perform a live recording on a VST instrument, you usually compensate the latency of the audio card by playing earlier. In consequence, the timestamps are recorded too early.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics NOTE Normally, the MIDI channel information is overridden by the MIDI channel setting for the track. However, if you set the track to the Any MIDI channel, the notes will be played back on their original channels. Recording Continuous Messages Pitchbend, aftertouch, and controllers, such as modulation wheel, sustain pedal, volume, etc. are considered as MIDI continuous events, as opposed to the momentary key down and key up messages.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics • If you want Cubase to perform a MIDI reset on stop, select File > Preferences > MIDI and activate Reset on Stop. • If you want Cubase to insert a reset event at the end of a recorded part, select File > Preferences > MIDI and activate Insert Reset Events after Record. This resets controller data such as sustain, aftertouch, pitchbend, modulation, and breath control.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics MIDI Cycle Record Mode When you record MIDI in cycle mode, the result not only depends on the MIDI Record Mode, but also on the Cycle Record Mode that is selected in the MIDI Cycle Record Mode section. Mix For each completed lap, everything you record is added to what was previously recorded. This is useful for building up rhythm patterns. Record a hi-hat part on the first lap, the bass drum part on the second lap, etc.
Recording Remaining Record Time Recovering MIDI Recordings Cubase allows you to recover MIDI recordings. Enabling Retrospective Record The Retrospective Record setting allows you to capture any MIDI notes that you play in Stop mode or during playback and turn them into a MIDI part after the fact. This is possible because Cubase can capture MIDI input in buffer memory, even when not recording. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Preferences > Record–MIDI. 2.
Recording Lock Record NOTE The remaining record time is also shown in the status line above the track list. If you use individual record folders to store your tracks on different drives, the time display refers to the medium with the least storage space available. Lock Record The Lock Record function prevents you from accidentally deactivating the record mode. • Select File > Key Commands and in the Transport category, assign key commands to the Lock Record and Unlock Record commands.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantizing means moving recorded audio or MIDI and positioning it on the nearest grid position that is musically relevant. Quantizing is designed to correct errors, but you can also use it in a creative way. You can quantize audio and MIDI to a grid or to a groove. Audio and MIDI can be quantized at the same time. However, what exactly happens during quantizing differs for audio and MIDI: • Audio quantizing affects the audio event starts.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantizing MIDI Event Starts Quantizing MIDI Event Starts If you select MIDI notes in a part and use the Quantize function on the Edit menu, the MIDI note starts are quantized, that is, the starts of MIDI notes that do not match exact note positions are moved to the closest grid positions. The grid is set up on the Quantize pop-up menu. The note lengths are maintained. NOTE If you quantize MIDI parts, all events are quantized, even if none is selected.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel You can open the Quantize Panel by clicking the corresponding button on the toolbar or by opening the Edit menu and selecting “Quantize Panel”. Common Settings Quantize Presets Pop-Up Menu On this pop-up menu, you can select a quantize or a groove preset. Save/Remove Preset The preset controls allow you to save the current settings as a preset, making them available on all “Quantize Presets” pop-up menus. This includes Swing, “Catch Range”, etc.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel MIDI CC If you activate this button, controllers related to MIDI notes (pitchbend, etc.) are automatically moved with the notes when these are quantized. Auto Apply If you activate this button, any changes you make are immediately applied to the selected parts or events. A way of using this feature is to set up a playback loop and adjust the settings until you are satisfied with the result.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel Options For Quantizing to a Musical Grid Grid On this pop-up menu you can determine the basic value for the quantize grid. Swing This parameter lets you offset every second position in the grid, creating a swing or shuffle feel. This setting is only available when a straight value is selected for the grid and Tuplet is off (see below).
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel Options for Quantizing to a Groove Groove quantizing is intended for recreating existing rhythmic feels by matching your recorded music to a timing grid generated from a MIDI part or an audio loop. To extract the groove from a MIDI part, from an audio loop, an audio event with hitpoints, or sliced audio, select the material and drag it onto the grid display in the middle of the Quantize Panel. Alternatively, you can use the “Create Groove Quantize Preset” function.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Additional Quantizing Functions Orig. Position If you activate this option, the starting point of the quantizing operation is not the first bar of the project, but the original starting position of the audio or MIDI material used to find the groove. This allows you to synchronize material that does not start from bar 1 of the project.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Additional Quantizing Functions RESULT If you open the Quantize pop-up menu on the Project window toolbar, you will find an additional item at the bottom of the list, with the same name as the file from which you have extracted the groove. You can select it as a base for quantizing, just like any other quantize value. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK To save the groove, open the Quantize Panel and save it as a preset.
Fades and crossfades Creating fades There are two types of fade ins and fade outs in audio events in Cubase: event-based fades that you create by using the fade handles and clip-based fades created by processing. RELATED LINKS Event-based fades on page 174 Clip-based fades on page 176 Event-based fades Selected audio events have triangular handles in the upper left and right corners. These can be dragged to create a fade in or fade out, respectively.
Fades and crossfades Creating fades • You can make the fade longer or shorter at any time, by dragging the handle. You can do this without selecting the event first, i. e. without visible handles. Just move the mouse pointer along the fade curve until the cursor turns into a bidirectional arrow, then click and drag.
Fades and crossfades Creating fades About the volume handle A selected audio event also has a square handle in the top middle: the volume handle. It provides a quick way of changing the volume of an event in the Project window. Note that dragging the volume handle also changes the value on the info line. The volume change is displayed numerically on the info line. The event waveform reflects the volume change. • Drag the Volume handle up or down to change the volume of the event.
Fades and crossfades The Fade dialogs • You can also activate the “Please, don’t ask again” option. Regardless of whether you then choose “Continue” or “New Version”, any further processing will conform to the option you select. You can change this setting at any time in the Preferences dialog (Editing–Audio page), under “On Processing Shared Clips”. The Fade dialogs The Fade dialogs appear when you edit an existing fade or use the Fade In/Fade Out functions on the Process submenu of the Audio menu.
Fades and crossfades The Fade dialogs Fade Length Value This parameter is only available when editing fades made by dragging the fade handles. It can be used to enter fade lengths numerically. The format of values displayed here is determined by the Time Display in the Transport panel. • When you activate the Apply Length option, the value entered in the Fade Length value field is used when clicking Apply or OK.
Fades and crossfades Creating crossfades Process Applies the set fade curve to the clip, and closes the dialog. Cancel Closes the dialog without applying any fade. Creating crossfades Overlapping audio material on the same track can be crossfaded, for smooth transitions or special effects. You create a crossfade by selecting two consecutive audio events and selecting the Crossfade command on the Audio menu (or by using the corresponding key command, by default [X]).
Fades and crossfades The Crossfade dialog • Once you have created a crossfade, you can edit it by selecting one or both crossfaded events, and selecting “Crossfade” from the Audio menu again (or by double-clicking in the crossfade zone). This opens the Crossfade dialog. RELATED LINKS The Crossfade dialog on page 180 Removing crossfades To remove a crossfade, proceed as follows: • Select the corresponding events and select “Remove Fades” from the Audio menu.
Fades and crossfades The Crossfade dialog Equal Gain Activate this parameter to adjust the fade curves so that the summed fade in and fade out amplitudes will be the same all along the crossfade region. This is often suitable for short crossfades. Equal Power Activate this parameter to adjust the fade curves so that the energy (power) of the crossfade will be constant all along the crossfade region. Equal Power curves have only one editable curve point.
Fades and crossfades Auto fades and crossfades Auto fades and crossfades Cubase features an Auto Fade function that can be set both globally, and separately for each audio track. The idea behind the Auto Fade function is to create smoother transitions between events by applying short (1 to 500 ms) fade ins and fade outs.
Fades and crossfades Auto fades and crossfades 6. If you want to use your settings in future projects, click the “As Default” button. 7. Click OK to close the dialog. RELATED LINKS The Fade dialogs on page 177 The Crossfade dialog on page 180 Making Auto Fade settings for individual tracks By default, all audio tracks will use the settings you have made in the project’s Auto Fades dialog.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Introduction The arranger track allows you to work with sections of your project in a non-linear fashion, to simplify arranging to the maximum extent. Instead of moving, copying and pasting events in the Project window to create a linear project, you can define how different sections are to be played back, like a playlist. For this, you can define arranger events, order them in a list, and add repeats as desired.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Working with arranger events 3. On the Project window toolbar, make sure that Snap is activated and that the Snap Type is set to a mode that allows your arranger events to snap to appropriate positions in the project. Snap to events is activated, i. e. when drawing in the Project window, new events will snap to existing events. 4. On the arranger track, use the Draw tool to draw an event of the desired length. An arranger event is added, called “A” by default.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Working with arranger events Creating an arranger chain You can set up an arranger chain in the Arranger Editor or in the Inspector for the arranger track. The Arranger Editor is opened by clicking the “e” button in the Inspector or in the track list. PROCEDURE 1. Click the “e” button to open the Arranger Editor. On the right in the Arranger Editor, the available arranger events are listed, in the order they appear on the timeline.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Working with arranger events long – to turn our pattern into a “song” (or at least into a basic sketch of the song structure), these files must be looped. This is where the Repeats function comes in. If you want an event to repeat several times, proceed as follows: • Click in the Repeats field for an event, type in the desired number of repeats and press [Enter].
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Working with arranger events Editing the arranger chain In the arranger chain on the left, you can do the following: • Select multiple events by [Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking or [Shift]-clicking as usual. • Drag events to move them in the list. • Drag events holding [Alt]/[Option] to create copies of the selected items. The insert location for both move and copy operations is indicated by a colored insertion line.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Flattening the arranger chain Managing arranger chains You can create several arranger chains. This way, you can create alternative versions for playback. In the Arranger Editor, the toolbar buttons on the right are used for this: Click this to rename the current arranger chain. Creates a new, empty arranger chain. Creates a duplicate of the current arranger chain, containing the same events. Removes the currently selected arranger chain.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Flattening the arranger chain 2. Activate Playback. The project will now play back exactly as in Arranger mode, but you can view it and work with it as usual. IMPORTANT Flattening the arranger chain may remove events and parts from the project. Only use the Flatten function when you know you do not want to edit the arranger track/chain any more. If in doubt, save a copy of the project before flattening the arranger chain.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Flattening the arranger chain Checked Chains… If you activate this option, you can select the arranger chains you want to flatten in the list to the left. All Chains If you activate this option, all arranger chains of the current project will be flattened. The Destination section allows you to choose where the result of the flattening is saved. The available options are: Current Project This is only available if you have selected “Current Chain” as Source.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Live mode Live mode If you have set up an arranger track and play it back, you have also the possibility to influence the playback order “live”. Note that the Arranger mode has to be activated to be able to use the Live mode. PROCEDURE 1. Set up an arranger chain in the Inspector or in the Arranger Editor for an arranger track, activate the Arranger mode and play back your project.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Live mode Jump Mode options In the Jump Mode pop-up menu, you can define how long the active arranger event will be played, before jumping to the next one. The following options are available: None Jumps to the next section immediately. 4 bars, 2 bars When one of these modes is selected, a grid of 4 or 2 bars (depending on the setting) will be placed on the active arranger event.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Arranging your music to video When an event is shorter than 4 (or 2) bars and this mode is selected, playback will jump to the next section at the event end. 1 bar Jumps to the next section at the next bar line. 1 beat Jumps to the next section at the next beat. End Plays the current section to the end, then jumps to the next section.
Arranger Track (Cubase Elements only) Arranging your music to video 6. Start at 00:01:10:00 (within the range of what originally was “B”). In your project, the position 00:01:10:00 will be located and you will hear “A” playing, because it plays twice in the arranger track. 7. Start external timecode at position 00:02:10:00 (within the range of what originally was “C”). In your project, the position 00:02:10:00 will be located and you will hear “B” playing, because it plays “later” in the arranger track.
Markers Markers are used to locate certain positions quickly. There are two types of markers: position markers and cycle markers. If you often find yourself jumping to a specific position within a project, you should insert a marker at this position. You can also use markers to make range selections or for zooming. Markers are located on the marker track. Position Markers Position markers allow you to save a specific position.
Markers Cycle Markers Setting the Locators Using Cycle Markers Cycle markers represent ranges in your project. You can use them for moving the left and right locators. PROCEDURE • To set the left locator to the cycle marker start and the right locator to the cycle marker end, perform one of the following actions: • Double-click on a cycle marker. • From the Cycle pop-up menu in the track list, select a cycle marker. RESULT The left and right locators are moved to encompass the cycle marker.
Markers Markers Window Markers Window In the Markers window you can view and edit markers. The markers on the marker track are displayed in the marker list in the order in which they occur in the project. To open the Markers window, you have the following possibilities: • Select Project > Markers. • On the Transport panel in the marker section, click Show. • Use a key command (by default [Ctrl]/[Command]-[M]). 1) Locate arrow Indicates which marker is at the project cursor position.
Markers Markers Window Editing in the Markers Window In the Markers window you can select, edit, add, move, and remove markers. • To select a marker, click on it. • To edit a selected marker, click on it. Select multiple markers by [Shift] or [Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking them. • To add a position marker at the cursor position, select Functions > Insert Marker. A position marker is added at the current project cursor position on the marker track.
Markers Markers Window • To adjust the width of a column, place the mouse pointer between two column headers and drag left or right. NOTE No matter by which attribute you sort, the second sort criterion will always be the position attribute. Marker Preferences You can access the marker preferences by clicking the corresponding button in the bottom left corner of the Markers window.
Markers Markers Window Length In this column you can view and edit the length of cycle markers. Description Here you can enter names or descriptions for markers. RELATED LINKS Marker IDs on page 202 Cycle Markers on page 196 Editing Attributes • To edit a marker attribute, select the corresponding marker, click in the desired attribute column, and make your settings. • To change the attributes of several markers, select the markers and click the checkbox for the desired attribute.
Markers Marker Track Marker IDs Each time you add a marker, it is automatically and sequentially assigned an ID number, starting from 1. IDs for cycle markers are shown in brackets and start from [1]. ID numbers can be changed at any time – this allows you to assign specific markers to key commands. NOTE If you move a marker from one marker track to another by drag & drop in the Project window and the marker ID is already used on this track, the inserted marker automatically gets a new ID.
Markers Marker Track 3) Locate pop-up menu If you select a position or a cycle marker in this pop-up menu, the corresponding marker in the event display or in the Markers window is selected. 4) Cycle pop-up menu If you select a cycle marker in this pop-up menu, the left and right locators are set to the corresponding cycle marker. 5) Zoom pop-up menu If you select a cycle marker in this pop-up menu, the view zooms to the corresponding cycle marker.
Markers Importing and Exporting Markers • To move a marker, select it and drag it. You can also edit marker positions on the info line. • To remove a marker, select it and press [Delete] or use the Erase tool. Using Markers to Select Ranges Markers can be used in conjunction with the Range Selection tool to make range selections in the Project window. This is useful if you quickly want to make a selection that spans all tracks in the project. PROCEDURE 1.
Markers Importing and Exporting Markers Exporting Markers via MIDI You can export your markers as part of a MIDI file. • To include any markers in the MIDI file, activate Export Markers in the Export Options dialog. The following settings are exported: • The start position of position markers and cycle markers. NOTE To be able to export markers via MIDI export, your project must contain a marker track.
MixConsole The MixConsole provides a common environment for producing mixes in stereo or surround. It allows you to control level, pan, solo/mute status, etc. for audio and MIDI channels. Furthermore, it is a convenient environment for setting up the input and output routing for multiple tracks or channels at the same time. To open the MixConsole, you have the following options: • Press [F3]. • Select Devices > MixConsole. • On the Project window toolbar, click Open MixConsole .
MixConsole The MixConsole is divided into several sections: 1) Channel Selector Allows you to set up the visibility of channels in the fader section. 2) Fader Section The fader section is the heart of the MixConsole. It is always visible and shows all channels in the same order as in the track list. 3) Meter Bridge Allows you to monitor the levels of your channels. 4) Equalizer Curve Allows you to draw an EQ curve. Click in the curve display to open a larger view where you can edit the curve points.
MixConsole Setting Up the MixConsole 6) Pictures Opens the Pictures section that allows you to add a picture to the selected channel. Pictures can help you identify your MixConsole channels quickly. 7) Notepad In the Notepad section, you can enter notes and comments about a channel. Each channel has its own notepad. RELATED LINKS Track Pictures Browser on page 94 Setting Up the MixConsole You can show and hide the different sections of the MixConsole.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Select Racks Opens the rack selector that allows you to show/hide specific racks. Rack Settings Opens a pop-up menu with settings for the racks. Locators Shows the left and right locator positions. Transport Buttons Shows the transport controls. Time Display Shows the time display. Markers Shows the marker buttons. State Buttons Shows the mute, solo, listen, and automation states. Here you can also bypass inserts, EQs, channel strips, and sends.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Visibility Tab The Visibility tab allows you to determine which channels are shown in the MixConsole. This is particularly helpful if you organize your tracks in folder or group tracks. • To show/hide channels, activate/deactivate the dots. • To collapse/expand groups and folders, click the group or folder name. Input Routing Configurations for Mono Channels • Mono input busses. • Mono output busses, or mono group output busses.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Filtering Channel Types The channel types filter on the MixConsole toolbar allows you to determine which channel types are shown. PROCEDURE 1. Click Filter Channel Types. This opens the channel types filter. 2. Click a dot to the left of a channel type to hide it. RESULT Channels of the filtered type are removed from the fader section and the color of the Filter Channel Types button changes to indicate that a channel type is hidden.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Pre (Filters/Gain) (Cubase Elements only) Contains input filter and gain controls along with Phase and Gain controls for audio-related channels or an Input Transformer control for MIDI channels. Inserts Allows you to select insert effects for your channel. Equalizers (audio-related channels only) Allows you to set the channel EQ.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Show One Channel Strip Type Shows only one channel strip type at a time. Show Sends as Select Combined Destination & Gain, if you want to show the destination and the gain in one line. Select Separate Destination & Gain, if you want to show the destination and the gain in separate lines.
MixConsole Linking Channels Saving Configurations To quickly switch between different channel setups, you can save configurations. The configurations contain visibility settings as well as the show/hide status of channel types and racks. PROCEDURE 1. Set up the configuration that you want to save. 2. On the toolbar, click Configurations. 3. From the pop-up menu, select Add Configuration. 4. In the Add Configuration dialog, enter a name for the configuration. 5. Click OK.
MixConsole Input Levels Input Levels When recording digital sound, it is important to set the input levels high enough to ensure low noise and high audio quality. At the same time, you must avoid clipping (digital distortion). Setting Input Levels PROCEDURE 1. Click Filter Channel Types and activate Input Channels. In this mode, the input channel level meters show the level of the signal at the input of the bus, before any adjustments, such as input gain, EQ, effects, level, or pan are made.
MixConsole Copying and Moving Rack and Channel Settings Clipping Clipping typically occurs in the audio hardware when an analog signal is too loud and therefore converted to digital in the hardware’s A/D converters. Copying and Moving Rack and Channel Settings You can use drag and drop to copy or move rack and channel settings. Drag and drop works between different channels or different rack slots on the same channel. When you drag, a blue frame indicates the sections where you can drop your settings.
MixConsole Fader Section Fader Section The fader section is the heart of the MixConsole. It shows input and output channels together with audio, instrument, MIDI, group, FX, and ReWire (not in Cubase LE) channels that appear in the same order as in the track list. NOTE If a channel is deactivated in the channel selector or if its channel type is deactivated, it is not shown in the fader section.
MixConsole Fader Section Setting Pan For each audio-related channel with at least a stereo output configuration, you can find a pan control at the top of the fader section. For MIDI channels, the pan control sends out MIDI pan messages. The result depends on how your MIDI instrument is set to respond to pan. The pan control allows you to position a channel in the stereo spectrum. • To make fine adjustments, hold down [Shift] when you move the pan control.
MixConsole Fader Section • To mute all other channels, click Solo for a channel. Click again to deactivate the solo state. • To deactivate the mute or solo states for all channels simultaneously, click Deactivate All Mute States or Deactivate All Solo States. • To activate exclusive solo mode, hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] and click Solo for the channel. The Solo buttons of all other channels are deactivated. • To activate solo defeat for a channel, [Alt]/[Option]-click Solo.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Channel Meter Options You can change the meter characteristics for audio channels using the context menu of the channel meter. Meter Peak Options - Hold Peaks The highest registered levels are held and shown as static horizontal lines in the meter. Meter Peak Options - Hold Forever If this option is activated, the peak levels are shown until you reset the meters.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Routing The Routing rack allows you to configure input and output routing, that is, setting up input and output busses. Input busses are used when you record on an audio track. In this case, you must select from which input bus the audio is received. NOTE The settings that you make for the input channel will be a permanent part of the recorded audio file. Output busses are used when you play back an audio, group, or FX channel.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Output Busses For output busses any assignment is possible. Using Group Channels You can route the outputs from multiple audio channels to a group. This enables you to control the channel levels using one fader, apply the same effects and EQ to all channels, etc. You can also select a group channel as input for an audio track, to record a downmix of separate tracks, for example. PREREQUISITE You have created and set up a group channel track in stereo. PROCEDURE 1.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Making Filter Settings Each audio-related channel has separate high-cut and low-cut filters that allow you to attenuate signals with frequencies that are higher or lower than the cutoff frequency. PROCEDURE 1. On the MixConsole toolbar, activate Show Channel Racks. 2. Click Racks and activate Pre (Filters/Gain/Phase) to show the Pre rack above the fader section. 3. Click to the left of the high-cut filter to activate the high-cut filter.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Making Phase Settings Each audio-related channel and input/output channel has a Phase button that allows you to correct the phase for balanced lines and microphones that are wired backwards or that are out of phase due to their positioning. PROCEDURE 1. On the MixConsole toolbar, activate Show Channel Racks. 2. Click Racks and activate Pre (Filters/Gain/Phase) to show the Pre rack above the fader section. 3.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Moving Inserts to Post-Fader or Pre-Fader Position (Cubase Elements only) For each audio-related channel, you can add 6 pre-fader and 2 post-fader inserts. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click an insert effect in a pre-fader position. 2. From the context menu, select Move to Post-Fader Slot. To move a post-fader insert to a pre-fader position, open its context menu and select Move to Pre-Fader Slot.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Activating Equalizer Bands PROCEDURE 1. On the MixConsole toolbar, activate Show Channel Racks. 2. Click Racks and activate Equalizers to show the EQ rack above the fader section. 3. Click Activate Band to activate an EQ band. Equalizer Settings You can make equalizer settings for the 4 bands. These have different default frequency values and different Q names. However, they all have the same frequency range (20 Hz to 20 kHz).
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Hovering with the mouse over the display shows a cross-hair cursor. The current mouse position shows the frequency, note value, offset, and level at the top or bottom of the display. Click and hold to add a curve point and activate the corresponding EQ band. Double-click the curve point to deactivate it. Drag the curve point up or down to adjust the gain. Press [Ctrl]/[Command] to edit only the gain. Drag left or right to adjust the frequency.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 4) Q-Factor Determines the width of the affected frequency range. Higher values give narrower frequency ranges. 5) Type Opens a pop-up menu where you can select an EQ type for the band. Bands 1 and 4 can act as parametric, shelving, or high/low-cut filters. EQ bands 2 and 3 are always parametric filters. RELATED LINKS Making Filter Settings on page 223 Saving/Loading EQ Presets You can save and load EQ presets.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks EQ Allows you to make EQ settings. Tools (Cubase Elements only) Provides various tools. Sat (Cubase Elements only) Allows you to add warmth to the sound. Limit (Cubase Elements only) Allows you to avoid clipping even at high levels. Noise Gate (Cubase Elements only) Noise gating silences audio signals below a set threshold. As soon as the signal level exceeds the threshold, the gate opens to let the signal through.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Compressor This channel strip module reduces the dynamic range of the audio, making softer sounds louder or louder sounds softer, or both. Open the pop-up menu to select between Standard Compressor, Tube Compressor (Cubase Elements only), and Vintage Compressor (Cubase Elements only). Standard Compressor Allows you to create smooth compression effects. Drag the compressor up or down to change its position in the signal flow.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Output (-12.0 to 12.0 dB) Sets the output gain. Gain Reduction LED Indicates the amount of compression of the signal. Attack (0.1 to 100.0 ms) Determines how fast the compressor responds. If the attack time is long, more of the initial part of the signal passes through unprocessed. Release (10 to 1000 ms or Auto mode) Sets the time after which the gain returns to the original level.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks EQ You can make equalizer settings for the 4 bands. These have different default frequency values and different Q names. However, they all have the same frequency range (20 Hz to 20 kHz). You can specify different filter types for each individual module. 1) Activate Band x Activates the equalizer band. 2) Select EQ Band x Type Opens a pop-up menu where you can select an EQ type for the band. Bands 1 and 4 can act as parametric, shelving, or high/low-cut filters.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Length (5 to 200 ms) Determines the length of the attack phase. Output (-24 to 12 dB) Sets the output level. Sat (Cubase Elements only) Allows you to add warmth to the sound. Open the pop-up menu to select between Tape Saturation, and Tube Saturation. Tape Saturation This channel strip module simulates the saturation and compression of recording on analog tape machines. Drive Controls the amount of tape saturation. Dual Mode Simulates the use of two tape machines.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Drive Amount LED Indicates the amount of drive of the signal. Low-Frequency This is a low shelving filter with fixed frequency. High-Frequency This is a Hi Cut filter. Use the frequency fader to reduce harshness. Limit (Cubase Elements only) Allows you to avoid clipping even at high levels. Open the pop-up menu to select between Brickwall Limiter, Maximizer, and Standard Limiter.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Mix (0 to 100) Sets the level balance between the dry signal and the wet signal. Standard Limiter This channel strip module is designed to ensure that the output level does not exceed a set output level, to avoid clipping in following devices. Limiter can adjust and optimize the Release parameter automatically according to the audio material, or it can be set manually.
MixConsole Using Channel Settings Adding Send Effects PROCEDURE 1. On the MixConsole toolbar, activate Show Channel Racks. 2. Click Racks and activate Sends to show the rack above the fader section. 3. Click one of the send slots to open the send selector. 4. Click a send effect to select it. The selected send effect is loaded. 5. Click on the left of the slot to activate the send. Bypassing Send Effects • To bypass all sends, click the bypass button at the top of the Sends rack.
MixConsole Using Channel Settings For audio-related channels, the following sections can be shown/hidden by clicking Set up Window Layout and activating/deactivating the corresponding options: • Channel Inserts • Channel Faders • Channel Sends The Channel Strip and Equalizer are always available.
MixConsole Adding Notes to a MixConsole Channel • Showing the output chain If you click Show Output Chain on the toolbar, the output chain is shown in the Channel Faders section. This allows you to keep track of more complicated output routings. • Browsing through channels RELATED LINKS Equalizer Settings on page 226 Browsing through Channels Every channel has its own Channel Settings window, but you can view any channel’s settings from a single window.
MixConsole Keyboard Navigation Keyboard Navigation The channel selector section, the channel rack section, and the fader section can be controlled with the computer keyboard. For this, you must activate a section. An activated section is indicated by a frame. Activating a Section for Keyboard Navigation PROCEDURE 1. Click with the mouse in an empty area of the section to activate it. Activated sections are shown with a white frame. 2. Press [Tab] to activate the next section. 3.
Audio Effects Cubase comes with a number of effect plug-ins included. This chapter contains general details about how to assign, use and organize effect plug-ins. The effects and their parameters are described in the separate PDF document “Plug-in Reference”. IIMPORTANT MPORTANT This chapter describes audio effects, i. e. effects that are used to process audio, group, VST instrument, and ReWire (not in Cubase LE) channels.
Audio Effects Overview VST 3 Standard The VST 3 plug-in standard offers many improvements over the previous VST 2 standard and yet retains full backwards compatibility. Smart Plug-In Processing The VST 3 standard features smart plug-in processing, i. e., processing by a plug-in can be disengaged if there is no signal present. This can greatly reduce the CPU load, thus allowing for more effects to be used.
Audio Effects Insert Effects Tempo Sync Plug-ins can receive timing and tempo information from the host application (in this case, Cubase). Typically, this is used to synchronize certain plug-in parameters (such as modulation rates or delay times) to the project tempo. • This information is automatically provided to any VST plug-in (2.0 or later) that requests it. You do not have to make any special settings for this. • You set up tempo sync by specifying a base note value.
Audio Effects Insert Effects In Cubase Elements, slots 7 and 8 are post-EQ and post-fader. Post-fader slots are best suited for insert effects where you do not want the level to be changed after the effect, such as dithering and maximizers – both typically used as insert effects for output busses.
Audio Effects Insert Effects • In Cubase Elements, you can add up to 8 insert effects per channel this way. In Cubase AI and Cubase LE, 4 insert effects can be added. • You can reorder the effects by clicking and dragging. • You can copy an effect into another effect slot (for the same channel or between channels) by holding down [Alt]/[Option] and dragging it onto another effect slot.
Audio Effects Insert Effects Adding Insert Effects to Busses You can add insert effects to busses. The easiest way to add insert effects is the Channel settings window. If you add insert effects to an output bus, all audio routed to that bus is affected. Dithering (Cubase Elements only) Dithering is a method for controlling the noise produced by quantization errors in digital recordings.
Audio Effects Insert Effects 4. Make sure that the plug-in is set to dither to the correct resolution. This would be the resolution of your audio hardware (on playback) or the desired resolution for the mixdown file you want to create (as set in the Export Audio Mixdown dialog). 5. Use the other parameters in the control panel to set up the dithering to your liking. RELATED LINKS Export Audio Mixdown on page 551 Adding Insert Effects to Group Channels You can add insert effects to group channels.
Audio Effects Send Effects • The program now renders the output of the track, including all pre-fader insert effects, to an audio file. This file is placed in the “Freeze” folder within the Project folder. • The frozen audio track is locked for editing in the Project window. The frozen insert effects cannot be edited or removed and you cannot add new insert effects for the track (except post-fader effects). • On playback, the rendered audio file is played back.
Audio Effects Send Effects • The FX channel track has its own channel in the MixConsole. Here you can adjust the effect return level and balance, add EQ and route the effect return to any output bus. • Each FX channel track can have any number of automation tracks, for automating various effect parameters. RELATED LINKS Automation on page 359 Adding an FX Channel Track PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track > FX Channel. A dialog opens. 2. Select a channel configuration for the FX channel track.
Audio Effects Send Effects Adding and Setting Up Effects You can add a single insert effect when you create the FX channel track. To add and set up effects after the FX channel track is created, you can either use the Channel Settings window or the Inspector for the track. PROCEDURE 1. In the track list, the MixConsole, or the Inspector, click the Edit button for the FX channel track to open the Channel Settings window. On the left in the window you can find the Inserts section. 2.
Audio Effects Send Effects Routing an Audio Channel to the FX Channel The next step is to set up a send for an audio channel and route it to the FX channel. This can be done in the Channel Settings window or in the Inspector for the audio track. The example below shows the Channel Settings window, but the procedure is similar for all the sections: PROCEDURE 1. Click the “e” button for an audio channel to bring up its Channel Settings window.
Audio Effects Send Effects RELATED LINKS Adding an FX Channel Track on page 248 Pre/Post Fader Sends Normally you want the effect send to be proportional to the channel volume (post-fader send). However, you can send the signal to the FX channel before the audio channel’s volume fader. • If you want the signal to be sent to the FX channel before the audio channel’s volume fader in the MixConsole, right-click on a send and select “Move to Pre-Fader”.
Audio Effects Effect Control Panel Effect Control Panel You can open the control panel for the loaded plug-in by double-clicking the center part of an insert or a send slot. If you edit the parameters for an effect, these settings are saved automatically with the project. The contents, design and layout of the control panel depend on the selected effect.
Audio Effects Effect Presets RESULT You can compare the settings between A and B using the corresponding buttons. Settings A and B are saved with the project. Setting A active Setting B active Effect Presets In the MediaBay – or with certain limits in the Save Preset dialog – you can assign attributes to presets which allow you to organize and browse them according to various criteria. Cubase comes with categorized track and VST presets that you can use straight out of the box.
Audio Effects Effect Presets Presets Browser The Presets browser contains the Results, the Filters and the Location Tree sections. 1) Location Tree section Shows the folder that is searched for preset files. To show the Location Tree section, click Set Up Window Layout and activate Location Tree. This is only available if Filters is also active. 2) Filters section Shows the available preset attributes for the selected effect. To show the Filters section, click Set Up Window Layout and activate Filters.
Audio Effects Effect Presets • Click the button to the right of the preset field and select “Load Preset”. This opens the Presets browser. You can also open the Presets browser from the Inspector (Inserts tab) or the Channel Settings window. 3. In the Results section, select a preset from the list. 4. Activate playback to audition the selected preset. Step through the presets until you find the right sound.
Audio Effects Effect Presets Saving Effect Presets You can save your effect settings as presets for further use. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Preset Management pop-up menu. 2. Select Save Preset. The Save Preset dialog opens. 3. In the New Preset section, enter a name for the new preset. 4. Optional: Click the button at the bottom left to open the Attribute Inspector and save attributes for the preset. 5. Click OK to save the preset and exit the dialog.
Audio Effects Effect Presets Copying and Pasting Effect Presets You can copy a plug-in preset and paste it in another instance of the same plug-in. PROCEDURE 1. Open the plug-in context menu and select Copy (plug-in name) Setting. 2. Select another instance of the same plug-in, open the context menu and select Paste (plug-in name) Setting. Earlier VST Effect Presets Some VST 2.x plug-ins have presets in the old FX program/bank format (.fxp/.fxb).
Audio Effects Effect Presets AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK You can convert the current program list to VST presets by opening the Preset Management pop-up menu and selecting Convert Program List to VST Presets. After converting, the presets will be available in the Presets browser. The converted presets will be stored in the VST 3 Preset folder. Saving Insert Presets You can save the complete insert effect rack for a channel together with all parameter settings as an inserts preset.
Audio Effects Plug-In Information Window Extracting Insert Effect Settings from Track Presets You can extract the effects used in a track preset and load them into your inserts rack. PROCEDURE 1. On the Preset Management pop-up menu, select From Track Preset. 2. In the dialog, select an item in the list. The effects used in the track preset are loaded.
Audio Effects Plug-In Information Window Path The path and name of the folder in which the plug-in file is located. Category Indicates the category of each plug-in. Version The version of the plug-in. SDK Shows with which version of the VST protocol a plug-in is compatible. Managing Plug-Ins in the Plug-In Information Window • To make it available for selection, activate the checkbox in the left column. Only the enabled plug-ins will appear on the effect selectors.
Audio Effects Plug-In Information Window 2. In the dialog, specify a name and location for the plug-in information export file. 3. Click OK to export the file.
Audio processing and functions Background Audio processing in Cubase can be called “non-destructive”, in the sense that you can always undo changes or revert to the original versions. This is possible because processing affects audio clips rather than the actual audio files, and because audio clips can refer to more than one audio file. This is how it works: PROCEDURE 1. If you process an event or a selection range, a new audio file is created in the Edits folder, within your project folder.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing If you attempt to process an event that is a shared copy (i. e. the event refers to a clip that is used by other events in the project), you are asked whether you want to create a new version of the clip. Select “New Version” if you want the processing to affect the selected event only. Select “Continue” if you want the processing to affect all shared copies.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing Pre/Post-Crossfade Some processing functions allow you to gradually mix the effect in or out. This is done with the Pre/Post-Crossfade parameters. For example, if you activate Pre-Crossfade and specify a value of 1000 ms, the processing is applied gradually from the start of selection, reaching full effect 1000 ms after the start.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing • To remove a stored preset, select it from the pop-up menu and click Remove. Fade In and Fade Out For a description of these functions, click on the related link. RELATED LINKS Fades and crossfades on page 174 Gain Allows you to change the gain (level) of the selected audio. The dialog contains the following settings: Gain This is where you set the desired gain, between -50 and +20 dB. The setting is also indicated below the Gain display as a percentage.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing Merge Clipboard This function mixes the audio from the clipboard into the audio selected for processing, starting at the beginning of the selection. IIMPORTANT MPORTANT For this function to be available, you need to have cut or copied a range of audio in the Sample Editor first.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing The dialog contains the following settings: Threshold The level below which you want audio to be silenced. Levels below this value will close the gate. Attack Time The time it takes for the gate to open fully after the audio level has exceeded the threshold level. Min. Opening Time This is the shortest time the gate will remain open.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing The dialog contains the following settings: Maximum The desired maximum level for the audio, between -50 and 0 dB. The setting is also indicated below the Gain display as a percentage. Pre/Post-Crossfade Some processing functions allow you to gradually mix the effect in or out. This is done with the Pre/Post-Crossfade parameters.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing Remove DC Offset This function will remove any DC offset in the audio selection. A DC offset is when there is too large a DC (direct current) component in the signal, sometimes visible as the signal not being visually centered around the “zero level axis”. DC offsets do not affect what you actually hear, but they affect zero crossing detection and certain processing, and it is recommended that you remove them.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing Silence Replaces the selection with silence. There are no parameters for this function. Stereo Flip This function works with stereo audio selections only. It allows you to manipulate the left and right channel in various ways. The dialog contains the following parameters: Mode This pop-up menu determines what the function does: • Flip Left-Right Swaps the left and right channel. • Left to Stereo Copies the left channel sound to the right channel.
Audio processing and functions Audio processing The dialog contains the following parameters: Define Bars section In this section, you set the length of the selected audio and the time signature: • Bars If you use the tempo setting (see below), specify the length of the selected audio here, in bars. • Beats If you use the tempo setting, specify the length of the selected audio here, in beats. • Sign. If you use the tempo setting, specify the time signature here.
Audio processing and functions Freeze Edits • Use Locators Clicking the diamond-shaped button below the Range fields sets the Range values to the left and right Locator positions, respectively. Time Stretch Ratio section The Time Stretch Ratio determines the amount of time stretch as a percentage of the original length. If you use the settings in the Resulting Length section to specify the amount of time stretch, this value will change automatically.
Audio processing and functions Detect Silence Detect Silence The Detect Silence function searches for silent sections in an event and either splits the event, removing the silent parts from the project, or creates regions corresponding to the non-silent sections. • To open the Detect Silence dialog, select one or several audio events in the Project window or the Audio Part Editor. On the Audio menu, open the Advanced submenu and select “Detect Silence”.
Audio processing and functions Detect Silence Min. time closed Determines the minimum time that the function will remain “closed” after the audio level has dropped below the Close Threshold value. Set this to a low value to avoid removing sounds. Pre-roll Allows you to cause the function to “open” slightly before the audio level exceeds the Open Threshold value. In other words, the start of each “open” section is moved to the left according to the time you set here.
Audio processing and functions Detect Silence You can make the following adjustments: • With the zoom slider below the waveform to the right, zoom in and out on the waveform. You can also click in the waveform, keep the mouse button pressed, and move the mouse for zooming. Move the mouse down to zoom in and move it up to zoom out. • If you have zoomed in on the waveform, it may not be completely visible anymore.
Audio processing and functions The Spectrum Analyzer NOTE If you have selected more than one event and did not activate the “Process all selected Events” option in the Output section, the dialog opens again after processing, allowing you to make separate settings for the next event.
Audio processing and functions The Spectrum Analyzer • From Stereo When analyzing stereo material, there is a pop-up menu with the following options: Mono mix – the stereo signal is mixed to mono before analyzing. Mono left/right – the left or right channel signal is used for analysis. Stereo – both channels are analyzed (two separate spectrums will be displayed). 3. Click the Process button. The spectrum is computed and displayed as a graph. 4.
Audio processing and functions Statistics • If you analyze stereo audio and selected the “Stereo” option in the first dialog, the graphs for the left and right channel are superimposed in the display, with the left channel graph in white and the right channel graph in yellow. The display in the upper right corner shows the values for the left channel – to see the right channel values, hold down [Shift]. An “L” or “R” is displayed to indicate which channel values are shown. 6.
Audio processing and functions Time stretch algorithm Resolution The current calculated audio resolution. Estimated Pitch The estimated pitch. Sample Rate The sample rate. Average RMS (AES-17) The average loudness in accordance with the AES-17 standard. Max. RMS The highest RMS value. Max. RMS All Channels The highest RMS value of all channels. RELATED LINKS Remove DC Offset on page 269 Time stretch algorithm Standard The Standard algorithm is optimized for CPU efficient realtime processing.
Audio processing and functions Time stretch algorithm Standard – Mix This mode preserves the rhythm and minimizes the artifacts for pitched material that does not meet the above criteria (i. e. with a less homogenous sound character). This preset is selected by default for audio that is not categorized. Standard – Custom This preset allows you to manually tweak the time stretching parameters (see below).
Sample Editor Window overview The Sample Editor allows you to view and manipulate audio by cutting and pasting, removing, or drawing audio data, and by processing audio. This editing is “non-destructive”: The actual file will remain untouched so that you can undo modifications or revert to the original settings at any time. The Sample Editor also contains most of the realtime time stretching functions in Cubase. These can be used to match the tempo of audio to the project tempo.
Sample Editor Window overview Warping audio on page 297 Working with hitpoints and slices on page 297 Opening the Sample Editor To open the Sample Editor, double-click an audio event in the Project window or the Audio Part Editor, or double-click an audio clip in the Pool. You can have more than one Sample Editor window open at the same time. NOTE Double-clicking an audio part in the Project window opens the Audio Part Editor, even if the part contains a single audio event only.
Sample Editor Window overview Snap The Snap function helps you to find exact positions when editing in the Sample Editor by restricting horizontal movement and positioning to certain grid positions. You turn Snap on or off by clicking the Snap button in the Sample Editor toolbar. NOTE The Sample Editor Snap function is independent of the Snap setting in the Project window toolbar or other editors. It has no effect outside the Sample Editor.
Sample Editor Window overview RELATED LINKS Using the Setup options on page 627 The Sample Editor Inspector On the left in the Sample Editor, you will find the Sample Editor Inspector. It contains tools and functions for working in the Sample Editor. The Hitpoints tab On this tab, hitpoints can be marked and edited. Hitpoints allow you to slice your audio and to create groove quantize maps from your audio. You can also create markers, regions, and events based on hitpoints.
Sample Editor Window overview • To view other sections of the clip, move the viewing area in the overview line. Click in the lower half of the viewing area and drag to the left or right to move it. • To zoom in or out, horizontally, resize the viewing area by dragging its left or right edge. • To define a new viewing area, click in the upper half of the Overview and drag a rectangle. The ruler The Sample Editor ruler is located between the overview line and the waveform display.
Sample Editor General Functions • You can select whether the level is shown as a percentage or in dB. This is done by opening the level scale pop-up menu at the top of the level scale and selecting an option. • Cubase Elements only: Select the “Show Half Level Axis” option on the context menu of the waveform display, if you want the half level axes to be shown.
Sample Editor General Functions Zoom Out Zooms out one step, centering on the position cursor. Zoom Full Zooms out so that the whole clip is visible in the editor. Zoom to Selection Zooms in so that the current selection fills the editor display. Zoom to Selection (Horiz.) Zooms in horizontally so that the current selection fills the editor display. Zoom to Event Zooms in so that the editor shows the section of the clip corresponding to the edited audio event.
Sample Editor General Functions • If there is no selection and “Show Event” is deactivated, playback will start at the cursor position. • If the Audition Loop icon is activated, playback will continue repeatedly until you deactivate the Audition Loop icon. Otherwise, the section will be played back once. NOTE There is a separate Play button for auditioning regions.
Sample Editor General Functions Adjusting the snap point The snap point is a marker within an audio event. It is used as a reference position when you move events with snap activated, so that the snap point is “magnetic” to whatever snap positions you have selected. By default, the snap point is set at the beginning of the audio event, but often it is useful to move the snap point to a “relevant” position in the event, such as a downbeat.
Sample Editor General Functions Drawing in the Sample Editor It is possible to edit the audio clip at sample level by drawing with the Draw tool. This can be useful if you need to manually edit out a spike or click, etc. PROCEDURE 1. Zoom in to a zoom value lower than 1. This means that there is more than one screen pixel per sample. 2. Select the Draw tool. 3. Click at the beginning of the section that you want to correct and draw in the new curve.
Sample Editor General Functions Select Event Selects only the audio that is included in the edited event. This is grayed out if you have opened the Sample Editor from the Pool (in which case the whole clip is opened for editing, not an event). From Start to Cursor Selects all audio between the clip start and the project cursor. From Cursor to End Selects all audio between the project cursor and the end of the clip. For this to work, the project cursor must be within the clip boundaries.
Sample Editor General Functions • Selecting Paste copies the data from the clipboard into the clip. If there is a selection in the editor, this is replaced by the pasted data. If there is no selection, the pasted data is inserted starting at the project cursor. The section to the right of the line is moved to make room for the pasted material. Delete Selecting Delete (on the Edit menu in the Sample Editor context menu or on the main Edit menu) removes the selection from the clip.
Sample Editor General Functions Creating a new clip or audio file from the selection You can extract a selection from an event and either create a new clip or a new audio file. PROCEDURE 1. Make a selection range. 2. Open the context menu and select “Bounce Selection” from the Audio submenu. RESULT A new clip is created and added to the Pool, and another Sample Editor window opens with the new clip.
Sample Editor General Functions RESULT When you click on a region in the regions list, it is instantly displayed in the Sample Editor. To remove a region from a clip, select it in the list and click the Remove Region button above the list. Creating regions from hitpoints If your audio event contains calculated hitpoints, you can choose to automatically create regions from hitpoints. This can be useful to isolate recorded sounds.
Sample Editor General Functions You can also listen to a region by selecting it in the list and clicking the Audition icon on the toolbar. This way you can preview separate regions by clicking on them in the list or by selecting them with the up/down arrow keys on your computer keyboard.
Sample Editor General Functions Selecting an algorithm for realtime playback On the Algorithm pop-up menu on the toolbar you can select the algorithm preset to be applied during realtime playback. This setting affects warp changes in Musical Mode. The pop-up menu contains various options that govern the audio quality of the realtime time stretching. There are presets for common uses and a Custom option that allows you to manually set warp parameters.
Sample Editor Warping audio Warping audio Warping is a term used to describe the realtime time stretching of a selected section of audio. Warping is generally used to correct the tempo or timing of audio. Adjusting loops to the project tempo using Musical Mode Audio loops are normally short audio files containing a defined number of bars with straight beats. These loops can be adjusted to the project tempo by using the Musical Mode function. PROCEDURE 1.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices Purpose and preparation Hitpoints are useful to slice up audio to make it fit the project tempo or to create a situation that allows the song tempo to be changed while retaining the timing of a rhythmic audio loop. When you have successfully detected the hitpoints for an audio file, you can do a number of useful things: • Change the tempo of the audio material without affecting the pitch and audio quality.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices Automatic Hitpoint Detection When you add an audio file to your project by recording or by importing, Cubase automatically detects hitpoints. This allows you to navigate to hitpoints of an audio file from within the Project window. For long audio files, hitpoint detection may take a while. All operations that are based on hitpoints are disabled during the calculation.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices Using Hitpoints to Locate Audio Positions in the Project Window You can navigate through the hitpoints of an audio event in the Project window. PREREQUISITE Enable Automatic Hitpoint Detection is activated (File > Preferences > Editing > Audio). PROCEDURE 1. Select the audio track that contains the audio event for which you want to locate hitpoints. 2.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices An enabled, a disabled, and a locked hitpoint Disabling and locking hitpoints After applying the different hitpoint filters, you may find that you want to keep individual hitpoints that were filtered out or disable hitpoints that you do not need. Furthermore, you may want to lock certain hitpoints. • To lock a hitpoint, move the mouse pointer over the gray triangle on the timeline so that the tooltip “Lock Hitpoint” is shown. Click on the triangle.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices Resetting hitpoints Sometimes it can be useful to reset hitpoints to their original state, e. g. because you still want them to be affected by the Threshold slider. PROCEDURE • To reset hitpoints to their original state, press [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option] so that the tooltip “Enable/Unlock Hitpoints” is shown and drag a rectangle over the hitpoints. RESULT All disabled and locked hitpoints within the area defined by the rectangle are reset.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices Slicing audio Once you have set up the hitpoints as needed, you can slice the audio by clicking the Create Slices button on the Hitpoints tab. Alternatively, you can select the “Create Audio Slices from Hitpoints” command from the Hitpoints submenu of the Audio menu. The following happens: • The Sample Editor closes. • The audio event is “sliced” so that the sections between the hitpoints become separate events, all referring to the same original file.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices If the project tempo is higher than the tempo of the original audio event, the slice events are overlapping. Activate auto crossfades for the track to smooth out the sound. Furthermore, you can select the overlapping events inside the part and apply the “Delete Overlaps” function from the Advanced submenu of the Audio menu. The slices in the Audio Part Editor. Here, the project tempo was higher than the clip’s original tempo – the slice events overlap.
Sample Editor Working with hitpoints and slices Create Regions If your audio event contains calculated hitpoints, you can click the Create Regions button on the Hitpoints tab to automatically create regions from hitpoints. This can be useful to isolate recorded sounds. Create Events If your audio event contains calculated hitpoints, you can click the Create Events button on the Hitpoints tab to automatically create separate events based on the hitpoints.
Audio Part Editor The Audio Part Editor allows you to view and edit the events inside audio parts. Essentially, this is the same type of editing that you do in the Project window. Audio parts are created in the Project window in one of the following ways: • Select one or several audio events on the same track, and select Audio > Events to Part. • Glue together two or more audio events on the same track with the Glue tool. • Draw an empty part with the Draw tool.
Audio Part Editor Window Overview Toolbar The tools, settings, and icons on the toolbar have the same functionality as in the Project window, with the following differences: • A Solo button. • Separate tools for auditioning (Speaker) and scrubbing. • No Line or Glue Tube tools. • Play and Loop icons and an Audition Volume control. • Independent Track Loop settings.
Audio Part Editor Opening the Audio Part Editor Opening the Audio Part Editor The Audio Part Editor can display several parts at once, and you can also have more than one Audio Part Editor open at the same time. PROCEDURE 1. Select one or more audio parts in the Project window. 2. Double-click on any one of them or use the Edit-Open key command, by default [Ctrl]/[Command]-[E]. Double-clicking on an audio event in the Project window will open the Sample Editor.
Audio Part Editor Operations Operations Zooming, selecting and editing in the Audio Part Editor are done just as in the Project window. NOTE If a part is a shared copy (i. e. you have previously copied the part by [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift] and dragging), any editing you perform will affect all shared copies of this part. RELATED LINKS Project Window on page 24 Auditioning There are several ways to listen to the events in the Audio Part Editor.
Audio Part Editor Operations By Using Regular Playback You can of course use the regular playback controls while in the Audio Part Editor. Furthermore, if you activate the Solo Editor button on the toolbar, only the events in the edited part will be played back. Using Key Commands If you activate the “Playback Toggle triggers Local Preview” option in the Preferences dialog (Transport page), you can start/stop auditioning by pressing [Space]. This is the same as clicking the Audition icon on the toolbar.
Audio Part Editor Operations RELATED LINKS Using the Setup options on page 627 Scrubbing In the Audio Part Editor, the Scrub tool has a separate icon on the toolbar. Apart from that, scrubbing works exactly as in the Project window.
Audio Part Editor Options and Settings • The “Show Part Borders” button can be used if you want to see clearly defined borders for the active part. When this is activated, all parts except the active one are grayed out, making the borders easily discernible. There are also two markers in the ruler with the name of the active part, marking its beginning and end. These can be moved freely to change the part borders. • It is possible to cycle between parts, making them active using key commands.
Pool Every time that you record on an audio track, a file is created on your hard disk. A reference to this file, a clip, is added to the Pool. The following rules apply to the Pool: • All audio and video clips that belong to a project are listed in the Pool. • Every project has a separate Pool. The way the Pool displays folders and their contents is similar to the way the Windows Explorer/Mac OS Finder display folders and file lists.
Pool Pool Window Pool Window The Pool window allows you to manage the media files of the active project. You can open the Pool in the following ways: • On the Project window toolbar, click the Open Pool Window button. If this icon is not visible, you must activate the Media & MixConsole Windows option on the toolbar context menu. • Select Project > Pool. • Select Media > Open Pool Window.
Pool Pool Window 2) Audition If this option is activated and you select a clip in the Pool, it is played back. 3) Audition Loop If this option is activated, the playback of the selected clip is looped. 4) Volume Lets you specify the playback volume. 5) View/Attributes Lets you activate/deactivate which attributes are displayed in the Pool window. 6) Open/Close all folders Opens/Closes all folders. 7) Import Lets you import media files to the Pool.
Pool Pool Window • Indicates that a clip has been processed. • Indicates that a clip is referenced in the project but missing from the Pool. • Indicates that the file the clip related to is external, for example, located outside the current Audio folder for the project. • Indicates that the clip has been recorded in the currently open version of the project. This is useful for finding recently recorded clips quickly. Musical Mode You can use the Musical Mode to tempo-match audio loops to the project tempo.
Pool Pool Window Origin Time Displays the original start position where a clip was recorded in the project. As this value can be used as a basis for the Insert into Project option in the Media or context menu, you can change it if the Origin Time value is independent (for example, not for regions).
Pool Working with the Pool • To rearrange the order of columns, drag a column heading to the left or right. Working with the Pool NOTE Most of the Pool-related main menu functions are also available on the Pool context menu. Renaming Clips or Regions in the Pool IIMPORTANT MPORTANT Renaming clips or regions in the Pool also renames the referenced files on disk. It is recommended to rename clips or regions in the Pool. Otherwise, the reference from the clip to the file may get lost. PROCEDURE 1.
Pool Working with the Pool Inserting Clips into a Project To insert a clip into a project, you can either use the insert commands on the Media menu or use drag and drop. Inserting Clips into a Project Via Menu Commands PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select the clips that you want to insert into the project. 2. Select Media > Insert into Project and select one of the insert options. If several clips are selected, choose whether to insert them on one track or each on a different track.
Pool Working with the Pool Removing Clips from the Pool NOTE Removing clips from the Pool does not delete the corresponding file from the hard disk. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select the clips that you want to remove, and select Edit > Delete You can also press [Backspace] or [Delete]. 2. Depending on whether the clips are used by an event, you have the following options: • If the clips are used by an event, click Remove and then click Remove from Pool.
Pool Working with the Pool 3. Select Media > Empty Trash. 4. Click Erase. RESULT The files are deleted from the hard disk. Removing Unused Clips from the Pool You can find all clips in the Pool that are not used in the project. This allows you to quickly remove all unused clips. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool, select Media > Remove Unused Media. 2. Do one of the following: • To move the clips to the Trash folder, select Trash. • To remove the clips from the Pool, select Remove from Pool.
Pool Working with the Pool Locating Events via Clips in the Pool You can find out which events in the project refer to a particular clip in the Pool. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select one or more clips. 2. Select Media > Select in Project. RESULT All events that refer to the selected clips are now selected in the Project window. Locating Clips via Events in the Project Window You can find out which clip belongs to a particular event in the Project window. PROCEDURE 1.
Pool Working with the Pool • To limit the search to certain folders, select Select Search Path, and in the dialog that opens, select the folder in which you want to search. The search will include the selected folder and all subfolders. NOTE Folders that you have recently selected using the Select Search Path function appear on the pop-up menu, so that you can quickly select them again. 4. Click the Search button. The search is started and the Search button is labeled Stop.
Pool Working with the Pool 5. Optional: To save your search filter settings as a preset, open the extended search pop-up menu, select Presets > Save Preset, and enter a name for the preset. Saved presets are added to the Presets submenu. 6. Optional: To remove a search filter settings preset, open the extended search pop-up menu, select the preset, and then select Remove Preset.
Pool Working with the Pool • If you select Search, a dialog opens to let you specify which folder or disk will be scanned by the program. Click the Search Folder button, select a directory or a disk, and click the Start button. If found, select the file from the list and click Accept. Afterwards Cubase tries to map all other missing files automatically. • If you select Locate, a file dialog opens, allowing you to locate the file manually. Select the file and click Open.
Pool Working with the Pool Auditioning Clips in the Pool You can audition clips in the Pool using key commands, the Audition button, or by clicking in the waveform image for a clip. • Key commands If you activate the Playback Toggle triggers Local Preview option in the Preferences dialog (Transport page), you can use [Space] to audition. This is the same as activating the Audition button on the toolbar. • Select a clip and activate the Audition button. The whole clip plays back.
Pool Working with the Pool Importing Media The Import Medium dialog lets you import files directly into the Pool. To open the dialog, select Media > Import Medium, or click the Import button on the Pool toolbar. This opens a standard file dialog, where you can navigate to other folders, audition files, etc.
Pool Working with the Pool Importing Audio CDs in the Pool You can import tracks or sections of tracks from an audio CD directly into the Pool. This opens a dialog in which you can specify which tracks are copied from the CD, converted to audio files, and added to the Pool. • To import an audio CD to the Pool, select Media > Import Audio CD.
Pool Working with the Pool RELATED LINKS Status on page 315 Converting Files on page 331 Conforming Files on page 333 Exporting Regions as Audio Files If you have created regions within an audio clip, these can be exported as separate audio files. If you have two clips that refer to the same audio file, you can create a separate audio file for each clip. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select the region that you want to export. 2. Select Audio > Bounce Selection. 3.
Pool Working with the Pool 2. Select Media > Create Folder. 3. Rename the new folder. 4. Select the new folder and select Media > Set Pool Record Folder, or click in the Status column of the new folder. RESULT The new folder becomes the Pool Record folder. Any audio recorded in the project will be saved in this folder. Organizing Clips and Folders If you accumulate a large number of clips in the Pool, it can be difficult to quickly find specific items.
Pool Working with the Pool Minimizing Files You can minimize the audio files according to the size of the audio clips referenced in the project. The files that are produced using this option only contain the audio file portions that are actually used in the project. This can significantly reduce the size of the project if large portions of the audio files are unused. Therefore, the option is useful for archiving purposes after you have completed a project.
Pool Working with the Pool Convert Options Dialog In this dialog, you can change the file format and attributes of audio files in the Pool. To open the Convert Options dialog, select a clip in the Pool window, and select Media > Convert Files. Sample Rate Allows you to convert to another sample rate. Sample Width Allows you to convert to 16 Bit, 24 Bit, or 32 Bit Float. Channels Allows you to convert to Mono or Stereo Interleaved.
Pool Working with the Pool Conforming Files You can align the file attributes with the project attributes. This is useful if the attributes of the selected files are different from the project attributes. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select the clips that you want to conform. 2. Select Media > Conform Files. 3. Select whether to keep or replace the original unconverted files in the Pool. • If you select the Replace option, files in the Pool and in the Audio folder of the project are replaced.
MediaBay With the MediaBay, you can manage all your media files and presets from multiple sources. To open the MediaBay, select Media > MediaBay, or press [F5]. The MediaBay is divided into several sections: 1) Define Locations Allows you to create presets for locations on your system that you want to scan for media files. 2) Locations Allows you to switch between the previously defined locations. 3) Filters Allows you to filter the results list using a logical or an attribute filter.
MediaBay Working With the MediaBay 4) Results Displays all found media files. You can filter the list and perform text searches. 5) Previewer Allows you to preview the files shown in the results list. Working With the MediaBay When working with many music files, the most important thing is to find the content that you need quickly and easily. The MediaBay helps you to find and organize your content.
MediaBay Define Locations Section 2. Deactivate the checkboxes for the sections that you want to hide. You can also use key commands for this: use the [Up]/[Down] and [Left]/[Right] arrow keys to step through the checkboxes and press [Space] to activate/deactivate the selected checkbox. 3. When you are done, click outside the pane to exit the setup mode.
MediaBay Scanning Your Content VST Sound Node The VST Sound node is a shortcut to your user content and the factory content files, including the preset folders. The folders below the VST Sound node represent the directories in which content files and track presets, VST presets, etc. are stored by default. Scanning Your Content You can specify which folders or directories you want to include in the scan. • To include a folder in the scan, activate its checkbox.
MediaBay Locations Section • To rescan only the folders that have changed since the last scan, right-click in the Define Locations section, and select Quick Rescan Disk. Refreshing If you have modified attribute values or mapped a new network, you must refresh the corresponding folders. • To refresh a folder, in the Define Locations section of the MediaBay right-click a folder, and select Refresh Views.
MediaBay Locations Section Defining Locations You can define locations, that is shortcuts to the folders that you want to work with. These are shown in the Locations section. PREREQUISITE Set up the Define Locations section and scan the content. PROCEDURE 1. In the Define Locations section in the MediaBay, select the folder that you want to define as a location. 2. Click the Add button. 3. Accept the default name or enter a new name. 4. Click OK.
MediaBay Results Section Results Section The Results list shows all media files that are found in the selected location. The info field in the top right corner of the Results section shows how many files were found with the current filter settings. As the number of files displayed can be huge, you can use any of the filter and search options in the MediaBay to narrow down the list.
MediaBay Results Section • If you double-click a VST preset, an instrument track is added to the project, containing an instance of the corresponding instrument. For some VST presets, this loads the entire instrument settings, programs, etc. For others, only one program is loaded. Setting Up the Results List Columns For each media type, or for combinations of media types, you can specify the attribute columns that are displayed in the Results list. PROCEDURE 1.
MediaBay Results Section Shuffling the Results List You can display the Result list entries in a random order. • To shuffle the Results list, click the Shuffle Results button MediaBay. in the Finding the Location of a File You can open the Windows Explorer/Mac OS Finder to show the location of a file on your system. NOTE This function is not available for files which are part of a VST Sound archive.
MediaBay Results Section Show Media Types Selector You can activate the media types that you want to be displayed in the Results list. The following media types are available: Audio Files When this option is activated, the list shows all audio files. The supported formats are .wav, .w64, .aiff, .aifc, .rex, .rx2, .mp3, .mp2, .ogg, .sd2 (Mac only), .wma (Win only). MIDI Files When this option is activated, the list shows all MIDI files (file name extension .mid).
MediaBay Results Section FX Chain Presets When this option is activated, the list shows all effect chain presets (file name extension .fxchainpreset). These presets contain insert effect chains. Video Files When this option is activated, the list shows all video files. Projects When this option is activated, the list shows all project files (.cpr).
MediaBay Previewer Section When you enter text in the field, its background becomes red, to indicate that a text search is active for the list. • To reset the text search, delete the text. Resetting the Results List You can reset all filter settings and filter results. • To reset the Results list, click the Reset Result Filter button MediaBay. in the Previewer Section You can preview individual files in the Previewer section to find out which one to use in your project.
MediaBay Previewer Section 1) Transport Controls Let you start, stop, pause, and cycle the preview. 2) Preview Level Fader Lets you specify the preview level. 3) Auto Play New Results Selection If this option is activated, the selected file is automatically played back. 4) Align Beats to Project If this option is activated, the selected file is played back in sync with the project, starting at the project cursor position. Note that this can apply realtime time stretching to your audio file.
MediaBay Previewer Section 3) Output Lets you select the output device. 4) Auto Play New Results Selection If this option is activated, the selected file is automatically played back. 5) Align Beats to Project If this option is activated, the selected file is played back in sync with the project, starting at the project cursor position. Note that this can apply realtime time stretching to your MIDI file.
MediaBay Previewer Section Previewing VST Presets and Track Presets for MIDI and Instrument Tracks To preview track presets for MIDI or instrument tracks and VST presets you need some MIDI notes. These notes can be sent to the track preset via MIDI Input, using a MIDI file, the Memo Recorder mode, or via the computer keyboard. Virtual keyboard in keyboard display mode. 1) Transport Controls Let you start and stop the preview.
MediaBay Previewer Section Previewing Presets Using a MIDI File PROCEDURE 1. On the Previewer Sequence Mode pop-up menu, select Load MIDI File. 2. In the file dialog that opens, select a MIDI file and click Open. The name of the MIDI file is displayed on the pop-up menu. 3. Click the Play button to the left of the pop-up menu. RESULT The notes received from the MIDI file are played back with the settings of the track preset applied.
MediaBay Filters Section Previewing Presets Via the Computer Keyboard NOTE If you activate the Computer Keyboard Input button, the computer keyboard is used exclusively for the Previewer section. However, you can still use the following key commands: [Ctrl]/[Command]-[S] (Save), Num [*] (Start/Stop Record), [Space] (Start/Stop Playback), Num [1] (Jump to left locator), [Delete] or [Backspace], Num [/] (Cycle on/off), and [F2] (Show/Hide Transport panel). PROCEDURE 1.
MediaBay Filters Section 1) Attribute columns Let you select different attribute categories. If the columns are wide enough, the number of files that match this criteria is displayed to the right of the filter name. 2) Attribute values Displays the attribute values and how often a certain attribute value is available among your media files. NOTE • Some attributes are directly linked to each other. For example, for each category value, there are certain sub category values available.
MediaBay Sound Browser and Mini Browser Sound Browser and Mini Browser The Loop Browser and Sound Browser show different views of the MediaBay. The Loop Browser lets you quickly browse your loops, for example, audio files and MIDI loops. The Sound Browser lets you quickly search sounds. By default, it is set to display track presets and plug-in presets.
MediaBay MediaBay Key Commands If this is deactivated, the folders are scanned in the background even when the MediaBay window is closed. However, Cubase never scans folders while playing back or recording. Maximum Items in Results List Specifies the maximum number of files that are displayed in the Results list. This avoids unmanageably long lists of files. NOTE The MediaBay does not warn you if the maximum number of files has been reached.
MediaBay Working with MediaBay-Related Windows • To assign or modify a key command, click the corresponding key command. RELATED LINKS Key Commands on page 602 Working with MediaBay-Related Windows The MediaBay concept can be found throughout the program, for example, when adding new tracks or when choosing presets for VST instruments or effects. The workflow in all MediaBay-related windows is the same as in the MediaBay.
MediaBay Working with MediaBay-Related Windows Applying Effect Presets If you have added an insert effect to a track, you can choose from a variety of presets via the Results browser for the effect slot. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inserts tab of the Inspector, click the Select Preset icon below the preset name. 2. In the Results browser, double-click a preset to apply it. Applying Track Presets You can choose from a variety of track presets. PROCEDURE 1.
MediaBay Working With Volume Databases Instrument Presets Results Browser The Results browser for instrument track presets lets you preview VST presets and apply them to your instrument track. To open the Results browser, right-click an instrument track, and select Load Track Preset. VST presets for instruments can be divided into the following groups: Presets Presets contain the settings of the entire plug-in.
MediaBay Working With Volume Databases Volume databases can be created for drives of your computer or for external storage media. They contain the same kind of information about the media files on these drives as the regular MediaBay database. NOTE When you launch Cubase, all available volume databases are automatically mounted. Databases that are made available while the program is running have to be mounted manually.
MediaBay Working With Volume Databases Volume databases are automatically mounted when Cubase is launched. They are shown in the Define Locations section and their data can be viewed and edited in the Results list. Removing a Volume Database If you have worked on another computer using an external hard disk and return to your own computer and connect the external device again as part of your system setup, you do not need a separate volume database for it any more.
Automation In essence, automation means recording the values for a particular MixConsole or effect parameter. When you create your final mix, Cubase can adjust this particular parameter control. Recording your Actions If the settings in your current project are crucial, you may not want to experiment with automation until you know more about how it all fits together. If so, you can create a new project for the following example.
Automation Automation Curves Automation Curves Within a Cubase project, the changes in a parameter value over time are reflected as curves on automation tracks. There are two kinds of automation curves: 1) Ramp curves Ramp curves are created for any parameter that generates continuous multiple values, such as fader or encoder movements. 2) Jump curves Jump curves are created for on/off parameters such as mute.
Automation MIDI Part Data vs. Track Automation NOTE The R button is automatically enabled when you enable the W button. This allows Cubase to read existing automation data at any time. You can separately deactivate W if you only want to read existing data. There are also global read and write indicator buttons Activate/Deactivate Read/Write for All Tracks on the MixConsole toolbar and at the top of the track list.
Automation Writing Automation Data Automatic Writing of Automation Data Every action that you perform is automatically recorded on automation tracks which you can later open for viewing and editing. PROCEDURE 1. In the track list, click Show/Hide Automation for a track to open its automation track. 2. Click W to enable the writing of automation data on this track. 3. Start playback. 4. Adjust the parameters in the MixConsole, in the Channel Settings window, or in the effect control panel.
Automation Writing Automation Data 4. Click on the static value line. An automation event is added, read automation mode is automatically activated, and the static value line changes to a colored automation curve. 5. Click and hold to draw a curve by adding many automation events. When you release the mouse button, the number of automation events is reduced. NOTE To adjust the thinning out of events, select File > Preferences > Editing and change the Automation Reduction Level. 6. Start playback.
Automation Editing Automation Data Parabola mode If you click and drag on the automation track with the Line tool in Parabola mode, you can create more natural curves and fades. NOTE The result depends on the direction from which you draw the parabolic curve.
Automation Editing Automation Data Removing Automation Events • To remove an automation event, click on it with the Erase tool. • To remove multiple automation events, select them and press [Backspace] or [Delete] or select Edit > Delete. • To remove all automation events from the automation track and close the automation track, click the automation parameter name in the track list and select Remove Parameter from the pop-up menu.
Automation Automation Tracks • To scale the curve around the absolute center, for example, horizontally around the center of the editor, click in the middle of the right border of the editor. • To scale the curve relative to its center instead, [Alt]/[Option]-click in the middle of the right border of the editor. • To stretch the selected curve, click and drag in the lower part of the editor. [Shift]-click on any of the smart controls to scale vertically.
Automation Automation Tracks • To show all used automation tracks in the track list, right-click any track and select Show All Used Automation from the context menu. • To open the corresponding automation track on writing automation parameters, select File > Preferences > Editing and activate Show Automation Track in Project on Writing Parameter.
VST Instruments VST instruments are software synthesizers or other sound sources that are contained within Cubase. They are played internally via MIDI. You can add effects or EQ to VST instruments. Cubase allows you to make use of VST instruments in the following ways: • By adding an instrument in the VST Instruments window (not in Cubase LE). This creates a VST instrument channel, which can be played by one or several MIDI tracks routed to it. • By creating an instrument track.
VST Instruments VST Instruments Window The following controls can be found in the VST Instruments window: 1) Add Track Instrument Opens the Add Instrument Track dialog that allows you to select an instrument and add an instrument track that is associated to this instrument. 2) Find Instruments Opens a selector that allows you to find an instrument in the VST Instruments window.
VST Instruments VST Instruments Window 3) Freeze Instrument Freezes the instrument. This allows you to save CPU power. 4) Instrument Selector Allows you to select another instrument. Double-click to rename the instrument. The name is shown in the VST Instruments window in the Output Routing pop-up menu for MIDI tracks. This is useful when you work with several instances of the same instrument. 5) Input Options This lights up when MIDI data is received by the instrument.
VST Instruments Adding VST Instruments Add Track Instrument Opens the Add Instrument Track dialog that allows you to select an instrument and add an instrument track that is associated to this instrument. Add Rack Instrument Opens a selector that allows you to add a VST instrument. Instruments Context Menu The following functions are available in the instruments context menu: Copy/Paste instrument Setting Allows you to copy the instrument settings and paste them to another instrument.
VST Instruments Presets for Instruments RESULT If you chose Add Track Instrument, the instrument control panel opens, and an instrument track with the name of the instrument is added to your project. If you chose Add Rack Instrument, the instrument control panel opens, and the following tracks are added to the track list: • A MIDI track with the name of the instrument. The output of the MIDI track is routed to the instrument.
VST Instruments Presets for Instruments 2. In the preset browser, select a preset from the list and double-click it to load it. RESULT The preset is applied. To return to the previously loaded preset, open the preset browser again and click Revert to Last Setting Saving VST Presets You can save your settings on VST instruments as VST presets for further use. PROCEDURE 1.
VST Instruments VST Quick Controls Saving Track Presets You can save your settings on instrument tracks as Track presets for further use. PROCEDURE 1. Do one of the following: • Select the instrument track and in the Inspector, click the Save Track Preset button. • Right-click the instrument track and from the context menu, select Save Track Preset. 2. In the Save Track Preset dialog, enter a name for the preset. 3. Optional: Click Show Attribute Inspector and define attributes for the preset. 4.
VST Instruments VST Quick Controls 6. In the Control Name column, select QuickControl 1. 7. On your remote control device, move the control that you want to use for the first quick control. 8. Select the next slot in the Control Name column and repeat the previous steps. 9. Click OK. NOTE In addition to using the Learn function to set up the table in the Quick Controls section, you can modify the values manually.
VST Instruments Playing Back VST Instruments 3. Activate Pick-up Mode. 4. Click OK. Playing Back VST Instruments After you have added a VST instrument and selected a sound, you can play back the VST instrument using the instrument or MIDI track in your project. PROCEDURE 1. In the track list, activate the Monitor button for the track that has the VST instrument loaded. 2. Press one or more keys on your MIDI keyboard or use the virtual keyboard.
VST Instruments Playing Back VST Instruments Freezing Instruments If you are using a moderately powerful computer or a large number of VST instruments, your computer may not be able to play back all instruments in realtime. At this point, you can freeze instruments. PROCEDURE 1. Do one of the following: • Select Devices > VST Instruments. • Select the instrument track and open the top Inspector tab. 2. Click the Freeze button. 3. In the Freeze Instrument Options dialog, make your settings. 4.
VST Instruments About Latency Tail Size Allows you to set a Tail Size time to let sounds complete their normal release cycle. Unload Instrument when Frozen Activate to unload the instrument after freezing. This makes the RAM available again. About Latency The term latency stands for the time it takes for the instrument to produce a sound when you press a key on your MIDI controller. It can be an issue when using VST instruments in realtime. Latency depends on your audio hardware and its ASIO driver.
VST Instruments Import and Export Options Activating Constrain Delay Compensation turns off VST plug-ins which are activated for VST instrument channels, audio track channels that are record enabled, group channels, and output channels. VST plug-ins which are activated for FX channels are disregarded. After recording or using a VST instrument Constrain Delay Compensation should be deactivated again in order to restore full delay compensation.
VST Instruments Import and Export Options RELATED LINKS Presets for Instruments on page 372 Filtering According to Media Type on page 342 Exporting MIDI Loops You can export MIDI loops to save a MIDI part together with its instrument and effect settings. This allows you to reproduce patterns that you created without having to search for the correct sound, style, or effect. PROCEDURE 1. Select an instrument part. 2. Select File > Export > MIDI Loop. A file dialog opens. 3.
VST Instruments Import and Export Options Exporting Instrument Tracks as MIDI File You can export instrument tracks as standard MIDI files. NOTE As there is no MIDI patch information in an instrument track, this information is missing in the resulting MIDI file. NOTE If you activate Export Inspector Volume/Pan, volume and pan information of the VST instrument are converted and written into the MIDI file as controller data.
Installing and Managing Plug-ins Installing VST plug-ins Cubase supports the VST 2 and VST 3 plug-in standards. You can install effects and instruments that comply with these formats. A plug-in is a piece of software that adds a specific functionality to Cubase. The audio effects and instruments that are used in Cubase are VST plug-ins. NOTE If an effect or instrument plug-in has its own installation application, you should use this.
Installing and Managing Plug-ins Plug-in Manager Installing VST 2 Plug-ins on Mac OS X Systems To install a VST 2.x plug-in on Mac OS X systems, quit Cubase and drag the plug-in file to one of the following folders: • Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/ This is only possible if you are the system administrator. Plug-ins that are installed in this folder are available to all users, for all programs that support VST 2.x.
Installing and Managing Plug-ins Plug-in Manager The lists of all effects or VST instruments are created automatically every time you start Cubase. You can also initiate a rescan at any time. This ensures that these lists are always up-to-date. • You can create your own lists of effects or instruments for use in the selectors for effects or instruments. User-defined lists are called collections.
Installing and Managing Plug-ins Plug-in Manager The Plug-in Manager window shows the following: VST Effects/VST Instruments Open these tabs to see lists of all VST effects and VST instruments that were loaded by Cubase when you launched the program. Collection list By default, the window section to the right shows the Default collection, which contains all effects or VST instruments currently loaded by the program. The Default collection cannot be changed.
Installing and Managing Plug-ins Compiling a New Effects Collection The Show Plug-in Information button opens a section at the bottom of the window in which more information about the selected item is shown. If you select several plug-ins, the information for the plug-in that you have selected first is shown. In this section, you can also deactivate selected plug-ins. Deactivated plug-ins are no longer available in collections.
Installing and Managing Plug-ins Compiling a New Effects Collection The procedure is the same for compiling collections of VST instruments. In the plug-in selectors, found, for example, in the Project window > track inspector > Inserts tab, collections are available as tabs at the top of the selector.
Remote controlling Cubase It is possible to control Cubase via MIDI. A large number of MIDI control devices is supported. This chapter describes how to set up Cubase for remote control. The supported devices are described in the separate PDF document “Remote Control Devices”. There is also a Generic Remote Device option, allowing you to use any MIDI controller to remote control Cubase.
Remote controlling Cubase Setting Up RESULT Now you have removed the remote unit input from the “All MIDI Inputs” group. This means that you can record MIDI tracks with the “All MIDI Inputs” port selected without risking to record the data from the remote unit at the same time. Selecting a remote device PROCEDURE 1. Open the Device Setup dialog from the Devices menu. 2.
Remote controlling Cubase Operations RESULT You can now use the MIDI control device to move faders and knobs, activate Mute and Solo, etc. The exact parameter configuration depends on which external MIDI control device you are using. A white stripe in the Project window and in the MixConsole indicates which channels are currently linked to the remote control device.
Remote controlling Cubase Operations Enable Auto Select If this option is activated, touching a fader on a touch-sensitive remote control device automatically selects the corresponding channel. On devices without touch-sensitive faders, the channel gets selected as soon as you move the fader. Writing automation using remote controls Automating the MixConsole using a remote control device is done in the same way as when you operate on-screen controls in Write mode.
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic Remote device RESULT The selected function is now assigned to the button or control on the remote device. A note about remote controlling MIDI tracks While most remote control devices will be able to control both MIDI and audio channels in Cubase, the parameter setup may be different. For example, audio-specific controls (such as EQ) will be disregarded when controlling MIDI channels.
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic Remote device 4. Use the MIDI Input and Output pop-up menus to select the MIDI port(s) to which your remote device is connected. 5. Use the pop-up menu to the right to select a bank. Banks are combinations of a certain number of channels, and are used because most MIDI devices can control only a limited number of channels at a time (often 8 or 16).
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic Remote device Column Description Address The Continuous Controller number, the pitch of a note, or the address of a NRPN/RPN Continuous Controller. Max. Value The maximum value the control will transmit. This value is used by the program to “scale” the value range of the MIDI controller to the value range of the program parameter.
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic Remote device Column Flags Description Clicking in this column opens a pop-up menu, allowing you to activate or deactivate three flags: • Push Button – When activated, the parameter is only changed if the received MIDI message shows a value unequal to 0. • Toggle – When activated, the parameter value is switched between minimum and maximum value each time a MIDI message is received.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) Often, the automatic mapping of plug-in parameters to remote control devices appears rather random, and not very intuitive. The Remote Control Editor allows you to define your own mapping of VST plug-in parameters to the controls of the supported hardware controllers.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) Inspector Section The Inspector contains the settings and the parameter assignment for the selected cell. The upper section contains settings for the text label. The lower section contains settings for the knob and the switches. Status Bar When you position the mouse pointer over an element in the editor window, the status bar shows information on what you can do with this element.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) Setting up the Standard Layout Click the “Set up Cell Layout” button to open the Cell Layout Configuration panel. Here, you can make the following settings: • Use the pop-up menu to specify the number of cells per page. • In the lower section, select the switch layout that you want to use for the pages. You can specify the number of switches for a cell by activating/deactivating them.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) The following control types are available for knobs: Standard A standard knob with undefined LED style. Toggle Switch This is best used for parameters with two states, like On/Off buttons. LED Ring An LED ring is shown around the knob. The setting increases clockwise. LED Ring (counter-clockwise) An LED ring is shown around the knob. The setting increases counter-clockwise from right to left.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) Increasing Stepwise (cycle) Pressing the switch steps through the available settings, starting over with the minimum value when the maximum is reached. Decreasing Stepwise (cycle) Pressing the switch steps through the available settings in reverse order, starting over with the maximum value when the minimum is reached. Smart Switch This changes between two states every time you press the switch, like an On/Off button.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) Assignment Status You can show the current assignment of all cells in a layout by activating the “i” button in the top right corner of the editor. This is useful to get a quick overview of the parameters that are assigned to the available controls. Editing the Layout In the Layout section, you can perform a number of editing operations and arrange the pages to your liking.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor (Cubase Elements only) Navigating • You can use the cursor keys to navigate in all directions. • When Learn mode is active, pressing [Shift] allows you to step between the controls within the cells. • To step forwards or backwards through the different layouts, use [Tab] and [Shift]-[Tab]. Adding/Removing Pages • To add a page to a layout, click the “+” button on the right of a page. • To remove a page, click the corresponding “-” button.
Remote controlling Cubase Apple Remote (Macintosh only) Apple Remote (Macintosh only) Many Apple computers come with an Apple Remote Control, a small hand-held device akin to TV remote controls. It allows you to remotely control certain features in Cubase. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Device Setup dialog and select Apple Remote Control from the Add Device pop-up menu. 2. In the list on the right, the Apple Remote’s buttons are listed.
MIDI realtime parameters For each MIDI track, you can set up a number of track parameters, or modifiers. These affect how the MIDI data is played back, “transforming” MIDI events in realtime before they are sent to the MIDI outputs. On the following pages, the available parameters and effects are described. Keep in mind: • The actual MIDI events will not be affected – the changes happen “on the fly”.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections • You can fold or unfold the sections individually by clicking on the section name. Clicking the name for a hidden section brings it to view and hides the other sections. [Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking the tab allows you to hide or show a section without affecting other sections. [Alt]/[Option]-clicking a tab shows or hides all sections in the Inspector.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections Monitor button When this is activated (and the “MIDI Thru Active” option is activated in the Preferences dialog, MIDI page), incoming MIDI will be routed to the selected MIDI output. Volume Use this to adjust the level for the track. Changing this setting will move the track’s fader in the MixConsole and vice versa. MIDI Pan Use this to adjust the panning of the track. Delay This adjusts the playback timing of the MIDI track.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections MIDI Modifiers The settings on this tab affect the MIDI events on the track in realtime during playback. They will also be in effect if you play “live” with the track selected and record enabled (provided that “MIDI Thru Active” is activated in the Preferences dialog, MIDI page). This makes it possible, for example, to transpose or adjust the velocity of your live playing.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections Note that the effect of changing the velocity depends on the sound and instrument. NOTE You can also adjust the velocity of events in individual MIDI parts using the Velocity field in the info line. The velocity shift in the info line (for the individual part) is added to the velocity shift you have set up for the whole track in the Inspector. Velocity Compression This function multiplies the velocity values with the factor you specify.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections HMT: Follow (Cubase Elements only) Activating this button for a track applies Hermode Tuning to the notes played on this track. Hermode Tuning retunes the notes you play and creates clear frequencies for every fifth and third interval, for example. Retuning only affects individual notes and maintains the pitch relationship between keys and notes. The retuning is a continuous process and takes the musical context into account.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections • Adjusting the Transpose field transposes the selected parts in semitone steps. • Adjusting the Velocity field shifts the velocity for the selected parts. The value that you specify is added to the velocities of the notes in the parts. NOTE This transposition does not change the actual notes in the part. It only affects the notes on playback.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections Setting up ranges PROCEDURE 1. Open the Range pop-up menu and select one of the following four modes: Mode Vel. Limit Description This function affects all velocity values outside the specified range. Velocity values below the Min setting (the lower limit of the range) are set to the Min value, and velocity values above the Max setting are set to the Max value. Notes with velocity values within the set range are not affected.
MIDI realtime parameters The Inspector sections VST Instrument section (Cubase Elements only) If the MIDI track is routed to a VST instrument, a new section will appear at the bottom of the Inspector, labeled with the name of the VST instrument. Clicking this section shows a duplicate of the Inspector settings for the VST instrument channel. This makes it easy to adjust the channel settings for the VST instrument while you are editing the MIDI track.
Using MIDI devices The MIDI Device Manager allows you to specify and set up your MIDI devices, making global control and patch selection easy. MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling On the following pages, we will describe how to install and set up preset MIDI devices, and how to select patches by name from within Cubase. About Program Change and Bank Select To instruct a MIDI instrument to select a certain patch (sound), you send a MIDI Program Change message to the instrument.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling To help with this, you can use the MIDI Device Manager to specify which MIDI instruments you have connected by selecting from a vast list of existing devices or by specifying the details yourself. Once you have specified which MIDI devices you are using, you can select to which particular device each MIDI track is routed. It is then possible to select patches by name in the track list or Inspector.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Commands This pop-up menu lets you edit the selected device (provided that “Enable Edit” is ticked). The patch structure for the selected device is shown on the left side of the dialog. MIDI Messages This area on the right side of the dialog shows exactly which MIDI messages are sent out to select the patch highlighted in the list to the left.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Installing a preset MIDI device PROCEDURE 1. Click the Install Device button. A dialog opens listing all pre-configured MIDI devices. For now we assume that your MIDI device is included in this list. 2. Locate and select the device in the list and click OK.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Devices with several banks have an additional tab “Bank Assignment”. Select this tab to specify for each MIDI channel which bank it should use. The selection here will affect which bank is displayed when you select programs by name for the device in the track list or Inspector.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Renaming patches in a device The pre-configured devices list is based on the factory-preset patches, i. e. the patches included in the device when you first bought it. If you have replaced some of the factory presets with your own patches, you need to modify the device so that the patch name list matches the actual device: PROCEDURE 1. In the MIDI Device Manager, select the device in the Installed Devices list.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling New Folder Creates a new subfolder in the selected bank or folder. This could correspond to a group of patches in the MIDI device, or just be a way for you to categorize sounds, etc. When you select this item, a name dialog opens, allowing you to name the folder. You can also rename the folder afterwards by clicking it and typing in the list. New Preset This adds a new preset in the selected bank or folder.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Adding Multiple Presets PROCEDURE 1. Add the event types required for selecting a patch in the MIDI device. This is done just as when editing the settings for a single event: clicking in the event display brings up a pop-up menu from which you can select an event type. 2. Use the Range column to set up either a fixed value or a range of values for each event type in the list.
MIDI Processing This chapter describes the various MIDI processing functions available on the MIDI menu. They offer various ways to edit MIDI notes and other events, either in the Project window or from within a MIDI editor. MIDI functions vs. MIDI modifiers In some cases, the result of a MIDI function can also be obtained by using MIDI modifiers. For example, the operations “Transpose” and “Quantize” are available both as MIDI modifiers and as MIDI functions.
MIDI Processing What is affected by the MIDI functions? What is affected by the MIDI functions? Which events are affected when you use a MIDI function depends on the function, the active window and the current selection: • Some MIDI functions only apply to MIDI events of a certain type. For example, quantization only affects notes, while the Delete Controllers function only applies to MIDI controller events.
MIDI Processing Making your settings permanent • Select a root note and scale type for the new scale from the lower pop-up menus. Make sure to select the correct root note if you want to keep the result in the same key as the original notes, or select an entirely different key if you want to experiment. Use Range When this is activated, transposed notes will remain within the limit that you specify with the Low and High values.
MIDI Processing Making your settings permanent Merge MIDI in Loop The “Merge MIDI in Loop” function combines all unmuted MIDI events on all unmuted tracks, applies MIDI modifiers, and generates a new MIDI part, containing all the events as you would hear them during playback. PROCEDURE 1. Mute all the tracks that you do not want to include in the merge. Instead of muting whole tracks, you can also mute individual parts. 2. Set up the left and right locators to encompass the area that you want to merge.
MIDI Processing Dissolve Part Applying effects to a single part Normally, the MIDI modifiers affect a whole MIDI track. This may not always be what you want. For example, you may want to apply some MIDI modifiers to a single part (without having to create a separate track for that part only). The “Merge MIDI in Loop” function can help: PROCEDURE 1. Set up your MIDI modifiers the way you want them for the part. This will of course affect the whole track, but focus on the part for now. 2.
MIDI Processing Dissolve Part Dissolving parts into separate channels Setting a track to MIDI channel “Any” will cause each MIDI event to play back on its original MIDI channel, rather than a channel set for the whole track. There are two main situations when “Any” channel tracks are useful: • When you record several MIDI channels at the same time. You may for example have a MIDI keyboard with several keyboard zones, where each zone sends MIDI on a separate channel.
MIDI Processing Repeat Loop Dissolving parts into separate pitches The Dissolve Part function can also scan MIDI parts for events of different pitches, and distribute the events into new parts on new tracks, one for each pitch. This is useful when the different pitches are not used in a melodic context, but rather for separating different sounds (e. g. MIDI drum tracks or sampler sound FX tracks). By dissolving such parts, you can work with each sound individually, on a separate track. PROCEDURE 1.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions You can specify a gap or overlap for this function with the “Legato Overlap” setting in the Preferences dialog (Editing–MIDI page). When using Legato with this setting, each note will be extended to end 5 ticks before the next note. When you activate “Legato Mode: Between Selected Notes Only”, the length of the note will be adjusted so that it reaches the next selected note, allowing you to apply Legato only to your bass line, for example.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions Velocity This function opens a dialog that allows you to manipulate the velocity of notes in various ways. The following types of velocity processing are available: Add/Subtract This simply adds a fixed number to the existing velocity values. You set the value (positive or negative) with the Amount parameter. Compress/Expand Compresses or expands the “dynamic range” of MIDI notes by scaling the velocity values according to the Ratio setting (0 to 300 %).
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions Delete Doubles This function removes double notes, i. e. notes of the same pitch on the exact same position from the selected MIDI parts. Double notes can occur when recording in Cycle mode, after Quantizing, etc. Delete Notes Allows you to delete very short or weak notes. This is useful for automatically removing unwanted “ghost notes” after recording. Selecting “Delete Notes…” opens a dialog in which you set up the criteria for the function.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions OK and Cancel Clicking OK performs the automatic delete according to the rules set up. Clicking Cancel closes the dialog without deleting notes. Delete Controllers This function removes all MIDI controllers from the selected MIDI parts. Delete Continuous Controllers This function removes all “continuous” MIDI controller events from the selected MIDI parts. Therefore, “on/off” events such as sustain pedal events are not removed.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions Extract MIDI Automation This is an extremely useful function as it allows you to quickly and easily convert the continuous controllers of your recorded MIDI parts into MIDI track automation data, making them available for editing in the Project window. PROCEDURE 1. Select the desired MIDI part containing the continuous controller data. 2. On the MIDI menu, open the Functions submenu and select “Extract MIDI Automation”. 3.
MIDI Editors There are several ways to edit MIDI in Cubase. You can use the tools and functions in the Project window for large-scale editing or the functions on the MIDI menu to process MIDI parts in various ways. To manually edit your MIDI data on a graphical interface, you can use the MIDI editors. • The Key Editor is the default MIDI editor, presenting notes graphically in a piano roll-style grid. The Key Editor also allows for detailed editing of non-note events such as MIDI controllers.
MIDI Editors Changing the Default MIDI Editor Opening a Drum Map in the Drum Editor You can automatically open a drum map in the Drum Editor. • Select Preferences > Event Display > MIDI and activate Edit as Drums when Drum Map is assigned. RELATED LINKS Selecting a Drum Map for a Track on page 498 Changing the Default MIDI Editor When you double-click a MIDI part, the default MIDI editor opens. The Key Editor is the default MIDI editor. You can set any MIDI editor as the default MIDI editor.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Zooming in MIDI Editors The MIDI editors provide several zooming options: • Zoom sliders • Zoom tool • Via Edit > Zoom. When you use the Zoom tool for zooming, you can determine if you want to zoom horizontal only or horizontal and vertical at a time. • To activate/deactivate the corresponding option, select File > Preferences > Editing > Tools and activate/deactivate Zoom Tool Standard Mode: Horizontal Zooming Only.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Following the Project Cursor During Playback Auto-Scroll allows the event display to scroll during playback, keeping the project cursor visible in the window. Auto-Scroll in MIDI editors is independent of the Auto-Scroll function in the Project Window. • To activate/deactivate Auto-Scroll, click Auto-Scroll . Soloing a MIDI Editor • To only hear the parts of a particular MIDI editor during playback, activate Solo Editor .
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Grid Match The note events get different colors depending on their time position. For example, this mode enables you to see if the notes of a chord start at the exact same beat. Voice The note events get different colors depending on their voice (soprano, alto, tenor, etc.). Chord Track The note events get different colors depending on whether they match the current chord, scale, or both.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Invert Inverts the selection. All selected note events are deselected and all notes that were not selected are selected instead. In Loop Selects all note events that are partially or completely inside the boundaries of the left and right locators (only visible if locators are set). From Start to Cursor Selects all note evens that begin to the left of the project cursor. From Cursor to End Selects all note events that end to the right of the project cursor.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Muted notes are dimmed in the note display. Toggle Selections • To toggle selected elements within a selection rectangle, press [Ctrl]/[Command] and enclose the same elements within a new selection rectangle. Once you release the mouse button, the previous selection is deselected and vice versa. Deleting Note Events • To delete note events, click on them with the Erase tool or select them and press [Backspace].
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Editing Note Events on the Info Line You can move, resize, transpose, or change the velocity of note events on the info line using regular value editing. • To apply a value change to all selected note events, press [Ctrl]/[Command] and change a value on the info line. • To adjust the pitch or velocity of note events via your MIDI keyboard, click in the Pitch or Velocity fields on the info line, and play a note on your MIDI keyboard.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Setting Velocity Values When you draw note events in the MIDI editor, the note events get the velocity value that is set in the Insert Velocity field on the toolbar. There are different methods to set the velocity. • Use the Edit Velocity tool modifier. The cursor changes into a speaker, and next to the note, a field with the Note Velocity slider shows the value. Move the mouse pointer up or down to change the value.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions • To change the size of the part, drag the part borders. The part borders display the name of the active part. NOTE If the part that you open for editing is a shared copy, any editing that you perform affects all shared copies of this part. In the Project window, shared copies are indicated by an equal sign in the top right corner of the part.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Key Editor The Key Editor is the default MIDI editor. It displays notes graphically in a piano roll-style grid. The Key Editor allows for detailed editing of notes and non-note events, such as MIDI controllers. 1) Toolbar Contains tools and settings. 2) Status line Informs about the mouse time position, mouse note position, and current chord display. 3) Info line Displays note event information about a selected MIDI note. 4) Ruler Displays the time line.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Toolbar The toolbar contains tools and settings for the Key Editor. • To show or hide the toolbar elements, right-click the toolbar and activate or deactivate the elements. Static Buttons Set up Window Layout Allows you to show/hide specific window sections, for example, the Status Line, the Info Line, the Inspector, etc. Which sections are available, depends on the MIDI editor. Solo Editor If this button is activated, you hear only the edited MIDI parts during playback.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Zoom Allows you to zoom in/out. Hold [Alt]/[Option] and click to zoom out. Line Allows you to create a series of contiguous events. Time Warp Allows you to adjust the tempo track so that material with a musical time base can be matched to material with a linear time base. Independent Track Loop Independent Track Loop Activates/Deactivates the independent track loop for the edited part.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Move Right Moves the selected element to the right. Trim End Left Decreases the length of the selected element by moving its end to the left. Trim End Right Increases the length of the selected element by moving its end to the right. Snap/Quantize The following options are available on the Snap/Quantize menu: Snap On/Off Activates/Deactivates the snap function. Grid If this option is activated, the snap positions are set with the Grid Type pop-up menu.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Events + Cursor This is a combination of Events and Magnetic Cursor. Grid + Events + Cursor This is a combination of Events, Grid, and Magnetic Cursor. Iterative Quantize On/Off Activates/Deactivates iterative quantize. Quantize Presets Allows you to select a quantize or a groove preset. Apply Quantize Applies the quantize settings. Open Quantize Panel Opens the Quantize Panel. Step/MIDI Input Step Input Activates/Deactivates the Step Input mode.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Status Line The status line is displayed below the toolbar. It displays important information about the mouse position. To show or hide the status line, click Set up Window Layout activate or deactivate Status Line. on the toolbar, and Mouse Time Position Displays the exact time position of the mouse pointer, depending on the selected ruler display format. This lets you edit or insert notes at exact positions.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Inspector The Inspector is located to the left of the note display. The inspector contains tools and functions for working with MIDI data. Chord Editing (Cubase Elements only) Allows you to enter chords instead of single notes. Quantize Allows you to access the main quantize parameters. These are identical with the functions on the Quantize panel. Transpose Allows you to access the main parameters for transposing MIDI events.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Note Display The note display is the main area in the Key Editor. It contains a grid in which note events are shown as boxes. The width of a box corresponds to the note length. The vertical position of a box corresponds to the note number (pitch), with higher note events higher up in the grid. The piano keyboard helps you to find the right note number. Controller Display The area at the bottom of the Key Editor window is the controller display. It contains the controller events.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Events other than velocity values are shown as blocks. The block corresponds to the event values. The beginning of an event is marked by a curve point. NOTE Unlike note events, controller events have no length. The value of a controller event in the display is valid until the beginning of the next controller event. Key Editor Operations This section describes the principal editing operations within the Key Editor.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • To draw longer note events, click and drag in the note display. The length of the note event is a multiple of the Length Quantize value. If Length Quantize is set to Quantize Link, the note value is determined by the quantize grid. The Snap function is taken into account. Drawing Note Events with the Line Tool In the note display, the Line tool allows you to draw a series of contiguous note events along different line shapes.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Moving and Transposing Note Events There are several options to move and transpose note events. • To move note events in the editor, select the Object Selection tool and drag them to a new position. All selected note events are moved, maintaining their relative positions. Snap is taken into account. • To allow only horizontal and vertical movement, hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] while dragging.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • Select the Draw tool a note. and drag left or right within the note display to draw The resulting note event length is a multiple of the Length Quantize value on the toolbar. • Select the Trim tool and cut off the end or the beginning of note events.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • To split all notes that are intersected by the project cursor position, select Edit > Functions > Split at Cursor. • To split all notes that are intersected by the left or right locator at the locator positions, select Edit > Functions > Split Loop. Gluing Note Events You can glue together note events of same pitch. • To glue note events, select the Glue tool and click on a note event. The note event is glued together with the next note event of the same pitch.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Chord Editing Section (Cubase Elements only) The Chord Editing section in the Inspector allows you to insert and edit chords, and change voicings. Chord Type Shows the chord type of the selected chords. Add to Chord Track Adds the chord indicated in the Chord Type field to the chord track. The chord event is inserted at the position on the chord track that corresponds to the position of the MIDI notes. Any existing chord events at this position are overwritten.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Inversions - Move lowest note to top Inverts the lowest note of a chord. The corresponding notes are transposed by as many octaves as needed. Drop Notes - Move the second highest note an octave lower Moves the second highest note of a chord down by one octave. Drop Notes - Move the third highest note an octave lower Moves the third highest note of a chord down by one octave.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Applying Chord Events to Note Events (Cubase Elements only) You can apply chord events from the chord track to notes in the MIDI editor. PREREQUISITE Create a chord track and add chord events. PROCEDURE 1. Open the MIDI editor. 2. In the Inspector, open the Chord Editing section. 3. Select Match with Chord Track. RESULT The first chord event of the chord track is applied to the selected notes. Only the basic chord type is applied.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations 3. Use the note buttons on the toolbar to decide which properties are changed by the MIDI input. You can enable editing of pitch, note-on and/or note-off velocity. For example, with the following setting, the edited notes get the pitch and velocity values of the notes input via MIDI, but the note-off velocities remain as they are. 4. Play a note on your MIDI instrument. RESULT The selected note gets the pitch, velocity and/or note-off velocity of the played note.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations 5. Play the first note event or chord on your MIDI instrument. The note event or chord appears in the editor and the step input position advances by one quantize value step. NOTE If Move Insert Mode is activated, all note events to the right of the step input position are moved to make room for the inserted note event or chord. 6. Continue in the same way with the rest of the note events or chords.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations If you remove all lanes, the controller display is hidden. To bring it back, click the Create Controller Lane button. • To show/hide multiple lanes, open the Controller Lane Setup pop-up menu, and select Show/Hide Controller Lanes. • To reset the controller display to show only the velocity lane, open the Controller Lane Setup pop-up menu, and select Velocity only.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations 2. In the MIDI Controller Setup dialog, move all the controllers that you need to the list on the left and move the controllers that you do not need to the list on the right. 3. Click OK. Handling Controller Lane Presets Once you have made up your controller lane setup, you can save it as a controller lane preset.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Adding Events in the Controller Display • To create a new event in the velocity controller display, click with the Draw tool or the Line tool in the event display. • To create a new event for any other event type, click with the Draw tool or the Line tool in the controller display. Editing Events in the Controller Display All controller values can be edited with the Draw tool or the Line tool.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • To cut, copy, and paste events in the controller display select the event and select Edit > Cut/Copy/Paste. When pasting events, the events on the clipboard are added, starting at the project cursor position and maintaining their relative distances. If a pasted event ends up at the same position as an existing event of the same type, the old event is replaced.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Parabola Mode In Parabola mode, you can draw events on a parabola curve. This gives more natural curves and fades. The result depends on the direction from which you draw the parabola. You can use modifier keys to determine the shape of the parabola curve. • To reverse the parabola curve, press [Ctrl]/[Command]. • To change the position of the whole curve, press [Alt]/[Option]. • To increase or decrease the exponent, press [Shift].
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • To change the maximum position of the triangle curve or the pulse of the square curve in Triangle and Square mode, press [Shift]-[Ctrl]/[Command]. This creates sawtooth curves. • You can also set the curve period freely by holding down [Shift] when you insert events in Sine, Triangle, or Square mode. Activate Snap, [Shift]-click and drag to set the length of one period. The period length will be a multiple of the quantize value.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations On the controller lane, you can also see the controller curve that is applied before the part starts. This tells you which controller value is currently being used at the starting point of the part so that you can choose the start value accordingly. Poly Pressure Events Poly Pressure events are events that belong to a specific note number (key). That is, each poly pressure event has two editable values: the note number and the amount of pressure.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Controller Lane Editor The controller lane editor allows you to perform additional scaling operations for selection ranges on existing controller curves. In the controller lane editor, the following smart controls appear on the borders of the editor: Editing mode To activate this mode Description Move Vertically Click in an empty area on the upper border of the editor.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • To switch the controller lane editor to vertical scaling mode, press [Shift] and click on any of the smart controls. • To move the whole selection up/down or left/right, click on a controller event inside the editor and drag the curve. • To restrict the direction to horizontal or vertical movement, depending on the direction in which you start dragging, press [Ctrl]/[Command] when dragging.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Selecting Controllers within the Note Range A note range lasts until the start of the next note or the end of the part. Selected controllers for notes are moved when the corresponding notes are moved. You can select the controllers within the range of the selected notes. • To always select the corresponding controllers when you select a note event, activate Auto Select Controllers .
MIDI Editors Score Editor Toolbar The toolbar contains tools and various settings for the Score Editor. • To show or hide the toolbar elements, right-click the toolbar and activate or deactivate the elements. Tool Buttons Object Selection Allows you to select events. Erase Allows you to delete events. Insert Note Allows you to insert notes in the score display. Split Allows you to split a MIDI event. Glue Allows you to glue together events of the same pitch.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Quantize Presets Allows you to select a quantize or a groove preset. Apply Quantize Applies the quantize settings. Open Quantize Panel Opens the Quantize Panel. Length Quantize Determines the event length for the Length Quantize function. Step/MIDI Input Step Input Activates/Deactivates the Step Input mode. MIDI Input/Note Expression MIDI Input Activates/Deactivates MIDI Input modes. Move Insert Mode Activates/Deactivates the Move Insert mode.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Mouse Time Position Displays the exact time position of the mouse pointer, depending on the selected ruler display format. This lets you edit or insert notes at exact positions. Mouse Note Position Displays the exact pitch of the mouse pointer position. This facilitates finding the right pitch when entering or transposing notes. Current Chord Display When the project cursor is positioned over notes that form a chord, this chord is displayed here.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations Score Display The main area of the Score Editor window shows the notes in the edited parts on one or several staves. Parts on different tracks are shown on different staves. • If you are editing one or several parts on the same track, as much of them as possible is shown on several staves, comparable with a score on paper. • If you are editing parts on several tracks, they are put on a grand staff.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations Staff Settings Dialog This dialog allows you to change how Cubase displays the music. IIMPORTANT MPORTANT The settings that you make in this dialog are independent for each staff (track), but common for a piano staff that you have created with the Split option. To open the Staff Settings dialog, double-click in the area to the left of the staff, or select a staff and select MIDI > Scores > Staff Settings.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations Display Quantize This section allows you to change the way Cubase displays scores. IIMPORTANT MPORTANT These display values are only used for the graphical display in the Score Editor. They do not affect the playback. Notes Determines the smallest note value to be displayed and the smallest position to be recognized and properly displayed. Set this to the smallest significant note position used in your music.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations Clef and Key In this section, you can set the correct clef and key. Clef/Key Display Allows you to select the clef or key via the scrollbar. Lower Staff Sets the clef and key to the lower staff. Auto Clef If this option is activated, Cubase attempts to guess the correct clef, judging from the pitch of the music. Display Transpose In this section, you can specify a separate display transpose setting for each staff (track).
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations Syncopation If this option is activated, syncopated notes are shown in a more legible way. A dotted quarter note at the end of a bar when Syncopation is deactivated. A dotted quarter note at the end of a bar when Syncopation is activated. Shuffle If this option is activated and you have played a shuffle beat, the beat is displayed as straight notes, not as triplets. This is very common in jazz notation.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations 3. Open the Quantize Presets pop-up menu on the toolbar and select a quantize value. 4. Move the mouse over the staff to find the correct position. The position is displayed on the Mouse Time Position display on the status line. The position snaps to the grid that is defined by the quantize value. 5. Move the mouse vertically to find the correct pitch. The Mouse Note Position display on the status line shows the pitch at the pointer position. 6.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations 3. Press [Alt]/[Option] and drag the notes to their new position. To restrict moving to one direction, press [Ctrl]/[Command] while dragging. Changing the Note Length The displayed note length is not necessarily the actual note length. It also depends on the note values and rest values for Display Quantize in the Staff Settings dialog. This is important to remember when you change the length of a note.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations Flipping Stems The direction of the note stems is automatically selected according to the note pitches. However, you can change this manually. PROCEDURE 1. Select the notes for which you want to flip the stem direction. 2. Select MIDI > Scores > Flip Stems. Working with Text You can use the Text tool to add comments, articulation, or instrumentation advice and other text strings anywhere in the score display. Adding Text PROCEDURE 1.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations Changing the Text Font, Size, and Style You can change the font, size, and style of the text that you have added to the score display. PROCEDURE 1. Do one of the following: • To change the settings for a specific text block, click on the text with the Object Selection tool. • To set the default settings for all new text blocks, unselect any selected text block and change the settings. 2. Select MIDI > Scores > Set Font. 3.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Printing the Score PROCEDURE 1. Open the parts that you want to print in the Score Editor. 2. Select File > Page Setup and make sure that all your printer settings are correct. IMPORTANT If you change your setting for paper size, scale, and margins now, the score may change its look. 3. Click OK. 4. Select File > Print. 5. In the Print dialog, make your settings. 6. Click Print.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor 1) Toolbar Contains tools and settings. 2) Status line Informs about the mouse time position, mouse note position, and current chord display. 3) Info line Displays note event information about a selected MIDI note. 4) Drum Editor Inspector Contains tools and functions for working with MIDI data. 5) Drum sound list Lists all drum sounds. 6) Drum map Lets you select the drum map for the edited track or a list of drum sound names. 7) Ruler Displays the time line.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Acoustic Feedback If this button is activated, individual notes are automatically played back when you move or transpose them, or create them by drawing. Tool Buttons Object Selection Allows you to select events. Drumstick Allows you to draw events. Erase Allows you to delete events. Zoom Allows you to zoom in/out. Hold [Alt]/[Option] and click to zoom out. Mute Allows you to mute events. Line Allows you to create a series of contiguous events.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Edit Active Part Only If this button is activated, editing operations are applied only to the active part. Currently Edited Part This pop-up menu lists all parts that are currently open in the editor. This allows you to select a part for editing. Insert Velocity Insert Velocity Allows you to specify a velocity value for new notes. Inserted Notes Length Insert Length Allows you to determine the length of an inserted note.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Snap/Quantize The following options are available on the Snap/Quantize menu: Snap On/Off Activates/Deactivates the snap function. Grid If this option is activated, the snap positions are set with the Grid Type pop-up menu. The available options depend on the display format selected for the ruler. Grid Relative If this option is activated, events keep their relative positions to the grid when they are moved.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Apply Quantize Applies the quantize settings. Open Quantize Panel Opens the Quantize Panel. Use Global Quantize If this button is activated, drum notes are quantized according to the global quantize value on the toolbar. If the button is deactivated, the individual quantize values for the drum sounds are used. Step/MIDI Input Step Input Activates/Deactivates the Step Input mode. MIDI Input/Note Expression MIDI Input Activates/Deactivates MIDI Input modes.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Mouse Time Position Displays the exact time position of the mouse pointer, depending on the selected ruler display format. This lets you edit or insert notes at exact positions. Mouse Note Position Displays the exact pitch of the mouse pointer position. This facilitates finding the right pitch when entering or transposing notes. Independent Track Loop A mini-cycle, affecting only the MIDI part that is being edited.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Length Contains length-related options, similar to the Functions submenu of the MIDI menu. • To change the length of the selected MIDI events or all events of the active part if no events are selected, use the Scale Length/Legato slider. At the maximum value the notes reach the beginning of the next note. • To make the new length settings permanent, use the Freeze MIDI Lengths button to the right of the Scale Length/Legato slider.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Controller Display The area at the bottom of the Drum Editor window is the controller display. It consists of one or several controller lanes that show one of the following properties or event types: • Velocity values of the notes • Pitchbend events • Aftertouch events • Poly Pressure events • Program Change events • System Exclusive events • Any type of continuous controller event Velocity values are shown as vertical bars in the controller display.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Drum Sound List The drum sound list lists all drum sounds by name and lets you adjust and manipulate the drum sound setup in various ways. NOTE The number of columns in the list depends on whether a drum map is selected for the track or not. Pitch Actual note number of the drum sound. This is what links notes on a MIDI track to drum sounds. For example, with the GM Map, all MIDI notes with the pitch C1 are mapped to the Bass Drum sound. Instrument Name of the drum sound.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations Drum Map and Names Menus Below the drum sound list are two pop-up menus that are used for selecting a drum map for the edited track or, if no drum map is selected, a list of drum sound names. RELATED LINKS Drum Maps on page 495 Drum Editor Operations This section describes the principal editing operations within the Drum Editor. Creating and Editing Note Events with the Drum Tool • To create a note, select the Drumstick tool and click in the Drum Editor.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations • To move note events via the Nudge Palette buttons on the toolbar, select the note events and click a Nudge Palette button. This moves the selected note events by the amount that is set on the Quantize pop-up menu. • To move note events to the project cursor position, select the note events and select Edit > Move to > Cursor. • To move a note event via the info line, select a note event and edit the Position or Pitch on the info line.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations Drum Maps A drum kit in a MIDI instrument is most often a set of different drum sounds with each sound placed on a separate key. For example, the different sounds are assigned to different MIDI note numbers. One key plays a bass drum sound, another a snare, and so on. Different MIDI instruments often use different key assignments. This can be troublesome if you have made a drum pattern using one MIDI device and then want to try it on another.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations The list on the left shows the currently loaded drum maps. The sounds and settings of the selected drum map are displayed on the right. NOTE The settings for the drum sounds are the same as in the Drum Editor. Output Allows you to select the output for the drum map sounds. Drum Sound List Lists all drum sounds and their settings. To audition a drum sound, click the leftmost column.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations Load Allows you to load drum maps into your project. Save Allows you to save the drum map that is selected in the list on disk. Drum map files have the extension .drm. Edit head pairs Allows you to customize the note pairs. Init Display Notes Allows you to reset the Display Notes entry to the original setting, that is the Pitch entry.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations • To make a drum sound use the channel of the track, set the channel in the drum map to Any. • To make the sound use the MIDI output that is selected for the track, set the MIDI output for a sound in a drum map to default. • To send the sound to a specific MIDI output, select any other option. • To select the same MIDI channel or MIDI device for all sounds in a drum map, click in the Channel column, press [Ctrl]/[Command], and select a channel or output.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations I-Notes (Input Notes) When you play a note on your MIDI instrument, the program looks for this note number among the I-notes in the drum map. If you play the note A1, the program finds that this is the I-note of the bass drum sound. This is where the first transformation happens: the note gets a new note number according to the pitch setting for the drum sound. In our case, the note is transformed to a C1 note, because that is the pitch of the bass drum sound.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages Drum Name Lists Drum name lists allow you to use the Drum Editor even if no drum map is selected for the edited MIDI track. The drum sound list then consists of the columns Audition, Pitch, Instrument (drum sound name), and Quantize. This means that you can use the drum sound names in any loaded drum map without using I-notes and O-notes.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages Recording a Bulk Dump IIMPORTANT MPORTANT If your MIDI instrument does not offer a way to initiate a dump, you have to send a Dump Request message from Cubase to start the dump. In that case, use the MIDI SysEx Editor to insert the specific Dump Request message (see the instrument’s documentation) at the beginning of a MIDI track. When you activate recording, the Dump Request message is played back (sent to the instrument), the dump starts and is recorded. PROCEDURE 1.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages About Recording and Transmitting Bulk Dumps • Do not transmit more data than you need. If all you want is a single program, do not send all. Otherwise, it could get too difficult to find the recognized program. Usually, you can specify exactly which data you want to send. • If you want the sequencer to dump the pertinent sounds to your instrument whenever you load a project, put the SysEx data in a silent count-in before the project itself starts.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages MIDI SysEx Editor SysEx events are shown in the controller lane, their entire content is displayed in the MIDI SysEx Editor. • To open the MIDI SysEx Editor for a SysEx event, double-click the SysEx event on the controller lane. The display shows the entire message on one or several lines. SysEx messages always begin with F0 and end with F7 and a number of arbitrary bytes in between.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages Editing Byte Values You can edit the selected byte value in the main display of the MIDI SysEx Editor, or in the ASCII, decimal, and binary displays. • To edit the selected value, open the MIDI SysEx Editor, click on a byte, and type in the value. Importing and Exporting SysEx Data You can import SysEx data from disk and export the edited data to a file. The file has to be in MIDI SysEx (.syx) binary format. Only the first dump in a SYX file will be loaded.
Chord Functions The chord functions provide you with many possibilities for working with chords. The chord functions allow you to: • Build chord progressions by adding chord events to the chord track. • Convert chord events to MIDI. • Use the chord track to control MIDI playback. • Use the chord track voicing to change the pitches of your MIDI. • Extract chord events from MIDI data to get an overview of the harmonic structure of a MIDI file. • Record chord events with a MIDI keyboard.
Chord Functions Chord Events Chord Events Chord events are representations of chords that control or transpose playback on MIDI and instrument tracks. Chord events alter the pitches of MIDI notes, if their track is set up to follow the chord track. Chord events have a specific start position. Their end, however, is determined by the start of the next chord event.
Chord Functions Chord Events 1) Go to Previous/Next Chord Allow you to select the previous/next chord on the chord track for editing. 2) Add Chord Adds a new undefined chord event on the chord track. NOTE This works only if the last chord event on the chord track is selected. 3) Chord definition buttons Activate these buttons to define a root note, a chord type, a tension, and a bass note for your chord event.
Chord Functions Chord Events Adding Chord Events PREREQUISITE Add the chord track. PROCEDURE 1. Select the Draw tool and click in the chord track. An undefined chord event named X is added. 2. Select the Object Selection tool and double-click the chord event. 3. In the Editor, select a root note. 4. Optional: Select a chord type, tension, and bass note. 5. Do one of the following: • To close the Editor, click anywhere outside the Editor. • To add a new undefined chord event, click Add Chord.
Chord Functions Chord Events Chord Assistant The Chord Assistant allows you to use a chord as a starting point to get suggestions for the next chord. • To open the Chord Assistant, in the Chord Editor, click Circle of Fifths. Chord Assistant – Circle of Fifths The Circle of Fifths mode of the Chord Assistant shows the chords in an interactive visualization of the circle of fifths. The origin chord that defines the current key is shown in the center of the Chord Assistant and is marked as tonic (I).
Chord Functions Chord Events • To play a chord and assign it to the selected chord event, click it. The last three chords that you clicked are shown with a highlighted frame. • To define a new key, right-click the chord in the Chord Assistant and select Use as Origin, or use the Rotate Left/Rotate Right controls. • To select the parallel minor chord and define it as key, click Major/Minor.
Chord Functions Scale Events Changing How Chord Events Are Displayed You can change how chord events are displayed. This is useful, if chord events overlap each other at low zoom levels, or if you do not like the font type. PROCEDURE 1. On the chord track, activate Resolve Display Conflicts. 2. Select File > Preferences > Event Display > Chords and set up the chord font. Here you can also determine the note name and naming format.
Chord Functions Voicings • Click the first scale event on the chord track, and on the info line, select a Root Key and Type. • Double-click the scale event, and in the keyboard that appears, select a Root Key and Type of the scale. The keys that correspond to the scale are highlighted. Voicings Voicings determine how chord events are set up. They define the vertical spacing and order of the pitches in a chord, but also the instrumentation and genre of a musical piece.
Chord Functions Voicings 1) Voicing library Allows you to select Guitar, Piano, or Basic as a voicing library. 2) Voicing library subset NOTE This is only available, if Guitar or Piano is set as voicing library. Allows you to select a preset voicing library subset. 3) Configure voicing parameters Allows you to configure your own voicing parameters for a specific voicing scheme. 4) Adaptive Voicings Activate this to let Cubase set the voicings automatically.
Chord Functions Voicings 4-note chords Sets a default 4-note chord without root note. Chords with less than three notes are not changed. 4-note chords (Open Jazz) Sets a 4-note chord without root note and without fifth. Chords with less than three notes are not changed. 5-note chords Sets a 5-note chord with a ninth. Chords with less than four notes are not changed. In the Options section for Piano voicings, you can set up the following parameters: Add Root Note Adds a root note.
Chord Functions Converting Chord Events to MIDI For Basic voicings only Octave Offset from C3 is available. This allows you to determine an offset value for the default octave range. Converting Chord Events to MIDI You can convert chord events to MIDI for further editing or for printing a lead sheet in the Score Editor. PROCEDURE 1. 2. Add an instrument track or a MIDI track. • To add an instrument track, select Project > Add Track > Instrument.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI Playback using the Chord Track • 4. To map the MIDI input to scale events, select Scales. Hit some keys on your MIDI keyboard or on the Virtual Keyboard. RESULT Any key that you hit is mapped in realtime to the chord or scale events on the chord track. Using Follow Chord Track This allows you to match an existing recording to a chord progression on the chord track. PROCEDURE 1. Select the track that you want to match to the chord track. 2.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI Playback using the Chord Track The following options are available on the Follow Chord Track pop-up menu: Off Follow Chord Track is deactivated. Chords & Scales This maintains the intervals of the original chord or scale as far as possible. Chords This transposes MIDI notes to match the key note and maps them to the current chord. Scales This transposes MIDI notes to match the current scale. This allows a bigger variety of notes and a more natural performance.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI Playback using the Chord Track Follow Chord Track Dialog This dialog opens the first time that you select an option on from the Follow Chord Track pop-up menu on the Chords section of the Inspector. Follow Directly Activate this if your MIDI notes are already in accordance with the chord track. This is the case if you extracted your chords from the MIDI events on the track by selecting Project > Chord Track > Create Chord Symbols, for example.
Chord Functions Assigning Voices to Notes RESULT The chords and scales of each event or part are analyzed and used for mapping. If no chords are found, Cubase assumes that the performance is in “C”. The available mapping modes and voicings correspond to the Follow Chord Track parameters in the Chords section of the Inspector. RELATED LINKS Follow Chord Track Modes on page 516 Assigning Voices to Notes You can transpose MIDI notes to match the voices of a selected voicing library.
Chord Functions Extracting Chord Events from MIDI Extracting Chord Events from MIDI You can extract chords from MIDI notes, parts, or tracks. This is useful, if you have a MIDI file and want to show its harmonic structure, and use this file as starting point for further experimenting. PREREQUISITE Add the chord track and create MIDI notes that can be interpreted as chords. Drums, monophonic bass, or lead tracks are not suitable. PROCEDURE 1.
Chord Functions Recording Chord Events with a MIDI Keyboard Detect Arpeggios Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain arpeggiated chords, that is, chords whose notes are played one after another instead of all at once. Interpret Sustain Pedal Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain sustain pedal chords, that is, notes that are played while the sustain pedal is held.
Chord Pads Chord pads allow you to play with chords, and to change their voicings and tensions. In terms of harmonies and rhythms, they allow for a more playful and spontaneous approach to composition than the chord track functions. You can: • Perform with chords in realtime via a MIDI keyboard. • Record your performance as MIDI events on a MIDI or instrument track or even on the chord track. NOTE We assume that you have a MIDI keyboard connected and set up.
Chord Pads Chord Pads Zone The chord pads zone holds the following controls: 1) Close Chord Pads Zone Closes the chord pads zone. 2) Current Player Shows the current player and opens a menu where you can select another player. 3) Chord Pad Each chord pad can contain a chord symbol. To change it, click the Open Editor control on the left edge of the chord pad. 4) Keyboard Shows which keys are played when you trigger a chord pad. To zoom the keyboard, click a key and drag up or down.
Chord Pads Chord Pads Zone 10) Show/Hide Chord Assistant Shows/Hides the Chord Assistant that shows suggestions of chords that match the chord that you specified as the origin chord. 11) Show/Hide Settings Shows/Hides the chord settings, where you can configure different players, the pad layout, and the remote assignment. RELATED LINKS Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control on page 533 Players and Voicings on page 537 Chord Pad Controls The chord pad controls allow you to edit the chord pads.
Chord Pads Functions Menu 6) Voicing Allows you to set another voicing for the chord pad. 7) Tensions Allows you to add/remove tensions for the chord. Chord Pad Context Menu • Use X as Origin for Chord Assistant Sets the chord of the current pad as an origin chord for the Chord Assistant. • Assign Pad from MIDI Input Allows you to assign a chord by pressing keys on your MIDI keyboard. • Lock Allows you to lock a chord pad for editing.
Chord Pads Preparations • Assign Pads from Chord Track Assigns the chord events from the chord track to the chord pads in the same order as they appear on the chord track. Chord events that have more than one occurrence are only assigned once. • Snap Playback to Musical Grid Allows you to delay the playback of a triggered chord pad to the next defined musical position. This is useful, if you work with an arpeggiator or with the Pattern Player.
Chord Pads Chord Assistant Chord Assistant The Chord Assistant allows you to use a chord as a starting point for suggestions for the next chord. It assists you in finding the right chords for creating a chord progression for your song. • Click Show/Hide Chord Assistant on the left side of the chord pads area to open the Chord Assistant. You must define an origin chord as follows: • Right-click the chord pad with the chord you want to use as origin and select Use X as Origin for Chord Assistant.
Chord Pads Assigning Chords to Chord Pads • To play a chord, click it. The last three chords that you clicked are shown with a highlighted frame. • To assign a chord to the next unassigned chord pad, right-click the suggested chord and select Assign to Pad. You can also drag the suggested chord and drop it on a chord pad. • To assign a suggestion to the next unassigned chord pad and use this chord as origin, right-click the chord and select Assign to Pad and Use as Origin.
Chord Pads Assigning Chords to Chord Pads Assigning Chords with the Chord Editor If you know exactly which chord you want to assign to a specific chord pad, you can use the chord Editor. PROCEDURE 1. Move the mouse pointer to the left edge of the chord pad, and click Open Editor. 2. In the chord Editor, use the chord definition buttons to define a root note, a chord type, a tension, and a bass note. The new chord is triggered automatically to give an acoustic feedback.
Chord Pads Assigning Chords to Chord Pads Assigning Chords with the MIDI Keyboard If you know which chord you want to assign to a specific chord pad, you can use a MIDI keyboard. PREREQUISITE You have selected a MIDI track or an instrument track. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the chord pad that you want to use for the new chord, and select Assign Pad from MIDI Input. The borders of the chord pad change their color to indicate that it is now ready for recording. 2.
Chord Pads Moving and Copying Chord Pads Moving and Copying Chord Pads You can swap the chord assignments between 2 pads or copy a specific chord and its settings from one pad to another. • To swap the chord pad assignment between 2 pads, click a chord pad and drag it to another chord pad. While you drag, the border of the destination chord pad changes its color. When you drop the pad on another, the chord assignments are swapped.
Chord Pads Playing Back and Recording Chords Recording Chords on MIDI or Instrument Tracks You can record the chords that are triggered through the chord pads on MIDI or instrument tracks. This way, you can play back and edit your performance at any time. PREREQUISITE You have connected and set up a MIDI keyboard, you have opened and set up the chord pads zone, and you have added an instrument or a MIDI track for which a VST instrument is loaded to your project. PROCEDURE 1.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control 5. On your MIDI keyboard, press the keys that trigger the chord pads. NOTE Use the keys that are not assigned to play and record other chords. RESULT The chord events are recorded on the chord track. NOTE The recorded chord events may sound different from the chord pad playback. This is because the voicing settings for the chord track differ from the chord pad voicings.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control 4) MIDI Learn Activates/Deactivates the MIDI Learn function to assign MIDI input to the Pads Remote Range and to the parameters Voicings, Tensions, and Transpose. 5) Activate Activates/Deactivates the remote key assignment for the parameters Voicings, Tensions, and Transpose. If this is deactivated, only the remote key assignment for the Pads Remote Range is active.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control Action Description Remote Note Voicings: Next Plays back the next voicing of the C#2 last played chord. Voicings for all chord pads The wheel position determines the voicings for the next played chords of all chord pads. Tensions: Fewer Plays back the last played chord D2 with fewer tensions. Tensions: More Plays back the last played chord D#2 with more tensions.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players 2. Do one of the following: • Click MIDI Learn so that the button lights up, and on your MIDI keyboard, press the two keys that you want to assign as range start and range end. • Enter a new value in the Range Start and Range End fields. RESULT On the keyboard, the indication for pads remote range is changed. Chord Pad Settings – Players On the Players tab in the chord pad Settings you can change the voicing that is used for the chord pads.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players 5) Add Player Opens a menu where you can select the player that you want to add. From here, you can also rename or remove the current player. RELATED LINKS Players and Voicings on page 537 Voicings on page 512 Players and Voicings Different types of instruments and styles have different voicing libraries. These determine how the chords are played back, and which pitches are played. In the chord pads zone, these voicings are referred to as players.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players Using the Pattern Player You can determine how the triggered chord is played: as a plain chord, or according to a selected pattern. The pattern player plays the notes that make up the chord one after another (arpeggio). PROCEDURE 1. Select Show/Hide Settings > Players > Pattern. 2. Perform one of the following actions: • Click Import MIDI Loop to select a MIDI loop that you want to use as a pattern.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Pad Layout 3. Click Add Track. The instrument tracks are added to your project. 4. Select Project > Chord Pads to open the chord pads zone. 5. To the left of the chord pads zone, activate Show/Hide Settings and click Players. 6. Select the first instrument track, select a sound on the VST instrument, and in the chord pads zone, select a player. For example, select a piano sound and assign a Piano Player.
Chord Pads Chord Pads Presets 1) Show/Hide Settings Opens the settings for the chord pads. 2) Keyboard Activate this to show the chord pads in a keyboard layout. You can display one or two octaves, and you can select if the first chord pad starts with C, A or E. 3) Grid Activate this to show the chord pads in a grid layout. You can display up to 4 rows and 16 columns. 4) Layout display Shows how the active chord pad layout is displayed.
Chord Pads Creating Events from Chord Pads Saving Chord Pads Presets If you have set up the chord pads, you can save them as chord pads presets. PROCEDURE 1. To the left of the chord pads zone, select Chord Pads Preset > Save Chord Pads Preset. 2. In the New Preset section, enter a name for the new preset. NOTE You can also define attributes for the preset. 3. Click OK to save the preset and exit the dialog.
Editing tempo and signature Background Whenever you create a new project, Cubase will automatically set the tempo and time signature for this project. The tempo and signature settings can be displayed in the Tempo Track Editor. Tempo modes Before we go into detail about tempo and signature settings, you should understand the different tempo modes.
Editing tempo and signature Tempo and signature display A note about tempo-based audio tracks The start position of audio events on the timeline depends on the current tempo setting. However, it is important to realize that the actual audio (“within” the events) will play back as recorded, regardless of any tempo changes you make. Therefore, it is good practice to make the proper tempo and time signature settings before you start recording tempo-based audio.
Editing tempo and signature Tempo and signature display The Tempo Track Editor has a toolbar, info line, and ruler just like other editors in Cubase, plus an area for the display of time signature events and a tempo curve display.
Editing tempo and signature Editing tempo and signature Editing tempo and signature Editing the tempo curve MPORTANT IIMPORTANT This section assumes that you are working in tempo track mode, i. e. the Tempo button must be activated on the Transport panel. Adding tempo curve points PROCEDURE 1.
Editing tempo and signature Editing tempo and signature Selecting tempo curve points Curve points can be selected as follows: • Using the Object Selection tool. The standard selection techniques apply. • Using the Select submenu of the Edit menu. The options are: All Selects all curve points on the tempo track. None Deselects all curve points. Invert Inverts the selection – all selected curve points are deselected and all curve points that were not selected are selected instead.
Editing tempo and signature Editing tempo and signature IIMPORTANT MPORTANT We recommend using the Bars+Beats display format when editing tempo curves. Otherwise, you may get confusing results. This is because moving a point will change the relationship between tempo and time. If you move a tempo point to the right and drop it at a certain time position, the mapping between tempo and time will be adjusted. Since you have changed the tempo curve, the moved point will appear at another position.
Editing tempo and signature The Beat Calculator To set the tempo in fixed mode: • Adjust the value numerically in the tempo display on the Tempo Track Editor toolbar. • On the Transport panel, click on the tempo value to select it, enter a new value and press [Enter]. Adding and editing time signature events • To add a time signature event, click with the Draw tool in the time signature area. This adds a default 4/4 time signature event at the closest bar position.
Editing tempo and signature The Beat Calculator Calculating the tempo of a recording PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, make a selection that covers an exact number of beats of the recording. 2. Select “Beat Calculator…” from the Project menu. The Beat Calculator window appears. 3. In the Beats field, enter the number of beats that the selection encompasses. The corresponding tempo is calculated and displayed in the BPM field.
Editing tempo and signature Adjusting the audio to the project tempo 5. Click OK to close the Tap Tempo dialog. The tapped tempo is now shown in the Beat Calculator’s BPM display. You can insert it into the tempo track as described above. Adjusting the audio to the project tempo If you want freely recorded audio to follow a fixed tempo or a different project tempo, you can use the Set Definition From Tempo dialog to save the tempo information from the tempo track in the corresponding audio clips.
Export Audio Mixdown Introduction The Export Audio Mixdown function in Cubase allows you to mix down audio from the program to a file on your hard disk. You always mix down an output channel. For example, if you have set up a stereo mix with tracks routed to a stereo output bus, mixing down that output bus would give you a mixdown file containing the whole mix. Please note the following: • The Export Audio Mixdown function mixes down the area between the left and right locators.
Export Audio Mixdown Mixing down to audio files 3. Open the File menu and select “Audio Mixdown…” from the Export submenu. The Export Audio Mixdown dialog opens. 4. In the Channel Selection section to the left, select the channel you want to mix down. The list contains all output channels available in the project. 5. In the File Location section at the top you can specify a name and path for the mixdown file. 6.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog • If the “Deactivate External MIDI Inputs” option is activated, any MIDI inputs that are performed on external devices during the export process are ignored. • If you have activated any of the options in the “Import into Project” section, the file will be imported back into the same project. When playing back the reimported file, mute the original tracks so that you only hear the mixdown.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog Path Options • Select “Choose…” to open a dialog in which you can browse for a path and enter a file name. The file name will automatically be shown in the Name field. • Select an entry from the Recent Paths section to reuse a path specified for a previous export. This section is only shown after an export has been completed. With the “Clear Recent Paths” option you can delete all entries from the Recent Paths section.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog If you are making a mixdown for CD burning, use the 16 bit option, as CD audio is always 16 bit. In this case, we recommend dithering. Cubase Elements only: Activate the UV-22HR dithering plug-in (see the separate PDF document “Plug-in Reference” for details). This reduces the effects of quantization noise and artifacts from being introduced when converting the audio down to 16 bit.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats If you activate the Audio Track option, the Pool option will automatically be activated as well, and deactivating the Pool option also deactivates the Audio Track option. RELATED LINKS Importing Media on page 327 About the Import Options dialog If you activate any of the options in the “Import into Project” section, the Import Options dialog will open when the export is complete.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats NOTE Most of the settings described below for AIFF files are available for all file types. Where this is not the case, you will find additional information in the corresponding section.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats Edit button By clicking this button, the Broadcast Wave Chunk dialog opens, where you can enter additional information that will be embedded in the exported files. If you activate the Use this Timecode checkbox in this dialog, the timecode position that is specified in the Timecode field will be used instead of the timecode position that is automatically derived from the left locator.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats Wave files support the same options as AIFF files and have one additional option: • Don’t Use Wave Extensible Format The Wave Extensible format contains additional metadata, such as the speaker configuration. It is an extension to the normal Wave format that some applications may not be able to handle. If you get problems using the Wave file in another application, activate this option and re-export.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats MPEG 1 Layer 3 files MPEG 1 Layer 3 files have the extension “.mp3”. By use of advanced audio compression algorithms, MP3 files can be made very small, yet maintaining good audio quality. In the File Format section, the following options are available for MPEG 1 Layer 3 files: Bit Rate fader By moving this fader, you can select a bit rate for the MP3 file. As a rule, the higher the bit rate, the better the audio quality and the larger the file.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats When you select “Windows Media Audio File” as the file format, you can click the “Codec Settings…” button to open the “Windows Media Audio File Settings” window. Note that the configuration options may vary, depending on the chosen output channels. General Tab In the Input Stream section, you set the sample rate (44.1, 48 or 96 kHz) and the bit resolution (16 bit or 24 bit) of the encoded file.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats Variable Bitrate Encodes to a file with a variable bit rate, according to a quality scale (the desired quality is set in the Bit Rate/Quality menu, see below). When you encode with variable bit rates, the bit rate fluctuates depending on the character and intricacy of the material being encoded. The more complex passages in the source material, the higher the bit rate – and the larger the final file. Lossless Encodes to a file with lossless compression.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats • Medium Difference: If this is selected and you have not manually changed the dynamic range settings, the peak level will be limited to 12 dB above the average level. If you have changed the dynamic range, the peak level will be limited to the peak value you specified. Media tab In these fields you can enter a number of text strings with information about the file – title, author, copyright information and a description of its contents.
Synchronization Background What is synchronization? Synchronization is the process of getting two or more devices to play back together at the same exact speed and position. These devices can range from audio and video tape machines to digital audio workstations, MIDI sequencers, synchronization controllers, and digital video devices. Synchronization basics There are three basic components of audio/visual synchronization: position, speed, and phase.
Synchronization Timecode (positional references) • The “timecode slave” is any device receiving the timecode and synchronizing or “locking” to it. Timecode (positional references) The position of any device is most often described using timecode. Timecode represents time using hours, minutes, seconds, and frames to provide a location for each device. Each frame represents a visual film or video frame.
Synchronization Timecode (positional references) 30 fps non-drop SMPTE (N) This is the frame count of NTSC broadcast video. However, the actual frame rate or speed of the video format runs at 29.97 fps. This timecode clock does not run in realtime. It is slightly slower by 0.1 %. 30 fps drop-frame SMPTE (D) The 30 fps drop-frame count is an adaptation that allows a timecode display running at 29.
Synchronization Clock sources (speed references) Clock sources (speed references) Once the position is established, the next essential factor for synchronization is the playback speed. Once two devices start playing from the same position, they must run at exactly the same speed in order to remain in sync. Therefore, a single speed reference must be used and all devices in the system must follow that reference. With digital audio, the speed is determined by the audio clock rate.
Synchronization The Project Synchronization Setup dialog The Project Synchronization Setup dialog Cubase’s Project Synchronization Setup dialog provides a central place to configure a complex synchronized system. In addition to settings for timecode sources, project setup parameters are available along with basic transport controls for testing the system. To open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog, proceed as follows: • On the Transport menu, select the “Project Synchronization Setup…” option.
Synchronization The Project Synchronization Setup dialog MIDI Timecode Cubase acts as a timecode slave to any incoming MIDI timecode (MTC) on the port(s) selected in the MIDI Timecode section, to the right of the Timecode Source section. Selecting “All MIDI Inputs” allows Cubase to sync to MTC from any MIDI connection. You can also select a single MIDI port for receiving MTC. ASIO Audio Device This option is only available with audio cards that support ASIO Positioning Protocol.
Synchronization The Project Synchronization Setup dialog Inhibit Restart ms Some synchronizers still transmit MTC for a short period after an external tape machine has been stopped. These extra frames of timecode sometimes cause Cubase to restart suddenly. The “Inhibit Restart ms” setting allows you to control the amount of time in milliseconds that Cubase will wait to restart (ignoring incoming MTC) once it has stopped.
Synchronization Synchronized operation MIDI Clock Destinations Some MIDI devices like drum machines can match their tempo and location to incoming MIDI clock. Select any MIDI ports that you wish to output MIDI clock. MIDI Clock Follows Project Position Activate this option to ensure that the MIDI clock device follows Cubase when looping, locating, or jumping while playing.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link Sync mode When you activate the Sync button, the following happens: • Cubase awaits incoming timecode from the chosen timecode source defined in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog in order to play. Cubase will detect incoming timecode, locate to its current position, and start playback in sync with the incoming timecode.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link • The audio hardware must have digital inputs and outputs. To be able to connect the computers, the digital connections must be compatible (i. e. the same digital formats and connection types must be available). • At least one digital audio cable must be available for each computer in the network. • A VST System Link host application must be installed on each computer. Any VST System Link application can connect to another.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link IIMPORTANT MPORTANT All digital audio cables by definition always carry a clock signal as well as audio signals, so you do not have to use a special word clock input and output for this (although you may find that you get a slightly more stable audio system if you do, especially when using multiple computers). The clock mode or sync mode is set up in the ASIO control panel of the audio hardware. Proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link VST System Link and latency The general definition of latency is the amount of time it takes any system to respond to whatever messages are sent to it. For example, if your system’s latency is high and you play VST instruments in realtime, you will get a noticeable delay between when you press a key and when you hear the sound of the VST instrument. Nowadays, most ASIO-compatible audio cards are capable of operating with very low latencies.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link 2. Set things up so that computer 1 plays back some audio. For example, you could import an audio file and play it back in Cycle mode. 3. In the Inspector or MixConsole, make sure that the channel containing the audio material is routed to one of the digital output busses. 4. On computer 2, open the MixConsole and locate the corresponding digital input bus. The audio being played back should now “appear” in the program running on computer 2.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link Activating VST System Link Before you proceed, you need to make sure that VST System Link is set as the timecode source in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog and that the desired Sync options are activated. After setting up the inputs and outputs, you now need to define which input/output will carry the actual VST System Link information. The VST System Link networking signal is carried on only one bit of one channel.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link RESULT As the computers are made active, you should see the Sending and Receiving indicators flashing on each active computer, and the name of each computer should appear in the list at the bottom of the pane. Each computer is assigned a random number – do not worry about this, it is just so the network knows internally which one is which.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link • The Transfer Bits setting allows you to specify whether you want to transfer 24 or 16 bits. This allows you to use older audio cards which do not support transfer of 24 bits. RESULT VST System Link sends and understands all transport commands (such as play, stop, fast forward, rewind, etc.).
Synchronization Activating VST System Link 3. If you now open the Input or Output Routing pop-up menu, you will find the specified System Link ports added to the list of MIDI inputs or outputs. This allows you to route MIDI tracks to VST instruments running on another computer, as described in the application examples.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link In the following example, we assume you are using two computers, with computer 1 as your main mix computer and computer 2 running two additional stereo audio tracks, an FX channel track with a reverb plug-in and a VST instrument plug-in with stereo outputs. PROCEDURE 1. Set things up so that you can listen to the audio playback from computer 1. In other words, you need an unused set of outputs, e. g.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link Internal mixing and latency One problem with mixing inside the computer is the latency issue we mentioned earlier. The VST engine always compensates for record latencies, but if you are monitoring through computer 1 you will hear a processing delay while you listen to signals coming from your other computers (not on your recording!). If your audio card in computer 1 supports ASIO Direct Monitoring you should definitely turn this on.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link Application examples Using one computer for VST instruments (not in Cubase LE) In this example, one computer will be used as main record and playback machine, and another computer as a virtual synth rack. PROCEDURE 1. Record a MIDI track into computer 1. 2. Once you have finished recording, route the MIDI output of that track to VST System Link MIDI port 1. 3.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link 2. Add the desired effect as an insert effect for the track. Let’s say you add a high-quality reverb plug-in. 3. In the Inspector, select one of the VST System Link busses as input for the audio track. You want to use a separate VST System Link bus, which will only be used for this purpose. 4. Route the channel to the desired output bus.
Video Cubase supports the integration of video files in your project. You can play back video files in various formats and via different output devices from within Cubase, edit your music to the video, extract the audio material from a video file, and replace the audio later with different audio material. Before You Start When working on a project involving a video file, you first need to set up your system according to your equipment and your demands.
Video Before You Start Video Container Formats Video and other multi-media files come in a container format. This container holds various streams of information including video and audio, but also metadata such as synchronization information required to play back audio and video together. Data regarding creation dates, authors, chapter markings, and more can also be held within the container format.
Video Before You Start Frame Rates Cubase is capable of working with different types of video and film frame rates. RELATED LINKS Frame rate (speed) on page 566 Video Output Devices Cubase supports several ways to play back video files. Viewing video files onscreen in the Video Player window may work just fine for many applications, but often it is necessary to display video in a large format for viewing small details and so others involved in the session can also see the video.
Video Preparing a Video Project FireWire DV Output You have the option to use FireWire ports on the computer to output DV video streams to external converters such as various camcorders and standalone FireWire to DV conversion units. These units can be connected to a television or projector for large format viewing. The FireWire protocol is capable of transporting data at high speed and is the most common standard for communicating with video-related peripheral equipment.
Video Preparing a Video Project When importing video files via the Pool or by using drag and drop, Cubase can automatically extract the audio from a video file. Whether this happens, depends on the “Extract Audio on Import Video File” setting in the Preferences dialog (Video page). When importing video, Cubase automatically creates a thumbnail cache file. The generated file is stored in the same folder as the video file and gets the name of the file with the suffix “.vcache”.
Video Preparing a Video Project For example, when the project frame rate is switched from 30 fps to 29.97 fps, the start time is changed so that all the events currently in the project remain at the same positions in relation to realtime. If you want the project start time to remain the same, you must manually change it back after clicking the “Get From Video” button.
Video Playing Back Video that they are in a lower resolution, i. e. the pictures are not as clear as when they are calculated. When the processes that rely heavily on the computer CPU are finished, the frames are automatically recalculated, i. e. the program automatically switches between realtime calculation of the pictures and using the cache file. NOTE There are situations where no thumbnail cache file can be generated, e. g. if you import a video file from a folder that is write-protected.
Video Playing Back Video • You need a video card that supports OpenGL (version 2.0 recommended) for proper video playback. A card with OpenGL 1.2 can also be used, but might put restrictions on the video functionality. To check if your video equipment is capable of playing back a video from within Cubase, open the Video Player page in the Device Setup dialog. If your system does not meet the minimum video requirements, a corresponding message will be displayed.
Video Playing Back Video • The offset is only used during playback. It is defeated in stop and scrub mode so that you always see the correct video frame. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK If the quality of the video image is not a critical factor or if you are experiencing performance problems, try lowering the value on the Video Quality pop-up menu. Although higher quality settings make the video display sharper and smoother, they also lead to an increased processor load.
Video Playing Back Video Quarter Size The window size is reduced to a quarter of the actual size. Half Size The window size is reduced to half the actual size. Actual Size The window size corresponds to the size of the video. Double Size The window is enlarged to twice the actual size. Video Quality This submenu allows you to change the quality of the video image. NOTE • To resize the Video Player window, you can also drag the borders.
Video Editing Video Scrubbing Video You can scrub video events, i. e. play them back forwards or backwards at any speed. This is done by clicking in the Video Player window and moving the mouse to the left or to the right. You can also use the Scrub controls on the Transport panel or a jog wheel on a remote controller for scrubbing video events.
Video Replacing the Audio in a Video File • By activating the “Extract Audio on Import Video File” option in the Preferences dialog (Video page). This will automatically extract the audio stream from any video file during import. • By using the “Extract Audio from Video File” option on the Media menu. This creates an audio clip in the Pool, but does not add any events to the Project window. MPORTANT IIMPORTANT These functions are not available for MPEG-1 video files.
ReWire (not in Cubase LE) Introduction ReWire is a special protocol for streaming audio between two computer applications. Developed by Propellerhead Software and Steinberg, ReWire provides the following possibilities and features: • Realtime streaming of up to 48 separate audio channels, at full bandwidth, from the “synthesizer application” into the “mixer application”. In this case, the “mixer application” is of course Cubase. An example of a “synthesizer application” is Propellerhead Software’s Reason.
ReWire (not in Cubase LE) Launching and quitting Launching and quitting When using ReWire, the order in which you launch and quit the two programs is very important. Launching for normal use with ReWire PROCEDURE 1. First launch Cubase. 2. Enable one or several ReWire channels in the ReWire Device dialog for the other application. 3. Launch the other application. It may take slightly longer for the application to start when you are using ReWire.
ReWire (not in Cubase LE) Activating ReWire channels Activating ReWire channels ReWire supports streaming of up to 48 separate audio channels. The exact number of available ReWire channels depends on the synthesizer application. Using the ReWire Device panels in Cubase, you can specify which of the available channels you want to use. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Devices menu and select the menu item with the name of the ReWire application.
ReWire (not in Cubase LE) How the ReWire channels are handled Tempo settings As far as tempo goes, Cubase is always the master. This means that both programs will run in the tempo set in Cubase. However, if you are not using the tempo track in Cubase, you can adjust the tempo in either program, and this will immediately be reflected in the other. MPORTANT IIMPORTANT If you are using the tempo track in Cubase (i. e.
ReWire (not in Cubase LE) Routing MIDI via ReWire Routing MIDI via ReWire When using Cubase with a ReWire-compatible application, additional MIDI outputs will automatically appear on the MIDI Output pop-up menus for MIDI tracks. This allows you to play the synthesizer application via MIDI from Cubase, using it as one or several separate MIDI sound sources. The MIDI outputs for a Reason song. Here, each output goes directly to a device in the Reason rack.
Key Commands Introduction Most of the main menus in Cubase have key command shortcuts for certain items on the menus. In addition, there are numerous other Cubase functions that can be performed via key commands. These are all default settings. You can customize existing key commands to your liking, and also add commands for many menu items and functions that currently have no key command assigned.
Key Commands Setting up key commands Setting up key commands Adding or modifying a key command In the Key Commands dialog you will find all main menu items and a large number of other functions, arranged in a hierarchical way similar to the Windows Explorer and Mac OS Finder. The function categories are represented by a number of folders, each containing various menu items and functions.
Key Commands Setting up key commands 5. Alternatively, you can use the search function in the dialog to find the desired item. For a description of how to use the search function, see below. 6. When you have found and selected the desired item, click in the “Type in Key” field and enter a new key command. You can choose any single key or a combination of one or several modifier keys ([Alt]/[Option], [Ctrl]/[Command], [Shift]) plus any key. Just press the keys you want to use. 7.
Key Commands Setting up key commands Removing a key command PROCEDURE 1. Use the list of categories and commands to select the item or function for which you wish to remove a key command. The key command is shown in the Keys column and the Keys list. 2. Select the key command in the Keys list and click the Delete button (the trash icon). You are asked whether you really want to remove the key command. 3. Click Remove to remove the selected key command. 4. Click OK to close the dialog.
Key Commands Setting up key commands Loading earlier key commands settings If you have saved key commands settings with an earlier program version, it is possible to use them in this Cubase version, by using the “Import Key Command File” function, which lets you load and apply saved key commands. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Key Commands dialog. 2. Click the “Import Key Command File” button to the right of the Presets pop-up menu. A standard file dialog opens. 3.
Key Commands Setting up tool modifier keys Setting up tool modifier keys A tool modifier key is a key you can press to get an alternate function when using a tool. For example, clicking and dragging an event with the Object Selection tool normally moves it – holding down a modifier key (by default [Alt]/[Option]) while dragging will copy it instead. The default assignments for tool modifier keys can be found in the Preferences dialog (Editing–Tool Modifiers page).
Key Commands The default key commands Audio category Option Key command Adjust Fades to Range [A] Crossfade [X] Automation category Option Key command Read Automation for All Tracks On/Off [Alt]/[Option]-[R] Write Automation for All Tracks On/Off [Alt]/[Option]-[W] Option Key command Chord Pads [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[C] Option Key command MixConsole [F3] Video [F8] Virtual Keyboard [Alt]/[Option]-[K] VST Connections [F4] VST Instruments (not in Cubase LE) [F11] VST Performanc
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Insert Silence [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[E] Invert [Alt]/[Option]-F Left Selection Side to Cursor [E] Move to Cursor [Ctrl]/[Command]-[L] Move to Front (Uncover) [U] Mute [M] Mute Events [Shift]-[M] Mute/Unmute Objects [Alt]/[Option]-[M] Open Default Editor [Ctrl]/[Command]-[E] Open Score Editor [Ctrl]/[Command]-[R] Open/Close Editor [Return] Paste [Ctrl]/[Command]-[V] Paste at Origin [Alt]/[Option]-[V] Paste Relative to C
Key Commands The default key commands Editors category Option Key command Show/Hide Editors [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-[E] Show/Hide Info Line [Ctrl]/[Command]-[I] Show/Hide Inspector [Alt]/[Option]-[I] Show/Hide Overview [Alt]/[Option]-[O] Show/Hide Rack [Alt]/[Option]-[T] Toggle Rack Tabs [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-[T] Option Key command Close [Ctrl]/[Command]-[W] New [Ctrl]/[Command]-[N] Open [Ctrl]/[Command]-[O] Quit [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Q] Save [Ctrl]/[Command]-[S] Sav
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Toggle Location Tree [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-Num [4] Toggle Locations [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-Num [8] Toggle Previewer [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-Num [2] Option Key command Show/Hide Controller Lanes [Alt]/[Option]-[L] MIDI category Navigate category Option Key command [Shift]-[Down Arrow] Add Down: Expand/Undo selection in the Project window to the bottom/ Move selected event in the Key Editor down 1 octave Add Le
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Top: Select top track in the track list [Home] Toggle Selection [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Space] Up: Select next in the Project window/ Move selected event in the Key Editor one semitone up [Up Arrow] Option Key command End Left [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift]-[Left Arrow] End Right [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift]-[Right Arrow] Left [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Right Arrow] Right [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Right Arrow] Start Left [Alt]/[Option]-[Left Arrow] Start Right [Alt]
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Mute tool [7] Next Tool [F10] Play tool [9] Previous Tool [F9] Range tool [2] Object Selection tool [1] Split tool [3] Zoom tool [6] Transport category Option Key command Auto Punch In [I] Auto Punch Out [O] Cycle [÷] (Win)/[/] (Mac) Exchange Time Formats [.
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Recall Cycle Marker 1 to 9 [Shift]-Num [1] to Num [9] Record Num [*] Retrospective Record [Shift]-Num [*] Return to Zero Num [.
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Zoom Out Vertically [Shift]-[G] Zoom to Event [Shift]-[E] Zoom to Selection [Alt]/[Option]-[S] Zoom Tracks Exclusive [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-[Down Arrow] 615
File handling Importing audio In Cubase audio can be imported in a variety of different formats. For example, you can import tracks from audio CDs, or import audio files saved in different formats (compressed and uncompressed).
File handling Importing audio • When importing multiple files at the same time, you can select to convert the imported files automatically if necessary, i. e. if the sample rate is different than the project’s or the resolution is lower than the project setting. NOTE When you import 5-channel interleaved files that do not have the speaker arrangement metadata (“BEXT”), Cubase always considers them as 5.0 format. Use Settings No Options dialog will appear when you import.
File handling Importing audio Selecting one of the Import Audio CD menu items brings up the following dialog: 1) Play 2) Stop 3) Play from Left Marker 4) Play to Right Marker 5) Start of selection handle 6) End of selection handle To import one or more tracks, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. If you have more than one CD drive, select the correct one from the Drive pop-up menu at the top left. On opening the CD, the program tries to retrieve the track names from CDDB (a CD database).
File handling Importing audio 2. Windows only: Activate the “Secure Mode” option if you want to use a Secure Read mode. Use this if you encounter problems when trying to import an audio CD. Error checking and correction will be done during the process. Note that this mode will take more time. 3. In the Windows version, select the data transfer speed from the Speed pop-up menu. While you normally want to use the fastest possible speed, you may have to select a slower speed for flawless audio extraction.
File handling Importing audio • If you want to copy and import a section of an audio CD track only, select the track in the list and specify the start and end of the selection to be copied by dragging the handles in the copy selection ruler. NOTE Note that you can import sections of several audio CD tracks by selecting them in turn and adjusting the selection. The start and end settings for each track are displayed in the list.
File handling Importing audio • REX 2 files (file format of ReCycle 2.0 and later, extension “.rx2”). IIMPORTANT MPORTANT For this to work, the REX Shared Library needs to be installed on your system. PROCEDURE 1. Select an audio track and move the project cursor to where you want the imported file to start. You probably want to import REX files to tempo based audio tracks, since this will allow you to change the tempo later on (having the imported REX file automatically adjust). 2.
File handling Exporting and importing standard MIDI files FLAC files FLAC is an open source format and stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec. Audio files in this format are typically 50 to 60 % smaller than regular Wave files. FLAC files are not converted to Wave files on import. MPEG audio files MPEG, which stands for Moving Picture Experts Group, is the name of a family of standards used for encoding audio-visual information (e. g. movies, video, music) in a digital compressed format.
File handling Exporting and importing standard MIDI files When you have specified a location and a name for the file, click “Save”. The Export Options dialog opens, allowing you to specify a number of options for the file, e. g. what is included in the file, its type and its resolution (see below for a description of the options). You will also find most of these settings in the Preferences dialog (MIDI–MIDI File page).
File handling Exporting and importing standard MIDI files Option Description Export as Type 0 If this is activated, the MIDI file will be of type 0 (all data on a single track, but on different MIDI channels). If you do not activate this option, the MIDI file will be of Type 1 (data on separate tracks). Which type to choose depends on what you want to do with the MIDI file (in which application or sequencer it should be used, etc.).
File handling Exporting and importing standard MIDI files 3. Locate and select the MIDI file in the file dialog that opens and click Open. If you choose to create a new project, select the project folder. Select an existing project folder or create a new one. RESULT The MIDI file is imported. The result depends on the contents of the MIDI file and the Import Options settings in the Preferences dialog (MIDI–MIDI File page).
File handling Exporting and importing MIDI loops Option Description Destination Here, you can specify what happens when you drag a MIDI file into the project: • If you select the “MIDI Tracks” option, MIDI tracks are created for the imported file. • If you select the “Instrument Tracks” option, instrument tracks are created for each MIDI channel in the MIDI file. Furthermore, the program automatically loads appropriate presets.
Customizing Using the Setup options You can customize the appearance of the following elements: • Transport panel • Info line • Toolbars • Inspector The setup context menus If you right-click the Transport panel, the toolbars, the info lines, or the Inspector, the respective setup context menu opens. The following general options are available on the setup context menus: • “Show All” makes all items visible. • “Default” resets the interface to the default setting.
Customizing Using the Setup options The Setup dialogs If you select “Setup…” from the setup context menus, the Setup dialog opens. This allows you to specify which elements are visible/hidden and to set the order of the elements. You can also save and recall setup presets in this dialog. The dialog is divided into two sections. The left section displays the currently visible items and the right section displays the currently hidden items.
Customizing Appearance Appearance In the Preferences dialog, the appearance of Cubase can be changed on the Appearance (Colors) and on the Metering (Appearance) page. The following subpages are available on the Appearance–Colors page: • General Allows you to adjust the default colors for the general interface of the program. • Track Type Defaults Allows you to adjust the default colors for the different track types. • Project Allows you to adjust the default colors in the Project window.
Customizing Appearance 2. Use the tools in the color selector pane to select a new color. The current and the new color are shown at the bottom of the pane. 3. Click outside the color selector pane to confirm your settings and apply your changes. Note that you must restart the application for some changes to take effect. • To copy a color and paste it on another element, even on another subpage, open the context menu in the color selector pane and select “Copy Color” and “Paste Color”.
Customizing Appearance • To select any color in Cubase as new color, open the color selector pane, hold down [Alt]/[Option], and click anywhere in the application. The selected color is displayed in the “New Color” field. Metering–Appearance Cubase allows for precise color assignment of level meter values. On the Metering–Appearance page you can specify colors for quick identification of what levels are being reached. You can adjust the colors for the Channel Meter or the Master Meter.
Customizing Applying colors in the Project window • To add more color handles, click the Add button, or [Alt]/[Option]-click at a level position to the right of the meter scale. Each new handle is automatically associated with a default color. • To remove a handle, select the handle and click the Remove button, or [Ctrl]/[Command]-click the handle. Applying colors in the Project window You can use color scheming for an easier overview of tracks and events in the Project window.
Customizing Applying colors in the Project window Applying track colors automatically In the Preferences dialog (Event Display–Tracks page), you can find the “Auto Track Color Mode” option. This offers you several options for automatically assigning colors to tracks that are added to the project. The following options are available: Use Default Track Color The default color (gray) is assigned. Use Previous Track Color Analyzes the color of the selected track and uses the same color for the new track.
Customizing Applying colors in the Project window 2. On the toolbar, select the Color tool, click again, and select a color from the pop-up menu. RESULT The color is applied to the selected item. If you change the color of a track, the new color is used for all events on the track and for the corresponding channel in the MixConsole. NOTE If you assign a different color to individual parts or events, they no longer follow color changes of the track.
Customizing Applying colors in the Project window Color fields Click a field to open a color selector pane that allows you to specify a new color. Click Options for the following options. Append New Color Adds a new color button at the bottom of the color list. Insert New Color before Selection Adds a new color button above the selected color button. Remove Selected Color Removes the selected color. Reset Selected Color Resets the selected color to the factory settings.
Customizing Applying colors in the Project window Adding and editing individual colors You can use the Options menu in the Project Colors dialog to fully customize the color palette. The following options are available: Append New Color This adds a new color button at the bottom of the colors list. To define a color, click the color button, and in the color selector pane that opens, define a color. Insert New Color before Selection This adds a new color button above the selected color button.
Customizing Where are the settings stored? Where are the settings stored? As you have seen, there are a large number of ways in which you can customize Cubase. While some of the settings you make are stored with each project, others are stored in separate preference files. If you need to transfer your projects to another computer (e. g. in another studio), you can bring all your settings along by copying the desired preference files and installing them on the other computer.
Customizing Where are the settings stored? Disabling the Preferences Sometimes you might experience odd program behaviour that can be due to inconsistent preferences settings. In such a case, you should save your project and relaunch Cubase. You can disable or delete the current preferences settings, and load the factory defaults instead. PROCEDURE 1. Quit Cubase. 2. Launch Cubase, and when the splash screen appears, hold down [Shift]-[Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]. 3.
Optimizing Optimizing Audio Performance This section gives you some hints and tips on how to get the most out of your Cubase system, performance-wise. Some of this text refers to hardware properties and can be used as a guide when upgrading your system. Look for details and current information on the Cubase web site. Performance Aspects Tracks and Effects The faster your computer, the more tracks, effects, and EQ you are able to play.
Optimizing Optimizing Audio Performance System Factors That Affect Performance RAM The more RAM is installed in your computer, the better. IIMPORTANT MPORTANT On computers running a Windows 32-bit operating system, a running application can address a maximum of 2 GB of RAM. On a Macintosh computer running 32-bit Mac OS X, this limit is 4 GB. The 64-bit versions of Windows and Mac OS X are able to assign considerably more than 4 GB of RAM to a running 64-bit application.
Optimizing Optimizing Audio Performance Hard Disk and Controller The number of hard disk tracks that you can record and play back at the same time also depends on the speed of your hard disk and hard disk controller. If you use E-IDE disks and controllers, make sure that the transfer mode is DMA Busmaster. Under Windows, you can check the current mode by launching the Windows Device Manager and looking for properties of the IDE ATA/ATAPI controller’s primary and secondary channel.
Optimizing Optimizing Audio Performance Multi Processing When Multi Processing is activated and there is more than one CPU in your system, the processing load is distributed evenly to all available CPUs, allowing Cubase to make full use of the combined power of the multiple processors. • To activate Multi Processing, select Devices > Device Setup, select VST Audio System, and activate Multi Processing. VST Performance Window This window shows the audio processing load and the hard disk transfer rate.
Optimizing Optimizing Audio Performance NOTE You can show a simple view of the performance meter on the Transport panel and on the Project window toolbar. These meters only feature the average and the disk indicator. ASIO-Guard The ASIO-Guard allows you to shift as much processing as possible from the ASIO realtime path to the ASIO-Guard processing path. This results in a more stable system.
Optimizing Optimizing Audio Performance 3. Activate the Activate ASIO-Guard option. NOTE This option is only available, if you activate Multi Processing. 4. Select an ASIO-Guard Level. The higher the level, the higher the processing stability and audio processing performance. However, higher levels also lead to an increased ASIO-Guard latency and memory usage.
Preferences The Preferences dialog provides options and settings that control the global behavior of the program. Preferences Dialog The Preferences dialog is divided into a navigation list and a settings page. Clicking one of the entries in the navigation list opens a settings page. • To open the Preferences dialog, select File > Preferences. In addition to the settings, the dialog provides the following options: Preference Presets Allows you to select a saved preference preset.
Preferences Preferences Dialog Delete Allows you to delete a preset. Store marked preferences only Allows you to select which pages are included in the preset. Help Opens the dialog help. Defaults Resets the options on the active page to their default settings. Apply Applies any changes that you have made without closing the dialog. OK Applies any changes that you have made and close the dialog. Cancel Closes the dialog without saving any changes.
Preferences Appearance 3. Activate Store marked preferences only. In the preferences list a Store column is shown. 4. Click in the Store column of the preference pages that you want to save. 5. Click Store in the lower left section of the dialog. 6. Enter a preset name and click OK. RESULT Your settings are now available from the Preferences Presets pop-up menu. Appearance Colors This page features subpages that allow you to change the default color settings.
Preferences Editing MixConsole Channel Strip Allows you to adjust the default colors for the channel strips in the MixConsole. Editing Select Track on Background Click This allows you to select a track by clicking in the event display background. Auto Select Events under Cursor If this option is activated, all events in the Project window or in an editor that are currently touched by the project cursor are automatically selected.
Preferences Editing • When this option is deactivated and an event/part is selected in the Project window however, the up/down arrow keys still step through the tracks in the track list. Only on the currently selected track, the first event/part will also be selected. • When this option is activated, the up/down arrow keys are only used to change the track selection – the current event/part selection in the Project window will not be altered.
Preferences Editing Drag Delay When you click and drag an event, this setting determines the delay before the event is moved. This helps you avoid accidentally moving events when you click on them in the Project window. Editing - Audio Treat Muted Audio Events like Deleted If you have two overlapping audio events in your project and you mute the top one (the event you hear during playback), playback of the other (obscured) event will still only start at the end of the overlapping section.
Preferences Editing On Processing Shared Clips This setting determines what happens when you apply processing to a shared clip, that is a clip that is used by more than one event in the project: • Open Options Dialog An Options dialog appears, allowing you to select whether you want to create a new version of the clip or apply the processing to the existing clip.
Preferences Editing Knob Mode The menu contains the following options: • Circular To move an encoder, click on it and drag in a circular motion, such as turning a real encoder. When you click anywhere along the encoder’s edge, the setting is immediately changed. • Relative Circular Works like the Circular option, but clicking does not automatically change the setting. This means you can make adjustments to the current setting by clicking anywhere on an encoder and dragging.
Preferences Editing Legato Overlap Determines the result of the Legato function on the MIDI menu. • If Legato Overlap is set to 0 Ticks, the Legato function extends each selected note so that it reaches the next note exactly. • Setting Legato Overlap to a positive value causes the notes to overlap by the specified number of ticks. • Setting Legato Overlap to a negative value makes the Legato function leave a slight gap between the notes.
Preferences Editing Editing - Project & MixConsole Select Channel/Track on Solo When you activate this option, a track in the track list or a channel in the MixConsole automatically gets selected when the Solo button is activated. Deactivating this option always keeps the current selection status, regardless of the solo setting for the tracks.
Preferences Editing Editing - Tool Modifiers On this page you can specify which modifier keys are used for additional functionality when using tools. PROCEDURE 1. Select an option in the Categories list. 2. Select the action for which you want to edit the modifier key in the Action list. 3. On your computer keyboard, hold down the modifier keys and click Assign. RESULT The current modifier key(s) for the action is replaced.
Preferences Event Display Pop-up Toolbox on Right-Click If this is activated, the toolbox opens on right-click in the event display and editors. You can change the number of rows in which the tools are arranged on the toolbox. Keep the right mouse button pressed until the mouse pointer changes to a double arrow and drag to the bottom or right. • To open the context menu instead of the toolbox, press any modifier key when right-clicking.
Preferences Event Display Smallest Track Height To Show Data Specifies from which track height the track contents are displayed. Smallest Track Height To Show Name Specifies from which track height the track names are displayed. Event Display - Audio Interpolate Audio Waveforms If you have zoomed in to one sample per pixel or less, the appearance of the samples depends on this setting. If the option is deactivated, single sample values are drawn as steps.
Preferences Event Display Event Display - MIDI Default Edit Action Determines which editor is opened when you double-click a MIDI part or when you select it and press [Ctrl]/[Command]-[E]. Note that this setting is overwritten for tracks with drum maps if the Edit as Drums when Drum Map is assigned option is activated. Part Data Mode Determines if and how events in MIDI parts are shown: not shown, as lines, as score notes, as drum notes, or as blocks.
Preferences General Event Display - Tracks Colorize Track Controls This slider allows you apply the track color to the track controls. Drag the slider to the right to intensify the color. Colorize Only Folder Track Controls Activate this to restrict the effect of the Colorize Track Control function to folder tracks only. This is useful in projects with a large number of tracks and folder tracks. Default Track Name Width Allows you to determine the default name width for all track types.
Preferences General Auto Save Interval Allows you to specify how often a backup copy is created. Maximum Backup Files Allows you to specify how many backup files will be created with the Auto Save function. When the maximum number of backup files is reached, the existing files will be overwritten (starting with the oldest file). Show Tips If this is activated and you position the pointer over an icon or button in Cubase, an explanatory tooltip is displayed after a second.
Preferences MIDI MIDI This page contains settings that affect MIDI recording and playback. MIDI Thru Active If this is activated, all MIDI tracks that are record enabled or have monitoring activated will “echo” incoming MIDI data, sending it back out on their respective MIDI outputs and channels. This allows you to hear the correct sound from your MIDI instrument during recording. NOTE If you use MIDI Thru, select Local Off mode on your MIDI instrument to prevent each note from sounding twice.
Preferences MIDI MIDI Max. Feedback in ms This allows you to set the maximum length of the notes when using Acoustic Feedback in MIDI editors. MIDI - MIDI File Export Options These options allow you to specify what data is included in exported MIDI files.
Preferences MIDI Export as Type 0 If this is activated, the MIDI file will be of Type 0 (all data on a single track, but on different MIDI channels). If you do not check this option, the MIDI file will be of Type 1 (data on separate tracks). Which type to choose depends on what you want to do with the MIDI file (in which application or sequencer it is to be used). Export Resolution You can specify a MIDI resolution between 24 and 960 for the MIDI file.
Preferences MIDI Import Controller as Automation Tracks If this is activated, MIDI controller events in the MIDI file will be converted to automation data for the MIDI tracks. If this is deactivated, controller data for the MIDI parts will be imported. Import to Left Locator If this is activated, the imported MIDI file will be placed so that it starts at the position of the left locator - otherwise it will start at the beginning of the project.
Preferences MediaBay Import Karaoke Lyrics as Text Activate this to convert karaoke lyrics in the MIDI file to text that can be displayed in the Score Editor. If this is deactivated, lyrics are only shown in the List Editor. MIDI - MIDI Filter This page allows you to prevent certain MIDI messages from being recorded and/or echoed by the MIDI Thru function (thruput).
Preferences Metering Show File Extensions in Results List Activate this to display file name extensions in the Results list. Scan Folders only when MediaBay is open Activate this to scan Cubase for media files when the MediaBay window is open. Otherwise, the folders are scanned in the background even when the MediaBay window is closed. NOTE During playing back or recording no folder scans are performed.
Preferences Record To adjust the levels and colors, activate the channel meter or master meter option and proceed as follows: • To specify the level for a color change, double-click a handle to the right of the meter scale and enter the level (dB) value. Note that for dB values less than 0, you must add a minus sign before the entered number. You can also click a handle and drag it to a specific level. Press [Shift] for more accurate positioning. Alternatively, you can nudge with the Arrow Up/Down keys.
Preferences Record Create Audio Images During Record If this option is activated, Cubase calculates the waveform image and displays it during the actual recording process. NOTE This realtime calculation uses some extra processing power. Record - Audio - Broadcast Wave This page allows you to specify the Description, Author, and Reference text strings that are embedded in recorded Broadcast Wave files.
Preferences Transport Use the “Retrospective Record Buffer Size” setting to determine how much MIDI data can be captured in the buffer. ASIO Latency Compensation Active by Default This determines the initial state of the “ASIO Latency Compensation” button in the track list for MIDI or instrument tracks. If you record live on a VST instrument, you usually compensate the latency of your audio card by playing too early. In consequence, the timestamps are recorded too early.
Preferences Transport Return to Start Position on Stop If this option is activated and you stop playback, the project cursor automatically returns to the position where recording or playback last started. If this option is deactivated and you stop playback, the project cursor remains at the position where you stop playback. If you click Stop again, the project cursor returns to the position where recording or playback last started.
Preferences VST Show Timecode Subframes If this is activated, all frame based display formats (“.fps” and “.dfps”) will also show subframes. There are 80 subframes per frame. Stationary Cursors If this option is activated, the Project cursor will be positioned in the middle of the screen (if possible), and the window will scroll continuously during playback (instead of moving from one “page” to the next).
Preferences VST Default Send Level This allows you to specify a default level for your send effects. Group Channels: Mute Sources as well By default, when you mute a group channel no audio will pass through the group. However, other channels that are routed directly to that group channel will remain unmuted. If any of those channels have cue sends routed to other group channels, FX channels or output busses, those will still be heard.
Preferences VST • While Record Running This option switches to input monitoring only during recording. • Tapemachine Style This option emulates standard tapemachine behavior: input monitoring in Stop mode and during recording, but not during playback. NOTE The automatic monitoring options apply when you are monitoring through Cubase, or when you are using ASIO Direct Monitoring.
Preferences Video Suspend VST3 plug-in processing when no audio signals are received When this is activated, VST plug-ins will not consume any CPU power during “silent” passages, i. e. when no audio is passing through them. This can improve system performance noticeably. NOTE Note however that this might lead to situations where you loaded more plug-ins in Stop mode than the system will be able to play back simultaneously.
Index A ACID® loops 296 Acoustic feedback 436 Activate Project 53 ADAT Lightpipe 567 Add Track 91 Add Track dialog 91 Adding chords 508 AES/SPDIF Digital Audio 567 AIFF files 557 Algorithms Sample Editor 296 Time stretching 279 Aligning file and project attributes Pool 333 All MIDI Inputs 15 Appearance Colors 647 Metering 666 Applying Track Presets 103 Archive Prepare 56 Arranger track 72 Arranger tracks Adding 184 Creating a chain 185 Flattening 189 Renaming events 184 ASCII display Editing byte values 50
Index Automation About 359 Data 361 Jump curves 360 Ramp curves 360 Read 360 Recording actions 359 Static value line 360 Write 360 Writing 359 Automation data Adjusting curves 365 Editing 364 Removing 365 Selecting 364 Automation follows Events 648 Automation Reduction Level 648 Automation tracks About 366 Assigning parameters 367 Hiding 366 Muting 367 Removing 367 Showing 366 Auto-Scroll Crossfades 180 Sample Editor 282 B Back up Project 56 Background Color Modulation 657 Bank assignments 416 Basic chord
Index Coloring Events 436 Note events 436 Coloring tracks 93 Colorize Track Controls 659 Colors Customizing 629 Preferences 647 Compressor Strip module 228 Connect Sends automatically for each newly created Channel 671 Connecting Audio 8 MIDI 14 Constrain Delay Compensation 378 Contiguous note events 452 Continuous controllers Controller display 461 Controller lane 466 Control link 214 Controller Brightness 658 Controller curves Smart controls for scaling 468 Controller display 460 Adding events 463 Contin
Index Effects About 240 Comparing settings 252 Control panel 252 Converting earlier presets 257 Copying presets 257 Default presets 256 Dithering 245 Earlier presets 257 Exporting plug-in information files 260 Extracting insert effect settings from track presets 259 Insert effects 240, 242 Managing plug-ins 260 Offline 240 Pasting presets 257 Plug-in delay compensation 241 Plug-in information window 259 Pre/Post fader sends 251 Presets 253 Presets browser 254 Routing 250 Saving insert presets 258 Saving pr
Index Group channels Adding insert effects 246 Routing 222 Group Channels - Mute Sources as well 671 H Hardware controls Activating pick-up mode 375 Hardware setup Control panel 9 Hermode tuning 407 Hide muted Notes in Editors 655 Hide Truncated Event Names 656 Hitpoints About 297 Beats pop-up menu 299 Creating events 305 Creating markers 304 Creating regions 294, 305 Slicing audio 303 HMT Follow 407 Use for Analysis 407 I Importing Audio from video files 620 MIDI files 622 MPEG files 621, 622 Ogg Vorbis
Index Marker window About 198 Functions 199 Marker list 199 Markers About 196 Creating from hitpoints 304 Cycle markers 196 Exporting 204 Exporting via MIDI 205 Importing 204 Importing via MIDI 204 Position markers 196 Maximum Backup Files 659 Maximum Items in Results List 665 Maximum Undo Steps 659 MediaBay About 334 Attribute filtering 350 Defining locations 336, 339 Filtering 350 Hiding sections 335 Key commands 353 Preferences 352 Previewing 345 Scanning operations 336 Selecting locations 339 Showing s
Index MixConsole 206 Channel linking 214 Channel overview 206 Channel racks 211 Channel selector 209 Channel types 211 Configuring 208 EQ presets 228 Equalizer curve 206 Fader section 217 FX chain presets 225 Hiding channels 208 Level meters 219 Mute 218 Notepad 238 Opening 206 Panning 218 Pre rack 222 Racks 220 Sections 206 Set up window layout 208 Setting volume 219 Solo 218 Solo Defeat 218 Strip presets 235 Visibility tab 209 Zoom tools 208 Modifier keys 607 Monitoring 149 About 13 ASIO Direct Monitorin
Index Plug-in Manager 383 Collections 384 Window 384 Plug-ins Installing 382 Managing 382 Poly Pressure events 467 Polyphony Restricting 431 Pool Aligning file and project attributes 333 Applying different processing methods 318 Audio processing 330 Auditioning key commands 326 Automatically generating new audio clips 333 Clip editing 326 Designating a new pool record folder 329 Inserting and finding media 324 Managing large sound databases 323 Organizing files in subfolders 330 Reducing the project size 3
Index ReCycle files 620 Reducing the project size Pool 331 Reference file Pool 313 Regions About 123, 293 Auditioning 294 Creating 293 Creating from hitpoints 294, 305 Creating with Detect Silence 275 Editing 294 Event or Range as Region 123 Events from Regions 123 Exporting as audio files 295 Removing 293 Remote control Key commands 391 Setting up 388 Writing automation 391 Remote Controllers Connecting with Quick Controls 374 Remove Empty Tracks 92 Remove Regions/Hitpoints on all Offline Processes 650 Re
Index Show Overlaps 656 Show Scales 511 Show Timecode Subframes 669 Show Tips 659 Show Track Pictures 94 Show Waveforms 657 Show/hide columns Pool 317 Silence 270 Inserting 128 Simple Crossfade Editor 180 Single Voice Follow Chord Track 516 Slices About 297 Creating 303 Slider Mode 651 Smallest Track Height To Show Data 656 Smallest Track Height To Show Name 656 Snap 440 About 39 Sample Editor 282 Zero crossings (Sample Editor) 282 Snap MIDI Parts to Bars 668 Snap point Setting 39 Setting in Sample Editor
Index Tracks About 59 Adding 91 Arranger 72 Audio 59 Chord 73 Coloring 93 Customizing track controls 88 Disabling audio tracks 98 Duplicating 98 Folder 79 FX Channel 75 Group Channel 81 Instrument 64 Marker 85 MIDI 68 Moving 92 Removing 92 Renaming 93 Ruler 86 Selecting 97 Video 87 Transformer Strip module 228 Transport menu Functions 133 Playback options 133 Transport panel Display format 138 Hiding 129 Overview 129 Sections 129 Showing 129 Transpose MIDI function 422 MIDI Modifier 407 Treat Muted Audio E
Index Z Zero crossings Snap function 282 Zoom Project window 35 Zoom Tool Standard Mode Horizontal Zooming Only 655 Zoom while Locating in Time Scale 669 Zooming Sample Editor 286 To cycle markers 197 Zooming tracks 96 686
