Menu Reference
Revision and Quality Control: Cristina Bachmann, Marion Bröer, Heiko Bischoff, Sabine Pfeifer 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. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media except as specifically allowed in the License Agreement.
1 Menu Reference
Introduction File menu This manual lists all main menu items in Cubase Essential for quick reference. For any further information, please refer to the Operation Manual. New Project This item allows you to create a new untitled project. A list appears, allowing you to select an empty project or a project template. The factory templates are preconfigured setups to suit various types of projects. A project can be saved as a template, and will then appear on this list.
Import • You can choose to minimize audio files. This will crop files based on the audio clips referenced in the project. As the clips used in the project may be references to much larger audio files, this can reduce the project size significantly. Option Description Audio File… This command lets you import audio files directly into a project. The imported file will be placed at the current cursor position of the selected audio track.
Edit menu Key Commands… The Key Commands dialog allows you to specify key commands for virtually any Cubase Essential function, as well as customize existing key commands to your liking. Use the Help button in the dialog for information about the items in the dialog. Undo/Redo Cubase Essential offers wide-ranging, multiple Undo, allowing you to undo virtually any action you perform.
Split at Cursor Select This splits selected events at the cursor position. If no events are selected, all events on all tracks intersected by the cursor will be split. The items on this submenu have different functions, depending on whether the regular event selection tool (Arrow tool) or the Range Selection tool is selected: Split Loop Event selection This splits all events at the left and right locator positions. Option Description All Selects all events in the window.
Duplicate/Repeat… Group/Ungroup • Duplicate creates a copy of the selected event and places it directly after the original. You can group several events so that they are treated as a single unit, meaning that if you edit one of the grouped events, all other events in the group are affected as well. If several events are selected, all of these are copied “as one unit”, maintaining the relative distance between the events. Similarly, you can ungroup the events by selecting “Ungroup”.
Project menu Auto Select Events under Cursor This option can also be activated in the Preferences (Editing page). It is, however, also available on the Edit menu for quick activation and deactivation. When activated, all events on the selected track(s) that are “touched” by the project cursor are automatically selected. Add Track Select a track type from the Add Track submenu to add a new track. The “Browse Sounds…” option opens a dialog in which you can search for track presets or VST presets.
Auto Fades Settings… Option Description This opens the Auto Fades dialog, where you can specify various fade options. Use the Help button in the dialog for details. Stereo Flip This function works with stereo audio selections only. It allows you to manipulate the left and right channel in various ways. Time Stretch This function allows you to change the length and “tempo” of the selected audio, without affecting the pitch.
Events to Part Remove Fades This allows you to create a part from selected audio events. This will remove any fades or crossfades from a selected event. Dissolve Part Open Fade Editor(s) This menu item dissolves a selected audio part and makes any audio events it contains appear as independent objects on the track. This opens the Fade dialog for a selected event. Note that this will open two dialogs if the event has both fade-in and fade-out curves.
Over Quantize Dissolve Part Quantizing is a function that automatically moves recorded notes, positioning them on exact note values. This quantizes the selected MIDI parts or notes, according to the current Quantize pop-up menu setting. This item has two uses: Iterative Quantize • To separate MIDI events according to pitch. • To separate events according to MIDI channel when a MIDI Part contains events on different channels (MIDI channel “Any”).
Option Media menu Description Delete Overlaps This function allows you to make sure that no two notes (mono) of the same pitch overlap (i.e. that one starts before the other ends). Overlapping notes of the same pitch can confuse some MIDI instruments (a new Note On is transmitted before the Note Off is transmitted). This command can then be used to automatically rectify the problem. Open Pool Window Opens the Pool.
Reconstruct Set Pool Record Folder If a missing file cannot be found (e.g. if you have accidentally deleted it from the hard disk), it will normally be indicated with a question mark in the Status column in the Pool. However, if the missing file is an edit file (a file created when you process audio, stored in the Edits folder within the project folder), it may be possible for the program to reconstruct it by recreating the editing to the original audio file.
Transport menu Play until Next Marker Transport Panel This will activate playback from the current project cursor position to the next marker and stop. This opens the Transport panel. Play Selection Range Locators to Selection This will play back the current selection range and stop at the end. This will set the locators to encompass the current selection or selection range. Loop Selection Locate Selection This will loop playback of the current selection range.
Use External Sync VST Instruments Activates synchronization. Opens the VST Instruments window, where you can select up to 16 VST Instruments. When a VST Instrument has been selected for a slot in the window, the corresponding instrument is selectable as a destination on the MIDI output pop-up for MIDI and Instrument tracks. Retrospective Record Performs retrospective MIDI recording.
Window menu Help menu Close Documentation (Acrobat PDF format) Closes the currently active window. If the active window is a Project window, the project will be closed. Ö To read these documents, you need to have a suitable PDF reader application. An installer for Adobe Reader ist provided on the program DVD. Close All Closes all windows including all open projects. Minimize All Minimizes all windows. Restore All Restores all minimized Cubase Essential windows.
