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 11 11 11 12 13 Introduction About the Program Versions About the Help and the Documentation Conventions Key Commands 15 Part I - Getting into the Details 16 16 22 23 24 Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio Setting Up MIDI Connecting a Synchronizer Setting Up Video 25 25 32 43 VST Connections VST Connections Window Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs Adding Input and Output Busses Adding Child Busses (Cubase Pro only) Presets for Input and Output Busses Adding Group and FX
136 136 139 139 140 140 141 143 144 145 145 146 147 147 148 149 149 153 154 163 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 Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks Handling Overlapping Audio Track Folding How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks Working with Lanes Defining the Track Time Base TrackVer
308 311 311 313 315 322 323 323 326 334 337 338 339 344 368 370 370 MixConsole Setting Up the MixConsole MixConsole Toolbar Functions Menu Configuring the MixConsole Synchronizing Channel and Track Visibility Finding Channels Linking Channels VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) Metering (Cubase Pro only) Input Levels Copying and Moving Rack and Channel Settings Fader Section Working with Channel Racks Using Channel Settings Adding Notes to a MixConsole Channel Keyboard Navigation 372 372 373 373 374 376 383 386
486 486 487 487 489 490 492 495 495 Tempo Matching Audio Algorithm Presets Stretching Audio Events to the Project Tempo Musical Mode Auto Adjust Manual Adjust Free Warp Flattening Realtime Processing Unstretching Audio Files 496 496 497 498 499 505 509 513 515 516 519 519 VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) VariAudio and Offline Processes Segmenting Monophonic Audio Segments and Gaps Manual Editing of Segments Pitch Changes Micro-Pitch Changes Timing Modifications Reset Functions Extracting MIDI from Audio Flatt
685 685 694 Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling About Device panels (Cubase Pro only) 698 698 699 699 700 703 705 705 706 MIDI Processing MIDI functions vs.
931 931 931 932 934 935 942 944 945 947 947 947 949 950 951 Editing Tempo and Time Signature Project Tempo Modes Track Time Base Tempo Track Editor Tempo Track Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects Setting up a Fixed Project Tempo Beat Calculator Tempo Detection (Cubase Pro only) Exporting a Tempo Track (Cubase Pro only) Importing a Tempo Track (Cubase Pro only) Process Tempo (Cubase Pro only) Process Bars (Cubase Pro only) Time Warp (Cubase Pro only) Set Definition From Tempo 953 953 955 Project Browser
1131 1131 1131 1132 1133 1133 1133 1135 1136 1136 1137 1141 1141 1142 1150 1151 1151 1152 1153 The basics About this chapter Preparations Opening the Score Editor The project cursor Playing back and recording Page Mode Changing the zoom factor The active staff Making page setup settings Designing your work space About the Score Editor context menus About dialogs in the Score Editor Setting clef, key, and time signature Transposing instruments Printing from the Score Editor Exporting pages as image files Wo
1240 1240 1240 1242 1246 1246 1258 1260 1265 1267 1267 1267 1268 Working with symbols About this chapter Background: The different layers The Symbols Inspector Important! – Symbols, staves, and voices Adding symbols to the score Selecting symbols Moving and duplicating symbols Changing length, size, and shape Deleting symbols Copy and paste Alignment Symbol details 1280 1280 1280 1283 Working with chords About this chapter Inserting chord symbols Global chord settings 1285 1285 1285 1290 1298 Working w
Introduction The documentation covers the following Steinberg products: Cubase Pro and Cubase Artist. Functions that are only available in Cubase Pro and not in Cubase Artist, are clearly indicated. The screenshots are taken from Cubase Pro. About the Program Versions The documentation covers the operating systems Windows and Mac OS X. Features and settings that are specific to one of these platforms are clearly indicated.
Introduction Conventions • System requirements, installation procedure, and license activation. • Setting up your system for audio and MIDI work. Operation Manual The main reference documentation, with detailed descriptions of operations, parameters, functions, and techniques. Remote Control Devices Lists the supported MIDI remote control devices. Plug-in Reference Describes the features and parameters of the included VST plug-ins, VST instruments, and MIDI effects.
Introduction Key Commands IMPORTANT Informs you about issues that might affect the system, the connected hardware, or that might bring a risk of data loss. NOTE Informs you about issues that you should consider. EXAMPLE Provides you with an example. RESULT Shows the result of the procedure. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Informs you about actions or tasks that you can undertake after completing the procedure. RELATED LINKS Lists related topics that you can find in this documentation.
Introduction Key Commands • [Win modifier key]/[Mac modifier key]-[key] EXAMPLE [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Z] signifies: press [Ctrl] on Windows or [Command] on Mac OS X, then press [Z]. Similarly, [Alt]/[Option]-[X] signifies: press [Alt] on Windows or [Option] on Mac OS X, then press [X].
Part I - Getting into the Details 15
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio IMPORTANT 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 Offset Allows you to adjust the output or input latency time if a constant offset is audible during playback of audio and MIDI recordings. 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 Using Several Audio Applications Simultaneously If you want to use several audio applications simultaneously, you must allow other applications to play back via your audio hardware even though Cubase is running. PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > Devices Setup. 2. In the devices list, select the VST Audio System page. 3. Activate Release Driver when Application is in Background. RESULT The application that is active gets access to the audio hardware.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Audio • Setting levels for each input. • Setting levels for the outputs so that they match the equipment that you use for monitoring. • Selecting digital input and output formats. • Making settings for the audio buffers. In most cases, the settings for the audio hardware are gathered on a control panel that can be opened from within Cubase or separately, when Cubase is not running. For details, refer to the audio hardware documentation.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up MIDI About Monitoring In Cubase, monitoring means listening to the input signal while preparing to record or while recording. The following ways of monitoring are available. • Externally by listening to the signal before it reaches Cubase. • Via Cubase. • By using ASIO Direct Monitoring. This is a combination of the other methods.
Setting Up Your System Connecting a Synchronizer Showing or Hiding MIDI Ports You can specify if a MIDI port is listed on the MIDI pop-up menus in the program. PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > Device Setup. 2. In the Device Setup dialog, select MIDI Port Setup from the Devices list on the left. 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.
Setting Up Your System Setting Up Video IMPORTANT MPORTANT Make sure that all equipment is turned off before making any connections. For information on how to connect and set up your synchronizer, refer to the documentation of your synchronizer. RELATED LINKS Synchronization on page 980 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.
VST Connections To play back and record in Cubase, you must set up input and output busses in the VST Connections window. Here, you can also set up group and FX channels, external effects, external instruments, and the Control Room (Cubase Pro only). The bus types that you need depend on your audio hardware, on your general audio setup, for example your surround speaker setup, and on the projects that you use.
VST Connections VST Connections Window Presets Opens the Presets menu, where you can select bus configuration presets. The Store button allows you to save a bus configuration as preset. The deletes the selected preset. Delete button 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, surround formats (Cubase Pro only)) of each bus.
VST Connections VST Connections Window Add Group Opens the Add Group Channel Track dialog, where you can create a new group channel track. Add FX Opens the Add FX Channel Track dialog, where you can create a new FX channel track. 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, surround formats (Cubase Pro only)) of each bus.
VST Connections VST Connections Window Speakers Indicates the speaker configuration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase Pro only)) of each bus. Audio Device Shows the 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. If the bus entry is collapsed, only the first port that is used by this bus is visible. The Device Port pop-up menu displays how many busses are connected to a given port.
VST Connections VST Connections Window External Instruments Tab (Cubase Pro only) This tab allows you to create input/output busses that can be used to connect external instruments. The following options are available above the bus list: +- All Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list. Add External Instrument Opens the Add External Instrument dialog, where you can configure a new external instrument. Favorites Lets you store external instrument configurations as favorites that you can recall.
VST Connections VST Connections Window Delay Allows you to enter a value to compensate for an inherent delay (latency) of your hardware effect device during playback. You can right-click the Delay column for the instrument and select Check User Delay to automatically determine the delay value that is used for delay compensation. NOTE The latency of the audio hardware is handled automatically by Cubase. Return Gain Allows you to adjust the level of the signal coming in from the external instrument.
VST Connections VST Connections Window • Talkback • Cue • Headphone • Monitor Presets Opens the Presets menu, where you can select bus configuration presets. The Store button allows you to save a bus configuration as preset. The deletes the selected preset. Delete button Control Room Activates/Deactivates the Control Room. Control Room Mixer Opens the Control Room Mixer window, where you can set up the Control Room. Configuration Displays the selected channel configuration.
VST Connections Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs Before you set up busses, you should rename the default inputs and outputs of your audio hardware. This allows transferring projects between different computers and setups. For example, if you move your project to another studio, the audio hardware may be of a different model.
VST Connections Adding Input and Output Busses Activating and Deactivating Ports (Mac only) On Mac operating systems, you can specify which input and output ports are active. This allows you to use the microphone input instead of the line input or to deactivate the audio card input or output. NOTE This function is only available for built-in audio, standard USB audio devices, and a certain number of other audio cards. PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > Device Setup. 2.
VST Connections Adding Child Busses (Cubase Pro only) Setting the Default Output Bus (Main Mix) The Main Mix is the default output bus to which each new audio, group, or FX channel is automatically routed. If only one bus is available, this bus is automatically used as the default output bus. PREREQUISITE Add an output bus. PROCEDURE 1. In the VST Connections dialog, right-click the output bus that you want to use as default output bus. 2. Select Set as Main Mix.
VST Connections Presets for Input and Output Busses 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. NOTE You can create default presets for input and output bus configurations. If you create a new empty project, these default presets are applied. To create default presets, save your preferred input and output bus configurations under the name Default.
VST Connections Adding Group and FX Channels Adding Group and FX Channels Group channels and FX channels allow you to group bus configurations. Adding group and FX channels in the VST Connections window is identical to creating group channel tracks or FX channel tracks in the Project window. PROCEDURE 1. In the VST Connections dialog, click the Group/FX tab. 2. Do one of the following: • To create a group channel, click Add Group. • To create an FX channel, click Add FX. 3. Configure the channel.
VST Connections External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro only) Requirements • To use external effects, you need audio hardware with multiple inputs and outputs. An external effect requires at least one input and one output or input/output pairs for stereo effects in addition to the input/output ports that you use for recording and monitoring. • To use external instruments, a MIDI interface must be connected to your computer. • Audio hardware with low-latency drivers.
VST Connections External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro only) You can also select MIDI Devices > Create Device and create a new MIDI device association. NOTE Delay compensation is only applied for the effect when you use MIDI devices. 5. Click OK. This adds a new external FX bus. 6. Click in the Device Port column for the left and right ports of the send bus and select the outputs of your audio hardware that you want to use. 7.
VST Connections External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro only) 3. Select an external effect from the External Plug-ins submenu. External effects are indicated by an x icon in the list next to their names in the Select Insert pop-up menu. RESULT The external FX bus is loaded into the effect slot. A parameter window opens, showing the Delay, Send Gain, and Return Gain settings for the external FX bus. You can adjust these settings while playing back.
VST Connections External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro only) Send Gain Allows you to adjust the send gain for the external effect. Return Gain Allows you to adjust the return gain for the external effect. Setting Up External Instruments PROCEDURE 1. In the VST Connections window, click the External Instruments tab. 2. Click Add External Instrument. 3. In the Add External Instrument dialog, enter a name for the external instrument and specify the number of required mono and/or stereo returns.
VST Connections External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro only) 4. Click Add Track. RESULT The external instrument is added to the VST instruments list. A parameter window for the external instrument opens. This can either be the device window that allows you to create a generic device panel, an OPT editor window, or a default editor. External Instruments Parameter Window This window allows you to make delay and gain settings for the selected external instrument.
VST Connections External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro only) Sending MIDI Notes to External Instruments PREREQUISITE Set up your external instruments in the VST Connections window and add a MIDI track. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector, open the Output Routing pop-up menu for the corresponding MIDI track. 2. Select the MIDI device to which the external instrument is connected.
VST Connections Editing the Bus Configurations When freezing external instruments or effects, you can adjust the corresponding Tail Size value in the Freeze Channel Options dialog. When the Tail Size is set to 0 s, freezing only takes into account the data within the part boundaries.
VST Connections Editing the Bus Configurations Removing Busses PROCEDURE • In the VST Connections window, right-click a bus in the list and select Remove Bus. You can also select the bus and press [Backspace]. Changing Port Assignments You can change the port assignment of busses in the VST Connection window. • To change a port assignment, click in the Device Port column of a bus and select a new port.
VST Connections Editing the Bus Configurations NOTE You can begin renaming from any position in the list. The renaming starts from the bus where you edit the name, goes down the list to the bottom, and then continues from the top until all selected busses have been renamed. Identifying Exclusive Port Assignments For certain channel types, the port assignment is exclusive.
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 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) Global Track Controls Shows the global track controls. 7) Track List Shows the tracks and their controls. 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 VST Instruments and the MediaBay.
Project Window Toolbar NOTE You can also open the different sections of the Project window by clicking Set up Window Layout in the toolbar and activating the corresponding options. Toolbar The toolbar holds tools and shortcuts for opening other windows and various project settings and functions. • To display all toolbar elements, right-click in an empty area of the toolbar and select Show All. The following options are available: Activate Project Allows you to activate a project.
Project Window Toolbar Arranger Controls Shows the controls for the arranger track. Time Display Shows the time display. Markers Shows the marker buttons. Tool Buttons Shows the buttons for editing in the Project window. Color Menu Allows you to define the Project window colors. Nudge Palette Allows you to nudge or trim events or parts. Project Root Key Allows you to change the root key of the project.
Project Window Status Line 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. Status Line The status line shows the most important project settings.
Project Window Info Line Project Pan Law Displays the current pan law setting. Click in this field to open the Project Setup dialog. Info Line The info line shows information about the 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 In the overview line, events and parts are displayed as boxes. A rectangle indicates the section of the project that is displayed in the event display. • To zoom the event display in or out horizontally, resize the rectangle by dragging the edges. • To navigate to another section of the event display, drag the rectangle to the left or right, or click in the upper part of the overview. Ruler The ruler shows the timeline and the display format of the project.
Project Window Inspector The following options are available: Bars+Beats Bars, beats, sixteenth notes, and ticks. By default, there are 120 ticks per sixteenth note. To change this, open the Preferences dialog, select MIDI, and adjust the MIDI Display Resolution setting. Seconds Hours, minutes, seconds, and milliseconds. 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.
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 Inspector VCA Fader Track Inspector on page 130 Video Track Inspector on page 132 Setting Up Inspector Sections You can set up the visible Inspector sections for all tracks of the selected track type. • To open the Audio Track Inspector Settings dialog, click the Open Inspector Settings Dialog button at the bottom right of the Inspector. Hidden Items This section displays sections hidden in the Inspector. Visible Items This section displays sections visible in the Inspector.
Project Window Global Track Controls Reset All Allows you to restore all default Inspector section settings. Global Track Controls The global track controls area above the track list allows you to manage the tracks in the track list. 1) Filter Track Types Allows you to determine which track types are shown in the track list. 2) Number of Visible Tracks Displays how many tracks are hidden. Click this, to show all tracks that are filtered out on the Visibility Inspector tab.
Project Window Global Track Controls Filtering Track Types PROCEDURE 1. Click Filter Track Types above the track list. This opens the track types filter. 2. Click a dot to the left of a track type to hide it. RESULT Tracks of the filtered type are removed from the track list and the color of the Filter Track Types button changes to indicate that a track type is hidden. Finding Tracks The Find Tracks function allows you to find specific tracks.
Project Window Visibility Visibility The Visibility tab in the Inspector allows you to determine which individual tracks are shown in the track list. • To open the Visibility tab, click its tab in the Inspector. Showing/Hiding Individual Tracks The Visibility tab shows a list of all current tracks. On this tab, you can show and hide individual tracks. • To show or hide a track in the track list, click a dot to the left of a track.
Project Window Track List Synchronizing Track and Channel Visibility You can synchronize the track visibility in the Project window with the channel visibility in the MixConsole. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector, open the Visibility tab and click the dot to open the Sync Track/Channel Visibility menu. 2. Select Sync Project and MixConsole to synchronize the track visibility with the channel visibility.
Project Window Event Display Dividing the Track List You can divide the track list into an upper track list and a lower track list. These track lists can have independent zoom and scroll controls. Dividing the track list is useful if you are working with a video track and multi-track audio, for example. It allows you to place the video track in the upper track list and to scroll the audio tracks separately in the lower track list, so that they can be arranged with the video.
Project Window Racks 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. • Click the VST Instruments tab to add and edit VST instruments from within the rack zone of the project window.
Project Window Zooming in the Project Window If this option is activated and you drag a selection rectangle with the Zoom tool, the window is only zoomed horizontally, the track height does not change. If the option is deactivated, the window is zoomed both horizontally and vertically. • When you are using the vertical zoom sliders, the tracks are scaled relatively. If you have made any individual track height adjustments, the relative height differences are maintained.
Project Window Zooming in the Project Window 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. Zoom to Selection Zooms in horizontally and vertically so that the current selection fills the screen. Zoom to Selection (Horiz.) Zooms in horizontally so that the current selection fills the screen. Zoom to Event This option is available in the Sample Editor and in some MIDI editors.
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 IMPORTANT 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 You can set the snap point at any position of the audio event. PROCEDURE 1.
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 • To redo an action that was undone previously, move the line down the list again. RELATED LINKS Offline Process History on page 440 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. Open the Preferences dialog and select 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 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. • To choose another location, select Prompt for project location.
Project Handling Hub 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. NOTE Ensure that you have an active Internet connection to access this material. Projects section The Projects section lets you create new projects, which can either be empty or based on a template. It lets you specify where to save the projects.
Project Handling Project Assistant 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. RELATED LINKS Project Assistant on page 73 Deactivating Hub To start Cubase or to create new projects without Hub, you can deactivate it. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Preferences dialog. 2. Select General and deactivate Use Hub.
Project Handling About Project Files About Project Files A project file (extension *.cpr) is the central document in Cubase. A project file contains references to media data that can be saved in the project folder. NOTE We recommend to save files only in the project folder, even though you can save them in any other location to which you have access.
Project Handling About Template Files 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. PREREQUISITE Remove all clips from the Pool before you save the project as a template. This ensures that references to media data from the original project folder are deleted. PROCEDURE 1. Set up a project. 2. Select File > Save As Template. 3.
Project Handling Project Setup Dialog 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. • To open the Project Setup dialog automatically when you create a new project, open the Preferences dialog, select General, and activate the Run Setup on Create New Project option.
Project Handling Project Setup Dialog Start Allows you to specify the start time of the project in timecode format. This also determines the sync start position when synchronizing to external devices. Length Allows you to specify the length of the project. Frame Rate Allows you to specify the timecode standard and frame rate for the project. When synchronizing to an external device, this setting must correspond to the frame rate of any incoming timecode.
Project Handling Project Setup Dialog NOTE • When you record with effects, consider setting the bit resolution to 32 Bit Float. This prevents from clipping (digital distortion) in the recorded files and keeps the audio quality absolutely pristine. Effect processing and level or EQ changes in the input channel are done in 32 Bit Float format. If you record at 16 or 24 Bit, the audio will be converted to this lower resolution when it is written to a file. As a result, the signal may degrade.
Project Handling Opening Project Files Stereo Pan Law If you pan a channel left or right, the sum of the left and right side is higher (louder), than if this channel is panned center. These modes allow you to attenuate signals panned center. 0 dB turns off constant-power panning. Equal Power means that the power of the signal remains the same regardless of the pan setting. Volume Max Allows you to specify the maximum fader level. By default, this is set to +12 dB.
Project Handling Opening Project Files • To open the project without activating it, click No. This reduces load times for projects. RELATED LINKS Workspaces for External Projects on page 1059 Do not Connect Input/Output Busses When Loading External Projects (Cubase Pro only) on page 1119 Activating Projects If you have several projects opened at the same time in Cubase, only one project can be active.
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 The new file is saved with the same name as the original project and an attached incremental number. For example, if your project is called “My Project,” new versions are called “My Project-01”, “My Project-02”, and so on. Reverting to the Last Saved Version You can return to the last saved version and discard all changes that have been introduced. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Revert. 2. In the warning message, click Revert.
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 Toggle Time Base Switches between musical (tempo-related) and linear (time-related) time base for the track. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track. Show Lanes Divides the tracks in lanes. Freeze Audio Channel Allows you to freeze the audio channel. 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 Audio Tracks Chords Section Allows you to specify how the track follows the chord track. Inserts Section Allows you to add insert effects to the track. Strip Section Allows you to set up the channel strip modules.
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. Cue Sends Section (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to route cue mixes to Control Room cues.
Tracks Audio Tracks Direct Routing Section Allows you to set up direct routing. Surround Pan Section (Cubase Pro only) Shows the SurroundPanner for a track (if used). Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track.
Tracks Audio Tracks Device Panel Section (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to display and use device panels. Quick Controls Section Allows you to configure quick controls to use remote devices, for example. 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.
Tracks Instrument Tracks Monitor Routes incoming signals to the selected output. Toggle Time Base Switches between musical (tempo-related) and linear (time-related) time base for the track. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track. Show Lanes Divides the tracks in lanes. 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 Instrument Tracks The top section of the instrument 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. Write Automation Allows you to write track automation. Open Device Panels Allows you to open the instrument panel.
Tracks Instrument Tracks Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track. 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. Show Lanes Divides the tracks in lanes. 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 Instrument Tracks TrackVersions Allows you to create and edit TrackVersions. Chords Section Allows you to specify how the track follows the chord track. Expression Map Section Allows you to use the Expression Map features.
Tracks Instrument Tracks Note Expression Section Allows you to work with the Note Expression features. MIDI Modifiers Section Allows you to transpose or adjust the velocity of the MIDI track events in realtime during playback. MIDI Inserts Section Allows you to add MIDI insert effects.
Tracks Instrument Tracks Instrument Section Shows the audio-related controls for the instrument. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Device Panel Section (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to display and use device panels. Quick Controls Section Allows you to configure quick controls to use remote devices, for example. Instrument Track Controls The Track List for instrument tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit your instrument track.
Tracks Instrument Tracks The track list for instrument tracks contains the following controls: Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Track name Double-click to rename the track. Record enable Activates the track for recording. Monitor Allows you to route incoming MIDI signals to the selected MIDI output. For this to work, open the Preferences dialog, select MIDI, and activate MIDI Thru Active. Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track.
Tracks MIDI Tracks Listen The listen indicator is lit if the track is in listen mode. Edit In-Place Allows you to edit MIDI events and parts on the track in the Project window. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track. Channel Configuration Shows the channel configuration of the track. Drum Map Allows you to select a drum map for the track. Toggle Time Base Switches between musical (tempo-related) and linear (time-related) time base for the track.
Tracks MIDI Tracks The top section of the MIDI 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. Write Automation Allows you to write track automation. Open Device Panels Allows you to open the instrument panel.
Tracks MIDI Tracks 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. Channel Allows you to specify the MIDI channel. Edit Instrument Allows you to open the instrument panel. Bank Selector Allows you to set a bank select message that is sent to your MIDI device.
Tracks MIDI Tracks Chords Section Allows you to specify how the track follows the chord track. Expression Map Section Allows you to use the Expression Map features. Note Expression Section Allows you to work with the Note Expression features.
Tracks MIDI Tracks MIDI Modifiers Section Allows you to transpose or adjust the velocity of the MIDI track events in realtime during playback. MIDI Inserts Section Allows you to add MIDI insert effects. MIDI Sends Section Allows you to add MIDI send effects.
Tracks MIDI Tracks MIDI Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Device Panel Section (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to display and use device panels. Quick Controls Section Allows you to configure quick controls to use remote devices, for example.
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: Mute Mutes the track. Solo Solos the track. Track name Click once to show/hide the basic track settings section. Double-click to rename the track. Record enable Activates the track for recording. Monitor Allows you to route incoming MIDI signals to the selected MIDI output.
Tracks Arranger Track Bypass Sends Bypasses the sends for the track. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track. Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track. Drum Map Allows you to select a drum map for the track. Toggle Time Base Switches between musical (tempo-related) and linear (time-related) time base for the track. ASIO Latency Compensation Moves all recorded events on the track by the current latency.
Tracks Arranger Track Edit Opens the Arranger Editor. Select Active Arranger Chain + Function Allows you to select the active arranger chain, to rename it, to create a new one, to duplicate or to flatten it. 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.
Tracks Chord Track Chord Track You can use the chord track for adding chord and scale events to your project. These can transform the pitches of other events. • To add the chord track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Chord. 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.
Tracks Chord Track Adaptive Voicings If this option is activated the voicings will be set automatically. Automatic Scales If this option is activated the program creates scale events automatically. Mapping Offset Allows you to specify an offset value to make sure that chord events also affect the MIDI notes that have been triggered too early (enter a negative value) or too late (enter a positive value).
Tracks FX Channel Tracks 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. Resolve Display Conflicts Allows you to show all chord events on the track properly, even at low horizontal zoom levels. Show Scales Allows you to show the scale lane in the lower part of the chord track. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track.
Tracks FX Channel Tracks The FX channel 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. Write Automation Allows you to write track automation.
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 Sends Section Allows you to route the track to one or several FX channels. Cue Sends Section (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to route cue mixes to Control Room cues. Direct Routing Section Allows you to set up direct routing. Surround Pan Section (Cubase Pro only) Shows the SurroundPanner for a track (if used).
Tracks FX Channel Tracks Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Quick Controls Section Allows you to configure quick controls to use remote devices, for example. 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.
Tracks Folder Tracks 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. 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. Mute Automation Deactivates the automation read function for the selected parameter.
Tracks Folder Tracks • To add a folder track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Folder. Folder Track Inspector The Inspector for folder tracks shows the folder and its underlying track, much like a folder structure in the Windows Explorer or the Mac OS X Finder. When you select the one of the tracks shown under the folder, the Inspector shows the settings for that track. The folder track Inspector contains the following basic track settings: Track name Double-click to rename the track.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks The track list for folder tracks contains the following controls: Expand/Collapse Shows/hides the tracks in the folder. Hidden tracks are played back as usual. 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. Group Editing Allows you to activate the group editing mode. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Group Channel Track Inspector The Inspector for group channel tracks shows the settings for the group channel. The group channel 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 Automation Deactivates the automation read function for the selected parameter. Solo Solos the track.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Group Channel Track Inspector sections Apart from the basic track settings that are always shown, group channel tracks provide other Inspector sections. These are described in the following sections. Inserts Section Allows you to add insert effects to the track. Strip Section Allows you to set up the channel strip modules.
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. Cue Sends Section (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to route cue mixes to Control Room cues.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Direct Routing Section Allows you to set up direct routing. Surround Pan Section (Cubase Pro only) Shows the SurroundPanner for a track (if used). Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track.
Tracks Group Channel Tracks Quick Controls Section Allows you to configure quick controls to use remote devices, for example. 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.
Tracks Marker Track 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. 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.
Tracks Ruler Track Marker Track Controls The track list for the marker track contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit the marker track. Track name Double-click to rename the track. Locate Allows you to move the project cursor to the selected marker position. 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.
Tracks Signature Track Ruler Track Controls In the track list for ruler tracks you can change the display format for the ruler. Right-click the ruler to open the display format pop-up menu. The following display formats are available: Bars+Beats Activates a display format of bars, beats, sixteenth notes, and ticks. By default there are 120 ticks per sixteenth note. To adjust this, open the Preferences dialog, select MIDI, and set the MIDI Display Resolution.
Tracks Tempo Track Signature Track Inspector The signature track Inspector displays a list of all time signature events. The signature track Inspector contains the following settings: Signatures list Shows a list of all signature events that allows you to edit signature events and their positions. Signature Track Controls The track list for the signature track contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit the signature track.
Tracks Tempo Track Tempo Track Inspector The tempo track Inspector displays a list of all tempo events. The tempo track Inspector contains the following settings: Edit Opens the Tempo Track Editor. Tempo event list Shows a list of all tempo events that allows you to edit tempo events and their positions. Tempo Track Controls The track list for the tempo track contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit the tempo track.
Tracks Transpose Track Transpose Track You can use the transpose track to set global key changes. • To add the transpose track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Transpose. Transpose Track Inspector The transpose track Inspector contains a number of parameters to control the transpose track.
Tracks VCA Fader Track (Cubase Pro only) The track list for the transpose track contains the following settings: Mute Transpose Events Mutes the track. Keep Transpose in Octave Range Allows you to keep the transposition in the octave range and ensures that nothing is transposed by more than seven semitones. Toggle Time Base Switches between musical (tempo-related) and linear (time-related) time base for the track. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track.
Tracks VCA Fader Track (Cubase Pro only) Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track. Volume Allows you to adjust the level for the track. Fader Section Shows a duplicate of the corresponding MixConsole channel. Notepad Section Allows you to enter notes about the track. Quick Controls Section Allows you to configure quick controls to use remote devices, for example.
Tracks Video Track VCA Fader Track Controls The track list for VCA fader tracks contains controls and parameters that allow you to edit the settings for the VCA fader. The track list for VCA fader tracks contains the following controls: Edit Opens the Channel Settings window for the track. Channel Configuration Shows the channel configuration of the track. Read Automation Allows you to read track automation. Write Automation Allows you to write track automation.
Tracks Video Track Mute Video Track Mutes the track. Lock Disables all editing of all events on the track. Show Frame Numbers Allows you to show each thumbnail with the corresponding video frame number. Show Thumbnails Allows you to activate/deactivate the thumbnails of a video track. Video Track Inspector Sections Apart from the basic track settings that are always shown, the video track provides an other Inspector section. This is described in the following section.
Tracks Customizing Track Controls 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. • To open the Track Controls Settings dialog, right-click a track in the track list and select Track Controls Settings from the context menu, or click Open Track Controls Settings Dialog in the bottom right corner of the track list.
Tracks Customizing Track Controls Add Allows you to move an item selected in the hidden controls list to the list of visible controls. Remove Allows you to move an item selected in the visible controls list to the list of hidden controls. All controls can be removed except the Mute and Solo buttons. Move Up/Move Down Allows you to change the order of an item in the list of visible controls. Group Allows you to group two or more controls selected in the visible controls list that are adjacent to each other.
Track Handling Adding Tracks You can add tracks via the Project menu, the context menu, or by dragging files from the MediaBay. Tracks can be added with or without track presets. Add Track Dialog The Add Track dialog opens when you add audio, MIDI, group/FX/VCA channels, or instrument tracks. The available options depend on the track type. Browse Expands the dialog and allows you to select a track preset for the track. Count Allows you to enter the number of tracks that you want to add.
Track Handling Adding Tracks Add Track Adds the track and closes the dialog. Adding Tracks via the Project Menu PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track. 2. Select a track of a specific type. 3. In the Add Track dialog, edit the add track options. 4. Click Add Track. RESULT The new tracks are added to the project below the selected track. RELATED LINKS Add Track Dialog on page 136 Adding Tracks based on Track Presets You can add tracks based on track presets.
Track Handling Adding Tracks Adding Tracks by Dragging Files from the MediaBay PREREQUISITE One of the following prerequisites must apply: • The MediaBay is open. To open the MediaBay press [F5]. • The rack zone is open. To show the rack zone, click Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activate Racks. The MediaBay tab is active. PROCEDURE 1. In the MediaBay, select the files that you want to add tracks for. 2. Drag the files into the track list.
Track Handling Removing Tracks Convert and Copy to Project If Needed If this option is activated, the imported files will be converted only if the sample rate is different or if the sample size is lower than the project sample size. Split multi-channel Files If this option is activated, the stereo or multi-channel audio files are split into a corresponding number of mono files, one for each channel.
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 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 • To control which colors are used for new tracks, open the Preferences dialog, select Event Display > Tracks, and edit the Auto Track Color Mode settings. 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.
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 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.
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 How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks Unfold Tracks Unfolds all folder tracks in the Project window. NOTE The behavior of this function depends on the Deep Track Folding setting in the Preferences dialog. Flip Fold States Flips the fold states of the tracks in the Project window. This means that all tracks that were folded in will be unfolded and all unfolded tracks will be folded in, respectively. Move Selected Tracks to New Folder Moves all selected tracks to the folder track.
Track Handling Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks You can modify the event display on folder tracks. PROCEDURE 1. Right-click the folder track. 2. On the context menu, select Show Data on Folder Tracks. You have the following options: • Always Show Data If this option is activated, data blocks or event details are always displayed. • Never Show Data If this option is activated, nothing is displayed.
Track Handling Working with Lanes Show Lanes button Lanes are handled differently, depending on whether you work with audio or MIDI: Audio As each audio track can only play back one single audio event at a time, you only hear the take that is activated for playback, for example, the last lap of a cycle recording. MIDI Overlapping MIDI takes (parts) can be played back simultaneously. If you recorded in Mix-Stacked mode, you hear all takes from all cycle laps.
Track Handling Working with Lanes For MIDI, proceed as follows: • Open your takes in a MIDI editor to perform fine adjustments like removing or editing notes. • To create a new and continuous part of all selected takes that is placed on a single lane, select all takes and select MIDI > Bounce MIDI. • To create a new part and place it on a new track, select MIDI > Merge MIDI in Loop. Finally, clean up the lanes as follows: • Right-click a track and select Create Tracks from Lanes.
Track Handling Working with Lanes Operation Comp tool Comp (create a new range and bring it to front, Project window only) Click and drag on a lane. All takes are cut at the range start and end. If the audio takes are adjacent without gaps or fades and the material itself matches, the takes are merged within the range. Audition See left. Press [Ctrl]/[Command] to activate the Speaker tool and click at the position where you want playback to start. Move Click and drag on the main track.
Track Handling Defining the Track Time Base Defining the Track Time Base The time base of a track determines if the events on a track are positioned to bars and beats (musical time base) or to the timeline (linear time base). Changing the playback tempo affects only the time position of events on tracks with a musical time base. PROCEDURE • In the track list, click Toggle Timebase to change the time base.
Track Handling TrackVersions RESULT If you selected Follow Transport Main Display, the primary time format setting on the Transport panel is used. When this is set to Bars+Beats, tracks with musical time base are added. When this is set to any of the other options (Seconds, Timecode, Samples, etc.), all new tracks use linear time base. RELATED LINKS Default Track Time Type on page 1089 TrackVersions TrackVersions allow you to create and manage multiple versions of events and parts on the same track.
Track Handling TrackVersions New Version Creates a new, empty TrackVersion for the selected tracks. Duplicate Version Creates a copy of the active TrackVersion for the selected tracks. Rename Version Opens a dialog that allows you to change the TrackVersion name for the selected tracks. Delete Version Deletes the active TrackVersion for the selected tracks. Select Tracks with Same Version ID Selects all tracks that have a TrackVersion with the same ID.
Track Handling TrackVersions 4) Track Version list Lists all TrackVersions and allows you to activate one of them for all selected tracks. 5) New Version Creates a new, empty TrackVersion for all selected tracks. 6) Duplicate Version Creates a copy of the active TrackVersion for all selected tracks. 7) Delete Version Deletes the active TrackVersion for all selected tracks. This function is only available if the track has more than one TrackVersion.
Track Handling TrackVersions Selecting Tracks by TrackVersion ID You can simultaneously select all tracks that share the same TrackVersion ID. PROCEDURE 1. Activate the TrackVersion. 2. Select Project > TrackVersions > Select Tracks with same Version ID. RESULT All tracks that have TrackVersions with the same ID are selected. Assigning a Common ID TrackVersions on different tracks that were not created together have different TrackVersion IDs.
Track Handling TrackVersions Activating TrackVersions PROCEDURE 1. Click the arrow to the right of the track name to open the TrackVersions pop-up menu. 2. Select the TrackVersion that you want to activate. RESULT The selected version is activated and its events are shown in the event display. NOTE If you work with audio tracks, MIDI tracks, instrument tracks, or the chord track, you can also use the TrackVersions Inspector to activate a TrackVersion.
Track Handling TrackVersions Duplicating TrackVersions You can duplicate a TrackVersion by creating a new TrackVersion that contains a copy of the active TrackVersion. PROCEDURE 1. In the track list, select the tracks and activate the TrackVersion that you want to duplicate. 2. Select Project > TrackVersions > Duplicate Version. In the event display, a duplicate TrackVersion is displayed. In the track list, a default version name for the duplicate is shown.
Track Handling TrackVersions 4. Activate the TrackVersion into which you want to insert the copied range. 5. Select Edit > Paste. RESULT The copied range from the first TrackVersion is pasted to the second TrackVersion at the exact same position. NOTE If you want to perform more complicated comping tasks, we recommend to select Project > TrackVersions > Create Lanes from Versions and proceed with the Comp tool.
Track Handling TrackVersions Renaming a TrackVersion PROCEDURE • In the TrackVersions Inspector section, double-click the TrackVersion name and enter a new name. The name is changed. If the available space in the track list is too small, the name is abbreviated automatically. Renaming TrackVersions on Multiple Tracks PROCEDURE 1. Activate all TrackVersions that you want to rename, and select the corresponding tracks. 2. Select Project > TrackVersions > Rename Version. 3.
Track Handling TrackVersions NOTE If you want to assign the same ID to TrackVersions, select Project > TrackVersions > Assign Common Version ID. TrackVersions vs. Lanes TrackVersions and lanes are individual features that complement each other. Every TrackVersion can have its own set of lanes. Creating Lanes from TrackVersions If your project contains TrackVersions and you want to continue working with lanes, using the Comp tool, for example, you can create lanes from TrackVersions. PROCEDURE 1.
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 • Audio input gain and phase • MIDI insert effects • MIDI track parameters • Input Transformer settings • 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. You can also use them for external instruments. When creating MIDI track presets you can either include the channel or the patch.
Track Handling Track Presets If you select more than one track when creating a track preset, the settings of all selected tracks are saved as one multi-track preset. Multi-track presets can only be applied if the target tracks are of the same type, number, and sequence as the tracks in the track preset, therefore, they should be used in recurring situations with similar tracks and settings. VST Presets VST instrument presets behave like instrument track presets.
Track Handling Track Presets NOTE • Once a track preset is applied, you cannot undo the changes. It is not possible to remove an applied preset from a track and return to the previous state. If you are not satisfied with the track settings, you have to either edit the settings manually or apply another preset. • Applying VST presets to instrument tracks leads to removal of modifiers, MIDI inserts, inserts, or EQs. These settings are not stored in VST presets. Loading Track or VST Presets PROCEDURE 1.
Track Handling Track Presets RESULT The preset is applied. Loading Inserts and EQ from Track Presets Instead of loading complete track presets, you can also apply insert or equalizer settings from track presets. PROCEDURE 1. Select a track, open the Inspector or the Channel Settings window, and click the VST Sound button on the Inserts or Equalizers tab/section. 2. Select From Track Preset. 3. In the Presets browser, select a track preset. 4. Double-click the preset to load the settings.
Track Handling Track Presets 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. RESULT Track presets are saved within the application folder in the Track Presets folder. They are saved in default subfolders named according to their track type: audio, MIDI, instrument, and multi.
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 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. This means that audio editing and processing are non-destructive, so that you can always undo changes or revert to the original versions.
Parts and Events Parts Parts Parts are containers for MIDI or audio events, and for tracks. RELATED LINKS Folder Parts on page 174 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 You can also draw parts by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and using the Object Selection tool. • 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.
Parts and Events Scrubbing • Use Copy and Paste on the Edit menu. This allows you to copy all kinds of events between projects. You can also copy events within the project, for example, from the Sample Editor. • Draw marker or automation tracks. For audio, MIDI, and instrument tracks, you can only draw parts. • Import audio or video files via the File > Import menu.
Parts and Events Folder Parts 3. Click your event or part and keep the mouse button pressed. The project cursor moves to the position where you click. The mouse pointer is not visible anymore. 4. Drag to the left or right. The project cursor moves correspondingly and the event or part is played back. The speed and thus the pitch of the playback depend on how fast you move the mouse. Folder Parts A folder part is a graphic representation of events and parts on the tracks in the folder.
Parts and Events Render in Place To be able to discern the different tracks in the editor, give each track a different color in the Project window and use the Part Colors option in the editor. If the folder contains tracks with audio events and/or audio parts, the Sample and/or Audio Part Editors are opened with each audio event and audio part in a separate window.
Parts and Events Render in Place The following settings are available: As Separate Events One or more tracks are created. These contain separate events or parts that are saved as separate audio files. As Block Events One or more tracks are created. These contain adjacent events/parts that are combined to blocks. Every block is saved as a separate audio file. As One Event One or more tracks are created. These contain the events/parts that are combined to one event/part.
Parts and Events Render in Place Complete Signal Path + Master FX If this option is activated, the complete signal path and the master bus settings are rendered into the resulting audio files. This includes all channel settings, group channel settings, FX send channel settings, and panner settings. NOTE • For the render options Dry (Transfer Channel Settings) and Channel Settings, the resulting audio tracks keep the formats of their source tracks. A mono track results in a mono track.
Parts and Events Render in Place From the pop-up menu, select what happens with the source tracks after rendering. The following options are available: Keep Source Tracks Unchanged If this option is selected, the source tracks remain unchanged. Mute Source Tracks If this option is selected, the source tracks are automatically muted. Disable Source tracks If this option is selected, the source tracks are disabled and are therefore no longer processed.
Parts and Events Render in Place Render Selection Dialog To open the Render Selection dialog, select one or more audio events and/or MIDI parts and select Edit > Render in Place > Render Settings. You can render selections of audio events and/or MIDI parts with default settings or with customized settings. The Render Selection dialog allows you to customize the selection render settings. The following settings are available: As Separate Events One or more tracks are created.
Parts and Events Render in Place Complete Signal Path If this option is activated, the complete signal path is rendered into the new audio files, including all channel settings, group channel settings, FX send channel settings and panner settings. The new audio track is created without effects. Stereo balance panner settings are activated. Complete Signal Path + Master FX If this option is activated, the complete signal path and the master bus settings are rendered into the resulting audio files.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Rendering Selections You can render selections of audio events and/or MIDI parts via the Render Selection dialog. PROCEDURE 1. Select one or more audio events and/or MIDI parts or make a range selection. 2. Select Edit > Render in Place > Render Settings. 3. In the Render Selection dialog, specify the render options. 4. Click Render. RESULT All selected source material is processed according to your render settings.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events • To select ranges, regardless of the event and track boundaries, use the Range Selection tool. • Use the arrow keys on the computer keyboard. • If the Auto Select Events under Cursor option (File > Preferences > Editing) is activated, all events on the selected tracks that are touched by the project cursor are automatically selected.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Equal Pitch These are available in the MIDI editors and the Sample Editor. Select Controllers in Note Range This is available in the MIDI editors. All on Selected Tracks Selects all events on the selected track. Events under Cursor Automatically selects all events on the selected track(s) that are touched by the project cursor. Select Event This is available in the Sample Editor.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events RELATED LINKS Moving with the Object Selection Tool on page 184 “Move to” Submenu on page 184 Moving via the Info Line on page 185 Moving with the Nudge Buttons on page 185 Moving with the Object Selection Tool PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window toolbar, click Object Selection. 2. In the event display, click the events or parts you want to move, and drag to a new position. NOTE You can only drag events to tracks of the same type. 3.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Front/Back This function does not actually change the position of the events, but moves the selected events to the front or back, respectively. This is useful if you have overlapping events and want to see one that is partially obscured. For audio events, this is an extra important feature, because only the visible sections of events will be played back.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Resizing Events Resizing events means to move their start or end positions individually. The following resizing modes are available: Normal Sizing The contents of the event stay fixed, and the start or end point of the event is moved to “reveal” more or less of the contents. Sizing Moves Contents The contents follow the moved start or end of the event (see the figure below).
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events • Use the Scrub tool. • Apply time stretch. RELATED LINKS Snap Function on page 66 Resizing Events Using Time Stretch on page 187 Resizing Events Using Time Stretch Time stretching allows you to resize a part and make its contents fit the new size. PROCEDURE 1. Click the Object Selection tool on the toolbar and click again to select the Sizing Applies Time Stretch option from the pop-up menu. 2. Point close to the end point of the part you want to stretch.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events • Select Edit > Functions > Split at Cursor. This splits the selected events at the position of the project cursor. If no events are selected, all events (on all tracks) that are intersected by the project cursor will be split. • Select Edit > Functions > Split Loop. This splits events on all tracks at the left and right locator positions.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events If Snap is activated, this determines to which positions you can copy the events. NOTE If you hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] as well, movement direction is restricted to either horizontal or vertical. That means if you drag an event vertically it cannot be moved horizontally at the same time. • Select Edit > Functions > Duplicate to create a copy of the selected event and place it directly after the original.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events • Select Edit > Functions > Repeat to open the Repeat Events dialog, that allows you to create a number of copies (regular or shared) of the selected events. RELATED LINKS Setting the Track Height on page 143 Fill Loop You can create a number of copies between the right and left locators. • Select Edit > Functions > Fill Loop to create a number of copies starting at the left locator and ending at the right locator.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Grouping Events You can treat several events as one unit by grouping them. • To group events, select the events (on the same or different tracks) and select Edit > Group. Grouped events are indicated by a group icon on the right. If you edit one of the grouped events in the Project window, all other events in the same group are affected too (if applicable). Group editing operations include: • Selecting events. • Moving and duplicating events.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events If the group editing mode is activated and you select an event, a part or a range on a track inside the folder track, other events, parts or ranges that have the same start and end time and the same playback priority, are also selected and temporarily grouped. Temporarily means that on every new selection with the Object Selection or the Range Selection tool, Cubase looks for corresponding events or parts inside the folder and groups them.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events The padlock symbol indicates that one or more of the lock options are activated for the event. • To adjust the lock options for a locked event, select the locked event and select Edit > Lock. This opens a dialog in which you can activate or deactivate the desired lock options. • To unlock an event (turn off all lock options), select the event and select Edit > Unlock. • To lock a whole track, click the padlock symbol in the track list or in the Inspector.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events Creating New Files From Events An audio event plays a section of an audio clip, which in turn refers to one or more audio files on the hard disk. However, you can create a new file that consists only of the section that is played by the event. PROCEDURE 1. Select one or several audio events. 2. Set up fade in, fade out, and event volume. These settings will be applied to the new file. 3. Select Audio > Bounce Selection.
Parts and Events Editing Parts and Events RELATED LINKS Creating Audio Events from Regions on page 472 195
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 Selecting Ranges for Several Tracks You can create selection ranges that cover several tracks. It is also possible to exclude tracks from a selection range. PROCEDURE 1. Create a selection range from the first to the last track. 2. Press [Ctrl]/[Command] and click in the selection range on the tracks that you want to exclude from the selection.
Range Editing Editing Selection Ranges These move the whole selection range to the left or the right. The amount of movement depends on the selected display format and the value specified on the Grid pop-up menu. IMPORTANT The contents of the selection are not moved. Using the Move Left/Move Right buttons is the same as adjusting the start and end of the selection range at the same time by the same amount.
Range Editing Editing Selection Ranges Paste Pastes the clipboard data to the start position and track of the current selection. Existing events on the tracks remain at their original position. Paste at Origin Pastes the clipboard data back at its original position. Existing events on the tracks remain at their original position. This option is available in Edit > Functions. Cut Time Cuts out the selection range and moves it to the clipboard.
Range Editing Editing Selection Ranges Inserting Silence You can insert empty track space from the start of the selection range. The length of the silence equals the length of the selection range. • To insert silence, select Edit > Range > Insert Silence. Events to the right of the selection range start are moved to the right to make room. Events that are intersected by the selection range start are split, and the right section is moved to the right.
Playback and Transport This chapter describes the methods for controlling playback and transport functions. RELATED LINKS Transport on page 1116 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 set the left and right locator position numerically. Punch Points Allows you to activate/deactivate Punch In and Punch Out.
Playback and Transport Transport Panel The section to the right of the value fields allows you to activate/deactivate external sychronization and metronome click in precount. You can hide/show that section by clicking the points on the divider. Marker Shows the basic marker functions. 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.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Using Pre-Roll and Post-Roll PREREQUISITE On the Transport panel, Lock Punch Points to Locators is activated. PROCEDURE 1. Set the locators to where you want to start and end recording. 2. On the Transport panel, activate Punch In and Punch Out. 3. Open the Preferences dialog and select Record. 4. Activate Stop after Automatic Punch Out. 5. On the Transport panel, activate Pre-roll and Post-roll. 6. Enter the pre-roll and post-roll values. 7.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Record Activates/Deactivates record mode. Rewind Moves backward. Forward Moves forward. Fast Rewind Moves backward at a faster speed. Fast Forward Moves forward at a faster speed. Nudge Cursor Left Moves the project cursor position to the left. Nudge Cursor Right Moves the project cursor position to the right. Enter Project Cursor Position Allows you to enter the project cursor position manually. Enter Tempo Allows you to enter the tempo manually.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Set Right Locator to Project Cursor Position Sets the right locator to the project cursor position. Enter Left Locator Position Allows you to enter the position of the left locator manually. Enter Right Locator Position Allows you to enter the position of the right locator manually. Set Locators to Selection Range Sets the locators to encompass the selection. Exchange Left & Right Locator Positions Switches the positions of the left and right locator.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Set Punch Points to Selection Range Sets the punch in and the punch out position to the selected event range. Set Project Cursor Position Locate Selection Start Moves the project cursor to the beginning of the selection. Locate Selection End Moves the project cursor to the end of the selection. Locate Next Marker Moves the project cursor to the next marker. Locate Previous Marker Moves the project cursor to the previous marker.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Play Selection Range Activates playback from the start of the current selection and stops at the selection end. Pre-roll & Post-roll Use Pre-roll Activates/Deactivates the pre-roll. Use Post-roll Activates/Deactivates the post-roll. Post-roll from Selection Start Starts playback from the beginning of the selected range and stops after the time set in the post-roll field on the Transport panel.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Audio Record Mode These options allow you to select what happens when you record over existing events. Keep History Keeps existing events or portions of events. Cycle History + Replace Replaces existing events or portions of events by the new recording. In cycle mode, all takes from the current cycle recording are kept. Replace Replaces existing events or portions of events by the last take.
Playback and Transport Transport Menu Mix-Stacked (No Mute) Same as Stacked, but parts are not muted. Auto Quantize in Record Activates automatic quantizing during record. Retrospective MIDI Record Retrospective MIDI Record Allows you to capture MIDI notes that you play in stop mode or during playback. For this to work, you need to enable the Retrospective Record option in the Preferences dialog (Record > MIDI). Metronome Setup Metronome Setup Opens the Metronome Setup dialog.
Playback and Transport Setting the Project Cursor Position Setting the Project Cursor Position To set the project cursor, do one of the following: • Use fast forward or rewind. • Drag the project cursor in the lower part of the ruler. • Click in the lower part of the ruler. Double-clicking in the ruler sets the project cursor and starts/stops playback.
Playback and Transport Left and Right Locators Locators are indicated by the flags in the ruler. The area between the locators is highlighted in the ruler and the event display. NOTE The event display in MIDI editors is only highlighted if Show Part Borders is deactivated. • To set the locators, [Ctrl]/[Command]-click in the upper part of the ruler. • To change the position of a locator, click on the locator handle in the upper part of the ruler and drag to the left or to the right.
Playback and Transport Punch In and Punch Out • 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 Go to Right Locator on the Transport panel.
Playback and Transport Auto-Scroll Auto-Scroll Auto-Scroll allows the waveform display to scroll during playback, keeping the project cursor visible in the window. • To activate Auto-Scroll, click the Auto-Scroll button on the toolbar. • To keep the project cursor in the middle of the screen, open the Preferences dialog on the Transport page, and activate Stationary Cursors. NOTE Auto-Scroll is available in the toolbar of the Project window and in all editors.
Playback and Transport Locating to Specific Time Positions You can also select Project > Project Setup > Display Format to select the primary time format. RESULT The time format on the Transport panel and all rulers and position displays are updated. Independent Time Displays You can show time displays that are independent from the global display format.
Playback and Transport Metronome – Locate Next/Previous Marker – Locate Next/Previous Hitpoint – Locate Next/Previous Event • On the Transport panel, change the value of the Primary Time Display. • Use markers. • Use the arranger functions. • Use locators. On the numeric keypad, press [1] to go to the left locator position, and press [2] to go to the right locator position.
Playback and Transport Metronome Metronome Options Section In the Use Click section, the following options are available: In Record Allows you to activate the metronome click during recording. In Play Allows you to activate the metronome click during playback. In Precount Allows you to activate a musical count-in that is played when you start recording from stop mode.
Playback and Transport Metronome Use Time Sign. at Project Time Activate this to let the precount use the time signature set on the tempo track and apply any tempo changes on the tempo track during the precount. Use Signature Allows you to set a time signature for the precount. In this mode, tempo changes on the tempo track do not affect the precount. Click Outputs Section In the Click Outputs section, the following options are available: Activate MIDI Click Allows you to activate the MIDI click.
Playback and Transport Chase 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. This is accomplished by the program transmitting a number of MIDI messages to your instruments each time that you move to a new position in the project, making sure all MIDI devices are set up correctly with regard to program change, controller messages (such as MIDI Volume), etc.
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 • Press the corresponding key on your computer keyboard. NOTE Press several keys simultaneously to enter polyphonic parts. The maximum number of notes that can be played at one time varies between the different operating systems and hardware configurations. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Close the virtual keyboard to make all key commands available again.
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 1096 VST on page 1118 Activating Recording You can activate recording manually or automatically.
Recording Basic Recording Methods If cycle mode is activated, the punch in point corresponds to the position of the left locator, and the punch out point is set before the right locator, recording is stopped at the punch out position and resumed at the punch in position. If the punch positions are locked to the locators, recording is automatically activated when the project cursor reaches the left locator.
Recording Basic Recording Methods Cycle Recording You can record in a cycle, that is, you can record a selected section repeatedly and seamlessly. PREREQUISITE A cycle is set up with the left and right locators. PROCEDURE 1. Click the cycle button on the Transport panel to activate cycle mode. 2. Activate recording from the left locator, before or within the cycle. As soon as the project cursor reaches the right locator, it jumps back to the left locator and continues recording a new lap.
Recording Basic Recording Methods Common Record Modes The Common Record Modes determine what happens if you click the Record button during an audio or MIDI recording. • To access the record modes, select Transport > Common Record Modes. You can also access the Common Record Modes by clicking the upper part of the Record Modes section in the Transport panel. Punch In/Out In this mode, the recording is stopped.
Recording Monitoring Monitoring In Cubase, monitoring means listening to the input signal while preparing to record or while recording. The following ways of monitoring are available. • Via Cubase. • Externally by listening to the signal before it reaches Cubase. • By using ASIO Direct Monitoring. This is a combination of both other methods. Monitoring via Cubase If you use monitoring via Cubase, the input signal is mixed with the audio playback.
Recording Monitoring External Monitoring External monitoring means listening to the input signal before it is sent into Cubase. It requires an external mixer for mixing the audio playback with the input signal. The latency value of the audio hardware configuration does not affect the monitor signal. When using external monitoring, you cannot control the level of the monitor signal from within Cubase or add VST effects or EQ to the monitor signal. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Preferences > VST. 2.
Recording Monitoring • Select File > Preferences > Metering and activate Map Input Bus Metering to Audio Track (in Direct Monitoring). As the tracks are mirroring the input bus signal you will see the same signal in both places. When using mapped metering, any functions that you apply to the audio track are not reflected in its meters. NOTE When using Steinberg hardware (MR816 series) in combination with ASIO Direct Monitoring, monitoring will be virtually latency-free.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics 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. IMPORTANT The bit resolution and file type can be changed at any time while the sample rate of a project cannot be changed at a later stage.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics Getting the Track Ready for Recording Creating a Track and Setting the Channel Configuration PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track > Audio. 2. In the Count field, enter the number of tracks that you want to add. 3. Open the Configuration pop-up menu and select a channel configuration. 4. Optional: Enter a track name. 5. Click Add Track.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics Recording Audio You can record audio using any of the basic recording methods. When you finish recording, an audio file is created in the Audio folder within the project folder. In the Pool, an audio clip is created for the audio file, and an audio event that plays the whole clip appears on the recording track. Finally, a waveform image is calculated for the audio event. If the recording was very long, this may take a while.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics Recording with Effects Cubase allows you to add effects and/or EQ directly while recording. This is done by adding insert effects and/or making EQ settings for the input channel in the MixConsole. MPORTANT IMPORTANT If you record with effects, the effects become part of the audio file itself. You cannot change the effect settings after recording. When you are recording with effects consider using 32-bit float format.
Recording Audio Recording Specifics 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 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. If you activate the ASIO Latency Compensation button on the track list, all recorded events are moved by the current latency setting.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics 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. You can record continuous messages together or independently from the notes, that is, afterwards or before. You can record continuous messages on their own tracks, separately from the notes to which they belong.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics This resets controller data such as sustain, aftertouch, pitchbend, modulation, and breath control. This is useful if a MIDI part is recorded and the sustain pedal is still held after stopping recording. Usually, this would cause all following parts to be played with sustain, as the pedal off command was not recorded.
Recording MIDI Recording Specifics Keep Last Each completed lap replaces the previously recorded lap. If you deactivate recording or press Stop before the cursor reaches the right locator, the previous take will be kept. If you do not play or input any MIDI during a lap, nothing happens, and the previous take will be kept. Stacked Each recorded cycle lap is turned into a separate MIDI part, and the track is divided into lanes, one for each cycle lap.
Recording Remaining Record Time Enabling Retrospective MIDI Record The Retrospective MIDI 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. Enable Retrospective Record and specify a Retrospective Record Buffer Size.
Recording Lock Record 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. If Lock Record is activated and you want to enter Stop mode, a dialog opens in which you need to confirm that you want to stop recording. You can also use the Unlock Record key command first and then enter Stop mode as usual.
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. You can also quantize multiple audio tracks simultaneously. Audio and MIDI can be quantized at the same time.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Functions Reset Quantize Reverts your audio or MIDI to its original, unquantized state, and resets any length changes that you performed using the Scale Length/Legato slider in the Quantize Panel. Quantize Panel Opens the Quantize Panel. Advanced Quantize From this submenu you can select the following functions: • Quantize MIDI Event Lengths Cuts off the ends of selected MIDI events so that the events match the length quantize value. The start positions are kept.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantizing MIDI Event Starts Quantizing MIDI Event Starts PREREQUISITE You have set up a quantize grid on the Quantize Presets pop-up menu on the Project window toolbar. PROCEDURE 1. 2. Perform one of the following actions: • In the Key Editor, select the MIDI events that you want to quantize. • In the Project window, select a MIDI part. Select Edit > Quantize. RESULT The starts of the selected MIDI events or all events of the selected MIDI part are quantized.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantizing MIDI Event Ends Quantizing MIDI Event Ends PREREQUISITE You have set up a quantize grid on the Quantize Presets pop-up menu on the Project window toolbar. PROCEDURE 1. 2. Perform one of the following actions: • In the Key Editor, select the MIDI events that you want to quantize. • In the Project window, select a MIDI part. Select Edit > Advanced Quantize > Quantize MIDI Event Ends. RESULT The ends of the MIDI events are moved to the nearest grid positions.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantizing Audio Event Lengths (AudioWarp Quantizing) (Cubase Pro only) Quantizing Audio Event Lengths (AudioWarp Quantizing) (Cubase Pro only) You can quantize an audio event or an audio selection range by applying time stretch to the content of the audio event. PROCEDURE 1. Perform one of the following actions: • Select the audio event that you want to quantize. • Select a range of the event that you want to quantize. 2. On the toolbar, activate AudioWarp Quantize. 3.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantizing Multiple Audio Tracks (Cubase Pro only) Quantizing Multiple Audio Tracks (Cubase Pro only) You can quantize multiple audio tracks at the same time. PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track > Folder. 2. Move all audio tracks that you want to quantize into the folder track. NOTE The audio on all tracks must have the same start and end positions. 3. Select the folder track and activate Group Editing in the track list. 4.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel 5. Click Open Quantize Panel to open the Quantize Panel. 6. Make your settings in the Warp Marker Creation Rules section of the Quantize Panel, and click Create. 7. Make your settings in the quantize section of the Quantize Panel, and click Quantize. RESULT AudioWarp quantizing is applied to all tracks in the edit group.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel Select Preset Allows you to select a preset. Save Preset Allows you to save the current settings as a preset, so that they become available on all Quantize Presets pop-up menus. Remove Preset Allows you to remove the selected preset. Rename Preset Opens a dialog where you can rename the selected preset. Restore Factory Presets Allows you to restore the factory presets.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel 2. Open the Hitpoints tab. The hitpoints for the audio event are detected and displayed automatically. 3. Click Create Groove. The groove is extracted. RESULT The groove is extracted from the audio event and made available in the Quantize Presets pop-up menu on the Project window toolbar. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Open the Quantize Panel and save the groove as a preset.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel Swing Offsets every second position in the grid, creating a swing or shuffle feel. NOTE Swing is only available if Grid is set to a straight value and Tuplet is deactivated. Catch Range Allows you to set a value that determines that quantizing affects only audio or MIDI within the set distance from the grid lines. This is reflected in the grid display. Non-Quantize Creates a safe zone before and after the quantize positions.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel Reset Quantize Resets your audio or MIDI to its original, unquantized state. IMPORTANT This function has no effect on an event that was moved manually. Auto Applies any changes immediately 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. Quantize Applies your settings.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel Velocity (MIDI Only) Determines how much the velocity values within the groove affect the music. NOTE Not all grooves contain velocity information. Length (MIDI Only) Allows you to specify how much the lengths of the notes are affected by the groove. NOTE For drums, the Length setting is ignored. Non-Q Allows you to create a safe zone before and after the quantize positions.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel iQ Mode Applies a loose quantization so that your audio or MIDI moves only part of the way to the closest quantize grid position. The Iterative Strength value to the right determines how close your audio or MIDI moves towards the grid. NOTE Iterative quantizing is based on the current, quantized positions and not on the original event positions.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel • To access the Slice Rules section, move your audio tracks to a folder track, activate Group Editing, and open the Quantize Panel. Hitpoint Tracks Lists all audio tracks of your edit group that have hitpoints. Priority Click and drag to the right or to the left to specify a priority. The hitpoints of the track with the highest priority determine slice positions for the audio on all tracks.
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel Crossfades Section The Crossfades section becomes available after you have sliced the audio events. The functions in this section allow you to correct the overlaps or the gaps that might appear due to the re-positioning of your audio. Clicking the Crossfade button cuts the end of the first event at the start position of the following event (in case of overlaps), and stretches the second event until it starts at the end of the previous event (in case of gaps).
Quantizing MIDI and Audio Quantize Panel If you set up the same priority for several tracks, the warp marker position is defined by the track that contains the first hitpoint within the specified range. This is decided for each warp marker position anew. • To specify a priority, click and drag to the right or to the left. If no star is shown, the hitpoints on the corresponding track are not taken into account.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Fades allow you to gradually increase or decrease the volume at the start or end of audio events or audio clips, and to create smooth transitions. You can create the following fades: • Fade ins/fade outs Fade ins and fade outs allow you to gradually increase or decrease the volume of audio events or audio clips. Fade ins and fade outs can be either event-based or clip-based. Event-based fades are calculated in realtime when you play back audio events.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Event-Based Fades Event-Based Fades You can create event-based fade ins and fade outs. These are calculated in realtime when you play back audio events. You can create different fade curves for several events, even if they refer to the same audio clip. There are several ways to create event-based fades: • By using the event handles • By using range selections You can edit event-based fades in the Fade dialogs.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Event-Based Fades Event Handles Audio events have a fade in and a fade out handle, as well as a volume handle. These handles provide a quick way to change the fade length or the volume of events in the Project window. Event handles become visible if you point the mouse at an event or if you select events.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Event-Based Fades Creating and Editing Fades with the Range Selection Tool You can create and edit event-based fades with the Range Selection tool. This allows you to apply a fade in and a fade out at the same time. Using the Range Selection tool is also useful if you want to create fades for multiple audio events on separate tracks. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window toolbar, select the Range Selection tool. 2. Perform one of the following actions: 3.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Event-Based Fades Fade Dialog for Event-Based Fades • To open the dialog for event-based fades, create a fade for one or more audio events, select the events and select Audio > Open Fade Editor(s). NOTE If you select several events, you can adjust the fade curves for all selected events at the same time. This is useful if you want to apply the same type of fade in to more than one event, etc.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Creating Clip-Based Fades 7) • If you activate Apply Length, the value entered in the Fade Length value field is used when clicking Apply or OK. • If you set the current fade as the default fade, the length value is included as part of the default settings. Presets Allows you to set up presets for fade in or fade out curves. • To apply a stored preset, select it from the pop-up menu. • To rename the selected preset, double-click the name and type in a new one.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Creating Clip-Based Fades RELATED LINKS Offline Process History on page 440 On Processing Shared Clips on page 267 Fade Dialog for Clip-Based Fades on page 267 On Processing Shared Clips If several events refer to the same audio clip, this clip is a shared clip. If you edit one of the events that refer to a shared clip, you can decide if you want to apply the processing to all events referring to this clip.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Crossfades The available options are: 1) Spline Interpolation Applies a spline interpolation to the curve. 2) Damped Spline Interpolation Applies a damped spline interpolation to the curve. 3) Linear Interpolation Applies a linear interpolation to the curve. 4) Fade display Shows the shape of the fade curve. The resulting waveform shape is shown in dark gray, the current waveform shape in light gray. 5) • To add points, click the curve.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Crossfades NOTE You can edit the default crossfade length and shape in the Crossfade editor. • If the respective audio clips overlap, the two events are resized so that they overlap, and a crossfade of the default length and shape is applied in the overlapping area. • If neither the audio events nor the clips do overlap, a crossfade cannot be created. RELATED LINKS Crossfade Editor on page 270 Creating Crossfades PROCEDURE 1. 2.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Crossfades RESULT The crossfade length is adjusted to the selected range. Crossfade Editor The Crossfade editor allows you to edit crossfades. It contains fade-in and fade-out curve settings, and common settings. • To open the Crossfade editor, select one or both crossfaded events, and select Audio > Crossfade, or double-click the crossfade zone. Fade curve displays Shows the shape of the fade out and fade in curve, respectively. • To add points, click a curve.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Crossfades Play buttons • To audition the whole crossfade, click Play Crossfade. • To audition the fade out part of the crossfade, click Play Fade Out. • To audition the fade in part of the crossfade, click Play Fade In. You can set up key commands for this in the following categories of the Key Commands dialog. Pre-roll and Post-roll • To start playback before the fade area, activate Use pre-roll. • To stop playback after the fade area, activate Use post-roll.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Auto Fades and Crossfades Removing Crossfades PROCEDURE 1. 2. Perform one of the following actions: • Select the Object Selection tool and select one of the crossfaded events. • Select the Range Selection tool and select the crossfades you want to remove. Select Audio > Remove Fades. RESULT The selected crossfades are removed. NOTE You can also remove a crossfade by clicking and dragging it outside the track.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Auto Fades and Crossfades Auto Fades Dialog The Auto Fades dialog allows you to set up auto fades and crossfades for the whole project, or separately for each audio track. • To open the global Auto Fades dialog, select Project > Auto Fades Settings. • To open the Auto Fades dialog for a track, right-click in the track list and select Auto Fades Settings. 1) Fades Click this tab to show the settings for auto fades.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Auto Fades and Crossfades 2) Crossfades Click this tab to show the settings for auto crossfades. Equal Gain allows you to adjust the fade curves so that the summed fade in and fade out amplitudes are the same all along the crossfade region. Equal Power allows you to adjust the fade curves so that the energy (power) of the crossfade is constant all along the crossfade region. 3) Length Allows you to specify the length of the auto fades or crossfades.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Event Envelopes 2. Set up the auto fades as desired. 3. Click OK to close the dialog. RELATED LINKS Fade Dialog for Event-Based Fades on page 265 Crossfade Editor on page 270 Making Auto Fade Settings for Individual Tracks As auto fades use computing power, you might consider to turn auto fades off globally and activate them only for individual tracks. PROCEDURE 1.
Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes Event Envelopes Creating Event-Based Volume Changes PROCEDURE 1. Zoom in on the event so that you can view its waveform properly. 2. Select the Draw tool and click at the position in the event where you want to change the volume. 3. Click with the Draw tool. A curve point is added to the envelope curve. 4. Drag the curve point to adjust the volume curve. RESULT The volume change is created. The waveform image of the event changes according to the volume change.
Arranger Track The arranger functions in Cubase allow you to work in a non-linear fashion. Using an arranger track allows you to specify how and when specific sections are played back, even in live performances. This way, you do not need to move, copy, and paste events in the Project window. NOTE There can be only one arranger track in a project. To use the arranger functions you must add an arranger track and define arranger events. Arranger events can be of any length.
Arranger Track Adding Arranger Events on the Arranger Track Adding Arranger Events on the Arranger Track On the arranger track, you can add arranger events that define specific sections of the project. PREREQUISITE Snap is activated, and Snap Type is set to Events. PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track > Arranger. The arranger track is added. 2. Select the Draw tool and draw an arranger event on the arranger track. An arranger event is added. 3. Draw as many events as you need.
Arranger Track Arranger Editor Arranger Editor The Arranger Editor allows you to set up arranger chains. To open the Arranger Editor, click the e button in the Inspector or in the track list. 1) Arranger Controls Shows the transport buttons, the arranger transport buttons and the arranger tools. 2) Current Arranger Chain NOTE Initially the arranger chain is empty. To fill it up, you must add events from the Arranger Events list.
Arranger Track Arranger Editor 2) Previous Chain Step Navigates to the previous entry in the current arranger chain list. 3) Next Chain Step Navigates to the next entry in the current arranger chain list. 4) First Repeat of Current Chain Step Navigates to the first repeat of the current entry in the current arranger chain list. 5) Last Repeat of Current Chain Step Navigates to the last repeat of the current entry in the current arranger chain list.
Arranger Track Arranger Editor 2) Repeat forever Repeats the current arranger event in a loop until you click another event in the Arranger Editor or until you press Play once again. 3) Pause after Repeats Pauses playback after all repeats of the current arranger event have been played back. NOTE During playback, the Counter column indicates which repetition of the event is playing. Flattening Options & Preferences To activate the flattening options, click Flatten (with Options & Preferences).
Arranger Track Setting up an Arranger Chain and Adding Events • Use Chain Name Names the new projects after the current arranger chains. • Add Number Names the new projects after the old ones, and adds a number. The Options section contains further settings. Keep Arranger Track Keeps the arranger track after flattening. Activate Rename Arranger Events to append numbers to the events. Make Real Event Copies Allows you to create real copies of the arranger track instead of shared copies.
Arranger Track Setting up an Arranger Chain and Adding Events • 4. Drag an arranger event from the Project window and drop it in the Current Arranger Chain list. Click Play. RESULT The arranger events are played back in the order that you specified in the arranger chain. RELATED LINKS Arranger Chain Repeat Modes on page 280 Adding a New Arranger Chain You can create several arranger chains in order to set up alternative versions for playback. PREREQUISITE Arranger Mode is activated. PROCEDURE 1.
Arranger Track Setting up an Arranger Chain and Adding Events • To remove an event from the list, right-click on it, and from the context menu, select Remove Touched. • To remove several events, select them, right-click, and from the context menu select Remove Selected.
Arranger Track Jump Mode RESULT The events and parts in the project are reordered, repeated, resized, moved and/or deleted, so that they correspond exactly to the arranger chain. Jump Mode If you have set up an arranger track and play it back, you have live access to the playback order. This way, you can loop your arranger events with more flexibility regarding the length of the playback. PREREQUISITE An arranger chain is set up and the arranger mode is activated. PROCEDURE 1.
Arranger Track Jump Mode Jump Mode Options The Jump Mode pop-up menu allows you to define how long the active arranger event is played before jumping to the next one. The following options are available: None Jumps to the next section immediately. 4 bars, 2 bars Jumps to the next arranger event after 2 or 4 bars. If the current arranger event is shorter than 2 or 4 bars, playback jumps to the next arranger event at the event end. 1 bar Jumps to the next section at the next bar line.
Arranger Track Arranging Music to Video End Plays the current section to the end, then jumps to the next section. Arranging Music to Video When you compose music for video, you can use arranger events to fill a specific video section with music. Here comes an example on how you could do that. PREREQUISITE You have connected and set up an external sync master device to your computer. You have created a new, empty project, and added a MIDI track. PROCEDURE 1.
Transpose Functions The transpose functions for audio and MIDI in Cubase allow you to change the pitches of audio and MIDI for playback without changing the actual MIDI notes or the audio. You can transpose the following: • An entire project by changing the Project Root Key on the Project window toolbar. • Specific sections of your project by creating a transpose track and adding transpose events. • Individual parts or events by changing their transpose value on the Project window info line.
Transpose Functions Project Root Key To change the Project Root Key, use the Project Root Key pop-up menu on the Project window toolbar. If you change the project root key, loops that already contain root key information will follow automatically. RELATED LINKS Transposing with the Project Root Key on page 289 Transposing with the Project Root Key The loops included in Cubase already contain root key information. If you change the project root key, these loops will follow automatically.
Transpose Functions Project Root Key RESULT The loops follow the project root key. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Record audio or MIDI. The newly recorded events get the project root key. Change the project root key. The events with root key information follow.
Transpose Functions Project Root Key Recording with a Project Root Key If you record with a project root key, the recorded events follow this root key automatically. This function is useful if you want to change the root key later and you want the events to follow. PROCEDURE 1. Optional: Select the drum and percussion loops in your project and set the Global Transpose setting on the info line to Independent. This setting excludes the loops from being transposed. 2.
Transpose Functions Transpose Track NOTE Save the root key in the audio file by selecting the audio event in the event display, and by selecting Audio > Bounce Selection. Changing the Root Key of Individual MIDI Parts You can change the root key information for individual MIDI parts in the Project window info line. PROCEDURE 1. In the event display, select the MIDI part. 2. In the Project window info line, click Root Key and select a key from the pop-up menu.
Transpose Functions Transpose Track For this function to work, you must add transpose events. These transpose events allow you to transpose specific sections of your project in semitones. EXAMPLE If your singer does not reach a certain pitch, you can transpose the entire project by adding a transpose track and creating a transpose event with the value -2 semitones. After recording, set the transpose event back to 0.
Transpose Functions Keep Transpose in Octave Range RESULT The sections of your project that are situated at the same time positions as the transpose events are transposed. RELATED LINKS Excluding Individual Parts or Events from Global Transpose on page 297 Muting the Transpose Track You can mute the transpose track. This is useful if you want to compare the effect of the transposition with the original sound, for example. PROCEDURE • In the track list of the transpose track, click Mute Transpose Events.
Transpose Functions Keep Transpose in Octave Range Indicate Transpositions For MIDI parts, you can get a visual feedback that allows you to compare the original sounds and the music transposed for playback. To activate this, open the part in the Key Editor, and activate the Indicate Transpositions button. • If Indicate Transpositions is activated, the transposed note pitches are shown. • If Indicate Transpositions is deactivated, the original pitches of the notes in the MIDI part are shown.
Transpose Functions Transpose on the Info Line If your project does not contain a transpose track or if no transpose events are added, the following happens: • Global Transpose is automatically set to Follow for the recorded parts or events. • The recorded parts or events get the project root key. Transpose on the Info Line In the Project window info line, you can change the transpose value for individual parts or events. To do this, change the transpose value in the Transpose field on the info line.
Transpose Functions Excluding Individual Parts or Events from Global Transpose Excluding Individual Parts or Events from Global Transpose If you add global transposition, for example, by changing the root key or by creating transpose events, you can exclude specific events from being transposed. This is useful for drum and percussion loops or special effects (FX) loops. PROCEDURE 1. Select the event or part that you want to exclude from being transposed. 2.
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 • 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. • To add a cycle marker at the cursor position, select Functions > Insert Cycle Marker.
Markers Markers Window NOTE No matter by which attribute you sort, the second sort criterion will always be the position attribute. Marker Settings You can access the marker settings by clicking the corresponding button in the bottom left corner of the Markers window. Cycle follows when locating to Markers This sets the left and right locators automatically to a position or cycle marker, when locating to this marker. This is useful if you need to set the locators on the fly, e. g.
Markers Markers Window Description Here you can enter names or descriptions for markers. RELATED LINKS Marker IDs on page 303 Cycle Markers on page 298 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. All selected markers will change their attributes accordingly.
Markers Marker Track 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. Reassigning Marker IDs Sometimes, especially when setting markers on the fly, you may forget or miss to set a marker. When added later, this marker’s ID will not correspond to its position on the marker track. Therefore, it is possible to reassign the IDs for all markers on a track.
Markers Marker Track 5) Zoom pop-up menu If you select a cycle marker in this pop-up menu, the view zooms to the corresponding cycle marker. 6) Lock Locks the marker track. When a marker track is locked, you cannot edit the track and its markers. 7) Toggle Time Base Sets the track time base. 8) Marker event (inactive) Shows an inactive marker event. 9) Marker event (active) Shows an active marker event. 10) Cycle marker event (inactive) Shows an inactive cycle marker event.
Markers Importing and Exporting Markers 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. Set markers at the start and end of the section that you want to move or copy. 2. Select the Range Selection tool and double-click on the marker track between the markers.
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 and positions 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) Channel Overview Displays all channels as boxes.
MixConsole 5) 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. 6) Channel Racks Allows you to show additional channel controls as needed. 7) 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. 8) Notepad In the Notepad section, you can enter notes and comments about a channel. Each channel has its own notepad.
MixConsole Setting Up the MixConsole Cubase Pro only: The following section can be opened in the right zone of the MixConsole: • Control Room/Meter NOTE You can also open the different sections of the MixConsole by clicking Set up Window Layout in the toolbar and activating the corresponding options. RELATED LINKS Track Pictures Browser on page 141 Setting Up the MixConsole You can show and hide the different sections of the MixConsole.
MixConsole MixConsole Toolbar Channel Visibility Configurations Allows you to create configurations that are useful for switching quickly between different visibility setups. Channel Visibility Agents Allows you to select channels with specific properties. Show/Hide Channel Racks Activates/Deactivates the rack selector. 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.
MixConsole Functions Menu Functions Menu The Functions menu holds tools and shortcuts for settings and functions in the MixConsole. • To open the Functions Menu, click the Functions Menu button in the top right corner of the MixConsole. Scroll to Selected Channel If this option is activated and you select a channel in the Visibility tab, the selected channel is automatically displayed in the Fader section. Copy First Selected Channel’s Settings Copies the settings of the first selected channel.
MixConsole Functions Menu Load Selected Channels Loads the settings for the selected channels. Global Meter Settings Opens a submenu where you can set up the global meter settings. Reset MixConsole Channels Allows you to reset EQ, insert, and send effect settings for all or selected channels. Solo and mute buttons are deactivated, the volume fader is set to 0 dB, and pan is set to the center position. Link MixConsoles If you opened more than one MixConsole, you can link them.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole RESULT The channel settings are applied to the selected channels. NOTE When you apply loaded MixConsole settings to fewer channels, some of the saved settings are not applied. Since the saved settings are applied from left to right as shown in the MixConsole, the settings for the channels furthest to the right are not applied to any channels. Configuring the MixConsole You can configure the MixConsole exactly to your needs and to your individual workflow.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole • To lock channels on the left/right of the fader section, activate the left/right dots next to the channel names. Locked channels are excluded from scrolling and are always visible. Input Routing Configurations for Mono Channels • Mono input busses or individual channels within a stereo or surround input bus (Cubase Pro only). • External inputs configured on the Studio tab of the VST Connections window.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Input Routing Configurations for Surround Channels (Cubase Pro only) • Surround input busses. • External inputs that are configured on the Studio tab of the VST Connections window. These must have the same input configuration. • Output busses. These must have the same input configuration and should not lead to feedback.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Channel Racks You can activate and deactivate the different channel racks in the MixConsole. • To open the Select Racks pop-up menu, click Select Racks. Depending on the channel type, you can activate/deactivate the following racks: Hardware Allows you to control your audio hardware effects. This rack is only available if supported by your hardware. Routing Allows you to set up the input and output routing. For MIDI, you can also select the MIDI channel.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Rack Settings The Rack Settings pop-up menu allows you to make settings for the racks. • To open the Rack Settings pop-up menu, click *. Exclusive Expanded Rack Shows the selected rack exclusively and collapses the other racks. Fixed Number of Slots Shows all available slots for the Inserts, Sends, Cues, and Quick Controls racks. Link Racks to Configurations If activated, the rack status is taken into account when you save and load a configuration.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Channel Visibility Configurations The Channel Visibility Configurations button on the MixConsole toolbar allows you to create configurations that are useful for switching quickly between different visibility setups. The button displays the name of the active configuration. A list of configurations is shown as soon as you create at least one configuration. To load a configuration, select it from this list. Channel visibility configurations are saved with the project.
MixConsole Configuring the MixConsole Channel Visibility Agents Channel visibility agents allow you to show or hide all channels, selected channels, or channels with certain properties. To open the Channel Visibility Agents pop-up menu, do one of the following: • Click the Channel Visibility Agents button on the toolbar. • In the Channel Selector, open the Visibility tab and right-click to open the context menu.
MixConsole Synchronizing Channel and Track Visibility Undoing/Redoing Visibility Changes You can undo/redo up to 10 visibility changes. PROCEDURE 1. In the MixConsole toolbar, click the Channel Visibility Agents button. 2. Select Undo Visibility Change or Redo Visibility Change. Synchronizing Channel and Track Visibility You can synchronize the channel visibility in the MixConsole with the track visibility in the Project window. PROCEDURE 1.
MixConsole Finding Channels Finding Channels The Find Track/Channel function allows you to find specific channels. This is useful if you have a large project with many channels or if you have hidden channels using the visibility features. PROCEDURE 1. Click Find Track/Channel in the MixConsole toolbar to open a selector that lists all channels. 2. In the search field, enter the name of the channel. As you type, the selector filters automatically. 3.
MixConsole Linking Channels On the display line, you can change the name of the link group by double-clicking and entering a different name. If you hold down a modifier key and double-click the name, the Link Group Settings dialog opens. NOTE If you use a VCA fader for the link group, the displayed link group name on the fader is also changed. The pop-up menu provides the following options: Unlink Selected Channels Only available for a selected link group.
MixConsole Linking Channels RESULT The number and name of the link group is indicated above the channel name in the display line. NOTE • If you link groups, insert and channel strip module linking is applied at the slot level. For example, if you change the settings for insert slot 3 on one channel, these changes are also applied to slot 3 on the other channels. Insert effects in other slots remain unaffected.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) RESULT The channel is added to the link group. Removing Channels from Link Groups (Cubase Pro only) You can remove a channel from an existing link group. PROCEDURE 1. On the display line of the channel that you want to remove, open the pop-up menu. 2. Select Included in Link Group: and from the link group list, select None. 3. If the channel is controlled by a VCA fader, specify if the channel keeps the combined automation.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) VCA stands for Voltage-Controlled Amplifier. VCA faders were originally found on hardware mixing desks. They allowed the user to control the volume levels of several mixer channels with only one fader. To assign channel faders to a VCA fader, the respective channels must be physically connected with the VCA fader. In Cubase, the VCA fader function is based on the same concept. VCA faders are assigned to a group of linked channels, a link group.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) 1) Link group number 2) Link group name 3) VCA fader pop-up menu 4) Peak meter that displays the summed up level of all channel meters in the link group 5) Fader cap The VCA fader pop-up menu provides the following options: Edit Link Group Settings Allows you to change the link group settings. VCA Fader Controls Link Group: Shows the link group that the VCA fader controls. You can assign the VCA fader to a different link group.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) Creating VCA Faders You can create VCA faders in several ways. VCA faders can be created in the MixConsole and in the Project window. In the MixConsole, you have the following options: • You can create unassigned VCA faders in the fader section. They are placed at the right end of the fader section in front of the output channels and display no fader cap. The VCA faders can be assigned to link groups at a later stage.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) NOTE If a VCA fader is created for a selection of channels, the Selection option is deactivated for the link group by default. You can change this setting in the Link Group Settings dialog. RELATED LINKS Linking Channels on page 323 Changing the Link Group Settings (Cubase Pro only) on page 325 Assigning VCA Faders to Link Groups You can link channels and assign VCA faders to control them. PREREQUISITE You have selected channels. PROCEDURE 1.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) Removing VCA Faders from Link Groups You can remove VCA faders from link groups. PREREQUISITE You have selected the VCA fader that you want to remove. PROCEDURE 1. Click Edit Link Group Settings on the MixConsole toolbar. 2. In the Link Group Settings dialog, deactivate Use VCA Fader. The Volume parameter is automatically reactivated. 3. Click OK. 4. Specify if the channels in the link group keep the combined automation.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) Technically, a VCA fader that controls other VCA faders affects the volume level of all VCA faders and linked channels. EXAMPLE A VCA fader (main fader) controls a nested VCA fader that has been set to -10 dB. The latter VCA fader controls a linked channel that had an original level of -3 dB and that is set to -13 dB.
MixConsole VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only) For the channels, the original automation is adjusted by the volume level of the VCA fader track. EXAMPLE The VCA fader track automation affects an existing volume automation of an audio track. Automation of an audio track The lighter static value line displays the VCA fader automation that has not been written yet. VCA fader track automation The VCA fader track has a different automation curve that affects the automation of the audio track.
MixConsole Metering (Cubase Pro only) RELATED LINKS VCA Fader Settings on page 327 Metering (Cubase Pro only) The MixConsole features a master meter and a loudness meter that can be shown to the right of the fader section. Displaying Meters PROCEDURE 1. In the MixConsole, click the Set up Window Layout button on the toolbar and activate Control Room/Meter. 2. Click the Meter tab at the top of the Control Room/Meter section. By default, the master meter is displayed.
MixConsole Metering (Cubase Pro only) 2) Scales Lets you select a scale according to different broadcast standards (Digital, DIN, EBU, British, Nordic, K-20, K-14, or K-12). The headroom is indicated by red lines in the meter scale. 3) Alignment level standards Lets you select an alignment level (offset) for your scale. This is unavailable for digital and K-System scales. The broadcast meter scales DIN, EBU, Nordic, and British have a default alignment level of -18 dBFS.
MixConsole Metering (Cubase Pro only) 1) Control Room view Activates the Control Room section in the MixConsole. 2) Loudness meter Shows the Momentary Max value as a green triangle in the left meter scale and the Integrated value as a gray triangle in the right meter scale. 3) Measure Loudness Activates the loudness measurement. 4) Switch between LUFS and LU Switches the meter scale between LUFS (absolute values) and LU (relative values).
MixConsole Input Levels The following parameters are available: Momentary Max Shows the maximum loudness measured over a duration of 400 ms. Short Term Shows the loudness measured over a duration of 3 s. Integrated Shows the average loudness measured from start to stop. The period of measurement is shown in the Time display. The recommended value for the integrated loudness is -23 LUFS. This absolute value is the reference point for the relative LU scale where -23 LUFS equals 0 LU.
MixConsole Copying and Moving Rack and Channel Settings 3. Play back the audio and check the level meter for the input channel. The signal should be as loud as possible without exceeding 0 dB that is the clipping indicator for the input bus should not light up. 4. 5. If necessary, adjust the input level in one of the following ways: • Adjust the output level of the sound source or the external mixer. • If possible, use the audio hardware’s own application program to set the input levels.
MixConsole Fader Section The following applies: • To copy the rack settings from one rack to another, drag the rack and drop it on the rack to which you want to copy the settings. • To move the rack settings from one rack to another, press [Alt]/[Option], drag the rack, and drop it on the rack to which you want to move the settings. • To copy the channel settings from one channel to another, drag the channel and drop it on the channel to which you want to copy the settings.
MixConsole Fader Section 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 Stereo Combined Panner (Cubase Pro only) With the stereo combined panner, the left and right pan controls are linked and keep their relative distance if you move them. It is available for channels with a stereo input and output configuration. • To activate this panner, open the context menu for a pan control and select Stereo Combined Panner. • To set the pan independently for the left and right channels, hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag left or right.
MixConsole Fader Section Click again to deactivate the mute state for the channel. • 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.
MixConsole Fader Section For audio channels, the volume fader controls the volume of the channel before it is routed to an output bus, directly or via a group channel. For output channels the volume fader controls the master output level of all audio channels that are routed to an output bus. For MIDI channels the volume fader controls the volume changes in the MixConsole by sending out MIDI volume messages to the connected instruments that are set to respond to MIDI messages.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Reset Meters Resets the meters. Working with Channel Racks The Channel Racks section holds specific MixConsole functions, such as routing, insert, or send handling. These are organized in 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.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Setting up Routing PREREQUISITE Set up busses and group channels in the VST Connections window. PROCEDURE 1. On the MixConsole toolbar, activate Show Channel Racks. 2. Click Racks and activate Routing to show the Routing rack above the fader section. 3. Click one of the slots of the Routing rack to open the input or the output routing pop-up menu for a channel. 4. In the routing selector, select an entry.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 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. Route the group channel track to an output bus. 2.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 3. Click to the left of the high-cut filter to activate the high-cut filter. You have the following options: • Drag the slider to adjust the cutoff frequency. The available range spans from 20 kHz to 50 Hz. • Click Select Filter Slope on the right of the high-cut filter to select a filter slope. You can choose between 6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 dB. The default value is 12 dB. 4. Click to the left of the low-cut filter to activate the low-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 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 Equalizers (EQ) The Equalizers (EQ) rack is only available for audio-related channels. It features a built-in parametric equalizer with up to 4 bands for each audio channel. 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.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 2) Curve Display Click on the display in a channel to show a larger version. The display is also available in the Inspector and in the Channel Settings dialog. If you activate Equalizer Curve in the Set up Window Layout pane, the curve is removed from the EQ rack and is displayed above the racks. Hovering with the mouse over the display shows a cross-hair cursor.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 3) Frequency Sets the center frequency of the frequency range to be cut or boosted. You can set the frequency either in Hz or as a note value. If you enter a note value, the frequency is automatically displayed in Hz. For example, a note value of A3 sets the frequency to 440 Hz. When you enter a note value, you can also enter a cent offset. For example, enter A5 -23 or C4 +49. NOTE Ensure that you enter a space between the note and the cent offset.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Channel Strip Modules The channel strips allow you to apply modules directly to specific channels. You can change the position of specific modules in the signal flow via drag and drop. Gate Allows you to silence audio signals below a set threshold level. As soon as the signal level exceeds the set threshold, the gate opens to let the signal through. Compressor Allows you to create smooth compression effects.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Range Adjusts the attenuation of the gate when it is shut. If Range is set to , the gate is completely shut. The higher the value, the higher the level of the signal that passes through the shut gate. Filter Frequency (50 to 20000 Hz) If Side-Chain is activated, this sets the filter frequency. Q-Factor (0.01 to 10000) If Side-Chain is activated, this sets the resonance of the filter. Listen Filter Allows you to monitor the filtered signal.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Make-up (0 to 24 dB or Auto mode) Compensates for output gain loss that is caused by compression. If Auto is activated, the knob becomes dark and the output is automatically adjusted for gain loss. Tube Compressor This versatile compressor with integrated tube-simulation allows you to achieve smooth and warm compression effects. The VU meter shows the amount of gain reduction.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Side-chain Activates the external side-chain. Output (-48 to 24 dB) Sets the output gain. Gain Reduction LED Indicates the amount of compression of the signal. Attack (0.1 to 100 ms) Determines how fast the compressor responds. If the attack time is long, more of the early part of the signal passes through unprocessed.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 4) Freq Sets the center frequency of the frequency range to be cut or boosted. 5) Q Determines the width of the affected frequency range. Higher values give narrower frequency ranges. Tools Provides various tools. DeEsser This channel strip module reduces excessive sibilance, primarily for vocal and speech recordings. Basically, it is a special type of compressor that is tuned to be sensitive to the frequencies produced by the s-sound.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Solo Allows you to solo the frequency band to find the appropriate position and width of that band. Diff Allows you to listen to the sounds that the de-esser removes from the signal. EnvelopeShaper This channel strip module can be used to attenuate or boost the gain of the attack and release phase of audio material. You can use the knobs to change parameter values. Be careful with levels when boosting the gain and if needed reduce the output level to avoid clipping.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Output Allows you to adjust the output level. Saturation Amount LED Indicates the amount of saturation of the signal. Low-Frequency Sets the frequency range of the spectrum band to which the tape effect is applied. To avoid the saturation of lower frequencies, set the value to 200 Hz or 300 Hz. High-Frequency Sets the frequency range of the spectrum band to which the tape effect is applied.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 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 of the output signal. Tube Saturation This channel strip module simulates the saturation and compression of recording of analogue tube compressors. Drive Controls the amount of tube saturation. Output Gain Sets the output gain. Drive Amount LED Indicates the amount of drive of the signal.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Gain Reduction LED Displays the amount of gain reduction. Maximizer This channel strip module raises the loudness of audio material without the risk of clipping. Optimize Determines the loudness of the signal. Output (-24 to 6 dB) Determines the maximum output level. Set this to 0 dB to avoid clipping. Gain Reduction LED Displays the amount of gain reduction. Mix (0 to 100) Sets the level balance between the dry signal and the wet signal.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Saving/Loading Strip Presets You can save and load strip presets. Strip presets have the file name extension .strippreset. PROCEDURE • In the top right corner of the Channel Strip rack, open the Presets pop-up menu and perform one of the following actions: • To save the current settings as a preset, select Save Strip Preset and name your preset. • To load a preset, select Load Strip Preset and select a preset.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Adding FX Channels to a Send PROCEDURE 1. Right-click on the send slot to open the context menu. 2. Select Add FX Channel to . 3. In the Add FX Channel Track window, select the effect and configuration. 4. Click Add Track. RESULT The FX channel track is added in the Project window, and the send is automatically routed to it. Cue Sends (Cubase Pro only) Cue sends allow you to create discrete cue mixes that performers can listen to during recording.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks Direct Routing (Cubase Pro only) The Direct Routing rack allows you to set and activate outputs for all selected channels at once. In addition to the main output you can set up 7 routing destinations that are positioned post-fader and post-panner in the signal path. This allows you to switch the destination of channels, and create different mix versions in one go.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks 3. At the right moment, click on the routing destination to which you want to switch. The new destination is now active, and the switch has been recorded as automation data. 4. Continue to record destination changes for your project. NOTE To switch destinations for multiple channels simultaneously, select these channels and keep [Shift]-[Alt]/[Option] pressed when activating a different destination.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks NOTE Always select the output with the widest channel configuration in the first slot. It is not recommended to use a setup where the main output has less channels than the direct routing destination even though it is technically possible. Upmixing might lead to unexpected side effects. When performing an automatic downmix from 5.1 to stereo, the levels are adjusted as follows: L L R 0.0 R 0.0 C Lfe Ls -3.01 -3.01 -6.02 -3.01 -3.01 Rs -6.
MixConsole Working with Channel Racks RESULT The selected parameter is loaded and automatically activated as Track Quick Control. Assigning Parameters from Racks or Channel Settings You can assign several parameters to Quick Control slots directly from within racks or channel settings in the MixConsole. Some specific racks and channel settings allow you to add several parameters directly to the Quick Controls tab in the Inspector.
MixConsole Using Channel Settings Using Channel Settings You can open each MixConsole channel in a separate Channel Settings window. This allows for better overview and editing of the channel settings. • To open the channel settings for a specific channel, click E in the fader section.
MixConsole Using Channel Settings • Panning sends This is done on the Panning tab in the Sends section. • 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.
MixConsole Adding Notes to a MixConsole Channel This is the default behavior. If this is not what you want, open the Functions menu and deactivate Follow ‘e’ buttons or selection changes. • Select a track in the Project window to select the corresponding channel in the MixConsole and the Channel Settings window. This is the default behavior. If this is not what you want, deactivate Sync Selection in Project Window and MixConsole in Preferences > Editing > Project & MixConsole.
MixConsole Keyboard Navigation Navigating in a Section Once you have activated a section, you can use the computer keyboard as described below. In the channel racks section and in the fader section, controls that are selected for keyboard control are indicated by a red frame. • To navigate through the controls, use the arrow keys. • To activate or deactivate a switch, press [Return].
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) The Control Room allows you to divide the studio environment into the performing area (studio) and the engineer/producer area (control room). To open the Control Room Mixer you have the following options: • To open the Control Room in a separate window, select Devices > Control Room Mixer. • To open the Control Room section in the MixConsole, select Devices > MixConsole > Set up Window Layout > Control Room/Meter and activate the Control Room View button.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Output Routing 5. Click the Audio Device column to set an audio device for the channel type. 6. Click the Device Port column to assign a port for the channel. IMPORTANT You cannot assign the same device port to a bus or channel and a Control Room channel at the same time. RESULT The Control Room functions are available for use. If you disable the Control Room, the configuration is saved and will be restored when you reenable the Control Room.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Channels Control Room Channels Each Control Room channel type that you create defines an input or output of the Control Room Mixer. Monitor Channels A monitor channel represents a set of outputs that are connected to monitor speakers in the Control Room. You can create up to 4 monitor channels for a mono, stereo, or surround speaker configuration. Each monitor can have its own custom downmix settings, input gain, and input phase settings.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Channels You can create up to 4 cue channels in mono or stereo for 4 discrete cue mixes. Cue channels have talkback and click functions. They allow you to monitor the main mix, external inputs, or a dedicated cue mix. EXAMPLE If you have 2 available headphone amplifiers for performers, you can create 1 cue channel for each cue mix and name them according to their function: vocalist mix, bass player mix, etc.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Mixer NOTE The Auto Disable Talkback Mode option (File > Preferences > VST > Control Room) allows you to specify how talkback works during playback and recording. Metering Channel You can use a metering channel for connecting a hardware metering device. The metering channel allows you to meter monitoring sources without having the listening volume affect the meter.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Mixer External The External section allows you to use external inputs for monitoring external devices. It is only shown if you have added more than one external input in the VST Connections window. To switch to another external input, click the input name and select a new external input from the pop-up menu. Cue Channel The Cue Channel section allows you to set up cue channels for sending cue mixes.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Mixer 1) Activate Cue Channel Allows you to activate/deactivate the cue channel. 2) Source Selectors Allow you to select the source for the cue channel: monitor mix (Mix), external inputs (Ext), or the cue sends (Cues). The signal presence indicators in the upper left corner light up when the source channel is sending data to the cue channel.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Mixer 2) Solo Front Channels Allows you to solo the front channels. 3) Solo Surround Channels Allows you to solo the surround channels. 4) Listen to Solo Channels on Center Channel Allows you to listen to all soloed speakers in the center channel. If the center channel is not available, the channels are distributed equally to the left and right.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Mixer 2) Select Output Configuration Allows you to select an output channel configuration. You can also select Open MixConvert to open the MixConvert plug-in. Phones The Phones section allows you to use the phones channel in the Control Room to listen to cue mixes. 1) Activate Phones Channel Allows you to activate/deactivate the phones channel. 2) Activate Metronome Click Activates the metronome click.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Mixer Control Room Channel The Control Room channel is the representation of the bus that is set up as the Main Mix bus on the Outputs tab in the VST Connections window. The following section contains a description of the individual controls. 1) Activate Control Room Channel Allows you to activate/deactivate the Control Room channel. 2) Signal Level Allows you to set the volume for the Control Room output.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Mixer 2) Dim Signal Activate this to lower the Control Room level by a fixed amount. This allows a quick reduction in monitor volume without disturbing the current monitor level. Clicking the DIM button again returns the monitor level to the previous setting. 3) Use Reference Level Enable this button to set the Control Room level to the reference level specified in the Preferences dialog (VST–Control Room page).
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Setup 4) Listen Level Allows you to adjust the volume of listen bus signals that are routed to the Control Room output. 5) Listen Dim Allows you to adjust the volume of the Main Mix when channels are in listen mode. This keeps listen-enabled channels in context with the Main Mix. If the Listen DIM level is set to the minimum value, you only hear the listen-enabled channels.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Setup Input Gain 384
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Control Room Setup Setting up the input gain can be useful in the following situations: • To balance the level of external inputs, for example, CD players and other sources to the Main Mix level, for A/B comparisons. • To balance the level of your monitor systems, so that switching between sets of speakers does not change the playback volume. Input Phase Reversing the input phase can be useful for external inputs and monitor speaker outputs.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Setting Up a Cue Mix Setting Up a Cue Mix You can create a cue mix from the fader and pan levels that are used in the MixConsole and change them to meet the needs of the individual performers. PROCEDURE 1. In the MixConsole, select the channels from which you want to copy the settings. 2. In the Control Room, do one of the following: 3. • To apply the function only to this cue channel, right-click on a cue channel to open the context menu.
Control Room (Cubase Pro only) Adjusting the Overall Cue Send Level Reset Cue Sends Allows you to deactivate the cue sends, to change the send level of all selected channels to 0 dB, and to set the signal source to post-fader. This way, any changes to the main mix also change the cue mix. To raise the level of individual cue channels, raise the level on that channel.
Metering Loudness Cubase allows you to measure the loudness in compliance with the loudness recommendation R 128 of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Measurements that correspond to this recommendation consider loudness, loudness range, and maximum true peak level values. Loudness Measurement The following measurements are performed: • Integrated Loudness Average loudness that is measured over the whole track in LUFS (Loudness Unit, referenced to Full Scale).
Metering Loudness True Peaks When a digital signal is converted to an analog signal, EBU R 128 recommends that you rather measure an estimation of the real peaks instead of relying on digital peaks. This avoids clipping and distortion. Naming and Units The EBU R 128 proposes the following naming and units conventions: • A relative measurement, such as a value that is relative to a reference level, LU as Loudness Unit (1 LU is 1 dB).
Metering Loudness • The green triangle on the left side shows the integrated loudness value. • The gray triangle on the right side shows the short-term loudness.
Metering Loudness 1) Measure Loudness Allows you to activate the loudness measurement. 2) Switch between LU and LUFS Allows you to switch the meter scale between LU (relative values) and LUFS (absolute values). 3) Configure Loudness Settings Opens a dialog with further loudness settings. 4) Reset Loudness Allows you to reset the loudness measurement. 5) Momentary Max. Shows the maximum of all measured momentary loudness values.
Metering Loudness The following parameters are available: 1) Select Preset Allows you to create, load, and remove loudness presets. 2) Momentary Max. Allows you to specify a reference value and a tolerance value for the maximum momentary loudness. If higher values are detected, the clipping indicator in the loudness meter turns red. 3) Short-Term Allows you to specify a reference value and a tolerance value for the short-term loudness.
Audio Effects Cubase comes with a number of effect plug-ins included that you can use to process audio, group, instrument, and ReWire channels. 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”. Insert Effects and Send Effects You can apply effects to audio channels by using insert effects or send effects.
Audio Effects Insert Effects and Send Effects • The Inserts section in the Inspector. Send Effects Send effects can be added to FX channel tracks, and the audio data to be processed can be routed to the effect. This way, the send effects remain outside the audio channel’s signal path. Each audio channel has eight sends, each of which can be freely routed to an effect (or to a chain of effects).
Audio Effects Insert Effects and Send Effects VST Standard Audio effects can be integrated in Cubase thanks to the VST standard. At the moment, two VST standards are supported: VST 3 and VST 2. The VST 3 plug-in standard offers improvements like smart plug-in processing and side-chain inputs. Yet, it retains full backwards compatibility to VST 2. Cubase supports 32-bit and 64-bit plug-ins. On Windows and Mac OS X 64-bit systems, you can use 32-bit plug-ins with the 64-bit version of Cubase.
Audio Effects Insert Effects VST 3 dynamics plug-ins with look-ahead functionality feature a Live button that allows you to disengage the look-ahead. This minimizes latency during realtime recording. See the separate PDF document Plug-in Reference. To avoid latency during realtime recording or realtime playback of VST instruments, you can also use Constrain Delay Compensation. RELATED LINKS Constrain Delay Compensation on page 639 Tempo Sync Plug-ins can receive timing and tempo information from Cubase.
Audio Effects Insert Effects The signal passes through the insert effects from the top downwards: The last two insert slots for any channel are post-EQ and post-fader. NOTE To show slots 7 and 8 in the MixConsole, open the Rack Settings and activate Fixed Number of Slots. Use post-fader slots for insert effects where you do not want the level to be changed after the effect. Dithering and maximizers are typically used as post-fader insert effects for output busses, for example.
Audio Effects Insert Effects 3. In the Inserts section, click the first insert slot on the Inserts tab, and select an effect from the selector. RESULT The selected insert effect is loaded and activated, and the audio is routed through it. The effect control panel is opened. RELATED LINKS Effect Control Panel on page 414 Adding Insert Effects to Busses If you add insert effects to input busses, the effects become a permanent part of the recorded audio file.
Audio Effects Insert Effects Adding Insert Effects to Group Channels If you add insert effects to group channels you can process several audio tracks through the same effect. PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track > Group Channel to add a group channel track. 2. In the Inspector for the group track, open the Output Routing pop-up menu and select the desired output bus. 3. In the Inspector for the group track, open the Inserts section. 4.
Audio Effects Insert Effects Rearranging Insert Effects You can rearrange insert effects by dragging and dropping them on other audio channels or on other slots of the same audio channel. PREREQUISITE You have added at least one insert effect to an audio channel. PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > MixConsole. 2. In the Inserts rack, locate the insert effect that you want to rearrange. 3. Drag the insert effect, and drop it on an insert slot.
Audio Effects Insert Effects Bypassing Insert Effects If you bypass an insert effect, only the unprocessed original signal is played back. This is useful if you want to compare the original and the processed signal. PREREQUISITE You have added an insert effect to an audio channel. PROCEDURE 1. In the track list, select the audio track with the insert effect that you want to bypass. 2. In the Inspector, open the Inserts section, and click Bypass Insert.
Audio Effects Insert Effects Freezing Insert Effects Freezing an audio track and its insert effects allows you to reduce processor power. However, frozen tracks are locked for editing. You cannot edit, remove or add insert effects for the frozen track. PREREQUISITE You have made all settings for the track and you are sure that you do not need to edit it anymore. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector for the audio track that you want to freeze, click Freeze Audio Channel. 2.
Audio Effects Insert Effects Mono or stereo effects can only process one or two channels, whereas surround-capable plug-ins are applied to all speaker channels, or to a subset of these. • To set up to what speaker channels the insert effect is applied, use the Routing Editor.
Audio Effects Insert Effects RELATED LINKS Routing Editor on page 404 Routing Editor The Routing Editor allows you to set up to what speaker channels the effect is applied to. NOTE You can only make settings in the Routing Editor if you route multi-channel audio through an effect that supports less channels. The Routing Editor shows the channels in the current configuration, with signals passing from top to bottom.
Audio Effects Send Effects The audio on the specific channels is processed by the effect, and output on other channels. In this example, the audio on the Ls-Rs channels is output on the L-R channels. Since the L-R channels are bypassed, the final L-R output contains both the original L-R signals and the processed Ls-Rs signals. You can use the following Routing Editor controls, to set up your routing: • The upper arrow buttons Assign the input channels.
Audio Effects Send Effects • You can adjust the FX channel in the MixConsole channel. This includes adjusting the effect return level, the balance, and the EQ. • You can route the effect return to any output bus. • You can add automation tracks to FX channel tracks. This allows you for automating various effect parameters. • You can rename FX channel tracks as any other tracks. In the track list, FX channel tracks are shown in a dedicated folder track.
Audio Effects Send Effects Adding Insert Effects to FX Channel Tracks You can add insert effects to FX channel tracks. PREREQUISITE You have added an FX channel track and set up the correct output bus in the Output Routing pop-up menu. PROCEDURE 1. In the track list for the FX channel track, click Edit Channel Settings. The Channel Settings window for the FX channel track opens. 2. In the Inserts section, click an insert slot on the Inserts tab, and select an effect from the selector.
Audio Effects Send Effects 4. On the send slot, click Activate Send. RESULT The audio is routed through the FX channel. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK In the Channel Settings window for the audio channel you can hold down [Alt]/[Option] and double-click to show the send destination. If you have routed the send to an FX channel, the effect control panel is opened.
Audio Effects Send Effects NOTE If you activate Mute Pre-Send when Mute in the Preferences dialog on the VST page, sends in pre-fader mode are muted if you mute their channels. Setting Pan for the Sends (Cubase Pro only) PROCEDURE 1. Select the audio track. 2. In the track list, click Edit Channel Settings to open the Channel Settings window. 3. On the Sends tab, click Panning. For each send, a pan fader is shown. NOTE Depending on the routing, different pan controls are available for the sends.
Audio Effects Send Effects NOTE You can reset the pan control to the center position by [Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking on the pan control. RELATED LINKS Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) on page 586 Setting Level for the Sends PROCEDURE 1. In the track list, select the FX channel track that contains the effect for which you want to set the level. 2. Open the Inserts section of the Inspector and click the effect slot to open the effect control panel. 3.
Audio Effects Side-Chain Input Side-Chain Input Many VST 3.0 effects feature a side-chain input. Side-chaining allows you to use the output of one track to control the action of an effect on another track. Effects from the following categories feature side-chain: • Modulation • Delay • Filter By activating the side-chain input you can: • Use the side-chain signal as a source for modulation. • Reduce the volume for an audio track when a second audio track starts. This is called ducking.
Audio Effects Side-Chain Input Using Side-Chain with a Delay You can use side-chain signals to create a ducking delay. This is useful if you want to apply a delay effect that is audible only when no signal is present on a track. PROCEDURE 1. Select the audio track that contains the audio you want to delay. 2. Select Project > Duplicate Tracks. The events on the duplicated track are only used to reduce the volume of the effect that is added to the original track. 3. Select the original track. 4.
Audio Effects Dither Effects Using Side-Chain with a Compressor Compression, expansion, or gating can be triggered by side-chain signals exceeding a specified threshold. This allows you to lower the volume of one audio signal every time another audio signal sets in. PREREQUISITE You have set up a project with a bass guitar and a bass drum track, and you want to lower the bass guitar volume each time the bass drum hits. PROCEDURE 1. Select the bass guitar track. 2.
Audio Effects External Effects (Cubase Pro only) Applying Dither Effects PROCEDURE 1. Select Devices > MixConsole. 2. Open the Rack Settings and activate Fixed Number of Slots. 3. Click Edit Channel Settings for the output channel. 4. In the Inserts section, click the effect slot 7 or 8, and select Mastering > UV22HR from the selector. The two last Insert effect slots are post-fader, which is crucial for a dithering plug-in. 5. In the plug-in control panel, select a resolution.
Audio Effects Effect Control Panel The following controls are available for all effects: 1) Activate Effect Activates/Deactivates the effect. 2) Bypass Effect Allows you to bypass the effect. 3) Read/Write Automation Allows you to read/write automation for the effect parameter settings. 4) Switch between A/B Settings Switches to setting B when setting A is active, and to setting A when setting B is active. 5) Copy A to B Copies the effect parameters of effect setting A to effect setting B.
Audio Effects Effect Presets Fine-Tuning Effect Settings Once you have adjusted the effect parameters and you are satisfied, you can take these settings as a starting point for further fine-tuning. This gives you the possibility to go back to these specific settings afterwards. PREREQUISITE You have adjusted the parameters for an effect. PROCEDURE 1. On the control panel for the effect, click Switch between A/B Settings. This copies the initial parameter setting A to setting B. 2.
Audio Effects Effect Presets • To open the preset browser, click the preset browser field in the effect control panel. NOTE The preset browser contains the Results, and the Previewer sections. To open the Filters and the Location Tree sections, click Set up Window Layout and activate the corresponding options. 1) Location Tree Shows the folder that is searched, for preset files. 2) Filters Shows the available preset attributes for the selected effect.
Audio Effects Effect Presets • In Inspector or the Channel Settings window, open the Inserts section and click Select Preset for the loaded effect. 2. In the Results section, select a preset from the list. 3. Optional: Activate playback to audition the selected preset, and step through the presets until you find the right sound. NOTE You can set up cycle playback of a section to make comparisons between different preset settings easier. 4. Double-click to load the preset that you want to apply.
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. 3. In the New Preset section, enter a name for the new preset. 4. Optional: Click New Folder to add a subfolder inside the effect preset folder. 5. Optional: Click Show Attribute Inspector in the bottom left corner of the dialog and define attributes for the preset. 6. Click OK.
Audio Effects Effect Presets 2. Select Save as Default Preset. You are asked if you want to save the current settings as default preset. 3. Click Yes. RESULT The effects settings are saved as default preset. Every time you load the effect, the default preset is loaded automatically. Copying and Pasting Presets Between Effects You can copy and paste effect presets between different instances of the same plug-in. PROCEDURE 1. Open the control panel for the effect that you want to copy. 2.
Audio Effects Effect Presets 3. In the file dialog, perform one of the following actions: • To replace the current set of all effect programs, select an .fxb presets file. • To replace the selected effect program only, select an .fxp presets file. 4. Click Open. 5. Click Preset Management and select Save Preset. RESULT The preset is automatically saved in the .vstpreset format.
Audio Effects Effect Presets RESULT The insert effects and their effect parameters are saved as insert preset. Loading Insert Presets You can load insert presets to audio, group, instrument, and FX channels. PREREQUISITE You have saved a combination of insert effects as insert presets. PROCEDURE 1. Select the track you wish to apply the new preset to. 2. In the Inspector, open the Inserts section. 3. On the Inserts tab, click Preset Management and select Load FX Chain Preset. 4.
Audio Effects Plug-In Information Window 4. Select the preset that contains the insert effects you want to load. 5. Click again, to load the effects and close the dialog. RESULT The effects used in the track preset are loaded. RELATED LINKS Track Presets on page 163 Plug-In Information Window The Plug-in Information window lists all the available MIDI plug-ins, audio-codec plug-ins, program plug-ins, project import-export plug-ins, and the virtual file system plug-ins.
Audio Effects Plug-In Information Window 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. • To see where a plug-in is used, click in the Instances column.
Audio Processing and Functions If you process audio in Cubase, you can always undo changes or revert to the original version. This is possible because processing does not affect the actual audio files. If you process an event or a selection range, the following happens: • A new audio file is created in the Edits folder, within your project folder. This file contains the processed audio, and the processed section of the audio clip refers to it. • The original file remains unaffected.
Audio Processing and Functions Envelope • Cancel The following common settings may be hidden when the dialog opens. To reveal them, click More. • Pre/Post-Crossfade Preview, Process, and Cancel buttons The preview, process, and cancel buttons have the following functionalities: Preview button Allows you to listen to the result of the processing with the current settings until you click the button again, or until you press [Space]. You can make adjustments during Preview playback.
Audio Processing and Functions Fade In and Fade Out The available options are: Curve Kind buttons Determine whether the corresponding envelope uses Spline Interpolation (left button), Damped Spline Interpolation (middle button) or Linear Interpolation (right button). Envelope display Shows the shape of the envelope. The resulting waveform shape is shown in dark gray, with the current waveform shape in light gray. Click the curve to add points, and click and drag existing points to change the shape.
Audio Processing and Functions Fade In and Fade Out The available options are: 1) Spline Interpolation Applies a spline interpolation to the curve. 2) Damped Spline Interpolation Applies a damped spline interpolation to the curve. 3) Linear Interpolation Applies a linear interpolation to the curve. 4) Fade display Shows the shape of the fade curve. The resulting waveform shape is shown in dark gray, with the current waveform shape in light gray.
Audio Processing and Functions Gain Gain Allows you to change the gain, that is, the level of the selected audio. The available options are: Gain Allows you set a gain value between -50 dB and +20 dB. Clipping detection text This text is displayed if you use Preview and the gain setting results in audio levels above 0 dB. NOTE In case of clipping, lower the Gain value and use the Normalize function instead. This allows you to increase the level of the audio as much as possible without causing clipping.
Audio Processing and Functions Noise Gate The available options are: Sources mix Allows you to specify a mix ratio between the original audio that you have selected for processing, and the copied audio from the clipboard. RELATED LINKS Pre/Post-Crossfade on page 426 Noise Gate Noise Gate allows you to replace the audio sections below a specified threshold level with silence. The available options are: Threshold Allows you to set the level below which you want audio to be silenced.
Audio Processing and Functions Normalize Dry/Wet mix Allows you to specify a mix ratio between dry and wet sound. RELATED LINKS Pre/Post-Crossfade on page 426 Normalize The Normalize function allows you to raise the level of audio that was recorded at too low an input level. The available options are: Maximum Allows you to set a maximum level for the audio, between -50 dB and 0 dB.
Audio Processing and Functions Pitch Shift Pitch Shift This function allows you to change the pitch of the audio with or without affecting its length. You can also create harmonies by specifying several pitches or apply pitch shift based on an envelope curve. When the Transpose tab is selected, the available options are: Keyboard display Shows a graphic overview of the transposition where the root note is indicated in red and the transposed is indicated key in blue.
Audio Processing and Functions Pitch Shift • To include the original, untransposed sound, click the root key in the keyboard display so that it is displayed in blue. NOTE In Multi Shift mode the Preview function is not available. Listen Key Level Allows you to adjust the level of the pitch-shifted sound. Listen Key/Chord button Click this button to play a test tone of the pitch-shifted sound. Pitch Shift Base Allows you to set the root note.
Audio Processing and Functions Pitch Shift Envelope display Shows the shape of the envelope curve over the waveform image of the audio selected for processing. Envelope curve points above the center line indicate positive pitch shift, curve points below the center line indicate negative pitch shift. Initially, the envelope curve is a horizontal, centered line, indicating zero pitch shift. • To add a curve point, click the curve. • To move a curve point, click and drag.
Audio Processing and Functions Remove DC Offset Example Let’s say that you wish to create a pitchbend effect, so that the pitch is raised linearly by exactly 2 semitones in a specific part of the selected audio. PROCEDURE 1. Click Reset to remove all curve points. 2. Click Linear Interpolation to select a linear curve. 3. Set Range to 2 semitones or higher. 4. Set a starting point for the pitchbend by adding a curve point. 5. Use Fine-Tune to set the curve point to 0 cents and the pitch to 0. 6.
Audio Processing and Functions Resample RELATED LINKS Statistics on page 448 Resample The Resample function allows you to change the length, tempo and pitch of an event. If you resample to a higher sample rate, the event gets and longer the audio plays back at a slower speed with a lower pitch. If you resample to a lower sample rate, the event gets shorter and the audio plays back at a faster speed with a higher pitch. File Sample Rate Shows the original sample rate of the event.
Audio Processing and Functions Time Stretch In the Mode pop-up menu, the available options are: Flip Left-Right Swaps the left and right channel. Left to Stereo Copies the left channel sound to the right channel. Right to Stereo Copies the right channel sound to the left channel. Merge Merges both channels on each side for mono sound. Subtract Subtracts the left channel information from the right.
Audio Processing and Functions Time Stretch • Sign. Specifies the time signature. Original Length section This section contains information and settings regarding the audio that is selected for processing. • Length in Samples The length of the selected audio, in samples. • Length in Seconds The length of the selected audio, in seconds. • Tempo in BPM Allows you to enter he actual tempo of the audio in beats per minute.
Audio Processing and Functions Applying Plug-Ins (Cubase Pro only) Applying Plug-Ins (Cubase Pro only) You can apply effects permanently to one or several selected events. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window or in the Pool or an editor, select an audio event. 2. Select Audio > Plug-ins. 3. From the Plug-ins submenu select an effect. 4. Make the desired settings and click Process to apply them. RESULT The effect is applied permanently to the selected events.
Audio Processing and Functions Offline Process History Wet mix/Dry mix These sliders allow you to specify the balance between wet and dry signals in the resulting clip. If you raise the Wet mix slider, the Dry mix slider is lowered by the same amount. If you press [Alt]/[Option] and drag a slider, you can move it independently. Tail Activate this to add space after the original audio section. This avoids that a reverb tail or a delay effect is cut off. The slider allows you to specify a tail length.
Audio Processing and Functions Offline Process History 3) Replace By Allows you to replace the selected processing with the processing selected in the Process/Plug-ins pop-up menu. If the selected function has settings, a dialog opens. 4) Process/Plug-ins pop up menu Allows you to select a process or a plug-in that replaces the selected process. 5) Remove Removes the selected process. 6) Activate/Deactivate Activates/deactivates the process selected in the list.
Audio Processing and Functions Freeze Edits • 5. Click Deactivate to undo the selected operation and remove the processing from the clip. Click Close to close the dialog. RESULT The selected processing is modified. RELATED LINKS Offline Process History on page 440 Status on page 530 Freeze Edits Allows you to apply all processing and effects permanently. PREREQUISITE You have applied processing or effects to an audio event or to its audio clip. PROCEDURE 1. 2.
Audio Processing and Functions Detect Silence Detect Silence The Detect Silence function allows you to search for silent sections in an event, and to split the event, removing the silent parts from the project, or to create 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 and select Audio > Advanced > Detect Silence.
Audio Processing and Functions Detect Silence Linked Activate this, to set the same values for Open Threshold and Close Threshold. Min. Time open Determines the minimum time that the function remains open after the audio level has exceeded the Open Threshold value. NOTE If your audio contains repeated short sounds, and this results in too many short open sections, try raising this value. Min.
Audio Processing and Functions Detect Silence Auto Activate this option to analyze the audio event and update the display automatically every time you change the settings. NOTE If you are working with very long files, consider deactivating the Auto option as this may slow down the process. Removing Silent Sections The Detect Silence dialog allows you to detect and delete silent sections of your audio. PROCEDURE 1. Select one or several audio events with silent sections in the Project window. 2.
Audio Processing and Functions Spectrum Analyzer Spectrum Analyzer The Spectrum Analyzer analyzes the selected audio, computes the average spectrum, displays it in a two-dimensional graph, with frequency range on the x-axis and level distribution on the y-axis. To open the Spectrum Analyzer, select Audio > Spectrum Analyzer. Spectrum Analyzer Settings The Spectrum Analyzer shows the following settings: Size in Samples Determines a size for the analysis blocks of the audio.
Audio Processing and Functions Spectrum Analyzer Spectrum Display The Spectrum Display shows the following settings: Frequency display Allows you to compare the levels between two frequencies. Move the pointer to one of the frequencies, right-click and move the pointer to the second frequency. The difference in level between the two positions is displayed and labeled D in the upper right corner. NOTE For stereo audio the left channel graph is displayed in white and the right channel graph in yellow.
Audio Processing and Functions Statistics Active Activate this option to open the next Spectrum Analysis dialog in the same window. Deactivate this option to show the next dialog in a separate window. Analyzing the Audio Spectrum PROCEDURE 1. Select an audio clip, an event, or a range. 2. Select Audio > Spectrum Analyzer. 3. Adjust the settings or use the default values. The default values give good results in most situations. 4. Click Process.
Audio Processing and Functions Statistics The Statistics function analyzes the selected audio events, clips, or range selections and displays a window with the following information: Channel Shows the name of the analyzed channel. Min. Sample Value Shows the lowest sample value in dB. Max. Sample Value Shows the highest sample value in dB. Peak Amplitude Shows the largest amplitude in dB. True Peak Shows the maximum absolute level of the audio signal waveform in the continuous time domain.
Audio Processing and Functions Time Stretch and Pitch Shift Algorithms Integrated Loudness (Cubase Pro only) Shows the average loudness over the whole title in LUFS (Loudness Unit, referenced to Full Scale) in accordance with EBU R-128 that recommends to normalize audio at -23 LUFS (±1 LU). Loudness Range (Cubase Pro only) Shows the dynamic range over the whole title in LU (Loudness Units). This value allows you to see if dynamic processing is needed. Max.
Audio Processing and Functions Time Stretch and Pitch Shift Algorithms Tape Locks the pitch shift to the time stretch as if playing back a tape with varying speed. If you stretch the audio material, the pitch decreases automatically. This variant has no effect if you use it with event transpose or the transpose track. MPEX MPEX is an alternative high-quality algorithm. You can choose between the following quality settings: MPEX – Preview Quality For preview purposes.
Audio Processing and Functions Time Stretch and Pitch Shift Algorithms The following presets are available: Standard – Drums For percussive sounds. This mode does not change the timing of your audio. If you use it with certain tuned percussion instruments, you may experience audible artifacts. In this case, try the Mix mode as an alternative. Standard – Plucked For audio with transients and a relatively stable spectral sound character like plucked instruments.
Audio Processing and Functions Time Stretch and Pitch Shift Algorithms Limitations Applying time stretching or pitch shifting to audio material can lead to a degradation in audio quality and to audible artifacts. The result depends on the source material, the particular stretch and pitch operations applied, and the selected audio algorithm preset. As a rule of thumb, smaller changes in pitch or duration cause less degradation.
Sample Editor The Sample Editor provides an overview of the selected audio event. It allows you to view and manipulate audio by cutting and pasting, removing, or drawing audio data, and by processing audio. Editing is non-destructive so that you can undo modifications at any time. • To open an audio event in the Sample Editor, double-click the event in the Project window, or select the event in the Project window and press [Ctrl]/[Command]-[E].
Sample Editor Toolbar 5) Ruler Shows the timeline and the display format of the project. 6) Waveform Display Shows the waveform image of the edited audio clip. 7) Regions Allows you to add and edit regions. RELATED LINKS Toolbar on page 455 Info Line on page 458 Overview Line on page 459 Inspector on page 459 Ruler on page 462 Waveform Display on page 463 Regions List on page 469 Toolbar The toolbar contains tools for selecting, manipulating, and playing back audio.
Sample Editor Toolbar Edit Active Audio Event Only (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to restrict editing operations to the active audio event. Currently Edited Audio Event (Cubase Pro only) Lists all audio events that are opened in the Sample Editor, and allows you to activate an audio event for editing. Auto-Scroll Allows you to activate the Auto-Scroll and Suspend Auto-Scroll when Editing options.
Sample Editor Toolbar VariAudio Segment Colors Allows you to select a color scheme for VariAudio segments. This makes it easier to see which segments belong to which event when working with several audio events. Show Audio Event Allows you to highlight the section corresponding to the edited event in the waveform display and the overview line. This button is not available if you opened the audio event from the Pool.
Sample Editor Info Line 3. Click at the beginning of the section that you want to correct and draw in the new curve. RESULT A range selection covering the edited section is automatically applied. NOTE Cubase Pro only: The Draw tool cannot be used when the VariAudio section is open. Info Line The info line shows information about the audio clip, such as the audio format and the selection range.
Sample Editor Overview Line NOTE Initially, length and position values are displayed in the format specified in the Project Setup dialog. Overview Line The overview line displays the whole clip, and indicates, which part of the clip is shown in the waveform display. 1) Event Start Shows the start of the audio event if Show Audio Event is activated on the toolbar. 2) Selection Shows which section is selected in the waveform display.
Sample Editor Inspector • To show or hide the Inspector, click Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activate or deactivate Inspector. • To open or close the Inspector sections, click their names. Definition The Definition section allows you to adjust the audio grid and define the musical context of your audio. You can use the available functions to match an audio file or audio loop to the project tempo. • To open the Definition section, click its tab in the Inspector.
Sample Editor Inspector Hitpoints The Hitpoints section allows you to edit hitpoints to slice your audio. Here you can create groove quantize maps, markers, regions, events, and warp markers based on hitpoints. • To open the Hitpoints section, click its tab in the Inspector. Range The Range section allows you to edit ranges and selections. • To open the Range section, click its tab in the Inspector. Select Opens a menu with functions to select ranges.
Sample Editor Ruler End Shows the end position of the selection range. Length Shows the length of the selection range. Zoom Opens a menu with the zoom functions for ranges. Process The Process section regroups the most important audio editing commands from the Audio and Edit menus. • To open the Process section, click its tab in the Inspector. Ruler The ruler shows the timeline and display format of the project, the project tempo grid. The ruler is located above the waveform display. It is always shown.
Sample Editor Waveform Display Waveform Display The waveform display shows the waveform image of the edited audio clip. 1) Level Scale Indicates the amplitude of the audio. 2) Level Scale options Allow you to select whether the level is shown as percentage or in dB. 3) Ruler Shows the project tempo grid. 4) Audio waveform Shows the waveform image of the selected audio. 5) Half Level Axis To show the half level axis, open the audio waveform context menu and select Show Half Level Axis.
Sample Editor Waveform Display Zooming in the Waveform Display You can zoom in the waveform display according to the standard zoom techniques. Note the following: • The vertical zoom slider changes the vertical scale relative to the height of the Sample Editor. • The vertical zoom is also affected if Zoom Tool Standard Mode: Horizontal Zooming only is deactivated in the Preferences dialog (Editing-Tools) and you drag a rectangle with the Zoom tool.
Sample Editor Range Editing Zoom to Event Zooms in so that the waveform display shows the section of the clip corresponding to the edited audio event. This is not available if you have opened the Sample Editor from the Pool. Zoom In Vertically Zooms in one step vertically. Zoom Out Vertically Zooms out one step vertically. Undo/Redo Zoom Allows you to undo/redo the last zoom operation. Range Editing In the Sample Editor you can edit selection ranges.
Sample Editor Range Editing NOTE You can also use the functions in the Select menu to select ranges. RELATED LINKS Select Menu on page 466 Select Menu Select Menu on the Range Tab On the Select menu on the Range tab in the Sample Editor Inspector, the following functions are available: Select All Selects the whole clip. Select None Deselects everything. Select in Loop Selects the audio between the left and the right locator. Select Event Selects only the audio that is included in the edited event.
Sample Editor Range Editing None Deselects everything. In Loop Sets the audio between the left and the right locators. From Start to Cursor Selects the audio between the clips start and the project cursor. From Cursor to End Selects the audio between the project cursor and the end of the clip. This option is available if the project cursor is positioned between the clip boundaries.
Sample Editor Range Editing 3. Perform one of the following actions: • Click Replace if you want to replace the original. • Click No if you want to keep the original. RESULT A new Sample Editor window opens with the new clip. It refers to the same audio file as the original clip, but it contains the audio corresponding to the selection range only. Edit Functions for Ranges You can edit selection ranges.
Sample Editor Regions List Processes and Plug-Ins for Ranges You can apply processes and plug-ins to selection ranges. • To apply a process or a plug-in to a selection range, open the Process section in the Sample Editor, and select one of the functions in the Select Process menu or in the Select Plug-in menu. NOTE If you apply processes or plug-ins to ranges of events that are shared copies, you are asked whether you want to create a new version of the clip.
Sample Editor Regions List 4) Select Region If you select a region in the list and click this button above, the corresponding section of the audio clip is selected (as if you had selected it with the Range Selection tool) and zoomed. This is useful if you want to apply processing to the region only. 5) Play Region Plays back the selected region. 6) Regions list Allows you to select and display regions in the audio waveform.
Sample Editor Regions List Creating Regions from Hitpoints You can create regions from hitpoints. This is useful to isolate specific sounds. PREREQUISITE The audio event from which you want to create regions is opened in the Sample Editor and the hitpoints are set at the correct positions. PROCEDURE • On the Hitpoints tab, click Create Regions. RESULT Regions are created between two hitpoint positions and shown in the Sample Editor.
Sample Editor Snap Point RESULT The region is removed from the regions list. Creating Audio Events from Regions You can create new audio events from regions using drag and drop. PREREQUISITE You have clicked Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activated the Regions option. You have created regions. PROCEDURE 1. Select the region in the regions list. 2. Drag the region to the desired position in the Project window. RESULT An event is created from the region.
Sample Editor Snap Point The snap point is used when Snap is activated in the Project window toolbar and you insert a clip from the Sample Editor in the event display. It is also used when you move or copy events in the event display. In the Sample Editor, you can edit the following snap points: • Event Snap Point This is shown in the Sample Editor if you open a clip from within the Project window. • Clip Snap point This is shown in the Sample Editor if you open a clip from the Pool.
Sample Editor Snap Point NOTE You can also adjust the snap point by setting the project cursor at the desired position and selecting Audio > Snap Point To Cursor.
Hitpoints Hitpoints mark musically relevant positions in audio files. Cubase can detect these positions and create hitpoints automatically by analyzing onsets and melodic changes of the audio. When you add an audio file to your project by recording or by importing, Cubase automatically detects hitpoints. In the Project window, hitpoints are shown for the selected event, provided that the zoom factor is high enough. The hitpoint functions are available in the Sample Editor > Hitpoints tab.
Hitpoints Calculating Hitpoints Calculating Hitpoints When you add an audio file to your project by recording or by importing, Cubase automatically detects hitpoints. PROCEDURE 1. Import or record an audio file. Cubase automatically detects hitpoints. NOTE If your audio file is very long, this may take a while. 2. Select the audio event in the Project window and make sure the zoom factor is high enough. RESULT The calculated hitpoints for the selected event are shown in the Project window.
Hitpoints Calculating Hitpoints Beats Filters hitpoints by their musical position. This option allows you to discard hitpoints that do not fit within a certain range of a defined beat value. Editing Hitpoints Manually It is absolutely crucial for any further editing that the hitpoints are set at the correct positions. Therefore, if the automatic hitpoint detection does not meet your expectations, you can edit hitpoints manually.
Hitpoints Locating to Hitpoints in the Project Window 5. To insert a hitpoint, press [Alt]/[Option] and click at the position where you want to insert the hitpoint. The mouse pointer changes to a draw icon and the tooltip Insert Hitpoint is shown. 6. To move a hitpoint, move the mouse pointer on the vertical line that represents the hitpoint, and drag to the left or to the right. The mouse pointer changes to a double arrow and the tooltip Move Hitpoint is shown. Moved hitpoints are locked by default.
Hitpoints Slices Slices You can create slices from hitpoints, where each slice ideally represents an individual sound or beat of the audio. You can use these slices to change tempo and timing of the audio without affecting its pitch and quality. NOTE Slices are created in the Sample Editor and edited in the Audio Part Editor. Audio that meets following characteristics is suitable: • Individual sounds have a noticeable attack. • The recording quality is good.
Hitpoints Slices On playback, the audio plays back seamlessly at the project tempo. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Change the project tempo. The slices are moved accordingly, keeping their relative positions within the part. Double-click the sliced audio part and replace or extract individual slices in the Audio Part Editor. RELATED LINKS Slices and the Project Tempo on page 480 Audio Part Editor on page 521 Slicing Multi-Track Drum Recordings You can slice all tracks of a multi-track drum recording at once.
Hitpoints Creating a Groove Quantize Map • Select Audio > Advanced > Close Gaps (Timestretch). This applies time stretch to each slice and closes the gaps. Consider activating auto fades for the corresponding audio track. Fade-outs set to 10 ms help eliminate clicks. • Select Audio > Advanced > Close Gaps (Crossfade). This applies crossfades to the slices and closes the gaps. NOTE If you decide to change the tempo again, undo your actions and use the original, unstretched file.
Hitpoints Creating Markers Creating Markers You can create markers at hitpoint positions. This allows you to snap to hitpoint positions. PREREQUISITE The audio event from which you want to create markers is opened in the Sample Editor, and the hitpoints are set at the correct positions. PROCEDURE • On the Hitpoints tab, click Create Markers. RESULT If your project has no marker track, a marker track is added and activated automatically, and a marker is created at every hitpoint position.
Hitpoints Creating Events Creating Events You can create events at hitpoint positions. PREREQUISITE The audio event from which you want to create events is opened in the Sample Editor, and the hitpoints are set at the correct positions. PROCEDURE • On the Hitpoints tab, click Create Events. RESULT Events are created between two hitpoint positions. Creating Warp Markers You can create warp markers at hitpoint positions. This allows you to quantize audio based on hitpoint positions.
Hitpoints Creating MIDI Notes Creating MIDI Notes You can export hitpoints to a MIDI part containing a MIDI note for each hitpoint. This allows you to double, replace, or enrich drum hits by triggering sounds of a VST instrument. PREREQUISITE The audio event from which you want to create MIDI notes is opened in the Sample Editor, and the hitpoints are set at the correct positions. PROCEDURE 1. On the Hitpoints tab, click Create MIDI Notes. 2.
Hitpoints Creating MIDI Notes Velocity Sets the Fixed Velocity Value. Pitch Sets a note pitch for all created MIDI notes. Length Sets a note length for all created MIDI notes. Destination Allows you to select a destination: • To place the MIDI part on the first selected MIDI or instrument track, select First Selected Track. NOTE Any MIDI parts from previous conversions on this track will be deleted. • To create a new MIDI track for the MIDI part, select New MIDI Track.
Tempo Matching Audio In this chapter, warping, that is, tempo or time correction of audio by realtime time stretching is described. The following functions are described: • Stretch to Project Tempo Stretches the selected event to match the project tempo. • Musical Mode Applies realtime time stretching to audio clips, so that they match the project tempo. • Auto Adjust Extracts a definition grid from your audio. After that, you can match the audio with the project tempo by using Musical Mode.
Tempo Matching Audio Stretching Audio Events to the Project Tempo The algorithm preset affects warp changes in Musical Mode, FreeWarp, and Swing. Cubase Pro only: For the VariAudio warping and pitching features Standard – Solo is applied automatically. Stretching Audio Events to the Project Tempo You can stretch audio loops to the project tempo. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Import > Audio File, select the audio loop that you want to import, and click OK. 2. Select the audio loop in the project. 3.
Tempo Matching Audio Musical Mode Matching Audio to the Project Tempo You can use Musical Mode to adjust audio loops. Loops are short audio files containing a defined number of bars with straight beats, to the project tempo. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Import > Audio File, and select an audio loop in the file dialog. 2. In the Project window, double-click the imported audio loop to open it in the Sample Editor. 3. Open the Definition tab and verify the rulers.
Tempo Matching Audio Auto Adjust Applying Swing The Swing function allows you to add swing to audio that sounds too straight. PREREQUISITE You have opened your audio in the Sample Editor and Musical Mode is activated. PROCEDURE 1. On the toolbar, open the Algorithm pop-up menu, and select a preset. 2. Open the AudioWarp tab, and from the Resolution pop-up menu select a grid resolution. This defines the positions that the swing is applied to.
Tempo Matching Audio Manual Adjust Extracting a Tempo Definition Grid from Audio If you want to match audio with an unknown tempo or a beat that is not straight to the project tempo, you need to extract its tempo definition grid first. This is done with the Auto Adjust function on the Definition tab of the Sample Editor. PREREQUISITE You have defined a range in your audio clip or event that starts and ends at a bar line. PROCEDURE 1.
Tempo Matching Audio Manual Adjust Correcting the Audio Definition Grid If the extraction of a definition grid with the Auto Adjust function did not bring satisfying results, you can correct the grid and tempo of your audio file with the Manual Adjust function. PROCEDURE 1. Double-click the audio clip or event in the Project window to open it in the Sample Editor. 2. Open the Definition tab, and activate Manual Adjust. 3. Move the mouse pointer to the beginning of the audio clip.
Tempo Matching Audio Free Warp 9. Move the mouse pointer over the grid lines for single beats. The tooltip Set Beat Position and a blue vertical line are shown. 10. Click and drag the grid line to align single, incorrect beat positions and release the mouse button. NOTE You can remove misplaced beat edits by pressing any modifier key and clicking with the Erase tool. RESULT The definition grid is corrected, the audio tempo definition ruler reflects your edits.
Tempo Matching Audio Free Warp A stretch factor higher than 1.0 indicates that the audio preceding the warp marker is stretched, a stretch factor lower than 1.0 indicates that the audio is compressed. NOTE The Free Warp tool snaps to hitpoint positions and warp markers. Correcting the Timing with the Free Warp Tool PROCEDURE 1. Double-click the audio clip or event in the Project window to open it in the Sample Editor. 2. On the toolbar, activate Snap to Zero Crossing.
Tempo Matching Audio Free Warp Correcting Warp Marker Positions PROCEDURE 1. On the AudioWarp tab, activate Free Warp. 2. In the Sample Editor, click the warp marker handle and drag it to a new position. A tooltip is shown to indicate that you can drag to correct the warp marker position. RESULT The warp marker moves to the new position and the audio is stretched or compressed accordingly. Deleting Warp Markers PROCEDURE 1. On the AudioWarp tab, activate Free Warp. 2.
Tempo Matching Audio Flattening Realtime Processing Flattening Realtime Processing You can flatten warp modifications. This is useful if you want to reduce the CPU load, optimize the sound quality of the processing, or apply any offline processing. PROCEDURE 1. Select the audio events that you want to process. 2. Perform one of the following actions: • Select Audio > Realtime Processing > Flatten Realtime Processing. • On the Process tab of the Sample Editor, click Flatten.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) The VariAudio features in Cubase allow you to edit pitch, correct timing and intonation of individual notes in monophonic vocal recordings. Any modifications to the audio material can be undone. NOTE The VariAudio features are optimized for monophonic recordings of vocals. Other monophonic recordings, such as saxophone, may work well. However, the quality of the result depends greatly on the recording.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Segmenting Monophonic Audio • Effect processes in the submenu Audio > Plug-ins. • Using Cut, Paste, and Delete, or Draw in the Sample Editor. If you apply such a process, a warning message with the following options is displayed: • Proceed Applies your edits and discards the VariAudio data. • Proceed and Keep Applies your edits and keeps the VariAudio data. • Cancel Returns to your audio file without applying any changes.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Segments and Gaps NOTE The analysis of long audio files may take some time. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Verify the automatic segmentation and edit it manually. RELATED LINKS Segments and Gaps on page 498 Manual Editing of Segments on page 499 Segments and Gaps Cubase automatically analyzes the audio and splits it into segments that are shown in the waveform image.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Manual Editing of Segments The gaps in between segments represent the non-tonal portions of the analyzed audio. These can be caused by breath sounds or rests, for example. NOTE Gaps, caused by weak audio signals or audio sections with unclear pitch information, such as consonants or effect sounds, must be included in the segments manually. Otherwise, later pitch modifications affect only the tonal portions.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Manual Editing of Segments Auditioning Segments You can audition the segments one by one, loop them, or play them back from the beginning to the end. This makes segmentation as well as pitch and warp editing more comfortable. To audition segments use one of the following methods: • To play back selected segments, select the segments and activate Audition. • To play back selected segments in a loop, select the segments, activate Audition Loop, and activate Audition.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Manual Editing of Segments Changing the Start and End Point of Segments If you notice that the start and end points of the segments do not match with the waveform envelope, you can change them. PREREQUISITE You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Segments tool in the VariAudio section. PROCEDURE 1. Compare the start and end positions of the segments with the waveform envelope for each note. 2.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Manual Editing of Segments Changing the Length of Segments If you notice that a segment includes more than a note, or if you notice that a single note is spread over multiple segments, you can change them. PREREQUISITE You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Segments tool in the VariAudio section. PROCEDURE 1. Compare the segments with the waveform envelope for each note. 2.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Manual Editing of Segments Moving Segments on the Timeline If you notice that a note is at the wrong position after cutting the segment, you can move it horizontally. PREREQUISITE You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Segments tool in the VariAudio section. PROCEDURE 1. Compare the segments with the waveform envelope for each note. 2.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Manual Editing of Segments Deleting Segments Sometimes it might be useful to delete segments, for example for non-tonal portions of the audio. PREREQUISITE You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Segments tool in the VariAudio section. PROCEDURE 1. Compare the segments with the waveform envelope for each note. 2. Optional: Select one or several segments and in the Sample Editor toolbar, activate the Audition to audition the segments. 3.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Pitch Changes Segment Colors You can select a color scheme for VariAudio segments. If you work with several audio events, this makes it easier to see which segments belong to which event. The following options are available: Auto Segments that belong to the same audio event get the same color. Event Segments get the same color as the corresponding event in the Project window. Pitch Segments get colors depending on their pitches.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Pitch Changes • Changing the micro-pitch curve. • Straightening pitches. Pitch Snapping There are three different modes that affect the way in which a note will snap to a certain pitch. • Absolute Pitch Snapping To snap the segment to the next semitone, hold down [Ctrl]/[Command]. • Relative Pitch Snapping To snap the segment and keep its current deviation in cents, just drag. • No Pitch Snapping To edit the pitch freely, hold down [Shift].
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Pitch Changes Changing Pitches by MIDI Input You can change segment pitches by pressing a key on your MIDI keyboard or by using the Virtual Keyboard. PREREQUISITE The audio file is segmented and the segments are correct. You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Pitch & Warp tool in the VariAudio section. You have connected and set up a MIDI keyboard. PROCEDURE 1. Select one or several segments. 2. In the VariAudio section, activate MIDI Input. 3.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Pitch Changes • To switch between Still mode and Step mode, [Alt]/[Option]-click MIDI Input. Still mode Use this mode if you want to change the pitches of individual segments or selections. Step mode Use this mode if you want to step through the segments while changing their pitches. This allows you to work in a more creative way, for example, to develop completely new melody lines via MIDI.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Micro-Pitch Changes RELATED LINKS Key Commands on page 1022 Micro-Pitch Changes Sometimes changing the pitch of the whole note segment is not enough. In these cases, you can modify the micro-pitch curves inside the segments. IMPORTANT MPORTANT The micro-pitch curve displays the progression of the pitch for the tonal portion of the audio segment. For non-tonal portions of the audio, micro-pitch curves cannot be shown.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Micro-Pitch Changes Tilting a Micro-Pitch Curve from a Segment Border to an Anchor You can set an anchor point to specify which part of the segment is affected when tilting a micro-pitch curve. PREREQUISITE The audio file is segmented and the segments are correct. You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Pitch & Warp tool in the VariAudio section. PROCEDURE 1. Move the mouse pointer over the upper border of the segment.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Micro-Pitch Changes Removing Anchors PROCEDURE 1. Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and move the mouse pointer over the position of the anchor at the upper border of the segment. The mouse pointer becomes a glue tube. 2. Click at the position of the anchor point. RESULT The tilt anchor is removed. Rotating a Micro-Pitch Curve around an Anchor PREREQUISITE The audio file is segmented and the segments are correct.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Micro-Pitch Changes RELATED LINKS Removing Anchors on page 511 Tilting a Micro-Pitch Curve from a Segment Border to an Anchor on page 510 Straightening Micro-Pitch Curves You can straighten micro-pitch curves to compensate for the rise and fall of notes, that is, the deviation from a representative pitch. PREREQUISITE The audio file is segmented and the segments are correct.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Timing Modifications Timing Modifications Modifying the timing of segments, or warping, is useful if you want to align a musical accent to a certain time position or change the timing of segments in monophonic vocal recordings. If you warp audio segments, warp markers are created. These are shown on the VariAudio and the AudioWarp tabs of the Sample Editor Inspector. Warping Segments PREREQUISITE The audio file is segmented and the segments are correct.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Timing Modifications Editing Warp Markers You can change the insert position of a warp marker in the audio. This is useful if the beginning of the waveform does not correspond to the beginning of a segment because the audio starts with non-tonal portions like breath sounds, for example. PREREQUISITE The audio file is segmented and the segments are correct. You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Pitch & Warp tool in the VariAudio section.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Reset Functions Deleting Warp Markers You can delete warp markers. PREREQUISITE The audio file is segmented and the segments are correct. You have opened the audio in the Sample Editor and activated the Pitch & Warp tool in the VariAudio section. PROCEDURE • Hold down [Shift], move the mouse pointer over the warp handle and click. The mouse pointer becomes an eraser. RESULT The warp marker is deleted.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Extracting MIDI from Audio Pitch + Warp Changes Resets pitch, micro-pitch, and warp changes either for the selected segments (if available) or for the whole file. Reanalyze Audio Resets the segmentation and reanalyzes the audio. NOTE You can set up key commands for the reset and the reanalyze function in the Sample Editor category of the Key commands dialog. RELATED LINKS Key Commands on page 1022 Extracting MIDI from Audio You can extract a MIDI part from your audio.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Extracting MIDI from Audio The following pop-up menus are available: Pitch Mode Allows you to specify which data is included if you extract MIDI. The following options are available: Just Notes and No Pitchbend Data Extracts notes only. Notes and Static Pitchbend Data Extracts pitchbend events for each segment. In the Pitchbend Range field you can specify a pitchbend value from 1 to 24. NOTE If you work with an external MIDI device, set it to the same Pitchbend Range value.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Extracting MIDI from Audio Volume Mode Allows you to specify how volume information from the audio is extracted. The following options are available: Fixed Velocity Assigns the same velocity to all created MIDI notes. In the Velocity field you can specify a velocity value. Dynamic Velocity Assigns an individual velocity value to each created MIDI note according to the amplitude of the audio signal.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Flattening Realtime Processing Flattening Realtime Processing You can flatten VariAudio modifications. This is useful if you want to reduce the CPU load, optimize the sound quality of the processing, or apply any offline processing. PROCEDURE 1. Select the audio events that you want to process. 2. Perform one of the following actions: 3. • Select Audio > Realtime Processing > Flatten Realtime Processing. • On the Process tab of the Sample Editor, click Flatten.
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Generating Harmony Voices for Monophonic Audio • If you work without the chord track, the generated VariAudio segments of voice number 1 (soprano) are transposed three semitones upwards in relation to the original audio. The segments of voice numbers 2, 3, and 4 (alto, tenor, and bass) are transposed three, six, and nine semitones downwards.
Audio Part Editor The Audio Part Editor provides an overview of selected audio parts. It allows you to view, audition, and manipulate audio parts by crossfading, moving, copying and pasting, and processing. Lanes allow you to work with several parts in one window. Editing is non-destructive so that you can undo modifications at any time. To create audio parts in the Project window do one of the following: • Select one or several audio events on the same track, and select Audio > Events to Part.
Audio Part Editor Window Overview RELATED LINKS Sample Editor on page 454 Window Overview Toolbar The tools, settings, and icons on the toolbar have the same functionalities 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 Operations The Ruler and Info Line These have the same functionality and appearance as their counterparts in the Project window. You can select a separate display format for the Audio Part Editor ruler by clicking on the arrow button on the right and selecting an option from the pop-up menu. RELATED LINKS Ruler Display Formats on page 52 Operations Zooming, selecting and editing in the Audio Part Editor are done just as in the Project window.
Audio Part Editor Operations If the Snap function is deactivated and you want to move an event to another lane without accidentally moving it horizontally, press [Ctrl]/[Command] while dragging it up or down. RELATED LINKS Track Handling on page 136 Auditioning There are several ways to listen to the events in the Audio Part Editor.
Audio Part Editor Operations 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. NOTE The Audio Part Editor also supports the key commands “Preview start” and “Preview stop” in the Media category of the Key Commands dialog.
Audio Part Editor Operations 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. RELATED LINKS Using the Scrub Tool on page 173 Handling Several Parts When you open the Audio Part Editor with several parts selected – all on the same track or on different tracks – they might not all fit in the editor window, which can make it hard to get an overview of the different parts when editing.
Audio Part Editor Options and Settings • It is possible to cycle between parts, making them active using key commands.In the Key Commands dialog – Edit category, there are two functions: “Activate Next Part” and “Activate Previous Part”. If you assign key commands to these, you can use them to cycle between parts.
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 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. The content of the Pool is divided into the following folders: Audio Folder Contains all audio clips and regions that are in the project. Video Folder Contains all video clips that are in the project.
Pool Pool Window 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. 8) Search Lets you search the Pool and connected disks for media files. 9) Project Folder Displays the path to the folder of the active project. 10) Pool Record Folder Displays the path to the record folder of the active project.
Pool Pool Window • 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 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. The checkbox in this column allows you to activate or deactivate Musical Mode.
Pool Pool Window Image Displays waveform images of audio clips or regions. Path Displays the path to the location of a clip on the hard disk. Reel Name If you have imported an OMF file, it may include this attribute, which is then shown in this column. The Reel Name describes the reel or tape from which the media was originally captured. Info Line The info line displays additional information regarding the files in the pool.
Pool Working with the Pool 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 MPORTANT IMPORTANT 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. In the Pool window, select a clip or region, and click the existing name. 2.
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 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. In the Project window, select one or more events. 2. Select Audio > Find Selected in Pool. RESULT The corresponding clips are located and highlighted in the Pool.
Pool Working with the Pool 4. Click the Search button. The search is started and the Search button is labeled Stop. • To cancel the search, click Stop. When the search is finished, the files that are found are listed on the right. 5. • To audition a file, select it in the list and use the playback controls to the left (Play, Stop, Pause, and Loop). If Auto Play is activated, selected files are automatically played back.
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 RELATED LINKS Adjusting the Snap Point on page 473 Sample Editor on page 454 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 If you import files via File > Import, the split files are inserted into the project and into the Pool as separate mono tracks. If you import files via Media > Import Medium, the split files are only inserted into the Pool. In all cases, the Split File Name Format pop-up menu lets you specify how the split files are named.
Pool Working with the Pool Changing the Pool Record Folder All audio clips that you record in the project will end up in the Pool Record folder. The Pool Record folder is indicated by the text Record in the Status column and by a red dot on the folder itself. By default, this is the main Audio folder. However, you can create a new Audio subfolder and designate this as your Pool Record folder. NOTE The folders that you create in the Pool are only for organizing your files in the Pool.
Pool Working with the Pool 3. Rename the folder. 4. Drag the clips to the new folder. Applying Processing to Clips in the Pool You can apply audio processing to clips from within the Pool in the same way as to events in the Project window. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select the clips that you want to process. 2. Select Audio > Process and select a processing method. RESULT A red and gray waveform symbol indicates that the clips have been processed.
Pool Working with the Pool NOTE Minimizing files clears the entire edit history. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select the files that you want to minimize. 2. Select Media > Minimize File. 3. Click Minimize. After the minimizing is finished, the file references in the stored project have become invalid. 4. Do one of the following. • To save the updated project, click Save Now. • To proceed with the unsaved project, click Later.
Pool Working with the Pool • To create a new library, select File > New Library. You must specify a project folder for the new library in which media files will be stored. The library appears as a separate Pool window. • To open a library, select File > Open Library. • To save a library, select File > Save Library. Converting Files In the Pool, you can convert files to another format or change file attributes. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select the files that you want to convert. 2.
Pool Working with the Pool Options You can use the Options pop-up menu to set one of the following options: • New Files Creates a copy of the file in the audio folder and converts this new file according to the chosen attributes. The new file is added to the Pool, but all clip references still point to the original, unconverted file. • Replace Files Converts the original file without changing clip references. However, the references are saved with the next save action.
Pool Working with the Pool NOTE This function is not available for MPEG-1 video files. PROCEDURE 1. In the Pool window, select Media > Extract Audio from Video File. 2. Select the video file from which you want to extract audio and click Open. RESULT The audio is extracted from the video file. The audio file gets the same file format and sample rate/width as in the current project, and the same name as the video file.
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.
MediaBay Working With the MediaBay 3) Filters Allows you to filter the results list using a logical or an attribute filter. 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. 6) Attribute Inspector (Cubase Pro only) Allows you to view, edit, and add media file attributes or tags.
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 • Dark blue indicates that a folder is excluded from the scan. • Orange indicates that the scanning process for the folder was interrupted. • Yellow indicates that a folder has not yet been scanned. 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.
MediaBay Locations Section • To rescan the selected folder and its subfolders, click the Rescan button in the Define Locations section. You can also right-click a folder and select Rescan Disk. • 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.
MediaBay Locations Section 4) Remove Browse Location Definition Removes the selected browse location. 5) Deep Results If this option is activated, the media files that are located in the subfolders of the selected location are also displayed in the results list. 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.
MediaBay Results Section • To remove a location from the pop-up menu, select it and click the Remove Browse Location Definition button. • To show the files contained in the selected folder and any subfolders, activate the Deep Results button. When this button is deactivated, only the folders and files contained in the selected folder are shown. Results Section The Results list shows all media files that are found in the selected location.
MediaBay Results Section RESULT Depending on the track type, the following happens: • Audio files, MIDI loops, and MIDI files are inserted on the active track if this matches the file type or onto a new track if no corresponding track is active. The files are inserted at the project cursor position. • If you double-click a track preset it is applied to the active track if the track type matches the track preset. Otherwise, a new track is inserted, containing the settings of the track preset.
MediaBay Results Section • To change the order of the columns in the Results list, click on a column header, and drag that header to another position. • To delete a file, right-click it in the list and select Delete. The file is permanently deleted from your computer. MPORTANT IMPORTANT If you delete a file using the Windows Explorer/Mac OS Finder, it is still displayed in the Results list, although it is no longer available to the program. To remedy this, re-scan the corresponding folder.
MediaBay Results Section 2. In the Show Media Types dialog, activate the media types that you want to be displayed in the Results list. When you have filtered the list to show a particular media type, this is indicated by the corresponding icon to the left of Select Media Types button. When you have selected several media types, the Mixed Media Type icon is used. Show Media Types Selector You can activate the media types that you want to be displayed in the Results list.
MediaBay Results Section Plug-in Presets When this option is activated, the list shows all VST presets for instrument and effect plug-ins. Furthermore, EQ presets that you save in the MixConsole are listed. These presets contain all parameter settings for a particular plug-in. They can be used to apply sounds to instrument tracks and effects to audio tracks. Strip Presets When this option is activated, the list shows all strip presets (file name extension .strippreset).
MediaBay Previewer Section The Search Results field has the same function as the matches operator of the logical filter. However, the search is applied to all file attributes. • Click in the field and enter the text that you want to find. For example, if you are looking for all audio loops relating to drum sounds, enter “drum” in the search field. The search results contain loops with names, such as “Drums 01”, “Drumloop”, “Snare Drum”, etc.
MediaBay Previewer Section Previewing Audio Files 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.
MediaBay Previewer Section 1) Transport Controls Let you start and stop the preview. 2) Preview Level Fader Lets you specify the preview level. 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.
MediaBay Previewer Section 4) Link Playback to Chord Track If this option is activated, the events of the MIDI loop are transposed to play back in context with the chord track. Note that you need a chord track with chord events for this. If this option is activated, and you insert a MIDI loop into the project, Follow Chord Track is automatically activated for the track.
MediaBay Previewer Section Previewing Presets Via MIDI Input MIDI input is always active, for example, when a MIDI keyboard is connected to your computer and set up properly, you can directly start playing the notes to preview the selected preset. 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.
MediaBay Previewer 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 5) Link Playback to Chord Track If this option is activated, the events of the MIDI loop are transposed to play back in context with the chord track. Note that you need a chord track with chord events for this. If this option is activated, and you insert a MIDI loop into the project, Follow Chord Track is automatically activated for the track.
MediaBay Filters Section <= The search result must be lower than or equal to the number specified in the field to the right. is empty Use this option to find files for which certain attributes have not been specified yet. matches The search result must include the text or number entered in the text field to the right. You can also use boolean operators. Add apostrophes to find exact matches for the entered words, for example ‘drum’ AND ‘funky’. This option allows for a very advanced text search.
MediaBay Filters Section 6. Enter the text or number that you want to find in the field to the right. NOTE If you enter 2 or more strings or filter lines, the files that are found match all strings or filter lines. • To add more than one string in the text field, enter a [Space] between them. • To add another filter line, click the + button to the right of the text field. You can add up to seven filter lines in which you can define further search conditions.
MediaBay Filters Section Attribute Filter Assigning attribute values to your files makes it easy to organize the media files. With the Attribute filter, you can view and edit some of the standard file attributes found in your media files. If you click the Attribute button, the Filters section displays all values found for a specific attribute. Selecting one of these values displays a list of files that contain this attribute value. 1) Attribute columns Let you select different attribute categories.
MediaBay Filters Section • To change the displayed attribute values of a column, click on the attribute column and select another attribute. NOTE Character attributes always form an AND condition. Performing a Context Menu Search You can search for other files with the same attribute as the selected. This way you can easily find all the files that have a value in common, for example, if you want to view all files that were created on the same day.
MediaBay Attribute Inspector Attribute Inspector When you have selected one or more files in the Results list, the Attribute Inspector shows a list of attributes and their values. In the Attribute Inspector, you can also edit and add new attribute values. The available attributes are divided into several groups (Media, Musical, Preset, etc.), so as to keep the list manageable and make it easy to find an element quickly. Dynamic Displays all available values for the selected files.
MediaBay Attribute Inspector +/Opens the Add User Attribute dialog, where you can add or remove custom user attributes. You can select the Attribute Type and the Display Name. Reset to Default Resets the attribute list to the default settings. Attribute Shows the attribute name. Select Shows whether an attribute is activated or deactivated. Type Shows whether the value for an attribute is a number, text, or a Yes/No switch. Precision Shows the number of decimals displayed for number attributes.
MediaBay Attribute Inspector Editing Attributes (Tagging) The search functions, especially the attribute filter, are a powerful media management tool when making extensive use of tagging, for example, when adding and editing attributes. Media files are usually organized in complex folder structures to provide a logical way of guiding the user to certain files, with the folder and/or file names indicating the instrument, style, tempo, etc.
MediaBay Attribute Inspector Editing Attributes in the Results List You can edit attributes directly in the Results list. This allows you to assign tags to a number of loop files, for example. PREREQUISITE Allow Editing in Results List must be activated in the MediaBay Settings. PROCEDURE 1. In the Results list, select the files for which you want to make settings. You can make settings for several files simultaneously. The only exception is the name attribute, which must be unique for every file. 2.
MediaBay Attribute Inspector • To set or remove the write protection attribute for a file, right-click the file in the Results list and select Set/Remove Write Protection. This is only possible if the file type allows write operations and you have the necessary operation system permission. • When you specify attribute values for a file that is write-protected, this is reflected in the Pending Tags column next to the Write Protection column in the Results list.
MediaBay Loop Browser, Sound Browser, and Mini Browser 4. Activate the attributes that you want to be displayed. You can edit several attributes in one go. 5. Click the Configure Defined Attributes button again to exit the configuration mode. Defining User Attributes You can define your own attributes and save these in the MediaBay database and the corresponding media files. Cubase recognizes all user attributes that are included in media files. PROCEDURE 1.
MediaBay MediaBay Settings MediaBay Settings The Preferences dialog in Cubase contains a special MediaBay page where you can set up the MediaBay. These settings are also available from within the MediaBay. • To display the preferences, click the MediaBay Settings button in the lower left corner of the MediaBay. Show Managed Locations Only If this option is activated, all folders that are not scanned for files are hidden. This keeps the tree view in the Define Locations section less cluttered.
MediaBay MediaBay Key Commands Allow Editing in Results List If this option is activated, you can edit attributes in the Results list. If this option is deactivated, attributes can only be edited in the Attribute Inspector. Show File Extensions in Results List If this option is activated, file name extensions are displayed in the Results list. Scan unknown File Types When scanning for media files, the MediaBay ignores files with an unknown file extension.
MediaBay Working with MediaBay-Related Windows 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. Adding Tracks If you add a track by selecting Project > Add Track, the following dialog opens: Click the Browse button to expand the dialog to show the Results list.
MediaBay Working with MediaBay-Related Windows Applying Track Presets You can choose from a variety of track presets. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector, click the Preset Management icon on the right of the Inserts tab. 2. Select From Track Preset. 3. In the Results browser, double-click a track preset to apply it. RELATED LINKS Track Presets on page 163 Applying Instrument Presets When working with VST instruments, you can choose from a variety of presets via the Results browser. PROCEDURE 1.
MediaBay Working With Volume Databases VST presets for instruments can be divided into the following groups: Presets Presets contain the settings of the entire plug-in. For multi-timbral instruments, this means the settings for all sound slots as well as the global settings. Programs Programs contain only the settings for one program. For multi-timbral instruments, this means only the settings for one sound slot.
MediaBay Working With Volume Databases Rescanning and Refreshing Volume Databases If you have modified the scan settings on a different system, you must rescan or refresh the MediaBay. RELATED LINKS Updating the MediaBay on page 554 Creating a Volume Database PROCEDURE • In the Define Locations section, right-click the external storage medium, drive, or partition of your computer system that you want to create a database for, and select Create Volume Database.
MediaBay Working With Volume Databases 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. Any data on this drive can then be included in the local database file again, by removing the extra database file.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Cubase has integrated surround sound features with support for several formats. This support goes all the way through the audio path: all audio-related channels (i. e. audio and instrument tracks as well as group channels) and busses can handle multi-channel speaker configurations. A channel in the MixConsole can either carry complete surround mixes, or an individual speaker channel which is part of a surround setup.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Deliverables Deliverables The result of a surround mix in Cubase is either the multi-channel audio sent from the surround output bus to your dubber, or (if you use the Export Audio Mixdown feature) audio file(s) on your hard disk. Exported surround mixes can either be split (one mono file per speaker channel) or interleaved (a single file containing all the surround channels).
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Preparations LRCS+LFE Same as LRCS but with an LFE subchannel added. Quadro+LFE Same as Quadro but with an LFE subchannel added. 6.0 Cine A Left-Right-Center front speaker arrangement with 3 (Left-Right-Center) surround channels. 6.0 Music This uses 2 (Left/Right) front channels with Left and Right surround channels and Left and Right Side channels.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Preparations Routing channels to individual surround channels If you want to place an audio source in one separate speaker channel, you can route it directly to that speaker channel. This is useful for premixed material or multi-channel recordings that do not require panning. • To do this, simply select an individual speaker channel in the Routing rack. • If a stereo audio channel is routed directly to a speaker channel, the left/right channels are mixed to mono.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 • You have prepared surround premixes (e. g. stems) that you want to record on a new audio track with a surround configuration. Using the SurroundPanner V5 Cubase has a special feature for graphically positioning a sound source in the surround field or modifying existing premixes: the SurroundPanner V5. This plug-in distributes the audio from the input channels in various proportions to the output surround channels.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 NOTE In all miniature panner views you can scale down your movements by holding the [Shift] key while moving the sound source. This allows you to make fine adjustments. RELATED LINKS Using the MixConvert V6 plug-in on page 602 The plug-in panel Double-click on any of the miniature panner controls to open the plug-in panel in a separate window.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 The SurroundPanner V5 plug-in offers numerous possibilities to position a mono or stereo sound source. If you work visually oriented, you can simply drag the sound source around in the pan area. To help you execute very exact movements you can use modifier keys to limit the movement direction (e. g. for straight front/rear panning).
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 • By clicking and dragging the positioning handle. Note that you do not have to click exactly on the handle in order to move it. You can click anywhere in the pan area and start moving the mouse, the handle then moves in the same direction as the mouse.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 • [Alt]/[Option]-click on a speaker symbol to disable that speaker (the speaker symbol is grayed out) so that no audio will be routed to this surround channel. The signal that would otherwise be sent to this speaker is distributed to the other speakers instead. Note that the signal is distributed in such a way that the power level stays constant all the time. • Click on a speaker symbol to solo that speaker (the speaker symbol turns red).
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 Icon Modifier key(s) Description [Ctrl]/[Command] Horizontal movements only. [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift] Vertical movements only. [Alt]/[Option] Diagonal movements only (bottom left to top right). [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift] Diagonal movements only (bottom right to top left).
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 Overview Mode When moving the sound source in the pan area, you will notice that the positioning handle can leave the visible pan area (although the channel panning balls cannot). It can be moved so far outside that all channels end up on the perimeter where the positioning handle left the area. If you now use one of the rotation controls, for example, it can be quite hard to understand what is happening, i. e.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 NOTE This is the same as restricting the movement direction using the [Ctrl]/[Command] and [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift] modifiers. Rotating signals The Rotate Signal control is used to rotate the source channels around the positioning handle. All input channels circle around the handle (but they cannot move beyond the borders of the surround field).
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 An example: a) Radius = 141.4 b) Radius = 116.5 The gray circle shows the theoretical path of the sound source when orbiting the center. Since the sound source cannot leave the pan area, it moves along the perimeter instead.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 NOTE The LFE channel is used as a full range channel, no low-pass filtering is applied. Center Distribution The Center Distribution control is used to distribute part or all of the center signal to the left and right front speakers. For example, this can be useful in the following situation: The center signal is panned directly to the center speaker and the Center Distribution is set to 0 %.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 • At 100 % the perception is very diffuse (hard to locate). NOTE The Center Distribution value and the front divergence are combined. If the front divergence is set to 100 %, the Center Distribution has no effect. Scaling The Scale controls allow you to control the horizontal (Width) and vertical (Depth) expansion of the sound source. 100 % corresponds to the complete width or depth of the surround field.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the SurroundPanner V5 Read/Write buttons Like any other effect plug-in, the SurroundPanner V5 has Read and Write buttons at the top of the window to apply and record automation data (see below). RELATED LINKS Bypassing Insert Effects on page 401 Using Solo and Mute on page 341 Automation Most of the parameters in the SurroundPanner V5 plug-in can be automated just like any other channel or insert parameter.
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only) Using the MixConvert V6 plug-in Using the MixConvert V6 plug-in MixConvert V6 is a special plug-in that converts one multi-channel audio source into another multi-channel destination. It is most frequently used to “downmix” a multi-channel surround mix into a format with fewer channels, for example, a 5.1 surround mix into a stereo mix. This plug-in can be used as an insert effect in the MixConsole like other plug-ins but it also has special functions.
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. 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.
Automation Write/Read Automation Write/Read Automation You can automation enable tracks and MixConsole channels by activating their automation write W and read R buttons. • If you activate W for a channel, virtually all MixConsole parameters that you adjust during playback for that specific channel are recorded as automation events. • If R is activated for a channel, all your recorded MixConsole actions for that channel are performed during playback.
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 Events The following Line tool modes are available: Line mode If you click on the automation track and drag with the Line tool in Line mode, you can create automation events in a line. This is a quick way to create linear fades, etc. 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 Events • To select multiple events, drag a selection rectangle with the Object Selection tool or [Shift]-click the events. • To select all automation events on an automation track, right-click the automation track and select Select All Events from the context menu. Selected events are indicated by a dark color. NOTE If you select several events of a ramp automation curve, the automation event editor becomes available.
Automation Editing Automation Events 4) Move Vertically If you click on the upper border of the editor, you can move the entire curve vertically. This allows you to raise or lower the values of the event values of the curve. 5) Compress Right If you [Alt]/[Option]-click in the upper right corner of the editor, you can compress or expand the right part of the curve. This allows you to compress or expand the event values at the end of the curve.
Automation Editing Automation Events • To restrict the direction to horizontal or vertical movement, press [Ctrl]/[Command] and drag. NOTE Snap is taken into account when you move automation curves horizontally. To turn it off temporarily, hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] and any other modifier, and drag. Moving Multiple Automation Events • To move a selection of automation events, click inside the selection rectangle and drag to the left or to the right.
Automation Automation Tracks RELATED LINKS Virgin Territory vs. Initial Value (Cubase Pro only) on page 612 Automation Tracks Most of the tracks in your project have automation tracks, one for each automated parameter. To show automation tracks, you must open them. Showing/Hiding Automation Tracks • Position the mouse pointer over the lower left corner of the track and click the arrow icon (Show/Hide Automation) that appears.
Automation Virgin Territory vs. Initial Value (Cubase Pro only) Assigning a Parameter to an Automation Track Parameters are already assigned to automation tracks when you open them, according to their order in the parameter list. PROCEDURE 1. Open an automation track and click on the automation parameter name. A parameter list is shown. The contents depend on the track type. 2.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) Creating Gaps Gaps are empty sections between two automation curves. You can create gaps inside a section with automated values. PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Automation Panel. 2. Click Automation Settings, and activate Use Virgin Territory. 3. With the Range Selection tool, select a range on an automation track with existing automation data, and press [Delete] or [Backspace].
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) To show the Automation panel, do one of the following: • Select Project > Automation Panel. • On the Project window toolbar, click Open Automation Panel. • Press [F6]. Read/Write Buttons In the upper part of the Automation panel, you will find the Read and Write buttons. These are used to globally enable or disable the Read and Write buttons on all tracks.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) You can change the automation mode at any time, for example, in play or stop mode or during an automation pass. You can also assign key commands to the automation modes. The current automation pass will always punch out as soon as one of the following conditions is met, independent of which automation mode is selected: • If you disable Write. • If you stop playback. • If you activate Fast Forward/Rewind.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) Auto-Latch Auto-Latch is useful in situations where you want to keep a value over a longer period of time – for example when making EQ settings for a particular scene. In Auto-Latch mode, there is no specific punch out condition other than those that are valid in all modes. • Once your pass has started, the writing of automation data continues for as long as playback lasts or Write is enabled.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) • Once your pass has started, the writing of automation data continues for as long as playback lasts or Write is enabled. • When you release the control the automation pass continues, with the value setting remaining the same. • When you re-touch the fader and move it towards the original value, punch out occurs automatically as soon as you cross the original curve.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) Freeze Trim You can freeze your trim curve automatically or manually. This renders all trim data into a single automation curve. • To freeze your trim curve automatically whenever a write operation is finished, open the Automation Settings and select On Pass End in the Freeze Trim pop-up menu. • To freeze your trim curve automatically when Trim mode is switched off, open the Automation Settings and select On Leaving Trim Mode in the Freeze Trim pop-up menu.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) 3. On the pop-up menu, select one of the following options: • To reduce the number of automation points for all tracks in the active project, select Reduce Automation Events. • To reduce the number of automation points for selected tracks only, select Reduce Automation Events of Selected Tracks.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) Delete Automation of Selected Tracks Removes all automation data for the selected tracks. Delete Automation in Range Deletes all automation data between the left and right locators on all tracks. Fill Gaps on Selected Tracks This option is used with virgin territories. Select this to fill any gaps in the automation curves of the selected tracks with a continuous value. The value of the last event (the end point) of a section is used to fill the gap.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) Activating To Start PROCEDURE 1. On the Automation Panel, activate Touch, and activate To Start as Fill option. 2. Start playback. 3. Move the fader until you have found the volume setting that you need and release the fader to punch out. The automation track is filled from where you punched out to the start of the project. Activating To End PROCEDURE 1. On the Automation Panel, activate Touch, and activate To End as Fill option. 2.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) • Continuous fill If you click a Fill button a second time, a lock symbol is displayed on the highlighted button, indicating that you are in continuous fill mode and that the operation can be repeated as many times as you want. Click the button a third time to disable the corresponding Fill option. Drawing Fill Manually You can use the Fill options on the Automation panel in combination with the Draw tool.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) • To suspend the reading of automation data for all parameters/parameter groups, click the All button. NOTE When any of the options in the Suspend Read category are enabled, clicking All will disable these buttons. EXAMPLE Imagine that you have already automated several tracks. While working on the current track, you want one of the other tracks to be louder, to better identify a particular position in your audio material.
Automation Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) The automation tracks are opened even if no automation data was recorded on these tracks. • To step through the individual parameter sets of parameter groups, for example Pan, EQ, Sends, and Inserts, click the respective button repeatedly. • To show only the automation tracks for which automation data has already been written, activate Used Only and click one of the options. • To show all automation tracks that contain automation data, activate Show Used.
Automation MIDI Controller Automation Reduction Level Punching out or using the Reduce Automation Events function removes all superfluous automation events. This results in an automation curve that contains only the events necessary to reproduce your actions. A reduction level value of 0 % removes repeated automation points only. A reduction level value between 1 to 100 % smoothens the automation curve.
Automation MIDI Controller Automation Replace 1 - Part Range When this option is selected, the part data has playback priority over the automation track data, for example at the left and right part borders, the automation mode switches abruptly from part to track automation, and vice versa. Replace 2 - Last Value Continues Similar to the above, but part automation only begins when the first controller event within the part is reached.
Automation MIDI Controller Automation Record Destination on conflict (global) Allows you to determine which destination is used if MIDI controller data is received by Cubase and both the Record and the Write Automation buttons are enabled. Select MIDI Part to record MIDI part automation. Select Automation Track to record the controller data on an automation track in the Project window. Automation Merge Mode (global) Allows you to specify the global Automation Merge Mode.
Automation MIDI Controller Automation Save As Default Allows you to save the current settings as default settings. When you create a new project, the default settings is used. Load Default Allows you to load the default settings.
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. 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 control panel for the VST instrument, click the Preset Browser button, and select Load Preset. 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 633 Filtering According to Media Type on page 559 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. 3.
VST Instruments External Instruments (Cubase Pro only) External Instruments (Cubase Pro only) An external instrument bus is an input (return) to your audio hardware, along with a MIDI connection via Cubase and few additional settings. External instrument busses are created in the VST Connections window. All external instrument busses that you have created will appear on the VST Instrument pop-up menus and can be selected in the same way as any VST instrument plug-in.
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 Collection list By default, the window section to the right shows the Default collection, which contains all effects or VST instruments loaded by the program. The Default collection cannot be changed. You can compile your own collections of effects or VST instruments by clicking New Collection and dragging and dropping items from the list of all effects or VST instruments to the collection list.
Installing and Managing Plug-ins Compiling a New Effects Collection RELATED LINKS Plug-in Manager on page 644 Compiling a New Effects Collection You can create a new collection of effects or VST instruments for use in the plug-in selectors. PREREQUISITE A number of effect plug-ins is correctly installed on your computer, and these plug-ins are listed on the VST Effects tab of the Plug-in Manager window. PROCEDURE 1.
Track Quick Controls Cubase can give you instant access to up to 8 different parameters, for example, track, effect, or instrument controls. This is done with the aid of the Quick Controls, set up on the Quick Controls tab in the Inspector for the corresponding track. The Quick Controls tab can be used as a kind of track control center, an area in which your most important parameters are assembled in one place.
Track Quick Controls Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls 1) QC Learn Mode 2) Get default QCs from Plug-in 3) Remove all QC Assignments Assignment via the Learn Function Using the QC Learn Mode button on the Quick Controls tab in the Inspector, you can assign a parameter by moving the corresponding control. This procedure applies to all automatable controls. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector for your track, open the Quick Controls tab. 2. Activate QC Learn Mode. 3.
Track Quick Controls Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls • To assign the parameter to the next empty slot, select Add “x” to Quick Controls (where x is the name of the parameter). • To assign the parameter to a specific slot, select Add “x” to Quick Controls Slot (where x is the name of the parameter). Then select the slot from the submenu.
Track Quick Controls Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls 3. Double-click the parameter that you want to assign to the first Quick Control slot. The parameter name and its value are displayed in the slot. You can change the value by dragging the slider. The track’s main volume parameter is assigned to Quick Control 1. 4. Repeat these steps for each Quick Control slot until all slots are associated with track parameters.
Track Quick Controls Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls • To remove the Quick Control assignments for all slots, click the Remove All QC Assignments button. Showing Automated Quick Control Assignments You can show all Quick Control assignments that have been automated for one track. PROCEDURE 1. Click the track for which you want to show automated Quick Control assignments. 2. In the Inspector for your track, open the Quick Controls tab. 3. On the Quick Controls tab, click Preset Management 4.
Track Quick Controls Connecting Quick Controls with Remote Controllers • To load a preset, select one of the presets in the upper list of the menu. The Track Quick Control assignment changes and gives you access to the channel parameters. RELATED LINKS Manual Assignment via the Inspector Tab on page 650 Connecting Quick Controls with Remote Controllers Quick Controls become powerful when used in combination with a remote controller. PREREQUISITE Your remote device is connected to Cubase via MIDI.
Track Quick Controls Activating Pick-up Mode for Hardware Controls The remote controller setup for Quick Controls is saved globally, that is, it is independent of any projects. If you have various remote controllers, you can save and load several Quick Control setups using the Export and Import buttons.
Track Quick Controls Quick Controls and Automatable Parameters IMPORTANT MPORTANT Use this function with caution, however, as you might accidentally modify parameters on other tracks. PROCEDURE 1. Create a new, empty audio track and open its Quick Controls tab. This track has no events or parts. 2. Hold down the [Ctrl]/[Command] key and click on the slot for Quick Control 1.
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 A white stripe in the Project window and in the MixConsole indicates which channels are linked to the remote control device. IMPORTANT MPORTANT Sometimes communication between Cubase and a remote device is interrupted or the handshaking protocol fails to create a connection. To re-establish communication with any device in the Devices list, select it and click the Reset button in the lower part of the Device Setup dialog.
Remote controlling Cubase Operations Writing automation using remote controls Automating the MixConsole in Touch mode using a remote control device is done in the same way as when you operate on-screen controls in Write mode. In order to replace existing automation data for a control in Touch mode, the computer needs to know how long the user actually “grabbed” or used the control. When doing this “on screen”, the program simply detects when the mouse button is pressed and released.
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic 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. Accessing device panel parameters via remote control devices (Cubase Pro only) Cubase allows you to control external MIDI devices through user device panels.
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic Remote device 3. Select the Generic Remote device in the Devices list to the left. The settings for the Generic Remote device are displayed, allowing you to specify which control on your device should control which parameter in Cubase. 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.
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic Remote device Column Description MIDI Status Clicking in this column opens a pop-up menu, allowing you to specify the type of MIDI message sent by the control (e. g. Controller, Prog. Change Trigger). The NRPN and RPN controllers are part of the MIDI specification and present a way to extend the available control messages.
Remote controlling Cubase The Generic Remote device Column Device Description Clicking in this column opens a pop-up menu, used for determining which device in Cubase is controlled. The special “Command” option allows you to perform certain command actions by remote control. One example of this is the selection of remote banks. Channel/Category This is where you select the channel to be controlled or, if the “Command” Device option is selected, the Command category.
Remote controlling Cubase Track Quick Controls Importing and exporting remote setups The Export button in the top right corner of the Generic Remote Setup window allows you to export the current setup, including the Control configuration (the table at the top) and all banks. The setup is saved as a file (with the file extension “.xml”). Clicking the Import button allows you to import saved remote setup files.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor Layout Section The main area of the editor is the Layout section. Layouts represent the hardware devices that are used to remote-control the plug-in parameters. Like these devices, a layout can have a number of pages. These pages contain a number of cells, which in turn contain controls. The available controls are a text label, a knob, and two switches.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor 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. 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.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor Control Type Settings for Knobs 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 Momentary The assigned function is active for as long as you keep the switch pressed. Increasing Stepwise Pressing the switch steps through the available settings until the maximum is reached. Decreasing Stepwise Pressing the switch steps through the available settings in reverse order until the minimum is reached.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor 4. Click on another control to set the Learn focus to that control and assign a parameter to it. 5. Press [Esc] to end Learn mode. Removing the Parameter assignment • To remove the parameter assignment for a cell, activate Learn mode, select the cell, and press [Delete] or [Backspace]. • To remove all assignments, click the “Remove All Assignments” button.
Remote controlling Cubase The Remote Control Editor Rearranging the order of a page or a cell • To copy the settings of one cell to another, select a cell, press [Alt]/[Option] and drag it to another cell. • To move a cell, drag it to an empty cell. • To swap the contents of two cells, press [Ctrl]/[Command] and drag one cell to the other. NOTE Drag and drop also works between different pages. Navigating • You can use the cursor keys to navigate in all directions.
Remote controlling Cubase Apple Remote (Macintosh only) Resetting the Layout and Copying Layout Settings between Pages Click the arrow button in the top right corner of the editor to revert to the default settings for the current layout or to copy the settings of one layout page to another. 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.
MIDI Realtime MIDI realtime means that you can change or transform MIDI events on MIDI or instrument tracks before they are sent to the MIDI outputs. This allows you to change the way MIDI data is played back. The actual MIDI events on the track are not affected. Therefore, MIDI realtime changes are not reflected in any MIDI editor.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Track Parameters RELATED LINKS MIDI Track Inspector on page 100 Input Transformer on page 673 Input Transformer The Input Transformer allows you to filter out and change MIDI data coming to a MIDI track before it is recorded. Use the Input Transformer for the following purposes: • Set up split keyboard combinations for recording left and right hands separately. • Convert a controller like a foot pedal into MIDI notes (for playing bass drum the right way).
MIDI Realtime MIDI Track Parameters The Input Transformer window contains the following parameters: 1) Select Preset Allows you to select a preset for the Input Transformer. 2) Module selector Allows you to view and edit a module. 3) Filter conditions list Allows you to set up the filter conditions, determining which elements to find. The list can contain one or several conditions, each on a separate line. 4) Action list Allows you to specify any changes that are made to the found events.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Modifiers 4. Click + to add a line to the filter conditions list. 5. In the filter conditions list, specify the conditions to match by clicking the Filter Target, Condition, and Parameter columns and selecting options from the pop-up menu. 6. In the action list, specify how the found events are transformed or filtered by clicking the Action Target, Operation, and Parameter columns and selecting options from the pop-up menu.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Modifiers MIDI Modifiers Section NOTE If you want to compare the result of your modifier settings with the unprocessed MIDI, you can use the bypass button in the MIDI modifiers section. When this button is activated, the MIDI modifiers settings are temporarily disabled. Transpose Allows you to transpose all notes on the track in semitones. Extreme transpositions can give rather strange and unwanted results. Velocity Shift Allows you to add a velocity value to all notes on the track.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Modifiers Random Allows you to introduce random variations to various properties of MIDI notes. Range Allows you to specify a pitch or velocity range and either force all notes to fit within this range, or exclude all notes outside this range from playback. HMT: Follow Activate this button to apply Hermode tuning to the notes played on this track. HMT: Use for Analysis Activate this option to use the notes you played on this track to calculate retuning.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Modifiers Setting up Ranges You can filter out pitches or velocities that do not match a specified range, or force them to fit a specified range. PROCEDURE 1. Select a MIDI or instrument track. 2. In the Inspector, open the MIDI Modifiers section. 3. Open the Range pop-up menu, and select a mode. 4. Set the min and max values with the two fields to the right. NOTE You can make independent settings for the two Range functions.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Modifiers Applying Hermode Tuning 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. PROCEDURE 1. Select a MIDI or instrument track. 2. In the Inspector, open the MIDI Modifiers section. 3. Activate HMT: Follow. 4.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Effects The following options are available: None No tuning is applied. Reference (pure 3/5) Tunes pure thirds and fifths. Classic (pure 3/5 equalized) Tunes pure thirds and fifths. In conflict situations, a slight equalization is applied. This tuning type is suitable for all kinds of music. Pop Jazz (3/5/7) Tunes pure thirds and fifths, and natural sevenths. This tuning type should not be applied to polyphonic music. Try this with pop or jazz.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Effects You can add up to four MIDI insert effects. The following parameters are available: Bypass Allows you to bypass all insert effects for the track. Activate Insert Allows you to activate/deactivate the selected effect. Open/Close Insert Effect Editor Allows you to open/close the control panel for the selected effect. Depending on the effect, this may appear in a separate window or below the insert slot in the Inspector.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Effects NOTE The included MIDI effects are described in the separate PDF document Plug-in Reference. Recording a MIDI Insert Effect You can record the output of a MIDI insert effect, that is, the events are created directly on a MIDI or instrument track. PROCEDURE 1. Select Project > Add Track > Instrument. 2. In the Add Instrument Track dialog, select a VST instrument. 3. On the Instrument track, activate Record Enable. 4. In the Inspector, open the MIDI Inserts section. 5.
MIDI Realtime MIDI Effects You can add up to four MIDI send effects. The following parameters are available: Bypass Allows you to bypass all send effects for the track. Activate Send Allows you to activate/deactivate the selected effect. Pre/Post Activate this to send the MIDI signals to the send effects before the MIDI modifiers and insert effects. Open/Close Send Effect Editor Allows you to open/close the control panel for the selected effect.
MIDI Realtime Transpose and Velocity in the Info Line About Presets Some of the MIDI effects come with a number of presets for instant use. 1) MIDI In/MIDI Out Activity Indicates if the plug-in receives or transmits MIDI data. 2) Save Preset/Remove Preset Allows you to save your settings as a preset or to remove saved presets. Saved presets are available in the Select Preset pop-up menu for all instances of that MIDI plug-in, and in all projects.
Using MIDI devices The MIDI Device Manager allows you to specify and set up your MIDI devices, making global control and patch selection easy. But the MIDI Device Manager also features powerful editing functions that can be used to create MIDI device panels (Cubase Pro only). MIDI device panels are internal representations of external MIDI hardware, complete with graphics.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Unfortunately, different instrument manufacturers use different schemes for how Bank Select messages are constructed, which can lead to some confusion and make it hard to select the correct sound. Also, selecting patches by numbers this way seems unnecessarily cumbersome, when most instruments use names for their patches nowadays.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Installed Devices List of connected MIDI devices. The first time you open the MIDI Device Manager, this list will be empty. Install Device/Remove Device Use these buttons to install/remove devices. Export Setup/Import Setup Use these buttons to import/export XML Device setups. Open Device (Cubase Pro only) This button opens the selected device. Output Here you specify to which MIDI output the selected device is connected.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Defining a new MIDI device (Cubase Pro only) If your MIDI device is not included in the list of pre-configured devices (and is not a “plain” GM or XG device), you need to define it manually to make it possible to select patches by name.This is handled slightly differently for Cubase Pro and Cubase Artist. PROCEDURE 1. In the MIDI Device Manager, click the Install Device button. The Add MIDI Device dialog opens. 2.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling 5. Make sure that the Enable Edit checkbox is activated. Now you can use the functions on the Commands pop-up menu on the left to organize the patch structure of the new device. 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 • You can rename a device in the Installed Devices list by double-clicking and typing – this is useful if you have several devices of the same model, and want to separate them by name instead of by number. • To remove a device from the Installed Devices list, select it and click Remove Device. NOTE Note that if there already exists a panel for the device (Cubase Pro only), opening the device might open this panel first.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling Limitations There is no easy way to import a patch name script into an existing MIDI device. For a complex workaround based on XML editing, see the separate PDF document MIDI Devices. Selecting a patch for an installed device If you return to the Project window at this point, you will find that the installed device has been added to the MIDI Output menus (in the track list and the Inspector).
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling 3. Activate the Enable Edit checkbox. When this is turned off (default), you cannot edit the pre-configured devices. 4. In the Patch Banks list, locate and select the patch you want to rename. In many instruments, the user-editable patches are located in a separate group or bank. 5. Click on the selected patch in the Patch Banks list to edit its name. 6. Type in the new name and press [Return]. 7.
Using MIDI devices MIDI devices – general settings and patch handling When the preset is selected, the corresponding MIDI events (Program Change, Bank Select, etc.) are shown in the event display to the right. The default setting for a new preset is Program Change 0 – to change this, proceed as follows: IMPORTANT For details on which MIDI events are used for selecting patches in the MIDI device, consult its documentation.
Using MIDI devices About Device panels (Cubase Pro only) next value will be incrementally raised by one and so on, up to and including the end value. NOTE The number of added presets depends on the Range setting. 3. Specify a Default Name below the event display. The added events will get this name, followed by a number. You can rename presets manually in the Patch Banks list later. 4. Click OK. A number of new presets have now been added to the selected bank or folder, according to your settings.
Using MIDI devices About Device panels (Cubase Pro only) Basic concept The panel editing features in the MIDI Device Manager can be seen as a separate application or entity within Cubase. It allows you to build device maps complete with control panels, including all parameters controllable from within Cubase. Building more complex device maps requires that you are familiar with SysEx programming (see the separate PDF document MIDI Devices).
Using MIDI devices About Device panels (Cubase Pro only) NOTE Note that [Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking the Open Device Panels button allows you to open a subpanel via the panel browser pop-up menu. Showing panels in the Inspector PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector, open the Device Panel section and click on the arrow on the right. A “Panels” folder is shown with the selected device in a node structure below it.
Using MIDI devices About Device panels (Cubase Pro only) 3. 4. Click the Panel header to expand the Device Panels rack. Click the button at the right of the header. The Panels folder is displayed like in the Inspector, but with different available panels. Just like in the Inspector, the panel has to “fit” into the available space to be selectable. 5. Select a panel. The panel is shown in the Channel Racks section of the MixConsole.
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 and effects. 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 The following settings for MIDI parts are taken into account as well: • The Transpose and Velocity settings for parts displayed on the info line – the Volume setting is not taken into account. Merge MIDI in Loop The “Merge MIDI in Loop” function combines all unmuted MIDI events on all unmuted tracks, applies MIDI modifiers and effects, and generates a new MIDI part, containing all the events as you would hear them during playback. PROCEDURE 1.
MIDI Processing Making your settings permanent Erase Destination If this is activated, any existing MIDI data between the left and right locators on the destination track will be deleted. Include Chase If this is activated, events placed outside the selected part but relating to it will be included in the processing, e. g. a Program Change right before the left locator. Convert VST3 If this is activated, all VST 3 data within the selected area is converted to MIDI data.
MIDI Processing Dissolve Part Dissolve Part The Dissolve Part function on the MIDI menu allows you to separate MIDI events according to channels or pitches: • When you work with MIDI parts (on MIDI channel “Any”) containing events on different MIDI channels, activate the “Separate Channels” option. • To separate MIDI events according to pitch, activate the “Separate Pitches” option. Typical examples are drum and percussion tracks, where different pitches usually correspond to separate drum sounds.
MIDI Processing Dissolve Part The Dissolve Part function scans MIDI parts for events on different MIDI channels and distributes the events into new parts on new tracks, one for each MIDI channel found. This allows you to work with each musical part individually. PROCEDURE 1. Select the parts containing MIDI data on different channels. 2. Select “Dissolve Part” from the MIDI menu. 3. In the dialog that opens, select the “Separate Channels” option.
MIDI Processing Bounce MIDI Dissolving to lanes In the lower right section of the Dissolve Part dialog, you will find the “Dissolve to Lanes” option. When this is activated, the part will not be dissolved onto different tracks but onto different lanes of the original track, allowing for a better management of MIDI material that “belongs together”. This is useful when working with drums for example, as it allows you to split up a part into different drum sounds and edit these independently.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions Other MIDI functions The following items can be found on the Functions submenu of the MIDI menu: Legato Extends each selected note so that it reaches the next note. 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.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions Pedals to Note Length This function scans for Sustain pedal on/off events, lengthens the affected notes to match the Sustain pedal off position, and then removes the Sustain Controller on/off events. Delete Overlaps (mono) This function allows you to make sure that no notes of the same pitch overlap (i. e. that one starts before the other ends).
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions Compress/Expand Compresses or expands the “dynamic range” of MIDI notes by scaling the velocity values according to the Ratio setting (0 to 300 %). The principle behind this is that multiplying different velocity values with a factor higher than 1 (over 100 %) will also make the differences between velocity values greater, while using a factor lower than 1 (under 100 %) will make the differences smaller.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions The parameters have the following functionality: Minimum Length When the Minimum Length checkbox is activated, the note length is taken into account, allowing you to remove short notes. You can either specify the minimum length (for notes to be kept) in the value field or by dragging the blue line in the graphical length display below. • The graphical length display can correspond to 1/4 bar, one bar, two bars or four bars.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions Restrict Polyphony Selecting this item opens a dialog in which you can specify how many “voices” are used (for the selected notes or parts). Restricting the polyphony this way is useful when you have an instrument with limited polyphony and want to make sure all notes will be played. The effect is achieved by shortening notes as required, so that they end before the next note starts. Thin Out Data Thins out MIDI data.
MIDI Processing Other MIDI functions RELATED LINKS MIDI Controller Automation on page 625 Merge Tempo from Tapping (Cubase Pro only) on page 711 Reverse This function inverts the order of the selected events (or of all events in the selected parts) rhythmically, causing the MIDI music to play backwards. Note that the effect is different from reversing an audio recording. With MIDI, the individual notes will still play as usual in the MIDI instrument – it is only the order of playback that is changed.
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 presents 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 Opening MIDI Data in a MIDI Editor Opening MIDI Data in a MIDI Editor You can edit MIDI data by using different MIDI editors. PROCEDURE 1. Select one or several MIDI parts or a MIDI track. 2. Open the MIDI menu and select the corresponding MIDI editor. Opening MIDI Parts Automatically in the Drum Editor if a Drum Map is Assigned You can specify that double-clicking a MIDI part automatically opens this MIDI part in the Drum Editor if a drum map is assigned to the corresponding MIDI track.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Common MIDI Editor Functions You can use the tools and functions within the MIDI editors to process MIDI parts in various ways. Changing the Display Format for the Ruler By default, the ruler shows the timeline in the display format that is selected on the transport panel. You can change the display format for the ruler. Click the arrow button to the right of the ruler and select an option from the pop-up menu.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions • To insert note events at the project cursor position, move, and if necessary split the existing note events to make room for the pasted notes, select Edit > Range > Paste Time. 1) Data on clipboard 2) Cursor position 3) Pasted data at cursor position Following the Project Cursor During Playback Auto-Scroll allows the event display to scroll during playback, keeping the project cursor visible in the window.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions RELATED LINKS MIDI on page 1104 Handling Note Events Coloring Notes and Events You can select different color schemes for the note events in the MIDI editor. The following options are available on the Event Colors pop-up menu on the toolbar: Velocity The note events get different colors depending on their velocity values. Pitch The note events get different colors depending on their pitch.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Selecting Note Events The selected MIDI editor determines which of the following methods apply. Do one of the following: • to drag a selection rectangle around the Use the Object Selection tool note events that you want to select. You can also click individual events. • Select Edit > Select and select one of the options. • To select the previous or next note event, use the left or right arrow keys.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions Equal Pitch - all Octaves Selects all note events of the highlighted part that have the same pitch (in any octave) as the selected note event. NOTE This function requires that a single note event is selected. Equal Pitch - same Octave Selects all note events of the highlighted part that have the same pitch (same octave) as the selected note event. NOTE This function requires that a single note event is selected.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions 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]. Cutting Note Events The Trim tool allows you to cut off the end or the beginning of note events. PROCEDURE 1. Select the Trim tool on the toolbar. 2. Do one of the following: • To trim the end of a single note event, click on the note event.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions • To duplicate the selected note events, hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag the note events to a new position. If Snap is activated, it determines to which positions you can copy notes. • To copy the selected note events and place them directly behind the original, select Edit > Functions > Duplicate. If several note events are selected, all of them are copied as one unit, maintaining the relative distance between the note events.
MIDI Editors Common MIDI Editor Functions • Open the Insert Velocity pop-up menu and select a velocity value. On this menu, you can also select Setup and specify custom velocity values for the pop-up menu. • Double-click the Insert Velocity field on the toolbar and enter a velocity value. • Assign key commands to Insert Velocity 1-5 and use them. This allows you to quickly switch between different velocity values when you enter note events.
MIDI Editors Key Editor When you activate the loop, the MIDI events within the loop are repeated continuously while other events on other tracks are played back as usual. Every time the cycle restarts, the independent track loop also restarts. PROCEDURE 1. Activate Independent Track Loop on the toolbar. If the Independent Track Loop button is not visible, right-click the toolbar and select Independent Track Loop from the menu.
MIDI Editors Key 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) Ruler Displays the time line. 5) Key Editor Inspector Contains tools and functions for working with MIDI data. 6) Note display Contains a grid in which MIDI notes are displayed as boxes.
MIDI Editors 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 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. Auto Select Controllers Auto Select Controllers If this button is activated and a note is selected in the editor, the corresponding controller data is also automatically selected.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Trim Start Right Decreases the length of the selected element by moving its start to the right. Move Left Moves the selected element to the left. 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. Transpose Palette Move up Transposes the selected event or chord up by a half note.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Grid Relative If this option is activated, events keep their relative positions to the grid when they are moved. Events If this option is activated, the start and end positions of other events and parts are magnetic. This means that if you drag an event to a position near the start or end of another event, it is automatically aligned with the start or end of the other event. Shuffle Shuffle allows you to change the order of adjacent events.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Record Pitch If Step Input is activated, use this button to determine that the pitch is included when you insert notes. Record NoteOn Velocity If Step Input is activated, use this button to determine that NoteOn Velocity is included when you insert notes. Record NoteOff Velocity If Step Input is activated, use this button to determine that NoteOff Velocity is included when you insert notes. Event Colors Event Colors Allows you to select a color scheme for the events in the editor.
MIDI Editors Key Editor RELATED LINKS Setting Up the Independent Track Loop on page 525 Info Line The info line shows values and properties of the selected events. If several notes are selected, the values for the first note are displayed in color. To show or hide the info line, click Set up Window Layout activate or deactivate Info Line. on the toolbar, and Length and position values are displayed in the selected ruler display format.
MIDI Editors Key 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 Key Editor Operations 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 Inserting Note Events with the Object Selection Tool You can insert note events with the Object Selection tool. This is the most convenient way of inserting notes. PREREQUISITE You have set up the length for the note events quantize value in the Length Quantize pop-up menu of the toolbar. PROCEDURE • In the note display, double-click with the Object Selection tool at the position where you want to insert a note.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Modifying Note Values while Inserting Notes When inserting note events, you can modify specific note values on the fly. • To edit the note velocity, drag upwards or downwards. • To edit the note pitch, hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag upwards or downwards. • To edit the note length, drag to the left or to the right. • To edit the time position, hold down [Shift] and drag to the left or to the right.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations The following line modes are available: Line If this option is activated, you can click and drag to insert note events in the note display along a straight line in any angle. Use this option to edit controller data along a straight line in the controller display. Parabola, Sine, Triangle, Square These modes insert note events along different curve shapes. Paint This mode allows you to insert note events by painting in the note display.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations RELATED LINKS Transpose on page 699 Resizing Note Events Do one of the following: • To resize the note event, position the Object Selection tool at the start or the end of a note event and drag the mouse cursor to the left or right. • To apply time-stretching and Note Expression data (Cubase Pro only) to a controller that is associated with the note event that you resize, activate Sizing Applies Time Stretch for the Object Selection tool before you resize the note.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations By default, the Trim tool cuts off the end of notes. To trim the beginning of notes, press [Alt]/[Option] while dragging. When dragged across several notes, a line is displayed. The notes will be trimmed along this line. If you press [Ctrl]/[Command] while dragging, you will get a vertical trim line, allowing you to set the same start or end time for all edited notes. You can change the Trim tool key commands in the Preferences dialog (Editing–Tool Modifiers page).
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations 3. In the Chord Editing section, activate one of the Triads buttons or 4-Note Chords buttons. The selected notes are transposed so that they fit the selected chord type. 4. Use the up or down arrow keys on your computer keyboard to change the pitch of the chord. Changing the Voicing of Chords PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector, open the Chord Editing section. 2. In the note display, select the notes that you want to edit. 3.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations 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. Match with Chord Track Applies the chord events from the chord track to the selected notes in the MIDI editor.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Inserting Chords You can use the tools in the Chord Editing section of the Inspector to insert and edit chords. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector, open the Chord Editing section. 2. Select the Insert tool 3. Click in the note display, drag to the left or right to determine the length of the chord. Drag up or down to determine its pitch. to the right of the chord type that you want to insert.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • In the note event if the zoom factor is high enough. • When dragging a note event. Expression Map Handling (Cubase Pro only) When an expression map is assigned to a MIDI track, the musical articulations that are defined for that map are displayed in the following locations of the Key Editor: • On the info line in the Articulations field. • On the controller lane. • In the note event if the vertical zoom factor is high enough.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations RESULT The selected note gets the pitch, velocity and/or note-off velocity of the played note. The next note in the edited part is automatically selected, to allow quick editing of a series of notes. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK To try another setting, select the note again and play a note on your MIDI instrument. Step Input Step input, or step recording, allows you to enter note events or chords one at a time without worrying about the exact timing.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations 6. Continue in the same way with the rest of the note events or chords. You can adjust the Quantize or Length Quantize values, to change the timing or note event lengths. You can also move the step input position manually by clicking anywhere in the note display. To insert a rest, press the right arrow key on the computer keyboard. This advances the step input position by one step. 7. When you are done, click the Step Input button again to deactivate step input.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Selecting the Event Type Each controller lane shows one event type at a time. You can select which event type to display on a controller lane. • To select which type is displayed, open the Controller Selection and Functions pop-up menu and select an event type. Setting up Available Continuous Controllers In the MIDI Controller Setup dialog, you can specify which continuous controllers are available for selection.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Handling Controller Lane Presets Once you have made up your controller lane setup, you can save it as a controller lane preset. For example, you can have a preset with one velocity lane and another preset with a combination of several controller lanes, such as velocity, pitchbend, or modulation. Saving a Controller Lane Setup as Preset You can save a controller lane setup via the Controller Lane Setup pop-up menu. PROCEDURE 1. Click Controller Lane Setup . 2.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Editing Events in the Controller Display All controller values can be edited with the Draw tool or the Line tool. If you have selected more than one controller event on a controller lane, the controller lane editor is displayed. • To edit events in the velocity controller display, use the Draw tool or the Line tool and drag the event. The Object Selection tool automatically switches to the Draw tool when you move the pointer into the controller display.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations NOTE If the speaker icon (Acoustic Feedback) is activated on the toolbar, the notes are played back when you adjust the velocity. This allows you to audition your changes. RELATED LINKS Controller Lane Editor on page 751 Editing Events in the Controller Display Using the Line Tool You can draw and edit events in the controller display with the Line tool. Line Mode In Line mode, you can draw events in a straight line.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • To increase or decrease the exponent, press [Shift]. NOTE If Snap is activated the Length Quantize value determines the density of created controller curves. For very smooth curves, use a small Length Quantize value or deactivate Snap. To avoid over-dense controller curves which can cause MIDI playback to stutter, use a medium-low density.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations Editing Events using the Draw Tool You can draw and edit events in the controller display with the Draw tool. The Draw tool has the same functionality as the Line tool in Paint mode. • To change the velocity of a single note, click on its velocity bar and drag the bar up or down. NOTE When you move the pointer inside a controller lane, the event type value changes corresponding to the pointer movement.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations • To modify the settings for the dynamics symbols, open the Controller Selection and Functions pop-up menu and select Dynamics Mapping Setup. Moving and copying dynamics events is identical to working with other events on the controller lane.
MIDI Editors Key Editor Operations RELATED LINKS MIDI Controller Automation on page 625 Automation Merge Modes on page 625 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 NOTE • The controller lane editor is not available for Articulation or Dynamics lanes. • For velocity lanes, the editor also opens if you select multiple MIDI notes in the note display. • 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.
MIDI Editors Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only) Deleting Events in the Controller Display IMPORTANT MPORTANT If there is more than one note at the same position, there is only one visible velocity bar. Make sure that you delete only the notes that you want to delete. • To delete events, click on them with the Erase tool or select them and press [Backspace]. You can also delete notes by deleting their velocity bars in the controller display.
MIDI Editors Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only) 1) Toolbar 2) Status line 3) Info line 4) Extended toolbar • To open one or several parts in the Score Editor, select one or several tracks or any number of parts, and select MIDI > Scores > Open Score Editor. If you have selected parts on several tracks, you get one staff for each track. The staves are tied together by bar lines and placed in the order of the tracks in the Project window.
MIDI Editors Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only) 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. Insert Text Allows you to insert text in the score display. Arranger Previous Chain Step Selects the previous chain step. Next Chain Step Selects the next chain step. First Repeat of Current Chain Step Selects the first repeat of the current chain step.
MIDI Editors Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only) Auto Scroll Auto Scroll If this button is activated, the project cursor is always visible in the window. Insert Velocity Insert Velocity Allows you to specify a velocity value for new notes. Snap/Quantize Snap Type Allows you to select the snap type. If Grid is activated, events snap to exact grid positions when they are moved. If Grid Relative is activated, events keep their relative positions to the grid when they are moved.
MIDI Editors Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only) Record NoteOn Velocity If Step Input is activated, use this button to determine that NoteOn Velocity is included when you insert notes. Record NoteOff Velocity If Step Input is activated, use this button to determine that NoteOff Velocity is included when you insert notes. Event Colors Event Colors Allows you to select a color scheme for the events in the editor. Hide Colors Allows you to hide the colors.
MIDI Editors Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only) 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. Info Line The info line shows values and properties of the selected MIDI notes. If several notes are selected, the values for the first note are displayed in color.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations (Cubase Artist only) 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 (Cubase Artist only) Staff Settings Dialog This dialog allows you to change how Cubase displays the music. IMPORTANT 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 (Cubase Artist only) Display Quantize This section allows you to change the way Cubase displays scores. IMPORTANT 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 (Cubase Artist only) 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). This transposes the notes in the score without affecting how the notes are played back.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations (Cubase Artist only) 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. Quantize Value When you move the mouse pointer over the score, the Mouse Time Position field on the status line tracks your movement and shows the current position in bars, beats, sixteenth notes, and ticks.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations (Cubase Artist only) 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. Click in the staff. RESULT The note appears in the score. The notes get the insert velocity value that is set in the Insert Velocity field on the toolbar. NOTE If the notes that you enter appear to have the wrong note value you may have to adjust the Display Quantize settings.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations (Cubase Artist only) 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. You can change the length of a note in the following ways: • Select the notes that you want to change and [Ctrl]/[Command]-click on one of the note icons on the extended toolbar.
MIDI Editors Score Editor Operations (Cubase Artist only) 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 (Cubase Artist only) 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 2) Status line Informs about the mouse time position and the mouse note position. 3) Info line Displays information about the selected event. 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. 8) Note display Contains a grid in which notes are displayed.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Drum Sound Visibility Drum Visibility Agents Allows you to select a visibility agent that determines which drum sounds are displayed in the drum sound list. 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 Multiple Part Controls Show Part Borders If this button is activated, the part borders are shown in the 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.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Transpose Palette Move up Transposes the selected event or chord up by a half note. Move down Transposes the selected event or chord down by a half note. Move up more Transposes the selected event up by an octave. Move down more Transposes the selected event down by an octave. Snap/Quantize The following options are available on the Snap/Quantize menu: Snap On/Off Activates/Deactivates the snap function.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Grid + Cursor This is a combination of Grid and Magnetic Cursor. 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.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Event Colors Event Colors Allows you to select a color scheme for the events in the editor. Hide Colors Allows you to hide the colors. Edit VST Instrument Edit VST Instrument If the track is routed to a VST instrument, use this button to open the VST Instrument panel. Status Line The status line is displayed below the toolbar. It displays important mouse information. To show or hide the status line, click Set up Window Layout activate or deactivate Status Line.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Length and position values are displayed in the selected ruler display format. RELATED LINKS Editing Note Events on the Info Line on page 719 Changing the Display Format for the Ruler on page 714 Inspector The Inspector is located to the left of the note display. The inspector contains tools and functions for working with MIDI data. Expression Map Allows you to load an expression map. Expression maps are useful for working with articulations.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Quantize Panel on page 251 Transpose Functions on page 288 Other MIDI functions on page 706 Note Display The note display of the Drum Editor contains a grid in which note events are shown. The notes are displayed as diamond symbols. If you activate Show Note Length On/Off in the toolbar, notes are displayed as boxes and show the note length.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor • Any type of continuous controller event Velocity values are shown as vertical bars in the controller display. Each velocity bar corresponds to a note in the note display. Higher bars correspond to higher velocity values. 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.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor NOTE The number of columns in the list depends on whether a drum map is selected for the track or not. Pitch Note number of the drum sound. Instrument Name of the drum sound. Quantize This is used when entering and editing notes. Mute Allows you to mute drum sounds. I-Note Input note for the drum sound. When you play this note, it is mapped to the corresponding drum sound and automatically transposed according to the Pitch setting for the sound.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations • To open the visibility agents, click Drum Visibility Agents in the toolbar. The following agents are available: Show All Drum Sounds Shows all drum sounds as defined in the selected drum map. NOTE In this mode, you can edit the order of the drum sound list manually. Show Drum Sounds with Events Shows only the drum sounds for which events are available in the selected MIDI part. Show Drum Sounds in use by Instrument Shows all drum sounds for which a pad etc.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations Inserting Note Events You can insert note events with the Object Selection tool or the Drumstick tool. PREREQUISITE You have set up the Insert Length on the toolbar to determine the length of the inserted note. If Insert Length is set to Drum-Map Link, the note gets the length of the quantize value for the drum sound. You have activated Snap to snap to positions according to the quantize value set for the sound in the drum sound list.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations PROCEDURE • Perform one of the following actions: • On the toolbar, select the Object Selection tool, double-click in the event display and drag to the right. • On the toolbar, select the Drumstick tool, click in the event display and drag to the right. RESULT The notes events are inserted. RELATED LINKS Toolbar on page 769 Modifying Note Values while Inserting Notes When inserting note events, you can modify specific note values on the fly.
MIDI Editors Drum Editor Operations 2. Drag to the left or to the right to adjust the length. An info box with the current length value is displayed. 3. Release the mouse button. RESULT The note length is changed. Snap is taken into account. Deleting Note Events You can delete note events with the Erase tool, the Object Selection tool or the Drumstick tool. PROCEDURE • Perform one of the following actions: • Select the Erase tool and click the event.
MIDI Editors Drum 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 or only vertical movement, hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] while dragging.
MIDI Editors Drum Maps • To mute a drum sound in a drum map, click in the Mute column for the drum sound. • To mute all other drum sounds, click the Solo Instrument button on the toolbar. RELATED LINKS Selecting a Drum Map for a Track on page 787 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.
MIDI Editors Drum Maps Drum Map Setup Dialog This dialog allows you to load, create, modify, and save drum maps. To open the Drum Map Setup dialog, select Drum Map Setup from the Map pop-up menu or the MIDI menu. The list on the left shows the 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.
MIDI Editors Drum Maps The Functions pop-up menu contains the following options: New Map Adds a new drum map to the project. The drum sounds are named “Sound 1, Sound 2, etc.” and have all parameters set to default values. The map is named “Empty Map”. To rename the drum map, click the name in the list and type in a new name. New Copy Adds a copy of the selected drum map to create a new drum map. You can then change the drum sound settings of the copy and rename the drum map in the list.
MIDI Editors Drum Maps RELATED LINKS Drum Sound List on page 777 Drum Map Setup Dialog on page 785 Channel and Output Settings You can set separate MIDI channels and/or MIDI outputs for each sound in a drum map. When a drum map is selected for a track, the MIDI channel settings in the drum map override the MIDI channel setting for the track. You can select different channels and/or outputs for different sounds. This allows you to construct drum kits with sounds from several different MIDI devices, etc.
MIDI Editors Drum Maps A drum map is a kind of filter that transforms notes according to the settings in the map. It does this transformation twice; once when it receives an incoming note that is when you play a note on your MIDI controller, and once when a note is sent from the program to the MIDI sound device. The following example shows a modified drum map with a bass drum sound that has different pitch, I-note, and O-note values.
MIDI Editors Drum Name Lists Setting Pitches of Notes According to their O-Note Settings You can set the pitch of notes according to their O-note settings. This is useful if you want to convert a track to a regular MIDI track with no drum map and still have the notes play back the correct drum sound. It’s a typical use case to export your MIDI recording as a standard MIDI file. If you first perform an O-note conversion, you make sure that your drum tracks play back as intended when they are exported.
MIDI Editors List Editor 1) Toolbar 2) Status line 3) Event list 4) Filters bar 5) Ruler 6) Event display 7) Value display Toolbar The toolbar contains tools and various settings for the List 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. Draw Allows you to draw events. Erase Allows you to delete events. Zoom Allows you to zoom in/out.
MIDI Editors List Editor Mute Allows you to mute events. Trim Allows you to resize selected events by moving their start or end positions in steps according to the Length Quantize value. Auto Scroll Auto Scroll If this button is activated, the project cursor is always visible in the window. Independent Track Loop Independent Track Loop Activates/Deactivates the independent track loop for the edited part.
MIDI Editors List Editor Move Left Moves the selected element to the left. 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 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 List 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 List Editor RELATED LINKS Using the Setup options on page 1062 Status Line The status line is displayed below the toolbar. It displays important information about the mouse position. To show or hide the info 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 List Editor Event Types and Data 1 Only events of the same event type as the selected type and with the same Data 1 value are shown. For example, if a note event is selected, only notes with the same pitch are shown. If a controller event is selected, only controllers of the same type are shown. Event Channels Only events with the same MIDI channel value as the selected event are shown. Setup (Cubase Pro only) Opens the Logical Editor. Here you can create complex filter settings.
MIDI Editors List Editor Start Starting position of the event, displayed in the format selected for the ruler. Changing it has the same effect as moving the event. NOTE If you move the event past any other event in the list, the list is resorted. The list always shows the events in the order in which they are played back. End Allows you to view and edit the end position of a note event. Editing resites the note event. Length Displays the length of the note event.
MIDI Editors List Editor Operations Value Display The value display to the right of the event display is a tool for quick viewing and editing of multiple values, for example, velocities or controller amounts. The values are shown as horizontal bars, with the bar length corresponding to the value. To show or hide the value display, click Set up Window Layout and activate or deactivate Value Display. on the toolbar, The value that is displayed for an event depends on the event type.
MIDI Editors List Editor Operations • To change the event type that you want to draw, select it from the Insert Event Type pop-up menu. • To draw an event, click in the event display. The note event gets the length that is set on the Length Quantize pop-up menu. Notes get the insert velocity value set in the Insert Velocity field on the toolbar. • To draw longer note events, click and drag in the event display. The length of the event is a multiple of the Length Quantize value.
MIDI Editors List Editor Operations • To set the values of all selected events to the same value, press [Ctrl]/[Command] and edit the value for one event. • For SysEx events, you can only edit the Start position in the list. However, when you click the Comment column, the MIDI SysEx Editor opens, in which you can perform detailed editing of system exclusive events.
MIDI Editors In-Place Editor In-Place Editor The In-Place Editor allows you to edit MIDI notes and controllers directly in the Project window, for quick and efficient editing in context with other tracks. The In-Place Editor expands the MIDI track to show a miniature Key Editor. When you select a MIDI note, the Project window info line shows the same information about the note, as the info line in the Key Editor. You can perform the same editing here as in the Key Editor.
MIDI Editors In-Place Editor Multiple Part Controls 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.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages Move down Transposes the selected event or chord down by a half note. Move up more Transposes the selected event up by an octave. Move down more Transposes the selected event down by an octave. Working with the In-Place Editor • To zoom or scroll the In-Place Editor, point at the left part of the piano keyboard display so that the pointer changes to a hand. Then drag to the right or left to zoom in or out vertically, and drag up or down to scroll the editor.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages Bulk Dumps In any programmable device, the settings are saved as numbers in computer memory. If you change these numbers, you will change the settings. Normally, MIDI devices allow you to dump (transmit) all or some settings in the device’s memory in the form of MIDI SysEx messages. A dump is therefore, among other things, a way of making backup copies of the settings of your instrument: sending such a dump back to the MIDI device restores the settings.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages Transmitting a Bulk Dump Back to a Device PREREQUISITE Route the MIDI track with the System Exclusive data to the device. Check your device’s documentation to find details about which MIDI channel should be used, etc. PROCEDURE 1. Solo the track. 2. Make sure that the device is set up to receive SysEx messages. 3. If necessary, put the device in Standby to Receive System Exclusive mode. 4. Play back the data.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages For example: you open up a filter while playing some notes. In that case, you record both the notes and the SysEx messages that are generated when you open the filter. When you play back the recording, the sound changes exactly as it did when you recorded it. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Preferences. 2. In the Preferences dialog, select MIDI > MIDI Filter and make sure that SysEx is deactivated in the Record section. 3.
MIDI Editors SysEx Messages In the MIDI SysEx Editor, the bytes are displayed as follows: • In the main display, values are shown in hexadecimal format. • To the right of the main display, values are shown in ASCII format. • At the bottom of the dialog, the selected value is shown in ASCII, binary, and decimal formats. Adding and Deleting Bytes • To add a byte, open the MIDI SysEx Editor and click Insert. The byte is added before the selected byte.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Introduction About articulations Musical articulations, or expressions, define how certain notes “sound”, i. e. how they are sung or performed on a given instrument. They allow you to specify that a string instrument is bowed (not plucked), a trumpet muted (not played open), and so on. Articulations also define the relative volume of notes (to play some notes louder or softer than the others) or changes in pitch (create a tremolo).
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Introduction To trigger the necessary sound changes, use the following command and data types: Program Change Program Change messages can be used to instruct a connected VST instrument to switch from one program to another. Depending on the instrument, this can be used to play a different articulation. MIDI channel Multi-timbral instruments, such as Steinberg’s HALion, feature programs, usually representing different articulations.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Using expression maps • When you want to play/record music in realtime and control articulation changes while playing. • When you open and edit projects from other users. By using expression maps, you can map the articulation information to a different instrument set or content library quickly and easily. NOTE You can also use the Note Expression functions to add articulations directly on your MIDI notes in the Key Editor.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Using expression maps Expression maps that were saved separately You can also define your own expression maps. To load these, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector for the selected track, select the Expression Map section, open the pop-up menu and select “Expression Map Setup…”. The Expression Map Setup window opens.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Using expression maps The possibility to monitor the active slots is especially useful when recording articulations with an external device, such as a MIDI keyboard. This way, you can see whether the correct sound slot, i. e. the right articulation, is used. Expression maps in the Score Editor In the Score Editor, the articulations that are part of an expression map can be inserted like other symbols.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Using expression maps You can insert and edit articulations in the Key, Drum, and In-Place Editors using the controller lane. This is much like regular controller lane editing. • To display the articulations set up in the selected expression map, open the pop-up menu to the left of the lane and select “Articulations/Dynamics”.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Using expression maps Instead of selecting the Draw tool, you can also hold down a modifier key (by default [Alt]/[Option]) and click at the desired position. • To remove a direction, click on it with the Erase tool or select it and press [Delete] or [Backspace]. • To remove an attribute, click on it with the Draw tool. Note that you cannot select attributes in the controller lane without automatically selecting the corresponding note, too.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps Creating and editing expression maps Creating an expression map from scratch PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector for a MIDI or instrument track, open the Expression Map section, open the pop-up menu and select “Expression Map Setup…”. The Expression Map Setup window opens, allowing you to load and create expression maps. NOTE You can also open the Expression Map Setup window by selecting the “Expression Map Setup…” option on the MIDI menu.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps Creating expression maps based on the key switches used in an instrument You can automatically extract mapping information from your connected VST instruments and convert it into a new expression map. This makes it very easy to set up expression maps for the instruments you often work with. PROCEDURE 1. Load the VST instrument you want to use and assign it to a MIDI or instrument track. 2.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps 3. When adding articulations, the name of the sound slot is automatically set to the articulation. To change the name, click in the name field and enter a new name. The names of the sound slots are displayed in the Inspector for the track. 4. To create a complex articulation, made of several different single articulations, click in the other Articulation columns (Art. 2-4) for the sound slot and add the corresponding articulations.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps You can also create expressions by editing the incoming MIDI data, for example by changing the note length or velocity. For this, you can make the following settings in the lower part of the Output Mapping section: Channel Here you can specify the MIDI channel. When using HALion Symphonic Orchestra for example, this allows you to switch to a different program. Length Here you can specify the note length.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps Description Here, you can enter a descriptive text. For example, this can be the name of the symbol (e. g. Accent) or the long name of a direction (e. g. pizz and pizzicato). Group This column allows you to specify the group, or importance of the symbol, see below. Groups You can sort the different articulations you define for an expression map into one to four groups.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps • In the Remote Settings section of the Expression Map Setup dialog, select Progam Change Messages from the pop-up menu. Key Switches You can use key switches to switch sound slots. • In the Remote Settings section of the Expression Map Setup dialog, select Key Switches from the pop-up menu. If you use key switches, these keys are used to insert articulations instead of notes.
Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps Set Remote Keys Remote keys can be specified manually for each slot in the Sound Slots section of the window. However, you can also automatically assign a range of keys on your external device to the sound slots in the expression map. PROCEDURE 1. Click the Set Remote Keys button. A dialog opens. 2. Use the Start Key field to specify the first key on the MIDI input device that you want to trigger a sound slot. 3.
Note Expression Introduction Note Expression offers a very intuitive way of controller editing in Cubase. As an alternative to working with controller lanes in the Key Editor, controller data can be viewed and edited directly on the associated MIDI note events in the event display. With Note Expression, a note and its associated controller data are treated as a unit. When you quantize, move, copy, duplicate, or delete notes, all their associated controller information will follow.
Note Expression Introduction VST 3 controllers provide articulation information for each individual note. Unlike MIDI controllers (which are channel-specific), VST 3 controllers are note-specific and are suitable for polyphonic contexts. Articulating each note in a chord individually creates a much more natural feel. Furthermore, VST 3 controllers allow for a value range that exceeds the MIDI range of 0 to 127, which offers a more comfortable value editing and fine-tuning.
Note Expression Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab Playback is triggered when you enter or change Note Expression data. All controllers that are present at the mouse position will be used during playback. Note Expression can be used in the following ways: • You can record notes live into Cubase while attaching some or all of the used controllers as Note Expression events to the notes.
Note Expression Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab 1) In the CC column, the controller assignment is shown, if any. 2) VST 3 controllers 3) MIDI controllers 4) Settings for the selected controller 5) Global settings In the middle section of the tab, you can make settings for the parameter that is selected in the list.
Note Expression Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab In the lower part of the Note Expression tab, the following global settings and parameters are available: MIDI as Note Expression If this button is activated, incoming MIDI controllers will be recorded as Note Expression data. Channel Rotation If this option is activated, individual MIDI channels are assigned to incoming MIDI notes and their controllers.
Note Expression Mapping controllers Filtering the list If you click on the Parameter column header, a pop-up menu opens, containing the following filter commands: Show only used Parameters Select this command to only display the parameters in the list for which data exists. Make all Parameters visible Select this command to display all available parameters in the event display. Make only edited Parameter visible Select this command to display only the edited parameter in the event display.
Note Expression Mapping controllers To manually specify the record mapping for the parameters, use the MIDI Learn function, or load a mapping preset, see below. Manual mapping To manually map a MIDI controller to the selected Note Expression parameter, you can select the MIDI controller from the MIDI assignment pop-up menu. If the MIDI controller you are looking for is not on the list, select “MIDI Controller Setup…” and activate it in the dialog.
Note Expression Recording RESULT You can recall the mapping presets you created by using the “Load MIDI Input Assignment” command on the Parameter pop-up menu. Recording Recording notes and Note Expression data To record MIDI notes together with Note Expression data using an external MIDI device, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Create an instrument track, e. g. using HALion Sonic SE as VST instrument. The Note Expression Inspector tab shows which parameters are available for recording.
Note Expression Recording IMPORTANT MPORTANT In order to use the Channel Rotation mode, the input controller must support channel rotation. RELATED LINKS Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab on page 823 Overdubbing You can also record or replace Note Expression data for existing notes. This is achieved by overdubbing. To activate this mode, click the Overdub button on the Note Expression Inspector tab. When this is activated, no notes are recorded when you click the Record button.
Note Expression Recording RELATED LINKS Mapping controllers on page 826 Resetting the Latch buffer Whenever data is present in the Latch buffer, the “Reset Latch buffer” button becomes available. If you click this button, all the memorized values are removed from the Latch buffer. NOTE When you are using Latch mode in combination with cycle recording, the Latch Buffer is automatically reset at the end of the cycle.
Note Expression Editing Note Expression data Editing Note Expression data In the Key Editor, you can view and edit the Note Expression data for notes in the Note Expression editor. This is opened by double-clicking a note in the event display. In the editor, you can add Note Expression data from scratch. All parameters that are marked as visible in the Inspector are displayed as curves in the editor.
Note Expression Editing Note Expression data The value display The value display in the lower right corner of the editor shows the current value at the (vertical) mouse pointer position. The value range differs depending on the parameter type, e. g. 0 to 127 for MIDI controllers or semitones and cents for Tuning. Selection ranges You can select a range of controller values by clicking and dragging in the editor with the Object Selection tool.
Note Expression Editing Note Expression data Using the “Paste Note Expression” command, you can copy the settings you made for one note into several other notes, or copy the settings for several selected notes into a number of other notes (which makes it easy to recreate specific drum patterns, for example).
Note Expression Editing Note Expression data 1) Vertical snap (best suited for the Tuning parameter) 2) Horizontal Snap The Vertical Snap button in the middle of the left border of the editor is especially useful for the Tuning parameter. It allows you to enter the pitch in semitone steps instead of as a continuous curve. This way, it is much easier to create fast pitch modulations. • To temporarily switch to vertical snapping while editing, hold down [Shift].
Note Expression Editing Note Expression data Editing mode To activate this mode… Description Tilt the left/right part of the curve Click the smart control in the These modes allow you to tilt upper left/right corner of the the left or the right part of the editor. curve, respectively. This is useful if the curve form is exactly the way you want it, but the start or end needs to be boosted or attenuated a bit.
Note Expression Editing Note Expression data 1) Note 2) Release phase 3) Release length handle When Note Expression data are displayed in the Key Editor, the release phase of a note is also shown. Setting the length of the release phase To determine the length of the release phase, drag the release length handle or enter the value manually on the info line. You can also modify the release length after having edited or recorded controller data.
Note Expression Note Expression and MIDI Editing multiple notes simultaneously When you have opened the editor for several notes, any editing (e. g. entering Note Expression data, applying time stretch or modifying the length of the release phase) affects all the notes that are present at the time position where you perform the editing.
Note Expression Note Expression and MIDI Note Expression MIDI Setup Dialog The dialog contains the following options: Controller Activate this option if you want to use MIDI controllers when working with Note Expression. In the table below, activate the MIDI controllers you want to use and deactivate the MIDI controllers that should be disregarded in the Note Expression context. If MIDI controller data for a deactivated controller is received in Cubase, it will end up on the controller lane.
Note Expression Note Expression and MIDI Controller Catch Range This allows you to associate controllers with a note, although they were sent slightly before the note-on message. Specify the number of ticks in the value field. For example, this might be necessary when working with some electronic drums for which the drum head position message is sent before the note.
Note Expression Note Expression and MIDI RESULT During this process, the program searches for notes that are sounding at the same time as the controllers and if several notes are playing at the same time, the same Note Expression parameters will be attributed to them, with the same values. NOTE When converting MIDI controllers into Note Expression data, release phases are automatically created where necessary, so that no controller data is lost during this process.
Note Expression Note Expression and MIDI Distributing notes to different channels If you do not have a VST 3 instrument, but still want to use the Note Expression functions, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Add a multi-timbral instrument, open its control panel, and assign the same sound to different channels. 2. In the Inspector for the corresponding MIDI track, make sure the MIDI output pop-up menu is set to “Any”. 3.
Note Expression HALion Sonic SE HALion Sonic SE HALion Sonic SE is a VST 3-compatible VST instrument. For use with Note Expression, it offers the VST 3 parameters “Tuning” (Pitch), “Volume”, and “Pan”. HALion Sonic SE comes with several presets (with the file name extension “*.NoteExp”) that can be used with Note Expression. Use them to get a quick overview of the possibilities HALion Sonic SE offers when working with Note Expression.
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 audio playback (Cubase Pro only) or 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.
Chord Functions Chord Events Chord Events Chord events are representations of chords that control or transpose playback on MIDI, instrument, and audio tracks (Cubase Pro only). Chord events alter the pitches of MIDI notes and VariAudio segments (Cubase Pro only) if their tracks are 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 Chord Assistant. The Chord Assistant has the following modes: • List • Proximity • Circle of Fifths Chord Assistant – List (Cubase Pro only) The List mode of the Chord Assistant allows you to create harmonic chord progressions based on harmonic rules that can be more or less complex.
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) Suggestions Shows suggestions for the next chord. Click a chord suggestion to select it. 4) Complexity Filter Allows you to increase the complexity and thus the number of suggestions.
Chord Functions Chord Events Select Cadence to build up a chord progression based on cadences. Select Common Notes to build up a progression by specifying how many common notes the chords should share. 7) Cadence Type NOTE This option is only available if you selected Cadence as Algorithm Mode. Allows you to select a cadence type for the suggestions. This way, only the chords with specific harmonic functions are suggested. 8) Chord Assistant tabs Click the tabs to open one of the chord assistant modes.
Chord Functions Chord Events Adding Chord Events Based on Suggestions (Cubase Pro only) If you do not know what your chord progression should look like, you can use the Chord Assistant to get suggestions for the following chords. PREREQUISITE Add a chord event on the chord track. PROCEDURE 1. Double-click the chord event. 2. Click Chord Assistant. 3. Click Add Chord. 4. Do one of the following: 5. • To display the suggestions in a list, click the List tab.
Chord Functions Chord Events 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). The outer circle shows the twelve major chords ordered in intervals of fifths. The inner circle displays the corresponding parallel minor chords.
Chord Functions Scale Events 2. Assign a VST instrument to your instrument or MIDI track and select a sound. 3. In the chord track Inspector, activate Acoustic Feedback. 4. From the Select Track for Auditioning pop-up menu, select the track that you want to use for auditioning. RESULT The chord events on the chord track now trigger the sound of the assigned instrument on the MIDI or instrument track. Changing How Chord Events Are Displayed You can change how chord events are displayed.
Chord Functions Voicings Editing Scale Events PREREQUISITE Add the chord track and chord events. Deactivate Automatic Scales in the chord track Inspector. PROCEDURE 1. On the chord track, activate Show Scales. The scale lane is displayed. 2. Select the chord event. A scale event is shown on the scale lane. 3. Do one of the following: • Click the first scale event on the chord track, and on the info line, select a Root Key and Type.
Chord Functions Voicings Setting up Voicings To set up voicings for the entire chord track, you can use the chord track Inspector. 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.
Chord Functions Voicings NOTE The Start Voicing section for piano, guitar, and basic voicings lets you select a start voicing. This is only available for MIDI, instrument, and audio tracks, but not for the chord track, and only if you select Voicings in the Follow Chord Track pop-up menu. In the Style section for Piano voicings, you can set up the following parameters: Triads Sets a triad. Chords with more than three notes are not changed.
Chord Functions Converting Chord Events to MIDI Highest Note Sets the limit for the highest note, except the root note. In the Style section for Guitar voicings, you can set up the following parameters: Triads Sets a triad with four, five or six voices. 4-Note Chords Sets a 4-note chord with four, five or six voices without tensions. 3-String Triads Sets a three string triad. Modern Jazz Sets 4-note, 5-note, and 6-note chords, partly without root note, but with tensions.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using the Chord Track Assigning Chord Events to MIDI Effects or VST Instruments PREREQUISITE Create a chord progression on the chord track and add a MIDI or instrument track to your project. PROCEDURE 1. In the Inspector for the MIDI or instrument track, open the MIDI Inserts section. 2. Click an insert slot and select Chorder from the Effect Type pop-up menu. The Chorder effect is activated, and its control panel opens. 3.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using the Chord Track Using Live Transform Live Transform allows you to transpose the MIDI input live to a chord progression on the chord track. This way, you do not have to worry about what key you hit on your MIDI keyboard as the MIDI input is transposed to match chords or scales on your chord track in realtime. PROCEDURE 1. Create a MIDI or an instrument track and activate Record Enable. 2. In the Inspector, open the Chords section. 3.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using the Chord Track RELATED LINKS Follow Chord Track Dialog on page 860 Follow Chord Track Modes on page 859 Follow Chord Track Modes This section of the Inspector allows you to determine how your track follows 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.
Chord Functions Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using the Chord Track Single Voice Maps MIDI notes and VariAudio segments (Cubase Pro only) to the notes of a single voice (soprano, tenor, bass, etc.) of the voicing. Use the pop-up menu below to select the desired voice. NOTE If you apply this mode to a selection of tracks that contain separate voices, you can set up one track as master and the others as voicing slaves.
Chord Functions Assigning Voices to Notes Using Map to Chord Track This allows you to match individual parts or events to a chord progression on the chord track. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select the events or parts that you want to map to the chord track. 2. Select Project > Chord Track > Map to Chord Track. 3. From the Mapping Mode pop-up menu, select a mapping mode. NOTE If you select Voicings and no voices are found, Auto mode is used instead. 4. Click OK.
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 Create Chord Symbols Dialog This dialog allows you to determine, which MIDI data should be taken into account when extracting chord events from MIDI. Include Bass Notes Activate this if you want your chord events to contain a bass note. Include Tensions Activate this if you want your chord events to contain tensions.
Chord Functions Recording Chord Events with a MIDI Keyboard RESULT All recognized chords are recorded as chord events on the chord track. NOTE The chord track uses its own voicing settings. The recorded chord events may therefore sound different.
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 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) Current Mode Shows the current player mode and opens a menu where you can select another player mode. 4) 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. 5) Keyboard Shows which keys are played when you trigger a chord pad.
Chord Pads Chord Pads Zone 10) Functions Menu Opens a menu with specific functions and settings for the chord pads. 11) Chord Pads Presets Allows you to save and load presets for chord pads and players. 12) Show/Hide Chord Assistant Shows/Hides the Chord Assistant window that shows suggestions of chords that match the chord that you specified as the origin chord. 13) Show/Hide Settings Shows/Hides the chord settings, where you can configure different players, the pad layout, and the remote assignment.
Chord Pads Functions Menu 5) AV (Adaptive Voicing)/L (Lock) All chord pads follow the adaptive voicing. This is indicated by an AV symbol. If you change the voicing for a pad manually however, adaptive voicing is deactivated. An L symbol indicates that the chord pad is locked for editing. 6) Voicing Allows you to set another voicing for the chord pad. 7) Tensions Allows you to add/remove tensions for the chord.
Chord Pads Preparations Allows you to activate/deactivate the voicing indicators that can be displayed at the bottom of each chord pad. • 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.
Chord Pads Chord Assistant RESULT You can now click the chord pads or press some of the assigned keys on your MIDI keyboard to trigger the preassigned chords. 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 window on the left side of the chord pads area to open the Chord Assistant.
Chord Pads Chord Assistant The origin chord in the bottom center of the Chord Assistant window marks the tonal center. The farther away a chord suggestion is situated from this chord, the more complex the suggestion. The suggested chords are triads or 4-note chords. • To play a suggested chord, click it. The last three suggested chords that you clicked are shown with a highlighted frame. • To assign a suggestion to the next unassigned chord pad, right-click the suggested chord and select Assign to Pad.
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 • To the left of the chord pads zone, open the Functions Menu and select Unassign All 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 window, use the chord definition buttons to define a root note, a chord type, a tension, and a bass note.
Chord Pads Assigning Chords to Chord Pads 3. To assign a chord, drag it from the Chord Assistant window and drop it on a chord pad. NOTE If one of the next chord pads is free, you can also right-click the chord in the Chord Assistant window and select Assign to Pad. This assigns the chord to the next free pad.
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 5) Voicings/Tensions/Transpose The keys that are assigned as remote keys for voicings, tensions and transpose control are highlighted in green. 6) Section Remote Range The keys that are assigned as remote keys for the sections are highlighted in brown. 7) Subsection Remote Range The keys that are assigned as remote keys for the subsections are highlighted in light green. 1) Pads Remote Range Allows you to set the start and end note for the remote range.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control • If you use MIDI controllers that are already assigned to other remote control features, for example, the VST Quick Controls, all previous assignments are lost. 1) Sections Allows you to assign remote keys for up to 5 sections. 2) Subsections Allows you to assign remote keys for up to 5 subsections. 3) Select/Mute Player Allows you to assign remote keys for player navigation and muting if you use different players on multiple tracks.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control By default, Range Start is set to C1 and Range End to B1. This is indicated by the corresponding keys on the keyboard in the chord pads zone being highlighted in blue. You can trigger the chords that are assigned to the chord pads by hitting the keys that correspond to this note range on your MIDI keyboard. The remote keys for voicings, tensions, and transpose are highlighted in green.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control RELATED LINKS Section Player on page 885 Default Remote Assignment Default Remote Assignment for Pad Control By default, the MIDI events C1 to B1 trigger the chords that are assigned to the chord pads. All keys that are not assigned for remote control can be used for regular playback.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players Default Remote Assignment for Player Control By default, the MIDI events G2 to B2 trigger the chord notes corresponding to the sections. The remote keys for Subsections, and also for selecting or muting players in a multi track project, are not assigned by default. Remote assignments are saved globally. Changing the Pads Remote Range You can widen the pads remote range to access more chord pads.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players 1) Show/Hide Settings Opens the settings for the chord pads. 2) Player Selection Selects the player, and uses its voicing for the chord pads. 3) Plain Chords/Pattern/Sections • Select Plain Chords to trigger all notes of a chord simultaneously. • Select Pattern to break up the chords into their individual notes. • Select Sections to control the playback of single notes or groups of notes of a chord.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players • From MIDI Thru Unassigned keys, and keys that are assigned as remote keys for voicings, tensions, and transpose are filtered. • From Chord Pads The keys that are assigned as remote keys for chord pads, voicings, tensions, and transpose are filtered. • All Everything is filtered.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players The following settings are available: Play Modes • Sections On your MIDI keyboard, first press a key that is assigned to a chord pad, then press the remote key for a specific section to hear the chord notes that correspond to the section. • Chord Pads On your MIDI keyboard, first press the remote key for a specific section, then press a key that is assigned to a chord pad to hear the chord notes that correspond to the section.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players • Use the Offset controls to specify an offset from the section. This way, when you press the remote key for the subsection, you will hear the chord notes that correspond to the section, transposed by the specified offset. NOTE To set Play Modes, Chord Note Distribution, and Mute Sections to their default settings, close the Custom Settings for Section Player pane and click Default.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players 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. RELATED LINKS Voicings on page 853 Adaptive Voicing In Cubase, the adaptive voicing setting ensures that pitches in chord progressions do not change abruptly.
Chord Pads Chord Pad Settings – Players Using the Pattern Player 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. • Drag a MIDI part from the event display to the Drop MIDI Part field. NOTE The loop or part must have between 3 and 5 voices.
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.
The Logical Editor Introduction Most of the time you will perform your MIDI editing graphically in one of the MIDI editors. But there are times when you want more of a “search and replace” function on MIDI data, and that’s where the Logical Editor comes in. IMPORTANT MPORTANT The Logical Editor is only available in Cubase Pro. However, the Transformer MIDI effect and the Input Transformer that share many of the functions with the Logical Editor are also available in Cubase Artist.
The Logical Editor Opening the Logical Editor IMPORTANT MPORTANT Studying the included presets is an excellent way to learn the workings of the Logical Editor! Many of them can also be used as starting points when you set up your own editing operations using the Logical Editor. RELATED LINKS Working with presets on page 910 Opening the Logical Editor PROCEDURE 1. Select the desired parts or events. What will be affected by the operation depends on the current selection.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions 3) Function pop-up menu 4) Apply button (not available in the Transformer) Setting up filter conditions General procedure The upper list is where you set up the filter conditions, determining which elements to find. The list can contain one or several conditions, each on a separate line. • To add a new condition, click the “+” button below the list. A new line is added at the bottom of the list.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Parameter 2 This column is used if you have selected one of the “Range” options in the Condition column. This allows you to find all elements with values inside (or outside) the range between Parameter 1 and Parameter 2. Furthermore, if you want to find certain VST 3 events (Filter Target set to “Type is” and Parameter 1 set to “VST3 Event”), you can use the Parameter 2 column to specify the VST 3 parameter that you are searching for, e. g. Tuning.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Bigger or Equal …has a value that is the same as or higher than the one set up in the Parameter 1 column. Less …has a value lower than the one set up in the Parameter 1 column. Less or Equal …has a value that is the same as or lower than the one set up in the Parameter 1 column. Inside Range …has a value that is between the values set up in the Parameter 1 and Parameter 2 columns. Note that Parameter 1 should be the lower value and Parameter 2 the higher.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Below, the different Filter Targets (and their corresponding Condition and Parameter options) are described in more detail. RELATED LINKS Searching for properties on page 901 Searching for elements at certain positions (Logical Editor only) Selecting “Position” in the Filter Target column lets you find elements starting at certain positions, either relative to the start of the song or within each bar.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Searching for Value 1 or Value 2 A MIDI event is composed of several values. What is displayed for Value 1 and 2 depends on the type of event: Event type Value 1 Value 2 Notes The Note Number/Pitch. The velocity of the note. Poly Pressure The key that was pressed. The amount of pressure for the key. Controller The type of Controller, displayed as a number. The amount of Control Change. Program Change The Program Change number. Not used.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions RELATED LINKS Action Target on page 924 Searching for note pitch or velocity If you add another condition line with the Filter Target “Type”, Condition “Equal” and Parameter 1 set to “Note”, the Logical Editor will “know” you are searching for pitch or velocity. This has the following benefits: • The Filter Targets Value 1 and Value 2 will be displayed as “Pitch” and “Velocity” respectively, making it easier to grasp the function of the filter condition.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Searching for MIDI channel values is straightforward; you select a Condition and enter a MIDI channel (1–16) in the Parameter 1 column (and if you have selected one of the Range Conditions, a higher channel in the Parameter 2 column, creating a value range). Searching for element types Selecting Type as the Filter Target allows you to find elements of a certain type only. • The Condition column contains only three options: Equal, Unequal and All Types.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Cubase Pro only: Here, the Logical Editor will find all VST 3 events that cannot be played back, because there is no Note Expression compatible VST instrument on the related track. Searching for event contexts On the Filter Target pop-up menu, you will find an option called “Last Event”. This can be used to perform context-dependent searches (especially useful in the Input Transformer).
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Searching for Chords (Logical Editor only) NOTE A note belongs to a chord if at least two other notes play at the same time. The Context Variable option on the Filter Target pop-up menu allows you to search for chords in a MIDI part or on the chord track. When Context Variable is selected, the Condition column shows the following options: Equal, Unequal, Bigger, Bigger or Equal, Less, Less or Equal, Inside Range, Outside Range.
The Logical Editor Setting up filter conditions Combining multiple condition lines As described above, you can add condition lines by clicking the “+” button below the list. The result of combining condition lines depends on the boolean And/Or operators and the brackets. The bool column By clicking in the “bool” column to the right in the list, you can select a boolean operator: “And” or “Or”.
The Logical Editor Selecting a function • Expressions within brackets are evaluated first. If there are several layers of brackets, these are evaluated “from the inside out”, starting with the innermost brackets. You add brackets by clicking in the bracket columns and selecting an option. Up to triple brackets can be selected. Selecting a function The pop-up menu at the bottom of the Logical Editor is where you select the function – the basic type of editing to be performed.
The Logical Editor Specifying actions Copy (Logical Editor only) This will copy all found elements, transform them according to the action list and paste them into a new part on a new MIDI track. The original events are not affected. Extract (Logical Editor only) This works like Copy, but will cut the found events instead. Or in other words, Extract will transform all found events and move them to a new part on a new MIDI track.
The Logical Editor Specifying actions Option Description Type Allows you to change the event type, e. g. transform aftertouch events to modulation events, or pitchbend events to VST 3 Tuning events. Value 3 This adjusts value 3 in the events, which is used for handling of Note-off velocity when searching for properties. NoteExp Operation (Logical Editor only) Cubase Pro only: Allows you to specify a Note Expression operation in the Operation column.
The Logical Editor Specifying actions Round by This “rounds” the Action Target value using the value specified in the Parameter 1 column. In other words, the Action Target value is changed to the closest value that can be divided by the Parameter 1 value. For example, if the Action Target value is 17 and Parameter 1 is 5, the result of rounding will be 15 (the closest value that can be divided by 5).
The Logical Editor Specifying actions Use Value 1 This is only available when Action Target is set to Value 2. If this option is selected, the Value 1 setting in each event will be copied to the Value 2 setting. Mirror This is only available when Action Target is set to Value 1 or Value 2. When this option is selected, the values will be “mirrored” around the value set in the Parameter 1 column. In the case of notes, this will invert the scale, with the key set in the Parameter 1 column as “center point”.
The Logical Editor Applying the defined actions RELATED LINKS Searching for Value 1 or Value 2 on page 899 Applying the defined actions Once you have set up filter conditions, selected a function and set the required actions (or loaded a preset), you apply the actions defined with the Logical Editor by clicking the Apply button. IMPORTANT MPORTANT In the Logical Editor, processing is not performed until you click the Apply button.
The Logical Editor Working with presets 2. Enter a name for the preset and click OK. The preset is stored. To remove a preset, load it and click on the Remove Preset button. Organizing and sharing presets The Logical Editor presets are stored within the application folder in the Presets\Logical Edit subfolder. While these files cannot be edited “manually”, you can reorganize them (e. g. putting them in subfolders) like any files.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) On the Edit menu you will find the function “Project Logical Editor…”. This opens a Project Logical Editor for the entire project. It works similar to the Logical Editor on the MIDI menu. The most important difference is that the Logical Editor for MIDI works at the event level, whereas the Project Logical Editor works at the project level and is therefore a very powerful tool for “search and replace” functions in your entire project.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Opening the Project Logical Editor By combining filter conditions, functions, the specific actions, and additional macros, you can perform very powerful processing. IMPORTANT MPORTANT The Project Logical Editor allows all kinds of settings that may not always make sense. Experiment a bit before applying your edits to important projects. You can undo the operations by using the Undo command on the Edit menu.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions 3) Function and Macro pop-up menus 4) Apply button RELATED LINKS Working with presets on page 929 Setting up filter conditions General procedure The upper list is where you set up the filter conditions, determining which elements to find. The list contains one or several conditions, each on a separate line. • To add a new condition, click the “+” button below the list. The new line is added at the bottom of the list.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions For example, if the Filter Target is “Position” and Condition is “Equal”, the Project Logical Editor will look for all elements starting at the position you specify in the Parameter 1 column. Parameter 2 This column is only used if you have selected one of the “Range” options in the Condition column. Typically, this allows you to find all elements with values inside (or outside) the range between Parameter 1 and Parameter 2.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions Media type filter When the Filter Target is set to Media Type, the pop-up menu lists the available media types. Audio If no container type is specified, this finds audio events, audio parts and audio tracks. MIDI If no container type is specified, this finds MIDI parts and MIDI tracks. Automation If no container type is specified, this finds automation events and automation tracks.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions Equal This finds the Media Type set up in the Parameter 1 column. All Types This finds all Media Types. Searching for Container types PROCEDURE 1. Select Container Type in the Filter Target pop-up menu. This allows you to find parts, events or tracks. 2. Open the pop-up menu in the Parameter 1 column and select the desired option. 3. Open the pop-up menu in the Condition column and select the desired condition.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions Combining Media Type and Container Type The combination of the filter targets Media Type and Container Type represents a versatile tool for logical operations: Here, the Project Logical Editor will find all MIDI and instrument parts in the project. Here, the Project Logical Editor will find all automation tracks (not events) in the project whose name contains vol.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions …it will find all tracks in the project whose name contains “voc”. NOTE To take maximum advantage of this feature, we recommend using a standard nomenclature in your projects (Drums, Perc, Voc, etc.). Searching for elements at certain positions PROCEDURE 1. Select “Position” in the Filter Target pop-up menu. This allows you to find elements starting at certain positions, either relative to the start of the project or within each bar.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions Equal …has the exact same value as set up in the Parameter 1 column. Unequal …has any value other than the one set up in the Parameter 1 column. Bigger …has a value higher than the one set up in the Parameter 1 column. Bigger or Equal …has a value that is the same as or higher than the one set up in the Parameter 1 column. Less …has a value lower than the one set up in the Parameter 1 column.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions RELATED LINKS Setting Up the Independent Track Loop on page 525 Searching for elements of certain lengths PROCEDURE 1. Select Length in the Filter Target pop-up menu. This allows you to find elements of a certain length only. The Length parameter is interpreted via the time base setting in the Bar Range/Time Base column, i. e. in PPQ, seconds, samples, or frames. 2.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions Inside Range …has a value that is between the values set up in the Parameter 1 and Parameter 2 columns. Note that Parameter 1 should be the lower value and Parameter 2 the higher. Outside Range …has a value that is not between the values set up in the Parameter 1 and Parameter 2 columns. Searching for properties PROCEDURE 1. Select “Property” on the Filter Target pop-up menu. 2.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Setting up filter conditions The bool column By clicking in the “bool” column to the right in the list, you can select a boolean operator: “And” or “Or”. A boolean operator combines two condition lines and determines the result in the following way: • If two condition lines are combined with a boolean And, both conditions must be fulfilled for an element to be found. The Project Logical Editor will only find MIDI tracks.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Specifying actions NOTE Expressions within brackets are evaluated first. If there are several layers of brackets, these are evaluated “from the inside out”, starting with the innermost brackets. Specifying actions The lower list in the Project Logical Editor window is the action list. This is where you specify any changes that are made to the found elements, relevant for the function type Transform.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Specifying actions Divide by Divides the Position value by the value specified in the Parameter 1 column. Round by This “rounds” the Position value using the value specified in the Parameter 1 column. In other words, the Position value is changed to the closest value that can be divided by the Parameter 1 value. For example, if the Position value is 17 and Parameter 1 is 5, the result of rounding will be 15 (the closest value that can be divided by 5).
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Specifying actions Set Random Values between This will add a random value to the current length. The added random value will be within the range specified with Parameter 1 and 2. Track Operation This lets you change the track status. NOTE Track operations may also affect automation tracks. This may lead to unexpected results, especially if you use the Toggle action. Folder Opens, closes or toggles folders.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Selecting a function Time Domain Sets the track time domain to Musical, Linear or toggles the status. Name This lets you rename the found elements. Replace Replaces names with the text specified in the Parameter 1 column. Append Names will be appended with the string specified in the Parameter 1 column. Prepend The name will be prepended with the string specified in the Parameter 1 column.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Applying Macros The available options are: Delete Deletes all elements found by the Project Logical Editor. NOTE When you delete automation tracks and undo this operation by selecting Undo from the Edit menu, the automation tracks will be restored, but the tracks will be closed. Transform Changes one or several aspects of the found elements. You set up exactly what is changed in the action list.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Working with presets Project Logical Editor operations can be undone just like any other editing. Working with presets The Presets section in the upper left section of the window allows you to load, save and manage Project Logical Editor presets. A preset contains all settings in the window, which means you can simply load a preset, edit the settings (if necessary) and click Apply. • To load a preset, select it from the Presets pop-up menu.
Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only) Working with presets Organizing and sharing presets The Project Logical Editor presets are stored within the application folder in the Presets\Logical Edit Project subfolder. While these files cannot be edited manually, you can reorganize them (e. g. putting them in subfolders) like any files. This also makes it easy to share presets with other Cubase users, by transferring the individual preset files.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Project Tempo Modes For every project you can set a tempo mode, depending on whether your music has a fixed tempo or if it changes throughout the project. On the Transport panel you can set the following tempo modes: • Fixed Tempo Mode If you want to work with one fixed tempo that does not change throughout the project, deactivate the Activate Tempo Track button on the Transport panel. You can change the tempo value to set a fixed rehearsal tempo.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Tempo Track Editor The following time base modes are available: • Musical Use this mode for material with a musical, that is, tempo related time base. All tracks that are set to musical time base follow any tempo changes that you add on the tempo track. NOTE For audio events on audio tracks that are set to musical time base, the tempo changes on the tempo track affect only the start position and not the actual audio.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Tempo Track Editor 2) Toolbar Contains tools for selecting, adding, and changing tempo and time signature events. 3) Info Line Shows information about the selected tempo or time signature event. 4) Ruler Shows the timeline and the display format of the project. 5) Time signature display Shows the time signature events in the project.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Tempo Track Current Tempo Allows you to change the current tempo. Tempo Recording Slider Allows you to record tempo changes. Open Process Tempo Dialog Opens the Process Tempo dialog. Open Process Bars Dialog Opens the Process Bars dialog. Tempo Track You can use the tempo track to create tempo changes within a project. • To add a tempo track to your project, select Project > Add Track > Tempo.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects 1) Tilt Left If you click in the upper left corner of the editor, you can tilt the left part of the curve. This allows you to tilt the event values at the start of the curve upwards or downwards. 2) Compress Left If you [Alt]/[Option]-click in the upper left corner of the editor, you can compress the left part of the curve. This allows you to compress or expand the event values at the start of the curve.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects IMPORTANT MPORTANT If your project is set to tempo track mode and you set up tempo changes, only tracks that are set to musical time base follow the tempo changes. NOTE If you work in tempo track mode, make sure that the display format in the Project window ruler is set to Bars+Beats. Otherwise, you may get confusing results.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects All tracks that are set to musical (tempo related) time base follow any tempo changes that you add on the tempo track. RELATED LINKS Track Time Base on page 931 Tempo Track Controls on page 128 Tempo Track Editor on page 932 Setting up a Tempo Track by Adding Tempo Changes PROCEDURE 1. Do one of the following: • Select Project > Tempo Track to open the Tempo Track Editor.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects Setting up a Tempo Track by Recording Tempo Changes (Cubase Pro only) You can set up a complete tempo track by recording tempo changes. This is useful if you want to create natural sounding ritardandos, for example. PROCEDURE 1. Open the project for which you want to set up a tempo track and start playback. 2. Select Project > Tempo Track. 3.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects 6. Do one of the following: • Select the MIDI part in the Project window. • Open the MIDI part in the Key Editor and select the notes that you want to use for the calculation. 7. Select MIDI > Functions > Merge Tempo From Tapping. 8. Open the Tapping pop-up menu to specify what type of note you tapped during the recording. 9.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects • In the Project window toolbar, the Time Warp tool is selected. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Depending on the rhythmic quality of the material, the analysis may instantly lead to a perfect result. You can verify the quality of the analysis by activating the metronome click in the Transport panel, and playing back the project. To correct the result manually, use the functions in the Tempo Detection Panel.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects Editing Tempo Events In the Tempo Track Editor, you can edit selected tempo events. Use the following methods: • With the Object Selection tool, click and drag horizontally and/or vertically. • In the Info Line, adjust the tempo value in the Value field. NOTE When editing tempo events on tempo curves, make sure that the display format in the Project window ruler is set to Bars+Beats. Otherwise, you may get confusing results.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up a Fixed Project Tempo Setting up a Fixed Project Tempo If your music does not contain tempo changes, and the tempo track is deactivated, you can set up a fixed tempo for your project. When the tempo track is deactivated, the tempo track curve is grayed out. The fixed tempo is displayed as a horizontal black line in the tempo curve display.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Setting up a Fixed Project Tempo RESULT The project tempo is set to the tempo calculated from your recording. RELATED LINKS Beat Calculator on page 944 Setting the Project Tempo by Tapping You can set the tempo of freely recorded audio or MIDI material by tapping. PREREQUISITE The tempo mode is set to Fixed. PROCEDURE 1. Activate playback. 2. Select Project > Beat Calculator. 3. Click Tap Tempo. The Tap Tempo window opens. 4.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Beat Calculator Setting the Project Tempo from an Audio Loop You can set the project tempo from the tempo of an audio loop. PREREQUISITE Your project contains an audio loop that is not in Musical Mode. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window ruler, set the left locator to the beginning of the audio loop. 2. Set the right locator to the end of the last bar. This does not need to match with the end of the audio loop, but to its number of bars. 3. Select the audio loop. 4.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Tempo Detection (Cubase Pro only) 3) Tap Tempo Opens a window where you can specify a tempo by tapping. 4) Insert Tempo into Tempo Track At Tempo Track Start If your project is in tempo Track mode, the calculated tempo is set as the first tempo curve point. If your project is in fixed tempo mode, the calculated tempo is set for the entire project.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Tempo Detection (Cubase Pro only) 1) Name Shows the name of the selected event or part. 2) Analyze Starts the tempo detection. 3) Multiply by 2 Allows you to double the detected tempo. This is useful if your material is twice as fast as the detected tempo. 4) Divide by 2 Allows you to halve the detected tempo. This is useful if your material is half as fast as the detected tempo. 5) Multiply by 4/3 Allows you to adjust the detected tempo with a factor of 4/3.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Exporting a Tempo Track (Cubase Pro only) 10) Reset Resets the analysis data. Exporting a Tempo Track (Cubase Pro only) You can export a tempo track as an XML file to use it in other projects. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Export > Tempo Track. 2. In the file dialog that opens, specify a name and a location for the file. 3. Click Save. RESULT The tempo track information is saved together with signature events with the file extension .smt.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Process Tempo (Cubase Pro only) • To open the Process Tempo dialog, activate Activate Tempo Track, select Project > Tempo Track to open the Tempo Track Editor, and click Open Process Tempo Dialog. The following options are available: 1) Range Start Time in PPQ Shows the start time of the locator range in bars and beats. 2) Range End Time in PPQ Shows the end time of the locator range in bars and beats.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Process Bars (Cubase Pro only) Process Bars (Cubase Pro only) The Process Bars dialog allows you to insert, delete, replace, or reinterpret the signature events for a specified bar range by automatic adjustment of the signature and tempo events. • To open the Process Bars dialog, select Project > Tempo Track to open the Tempo Track Editor, and click Open Process Bars Dialog. The following options are available: 1) Bar Range Shows the specified bar range.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Time Warp (Cubase Pro only) Time Warp (Cubase Pro only) The Time Warp tool allows you to adjust musical positions of events or parts to time positions. Events or parts with a musical time base that are placed on tracks set to musical time base. • Adjust positions in musical time based material to positions in time • Match material with a musical time base to material with a linear time base NOTE The Time Warp tool can create tempo values up to 300 BPM.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Set Definition From Tempo 2. In the event display, locate the musical position that you want to adjust and drag the time position to match it. This can be the event start, a certain hit within the event, etc. 3. Release the mouse button. RESULT The musical position is adjusted to the time position, and the tempo value of the last tempo event before the click position is changed. If later tempo events exist, a new tempo event is created at the click position.
Editing Tempo and Time Signature Set Definition From Tempo Adjusting the Audio Tempo to the Project Tempo You can adjust the tempo of freely recorded audio material to the project tempo. PROCEDURE 1. Select the audio events that you want to adjust to the project tempo. 2. Select Audio > Advanced > Set Definition From Tempo. 3. Optional: Adjust the settings. 4. Click OK. RESULT The tempo information is copied to the audio and the tracks are set to musical time base.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Window Overview The Project Browser window provides a list based representation of the project. This allows you to view and edit all events on all tracks by using regular value editing in a list. 1) Project Structure list 2) Time Format pop-up menu 3) Add pop-up menu and Add button 4) Filter pop-up menu 5) Event display Opening the Project Browser You open the Project Browser by selecting “Browser” from the Project menu.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Window Overview Navigating in the Browser You use the Project Browser much like you use the Windows Explorer/Mac OS Finder for browsing folders on your hard disk. • Click on an item in the Project Structure list to select it for viewing. The contents of the item are shown in the event display. • Items with hierarchical substructures can be folded out by clicking the “+” symbols or the “closed folder” symbols in the Project Structure list.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks Importing files via the MediaBay You can also import audio, video and MIDI files into the Project Browser via the MediaBay using drag and drop. NOTE You can only import into existing tracks. This means, for example, that a video track has to exist in the Project window prior to importing a video file in the Project Browser.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks The list columns for audio events Name Allows you to change the name of the event. Double-clicking the waveform image to the left of it opens the event in the Sample Editor. File The name of the audio file referenced by the event’s audio clip. Start The start position of the event. If the event belongs to an audio part, you cannot move it outside the part. End The end position of the event. Snap The absolute position of the event’s snap point.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks The list columns for audio parts Name The name of the part. Double-clicking on the part symbol to the left of it opens the part in the Audio Part Editor. Start The start position of the part. Editing this value is the same as moving the part in the Project window. End The end position of the part. Editing this value is the same as resizing the part in the Project window. Length The length of the part.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks When editing the Track Data, the following parameters are available: The list columns for MIDI events Type The type of MIDI event. This cannot be changed. Start The position of the event. Editing this value is the same as moving the event. End This is only used for note events, allowing you to view and edit the end position of a note (thereby resizing it). Length This is only used for note events.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks Comment This column is used for some event types only, providing an additional comment about the event. The list columns for MIDI parts Name The name of the part. Start The start position of the part. Editing this value is the same as moving the part. End The end position of the part. Changing this is the same as resizing the part (and will automatically affect the Length value as well). Length The length of the part.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks To view and edit the Note Expression data content of a MIDI note, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. In the Project Structure list, select the Note Expression subitem of the MIDI note that you want to view or edit. In the event display, all MIDI controllers or VST 3 events within the Note Expression data are listed. 2. In the event display, view and edit the parameter values.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks 3. Use the Add pop-up menu above the event display to select which type of MIDI event to add. 4. Click the Add button. An event of the selected type is added to the part, at the project cursor position. If the cursor is outside the selected part, the event is added at the beginning of the part. NOTE It is not possible to add MIDI controller events or VST 3 events to Note Expression data.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks Start The start position of the event. Editing this value is the same as moving the event. End The end position of the event. Editing this value is the same as resizing the event, and will automatically change the Length value as well. Length The length of the event. Editing this value is the same as resizing the event, and will automatically change the End value as well. Offset This determines “where in the video clip” the event starts.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks You can insert markers on the marker track by selecting “Marker” or “Cycle Marker” from the Add pop-up menu and clicking the Add button. Regular markers will be added at the current project cursor position while cycle markers will be added between the current left and right locator positions. NOTE The Project Browser only displays the default attributes.
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) Editing tracks You can add new time signature events by clicking the Add button. This creates a 4/4 event, at the beginning of the bar closest to the project cursor position. Make sure that there is no other time signature event at the current cursor position. Deleting events The procedure for deleting events is the same for all different track types: PROCEDURE 1. Click on an event (or a part) in the Event display to select it. 2.
Export Audio Mixdown Introduction The Export Audio Mixdown function in Cubase allows you to mix down audio from the program to files on your hard disk in a number of formats. In the Channel Selection section, you can choose which channels (or busses) to export. Cubase Pro only: By activating the “Channel Batch Export” option you can choose to mix down several channels in one go. For each channel, an individual file will be created.
Export Audio Mixdown Mixing down to audio files To make a complete mixdown containing both MIDI and audio, you first need to record all your MIDI music onto audio tracks (by connecting the outputs of your MIDI instruments to your audio inputs and recording, as with any other sound source). Mixing down to audio files PROCEDURE 1. Set up the left and right locators to encompass the section you want to mix down. 2. Set up your tracks so that they play back the way you want.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog • If the “Close Window after Export” option is activated, the dialog will be closed automatically. • If the “Deactivate External MIDI Inputs” option is activated, any MIDI inputs that are performed on external devices during the export process are ignored. IMPORTANT If you set the export range in such a way that the effects applied to a preceding event (e. g.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog Note that this toggles the activation status of a channel, i. e. all selected channels that were previously activated will be deactivated and vice versa. If your project contains a large number of channels, it might get difficult to find the desired channels in the Channel Selection section. • To simplify the process of selecting several channels, you can filter the display. Simply type in the desired text (e. g.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog • To open the Naming Scheme dialog, click Naming Scheme in the Export Audio Mixdown dialog. 1) Scheme Allows you to save and delete naming schemes. 2) Attributes Lists the naming scheme attributes. 3) Result Allows you to drag and drop attributes to this field and rearrange them by dragging. 4) Settings Allows you to make separator and counter settings. 5) Preview Displays a preview of your current settings.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog 3. Click the up or down arrows to set the Counter. The counter will start counting from this value. You can also double-click the Counter text field and type in a value. 4. Click the Digits field and select the number of digits from the pop-up menu. The Digits setting determines how many digits the counters will contain. 5. Optional: Double-click the text field in the Scheme section and enter a preset name.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog content) and a higher sample rate will only increase the file size, without adding to audio quality. Also consider the future usage of the file: If you plan to import the file into another application, for example, you should select a sample rate supported by that application. If you are making a mixdown for CD burning, you should select 44.100 kHz, since this is the sample rate used on audio CDs.
Export Audio Mixdown The Export Audio Mixdown dialog Cubase Pro only: When Realtime Export is activated, the exported audio will be played back via the Control Room. Depending on the CPU and disk speed of your computer, it may not be possible to export all channels simultaneously if Real-Time Export is activated. If an error occurs during the realtime export, the program will automatically stop the process, reduce the number of channels and start again. Afterwards the next batch of files is exported.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats RELATED LINKS Importing Media on page 542 About the Post Process section In the Post Process section, you can select a process that you want to execute after mixing down your audio file. • If WaveLab 7.0.1 or higher is installed on your computer, you can select “Open in WaveLab” to open you mixdown file in this application after export. • You can select “Upload to SoundCloud” to launch SoundCloud, connect to your user account, and upload your mixdown.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats MP3 (MPEG 1 Layer 3) files on page 976 Ogg Vorbis files on page 977 Windows Media Audio Pro files (Windows only) on page 977 AIFF files AIFF stands for Audio Interchange File Format, a standard defined by Apple Inc. AIFF files have the extension .aif and are used on most computer platforms.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats AIFC files AIFC stands for Audio Interchange File Format Compressed, a standard defined by Apple Inc. These files support compression ratios as high as 6:1 and contain tags in the header. AIFC files have the extension “.aifc” and are used on most computer platforms. AIFC files support the same options as AIFF files. Wave files Wave files have the extension “.wav” and are the most common file format on the PC platform.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats Broadcast Wave files Broadcast Wave files are Wave files with additional meta data. To create a Broadcast Wave file, select either Wave or Wave 64 as the file format and activate the Insert Broadcast Wave Chunk option. Click Edit if you wish to edit the chunk information, otherwise the defaults as specified in the Preferences dialog (Record–Audio–Broadcast Wave page) will be used. Broadcast Wave files have the extension “.wav”.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats Ogg Vorbis files Ogg Vorbis is an open source, patent-free audio encoding and streaming technology, offering compressed audio files (extension “.ogg”) of small size, but with comparatively high audio quality. In the File Format section you will find only one setting: the Quality fader. The Ogg Vorbis encoder uses variable bit rate encoding, and the Quality setting determines between which limits the bit rate will vary.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats Make settings appropriate for the intended use of the file. If the file will be downloaded or streamed on the internet, you might not want too high bit rates, for example. See below for descriptions of the options. • Mode pop-up menu The WMA Pro encoder can use either a constant bit rate or a variable bit rate for encoding to 5.1 surround, or it can use lossless encoding for encoding to stereo.
Export Audio Mixdown The available file formats To manually specify the dynamic range, first put a checkmark in the box to the left by clicking in it, and then enter the desired dB values in the Peak and Average fields. You can enter any value between 0 and -90 dB. However, changing the Average value affects the overall volume level of the audio. This can have a negative effect on the audio quality. The Quiet Mode in a Windows Media player can be set to one of three settings.
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) Machine control is an integral part of any synchronization setup. In many cases, the device simply called “the master” will control the whole system. However, the term “master” can also refer to the device that is generating the position and speed references. Care must be taken to differentiate between the two. Master and slave Calling one device the “master” and another the “slave” can lead to a great deal of confusion.
Synchronization Timecode (positional references) • MTC (MIDI Timecode) is identical to LTC except that it is a digital signal transmitted via MIDI. Timecode standards Timecode has several standards. The subject of the various timecode formats can be very confusing due to the use and misuse of the shorthand names for specific timecode standards and frame rates. The reasons for this confusion are described in detail below. The timecode format can be divided into two variables: frame count and frame rate.
Synchronization Timecode (positional references) 23.9 fps (Cubase Pro only) This frame rate is used for film that is being transferred to NTSC video and must be slowed down for a 2-3 pull-down telecine transfer. It is also used for the type of HD video referred to as “24 p”. 24 fps This is the true speed of standard film cameras. 24.9 fps (Cubase Pro only) This frame rate is commonly used to facilitate transfers between PAL and NTSC video and film sources. It is mostly used to correct for some error.
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 and machine control settings, project setup parameters are available along with basic transport controls for testing the system. • To open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog, select Transport > Project Synchronization Setup.
Synchronization The Project Synchronization Setup dialog 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. These audio cards have an integrated LTC reader or ADAT sync port and can perform a phase alignment of timecode and audio clock.
Synchronization The Project Synchronization Setup dialog Auto-Detect Frame-Rate Changes Cubase can notify the user when the frame rate of timecode changes at any point. This is helpful in diagnosing problems with timecode and external devices. This notification will interrupt playback or recording. Deactivating this option will avoid any interruption in playback or recording.
Synchronization The Project Synchronization Setup dialog Number of Audio Tracks (Cubase Pro only) The number of audio tracks should be set to match the amount of available audio tracks in the destination device. This setting determines how many record-enable buttons are shown in the MMC Master panel (see below). MMC Master panel The MMC Master panel can be opened from the Devices menu.
Synchronization The Project Synchronization Setup dialog Option Description MMC Input Set this to the MIDI input that is connected to the master machine control device. MMC Output Set this to the MIDI output that is connected to the master machine control device. MMC Device ID This determines the MIDI ID number that is used to identify the machine in Cubase. IMPORTANT The MMC protocol involves polling devices (requesting information) for their status which requires two way communication.
Synchronization Synchronized operation MIDI Clock Follows Project Position Activate this option to ensure that the MIDI clock device follows Cubase when looping, locating, or jumping while playing. NOTE Some older MIDI devices might not respond well to these positioning messages and could take some time synchronizing to the new location. Always Send Start Message MIDI clock transport commands include Start, Stop, and Continue. However, some MIDI devices do not recognize the Continue command.
Synchronization Example Scenarios (Cubase Pro only) Cubase Pro only: In a typical scenario, an external tape machine (e. g. a VTR) has its timecode output connected to Cubase. Cubase is sending machine control commands to the deck. When Sync is activated and you click Play on the Transport panel, a play command is sent to the VTR. The VTR in turn starts playback, sending timecode back to Cubase. Cubase then synchronizes to that incoming timecode.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link 3. In the “Machine Control Output Destination” section, select the “MIDI Machine Control” option. Cubase will now send MMC commands to the hard disk recorder to locate and start playback. 4. In the “Machine Control Output Settings” section, assign the MIDI input and output ports that are connected to the hard disk recorder. Since MMC uses two-way communication, both MIDI ports should be connected. Be sure the MIDI filter does not echo SysEx data. 5.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link Requirements The following equipment is required for VST System Link operation: • Two or more computers. These can be of the same type or use different operating systems – it does not matter. For example, you can link an Intel-based PC to an Apple Macintosh without problems. • Each computer must have audio hardware with specific ASIO drivers. • The audio hardware must have digital inputs and outputs.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link Synchronization Before you proceed, you need to make sure that the clock signals on your ASIO cards are synchronized correctly. This is essential when cabling any kind of digital audio system, not just VST System Link.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link The only exception to this procedure is if you are using an external clock – from a digital mixing desk or a special word clock synchronizer, for example. In that case you must leave all your ASIO cards in clock slave or AutoSync mode and make sure that each of them is listening for the signal coming from the synchronizer. This signal is usually passed through your ADAT cables or word clock connectors in a daisy chain fashion.
Synchronization Working with VST System Link Streaming digital audio between applications PROCEDURE 1. Create input and output busses in both applications and route these to the digital inputs and outputs. The number and configuration of the busses depend on your audio hardware and on your needs. If you have a system with eight digital i/o channels (such as an ADAT connection), you could create several stereo or mono busses, a surround bus together with a stereo bus, or any combination you need.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link Notes for Hammerfall DSP users If you are using RME Audio Hammerfall DSP audio hardware, the Totalmix function allows for extremely complex signal routing and mixing in the audio hardware. This can in some situations lead to “signal loops” in which case the VST System Link will not work. If you want to make absolutely sure this will not cause any problems, select the default or “plain” preset for the Totalmix function.
Synchronization Activating VST System Link 4. Activate the Active checkbox at the top left of the panel. 5. Repeat the steps above for every computer in the network. 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 Offset Samples setting allows you to adjust whether one machine will play slightly ahead or behind the rest. This is normally not needed, but occasionally with some hardware you may find that the lock is a few samples out. For now, leave it set to 0 – it will most likely be what you want. • The Transfer Bits setting allows you to specify whether you want to transfer 24 or 16 bits.
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 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. On computer 2, open up the VST Instruments window and assign an instrument to the first slot in the rack. 4.
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 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. The following container formats are supported by Cubase: Format Description MOV This is a QuickTime movie. QT This is also a QuickTime movie, but it is only used on Windows systems.
Video Before You Start 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. Cubase provides the ability to use several types of video output devices to accomplish this.
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 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. In this case, it is important that the video event is snapped to the timeline to ensure proper positioning and synchronization within the project.
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 a jog wheel on a remote controller for scrubbing video events. Editing Video Video clips are played back by events just as audio clips are. You can use all the basic editing operations on video events, just as with audio events.
Video Replacing the Audio in a Video File 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 IMPORTANT These functions are not available for MPEG-1 video files.
ReWire 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 256 (Cubase Artist: 128) 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 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 Activating ReWire channels Activating ReWire channels ReWire supports streaming of up to 256 (Cubase Artist: 128) 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 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 IMPORTANT If you are using the tempo track in Cubase (i. e.
ReWire 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 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 • Similarly, to remove an entire macro, select it in the Macros list and click Delete. After you have closed the Key Commands dialog, all macros you have created appear at the bottom of the Edit menu in the Macros submenu, available for instant selection. You can also assign key commands to macros.
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] Auto-Grid [Shift]-[Q] Crossfade [X] Automation category Option Key command Open Panel [F6] Read Automation for All Tracks On/Off [Alt]/[Option]-[R] Write Automation for All Tracks On/Off [Alt]/[Option]-[W] Chords category Option Key command Chord Pads [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[C] Devices category Option Key command MixConsole [F3] Video [F8] Virtual Keyboard [Alt]/[Option]-[K] VST C
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Duplicate [Ctrl]/[Command]-[D] Edit In-Place [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[I] Expand/Reduce [Alt]/[Option]-[E] Find Track/Channel [Ctrl]/[Command]-[F] Group [Ctrl]/[Command]-[G] Group Editing on Selected Tracks On/Off [K] Insert Silence [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[E] Invert [Alt]/[Option]-F Left Selection Side to Cursor [E] Lock [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[L] Move to Cursor [Ctrl]/[Command]-[L] Move to Front (Uncover) [U] Mute [M]
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Ungroup [Ctrl]/[Command]-[U] Unlock [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[U] Unmute Events [Shift]-[U] Write [W] Editors category Option Key command Show/Hide Editors [Ctrl]/[Command]-[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] File category Option Key command Close [Ctrl]/
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Preview Cycle On/Off [Shift]-Num [/] Preview Start [Shift]-[Enter] Preview Stop [Shift]-Num [0] Search MediaBay [Shift]-[F5] Toggle Attribute Inspector [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-Num [6] Toggle Filters [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Alt]/[Option]-Num [5] 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] MIDI categor
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Right: Select next in the Project window/Key Editor [Right Arrow] 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] Nudge category Option Key command End Left [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift]-[Left Arrow] End Right [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift]-[Right Arrow] Left [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Right Arrow] Right [Ctrl]/[
Key Commands The default key commands Tool category Option Key command Draw tool [8] Drumstick tool [0] Erase tool [5] Glue tool [4] Mute tool [7] Next Tool [F10] Play tool [9] Previous Tool [F9] Range tool [2] Select tool [1] Split tool [3] Zoom tool [6] TrackVersions category Option Key command Duplicate Version [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[D] New Version [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[N] Next Version [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[H] Previous Version [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Shift]-[G] T
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command Exchange Time Formats [.
Key Commands The default key commands Option Key command To Marker 3 to 9 Num [3] to [9] or [Shift]-[3] to [9] Use External Synchronization [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift]-[T] Use Tempo Track [T] Windows category Option Key command Inline: Key Commands [Shift]-[F4] Inline: Settings [Shift]-[F3] Inline: View Layout [Shift]-[F2] Workspaces category Option Key command New [Ctrl]/[Command]-Num [0] No Workspace [Alt]/[Option]-Num [0] Update Workspace [Alt]/[Option]-U Workspace 1-9 [Alt]/[Option]
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 • To import the CD tracks into the Pool, select “Import Audio CD…” from the Media menu. This might be the preferred method if you want to import several CD tracks in one go. 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.
File handling Importing audio 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. 4. Activate the Copy checkbox for every audio file you want to import. You can also select a copy section for every file, see below. 5. Click on the Copy button to create a local copy of the audio file(s) or section(s).
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. • You can audition the selected audio CD track by clicking the Play button.
File handling Importing audio • REX files (export file format of the first versions of ReCycle, extension “.rex”). • REX 2 files (file format of ReCycle 2.0 and later, extension “.rx2”). IMPORTANT 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.
File handling Exporting and importing OMF files (Cubase Pro only) IMPORTANT MPORTANT The resulting Wave/AIFF file is several times larger than the original compressed file. The following file types are supported: 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.
File handling Exporting and importing OMF files (Cubase Pro only) Exporting OMF files When exporting tracks and files as OMF, you should consider setting up your project to use mono tracks and mono files, to allow compatibility with audio applications that provide limited support for interleaved audio files. PROCEDURE 1. Open the File menu, open the Export submenu and select “OMF…”. The Export Options dialog opens. 2.
File handling Exporting and importing OMF files (Cubase Pro only) consolidating audio files, you will not be able to adjust fades or edit points when the project is imported in another application. 5. Select “1.0 File” or “2.0 File”, depending on which OMF version is supported by the application in which you plan to import the file. Select whether you want to include all audio data in the OMF file (“Export All to One File”) or use references only (“Export Media File References”).
File handling Exporting and importing standard MIDI files • “Import at Timecode Position” will insert the elements contained in the OMF file at their original timecode positions. This is useful when you want to position every imported element at its exact timecode position, i. e. as it was saved in the OMF file. This way, the elements will end up at their correct time positions even when Cubase uses a different frame rate than the OMF file. This is usually required in a picture-related context.
File handling Exporting and importing standard MIDI files You will also find most of these settings in the Preferences dialog (MIDI–MIDI File page). If you set these up in the Preferences dialog, you only need to click OK in the Export Options dialog to proceed.
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.
File handling Exporting and importing track archives (Cubase Pro only) RELATED LINKS VST Instruments on page 629 Exporting and importing track archives (Cubase Pro only) You can export Cubase tracks (audio, FX, group, instrument, MIDI, and video) as track archives for import into other Cubase (or Nuendo) projects. All the information associated with the tracks will be exported (channel settings, automation tracks, parts and events, etc.).
File handling Exporting and importing track archives (Cubase Pro only) Track archives are saved as XML files. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Import > Track Archive. 2. In the file dialog, select the XML file containing the required tracks and click Open. 3. In the Import column of the Import Options dialog, select the tracks that you want to import or click Select All. 4.
File handling Exporting and importing track archives (Cubase Pro only) Type Shows the track types of the available tracks. Track Name Shows the track names of the available tracks. Destination Allows you to select if a track is imported into your active project as a new track, or as a new TrackVersion of an existing track. • If a track is imported as a new track, this new track contains all events and mixer settings of the imported track.
File handling Track Import from Projects Perform Sample Rate Conversion If this option is activated, the sample rate of the imported tracks is converted to the sample rate of your active project. NOTE This option is available only if the sample rates of the imported tracks and your active project differ and Copy To Active Project Folder is activated.
File handling Track Import from Projects IMPORTANT MPORTANT Nuendo projects can contain more than one marker or video track. If you import marker or video tracks from Nuendo projects with more than one marker or video track, only the first selected marker and video track in the Import Options dialog is imported to your Cubase project. Importing Tracks from a Project You can import individual audio, instrument, MIDI, chord, marker, and video tracks from other Nuendo or Cubase projects. PROCEDURE 1.
File handling Track Import from Projects Import Allows you to select the tracks that you want to import into your project. Type Shows the track types of the available tracks. Track Name Shows the track names of the available tracks. Destination Allows you to select if a track is imported into your active project as a new track, or as a new TrackVersion of an existing track. • If a track is imported as a new track, this new track contains all events and mixer settings of the imported track.
File handling Track Import from Projects Project Settings Shows the sample rate, the frame rate, and the project start time for both the imported tracks and your active project. NOTE Imported tracks may contain media files with a sample rate that differs from the sample rate of your destination project. Files with a sample rate different from the one that is used in the destination project play back at the wrong speed and pitch.
Customizing Workspaces Workspaces in Cubase allow you to organize windows and specific dialogs for your common work routines. A workspace saves the size, position, and layout or setting of important windows and dialogs, such as the Project window, MixConsole, or Transport panel. You can define several workspaces. This allows you to quickly switch between different working modes, either through the Workspaces menu or by using key commands.
Customizing Workspaces Project workspace Allows you to save a specific layout of dialogs and windows that is saved with your current project. This allows you to open your project layout on other computers. Project workspaces are indicated by the letter P on your Workspaces menu. Workspace Templates Cubase provides sample templates that you can use as a starting point for your own workspaces.
Customizing Workspaces When you open external projects, which are projects that have been created on other computers, the window and dialog settings that you last used on your computer are applied by default. This can either be the last used view that was saved on your computer or one of your specified global workspaces.
Customizing Workspaces NOTE To change a global workspace to a project workspace and vice versa, you must save it as a different workspace type. PROCEDURE 1. On the Workspaces menu, select the workspace that you want to modify. 2. Make your changes as required. 3. On the Workspaces menu, select one of the following: • To update your current workspace, click Update Workspace. • To save your workspace as a different workspace or workspace type, click Add Workspace.
Customizing Using the Setup options Delete Deletes a selected workspace. Add Allows you to create a new workspace using the New Workspace dialog. NOTE • You can also click and drag a workspace to another position within a list. • You can move workspaces only within a list. For a global workspace to become a project workspace and vice versa, you must save it as a different type of workspace. • To rename a workspace, you can double-click the workspace name.
Customizing Using the Setup options The info line setup context menu 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 visible items and the right section displays the hidden items.
Customizing Appearance • By selecting items in the “Visible Items” list and using the Move Up and Move Down buttons, you can reorder the items list. Changes are applied directly. To undo all changes and revert to the standard layout, select “Default” on the setup context menu. • If you click the Save button (disk icon) in the Presets section, a dialog opens, allowing you to name the current configuration and save it as a preset.
Customizing Appearance Appearance–Colors The Appearance–Colors page features several subpages that allow you to change the color of the Cubase desktop, the track types, the Project, Editor elements, and MixConsole elements. To change a color, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Select a subpage and click the color field of the element to which you want to assign a new color. A color selector pane opens. 2. Use the tools in the color selector pane to select a new color.
Customizing Appearance • 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”. You can also copy colors on the same subpage using drag and drop. • To edit the colors numerically, open the context menu in the color selector pane, and select “Show Color Values”.
Customizing Appearance You can adjust the colors for the Channel Meter or the Master Meter. For the Master Meter you can only make changes for the Digital Scale scaling mode. Changes take effect when you click Apply or OK. 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.
Customizing Applying colors in the Project window Applying colors in the Project window You can use color scheming for an easier overview of tracks and events in the Project window. Colors can be applied individually to tracks and events/parts. If you color a track, the corresponding events and parts are displayed in the same color. However, you can also color events and parts differently, “overriding” the applied track color.
Customizing Applying colors in the Project window 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. Use Previous Track Color +1 Analyzes the color of the selected track and uses the color that comes next in the color palette 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 Where are the settings stored? Reset Current Set to Factory Settings Returns to the standard color palette. Adding and editing individual colors In the Project Colors dialog, you can fully customize the color palette. To add new colors to the color palette, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Add a new color by clicking the Insert New Color button. 2. In the Project Colors section, click the newly created color field to activate the new color for editing. 3.
Customizing Where are the settings stored? NOTE It is a good idea to make a backup copy of your preference files once you have set things up the way you want! This way, if another Cubase user wants to use his or her personal settings when working on your computer, you can restore your own preferences afterwards. • On Windows systems, preference files are stored in the following location: “\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Steinberg\\”.
Customizing Profiles (Cubase Pro only) 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.
Customizing Profiles (Cubase Pro only) • Quantize presets • Crossfade presets • Key commands All changes done for these settings are saved in the active profile. MPORTANT IMPORTANT The following is not included in profiles: Settings in the Device Setup dialog and in the VST Connections window, presets in the Studio tab of the VST Connections window, track presets, plug-in presets, and project templates.
Customizing Profiles (Cubase Pro only) Export Opens a dialog that allows you to export the selected profile to a file. Activate Profile Activates the selected profile. You must restart the program for the change to take effect. Close Closes the dialog. Creating Profiles The Profile Manager allows you to create a new profile that is based on the factory default settings. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Profile Manager. 2. In the Profile Manager, click New. 3.
Customizing Profiles (Cubase Pro only) Activating Profiles The Profile Manager allows you to switch to another profile. A profile switch requires a restart of Cubase. PREREQUISITE You have saved at least two profiles. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Profile Manager. 2. In the Profile Manager, select the profile that you want to activate. 3. Click Activate Profile. 4. Click OK. 5. Restart the application. RESULT The settings of the profile are now active.
Customizing Profiles (Cubase Pro only) Deleting Profiles The Profile Manager allows you to delete profiles. PREREQUISITE You have saved at least two profiles. NOTE You cannot delete the active profile. To delete the active profile, you must activate another profile first. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Profile Manager. 2. In the Profile Manager, select the profile that you want to delete. Select multiple profiles to delete them at once. 3. Click Delete. 4. Click OK.
Customizing Profiles (Cubase Pro only) Importing Profiles The Profile Manager allows you to import profiles. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Profile Manager. 2. In the Profile Manager, click Import. 3. In the file dialog, select the profile that you want to import. 4. Click Open. RESULT The imported profile is added to the list of available profiles. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Activate the new profile to apply the settings.
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. IMPORTANT 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 Activate Multi Processing.
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 Store Allows you to save the current preferences as a preset. Rename Allows you to rename a preset. 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.
Preferences Appearance Saving Partial Preferences Settings You can save partial preferences settings. This is useful when you have made settings that only relate to a certain project or situation, for example. When you apply a saved partial preference preset you only change the saved settings. All other preferences will be left unchanged. PROCEDURE 1. Select File > Preferences. 2. In the Preferences dialog make your settings. 3. Activate Store marked preferences only.
Preferences Editing Editors Allows you to adjust the default colors in the editors. Rulers Allows you to adjust the default ruler colors. MixConsole Faders Allows you to adjust the default colors for the level faders of the channel types in the MixConsole. MixConsole Racks Allows you to adjust the default colors for the racks in the MixConsole. MixConsole Channel Strip Allows you to adjust the default colors for the channel strips in the MixConsole.
Preferences Editing Cycle Follows Range Selection If this is activated, range selections that you make in the Sample Editor will be mirrored in the Project window as well. This lets you audition a range in the Sample Editor as a loop with the main transport controls, rather than with the Audition and Audition Loop controls in the Sample Editor.
Preferences Editing • 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. Track Selection follows Event Selection If this option is activated and you select an event in the Project window, the corresponding track is also automatically selected.
Preferences Editing On Import Audio Files This setting determines what happens when importing an audio file into a project: • Open Options Dialog An Import Options dialog opens when you import, allowing you to select whether you want to copy the file to the audio folder and/or convert it to the project settings. • Use Settings Allows you to set the following standard actions: Copy Files to Working Directory copies the files to the project’s audio folder before import.
Preferences Editing Time Stretch Tool Algorithm Use this option to select a default algorithm that is applied when using the Object Selection tool in Sizing Applies Time Stretch mode. This mode allows you to resize parts and events in the Project window and apply time stretch to their contents in the process, so that the audio material is adjusted to fit the new length of the part or event. The following settings are available: • MPEX – Preview Quality Use this mode only for preview purposes.
Preferences Editing • Increment/Decrement on Left/Right-Click In this mode, you can click with the left or right mouse button to decrease or increase the value. To edit values by typing in this mode, please double-click. Under Mac OS X, right-clicking is the same as [Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking. We recommend that you use a two-button mouse and set up the right button to generate a [Ctrl]/[Command]-click.
Preferences Editing Editing - MIDI Select Controllers in Note Range: Use Extended Note Context When this is activated and you move notes together with their controllers, for example, in the Key Editor, the extended note context will be taken into account. This means that controllers between the last selected note and the following note (or the end of the part) will also be moved. When this is deactivated, only the controllers between the first and the last selected note will be moved.
Preferences Editing • If Split MIDI Controllers is deactivated, no new controller events will be inserted. NOTE If you just split a part and play back the result, it will sound the same regardless of this setting. However, if you split a part and delete the first half or move the second half to a different position in the project, you may want to activate Split MIDI Controllers to make sure all controllers have the correct value at the beginning of the second part.
Preferences Editing Deep Track Folding If this option is activated, any folding settings that you make on the Track Folding submenu of the Project menu also affect the subelements of the tracks. For example, if you fold in a folder track that contains 10 audio tracks, of which 5 have several open automation tracks, all these audio tracks within the folder track will also be folded in.
Preferences Event Display Editing - Tools Select Tool: Show Extra Info Activate this to show a tooltip for the Object Selection tool in the Project window event display. This tooltip indicates the current pointer position and the name of the track and event at which you are pointing. Warn before switching Display Domain (Timewarp Tool) (Cubase Pro only) If this is activated, a warning opens if you select the Timewarp tool and the ruler is not set to Bars and Beats.
Preferences Event Display Show Event Names Determines whether the names of parts and events are shown. Hide Truncated Event Names When zooming or resizing elements, the events can become very small so that the name is no longer completely visible. The name gets truncated. If this option is activated, event names are hidden if they do not fit into the event. Show Overlaps When events overlap, this setting allows you to specify when the overlapping areas are displayed.
Preferences Event Display Waveform Outline Intensity Increases or decreases the intensity of the waveform outline. Fade Handle Brightness Increases or decreases the brightness of the set fade lines within audio events. Background Color Modulation When this is activated, the backgrounds of audio waveforms reflect the waveform dynamics. This is especially useful to get an overview when working with small track heights.
Preferences Event Display Show Controllers Governs whether non-note events such as controllers, etc. are shown in MIDI parts. Note Brightness Increases or decreases the brightness of note events. Controller Brightness Increases or decreases the brightness of controller events. Edit as Drums when Drum Map is assigned If this is activated, parts on MIDI tracks to which drum maps are assigned are shown with drum note symbols. The parts will automatically open in the Drum Editor on double-click.
Preferences Event Display Event Display - Chords Pitch Notation • The Note Name pop-up menu lets you select between three ways of displaying chords. • The Naming Format pop-up menu lets you determine how MIDI note names (pitches) are displayed in editors, etc. • The options Display ‘Bb’ as ‘B’ and Display ‘B’ as ‘H’ allow you to change the corresponding pitch names. Chord Font Allows you to specify a font for all chord symbols.
Preferences General • The Remove Custom Chord button allows you to remove the custom chord symbol that is selected in the list. EXAMPLE To change the appearance of all minor chords from Xmin to X-, click New Custom Chord, activate 5 and min3/#9 to define the chord type and change the symbol in the Type column from min to -. General The General page contains general settings that affect the program user interface. Set these according to your preferred work methods.
Preferences MIDI Open Projects in Last Used View Allows you to select whether projects are opened using their original window layout and settings, or using the view that you last used on your computer. This can either be the last used view that was saved on your computer or one of your specified global workspaces. • Never Projects are always opened using their original window layout and settings.
Preferences MIDI 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 Audition through MIDI Inserts/Sends If this is activated, the layering of MIDI instruments (by MIDI sends) is also active within the MIDI editors. This way, the acoustic feedback of the editors sends the MIDI data not only to the output selected for the track, but additionally through any MIDI inserts and MIDI sends assigned to it. However, this also means that MIDI events will be sent through any MIDI plug-ins assigned to this track. MIDI Max.
Preferences MIDI Export Inserts If this is activated and you are using MIDI modifiers or any MIDI plug-ins as insert effects, the modifications to the original MIDI notes that occur as a result of the effect(s) will be included in the MIDI file. A MIDI delay, for example, will produce a number of repeats to a MIDI note by actually adding additional, “echoing” notes at rhythmic intervals - these notes will be included in the MIDI file if the option is activated.
Preferences MIDI Import Options These options allow you to specify what data is included in imported MIDI files. Extract First Patch If this is activated, the first Program Change and Bank Select events for each track are converted to Inspector settings for the track. Extract First Volume/Pan If this is activated, the first MIDI Volume and Pan events for each track are converted to Inspector settings for the track.
Preferences MIDI Destination This allows you to specify what happens when you drag a MIDI file into the project: • Select MIDI Tracks to create MIDI tracks for the imported file. • Select Instrument Tracks to create instrument tracks for each MIDI channel in the MIDI file and let the program automatically load appropriate presets.
Preferences MediaBay MediaBay Maximum Items in Results List This allows you to specify the maximum number of files that are displayed in the Results list. This helps you to avoid unmanageably long lists of files in the Results list. Allow Editing in Results List Activate this to edit attributes also in the Results list. Otherwise, editing can only be done in the Attribute Inspector. Show File Extensions in Results List Activate this to display file name extensions in the Results list.
Preferences Record Meters’ Fallback This allows you to specify how quickly the meters in the MixConsole return to lower values after signal peaks. Metering - Appearance On this page you can assign colors to level meter values to quickly identify what levels are reached. You can adjust the colors for the channel meter or the master meter. For the master meter you can only make changes for the Digital Scale scaling mode. Changes take effect when you click Apply or OK.
Preferences Record Record - Audio Audio Pre-Record Seconds This allows you to specify for how many seconds any incoming audio you play is captured in buffer memory during playback or in stop mode. When Recording Wave Files larger than 4GB This allows you to specify what happens if you record Wave files that are larger than 4 GB. • To split the Wave file, activate Split Files. Use this if you work on a FAT32 file system that supports only file sizes up to 4 GB.
Preferences Record Solo Record in MIDI Editors Activate this to automatically Record Enable a track when you open a part for editing in a MIDI editor. For all other MIDI tracks Record Enable is deactivated until you close the editor again. This makes it easier to record MIDI data when you edit a part – you will always be sure the recorded data ends up in the edited part and not on any other track.
Preferences Scores (Cubase Pro only) Scores (Cubase Pro only) This page allows you to make settings for the Score Editor. Please select one of the available entries. Scores - Colors for Additional Meanings Here, you can specify different colors to identify non-standard elements in the score. • Click in the Active column to activate this function for the respective element. • Click in the color field to the right to specify the desired color.
Preferences Scores (Cubase Pro only) Show Braces in Edit Mode Normally, braces are only shown in Page Mode. With this option activated they will also be visible in Edit Mode. “Apply” closes Property Windows Normally, when you open a Property window or any non-modal score dialog (e. g. Set Note Info or Score Settings), you can adjust the settings and click Apply to apply the changes without closing the window. When this option is activated, clicking Apply closes the window.
Preferences Transport Layout Tool Compatibility Mode The behavior of the Layout tool was different in older versions of Cubase. Activate this option if you have an old project in which the Layout tool was used to ensure that the project is displayed as expected. Hide Notes beyond limits When this option is activated, any notes outside the Note Limits range set in the Score Settings dialog (Staff page - Options tab) will be hidden.
Preferences Transport Cursor Width Adjusts the width of the Project Cursor line. 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 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). Locate When Clicked in Empty Space If this is activated, you can move the Project Cursor by clicking anywhere in an “empty” area of the Project window.
Preferences VST 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. If Group Channels: Mute Sources as well is activated, muting a group channel will cause all other channels directly routed to it to be muted as well.
Preferences VST Activate ‘Link Panners’ for New Tracks (Cubase Pro only) Activate this to activate Link Panners by default for new tracks so that the channel sends section always mirrors the Pan settings made in the channel fader section. Auto Monitoring Determines how Cubase handles monitoring (listening to the input signal during recording).
Preferences VST Create MIDI track when loading VSTi This pop-up menu allows you to what specify happens when you add a VSTi in the VST Instruments window. The following options are available: • Always When this is selected, a corresponding MIDI track will always be created when you add a VST instrument. • Do not When this is selected, no MIDI track will be created when you add a VSTi in the VST Instruments window. This is the behavior from earlier versions of Cubase.
Preferences VST Auto Disable Talkback Mode Allows you to specify if Talkback is disabled during recording, during playback and recording, or not at all. NOTE Set the Talkback DIM level to 0 dB so as not to radically change the mix level when punching in and out of record mode. Use Phones Channel as Preview Channel When this is activated, the Phones channel will be used for monitoring. When this is deactivated, the Monitor channel in the Control Room will be used.
Preferences VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) Inhibit warning when changing the Sample Data When you are modifying audio material that is used in several places in the project in the Sample Editor, a warning message is shown. This message can be deactivated: If you activate the Please, don’t ask again checkbox, the message will not be displayed in the future (when editing the pitch or time of audio material that is used several times in one project).
Part II - Score Layout and Printing (Cubase Pro only) 1124
How the Score Editor works About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How the Score Editor and MIDI data relate. • What Display Quantize is and how it works. Welcome! Welcome to scoring in Cubase! The Score Editor has been created to allow you to get any possible piece of music displayed as a score, complete with all the necessary symbols and formatting.
How the Score Editor works MIDI notes vs. score notes Do not think of the Score Editor as a drawing program, but rather as an “interpreter” of MIDI data. MIDI notes vs. score notes MIDI tracks in Cubase hold MIDI notes and other MIDI data. As you may know, a MIDI note in Cubase is only defined by its position, length, pitch and velocity. This is not nearly enough information to decide how the note is to be displayed in a score.
How the Score Editor works Display Quantize This does not look anything like what you intended. Let’s start with the timing – obviously, you were off at a couple of places (the third, fourth and last note all seem to be a 32nd note late). You can solve this by quantizing the figure, but this would make the passage sound too “stiff”, and not fit in the musical context. To resolve this problem the Score Editor employs something called “Display Quantize”.
How the Score Editor works Display Quantize Choose your Display Quantize values with care As explained above, the Display Quantize value for notes puts a restriction on the smallest note value that can be displayed. Let’s see what happens if we set it to quarter notes: With Display Quantize set to quarter notes Oops, this doesn’t look too good. Well of course it doesn’t! We have now instructed the program that the “smallest” note that occurs in the piece is a quarter note.
How the Score Editor works Display Quantize How did this work? Well, you instructed the program not to display any rests smaller than eighth notes, except when “necessary”. Since the first note appeared on the second sixteenth note position, it was necessary to put a sixteenth rest at the beginning of the figure. All other rests can be hidden by displaying the notes as eighth notes, and were therefore not “necessary”.
How the Score Editor works Entering notes by hand vs. recording notes Permanent alteration of MIDI data As a last resort, you can resize, quantize or move the actual note events. However, this would result in the music not playing back like it originally did. Often it is possible to get the score to look the way you want without altering any MIDI data. Summary This closes our discussion on the basic concept of display quantizing.
The basics About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to open the Score Editor. • How to switch between Page Mode and Edit Mode. • How to set up the page size and margins. • How to hide and show the Symbols Inspector, the toolbar, and the extended toolbar. • How to set up the ruler. • How to set a zoom factor. • How to make initial settings for clef, key, and time signature. • How to transpose instruments. • How to print and export your score. Preparations PROCEDURE 1.
The basics Opening the Score Editor Opening the Score Editor Editing one or several parts To open one or several parts in the Score Editor, select the parts (on the same or on different tracks) and select “Open Score Editor” from the MIDI menu or “Open Selection” from the Scores menu. The default key command for this is [Ctrl]/[Command]-[R]. • You can also select the Score Editor as your default editor, allowing you to open it by double-clicking parts.
The basics The project cursor The project cursor The project cursor appears as a vertical line across the staff. When you open the Score Editor, the view is automatically scrolled so that the project cursor is visible in the window. This means you do not always see the beginning of the edited part when you first open the Score Editor. • Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and [Shift] and click anywhere in the score to move the project cursor there. This is handy when the project cursor is not visible.
The basics Page Mode IMPORTANT MPORTANT This section of the manual assumes you are in Page Mode. It is mentioned explicitly if something in this text specifically relates to Edit Mode. Changing the Background in Page Mode In Page Mode, you can specify different background textures for the score by selecting an option from the Background Texture pop-up menu on the toolbar. NOTE The background texture only affects the display and is not used for printing.
The basics Changing the zoom factor Changing the zoom factor There are two ways to change the zoom in Page Mode: by setting a zoom factor on the zoom pop-up menu or by using the Zoom tool (magnifying glass). Using the Zoom pop-up menu Above the vertical scrollbar to the right you can find a pop-up menu allowing you to set the zoom factor. By zooming in you can make detailed adjustments to symbols, etc. By zooming out you get a better overview.
The basics The active staff • Hold down a modifier key and right-click with the Zoom tool to open the Zoom context menu, and select the desired Zoom setting. Using the Mouse wheel You can also zoom by holding down [Ctrl]/[Command] and moving the mouse wheel. The mouse position is kept (if possible) when zooming in or out. The active staff One thing to note when you are working with multiple staves is the “active” staff.
The basics Designing your work space 3. If you need to, change the margins by setting the left, right, top and bottom settings. To make the settings permanent, save the project. If you want new projects to always start with certain page setup settings, you can create project templates.
The basics Designing your work space Configuring the window layout PROCEDURE 1. On the toolbar, click the “Set up Window Layout” button. 2. Activate the desired options. The status line The status line features the Mouse Time and the Mouse Note Position displays as well as the Current Chord Display, which helps you identify chords in the Score Editor note display. It can be hidden/displayed using the “Status Line” option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane.
The basics Designing your work space The filter bar This area contains checkboxes determining which indicators, handles, and other non-printed elements are shown in the score. It can be hidden/displayed using the Filters option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane. Showing and hiding elements Some of the elements in the score are not printed, but rather serve as indicators for layout changes, handles, etc. These elements can be hidden or shown in any combination by using the Filters options.
The basics Designing your work space The Cut Notes tool on page 1231 Splitting multi-rests on page 1320 Setting stem direction on page 1212 Manual adjustment of beams on page 1229 The Symbols Inspector This area contains symbol tabs, which are used to add symbols to the score. It can be hidden/displayed using the Symbols option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane.
The basics About the Score Editor context menus • To hide the rulers, select “Off” from the pop-up menu. The Position Info window To help you when positioning objects in the score, the Page Mode has a special Position Info window, in which you can view and adjust object positions numerically, in the unit selected for the ruler. To display the Position Info window, click in the ruler.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature NOTE If the “Apply closes Property Windows” option is activated in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page), clicking the Apply button in a non-modal dialog closes the dialog. In other words, this makes a non-modal dialog work a bit more like a regular dialog. Setting clef, key, and time signature When preparing to enter notes into a score, you probably want to start out by setting the desired clef, key, and time signature for the staff.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature 6. Open the Time Signature tab of the Inspector and click on the symbol for the time signature value that you want to use. If you cannot find the desired time signature, you can use the Edit Time Signature dialog (see below). AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK The settings you have made so far are valid for the entire track.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature Inserting and editing clefs, keys, or time signatures on page 1183 Composite time signatures and the For Grouping Only option For composite signatures, the numerator can be made up of up to four groups. For example, “4+4+3+/” on the upper line and 8 on the lower means the time signature is 11/8. The reason for dividing the numerator into several numbers is to get beaming and tied notes displayed correctly automatically.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature Editing the clef On the clef context menu When you right-click on a clef symbol, a context menu with a list of all available clefs opens. This menu also contains the following options: • Display Clef Changes as Small Symbols If you activate this option and insert a clef change in the score, the clef is displayed with a smaller symbol.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature On the Staff page of the Score Settings dialog PROCEDURE 1. Click on a staff to make it the active staff. 2. On the Scores menu, select “Settings…” to open the Score Settings dialog. Select the Staff page at the top to open the Main tab, showing the current settings for the active staff.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature 3. Activate the “Lower Staff” checkbox. 4. Set a clef for the lower staff. RELATED LINKS Split (piano) staves on page 1181 Strategies: How many voices do I need? on page 1202 Using Auto Clef On the Staff page of the Score Settings dialog you also find the Auto Clef option. If this is activated, the program automatically selects a treble clef or a bass clef for the staff, depending on the range of the notes in the part.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature • Hide If you select this, the key is hidden. • Properties If you select this, the Edit Key dialog opens. In the Edit Key dialog If the current key is anything but C major/A minor (no accidentals), you can set the key directly in the score: PROCEDURE 1. Double-click on the accidentals at the beginning of a staff. The “Edit Key” dialog opens. Double-click here… …to open the Edit Key dialog. 2. Use the scrollbar to select a key and click OK.
The basics Setting clef, key, and time signature 3. Click Apply. NOTE You can select other staves in the score and make settings for these, without having to close the Score Settings dialog. Setting the key for a split system If you have a split system with two staves you can set different keys for the upper and lower staff. PROCEDURE 1. Click in the system to make one of its staves the active staff. 2. Open the Score Settings dialog on the Staff page. 3. Set a key for the upper staff.
The basics Transposing instruments Transposing instruments Scores for some instruments, for example a lot of brass instruments, are written transposed. Therefore, the Score Editor provides a Display Transpose function. With this function notes are transposed in the score without affecting the way they are played back. This allows you to record and play back a multi-staff arrangement, and still score each instrument according to its own transposition. Setting Display Transpose PROCEDURE 1.
The basics Printing from the Score Editor Disabling Display Transpose You can also disable Display Transpose by deactivating the “Display Transpose” button on the Score Editor toolbar. This can be useful if you work with transposing instruments and want to show the concert key and not the scored key. Printing from the Score Editor When you have made all necessary changes to the score display and are satisfied with the result, you can go ahead and print your score, e. g. to hand out note sheets.
The basics Working order 3. Drag over the section of the score you want to include. The area is indicated by a black rectangle • You can adjust the size of the rectangle by clicking and dragging its handles with the Object Selection tool. • You can move the rectangle to another position in the score by clicking and dragging. To export the selected range, you have two possibilities: • Double-click inside the rectangle while it is selected.
The basics Force update You might for example use the Split Loop function from the Functions submenu on the Edit menu to split the parts across all tracks. • Arrange the tracks in the Project window in the order you want them displayed in the score. You cannot rearrange the order of systems in the Score Editor. However, you can go back and change the order in the Project window at any time. • When opening the Score Editor, begin with the adjustments described above.
Transcribing MIDI recordings About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to prepare your parts for score printouts. • How to use the Display Quantize tool to handle “exceptions” in the score. • How to resolve parts that contain mixed notes and triplets. About transcription This chapter assumes you have a MIDI recording that you want to transform into a printable score. However, if the parts are fairly complicated, you probably need to perform some manual editing of the notes.
Transcribing MIDI recordings Preparing parts for score printout 3. Decide how much permanent alteration to the recording you can accept to make the score look good. If the answer is “none”, you should prepare your score from a copy of the track. See the section below. 4. Select all parts (on all tracks) that you want to work on. 5. Open the Score Editor. 6. Activate Page Mode.
Transcribing MIDI recordings Staff settings Staff settings The first thing to do after opening the Score Editor is to make initial staff settings. This is done in the Score Settings dialog, on the Staff page. There are three ways to open the Score Settings dialog: • Make the staff active, open the Scores menu and select “Settings…”. • Double-click on the blue rectangle to the left of the staff.
Transcribing MIDI recordings Inserting Display Quantize changes This single note in the Key Editor is displayed as two tied notes in the Score Editor. • Normally the program adds ties where necessary (if a note stretches over a beat), but not always. For a “modern” notation of syncopated notes (less ties) use the Syncopation feature.
Transcribing MIDI recordings Inserting Display Quantize changes Select the Display Quantize tool to open the Display Quantize dialog. 2. Activate the flags you need and set the quantize values as desired. 3. If you want to restore the settings to the ones used in the Score Settings dialog (Staff page), click the “Restore To Staff” button. 4. Move the mouse over the staff where you want to insert a new Display Quantize value.
Transcribing MIDI recordings The Explode function • To remove a Display Quantize change, either click its marker to select it and press [Backspace] or [Delete], or click on it with the Erase tool. RELATED LINKS Showing and hiding elements on page 1139 Adding Display Quantize changes Very often, the score is fine except for a few bars somewhere.
Transcribing MIDI recordings Using "Scores Notes To MIDI" Option 5. Description Split Note Use this to move all notes below a certain pitch to another track. When this is selected, it is pointless to specify more than 1 new track. Lines To tracks Use this when you want all musical “lines” to be put on one track each. The notes with the highest pitch remains on the original track, the notes with the second highest pitch are put on the first new track, and so on.
Transcribing MIDI recordings Using "Scores Notes To MIDI" RESULT Now that the notes have the exact lengths and positions that were previously only displayed, you can probably deactivate many of the options on the Staff page of the Score Settings dialog and delete Display Quantize settings, etc. If you find the operation did not give you the result you were after, you can undo your settings or go back to the original track, make a copy of that, and start over.
Entering and editing notes About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to make various settings for how notes are displayed. • How to enter notes. • How to use tools and settings to make the score as legible as possible. • How to set up a split (piano) staff. • How to work with multiple staves. Score settings Before you start entering notes, you need to make some initial staff settings.
Entering and editing notes Score settings Applying settings and selecting other staves To make settings for another staff, simply make it active in the score (by clicking anywhere in the staff or by using the up/down arrow keys on the computer keyboard). NOTE Always click Apply before making another staff active – otherwise your settings are lost! Staff presets When you want to reuse settings made for one track in other tracks, you can save some time by creating a staff preset.
Entering and editing notes Note values and positions Clean Lengths Off No Overlap Off Shuffle Off Key As required Clef As required Auto Clef Activate this if you want the program to select a treble or bass clef automatically. Display Transpose value 0 Options tab settings As is Polyphonic tab settings Staff Mode: Single Tablature tab settings Tablature Mode deactivated NOTE It is very important that you understand how the Display Quantize values for notes and rests interact with the score.
Entering and editing notes Note values and positions Selecting a note value for input You can choose the length for entering notes as follows: • By clicking the note symbols on the extended toolbar. You can select any note value from 1/1 to 1/64 and activate/deactivate the dotted and triplet options by clicking the two buttons to the right. The selected note value is displayed in the Length Quantize field on the toolbar and also reflected by the cursor shape of the Insert Note tool.
Entering and editing notes Note values and positions The Quantize value is set on the toolbar on the “Quantize Presets” pop-up menu: • You can also assign key commands to the different Quantize values. This is done in the Key Commands dialog (in the category “MIDI Quantize”). • Just like in the other MIDI editors, you can use the Quantize Panel to create other Quantize values, irregular grids, etc. However, this is not often used when inputting score notes.
Entering and editing notes Adding and editing notes 2/2 1.1.1.0 1.1.2.40 1.1.3.80 1.1.5.0 1.1.6.40 1.1.7.80 4/4 1.1.1.0 1.1.2.40 1.1.3.80 1.2.1.0 1.2.2.40 1.2.3.80 8/8 1.1.1.0 1.1.2.40 1.2.1.80 1.3.1.0 1.3.2.40 1.4.1.80 Sixteenth note positions 2/2 1.1.1.0 1.1.2.0 1.1.3.0 1.1.4.0 1.1.5.0 1.1.6.0 1.1.7.0 1.1.8.0 4/4 1.1.1.0 1.1.2.0 1.1.3.0 1.1.4.0 1.2.1.0 1.2.2.0 1.2.3.0 1.2.4.0 8/8 1.1.1.0 1.1.2.0 1.2.1.0 1.2.2.0 1.3.1.0 1.3.2.0 1.4.1.0 1.4.2.
Entering and editing notes Adding and editing notes Entering notes with the mouse To add a note to the score, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Make the staff active. Notes are always inserted on the active staff. 2. Select the desired note value. 3. If you select the note value by clicking on a symbol on the extended toolbar, the Insert Note tool is automatically selected – otherwise select the Insert Note tool on the toolbar or context menu. 4. Select a Quantize value.
Entering and editing notes Adding and editing notes Adding more notes PROCEDURE 1. If you want the next note to have a different length value, select the corresponding note symbol. 2. If you need finer positioning, or if the current value is too fine, change the Quantize value. 3. Move the mouse to the desired position, and click. Notes input at the same position are automatically interpreted as chords, see below.
Entering and editing notes Selecting notes • If two notes on the same position are too close to each other or if you want their “graphical order” in the score reversed, you can do this without affecting playback. • Stem direction and length is normally automatic, but you can set it yourself. • If you are scoring for piano and therefore (or for other reasons) need a split staff, there are special techniques for this.
Entering and editing notes Selecting notes You can drag to select notes on several voices or staves if you wish. 3. Release the mouse button. All notes with note heads inside the rectangle are selected. If you want to deselect one or more of the notes, hold down [Shift] and click on them. Using the keyboard By default, you can step through (and select) the notes in the staff using the left and right arrow keys. If you press [Shift], you can select a series of notes as you step through them.
Entering and editing notes Moving notes Moving notes In the following, you can find descriptions of the various methods to move notes, as well as related features. Moving by dragging PROCEDURE 1. Set the Quantize value. The Quantize value restricts your movement in time. You cannot place notes on positions smaller than the Quantize value. 2. Select the note(s) you want to move. You can select notes across several staves if you wish. 3. Click one of the selected notes and drag it to a new position.
Entering and editing notes Moving notes Moving across staves – the Lock button If you are editing several tracks, you may want to move notes from one staff to another. PROCEDURE 1. Make the desired Quantize settings and select the notes. Make sure to only select notes on the same staff. 2. Make sure that the “L” (Lock) button on the extended toolbar is deactivated.
Entering and editing notes Moving notes About the lock layers When you are moving and editing notes in the score, you might accidentally move other objects nearby. To avoid this, assign different types of objects to different “lock layers” (up to three) and instruct Cubase to “lock” one or two of these layers, making them unmovable. There are two ways to set up which type of object should belong to which lock layer: • Open the Preferences dialog from the File menu and select the Scores–Note Layer page.
Entering and editing notes Duplicating notes • To display all the score objects that are associated with the layout layer, activate the Layout Layer (L) button. • To display all the score objects that are associated with the project layer, activate the Project Layer (P) button. • To get an overview of all layers, activate the Colorize Layer (A) button. This deactivates all other layer buttons and displays the score objects in different colors, where each color stands for a specific type of layer.
Entering and editing notes Editing pitches of individual notes A copy of the notes is made, and put on the clipboard. The original notes remain where they were. IMPORTANT MPORTANT The clipboard can only hold one set of notes. If you cut or copy and then cut or copy again, the notes copied to the clipboard first are lost. Inserting notes from the clip board to the score Notes that you have put on the clipboard by cutting or copying can be inserted into the score again as follows: PROCEDURE 1.
Entering and editing notes Editing pitches of individual notes Using the Transpose Palette The Transpose Palette on the toolbar contains buttons for transposing the selected notes up or down in steps of one semitone or one octave. • To show the Transpose Palette, right-click the toolbar and activate “Transpose Palette” on the context menu. Using key commands Instead of transposing the note with the mouse, you can assign key commands for this.
Entering and editing notes Changing the length of notes 3. Press a key on your MIDI keyboard. The note takes on the pitch of the key you pressed. The program then selects the next note. 4. To change the pitch of the next selected note, simply press the desired key. In this manner you can change the pitches of as many notes as you wish, by simply pressing the relevant keys. You can also use key commands (by default the left and right arrow key) to pass from one note to the other.
Entering and editing notes Changing the length of notes By using the info line You can also edit length values numerically on the info line. The same rules apply as when changing the pitch of notes. RELATED LINKS Using the info line on page 1177 Lengthening a note by gluing two notes together You can create unusual note length values by gluing notes of the same pitch together. PROCEDURE 1. Insert the notes that you want to glue together (if they do not already exist). 2.
Entering and editing notes Splitting a note in two 2. Locate the “Length” setting. By default, this is set to “Auto”, which means that the note is displayed according to its actual length (and the Display Quantize settings). 3. Double-click in the value field and enter a new length value (displayed in bars, beats, sixteenth notes, and ticks). To set the display length to “Auto” again, scroll the value down to zero. 4. Click Apply and close the dialog.
Entering and editing notes Split (piano) staves Split (piano) staves Setting up the split staff PROCEDURE 1. Make a staff active. 2. Open the Score Settings dialog on the Staff page and select the Polyphonic tab. 3. From the Staff Mode pop-up menu, select Split. 4. Set the Split Point value to a suitable note. All notes below this note value are put on the lower clef, all above are put on the upper clef. Split mode selected.
Entering and editing notes Strategies: Multiple staves 3. Select the Polyphonic tab. 4. Change the Split Point value. 5. Click Apply. RESULT Now, some notes that were previously on the lower staff are on the upper, or vice versa. Strategies: Multiple staves As described above, when you have parts on several tracks selected in the Project window, these are put on one staff each, when you open the Score Editor. This allows you to work on several staves in parallel.
Entering and editing notes Inserting and editing clefs, keys, or time signatures • When you enter a note, use the Mouse Note Position display (in the status line) to determine the pitch. Whether it ends up on the upper or lower staff has nothing to do with where you aim with the mouse. The Split Point setting always decides if a note goes on the upper or lower staff. If you change the split point, this affects existing notes, see below. • Sometimes a fixed split point is not good enough.
Entering and editing notes Inserting and editing clefs, keys, or time signatures RELATED LINKS About the Draw tool on page 1246 Inserting a symbol on all staves If you hold down [Alt]/[Option] when you insert a symbol with the Draw tool, it is inserted at this position on all staves being edited in the Score Editor. • Time signature changes are always inserted on all tracks in the score. Or rather, they are inserted on the signature track, which affects all tracks.
Entering and editing notes Deleting notes If you want to move the clef graphically, without disturbing the relation between the clef and the notes, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Select the Layout tool on the toolbar or context menu. Note that this tool is available in Page Mode only. 2. Click on the clef and drag it to the desired position. Note that this tool is available in Page Mode only.
Staff settings About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to make staff settings. • How to work with staff presets. Staff settings Below follows a run-through of all staff settings, more detailed information about the ones already described and references to other places in the manual for some options. The Staff page has four tabs – here, the Main tab is selected.
Staff settings Making settings Making settings PROCEDURE 1. Open the Score Settings and select the Staff page. 2. With the dialog open, make the desired staff active. Click anywhere in a staff to make it active, or use the up and down arrow keys to step from staff to staff. 3. Select the desired tab and make all necessary settings.
Staff settings Staff names • There are a number of staff presets available, set up to suit various instruments, etc. The presets are accessed from the Presets pop-up menu on the Staff page of the Score Settings dialog or from the staff context menu, opened by right-clicking on the blue rectangle to the left of a staff. Use them as they are, or as starting points for your own settings.
Staff settings Key and clef Note that this is only displayed correctly if you are in Page Mode and if “Show Staff Names to Left of Staff” is activated in the Score Settings dialog, on the Project–Notation Style subpage (Staff Names category). RELATED LINKS Staff names on page 1299 Key and clef The basic key and clef settings are described in detail in another section (see below). There is also a Lower Staff checkbox which is only used in conjunction with split (piano) staves and polyphonic voicing.
Staff settings Display Quantize and Interpretation Options Display Quantize values Notes and Rests • Generally, the Notes value should be set to a value equal to, or smaller than, the “smallest note position” that you want to be shown in the score. • The Rests value should be set to a value equal to, or smaller than, the smallest note value (length) you want to be displayed for a single note, positioned on a beat.
Staff settings Display Quantize and Interpretation Options 4. Set all the Interpretation Options. These are described in detail below. 5. Examine the score. 6. If necessary, use the Display Quantize tool to insert “exceptions” to the staff settings. RELATED LINKS Inserting Display Quantize changes on page 1157 If your music contains mixed straight notes and triplets PROCEDURE 1. Examine the score and decide if it mainly contains triplets or mainly “straight” notes. 2.
Staff settings Display Quantize and Interpretation Options Off Syncopation is off, with no exceptions. For a “modern” notation of syncopated notes, activate Syncopation. Without and with Syncopation Again, without and with Syncopation Note that you can insert “exceptions” to the Syncopation setting in the Score Settings dialog on the Staff page, by using the Display Quantize tool. You can also create tied notes in various combinations by using the Cut Notes tool.
Staff settings Display Transpose This recording in the Key Editor… …is displayed like this when No Overlap is deactivated… …and like this when No Overlap is activated. You can insert “exceptions” to the No Overlap setting on the Staff page of the Score Settings dialog, by using the Display Quantize tool. IMPORTANT MPORTANT Please note that there may be situations when neither of these alternatives is ideal. If you run into such a situation, it can probably be resolved by using polyphonic voicing.
Staff settings The Options tab NOTE The Display Transpose setting does not affect playback or the actual pitch of the notes – it only changes how they are displayed and printed. You can also insert Display Transpose changes anywhere in the score, by inserting a key change symbol and using the Transpose setting in the Edit Key dialog.
Staff settings The Options tab No Beams Activate this when you do not want any beaming at all on the staff (for example for vocal scoring). Beam Subgroups Use this when you want sixteenth notes displayed under a beam to be divided into groups of four notes. Without and with Beam Subgroups. 16th Subgroups Use this when you want even smaller subgroups of sixteenth notes. This setting has no effect if Beam Subgroups is deactivated. As above, but with 16th Subgroups activated.
Staff settings The Polyphonic tab Fixed Stems Activate this if you want all note stems to end at the same vertical position. This feature is perhaps most often used when scoring for drums. A drum pattern with Fixed Stem length activated The Up and Down parameters determine which position (relative to the top of the staff) is used for up and down stems, respectively. The graphical display helps you get your settings right.
Polyphonic voicing About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to decide when to use polyphonic voicing. • How to set up voices. • How to automatically convert your score to polyphonic voicing. • How to enter and move notes into voices. Background: Polyphonic voicing Polyphonic voicing allows you to resolve a number of situations impossible to score properly otherwise: • Notes starting at the same position, but with different lengths.
Polyphonic voicing Background: Polyphonic voicing With a split system and with polyphonic voicing How voices are created Cubase allows for up to eight voices. The first thing you do is to set them up. This includes “telling” the program which voices belong to the upper clef and which belong to the lower, how you want rests displayed for each voice, etc. The second thing you do is to move or enter notes into the voices.
Polyphonic voicing Setting up the voices There are also a few important things to note: NOTE When you make a note part of a voice, you are in fact changing its MIDI channel value. However, when you change the voice’s MIDI channel values in the setup dialog, this does not affect the notes’ MIDI channel setting. This can lead to serious confusion, since the relationship between the notes and the voices is affected. It might even make notes disappear (the program warns if this happens).
Polyphonic voicing Setting up the voices 5. To activate a voice, click in its “On” column, so that a checkmark appears. There are four voices on each staff, for a total of eight. If you activate one “upper” voice and one “lower” voice, you get a split (piano) staff. 6. If you have particular reasons to use specific MIDI channels, change the “Chan” settings for the voices. The program automatically sets each voice to a different MIDI channel.
Polyphonic voicing Setting up the voices If the “Some Notes Do Not Belong To Voices…” dialog appears When you click Apply, a warning may appear saying “Some notes do not belong to any voice and may be hidden. Correct these notes?”. This warning appears when the staff contains notes with MIDI channel settings which do not match any of the active voices. If you click the “Correct” button, these notes are moved to active voices. If you click “Ignore”, nothing is changed, and some notes are hidden.
Polyphonic voicing Strategies: How many voices do I need? Strategies: How many voices do I need? Well, it depends • If you are scoring for vocals, you simply need one voice for each voice, so to speak. • If you use voices for resolving the problem of overlapping notes, for example when scoring for piano, you need two voices each time two notes overlap. If three notes overlap, you need three voices.
Polyphonic voicing Checking which voice a note belongs to Voice 3 activated for insertion 6. Insert the notes as usual. 7. To switch to another voice, click the corresponding button. 8. To insert notes into a voice on the other clef, click on that clef and then select a voice using the buttons. RELATED LINKS Adding and editing notes on page 1167 Symbols and voices Later in this manual you will learn about symbols that can be added to the score.
Polyphonic voicing Moving notes between voices 3. On the submenu, select the voice to which you want to move the notes. Only the activated voices are available on the menu. You can also press [Ctrl]/[Command] and click a voice Insert button on the extended toolbar to move the selected notes to the corresponding voice. You can also assign key commands for this in the Score Functions category of the Key Commands dialog on the File menu.
Polyphonic voicing Handling rests 4. Click OK. The notes are distributed to different voices. RELATED LINKS The Explode function on page 1159 Alternative ways of handling voices Below we suggest further “advanced” ways of putting notes into voices. This is based on the relation between voices and MIDI channels, so please make sure that you understand how this connection works.
Polyphonic voicing Voices and Display Quantize • To avoid having several rests displayed in empty bars, you can activate the Rests–Reduce option for all voices (that have rests) except one. This option causes the program to hide rests in empty bars. • You can use the Hide feature to totally remove individual superfluous rests from the score. • You can use the Object Selection tool to manually move rests up/down or sideways to adjust the “picture”.
Polyphonic voicing Creating crossed voicings 5. Fill out the dialog. 6. Click Apply. RELATED LINKS Inserting Display Quantize changes on page 1157 Display Quantize and Interpretation Options on page 1189 Creating crossed voicings Often, for example in vocal scoring, you have crossed voicings on one system. You can of course move notes manually into voices to get the stem direction and other note properties right, but there is a quicker way. Let’s explain how to do this by example.
Polyphonic voicing Creating crossed voicings 7. Click OK. The notes have now been split in two “lines”, each in a separate voice. However, from the middle of the bar, notes that are in voice 1 should be in voice 2 and vice versa. 8. Select the two notes that you want to be moved from voice 1 to voice 2. Two notes in voice 1 selected. 9. Move the notes to voice 2. The quickest way to do this is to press [Ctrl]/[Command] and click the voice Insert [2] button on the extended toolbar.
Polyphonic voicing Automatic polyphonic voicing – Merge All Staves Automatic polyphonic voicing – Merge All Staves If you have already created some tracks which look and play back as they should, and you want to combine these into one track with polyphonic voices, there is a special function on the Scores menu for this: PROCEDURE 1. Open the tracks (up to four) in the Score Editor. 2. Open the Scores menu and select “Merge All Staves” from the Functions submenu.
Polyphonic voicing Converting voices to tracks – Extract Voices Converting voices to tracks – Extract Voices This function does the opposite of “Merge All Staves” – it extracts polyphonic voices from an existing track and creates new tracks, one for each voice. PROCEDURE 1. Open a track containing 2 to 8 polyphonic voices in the Score Editor. 2. Open the Scores menu and select “Extract Voices” from the Functions submenu. A number of new tracks is created and added to the display of the Score Editor.
Additional note and rest formatting About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to control stem direction. • How to control beaming, and create cross-staff beaming. • How to make detailed adjustments to note appearance. • How to perform “graphic moving” of notes. • How to create grace notes. • How to create tuplets. Background: Note stems The direction of stems is governed by five things: • How notes are grouped under beams. • Any manual manipulation of beams.
Additional note and rest formatting Setting stem direction IMPORTANT MPORTANT If you have activated the “Fixed Stems” option on the Staff page of the Score Settings dialog (Options tab), a lot of the automatic stem length settings are ignored. However, you can still edit the stem length and direction of individual notes.
Additional note and rest formatting Setting stem direction Flipping the stems of notes grouped under a beam PROCEDURE 1. Select any note in the group. 2. Invoke Flip as described above. The entire group is now flipped. Before and after the flip. No matter which note you select, the entire group is flipped. IMPORTANT This does not work if you have adjusted the slanting of the beam by dragging. If you have, you must first reset the beam.
Additional note and rest formatting Stem length • Setting this pop-up menu to Up or Down is the same as using Flip Stems. • Setting this pop-up menu to Auto makes the program set the stem direction automatically. RELATED LINKS Using Flip Stems on page 1212 Stem length Adjusting stem length (Page Mode) PROCEDURE 1. Click on the end of the stem so that a handle appears. 2. If you want to change the lengths of several stems at the same time, hold down [Shift] and select these stems as well. 3.
Additional note and rest formatting Accidentals and enharmonic shift 2. Make sure that the “Stems/Beams” checkbox is activated on the filter bar. Now, below the notes where stems have been changed or beam slant adjusted manually, the word “Stem” appears. 3. Click on the “Stem” text to select it. 4. Press [Backspace] or [Delete] to remove it. Before and after deleting the “Stem” item.
Additional note and rest formatting Accidentals and enharmonic shift 2. In the “Outside the Scale” area, you can decide how five of the most common intervals outside the scale are displayed, as sharps or as flats. IMPORTANT If you activate the “Accidentals for Each Note” option in the Score Settings dialog, on the Project–Notation Style subpage (in the “H.W. Henze Style” category), all notes are displayed with accidentals (even tied notes).
Additional note and rest formatting Changing the note head shape Use this button when you want to enclose the accidental in parentheses. To remove these, select “off”. Changing the note head shape PROCEDURE 1. Select the notes for which you want to change the note head shape. Make sure not to select the stems, only the note heads. 2. Open the Set Note Info dialog.
Additional note and rest formatting Other note details The Set Note Info dialog contains the following settings: Note Head Used for selecting custom note head shapes. Tablature on/off and number Used for creating or editing tablature. This feature can be used for individual notes or together with the automatic tablature function. Bows Used for adding bow up/bow down articulation. When selecting “Off”, bow symbols are not displayed for the selected notes.
Additional note and rest formatting Other note details No Flag/Beam Activate this to hide the flags or beams of the selected notes. Bracket Head When this is activated, notes are displayed with brackets: Bracket Head on and off X Stem (Spoken) When this option is activated for a note, it is displayed with an x across its stem. This is normally used to indicate spoken words. Hide Note Activating this checkbox hides the selected notes. Stem Determines the stem direction.
Additional note and rest formatting Coloring notes Grace notes on page 1234 Cue notes on page 1233 The Cut Notes tool on page 1231 Coloring notes You can assign colors to notes using the Event Colors pop-up menu on the toolbar. PROCEDURE 1. Simply select the notes for which you want to use colors, open the Event Colors pop-up menu on the toolbar and pick a color. Only the note heads are colored. Note that the color is only visible once the notes have been deselected. 2.
Additional note and rest formatting Coloring notes Scores Colors for Additional Meanings If the Preferences dialog (Scores–Colors for Additional Meanings page) you can specify different colors for elements in the score in order to indicate that they are “special” in any way. You can for example choose a color for a “Moved Graphic” or a “Moved Slur”. These objects are colored accordingly when they are moved from their default positions. PROCEDURE 1.
Additional note and rest formatting Copying settings between notes Copying settings between notes If you have made various settings in the Set Note Info dialog for a note, and want to use these settings for other notes as well, there is an easy way to do this: PROCEDURE 1. Set up the first note as desired. This includes the settings in the Set Note Info dialog, but also any note-related symbols such as accents, staccato, articulation, etc. 2.
Additional note and rest formatting Handling beaming Using the Edit Time Signature dialog The time signature for the score naturally affects grouping. But you can control this yourself by creating a composite time signature used only for grouping: PROCEDURE 1. Open the Edit Time Signature dialog by double-clicking the time signature symbol for the staff. 2. Set up the numerator with the grouping you desire. If you for example want eighth notes in two groups of three and one group of two, enter 3+3+2.
Additional note and rest formatting Handling beaming Before and after grouping Double-clicking on the “Grouping” text opens the Grouping dialog, allowing you to adjust the “note value” for the symbols. Grouping quarter notes or larger under a beam (“Brillenbass”) It is also possible to use the grouping feature for notes that are not displayed with beams (quarter notes, half notes, etc.). The result are so called “Brillenbass” symbols, commonly used for indicating repeated accompaniment patterns, etc.
Additional note and rest formatting Handling beaming 6. Click OK to close the dialog. Double-clicking on the “Grouping” text opens the Grouping dialog, allowing you to adjust the “note value” for the symbols. Creating an accelerando/ritardando To create an accelerando/ritardando, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Select the notes as described above and select “Accelerando” from the Group/Ungroup submenu. A dialog appears. 2. Use the radio buttons to select the desired combination (i. e.
Additional note and rest formatting Handling beaming 3. Press [Backspace] or [Delete]. The grouping is removed. If you need to remove all groups from the score, hold down [Shift] and double-click on the first “Grouping” text. This selects all “Grouping” symbols, so you can delete them all at once by pressing [Backspace] or [Delete]. Removing a note from a group There is no dedicated “ungroup” command, simply because it is not needed. A group can consist of one note if you wish. In other words...
Additional note and rest formatting Handling beaming Cross-staff beaming To create a beam that extends from one staff to another, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Set up a split or polyphonic voicing system or open the Score Editor with more than one track. 2. Set up a beam of notes (using the group command) and adjust their pitches so that they are correct even though some of the notes are on the wrong staff. Use the info line to edit the pitches if they are very low or high. 3.
Additional note and rest formatting Handling beaming Beam Subgroups off Beam Subgroups on On with 16th Subgroups activated Beam appearance and slant settings Global settings In the Score Settings dialog, on the Project page (Notation Style subpage), you can find the following three options for beam appearance in the Beams category: • Thick Beams. Activate this if you want beams to be displayed as thick lines. • Show Small Slants as Flat Beams.
Additional note and rest formatting Handling beaming Staff settings In the Score Settings dialog, on the Options tab of the Staff page, you can find a couple of settings for beams as well: Flat Beams Activate this when you do not want any slant at all, no matter the pitch difference of the notes under the beams. No Beams Activate this when you do not want any beams at all. Manual adjustment of beams For very detailed control you can manually adjust the beam slant: PROCEDURE 1.
Additional note and rest formatting About tied notes About tied notes Sometimes, notes are displayed as two or more notes tied together. Generally, there are three different occasions when this happens: • When a note is of an “uneven” length that cannot be displayed without tying together two or more notes of different note values. • When a note crosses a bar line. • When a note crosses a “group line” within a bar.
Additional note and rest formatting About tied notes RELATED LINKS Grouping on page 1238 The Cut Notes tool By using the Cut Notes tool, you can disable the automatic cutting mechanism in a bar, and insert manual cuts at any given position in the score. PROCEDURE 1. Select the Cut Notes tool. 2. Select a suitable quantize value from the “Quantize Presets” pop-up menu. As usual, this determines where you can click. 3.
Additional note and rest formatting Graphic moving of notes Flat ties If you prefer ties to be displayed as flat lines, rather than regular “curved” ties, activate the “Flat Ties” option in the Score Settings dialog, on the Project–Notation Style subpage (H.W. Henze Style category). Graphic moving of notes There might be instances where the “graphical” order of the notes is not the one you want. In this case, you can move notes without affecting the score or playback in any way.
Additional note and rest formatting Cue notes By using the computer keyboard You can assign key commands for moving objects graphically. In the Key Commands dialog on the File menu, the commands are found under the Nudge category and called Graphical Left, Graphical Right, Graphical Bottom, and Graphical Top (only the Graphical Left and Graphical Right commands apply to notes).
Additional note and rest formatting Grace notes A quick example Let’s say you have a flute part and want some cue notes for it: PROCEDURE 1. Switch on polyphonic voices and activate voice 1 and voice 2. 2. Set voice 2 to “Auto” stem direction and centered rests. 3. Set up voice 1 to be a cue voice, with hidden rests and stems pointing up. 4. Insert the cue notes into voice 1. Turning individual notes into cue notes PROCEDURE 1. Select one or several notes. 2. Double-click one of the notes.
Additional note and rest formatting Grace notes NOTE Grace notes are always positioned just before the next note on the staff. If there is no note after a grace note on the staff, the grace notes are hidden! Creating grace notes manually PROCEDURE 1. Locate the note for which you want a grace note. 2. Insert one or more new notes just before it. The note value and exact position of the note is not important. However, the pitch of course is.
Additional note and rest formatting Tuplets Editing a grace note PROCEDURE 1. Select one or several grace notes and open the Set Note Info dialog. 2. Select a note value for the stem. 3. Activate Crossed, if needed. When this is activated, the stem is crossed by a slanted line, to further indicate that the note is a grace note. 4. Click Apply. The settings are applied to the selected notes. 5. Close the dialog. Converting grace notes to normal notes PROCEDURE 1.
Additional note and rest formatting Tuplets • As display quantize. This is the method you use when the tuplet is recorded and plays back as you want it, but is not displayed correctly. Actually, in the first case, you make permanent alterations and set display quantize settings, all in one go. In the second case you only make display quantize settings. With permanent change to MIDI data PROCEDURE 1. Insert as many notes as the tuplet consists of. This would typically be 5, 7 or 9.
Additional note and rest formatting Tuplets Without permanent change to MIDI data PROCEDURE 1. Select the notes in the tuplet group. In this case, the notes play back correctly but are not displayed as a tuplet (yet). 2. Select “Build N-Tuplet…” from the Scores menu to bring up the Tuplets dialog. 3. Make settings in the dialog, as described above. 4. Click Quantize. Now the tuplet is displayed correctly. You can make additional settings for how the tuplet should appear, as described below. 5.
Additional note and rest formatting Tuplets • None: Tuplets never have brackets. • Always: Tuplets always have brackets. • …by the head: Brackets are shown only when the tuplets are displayed on the “head side”. Display Tuplet values by the Beams When this is activated, tuplets are displayed on the “beam side” of the notes instead of on the note head side.
Working with symbols About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • What the different types of symbols are. • How to insert and edit symbols. • Details about special symbols. Background: The different layers A score page is always made up of three layers – the note layer, the layout layer and the project layer. When you add symbols, these are inserted into one of these layers, depending on the type of symbol.
Working with symbols Background: The different layers • Note-dependent symbols. Only a few symbols belong to this category, for example the arpeggio lines. In one way, these behave just like grace notes. They always precede a note or chord. If there is no note “after them” on a staff, they disappear. • All other note layer symbols (tempo, dynamics, chords, etc.). Their position is related to the bar. Whichever way you edit the notes, these symbols remain unaffected.
Working with symbols The Symbols Inspector • Many of the symbols that are in the layout layer can be stretched to span over several staves, or for other reasons make more sense to think of as belonging to a certain group of tracks. • The layout layer is only one part of the bigger concept of layouts. Layouts allow you to easily extract parts from a full score and perform automatic formatting. • Typically, you want to display some symbols – repeat bar lines, endings, score titles, etc.
Working with symbols The Symbols Inspector The dialog is divided into two columns. The left column displays the visible tabs in the Inspector, and the right column displays the hidden tabs. • You can change the current show/hide status by selecting items in one column and using the arrow buttons in the middle of the dialog to move them to the other column. The changes are reflected directly in the editor.
Working with symbols The Symbols Inspector Working with symbol palettes You can open any of the Symbols Inspector sections as separate symbol palettes. Opening tabs as palettes PROCEDURE 1. In the Symbols Inspector, open the desired symbols tab. 2. Right-click on any of the symbols of the tab. Note that you have to right-click on a symbol. Right-clicking on a tab header opens a different context menu instead. 3. Select “Open As Palette” from the context menu. The selected tab is shown as palette.
Working with symbols The Symbols Inspector • Clefs etc. • Note Symbols • Dynamics • Line/Trill. Note that the arpeggios, hand indication and strum symbols are all “note-dependent”! • Other • Form Symbols. These symbols can be selected for the note layer, the layout layer, and the project layer. • Words • User Symbols When you place the mouse pointer on a symbol, a tooltip shows you information about the function.
Working with symbols Important! – Symbols, staves, and voices Important! – Symbols, staves, and voices Most symbols belong to a staff when inserted. Only note symbols, slurs and ties are an exception. They belong to notes and therefore to voices. It is extremely important that the correct staff is active when you insert a symbol (if you are editing multiple staves).
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score • Normally, the Draw tool is automatically selected when you click on a symbol in the Inspector. However, if the “Double-Click Symbol to get Draw Tool” option is activated in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page), you need to double-click the symbol to get the Draw tool. • On the same page of the Preferences dialog, you can find an option called “Display Object Selection tool after Inserting Symbol”.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score Adding a symbol to several notes using the Draw tool You might for example want to add a staccato symbol to all notes within a few measures. PROCEDURE 1. In the Symbols Inspector, open the Note Symbols tab. 2. Select the notes to which you want to apply the symbol. 3. In the Symbols Inspector, click on the desired symbol. 4. Click on one of the notes. The symbol is added to each selected note, at a predefined distance.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score RELATED LINKS Changing length, size, and shape on page 1265 About note-dependent symbols Note-dependent symbols like arpeggios and strum directions must be put in front of a note or they belong to the following note instead (if there is no following note, the symbols are not inserted at all). Adding text There are special methods for working with text.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score RELATED LINKS Graphic moving of notes on page 1232 Drawing the slur/tie PROCEDURE 1. Set the Quantize value depending on the positions of the two notes that the slur/tie should span. For example, if one of them is at a quarter note position and the other at an eighth note position, set Quantize to 1/8 note or a smaller note value. 2. Click on the correct slur/tie in the Symbols Inspector, so that the Draw tool is selected. 3.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score The Bezier slur The Bezier slur is a special slur symbol, found on the Dynamics symbol tab. Unlike the regular slur, this symbol is made up of a bezier curve, allowing you to create more advanced curve shapes. To add a Bezier slur, click on the symbol in the Inspector so that the Draw tool is selected, and click or drag in the score. Clicking creates a Bezier slur of the default length and shape, while dragging creates a straight line.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score Creating trills If you have recorded or entered a trill, Cubase can help you display this properly: PROCEDURE 1. Select the notes that make up the trill. 2. Right-click on one of the notes and select “Build Trill…” from the context menu. 3. Select an option from the dialog that appears. The radio buttons determine how the trill should look.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score • To insert the keyboard symbol, select it from the Inspector, click with the Draw tool at the desired position and drag a box to specify the approximate size of the keyboard. • After you have inserted the keyboard symbol, you can drag its edges to resize it vertically or horizontally.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score To insert a guitar symbol not present in the guitar library, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Open the other tab. 2. Click on the guitar chord symbol, so that the Draw tool is selected. 3. Click in the score, at the position where you want the symbol to appear. The Guitar Symbol dialog appears. • To put a black dot on any fret and string, click on it. To remove it, click again.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score RELATED LINKS Using the guitar library on page 1255 Using the guitar library The above method is fine if you only want to add a few chord symbols to your score. If you need a lot of chord symbols, or if you are using chord symbols in a lot of different scores, you can gather all your chord symbols in a “guitar library” instead. This way you do not have to recreate the same chord symbol over and over again. Defining chord symbols PROCEDURE 1.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score • To load a guitar library file, select “Load Current Pane…” from the Functions pop-up menu. In the file dialog that appears, locate and open the desired guitar library file.
Working with symbols Adding symbols to the score 2. Click the Image File button to select the Draw tool. Click in the score at the position where you want to insert the file. A file dialog opens. 3. Locate and select the image file you want to insert. The lower section of the Import dialog contains the following settings: • To copy the referenced file into the Project folder, activate the “Copy to Project folder” option. This is recommended as it makes it easier to manage all files used in a project.
Working with symbols Selecting symbols • Any editing you perform to layout symbols and texts is automatically duplicated in the other tracks. • The display of layout symbols and texts for different tracks can be deactivated at any time. • Layout symbols and texts can be copied between layouts, by using the Get Form function on the Functions pop-up menu on the Layout page of the Score Settings dialog.
Working with symbols Selecting symbols A selected crescendo An exception to this are the slurs and ties which can be selected by clicking on the end points or by drawing a selection rectangle. Using the lock layers Sometimes it can be very hard to click on a symbol or other object in the score without accidentally selecting other symbols nearby.
Working with symbols Moving and duplicating symbols Locking a layer To “lock” a layer, click on its lock layer button. In this figure, layer 2 is locked. Event types assigned to layer 2 cannot be selected, moved, or deleted. Visual indication of the layers Objects belonging to locked note layers are “grayed out” in the score. This makes it very easy to find out which object belongs to which layer – perhaps especially useful for the layout and project layers.
Working with symbols Moving and duplicating symbols • Slurs and ties are an exception, as they can only be moved by first dragging one handle and then the other. However, if you use the Layout tool to move the notes they belong to, or if you change the measure width, they are adjusted automatically. • Duplicating is done by moving with [Alt]/[Option] pressed, as always in Cubase. Slurs, ties, and bar lines cannot be duplicated with this method.
Working with symbols Moving and duplicating symbols Measure in Click this label to change units for the Position Info window. You can toggle between Inch, cm, and pt. This choice also affects the units used in the rulers. Abs. Pos./Rel. Pos Click this label to select whether X-Y position values are “absolute” (referring to the upper left corner of the current page) or “relative” (referring to the upper left corner of the active staff).
Working with symbols Moving and duplicating symbols Moving by using the computer keyboard In the Key Commands dialog, you can assign key commands for moving symbols, notes, or rests graphically. The commands are found in the “Nudge” category and are called “Graphical Left”, “Graphical Right”, “Graphical Top”, and “Graphical Bottom”. Selecting an object and using one of these commands is the same as dragging them with the Layout tool, but this method offers higher precision.
Working with symbols Moving and duplicating symbols 6. If you want this dialog to appear every time you perform the move/copy operation, activate “Show Dialog”. 7. Click OK to close the dialog. 8. To copy the specified event types to another bar, hold down [Alt]/[Option], click on the bar handle of the first bar and drag it to the “target” bar. To move the event types instead of copying them, drag the bar handle without holding down [Alt]/[Option].
Working with symbols Changing length, size, and shape Moving note symbols Note symbols, slurs and ties all have “default positions”. This determines the vertical distance between the note head(s) and the symbol. • You can manually adjust the vertical positions of individual symbols, but if you move or transpose their notes, the symbols are automatically reset to their default positions. This also ensures that note symbols and slurs are positioned sensibly when you change the Display Transpose settings.
Working with symbols Changing length, size, and shape The size of the symbol changes accordingly. Altering the shape and direction of slurs and ties This section describes how to alter the “regular” slur and tie symbols. There are two types of slurs and ties in the Symbols Inspector. The up/down variation of each actually represent the same symbol but with different initial direction.
Working with symbols Deleting symbols • To change the default shape and spacing of slurs and ties, open the Score Settings dialog on the Project–Spacings subpage and edit the “Slur’s Start & End Distance from Note Head” and “Slur’s Middle Distance from Note Head” settings. These settings are used for all new slurs and ties you create, as well as for all existing slurs for which you have not manually changed the shape.
Working with symbols Symbol details IMPORTANT Note symbols like staccato and accents can only be aligned horizontally. The “Dynamics” option is a special function for aligning dynamic symbols. RELATED LINKS Aligning dynamics on page 1271 Symbol details This section further describes some of the symbol tabs. The Quick Staff Setup tab This tab combines the basic settings for Display Quantize, staff mode, as well as staff presets for quick access.
Working with symbols Symbol details The “Clefs etc.” tab Clefs You can insert a clef symbol anywhere in the score. This has an effect on the notes, just as the first clef on the staff has. And just as with the first clef, the type is selected from the Edit Clef dialog that appears when you select the Clef symbol and click in the Score. When you double-click on an existing clef, the Edit Clef dialog appears again, allowing you to change the type.
Working with symbols Symbol details Use this feature to step between pppp, pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, fff, and ffff. • You can also right-click on a symbol and select “One up” or “One down” on the context menu. As above, these commands can be used to step between pppp, pp, p, mp, mf, f, ff, fff, and ffff. • To change the size of a dynamic symbol, right-click on it and in the context menu, select an option from the Size submenu.
Working with symbols Symbol details Aligning dynamics There is a special command for aligning dynamic symbols (including crescendos) horizontally. Unlike the regular align function, aligning dynamics takes the “baseline” of the dynamic letters into account, aligning them as text rather than as graphic symbols. PROCEDURE 1. Select the dynamic symbols that you want to align, e. g. pp and a crescendo. 2. Right-click on a selected symbol and select the “Align” function on the context menu.
Working with symbols Symbol details • In the Score Settings dialog (Project page–Notation Style subpage) you can specify globally how tuplets are displayed. You can also select a font and size for the tuplet numbers in the Font Settings subpage. • You can also right-click on the tuplet group symbol and select the “Extend (+)” or “Reduce (-)” command to extend it to the next chord or to reduce it. Vertical symbols The vertical symbols in the Line/Trill tab are “note-dependent”.
Working with symbols Symbol details A pedal down/up symbol combination can be displayed as “Two Symbols”, ““Ped.” + Bracket” or as “Bracket only”. Just right-click on the pedal symbol and choose an option from the context menu. You can also set this in the Score Settings dialog, on the Project–Notation Style subpage (Miscellaneous category).
Working with symbols Symbol details The Form Symbols tab Rehearsal marks The following types of rehearsal marks are available: numbers and letters. When you place the first of these in the score, it is labeled 1 or A (depending on which you choose on the tab), the second is then automatically labeled 2 or B, the next 3 or C, etc. If you delete one, the labeling of the others is shifted automatically so that they always make up a complete series of numbers or letters.
Working with symbols Symbol details RELATED LINKS Settings for other fixed text elements on page 1302 Scores and the Arranger mode on page 1348 Endings There are two types of endings, closed (“1”) and open (“2”). Both can be stretched to any length or height by dragging the handles. You can also double-click or right-click the existing number and enter any text you like. You can insert endings in all layers.
Working with symbols Symbol details Creating a user symbol Initially, the User Symbols tab is empty. To create symbols you use the User Symbols editor: PROCEDURE 1. Double-click on the empty symbol field on the tab. The User Symbols editor opens. You can also right-click on an empty symbol field and select “Edit…” to open the same dialog. 2. Open the Functions pop-up menu and select the desired zoom factor from the View submenu.
Working with symbols Symbol details Object Selection Use this to select objects – press [Shift] to select more than one. Click and drag to move objects – press [Ctrl]/[Command] to drag vertically or horizontally only or press [Alt]/[Option] to copy. To delete an object, select it and press [Backspace] or [Delete]. Line Draws a straight line. Rectangle Creates a rectangle. You can fill this with the Fill button if needed.
Working with symbols Symbol details Color Selects Frame or Fill Color for objects. The “Select Colors…” menu item brings up a standard color dialog. Line Width Allows you to change the line width used for the selected object. The Note Linked pop-up menu lets you create symbols linked to note positions. This affects the whole symbol, not a selected graphic object: Not Linked The symbol is not linked to notes. Linked/Left The symbol is linked to a note, appearing to the left of the note.
Working with symbols Symbol details Transform – Scale Symbol Lets you scale (resize) the selected object by specifying a percentage. Transform – Mirror horizontal/vertical Mirrors the selected object along the horizontal or vertical axis. Transform – Flip ±90 Rotates the selected object by + or – 90 degrees. Draw – Group Groups the selected objects so that they are treated as one. Draw – Ungroup Ungroups the selected group.
Working with chords About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to enter chord symbols manually and automatically using the “Make Chord Symbols” feature. • Which settings can be made for chord symbols. Inserting chord symbols To insert chord symbols in the score, you can insert them manually by using the Chord Symbol button in the Inspector. You can also let Cubase analyze an existing recording and create the chord symbols.
Working with chords Inserting chord symbols 4. In the “Chord Type” field, specify a chord type. You can either enter it directly (for example, by typing a “7”) or select an option from the pop-up menu (click the arrow button to open it). 5. If you wish, specify a tension in the Tension field. Again, this can be done by typing or by using the pop-up menu. However, there are some special display options which you can only get by typing (see the table below).
Working with chords Inserting chord symbols Using Make Chord Symbols If you have already recorded the chords for a project, Cubase can analyze them and create chord symbols: PROCEDURE 1. Open the recording in the Score Editor. If you want the chords to be inserted on another track, you can create an empty part on that track and open it along with the recording. 2. If you like, make display settings for the chords.
Working with chords Global chord settings All selected notes on all staves are taken into consideration. Whenever there is any change on any staff, the notes are reinterpreted and a new chord symbol is added. This means you should probably avoid having the melody track in the Score Editor when you use Make Chord Symbols, or you get a lot more chords than you expect, possibly with strange tensions. In addition to the above, the Quantize value is used.
Working with chords Global chord settings Chord Symbols Chord Symbols Font • Use the four size value fields to select sizes for the root, the type, the tension, and the bass of a chord. You can type in values or use the pop-up menus. Normally, you would want the “Root” size to be the largest and the “Tension” size to be the smallest. Options • If you want the root note to be aligned with the bass note, so that they are both displayed at the same vertical position, activate “Align Bass Note”.
Working with text About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • Which different types of text are available. • How to enter and edit text. • How to set font, size, and style. • How to enter lyrics. Adding and editing text symbols This section describes the general procedure for adding and editing text symbols. There are several different types of text symbols, but the basic procedures are the same (except for block text symbols and page text symbols).
Working with text Adding and editing text symbols 5. Click the text symbol and click in the score at the position where you want the text to appear. If you are adding lyrics, you should click above or below a note (lyrics are centered around each note and positioned vertically to where you clicked). 6. Enter the text in the text box that appears. You can use [Backspace] to delete letters, and move the cursor with the arrow keys. 7. When you are done, press [Return]. The text appears.
Working with text Adding and editing text symbols In the Score Settings dialog (Text tab), you can find two settings that determine the appearance of the melisma lines for text symbols: • The Melisma Style pop-up menu is where you specify whether the line is solid or dotted. • The Melisma End pop-up menu allows you to choose whether the end of the line is plain, has an arrow, or forms a “bracket” up or down. Making space Dragging staves is a way to edit distances within staves or between grand staves.
Working with text Adding and editing text symbols 3. Select a font from the Font pop-up menu. How many and which fonts appear depends on what typefaces you have installed on your computer. IMPORTANT For regular text you should avoid the “Steinberg” fonts. These are the fonts Cubase uses for all scoring symbols, etc. 4. Select a text size from the Size pop-up menu (or enter one manually in the text field). 5. You can also add one or several font options using the checkboxes and pop-up menus. 6.
Working with text Adding and editing text symbols Text attribute sets A text attribute set can be seen as a “preset” containing all font, size, and style settings. By creating text attribute sets for the settings you use most often, you can save a lot of time. Creating a text attribute set PROCEDURE 1. Open the Score Settings dialog on the Project page and select the Font Settings subpage. 2. Open the Attribute Sets tab. 3. On the Font Set pop-up menu, select the “Empty” set. 4.
Working with text Different types of text Editing text attribute sets If you edit the settings in a text attribute set, all texts using this particular set are affected. This is very practical, since it allows you to use the same number of “generic” sets for all your projects (for titles, comments, lyrics, etc.), and simply change the fonts, sizes, etc. for a different project if necessary. This also makes it easier to move projects between computers (which may not have the same fonts installed).
Working with text Different types of text Similarly, you can copy selected text by using the “Text To Clipboard” option from the context menu. Lyrics This type of text is inserted by selecting Lyrics on the Other symbol tab. You can insert this type of text only on note layers. When you insert lyrics, you should click below or above the note the syllable belongs to. The text then appears horizontally centered around the note and vertically positioned to where you clicked.
Working with text Different types of text – if this is not what you want, activate the “Don’t Center Hyphens” option in the Score Settings dialog, on the Project–Notation Style subpage (Lyrics category). Lyrics and measure widths When you first enter lyrics, the result may look crammed, since the words take up more space than the notes (the lyrics are also selected just after entering the last word, which makes them look a bit odd when overlapping).
Working with text Different types of text 5. Start over, by activating the next voice, clicking on the first note in that voice and proceeding as with the first voice. 6. If needed, adjust the position of the lyrics for each voice (see below). RELATED LINKS Entering notes into voices on page 1202 Moving lyrics If you want to move the lyrics up or down, for example to make room for a second verse, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Hold down [Shift] and double-click on the first word in the lyrics.
Working with text Different types of text 2. Click in the score where you want to insert the text. A regular file dialog appears. 3. Select a file (TXT or RTF) to import. 4. Click Open. The text in the file is inserted into the score. Options for inserted Block Text Right-clicking on inserted Block Text brings up a pop-up menu with the following options: Settings Brings up the RTF Settings dialog. You can also open this by double-clicking the Block Text.
Working with text Different types of text Draw Frame When this is activated, a frame is shown around the Block Text. Word wrap When this is activated, line breaks are used to fit the text in the Block Text symbol. Replace mode In this mode, the Block Text box is opaque, covering what’s under it. Trans mode In this mode, the Block Text box is transparent. Lay Text The Lay Text symbol allows you to insert layout text for multiple staves. This is available only on the layout layer.
Working with text Different types of text Entering page text PROCEDURE 1. Open the Other tab of the Symbols Inspector. 2. Click the Page Text symbol and click in the score. It does not matter where you click – the positioning is specified in the Page Text dialog. 3. Enter the text that you want displayed in the field at the top of the dialog. You can use special characters to add “variables” such as page numbers – see below. 4. Adjust the positioning settings for the text. 5.
Working with text Different types of text %p The current page number. %l (lower case L) The long staff name. %s The short staff name. %r The name of the project. For example, if you enter the text “%l, %r, Page %p”, these variables might be shown as “1st Violin, Quartet No.2, Page 12” in the score. Using the Score Settings (Text page) In the Score Settings dialog on the Text page, you can find a number of text-related settings.
Working with text Text functions • When you select text in the score and open the Selection tab, the selected words are shown in the text field. You can now change the wording of the text, and use the text format options to the left to change the appearance of the selected text. When you are done, click Apply to apply your changes to the selected text in the score.
Working with text Text functions Inserting a word You insert words from the Words tab as you would insert any regular symbol, by selecting the appropriate word and clicking in the score. However, you can edit the word after inserting it, just as with text inserted by typing. Find and replace This function allows you to replace all occurrences of a certain word or group of words, with another word or group of words.
Working with text Text functions These are used if you do not use the “From Tracks” option on the Layout page of the Score Settings dialog. The long name is displayed for the first system only, and the short name for the following systems. If you want a name at the top of the page only, leave the “Short” name field empty.
Working with text Text functions General settings PROCEDURE 1. Open the Score Settings dialog on the Project page and select the Notation Style subpage. 2. Scroll down the list to the “Bar Numbers” category. 3. Use the “Show every” setting to specify how often bar numbers are shown. The options are “First Bar” (bar numbers shown for the first bar on each staff), “Off” (no bar numbers shown) and any number. Click in the State column and use the mouse wheel to select the desired option. 4.
Working with text Text functions Offsetting bar numbers If you double-click on a bar number, a dialog appears, allowing you to skip a number of bars in the otherwise continuous bar numbering. This is used for example when a section repeats. Say, you have a repeat of bar 7 and 8, and want the first bar after the repeat to have the number 11, not 9. To achieve this, you double-click on the “9” and insert an offset of “2”.
Working with layouts About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • What layouts are and what they contain. • How to create layouts. • How to use layouts for opening combinations of tracks. • How to apply, load, save and delete layouts. • How to import and export layouts. • An example of how layouts can be used. Background: Layouts Layouts can be viewed as “presets” containing settings for the layout layer: staff spacing, bar lines, layout symbols, etc.
Working with layouts Creating a layout • All settings on the Layout page of the Score Settings dialog. • The vertical spacing of the staves. • Bar line spacing. • Broken bar lines. NOTE Note that Project symbols, bar line types and bar number offsets are part of the Project layer, and appear in all layouts. RELATED LINKS The available symbols on page 1244 How layouts are stored Layouts are created automatically when you edit a single track or a combination of tracks.
Working with layouts Layout operations Layout operations The Score Settings dialog contains a Layout page, where you can make settings for the different layouts. To the left of the dialog, all existing layouts in the project are listed (this is the same list as in the Open Layout dialog, see above). The layout used is highlighted in the list. Opening the tracks in a layout To select another combination of tracks for editing, select the corresponding layout in the list.
Working with layouts Using layouts – an example Importing and exporting layouts By selecting a layout and selecting “Export” or “Import” from the Functions pop-up menu below the list, you can export or import a Layout. Note that all Staff settings are taken into account, when exporting or importing a layout. Working with Display Transpose You can specify for each staff in a layout whether it should use Display Transpose.
Working with layouts Marker Track to Form Marker Track to Form If you have created markers in the Project window which denote the start of each new “section” in your music (verse, bridge, chorus, etc.), you can automatically transfer these markers into the current layout. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Scores menu, open the Advanced Layout submenu and select “Marker Track to Form”. Now, rehearsal marks and double bar lines are inserted in the score, at the position of each marker. 2.
Working with MusicXML Introduction MusicXML is a music notation format developed by Recordare LLC in 2000 based primarily on two academic music formats. It allows the representation of scores in the current symbolic representation of western music notation, used since the 17th century. With Cubase you can now import and export MusicXML files created with version 1.1. This makes it possible to share and exchange sheet music with people who are using score writing programs such as Finale and Sibelius.
Working with MusicXML Introduction Is MusicXML better than MIDI? The following sections inform you about the advantages of MusicXML and MIDI regarding note representation and sound. Advantages of MusicXML MIDI tracks hold MIDI notes and other MIDI data. A MIDI note in Cubase is only defined by its position, length, pitch and velocity. This is not enough to decide how the note will be displayed in a score.
Working with MusicXML Importing and exporting MusicXML files Importing and exporting MusicXML files Cubase can import and export MusicXML files, which makes it possible to transfer musical scores to and from applications that support this file format. However, there are some restrictions concerning the parameters supported by Cubase.
Working with MusicXML Importing and exporting MusicXML files Importing and exporting Symbols Parameter Export Import Keys Yes Yes Clefs Yes Yes Time Signature Yes Yes Dynamics Yes Yes Ornaments Yes / incomplete Yes / incomplete Articulations Yes / incomplete Yes / incomplete Technicals Yes / incomplete Yes / incomplete Lyrics Yes Yes Chord Symbols Yes Yes Damper Pedal Yes Yes Dynamics Yes Yes Rehearsals Yes Yes Text Yes Yes Layout Text Yes N.A.
Working with MusicXML Importing and exporting MusicXML files Importing MusicXML files PROCEDURE 1. Open the File menu and open the Import submenu. 2. On the submenu, select “MusicXML…”. 3. In the file dialog that opens, locate and select the MusicXML file and click “Open”. 4. Another file dialog opens in which you can select the project folder for the new project. Select an existing project folder or create a new one by clicking “Create” and entering a name in the dialog. 5.
Designing your score: additional techniques About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to change the staff size. • How to create multi-rests. • How to add and edit bar lines. • How to create upbeats. • How to set measure spacing and the number of bars across the page. • How to control staff and grand staff spacing. • How to use the Auto Layout dialog. • How to use the Reset Layout function. • How to break bar lines.
Designing your score: additional techniques Layout settings The track list The track list lists the tracks included in the layout and allows you to make the following settings: Brackets These two columns allow you to add braces or brackets, encompassing any number of staves in the layout. T This is relevant if the “Modern Time Sign.” option is activated to the right. In that case, you use this column to specify for which tracks the time signature is shown – see below.
Designing your score: additional techniques Layout settings Equal Spacing Activate this option when you want a note to take up space according to its note value. When Equal Spacing is activated, two sixteenth notes take up as much space as one eighth note, for example. Size Changes the size of all staves. RELATED LINKS Staff size on page 1316 Multi-Rests Whenever more than one-bar rests occur, the program can replace these with a multi-rest symbol.
Designing your score: additional techniques Staff size • If you prefer to display the score in a more modern way, check out the other options on the Notation Style subpage. For descriptions of the options use the Help button in the dialog. Staff size You can set the staff size as a percentage value of the normal size. For one staff To set the staff size for one staff, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Make sure that the staff you want to edit is active. 2.
Designing your score: additional techniques Hiding/showing objects Hiding/showing objects Any object on a page can be hidden, including notes, rests, symbols, clefs, bar lines, even entire staves. This can be useful in the following situations: Printing scales If you want to create scale examples, enter the notes and hide time signatures, bar lines and other unwanted objects. A scale created with hidden bar lines, time signatures, etc.
Designing your score: additional techniques Hiding/showing objects Hiding in the current layout only If you want the hiding to be “local” to the current layout, hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] when selecting “Hide/Show” as described above. MPORTANT IMPORTANT This is not possible when hiding notes, only other symbols. NOTE You can also move hidden objects to the layout by right-clicking the “Hide” marker and selecting “Move to Layout”.
Designing your score: additional techniques Coloring notes Showing a hidden note While all hidden notes can be made visible by ticking the Hidden Notes checkbox on the filter bar, you may want to make some of them “permanently” visible again: PROCEDURE 1. Activate the Hidden Notes checkbox on the filter bar. 2. Select the notes that you want to “un-hide”. In the Preferences dialog (Scores–Colors for Additional Meanings) you can set the color for hidden notes. 3. Double-click one of the notes. 4.
Designing your score: additional techniques Multiple rests Splitting multi-rests To divide one long multiple rest into several shorter ones, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Double-click on the multi-rest symbol. The Split Multi-Rest dialog appears: 2. In the dialog, enter the bar number where you want the first split. 3. Click OK. If you need more splits, double-click on any multi-rest symbol and proceed as above.
Designing your score: additional techniques Editing existing bar lines Editing existing bar lines For each bar line, you can choose whether you want a regular, single bar line, a double bar line, a repeat sign, etc.: PROCEDURE 1. Double-click on the bar line for which you want to edit the settings. A dialog appears with a number of bar line types. 2. If you want the bar line to be shown with “brackets”, activate the Brackets checkbox. This is only relevant for repeat signs. 3.
Designing your score: additional techniques Creating upbeats By using the Pickup Bar feature With this method, the upbeat actually contains exactly the number of beats displayed. That is, if you have an upbeat of one beat, your project starts with one bar in 1/4 time. PROCEDURE 1. Change the time signature of the first bar to the length of the upbeat. 2. Insert a time signature of the correct kind (the time signature used throughout the project) in the second bar.
Designing your score: additional techniques Setting the number of bars across the page 3. Drag the bar line between measure one and two to adjust the width of the bar. After hiding the rest and dragging the bar line 4. If you like, move the notes in the upbeat measure, using the Layout tool. 5. If you use bar numbers, adjust them as described in the previous example. The final upbeat Setting the number of bars across the page You can specify how many bars you want to display across the page.
Designing your score: additional techniques Setting the number of bars across the page Using the Number of Bars dialog PROCEDURE 1. Make a staff active in the system where you want to make changes. This means that if everything looks fine until for example the fifth system, activate one of the staves in this system. 2. Open the Scores menu and select “Number Of Bars” from the Advanced Layout submenu. The Number of Bars dialog opens. 3. Set the desired number of bars across the page.
Designing your score: additional techniques Moving bar lines Moving bar lines The following operations can be made using the regular Object Selection tool or the Layout tool. Moving a bar line If you drag a bar line to the left or right, the surrounding bars are adjusted proportionally. Moving bar lines on all staves If you hold down [Alt]/[Option] when dragging a bar line, all bar lines below the one you drag are moved accordingly.
Designing your score: additional techniques Dragging staves The last bar line in the score Cubase attempts to move the last bar line and space the bars on the last line in a sensible way. But you can change this manually by dragging the last bar line if you like. To change the type of the last bar line, double-click it and select the desired type. Resetting bar spacing To reset the bar spacing to standard values for several lines, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1.
Designing your score: additional techniques Dragging staves 3. Drag downwards until you have reached the desired distance between the staves and release the mouse button. Before… …and after dragging the upper system Setting the same distance between all grand staves PROCEDURE 1. Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag the first staff of the second system, until you have reached the desired distance between this and the first system. 2. Release the mouse button.
Designing your score: additional techniques Dragging staves Dragging apart the staves in a piano system. The new distance is set for the two staves. Setting the same distance between staves in several systems PROCEDURE 1. Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag the desired staff as described above. 2. Release the mouse button. The corresponding staves in all following systems are moved accordingly.
Designing your score: additional techniques Adding brackets and braces 2. Right-click on the blue rectangle to the left of the staff, and select “Move to Next Page” from the context menu. The active staff (and any following staves on the page) are moved to the next page. Moving staves to the previous page PROCEDURE 1. Make the staff at the top of the page the active staff. If any other staff is active, the “Move to Previous Page” option cannot be used.
Designing your score: additional techniques Displaying the Chord Symbols from the Chord Track • To remove a bracket or brace, click on its indicator in the list. You can automatically get broken bar lines based on the brackets you have added. If the “Show Braces in Edit Mode” option is activated in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page), brackets and braces are shown in Edit Mode as well.
Designing your score: additional techniques Auto Layout MPORTANT IMPORTANT The automatic layout adjustments are done just as if you yourself had made them manually. This means that if there is something you do not like, you can always change it manually, as described above. NOTE You can also open the Auto Layout dialog by clicking the Auto Layout button on the extended toolbar.
Designing your score: additional techniques Auto Layout Hide Empty Staves This hides all empty staves, from the active staff to the end of the score. Note that polyphonic/split staves are in this case treated as one entity if the clef in the upper system differs from that in the lower system. That is, a piano staff is considered “empty” only if there are no notes on either staff.
Designing your score: additional techniques Reset Layout Minimum Distance between Staves When you use an Auto Layout function that moves staves (changes the vertical staff distance), this setting determines the minimum distance between the staves. Minimum Distance between Grand Staves This sets the minimum distance between Grand Staves in the same way. Add to Auto Layout Distance This number is added to the distance between staves that is added when you use any of the Auto Layout functions.
Designing your score: additional techniques Breaking bar lines Reset Layout Options Hidden Notes Makes all hidden notes permanently visible again. Hidden Makes all other hidden objects permanently visible again. Quantize Deletes all Display Quantize elements. Layout Tool Resets all positions of notes, clefs, slurs and ties altered using the Layout tool. Grouping Resets the grouping under beams to standard values. Cutflag Deletes all cutflag events.
Designing your score: additional techniques Breaking bar lines Breaking bar lines in one grand staff PROCEDURE 1. Select the Erase tool. 2. Click on a bar line connecting the two staves. Before and after splitting the bar lines between two staves. All bar lines between these two staves (except the first and last) are broken. To break the first or last bar line in a grand staff, you need to click directly on these.
Designing your score: additional techniques Breaking bar lines Automatically If you have added brackets for some staves on the Layout page of the Score Settings dialog, you can have bar lines broken between each bracketed “section”, giving a clearer indication of which staves belong together: PROCEDURE 1. Open the Score Settings dialog from the Score menu and, on the Project page, select the “Notation Style” subpage. 2.
Scoring for drums About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to set up the drum map. • How to set up a staff for drum notes. • How to enter and edit drum notes. • How to use a single line drum staff. Background: Drum maps in the Score Editor When scoring for drums, you can assign a unique note head to each pitch.
Scoring for drums Setting up the drum map RELATED LINKS MIDI Editors on page 712 Use Score Drum Map on/off For the drum map settings to be used in the score, you need to activate the “Use Score Drum Map” option in the Score Settings dialog on the Staff page (Options tab). Setting up the drum map To set up the drum map, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Open the Score Editor for the drums track. This should be a MIDI track to which you have assigned a drum map. 2.
Scoring for drums Setting up the drum map 5. Make settings for the sounds/MIDI notes you need. IMPORTANT Please note that many different drum maps can be created for a project. Which one you get depends on which drum map is assigned to the edited track. These drum maps are totally independent of one another, i. e. each pitch can have different settings in different drum maps. Score related options Pitch This corresponds to the I-note of the sound in the drum map, and cannot be edited here.
Scoring for drums Setting up the drum map larger note values, and the “filled” heads are used with quarter notes and smaller note values. 2. To select a head pair for a drum sound/note, click in the Head symbol column to open the pop-up menu and choose the new head pair. Customizing note head pairs If you do not like the default pairs of note heads, you can edit these: PROCEDURE 1. On the Functions pop-up menu, select “Edit head pairs”. 2.
Scoring for drums Setting up a staff for drum scoring Setting up a staff for drum scoring PROCEDURE 1. Open the Score Settings dialog on the Staff page and select the Options tab. 2. Make sure that “Use Score Drum Map” is activated. 3. If you want a single line drum staff, activate the corresponding option. 4. If you want flat beams, activate the corresponding option. 5. If you want all stems to end at the same position, activate Fixed Stems and set a length for up/down stems.
Scoring for drums Using “Single Line Drum Staff” To decide which notes go where, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Open the Score Settings dialog on the Staff page and select the Options tab. 2. Activate “Use Score Drum Map” and “Single Line Drum Staff”. 3. Set up the two pitch values to decide which pitches go on the line. Notes below this range automatically wind up below the line and notes above wind up above the line.
Creating tablature About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to create tablature, automatically and manually. • How to control the appearance of the tablature notes. • How to edit tablature. Cubase is able to produce score in tablature format. This can be done automatically, by “converting” recorded MIDI information. You can also create a tablature staff from scratch and enter the notes “by hand”.
Creating tablature Creating tablature automatically 3. Activate “Tablature Mode”. 4. Select one of the predefined instruments from the pop-up menu. • If you are not using one of the predefined instruments, set the open tuning of each string using the value fields. You can create tablature for up to 12 strings. To disable a string, set it to Off, the lowest value. 5. If you want to use a capodaster, e. g. on the forth fret, enter the corresponding value in the Capo field.
Creating tablature Creating tablature manually Normally, the program automatically decides on which string to display a note, by looking at the pitch and then putting the note at the lowest possible string. You can then either manually move a note to the correct string, or use the “MIDI Channel 1–6” option to let the program move the notes automatically. PROCEDURE 1. Many guitar synthesizers are able to transmit each string on a different MIDI channel.
Creating tablature Tablature number appearance 8. Select the Insert Note tool and move the pointer over the score. 9. Press the mouse button and drag up and down until the note appears on the desired string with the correct fret number (you can also verify the pitch on the toolbar, as usual). When you drag up and down, the program automatically selects the lowest possible string. If you want a fret number higher than 4 on a guitar tablature, for example, you have to use “Move To String”, see below.
Creating tablature Note head shape Moving notes Moving notes in pitch in a tablature score is working the same way as entering notes manually, see above. Editing on the info line You can change the pitch of notes on the info line as usual. The string and fret number are updated automatically in the score. Note head shape If you only want to enter a fret number for your notes (Tablature mode off), you can use the Set Note Info dialog on regular notes. PROCEDURE 1. Double-click on the head of a note.
The score and MIDI playback About this chapter In this chapter you will learn: • How to use the Arranger mode to have the playback follow the structure of the score. • How to use the “mapped” Dynamics symbols. NOTE Cubase Pro only: You can also play back articulations in the Score using the Expression Map and Note Expression functions.
The score and MIDI playback Working with mapped dynamics Working with mapped dynamics Apart from the dynamics symbols found on the Dynamics tab, you can also use 12 “mapped” Dynamics symbols. These make use of the Note Expression functionality in Cubase. Mapped Dynamics symbols can be played back using three different methods: by modifying the velocity values in percentages, by sending volume controller messages or by sending additional generic controllers. These methods can also be combined.
The score and MIDI playback Working with mapped dynamics Change Velocities You can create dynamics by defining different velocities for the different symbols. PROCEDURE 1. Activate the “Change Velocities” checkbox in the lower section of the dialog. 2. Set up a percentage value (positive or negative) in the Velocity column to specify by how much the corresponding symbol will raise or reduce the current velocity value of a note.
The score and MIDI playback Working with mapped dynamics Send Controller You can also send an additional MIDI controller (except MIDI controllers 7 and 11, which are used for the “Send Volume” function). If you combine this with the “Send Volume” function, you can set up a sound which gets brighter as it gets louder, which is useful when working with strings or woodwind and brass instruments. PROCEDURE 1. Activate “Send Controller” and specify the controller you want to use in the pop-up menu.
The score and MIDI playback Working with mapped dynamics • When you insert a crescendo symbol which is not preceded by a Dynamic symbol, the “assumed” start value is mezzo forte (mf). • Likewise, if a crescendo symbol is not followed by a dynamic symbol, an end value will be calculated automatically. For a crescendo, this is one value above the start value, and for a decrescendo one value below the start value.
Tips and Tricks Overview This chapter provides useful information about editing techniques and answers to a number of questions that might arise when you use the Score Editor. For more information about the functions referred to, please use the index and check the previous chapters. Useful editing techniques Use this section to find out more about some editing techniques that help you to use the score functions more efficiently.
Tips and Tricks Useful editing techniques 4. Use the To Previous Staff or To Next Staff settings to specify the desired distance between the staves. All selected staves are spaced according to your settings. If you do this when the “Global staff Spacing with [Alt]/[Option]-[Ctrl]/[Command]” option is activated, all staves in the score are affected. Polyphonic voicing If you are working on a full score with more than one instrument in one staff (2 flutes, 2 trumpets, etc.
Tips and Tricks Useful editing techniques Using “Scores Notes To MIDI” This function converts the score data, as displayed, into MIDI data. Let’s say for example that you have set up the score so that it is displayed to 99 % the way you want it to be. Yet, that last 1 % forces you to deactivate some of the Staff Settings (like Clean Lengths, No Overlap, or Auto Quantize), which makes other parts of the score illegible. In this case, try using the “Scores Notes To MIDI” function.
Tips and Tricks Frequently asked questions Controlling the order and appearance of grace notes Normally, grace notes are beamed. Their order under the beam is controlled by their order in the track. It is enough to put a grace note one tick before the next grace note to make them appear in the desired order under the beam. Initially the grace notes are put in with a 32nd note beam. By double-clicking the note and changing the “flag” type in the Set Note Info dialog, you can change this.
Tips and Tricks Frequently asked questions I enter a note with one value and it is shown as a note with another value. Set the Rests value for Display Quantize to a smaller note value. Try deactivating Auto Quantize, especially if you do not have any triplets or triplets only. Notes are not displayed at the correct positions. Try changing the Notes value for Display Quantize. There are a number of short rests after my notes. Your Rests value for Display Quantize might be set to too small a note value.
Tips and Tricks Frequently asked questions One long note is shown as many tied notes. Do other notes occur at the same positions but with different lengths? Then you need to use polyphonic voicing. Are the note(s) syncopated? Then you should try the syncopation feature. Even though I’ve tried the above, notes are not tied as I want them. The way notes are tied in Cubase follows basic notation rules. You may need to make exceptions to these rules, by using the Cut Notes tool.
Tips and Tricks Frequently asked questions When I select a note, nothing is shown on the info line. The note is probably tied to another note. This means that the second note does not really exist, it is just a graphic indication that the main note is long. Try selecting the main note instead. Symbols from the Layout Symbols tab are sometimes invisible when I open the score. This is not a malfunction. Those symbols are part of a layout.
Tips and Tricks Frequently asked questions A note symbol appears too far from the note I wanted it inserted on. Do you have activated the correct voice? Note symbols are inserted into voices, just like notes. The note I recorded is displayed with the wrong length. For example, I recorded a sixteenth and got a quarter note. You probably have the wrong Display Quantize value set. Open the Score Settings dialog and select the Staff page.
Tips and Tricks If you wish you had a faster computer The note has an accidental when it shouldn’t, or it doesn’t when it should. Maybe the note is simply of the wrong pitch? Click on it (using the Object Selection tool) and look at the info line. Move it to the correct pitch. If this is not the reason, maybe you have the wrong key set? And finally, you can also use enharmonic shifting.
Index A Accelerando 1225 Accents Above stems 1247 Accidentals About 1215 Distance from note 1217 ACID® loops 487 Acoustic feedback 715 Score Editor 1173 Activate Project 80 Activate Read/Write for all tracks 614 Activate tempo track 933 Active TrackVersion 157 Adapt (Display Quantize) 1191 ADAT Lightpipe 984 Add Track dialog 136 Adding chords 846, 850 AES/SPDIF Digital Audio 984 AES17 Meters 334 AIFF files 974 Algorithms Limitations 453 Time stretching 450 Aligning Dynamics 1271 Text 1287 Aligning file and
Index Audio files Exporting 965 Removing unused 83 Audio hardware 1082 Connections 16 Externally clocked 19 Audio parts Auditioning 172 Creating 171 Editing in Audio Part Editor 521 Editing in Project Browser 957 Audio performance Optimizing 1080 Audio Pre-Record Seconds 1112 Audio processing Pool 546 Audio Recording 233 Downmix 234 Preparations 232 Pre-Record Time 235 RAM Requirements 232 Record File Format 231 Record Folder 231 Record Modes 233 Recovering 236 Recovering recordings 235 Undo 234 With Effec
Index Auto-Scroll 215 Crossfades 270 Score Editor 1134 B Back up Project 83 Background Color Modulation 1099 Bank assignments 690 Bar handles 1263, 1354 Bar lines Breaking 1334 Indenting 1325 Moving 1325 Selecting type 1321 Bar numbers Offsetting 1302 Settings 1300 Spacing 1301 Bars Moving 1331 Moving to next/previous staff 1324 Number across page 1323 Resetting spacing 1326 Basic chord types Applying to selected notes 739 Batch export Audio channels 965 Beams 1223 Across staves 1227 Appearance 1228 Group
Index Chord Assistant 847, 870 Assigning chords 873, 874 Cadence mode 847 Circle of Fifths 870, 871 Common notes mode 847 Complexity 847 Gap mode 847 Proximity 870 Chord Editor 844 Adding chords 850 Assigning chords 873 MIDI Input 847 Chord events 844 Adding 846 Adding chords 846 Assigning to MIDI effects or VSTis 857 Auditioning 851 Chord type 844 Converting to MIDI 856 Editing 846 Extracting from MIDI 862 Getting suggestions 850 Mapping offset 854 Resolving Display Conflicts 852 Tension 844 Voicings 853
Index Control link 323, 325 Control Room 372 Adding channels 372 Channels section 378 Cue channels 377 Downmix Presets section 379 Exclusive port assignment 373 External section 377 Input gain 383 Input phase 383 Insert effects 383 Main mix output 373 Mixer 376 Monitors section 379 Opening 372 Outputs 373 Phones section 380 Routing 373 Setup pane 383 Control Room channels 374, 378 Adding 372 Control Room 381 Cues 374 External inputs 375 Metering 376 Monitors 374, 383 Phones 374 Talkback 375, 383 Control Ro
Index Deactivate Punch In on Stop 1116 Deactivate Read/Write for all tracks 614 Decimal display Editing byte values 806 Deep Track Folding 1096 Default Edit Action 1100 Default MIDI editor 713 Delay compensation Constraining 639 Threshold for Recording 1118 Delete Overlaps 1089 Deleting Continuous Controllers 709 Controllers 709 Doubles 708 MIDI controllers 709 Notes 708 Notes in score 1185 Score symbols 1267 Deleting Overlaps Mono (MIDI) 707 Poly (MIDI) 707 Designating a new pool record folder Pool 545 De
Index Effects About 393 Comparing settings 416 Control panel 414 Converting earlier presets 420 Copying presets 420 Dithering 413 Exporting plug-in information files 424 External effects 414 Extracting insert effect settings from track presets 422 Insert effects 393, 396 Managing plug-ins 424 Multi-channel configuration 402 Offline 393 Pasting presets 420 Plug-in delay compensation 395 Plug-in information window 423 Pre/Post fader sends 408 Presets 416 Presets browser 416 Routing 403, 407 Saving insert pre
Index Exporting MIDI files 1046 OMF 1043 Profiles 1078 Score as image files 1151 Selected tracks 1051 Track archives 1051 Expression maps Creating 814 Drum Editor 811 In-Place Editor 811 Inspector 810 Key Editor 811 List Editor 813 Loading 809 Score Editor 811 External effects About 36, 414 Favorites 42 Freezing 42 Missing plug-ins 43 Setting up 37 External instruments About 36 Favorites 42 Freezing 42 Missing plug-ins 43 Setting up 40 External monitoring 229 Extract Audio on Import Video File 1123 Extract
Index Grace notes Converting to normal 1236 Creating manually 1235 Order of 1356 Settings 1236 Grid Overlay Intensity 1098 Groove quantizing 252 Group channel tracks 118 Group channels Adding insert effects 399 Routing 346 Setting up 36 Group Channels - Mute Sources as well 1118 Group editing 191 Grouping Removing in score 1225 Repeats 1224 Grouping events 191 Grouping notes Accelerando 1225 Beam 1223 Brillenbass 1224 Ritardando 1225 Guitar chord symbols 1253 Guitar library 1255 H Hardware controls Activa
Index Inserts FX chain presets 349 MIDI 680 MixConsole 348 Monitor channels 383 Talkback channel 383 Using while scrubbing 1118 Inspector About 53 Assigning Quick Controls 650 Expression maps 810 Key Editor 729 Synchronizing track and channel visibility 59 Visibility 58 Instrument Freeze 638 Instrument tracks 93 Instruments Display Transpose 1150 Instruments use Automation Read All and Write All 1118 Interpolate Audio Waveforms 1099 Interpretation Options 1191 K Keep Crescendo Symbols Horizontal 1114 Keep
Index List Editor 789 Editing events 798, 799 Editing operations 797 Hiding events 794 Inserting events 797 Showing events 794 Status line 794 Toolbar 790 Listen MixConsole 342 Live transform Chord track 858 Loading Multi-Track Presets 166 Locate When Clicked in Empty Space 1116 Locators 212 Setting 213 Lock Transpose track 294 Lock Event Attributes 192, 1089 Lock layers 1259 Lock Punch Points to Locators 214 Lock Record 244 Logical Editor About 893 Actions 906 Filter conditions 895 Functions 905 Opening 8
Index Meter peak options 343 Hold forever 343 Hold peaks 343 Meter position options 343 Input 343 Post-Fader 343 Post-Panner 343 Meter section MixConsole 334 Meters AES17 334 Alignment level 334 Peak meter display 334 RMS display 334 Scale standards 334 Settings 343 Meters’ Fallback 1110 Meters’ Peak Hold Time 1110 Metronome 217 MIDI Dissolve parts 703 MIDI channels Send effects 682 Separating for drum map sounds 787 MIDI clock Destinations 989 Synchronization 984 MIDI Controller Automation 625 Setting up
Index MIDI tracks 100 Expression Maps 740 Routing to device 804 Missing ports Re-routing 80 MixConsole 308 Assigning Quick Control parameters 367, 650 Channel linking 323 Channel overview 308 Channel racks 318 Channel selector 315 Channel types 317 Configuring 311 Creating VCA fad ers 329 Display line 323 EQ presets 352 Equalizer curve 308 Fader section 339 FX chain presets 349 Hiding channels 311 Level meters 343 Listen 342 Meter section 334 Mute 341 Notepad 370 Opening 308 Panning 340 Pre rack 346 Racks
Index Note events Adding in controller display 744 Changing the velocity 748 Coloring 716 Creating in Score Editor 763 Cutting 719 Deleting in controller display 753 Drawing with Draw tool 732 Drawing with Line tool 733 Duplicating 719, 764 Editing 719 Editing via MIDI 740 Editing with Draw tool 746 Excluding from playback 718 Gluing 736, 765 Moving 734, 783 Moving in controller display 752 Muting 718 Repeating 719 Resizing 735 Selecting 717 Setting values 763 Setting with Snap 720 Splitting 736, 765 Trans
Index Pedal symbols 1272 Pedals To note length 707 Performance Aspects 1080 Audio hardware 1082 CPU and processor cache 1081 Driver 1082 Hard disk and controller 1082 Optimizing 1080 RAM 1081 VST performance 1083 Phase MixConsole 348 Phase Reverse 431 Phones Channel Using as Preview Channel 1121 Phones channel Source buttons 380 Piano staves Fixed split point 1181 Variable split point 1201 Piano voicings 854 Pick-up Mode 636, 654 Pitch Changing for chords 736 Pitch Notation 1102 Pitch Shift 432 Algorithm 4
Index Primary Time Format Selecting 215 Printing Page setup 1136 Scores 1151 Process Bars 949 Process Tempo 947 Processing Settings and functions 425 Profiles About 1074 Activating 1077 Adding 1076 Creating 1076 Deleting 1078 Duplicating 1076 Exporting 1078 Importing 1079 Managing 1075 Renaming 1077 Switching 1077 Project Assistant 73 Project Browser Opening 953 Project cursor 1133 Keeping it visible 715 Project Logical Editor About 912 Actions 924 Filter conditions 914 Functions 927 Macros 928 Opening 913
Index Quantizing About 245 Catch Range 253 Crossfades section 259 MIDI event starts 395 Multiple audio tracks 250 Original position 255 Pre-Quantize 255 Swing 253 Tuplets 253 Using groove presets 252 Quick Controls Assigning effect parameters 649 Assigning parameters 648 Automatable Parameters 654 Automatic assignment 651 Connecting with Remote Controllers 635, 653 From channel settings 367, 650 From Inspector 650 From MixConsole 367, 650 From Plug-ins 649 From racks 367, 650 Learn mode 649 Removing assign
Index Reverse Audio 436 MIDI 711 ReWire About 1017 Activating 1019 Channels 1020 Routing MIDI 1021 REX files 1041 Right Locator 212 Ritardando 1225 RMS display Meters 334 Routing For surround setup 588 Group channels 346 Input busses 345 MixConsole 345 Output busses 345 Through insert effects 397 Routing Editor 403 Ruler 1140, 1261 Display format 52 Timeline 714 Ruler track 125 Run Setup on Create New Project 1103 S Samplerate Externally clocked 19 Saturation Strip module 353 Save As Template 75 Save part
Index Score settings About 1162 Switching staves 1163 Values for note input 1163 Score symbols Adding 1248 Adding to notes 1247 Aligning 1267 Creating 1275 Deleting 1267 Duplicating 1260 Guitar chords 1253 In palettes 1244 Length 1265 Moving 1260 Moving with keyboard 1263 Note layer symbols 1240 Note-dependent 1240 Relation to staves/voices 1246 Resizing 1265 Selecting 1258 Score texts 767 Adding 766 Changing fonts 767 Changing sizes 767 Changing styles 767 Editing 766 Scores Printing 768 Scroll to selecte
Index Solo Defeat MixConsole 341 Solo Record in MIDI Editors 1112 Soloing MIDI editors 715 Sound sources Position in surround field 592 Speaker icon Score Editor 1173 Speaker tool Audio Part Editor 524 Spectacle bass 1224 Spectrum Analyzer 448 Split at Cursor 187 Split Loop 187 Split MIDI Controllers 1095 Split MIDI Events 1095 Split tool 1324 Splitting By ranges 200 Events 187 Notes 765 Staves 1181 Staff settings About 1156 Switching staves 1187 System sizes 1195 Start Recording at Cursor Common Record Mo
Index Synchronizing Track Data Follow Chord Track 860 Sys text 1295 SysEx Changing settings 804 Messages 802 T Tablature Automatic creation 1343 Capo 1343 Clef 1345 Editing 1346 Manual creation 1345 MIDI channels 1344 Tap Tempo 943 Template projects 74 Templates Renaming 75 Workspaces 1059 Tempo Editing in Project Browser 963 Process Bars 949 Process Tempo 947 Set Definition from Tempo 951 Symbols 1275 Tempo Changes Tempo Detection 939 Tempo Detection 939, 945 Corrections 940 Panel 945 Tempo Editor Toolba
Index Timeline Ruler 714 Tips Showing 1103 To End Fill options 621 To Punch Fill options 620 To Start Fill options 621 Toggle Time Base 931 Tool modifier keys 1028, 1097 Toolbar Audio Part Editor 522 Drum Editor 769 In-Place Editor 800 Key Editor 723 List Editor 790 Project window 48 Score Editor 754 Toolbox Project window 49 Tra nsport panel Pre-roll 204 Track archives Exporting 1051 Importing 1051 Track Area Width 1101 Track Controls Settings 134 Track Folding 147 Track Height 143 Track list About 59 Div
Index Transport panel 202 Display format 215 Overview 202 Post-roll 204 Sections 202 Transpose Exclude Parts or Events 297 Global 297 Independent 297 Indicate Transpositions 295 Info line 296 Lock 294 MIDI function 699 Mute 294 Project Root Key 288 Transpose functions About 288 Transpose track 129 About 292 Lock 294 Mute 294 Recording 295 Transposing 293 Transposing Instruments 1150 MIDI notes 1176 Treat Muted Audio Events like Deleted 1091 Trills Creating 1252 Trim Automation 617 Trim tool Changing event
Index Voicings 853 Automatic voicings 854 Configuring parameters 854 Library 854 Library subset 854 Octave offset 854 Piano 854 Range 854 Volume MixConsole 342 Volume curve 276 VST Input ports 21 Output ports 21 VST 3 Suspend plug-in processing 637 VST 3 Standard 395 VST Audio System 17 VST Connections 25 About 25 Editing 43 Exclusive port assignment 373 Presets 34 VST instrument parameters Assigning to Quick Controls 651 VST instruments Freezing 638 Presets 633 Saving presets 634 Setting up 629 Using VST
