Pinnacle Systems Pro Tools AI 7 Operation Manual
Operation Manual
Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Marion Bröer, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Sabine Pfeifer,
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. The software described by this
document is subject to a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media except as
specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced,
or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior written permission by Steinberg
Media Technologies GmbH. Registered licensees of the product described herein may print one
copy of this document for their personal use.
All product and company names are ™ or ® trademarks of their respective owners. For more
information, please visit www.steinberg.net/trademarks.
Release Date: May 08, 2013
© Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
6 Introduction
6 About the Program Versions
6 Key Command Conventions
7 Setting up your system
7 Setting up audio
14 Setting up MIDI
16 Connecting a synchronizer
16 Setting up video
16 Optimizing audio performance
19 The VST Performance Window
20 The ASIO-Guard Option
21 VST Connections
21 About this chapter
21 The VST Connections window
21 Setting up busses
24 Routing
25 About monitoring
25 Editing operations
28 The Project window
28 Window Overview
30 The track list
31 The Inspector
34 The toolbar
35 The status line
36 The info line
37 The overview line
37 The ruler
39 The Snap function
41 Auto-Scroll
43 Working with projects
43 Creating new projects
45 Opening projects
46 Closing projects
46 Saving projects
48 The Archive and Backup functions
51 The Project Setup dialog
53 Zoom and view options
58 Audio handling
58 Auditioning audio parts and events
59 Scrubbing
59 Editing parts and events
68 Range editing
71 Region operations
72 The Edit History dialog
73 The Preferences dialog
75 Working with tracks
75 Setting up tracks
78 Editing tracks
80 Organizing tracks in folder tracks
82 Dividing the track list
83 Playback and the Transport panel
83 Background
84 Operations
88 Options and Settings
90 The Virtual Keyboard
92 Recording
92 Background
92 Basic recording methods
95 Audio recording specifics
102 MIDI recording specifics
108 Options and Settings
112 Quantizing MIDI and Audio
112 Introduction
112 Quantizing Audio Event Starts
112 Quantizing MIDI Event Starts
113 Quantizing MIDI Event Lengths
113 Quantizing MIDI Event Ends
113 The Quantize Panel
117 Additional Quantizing Functions
3
118 Fades and crossfades
118 Creating fades
120 The Fade dialogs
122 Creating crossfades
123 The Crossfade dialog
124 Auto fades and crossfades
126 The arranger track
(Cubase Elements only)
126 Introduction
126 Setting up the arranger track
128 Working with arranger events
131 Flattening the arranger chain
133 Live mode
134 Arranging your music to video
135 Using markers
135 Introduction
136 The Marker window
139 The marker track
141 Exporting and importing markers
142 The MixConsole
142 Overview
144 Configuring the MixConsole
147 Keyboard Navigation in the MixConsole
149 Working with the Fader Section
153 Working with the Channel Racks
163 Using Channel Settings
166 Resetting MixConsole Channels
166 Adding Pictures
167 Adding Notes to a MixConsole Channel
168 Audio effects
168 Overview
169 Insert effects
174 Send effects
178 Editing effects
179 Effect presets
182 Installing and managing effect plug-ins
186 VST instruments and instrument
tracks
186 Introduction
186 VST instrument channels vs. instrument
tracks
186 VST instrument channels (not in Cubase
LE)
189 Instrument tracks
192 What do I need? Instrument channel or
instrument track?
192 Instrument Freeze
194 VST instruments and processor load
194 Using presets for VSTi configuration
198 About latency
200 Automation
200 Introduction
201 Working with automation curves
201 Enabling and disabling the writing of
automation data
202 Writing automation data
204 Editing automation events
206 Automation track operations
209 MIDI part data vs. track automation
210 Hints and further options
211 Audio processing and functions
211 Background
211 Audio processing
219 Freeze Edits
220 Detect Silence
222 The Spectrum Analyzer
224 Statistics
225 About time stretch algorithms
226 The Sample Editor
226 Window overview
231 General functions
238 Warping audio
239 Working with hitpoints and slices
245 The Audio Part Editor
245 Background
245 Window overview
246 Opening the Audio Part Editor
247 Operations
249 Options and Settings
250 The Pool
250 Background
251 Window overview
254 Operations
266 The MediaBay
266 Introduction
267 Working with the MediaBay
268 The Define Locations section
270 The Locations section
271 The Results list
275 Previewing files
277 The Filters section
280 The Loop Browser and Sound Browser
windows
280 Preferences
281 Key commands
282 Working with MediaBay-related windows
284 Working with Volume databases
287 Working with track presets
287 Introduction
287 Types of track presets
289 Applying track presets
291 Creating a track preset
292 Creating tracks from track presets or VST
presets
4
294 Remote controlling Cubase
294 Introduction
294 Setting Up
296 Operations
297 The Generic Remote device
301 The Remote Control Editor (Cubase
Elements only)
307 Apple Remote (Macintosh only)
308 MIDI realtime parameters
308 Introduction
308 The Inspector – general handling
309 The Inspector sections
314 Using MIDI devices
314 Background
314 MIDI devices – general settings and patch
handling
320 MIDI processing
320 Introduction
322 Making your settings permanent
323 Dissolve Part
324 Repeat Loop
325 Other MIDI functions
329 The MIDI editors
329 Introduction
330 Opening a MIDI editor
331 The Key Editor – Overview
335 Key Editor operations
357 The Drum Editor – Overview
359 Drum Editor operations
361 Working with drum maps
365 Using drum name lists
365 Working with SysEx messages
367 Recording SysEx parameter changes
367 Editing SysEx messages
368 The Score Editor – Overview
370 Score Editor operations
380 Working with the Chord Functions
380 Introduction
380 The Chord Track
383 The Chord Track Inspector Section
387 The Chord Editor
388 Creating a Chord Progression from
Scratch (Chords to MIDI)
389 Extracting Chords from MIDI (Make
Chords)
390 Controlling MIDI Playback with the Chord
Track (Follow Chords)
391 Editing tempo and signature
391 Background
391 Tempo and signature display
393 Editing tempo and signature
395 The Beat Calculator
397 Adjusting the audio to the project tempo
398 Export Audio Mixdown
398 Introduction
398 Mixing down to audio files
400 The Export Audio Mixdown dialog
402 The available file formats
408 Synchronization
408 Background
408 Timecode (positional references)
410 Clock sources (speed references)
411 The Project Synchronization Setup dialog
413 Synchronized operation
414 Working with VST System Link
417 Activating VST System Link
424 Video
424 Before you start
426 Preparing a video project in Cubase
428 Video files in the Project window
429 Playing back video
431 Editing video
432 Extracting audio from a video file
432 Replacing the audio in a video file
433 ReWire (not in Cubase LE)
433 Introduction
433 Launching and quitting
434 Activating ReWire channels
435 Using the transport and tempo controls
435 How the ReWire channels are handled in
Cubase
436 Routing MIDI via ReWire2
436 Considerations and limitations
437 File handling
437 Importing audio
442 Exporting and importing standard MIDI
files
445 Exporting and importing MIDI loops
446 Customizing
446 Background
446 Using the Setup options
448 Customizing track controls
451 Appearance
453 Applying colors in the Project window
456 Where are the settings stored?
458 Key commands
458 Introduction
459 Setting up key commands
462 Setting up tool modifier keys
463 The default key commands
469 Index
5
About the Program Versions
The documentation covers two different operating systems or “platforms”, Windows
and Mac OS X. Some features and settings are specific to one of the platforms.
This is clearly stated in the applicable cases. If nothing else is said, all descriptions
and procedures in the documentation are valid for both Windows and Mac OS X.
The screenshots are taken from the Windows version of Cubase.
Key Command Conventions
Many of the default key commands in Cubase use modifier keys, some of which are
different depending on the operating system. For example, the default key command
for Undo is [Ctrl]-[Z] on Windows and [Command]-[Z] on Mac OS X systems.
When key commands with modifier keys are described in this manual, they are shown
with the Windows modifier key first, in the following way:
[Win modifier key]/[Mac modifier key]-[key]
Introduction
For example, [Ctrl]/[Command]-[Z] means “press [Ctrl] on Windows or [Command]
on Mac OS X systems, then press [Z]”.
Similarly, [Alt]/[Option]-[X] means “press [Alt] on Windows or [Option] on Mac OS X
systems, then press [X]”.
Ö This manual often refers to right-clicking, for example, to open context menus. If you
are using a Mac with a single-button mouse, hold down [Ctrl] and click.
6
Setting up audio
!
Make sure that all equipment is turned off before making any connections!
Connecting audio
Exactly how to set up your system depends on many different factors, e. g. the kind of
project you wish to create, the external equipment you want to use, or the computer
hardware available to you. Therefore, the following sections can only serve as examples.
How you connect your equipment, i. e. whether you use digital or analog connections,
also depends on your individual setup.
Stereo input and output – the simplest connection
If you only use a stereo input and output from Cubase, you can connect your audio
hardware, e.
input source and the outputs to a power amplifier and speaker.
Setting up your system
g. the inputs of your audio card or your audio interface, directly to the
Simple stereo
audio setup
This is probably the simplest of all setups – once you have set up the internal input
and output busses, you can connect your audio source, e.
audio interface and start recording.
g. a microphone, to your
7
Multi-channel
audio setup
using an
external mixer
Setting up audio
Multi-channel input and output
Most likely however, you will have other audio equipment that you want to integrate
with Cubase, using several input and output channels. Depending on the equipment
available to you, there are two ways to go: either mixing using an external mixing desk,
or mixing using the MixConsole inside Cubase.
• External mixing means having a hardware mixing device with a group or bus system
that can be used for feeding inputs on your audio hardware.
In the example below, four busses are used for feeding signals to the audio
hardware’s inputs. The four outputs are connected back to the mixer for monitoring
and playback. Remaining mixer inputs can be used for connecting audio sources
like microphones, instruments, etc.
Mixing inside
Cubase
Ö When connecting an input source (like a mixer) to the audio hardware, you should use
output busses, sends or similar that are separate from the mixer’s master output, to
avoid recording what you are playing back. You may also have mixing hardware that
can be connected via FireWire.
• When using the MixConsole inside Cubase, you can use the inputs on your audio
hardware to connect microphones and/or external devices. Use the outputs to
connect your monitoring equipment.
Cubase supports a number of surround formats.
Recording from a CD player
Most computers come with a CD-ROM drive that can also be used as a regular CD
player. In some cases the CD player is internally connected to the audio hardware so
that you can record the output of the CD player directly into Cubase (consult the
audio hardware documentation if you are uncertain).
• All routing and level adjustments for recording from a CD (if available) are done in
the audio hardware setup application (see below).
8
Setting up your system
Setting up audio
!
!
!
• Cubase Elements only: You can also grab audio tracks directly from a CD in
Cubase (see the chapter
“File handling” on page 437).
Word clock connections
If you are using a digital audio connection, you may also need a word clock
connection between the audio hardware and external devices. Please refer to the
documentation that came with the audio hardware for details.
It is very important that word clock synchronization is set up correctly, or you may
experience clicks and crackles in your recordings.
About recording levels and inputs
When you connect your equipment, you should make sure that the impedance and
levels of the audio sources and inputs are matched. Typically, different inputs may be
designed for use with microphones, consumer line level (-10
level (+4
dBV), or you may be able to adjust input characteristics on the audio
dBV) or professional line
interface or in its control panel. Please check the audio hardware documentation for
details.
Using the correct types of input is important to avoid distortion or noisy recordings.
Cubase does not provide any input level adjustments for the signals coming in to your
audio hardware, since these are handled differently for each card. Adjusting input
levels is either done in a special application included with the hardware or from its
control panel (see below).
Making settings for the audio hardware
Most audio cards come with one or more small applications that allow you to
configure the inputs of the hardware to your liking. This includes:
- Selecting which inputs/outputs are active.
- Setting up word clock synchronization (if available).
- Turning monitoring via the hardware on/off (see “About monitoring” on page 13).
- Setting levels for each input. This is very important!
- Setting levels for the outputs, so that they match the equipment you use for
monitoring.
- Selecting digital input and output formats.
- Making settings for the audio buffers.
In many cases all available settings for the audio hardware are gathered in a control
panel, which can be opened from within Cubase as described below (or opened
separately, when Cubase isn’t running). In some cases, there may be several different
applications and panels – please refer to the audio hardware documentation for details.
Plug and Play support for ASIO devices
The Steinberg UR824 hardware series supports Plug and Play in Cubase. These
devices can be plugged in and switched on while the application is running. Cubase
will automatically use the driver of the UR824 series and will re-map the VST
connections accordingly.
Steinberg cannot guarantee that this will work with other hardware. If you are unsure
of whether your device supports plug and play, please consult its documentation.
If a device that does not support Plug and Play is connected/disconnected while the
computer is running, it may get damaged.
9
Setting up your system
Selecting a driver and making audio settings in Cubase
!
The first thing you need to do is select the correct driver in Cubase to make sure that
the program can communicate with the audio hardware:
1. Launch Cubase and select Device Setup from the Devices menu.
2. In the Devices list to the left, click on “VST Audio System”.
The VST Audio System page is shown.
Setting up audio
3. On the ASIO Driver menu, select your audio hardware driver.
There may be several options here that all refer to the same audio hardware. When
you have selected a driver, it is added to the Devices list.
Under Windows, we strongly recommend that you access your hardware via an ASIO
driver written specifically for the hardware. If no ASIO driver is installed, we recommend
that you check with your audio hardware manufacturer if they have an ASIO driver
available, for example, for download via the Internet. You can use the Generic Low
Latency ASIO driver if no specific ASIO driver is available.
4. Select the driver in the Devices list to open the driver settings for your audio
hardware.
5. Bring up the control panel for the audio hardware and adjust the settings as
recommended by the audio hardware manufacturer.
• Under Windows, you open the control panel by clicking the Control Panel button.
The control panel that opens when you click this button is provided by the audio
hardware manufacturer – not Cubase (unless you use DirectX, see below). Hence
it will be different for each audio card brand and model.
The control panels for the ASIO DirectX driver and the Generic Low Latency ASIO
Driver (Windows only) are exceptions, in that they are provided by Steinberg and
described in the dialog help, opened by clicking the Help button in the dialog. See
also the notes on DirectX below.
• Under Mac OS X, the control panel for your audio hardware is opened by clicking
the “Open Config App” button on the settings page for your audio device in the
Device Setup dialog.
Note that this button is available only for some hardware products. If “Open Config
App” is not available in your setup, refer to the documentation that came with your
audio hardware for information on where to make hardware settings.
10
Setting up your system
Setting up audio
!
6. If you plan to use several audio applications simultaneously, you may want to
activate the “Release Driver when Application is in Background” option on the VST
Audio System page. This will allow another application to play back via your audio
hardware even though Cubase is running.
The application that is currently active (i. e. the “top window” on the desktop) gets
access to the audio hardware. Make sure that any other audio application
accessing the audio hardware is also set to release the ASIO (or Mac OS X) driver
so Cubase can use it when it becomes the active application again.
7. If your audio hardware receives clock signals from an external sample clock
source, you may want to activate the “Externally Clocked” option on the page for
the driver.
This is described in detail in the section “If your hardware setup is based on an
external clock source” on page 11.
8. If your audio hardware and its driver support ASIO Direct Monitoring, you may
want to activate the Direct Monitoring checkbox on the page for the driver.
Read more about monitoring later in this chapter and in the chapter “Recording”
on page 92.
9. Click Apply and then OK to close the dialog.
If your hardware setup is based on an external clock source
For proper audio playback and recording, it is essential that you set the project’s
sample rate to the sample rate of the incoming clock signals. If you load a project with
a sample rate that is different from your clock source, the program will try to change
the settings of the clock source, which may not be what you want.
By activating the “Externally Clocked” option, you “tell” Cubase that it receives
external clock signals and therefore derives its speed from that source. The program
will not try to change the hardware sample rate any longer. The sample rate mismatch
is accepted and playback will therefore be faster or slower. For more information
about the Sample Rate setting, see
“The Project Setup dialog” on page 51.
Ö When a sample rate mismatch occurs, the Record Format field on the status line is
highlighted in a different color.
If you are using audio hardware with a DirectX driver (Windows only)
A DirectX driver is the next best option to a specific ASIO driver and the Generic Low
Latency ASIO driver.
Cubase comes with a driver called ASIO DirectX Full Duplex, available for selection
on the ASIO Driver pop-up menu (VST Audio System page).
Ö To take advantage of DirectX Full Duplex, the audio hardware must support WDM
(Windows Driver Model).
When the ASIO DirectX Full Duplex driver is selected in the Device Setup dialog, you
can open the ASIO Control Panel and adjust the following settings (for more details,
click the Help button in the control panel):
• Direct Sound Output and Input Ports
In the list on the left in the window, all available Direct Sound output and input
ports are listed. In many cases, there will be only one port in each list. To activate
or deactivate a port in the list, click the checkbox in the left column. If the checkbox
is ticked, the port is activated.
11
Setting up your system
• You can edit the Buffer Size and Offset settings in this list if necessary, by double-
!
clicking on the value and typing in a new value.
In most cases, the default settings will work fine. Audio buffers are used when audio
data is transferred between Cubase and the audio card. While larger buffers ensure
that playback will occur without glitches, the latency (the time between the moment
Cubase sends out the data and when it actually reaches the output) will be higher.
• Offset
If a constant offset is audible during playback of Audio and MIDI recordings, you
can adjust the output or input latency time using this value.
Setting up the input and output ports
Once you have selected the driver and made the settings as described above, you
need to specify which inputs and outputs will be used and name these:
1. In the Device Setup dialog, select your driver in the Devices list on the left to
display the driver settings for your audio hardware.
Setting up audio
All input and output ports on the audio hardware are listed.
2. To hide a port, click in the “Visible” column for the port (deselecting the checkbox).
Ports that are not visible cannot be selected in the VST Connections window
where you set up your input and output busses – see the chapter
“VST
Connections” on page 21.
If you attempt to hide a port that is already used by a bus you will be asked whether
this is really what you want – note that this will disable the port!
3. To rename a port, click on its name in the “Show as” column and type in a new
name.
• It is a good idea to give your ports names that are related to the channel
configuration (rather than to the actual hardware model)!
4. Click OK to close the Device Setup dialog and apply your changes.
12
Setting up your system
About monitoring
In Cubase, monitoring means listening to the input signal while preparing to record or
while recording. There are three ways to monitor:
External monitoring
External monitoring (listening to the input signal before it goes into Cubase) requires
an external mixer for mixing the audio playback with the input signal. This can be a
classic mixing desk or a mixer application for your audio hardware, if this has a mode
in which the input audio is sent back out again (usually called “Thru”, “Direct Thru” or
similar).
Via Cubase
In this case, the audio passes from the input into Cubase, possibly through Cubase
effects and EQ and then back to the output. You control monitoring via settings in
Cubase.
This allows you to control the monitoring level from Cubase and add effects to the
monitored signal only.
ASIO Direct Monitoring
Setting up audio
If your audio hardware is ASIO 2.0 compatible, it may support ASIO Direct Monitoring
(this feature may also be available for audio hardware with Mac OS X drivers). In this
mode, the actual monitoring is done in the audio hardware, by sending the input signal
back out again. However, monitoring is controlled from Cubase. This means that the
audio hardware’s direct monitoring feature can be turned on or off automatically by
Cubase.
Monitoring is described in detail in the chapter “Recording” on page 92. However,
when setting up, there is one thing to note:
• If you want to use the external monitoring via your audio hardware, make sure that
the corresponding functions are activated in the card’s mixer application.
Ö If you are using RME Audio Hammerfall DSP audio hardware, make sure that the pan
law is set to -3
dB in the card’s preferences.
13
Setting up your system
Setting up MIDI
!
!
Make sure that all equipment is turned off before making any connections!
This section describes how to connect and set up MIDI equipment. If you have no
MIDI equipment, you can skip this section. Note that this is only an example – you
might need or want to hook things up differently!
Connecting the MIDI equipment
In this example we assume that you have a MIDI keyboard and an external MIDI sound
module. The keyboard is used both for feeding the computer with MIDI messages for
recording and for playing back MIDI tracks. The sound module is used for playback
only. Using Cubase’s MIDI Thru feature (described later) you will be able to hear the
correct sound from the sound module while playing the keyboard or recording.
A typical MIDI
Setup
Setting up MIDI
If you want to use even more instruments for playback, simply connect MIDI Thru on
the sound module to MIDI In on the next instrument, and so on. In this hook-up, you
will always play the first keyboard when recording. But you can still use all your
devices for providing sounds on playback.
If you plan to use more than three sound sources, we recommend that you either use
an interface with more than one output, or a separate MIDI Thru box instead of the
Thru jacks on each unit.
14
Setting up your system
Setting MIDI Thru and Local On/Off
When “MIDI Thru” is active in Cubase, MIDI
data received is immediately “echoed” back out.
When you press a key, it is sent out via MIDI to
Cubase.
MIDI data coming in to the instrument is
played by the “Synth” inside it.
When Local Control is turned on in the instrument, the keys you press will be played by the
“Synth” inside the instrument. When Local
Control is turned off, this connection is cut off.
“Synth”
On the MIDI page in the Preferences dialog (located on the File menu under Windows
and on the Cubase menu under Mac OS X), you will find a setting called “MIDI Thru
Active”. This is related to a setting in your instrument called “Local On/Off” or “Local
Control On/Off”.
- If you use a MIDI keyboard instrument, as described earlier in this chapter, MIDI Thru
should be activated and that instrument should be set to Local Off (sometimes
called Local Control Off – see the instrument’s operation manual for details). The
MIDI signal from the keyboard will be recorded in Cubase and at the same time be
re-routed back to the instrument so that you hear what you are playing, without the
keyboard “triggering” its own sounds.
Setting up MIDI
- If you use a separate MIDI keyboard – one that does not produce any sounds
itself
– MIDI Thru in Cubase should also be activated, but you don’t need to look
for any Local On/Off setting in your instruments.
- The only case where MIDI Thru should be deactivated is if you use Cubase with
only one keyboard instrument and that instrument cannot be set to Local Off
mode.
- MIDI Thru will be active only for MIDI tracks that are record enabled and/or have
the Monitor button activated. See the chapter
information.
Setting up MIDI ports in Cubase
The Device Setup dialog lets you set up your MIDI system as follows:
Ö When you change MIDI port settings in the Device Setup dialog, these are
automatically applied.
Showing or hiding MIDI Ports
The MIDI ports are listed in the Device Setup dialog on the MIDI Port Setup page. By
clicking in the “Visible” column for a MIDI input or output, you can specify whether or
not it is listed on the MIDI pop-up menus in the program.
If you are trying to hide a MIDI port which is already selected for a track or a MIDI
device, a warning message will appear, allowing you to hide – and disconnect – the
port or to cancel the operation and keep the MIDI port visible.
“Recording” on page 92 for more
15
Setting up your system
Setting up the “All MIDI Inputs” option
!
When you record MIDI in Cubase, you can specify which MIDI input each recording
MIDI track should use. However, you can also select the “In ‘All MIDI Inputs’” option
for an input port, which causes any MIDI data from any MIDI input to be recorded.
The “In ‘All MIDI Inputs’” option on the MIDI Port Setup page allows you to specify
which inputs are included when you select All MIDI Inputs for a MIDI track. This can be
especially useful if your system provides several instances of the same physical MIDI
input – by deactivating the duplicates you make sure only the desired MIDI data is
recorded.
Ö If you have a MIDI remote control unit connected, you should also make sure to
deactivate the “In ‘All MIDI Inputs’” option for that MIDI input. This will avoid
accidentally recording the data from the remote control when the “All MIDI Inputs”
option is selected as input for a MIDI track.
Connecting a synchronizer
Make sure that all equipment is turned off before making any connections!
When using Cubase with external tape transports, you will most likely need to add a
synchronizer to your system. All connections and setup procedures for synchronization
are described in the chapter
Connecting a synchronizer
“Synchronization” on page 408.
Setting up video
Cubase plays back video files in a number of formats, such as AVI, QuickTime, or
MPEG. QuickTime is used as playback engine. Which formats can be played back
depends on the video codecs installed on your system, see the chapter
page 424.
There are several ways to play back video, e. g. without any special hardware, using a
FireWire port, or using dedicated video cards, see
If you plan to use special video hardware, install it and set it up as recommended by
the manufacturer.
Before you use the video hardware with Cubase, we recommend that you test the
hardware installation with the utility applications that came with the hardware and/or
the QuickTime Player application.
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. This text is very brief. Look for details
and current information on the Cubase web site.
Two aspects of performance
There are two distinct aspects of performance with respect to Cubase.
“Video” on
“Video output devices” on page 425.
Tracks and effects
Simply put: the faster your computer, the more tracks, effects and EQ you will be able
to play. Exactly what constitutes a “fast computer” is almost a science in itself, but
some hints are given below.
16
Setting up your system
Optimizing audio performance
!
!
Short response times (latency)
Another aspect of performance is response time. The term “latency” refers to the
“buffering”, i.
e. the temporary storing, of small chunks of audio data during various
steps of the recording and playback process on a computer. The more and larger
those chunks, the higher the latency.
High latency is most irritating when playing VST instruments and when monitoring
through the computer, i.
e. when listening to a live audio source via the Cubase
MixConsole and effects. However, very long latency times (several hundred
milliseconds) can also affect other processes like mixing, e.
g. when the effect of a
fader movement is heard only after a noticeable delay.
While Direct Monitoring and other techniques reduce the problems associated with
very long latency times, a system that responds fast will always be more convenient to
work with.
• Depending on your audio hardware, it may be possible to “trim” your latency times,
usually by lowering the size and the number of buffers.
For details, refer to the audio hardware documentation, or, if you are using a
DirectX driver under Windows, the dialog help.
System factors that affect performance
RAM
Generally speaking, the more RAM is installed in your computer, the better.
On computers running a Windows 32-bit operating system, a running application can
address a maximum of 2
this limit is 4
GB.The 64-bit versions of Windows and Mac OS X are able to assign
considerably more than 4
This limitation is imposed by the operating system, and it is independent of the amount
of RAM that you may have installed in your computer.
Some program functions may “eat up” all the available memory, e. g. recording, the
use of effect plug-ins, and the pre-loading of samples.
When a function has used up all the memory made available by the operating system,
the computer will crash.
Always keep in mind the RAM limitation of your operating system when setting up your
projects.
CPU and processor cache
It goes without saying that the faster the computer processor, the better. But there are
a number of factors that affect the apparent speed of a computer: the bus speed and
type (PCI is strongly recommended), the processor cache size and of course, the
processor type and brand. Cubase relies heavily on floating point calculations. When
shopping for a processor, please make sure that you get one that is powerful in
calculating floating point arithmetics.
Note also that Cubase features full support for multi-processor systems. So, if you
own a computer system with more than one processor, Cubase can take advantage of
the total capacity and evenly distribute the processing load to all available processors.
For further information, see
GB of RAM. On a Macintosh computer running Mac OS X,
GB of RAM to a running 64-bit application.
“Multi processing” on page 18.
17
Setting up your system
Optimizing audio performance
!
Hard disk and controller
The number of hard disk tracks 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. DMA transfer mode is enabled by default, but may be turned off
by the system should hardware problems occur.
Audio hardware and driver
The hardware and its driver can have some effect on regular performance. A badly
written driver can reduce the performance of your computer. But where the hardware
driver design makes the most difference is with latency.
Again, we strongly recommend that you use audio hardware for which there is a
specific ASIO driver!
This is especially true when using Cubase for Windows:
• Under Windows, ASIO drivers written specifically for the hardware are more
efficient than the Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver or a DirectX driver and
produce shorter latency times.
• Under Mac OS X, audio hardware with properly written Mac OS X (Core Audio)
drivers can be very efficient and produce very low latency times.
However, there are additional features currently only available with ASIO drivers,
such as the ASIO Positioning Protocol.
Making settings that affect performance
Audio buffer settings
Audio buffers affect how audio is sent to and from the audio hardware. The size of the
audio buffers affects both the latency and the audio performance. Generally, the
smaller the buffer size, the lower the latency. On the other hand, working with small
buffers can be demanding for the computer. If the audio buffers are too small, you may
get clicks, pops or other audio playback problems.
• Under Mac OS X, you can adjust the size of the buffers on the VST Audio System
page in the Device Setup dialog.
You may also find buffer settings in the control panel for the audio hardware.
• Under Windows, you adjust the buffer size settings in the control panel for the
audio hardware (opened by clicking the Control Panel button on the driver page in
the Device Setup dialog).
Multi processing
On the VST Audio System page you will find the “Advanced options” section. Here
you find advanced settings for the VST Engine, including a Multi Processing option.
When this 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.
18
Setting up your system
The VST Performance Window
The VST Performance window shows the audio processing load and the hard disk
transfer rate. This allows you to verify that you do not run into performance problems
when adding effects or plug-ins, for example.
• To open the VST Performance window, open the Devices menu and select “VST
Performance”.
• The “Average Load” indicator shows how much of the available CPU power is
used for audio processing.
• The “Real-time Peak” indicator shows the processing load in the realtime path of
the audio engine.
The higher this value, the higher the risk that drop outs might occur.
• The Overload indicator to the right indicates overloads of the average or real-time
indicator.
If it lights up, try decreasing the number of EQ modules, active effects, and audio
channels that play back simultaneously. You can also activate the ASIO-Guard,
see
“The ASIO-Guard Option” on page 20.
• The disk indicator shows the hard disk transfer load.
The VST Performance Window
• The overload indicator to the right of the disk indicator lights up, if the hard disk
does not supply data fast enough.
Try using the Disable Track function to reduce the number of tracks playing back.
If this does not help, you need a faster hard disk.
Ö 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.
19
Setting up your system
The ASIO-Guard Option
The ASIO-Guard option in the VST Audio System page of the Device Setup dialog
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.
The ASIO-Guard allows you to preprocess all audio channels that do not need to be
calculated in realtime. This leads to less drop-outs, the ability to process more tracks
or plug-ins, and the ability to use smaller buffer sizes.
To activate ASIO-Guard, proceed as follows:
1. Open the Devices menu, and select “Device Setup…”.
2. Open the VST Audio System page and activate the ASIO-Guard option.
This is only available if the Multi Processing option is activated, see “Multi
processing” on page 18.
Restrictions
Only the audio channels with their plug-ins as well as VST instruments support the
ASIO-Guard technology. To get an overview of the plug-ins that support it, open the
Devices menu and select “Plug-in Information” to open the Plug-in Information window.
To activate or deactivate the processing of a plug-in in the ASIO-Guard path, check or
uncheck it in the ASIO-Guard column.
The ASIO-Guard cannot be used for:
The ASIO-Guard Option
- Realtime-dependent signals
- VST instruments with more than one MIDI source
- External effects and instruments
- Plug-ins that have a different bit version than Cubase
If you activate the monitoring for an input channel, the audio channel is automatically
switched from ASIO-Guard to realtime processing and vice versa. This results in a
gentle fade out and fade in of the audio channel.
20
Setting up your system
About this chapter
This chapter focuses on the settings you can perform in the VST Connections
window. Here you can set up input and output busses.
Since input and output busses are vital for working with Cubase, a large part of this
chapter concentrates on busses and this is also the reason why you find this chapter
at the beginning of the Operation Manual.
The VST Connections window
VST Connections
The VST Connections window is opened from the Devices menu. It contains an Inputs
and an Outputs tab, which allow you to set up your busses.
Setting up busses
Cubase uses a system of input and output busses to transfer audio between the
program and the audio hardware.
- Input busses let you route audio from the inputs on your audio hardware into the
program. This means that when you record audio, you will always do this through
one or several input busses.
- Output busses let you route audio from the program to the outputs on your audio
hardware. When you play back audio, you will always do this through one or
several output busses.
Once you understand the bus system and know how to set up the busses properly, it
will be easy to go on with recording, playing back and mixing.
21
Strategies
Setting up busses
The bus configuration is saved with the project – therefore it is a good idea to add and
set up the busses you need and save these in a template project (see
Template” on page 47).
When you start working on new projects, you start from this template. That way you
get your standard bus configuration without having to make new bus settings for each
new project. If you need to work with different bus configurations in different projects,
you can either create several different templates or save your configurations as
presets (see
settings that you regularly use – sample rate, record format, a basic track layout, etc.
Input busses
- Most likely you need at least one stereo input bus assigned to an analog input pair.
This will let you record stereo material. If you want to be able to record in stereo
from other analog input pairs as well, you add stereo input busses for these, too.
- Although you can record mono tracks from one side of a stereo input, it may be a
good idea to add a dedicated mono input bus. This can be assigned to an analog
input to which you have connected a dedicated microphone pre-amp, for example.
Again, you can have several different mono busses.
- You probably want a dedicated stereo input bus assigned to the digital stereo
input, for digital transfers.
“Presets” on page 24). The templates can of course also contain other
“Save as
Output busses
Preparations
Before you set up busses, you should name the inputs and outputs on your audio
hardware.
The reason for this is compatibility – it makes it easier to transfer projects between
different computers and setups. For example, if you move your project to another
studio, the audio hardware may be of a different model. But if both you and the other
studio owner have given your inputs and outputs names according to the setup (rather
than names based on the audio hardware model), Cubase will automatically find the
correct inputs and outputs for your busses and you will be able to play and record
without having to change the settings.
To assign names to the inputs and outputs of your audio hardware, proceed as
follows:
1. Open the Device Setup dialog from the Devices menu.
2. On the VST Audio System page, make sure that the correct driver for your audio
3. In the Devices list, select your audio card.
4. To rename a port, click on its name in the Show As column and enter a new name.
- You probably want one or several stereo output busses for monitoring and
listening to stereo mixes.
- For digital transfers, you need a stereo bus assigned to the digital stereo output as
well.
hardware is selected.
If this is the case, your audio card is listed in the Devices list on the left of the
Device Setup window.
The available input and output ports on your audio hardware are listed on the right.
• If needed, you can also disable ports by deactivating them in the Visible column.
Disabled ports are not shown in the VST Connections window. If you attempt to
disable a port that is used by a bus, you will be asked whether this is really what
you want – note that this will remove the port from the bus!
22
VST Connections
5. Click OK to close the Device Setup dialog.
Ö If you open a project created on another computer and the port names do not match
(or the port configuration is not the same), the Missing Ports dialog will appear. This
allows you to manually re-route ports used in the project to ports available in your
system.
Mac OS X only: Port selection and activation
On the settings page for your audio card (opened via the Device Setup dialog, see
above), you can specify which input and output ports are active. This allows you to
use the Microphone input instead of the Line input or even to deactivate the audio
card input or output completely, if required.
Ö This function is only available for Built-In Audio, standard USB audio devices and a
certain number of other audio cards.
Adding input and output busses
Depending on whether you have selected the Inputs or the Outputs tab in the VST
Connections window, the corresponding busses are listed, with the following
information:
Setting up busses
Column Description
Bus Name Lists the busses. You can select and rename busses by clicking
on them in this column.
Speakers Indicates the speaker configuration (mono, stereo) of each bus.
Audio Device This shows the currently selected ASIO driver.
Device Port If a bus entry is expanded to show all speaker channels, this
column shows which physical inputs/outputs on your audio
hardware are used by the bus. If the bus entry is collapsed, only
the first port used by this bus is visible here.
Click (Outputs tab only) You can route the click to a specific output bus.
To add an input or output bus, proceed as follows:
1. Open the Inputs or Outputs tab depending on the type of bus that you want to
add.
2. Click the Add Bus button.
A dialog opens.
3. Select a (channel) configuration.
You can add stereo and mono busses.
4. Enter a name for the bus.
If you do not specify a name, the bus is named according to the channel
configuration.
5. Click the Add Bus button.
The new bus appears with the ports visible.
6. For each of the speaker channels in the bus, click in the Device Port column to
select a port on your audio hardware.
The pop-up menu that opens lists the ports with the names you have assigned in
the Device Setup dialog.
23
VST Connections
Setting the Main Mix bus (the default output bus)
!
The Main Mix is the output bus that each new audio, group or FX channel is
automatically routed to.
Any of the output busses in the VST Connections window can be the default output
bus. By right-clicking on the name of an output bus, you can set it as the Main Mix bus.
The Main Mix is indicated by an orange colored speaker icon next to its name.
Routing
Presets
Routing
On the Inputs and Outputs tabs you will find a Presets menu. Here you can find three
different types of presets:
• A number of standard bus configurations.
• Automatically created presets tailored to your specific hardware configuration.
On startup, Cubase analyzes the physical inputs and outputs provided by your
audio hardware and creates a number of hardware-dependent presets with the
following possible configurations:
- One stereo bus.
- Various combinations of stereo and mono busses.
- A number of mono busses.
• Your own user presets that you can save by clicking the Store button (“+” symbol).
You can then select the stored configuration directly from the Presets pop-up
menu at any time. To remove a stored preset, select it and click the Delete button
(“-” symbol).
When you play back an audio track (or any other audio-related channel in the
MixConsole), you route it to an output bus. In the same way, when you record on an
audio track you select from which input bus the audio should be sent.
• You can select input and output busses in the Inspector using the Input and
Output Routing pop-up menus.
Ö For audio-related channel types other than audio track channels (e.g. VST instrument
channels), only the Output Routing pop-up menu is available.
When selecting an input bus for a track you can only select busses that correspond to
the track’s channel configuration. Here are the details for input busses:
- Mono tracks can be routed to mono input busses or individual channels within a
stereo input bus.
- Stereo tracks can be routed to mono or stereo input busses.
24
VST Connections
For output busses any assignment is possible.
!
Assignments that will lead to feedback are not available in the pop-up menu. This is
also indicated by a one-way symbol.
• To disconnect input or output bus assignments, select “No Bus” from the
corresponding pop-up menu.
About monitoring
The Main Mix bus (the default output bus) is used for monitoring (see “Setting the
Main Mix bus (the default output bus)” on page 24). You can adjust the monitoring
level in the MixConsole.
Editing operations
On the different tabs of the VST Connections window the corresponding busses are
shown in a table containing a tree view with expandable entries. After you have set up
all the required busses for a project it might be necessary to edit the names and/or
change port assignments. Cubase provides a number of features to make such tasks
easier.
About monitoring
Expanding and collapsing entries
• Bus entries can be expanded or collapsed to show or hide the corresponding
speaker channels or sub-busses by clicking the “+” or “-” sign in front of the
corresponding list entry.
• To expand or collapse all entries on a tab at the same time, use the “+ All” button
or the “-
Determining how many busses a device port is connected to
To give you an idea how many busses a given port is already connected to, the busses
are shown in square brackets on the Device Port pop-up menu, to the right of the port
name.
Up to three bus assignments can be displayed in this way. If more connections have
been made, this is indicated by a number at the far right.
Therefore, if you see the following:
Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)…
this means that the Adat 1 port is already assigned to three stereo busses plus two
additional busses.
Identifying exclusive port assignments
In some cases (i. e. for certain channel types), the port assignment is exclusive. Once
a port has been assigned to such a bus or channel, it must not be assigned to another
bus, otherwise the connection to the first bus will be broken.
To help you identify such exclusive port assignments and avoid accidental
reassignment, the corresponding ports are marked in red on the Device Port pop-up
menu.
All” button (respectively) above the tree view.
25
VST Connections
Editing operations
!
!
Selecting/Deselecting multiple entries
• Using the key commands [Ctrl]/[Command]-[A] (Select All) and [Shift]-
[Ctrl]/[Command]-[A] (Select None), you can select and deselect all entries in the
Bus Name column.
Note that for this to work, the table on the current tab needs to have the focus. This
can be achieved by clicking anywhere on the background of the table.
• By holding [Shift] when selecting entries in the Bus Name column, you can select
multiple entries at the same time.
This is useful for automatic renaming or changing the port assignments globally,
see below.
Ö If you select a subentry (e. g. a speaker channel in a bus) the parent entry is
automatically selected as well.
Selecting entries by typing the name
In the Bus Name list you can jump to an entry by typing the first letter of the bus name
on the keyboard.
This will only work if the table has the focus. To do this, simply select any list entry.
Navigating the Bus Name list using the [Tab] key
By pressing the [Tab] key you can jump to the next entry in the Bus Name list, allowing
you to rename your busses quickly. Similarly, by pressing [Shift]-[Tab] you can return
to the previous list entry.
Automatically renaming selected busses
You can rename all the selected busses at once using incrementing numbers or letters.
• To use incrementing numbers, select the busses that you want to rename and
enter a new name for one of the busses, followed by a number.
For example, if you have eight inputs that you want to be named “In 1, In 2, …,
In
8”, you select all the busses and enter the name “In 1” for the first bus. All other
busses are then renamed automatically.
• To use letters from the alphabet, proceed as with numbers, but enter a capital
letter instead of a number.
For example, if you have three FX channels that you want to be named “FX A, FX B,
and FX C”, you select all the channels and enter the name “FX
A” for the first. All
other channels are then renamed automatically. The last letter that can be used is
Z. If you have more selected entries than there are letters available, the remaining
entries will be skipped.
When using letters instead of numbers, it is important to note that these must be
preceded by a space. If you leave out the space before the letter or if you do enter
neither a letter nor a number, only the first selected entry is renamed.
Ö You do not have to begin renaming with the topmost selected entry. The renaming will
start from the bus where you edit the name, will go down the list to the bottom and
then continue from the top until all selected busses have been renamed.
Changing the port assignment for a single bus
To change the port assignment for a single bus, you proceed as when you added it:
Make sure that the channels are visible and click in the Device Port column to select
ports.
26
VST Connections
Editing operations
Changing the port assignment for multiple busses
To change the port assignment (or the output routing in case of groups/FX channels)
for multiple entries in the Bus Name column at the same time, you need to select the
corresponding busses first.
• To assign different ports to the selected busses, press [Shift], open the Device
Port pop-up menu for the first selected entry (i.
device port.
All subsequent busses are automatically connected to the next available port.
• To assign the same port to all selected busses, press [Shift]-[Alt]/[Option], open
the Device Port pop-up menu for the first selected entry (i.
select a device port.
Ö You can also set all selected busses or channels to Not Connected.
Removing busses
To remove a bus you do not need, select it in the list, right-click and select Remove
Bus from the pop-up menu, or press [Backspace].
e. the topmost bus) and select a
e. the topmost bus) and
27
VST Connections
Window Overview
Project
overview
Event display
Inspector
Ruler
Status line
Toolbar
Track list
Info line
The Project window is the main window in Cubase. This provides you with an overview
of the project, allowing you to navigate and perform large scale editing. Each project has
one Project window.
The Project window
About tracks
The Project window is divided vertically into tracks, with a timeline running horizontally
from left to right. The following track types are available:
Track type Description
Audio For recording and playing back audio events and audio parts. Each
Folder Folder tracks function as containers for other tracks, making it easier to
FX Channel FX channel tracks are used for adding send effects. Each FX channel can
audio track has a corresponding audio channel in the MixConsole.
An audio track can have any number of automation tracks for
automating channel parameters, effect settings, etc.
organize and manage the track structure. They also allow you to edit
several tracks at the same time, see
on page 80.
contain up to eight effect processors – by routing sends from an audio
channel to an FX channel, you send audio from the audio channel to the
effect(s) on the FX channel. Each FX channel has a corresponding
channel in the MixConsole – in essence an effect return channel, see the
chapter
automatically placed in a special FX channel folder in the track list, for
easy management. An FX channel can also have any number of
automation tracks for automating channel parameters, effect settings, etc.
“Audio effects” on page 168. All FX channel tracks are
“Organizing tracks in folder tracks”
28
Window Overview
Track type Description
Group Channel By routing several audio channels to a Group channel, you can submix
them, apply the same effects to them, see
page 155.
A Group channel track contains no events as such, but displays settings
and automation curves for the corresponding Group channel. Each
Group channel track has a corresponding channel in the MixConsole. In
the Project window, Group channels are organized as tracks in a special
Group Tracks folder.
Instrument This allows you to create a track for a dedicated instrument, making VST
instrument handling easier and more intuitive. Instrument tracks have a
corresponding channel in the MixConsole. Each instrument track can
have any number of automation tracks in the Project window. However,
Volume and Pan are automated from within the MixConsole. For more
information on instrument tracks, see the chapter
instrument tracks” on page 186.
MIDI For recording and playing back MIDI parts. Each MIDI track has a
corresponding MIDI channel in the MixConsole.
A MIDI track can have any number of automation tracks for automating
MixConsole channel parameters, insert and send effect settings, etc.
Marker Marker tracks display markers which can be moved and renamed directly
in the Project window (see the chapter
project can have only one marker track.
Arranger
(Cubase
Elements only)
Ruler Ruler tracks contain additional rulers, displaying the timeline from left to
Video For playing back video events. A project can only have one video track.
Chord The chord track allows you to create chord events, see “Working with
The arranger track is used for arranging your project, by marking out
sections in the project and determining in which order they are to be
played back. See the chapter
only)” on page 126 for details.
right. You can use any number of ruler tracks, each with a different display
format if you wish. See
the ruler and the display formats.
the Chord Functions” on page 380.
“The ruler” on page 37 for more information about
“The arranger track (Cubase Elements
“About Group Channels” on
“VST instruments and
“Using markers” on page 135). A
About parts and events
The tracks in the Project window contain parts and/or events. Events are the basic
building blocks in Cubase. 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. To edit the individual MIDI events in a part, you have to open the part in a
MIDI editor (see
“The MIDI editors” on page 329).
29
The Project window
- Audio events can be displayed and edited directly in the Project window, but you
An audio event and an audio part
Getting on-the-fly info with the Object Selection tool
If the “Object Selection tool: Show Extra Info” option is activated in the Preferences
dialog (Editing–Tools page), a tooltip will be shown for the Object Selection tool,
displaying information depending on where you point it. For example, in the Project
window event display, the tool will show the current pointer position and the name of
the track and event you are pointing at.
The track list
The track list
can also work with audio parts containing several events. This is useful if you have
a number of events which you want to treat as one unit in the project. Audio parts
also contain information about the time position in the project.
The track list displays all the tracks used in a project. It contains name fields and
settings for the tracks. Different track types have different controls in the track list. To
see all available controls, you may have to resize the track in the track list (see
“Resizing tracks” on page 76).
The track list showing a MIDI track, an audio track with an automation track, and a VST instrument track
• Using the Track Controls Settings dialog you can decide which controls are visible
for each track type, see
“Customizing track controls” on page 448.
30
The Project window
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