Steinberg Cubase Artist - 10.0 Operation Manual

Operation Manual

Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Lillie Harris, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, Sabine Pfeifer, Benjamin Schütte, Marita Sladek

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 specically 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.

Cubase_10.0.0_en-US_2018-11-14

8 Introduction

8 Platform-Independent Documentation 8 PDF Documents and Online Documentation 9 Conventions 10 Key Commands

11 Setting up Your System

11 Setting up Audio 18 Setting up MIDI 20 Synchronizers

21 Audio Connections

21 Audio Connections Window 26 Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs 28 Adding Input and Output Busses 28 Adding Child Busses (Cubase Pro only) 29 Presets for Input and Output Busses 29 Adding Group and FX Channels (Cubase Pro

only)

30 Monitoring Bus 30 External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro

only)

36 Bus Congurations

38 Project Window

39 Showing/Hiding Zones 39 Project Zone 54 Left Zone 63 Lower Zone 69 Right Zone 75 Keyboard Focus in the Project Window 76 Zooming in the Project Window 80 Snap Function 82 Cross-Hair Cursor 83 Edit History Dialog 84 Color Handling

89 Project Handling

89 Creating New Projects 89 Hub 91 Project Assistant Dialog 91 Project Files 92 Template Files 93 Project Setup Dialog 96 Opening Project Files 97 Saving Project Files 98 Reverting to the Last Saved Version 98 Choosing a Project Location 99 Self-Contained Projects

101 Tracks

101 Track Inspector Settings Dialog 102 Track Control Settings Dialog

104 Audio Tracks 112 Instrument Tracks 120 Sampler Tracks 126 MIDI Tracks 134 FX Channel Tracks 141 Group Channel Tracks 147 VCA Fader Track (Cubase Pro only) 151 Marker Track 153 Ruler Track 155 Folder Tracks 157 Other Tracks

170 Track Handling

170 Adding Tracks via the Add Track Dialog 170 Adding Other Tracks 171 Adding Tracks Using Track Presets 171 Adding Tracks by Dragging Files from the

MediaBay

172 Track Import (Cubase Pro only) 175 Track Export (Cubase Pro only) 176 Exporting MIDI Tracks as Standard MIDI Files 178 Merging Mono Audio Tracks to Multi-Channel

Tracks

179 Removing Selected Tracks 180 Removing Empty Tracks 180 Moving Tracks in the Track List 180 Renaming Tracks 180 Automatically Assigning Colors to New Tracks 180 Showing Track Pictures 182 Setting the Track Height 183 Selecting Tracks 184 Deselecting Tracks 184 Duplicating Tracks 184 Disabling Tracks 185 Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks 185 Handling Overlapping Audio 186 Track Folding Menu 187 Events Display on Folder Tracks 187 Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks 187 Lanes, Takes and Overlapping Events 190 Dening the Track Time Base 191 Track Versions 198 Track Presets

205 Parts and Events

205 Events 209 Parts 210 Editing Techniques for Parts and Events

225 Range Editing

225 Creating a Selection Range 226 Editing Selection Ranges

Table of Contents

230 Playback and Transport

230 Transport Panel 234 Transport Menu 239 Transport Bar 244 Transport Pop-Up Window 245 Time Display Window 246 Left and Right Locators 247 Setting the Project Cursor Position 248 Auto-Scroll Settings Menu 249 Time Formats 250 Pre-Roll and Post-Roll 251 Punch In and Punch Out 251 Metronome Click 260 Chase

262 On-Screen Keyboard

262 Recording MIDI With the On-Screen Keyboard 262 On-Screen Keyboard Options

264 Recording

264 Basic Recording Methods 268 Monitoring 271 Audio Recording Specics 275 MIDI Recording Specics 281 Remaining Record Time 281 Lock Record

283 Importing Audio and MIDI Files

283 Audio File Import 290 MIDI File Import

292 Quantizing MIDI and Audio

292 Quantize Functions 293 Quantizing MIDI Event Starts 294 Quantizing MIDI Event Lengths 294 Quantizing MIDI Event Ends 294 Quantizing Audio Event Starts 295 Quantizing Audio Event Lengths (AudioWarp

Quantizing) (Cubase Pro only)

295 Quantizing Multiple Audio Tracks (Cubase Pro

only)

297 Quantize Panel

306 Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes

306 Event-Based Fades 310 Creating Clip-Based Fades 311 Crossfades 313 Auto Fades and Crossfades 316 Event Envelopes

318 Arranger Track

318 Adding Arranger Events on the Arranger Track 319 Arranger Editor 322 Setting up an Arranger Chain and Adding

Events

324 Jump Mode 326 Arranging Music to Video

327 Transpose Functions

327 Project Root Key 330 Transpose Track 332 Keep Transpose in Octave Range 333 Transpose on the Info Line 334 Excluding Individual Parts or Events from

Global Transpose

335 Markers

335 Position Markers

335 Cycle Markers 336 Markers Window 340 Marker Track 342 Importing and Exporting Markers

344 MixConsole

344 MixConsole in Lower Zone 347 MixConsole Window

412 VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only)

412 VCA Fader Settings 414 Creating VCA Faders in the MixConsole 415 Assigning VCA Faders to Link Groups 415 Removing VCA Faders from Link Groups 416 Nested VCA Faders 416 VCA Fader Automation

418 Control Room (Cubase Pro only)

418 Adding Channels to the Control Room 419 Output Routing 419 Exclusive Assignment of Monitor Channels 419 Control Room Channels 421 Control Room - Main Tab 426 Control Room - Inserts Tab 428 Setting up a Cue Mix 429 Adjusting the Overall Cue Send Level

431 Metering and Loudness (Cubase Pro only)

431 Metering 432 Loudness Measurement

437 Audio Effects

437 Insert Effects and Send Effects 439 Insert Effects 447 VST Effect Selector 448 Send Effects 453 Side-Chain Input 456 Dither Effects 456 External Effects (Cubase Pro only) 456 Effect Control Panel 459 Effect Presets 463 System Component Information Window

466 Direct Oine Processing

467 Direct Oine Processing Workow 467 Direct Oine Processing Window 478 Built-In Audio Processes 486 Direct Oine Processing Key Commands

488 Time Stretch and Pitch Shift Algorithms

488 élastique 489 MPEX 489 Standard 490 Limitations

491 Audio Functions

491 Detect Silence Dialog 494 Spectrum Analyzer Window 496 Statistics Window

499 Sample Editor

501 Sample Editor Toolbar 505 Info Line 506 Overview Line 506 Sample Editor Inspector 509 Ruler 510 Waveform Display 512 Range Editing 516 Regions List

Table of Contents

518 Snap Point

521 Hitpoints

521 Calculating Hitpoints 524 Locating to Hitpoints in the Project Window 524 Slices 527 Creating a Groove Quantize Map 527 Creating Markers 527 Creating Regions 528 Creating Events 528 Creating Warp Markers 528 Creating MIDI Notes

530 Tempo Matching Audio

530 Algorithm Presets 531 Stretching Audio Events to the Project Tempo 531 Musical Mode 533 Auto Adjust 534 Manual Adjust 535 Free Warp 537 Audio Alignment 540 Flattening Realtime Processing 540 Unstretching Audio Files

542 VariAudio (Cubase Pro only)

542 VariAudio and Oine Processes 543 VariAudio Inspector Section 544 Smart Controls 546 Segmenting Monophonic Audio 547 Segments and Gaps 548 Auditioning 548 Navigation and Zoom 549 Segment Editing 551 Pitch Changes 558 Timing Modications 559 Showing MIDI Reference Tracks 560 Formant Shifting 561 Editing Volume 561 Functions Menu 565 Harmony Voices for Audio

567 Audio Part Editor

569 Audio Part Editor Toolbar 573 Info Line 573 Ruler 574 Lanes 574 Operations

578 Sampler Tracks

578 Loading Audio Samples into Sampler Control 579 Loading MIDI Parts into Sampler Control 579 Creating Sampler Tracks 580 Sampler Control 589 Sample Editing and Playback Functions 591 Transferring Samples from Sampler Control to

VST Instruments

592 Pool

592 Pool Window 597 Working with the Pool

611 MediaBay and Media Rack

611 Media Rack in Right Zone 622 MediaBay Window 649 Working with Volume Databases 651 MediaBay Settings

653 Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only)

654 Deliverables 654 Available Surround Channel Congurations 655 Preparations for Creating Surround Mixes 658 VST MultiPanner 670 MixConvert V6 674 Surround Mix Export 674 3D Mixes for Ambisonics

686 Automation

686 Automation Curves 686 Static Value Line 686 Write/Read Automation 687 Writing Automation Data 689 Editing Automation Events 694 Automation Tracks 695 Virgin Territory vs. Initial Value (Cubase Pro

only)

696 Automation Panel (Cubase Pro only) 705 MIDI Controller Automation

708 VST Instruments

708 Adding VST Instruments 709 VST Instrument Control Panel 711 VST Instrument Selector 711 Creating Instrument Tracks 711 VST Instruments in the Right Zone 712 VST Instruments Window 712 VST Instruments Window Toolbar 713 VST Instrument Controls 715 Presets for Instruments 717 Playing Back VST Instruments 719 Latency 719 Import and Export Options 721 VST Quick Controls 722 Side-Chain Input for VST Instruments 724 External Instruments (Cubase Pro only)

725 Installing and Managing VST Plug-ins

725 Plug-ins and Collections 728 Adding New Plug-in Collections 729 Hiding Plug-ins 729 Reactivating Plug-ins from the Blacklist

731 Track Quick Controls

732 Parameter Assignment 735 Quick Controls and Automatable Parameters 736 Connecting Track Quick Controls with Remote

Controllers

738 Remote Controlling Cubase

738 Connecting Remote Devices 738 Removing the Remote Input from All MIDI

Inputs

739 Setting up Remote Devices 741 Remote Devices and Automation 741 Assigning Commands to Remote Devices 742 Generic Remote Page 747 Remote Control Editor 752 Joysticks 752 Apple Remote (macOS only) 753 Track Quick Controls 754 VST Quick Controls

755 MIDI Realtime Parameters and MIDI Effects

755 MIDI Track Parameters 757 MIDI Modiers

Table of Contents

762 MIDI Effects 765 Transpose and Velocity on the Info Line

766 Using MIDI Devices

766 Program Change Messages and Bank Select

Messages

767 Patch Banks 767 MIDI Device Manager 773 Device Panels (Cubase Pro only)

776 MIDI Functions

776 Transpose Setup Dialog 777 Merging MIDI Events into a New Part 779 Dissolve Part Dialog 780 Bouncing MIDI Parts 781 Repeating MIDI Events of Independent Track

Loops

781 Extending MIDI Notes 781 Fixing MIDI Note Lengths 782 Fixing MIDI Note Velocities 782 Rendering Sustain Pedal Data to Note Lengths 783 Deleting Overlaps 783 Editing Velocity 784 Deleting Double Notes 784 Deleting Controller Data 784 Deleting Continuous Controller Data 784 Restricting Polyphonic Voices 785 Thinning Out Controller Data 785 Extracting MIDI Automation 786 Reversing the Playback Order of MIDI Events 786 Inverting the Order of Selected MIDI Events 786 Creating a Tempo Track from Tapping (Cubase

Pro only)

787 MIDI Editors

787 Common MIDI Editor Functions 803 Key Editor 814 Key Editor Operations 822 Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only) 829 Score Editor Operations (Cubase Artist only) 836 Drum Editor 849 Drum Editor Operations 852 Drum Maps 856 List Editor 865 List Editor Operations 870 In-Place Editor

873 Expression Maps (Cubase Pro only)

874 Articulations 874 Expression Map Setup Window 875 Creating and Editing Expression Maps 882 Inserting Articulations

885 Note Expression

886 VST Note Expressions 886 MIDI Controllers 891 Note Expression Inspector Section 894 Note Expression Tools 895 Controller Mapping 896 Recording 899 Note Expression Event Editor 905 Trimming Note Expression Data 905 Removing All Note Expression Data 905 Note Expression MIDI Setup Dialog

909 Chord Functions

909 Chord Track

910 Chord Events 917 Scale Events 918 Voicings 920 Converting Chord Events to MIDI 921 Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback Using the

Chord Track

924 Assigning Voices to Notes 925 Extracting Chord Events from MIDI 926 Recording Chord Events with a MIDI Keyboard

927 Chord Pads

927 Chord Pads Zone 930 Functions Menu 931 Chord Assistant 933 Chord Assignment 936 Swapping Chord Assignments 937 Copying Chord Assignments 937 Playing Back and Recording Chords 940 Player Setup 947 Chord Pads Setup Dialog 952 Chord Pads Presets 953 Creating Chord Events from Chord Pads 953 Creating MIDI Parts from Chord Pads

954 Logical Editor

954 Window Overview 955 Filter Conditions 964 Selecting a Function 965 Specifying Actions 968 Applying the Dened Actions 968 Presets

970 Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only)

970 Project Logical Editor Window Overview 971 Filter Conditions 980 Specifying Actions 983 Selecting a Function 984 Applying Macros 984 Applying the Dened Actions 984 Presets

986 Editing Tempo and Time Signature

986 Project Tempo Modes 986 Track Time Base 987 Tempo Track Editor 990 Tempo Track 991 Tempo Changes for Projects 996 Setting up a Fixed Project Tempo 998 Beat Calculator 998 Tempo Detection (Cubase Pro only) 999 Exporting a Tempo Track (Cubase Pro only) 1000 Importing a Tempo Track (Cubase Pro only) 1000 Process Tempo Dialog (Cubase Pro only) 1001 Process Bars Dialog (Cubase Pro only) 1002 Time Warp (Cubase Pro only) 1003 Set Denition from Tempo Dialog 1004 Time Signature Events

1006 Project Browser (Cubase Pro only)

1006 Project Browser Toolbar 1007 Project Structure 1007 Event Display

1010 Rendering Audio and MIDI

1010 Render Tracks Dialog 1013 Render Selection Dialog

Table of Contents

1016 Export Audio Mixdown

1016 Export Audio Mixdown Dialog 1021 Mixing Down to Audio Files 1022 Available Channels for Export (Cubase Pro only) 1024 File Formats

1032 Synchronization

1032 Master and Slave 1033 Timecode Formats 1035 Clock Sources 1036 Project Synchronization Setup Dialog 1041 External Synchronization 1042 Setting up Synchronization for a Personal

Music Studio (Cubase Pro only)

1044 VST System Link

1044 Setting up VST System Link 1048 Activating VST System Link 1051 Application Examples

1054 Video

1054 Video File Compatibility 1055 Frame Rates 1055 Video Output Devices 1056 Preparations for Creating Video Projects 1058 Preparations for Video Playback 1060 Editing Video

1062 Exchanging Files with Other Applications

1062 OMF Files (Cubase Pro only) 1065 AAF Files

1070 ReWire

1070 Introduction 1070 Enabling ReWire Applications 1071 Launching and quitting 1072 Activating ReWire channels 1072 Using the transport and tempo controls 1073 How the ReWire channels are handled 1073 Routing MIDI via ReWire 1074 Considerations and limitations

1075 Key Commands

1075 Adding Key Commands 1076 Searching for Key Commands 1076 Removing Key Commands 1076 Setting up Macros 1077 Saving Key Commands Presets 1077 Loading Key Command Presets 1078 Importing Key Command Settings 1078 Resetting Key Commands 1079 Default Key Commands 1091 Setting up Tool Modier Keys

1092 Customizing

1092 Workspaces 1095 Setup Options 1097 Proles (Cubase Pro only) 1101 Where are the Settings Stored?

1103 Optimizing

1103 Optimizing Audio Performance

1107 Preferences

1107 Preferences Dialog 1109 Editing 1114 Editors 1114 Event Display 1117 General

1118 MIDI 1122 MediaBay 1122 Metering 1123 Record 1125 Scores (Cubase Pro only) 1127 Transport 1128 User Interface 1129 VST 1131 VariAudio (Cubase Pro only) 1132 Video

1133 Index

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.

Platform-Independent Documentation

The documentation applies to the operating systems Windows and macOS.

Features and settings that are specic to one of these platforms are clearly indicated. In all other cases, the descriptions and procedures in the documentation are valid for

Some points to consider:

●

The screenshots are taken from Windows.

●

Some functions that are available on the File menu on Windows can be found in the program name menu on macOS.

Windows and macOS.

PDF Documents and Online Documentation

The documentation consists of several documents. You can read them online or download them from steinberg.help. To visit steinberg.help, do one of the following:

●

Enter www.steinberg.help in the address bar of your web browser.

● In the program, select Help > Cubase Help.

Operation Manual

The main Cubase reference documentation, with detailed descriptions of operations, parameters, functions, and techniques.

Score Layout and Printing (Cubase Pro only)

Describes the professional music notation, score editing, and printing features included in the Score Editor.

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.

Steinberg Library Manager

Describes how you can register and manage your VST Sound libraries.

HALion Sonic SE

Describes the features and parameters of the included VST instrument HALion Sonic SE.

Introduction Conventions

Groove Agent SE

Describes the features and parameters of the included VST instrument Groove Agent SE.

Retrologue

Describes the features and parameters of the included VST instrument Retrologue.

MIDI Devices

Describes how to manage MIDI devices and device panels.

Conventions

In our documentation, we use typographical and markup elements to structure information.

Typographical Elements

The following typographical elements mark the following purposes.

Prerequisite

Requires you to complete an action or to fulll a condition before starting a procedure.

Markup

Procedure

Lists the steps that you must take to achieve a specic result.

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 perform after completing the procedure.

Key Commands

Many of the default key commands, also known as keyboard shortcuts, use modier keys, some of which are different depending on the operating system.

When key commands with modier keys are described in this manual, they are indicated with the Windows modier key rst, followed by the macOS modier key and the key.

EXAMPLE

Ctrl/Cmd-Z means: press Ctrl on Windows or Cmd on macOS, then press Z.

Setting up Your System

To use Cubase, you must set up your audio, and if required, your MIDI system.

Setting up Audio

IMPORTANT

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

amplier and speaker.

Audio Connections

Your system setup depends on many different factors, for example, on the kind of project that you want to create, on the external equipment that you want to use, or on the computer hardware that is available to you. Therefore, the following sections can only serve as examples.

How to connect your equipment, that is, whether to use digital or analog connections also depends on your setup.

Setting up Your System Setting up Audio

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 example, different inputs can be used, such as consumer line level (-10 dBV) or professional line level (+4 dBu).

Sometimes, you can adjust input characteristics on the audio interface or on its control panel. For details, refer to the documentation that came with the audio hardware.

IMPORTANT

Cubase does not provide any input level adjustments for the signals that are coming into your audio hardware, since these are handled differently for each card. Adjusting input levels is either done in a special application that is included with the hardware or its control panel.

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. For details, refer to the documentation that came with the audio hardware.

IMPORTANT

Set up word clock synchronization correctly, or you may experience clicks and crackles in your recordings.

Selecting an Audio Driver

By selecting an audio driver, you allow Cubase to communicate with the audio hardware. Normally, when you start Cubase, a dialog opens that prompts you to select a driver, but you can also select your audio hardware driver as described below.

NOTE

On Windows operating systems, we recommend that you access your hardware via an ASIO driver developed specically for the hardware. If no ASIO driver is installed, contact the manufacturer of your audio hardware for information on available ASIO drivers. If no specic ASIO driver is available, you can use the Generic Low Latency ASIO driver.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select VST Audio System.

3. Open the ASIO Driver pop-up menu and select your audio hardware driver.

4. Click OK.

Setting up Audio Hardware

PREREQUISITE

You have selected a driver for your audio hardware.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select your audio hardware driver.

Setting up Your System Setting up Audio

3. Do one of the following to open the control panel for your audio hardware:

● On Windows, click Control Panel.

● On macOS, click Open Cong App.

This button is available only for some hardware products. If it is not available in your setup, refer to the documentation of your audio hardware.

NOTE

The control panel is provided by the manufacturer of your audio hardware and is different for each audio interface brand and model. However, control panels for the Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver

4. Set up your audio hardware as recommended by the manufacturer.

VST Audio System Page

On the VST Audio System page you can select an ASIO driver for your audio hardware.

● To open the VST Audio System page, select Studio > Studio Setup and select VST Audio System in the Devices list.

(Windows only) are provided by Steinberg.

The following options are available:

ASIO Driver

Allows you to select a driver.

Release Driver when Application is in Background

Releases the driver and allows other applications to play back via your audio hardware even though Cubase is running.

Input Latency

Shows the input latency of the audio hardware.

Output Latency

Shows the output latency of the audio hardware.

Setting up Your System Setting up Audio

ASIO-Guard Latency

HW Sample Rate

HW Pull Up/Down

Set to Defaults

Processing Precision

Shows the ASIO-Guard latency.

Shows the sample rate of your audio hardware.

Shows the pull up/down status of the audio hardware.

Allows you to restore the default settings.

Allows you to set the audio processing precision to 32 bit oat or 64 bit oat. Depending on this setting, all channels are processed and mixed in 32-bit oating- point or 64-bit oating-point format.

NOTE

A processing precision of 64 bit oat can increase CPU load and memory consumption.

To show all plug-ins that support 64-bit oat processing, open the VST Plug-in

Manager and activate Show Plug-ins That Support 64-Bit Float Processing in the Display Options pop-up menu.

NOTE

VST 2 plug-ins and instruments are always processed with 32-bit precision.

Activate Multi Processing

Allows you to distribute the processing load evenly to all available CPUs. This way, Cubase can make full use of the combined power of multiple processors.

Activate ASIO-Guard

Activates the ASIO-Guard. This is only available if Activate Multi Processing is activated.

ASIO-Guard Level

Allows you to set the 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.

Audio Priority (Windows only)

This setting should be set to Normal if you work with audio and MIDI. If you do not use MIDI at all, you can set this to Boost.

Activate Steinberg Audio Power Scheme

If this option is activated, all power safe modes that have an impact on real time processing are deactivated. Note that this is only effective for very low latencies, and that it increases the power consumption.

Disk Preload

Allows you to specify how many seconds of audio are preloaded into RAM prior to starting playback. This allows for smooth playback.

Adjust for Record Latency

If this is activated, the plug-in latencies are taken into account during recording.

Setting up Your System Setting up Audio

Record Shift

Allows you to shift the recordings by the specied value.

RELATED LINKS

VST Plug-in Manager Window on page 726

ASIO Driver Setup Page

This page allows you to set up your ASIO driver.

● To open the page where you can set up the ASIO driver, select Studio > Studio Setup and select the audio driver in the Devices list.

The following options are available:

Control Panel

Opens the control panel for the audio hardware.

Input Latency

Shows the input latency of the audio driver.

Output Latency

Shows the output latency of the audio driver.

Clock Source

Allows you to select a clock source.

Externally Clocked

Activate this option if you use an external clock source.

Direct Monitoring

Activate this option to monitor via your audio hardware and to control it from Cubase.

Setting up Your System Setting up Audio

Ports Reset

Allows you to reset all port names and visibilities.

I/O

The port input/output status.

Port System Name

The system name of the port.

Show As

Allows you to rename the port. This name is used in the Input Routing and Output Routing pop-up menus.

Visible

Allows you to activate/deactivate audio ports.

State

The state of the audio port.

Using External Clock Sources

If you are using an external clock source, Cubase must be notied that it receives external clock signals and derives its speed from that source.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select your audio hardware driver.

3. Activate Externally Clocked.

RESULT

Cubase now derives its speed from the external source.

NOTE

For proper audio playback and recording, you must set the sample rate of the project to the sample rate of the incoming clock signals.

When a sample rate mismatch occurs, the Record Format eld on the Project window status line is highlighted in a different color. Cubase accepts a sample rate mismatch, and playback is therefore faster or slower.

Using Several Audio Applications Simultaneously

You can allow other applications to play back via your audio hardware even though Cubase is running.

PREREQUISITE

Other audio applications accessing the audio hardware are set to release the audio driver.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select VST Audio System.

3. Activate Release Driver when Application is in Background.

Setting up Your System Setting up Audio

RESULT

The application that has the focus gets access to the audio hardware.

Audio Hardware Conguration

Most audio cards provide one or more small applications that allow you to customize your hardware.

The settings are normally 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.

Settings include:

●

Selecting which inputs/outputs are active.

●

Setting up word clock synchronization.

●

Turning on/off monitoring via the hardware.

●

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.

Setting up Input and Output Ports

Once you have selected the driver for your audio hardware and have set it up, you must specify which inputs and outputs to use.

PREREQUISITE

You have selected a driver for your audio hardware.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select your audio hardware driver.

3. Make your settings.

4. Click OK.

RELATED LINKS

ASIO Driver Setup Page on page 15

Audio Bus Setup

Cubase uses a system of input and output busses to transfer audio between the program and the audio hardware.

Input busses let you route audio from the inputs of your audio hardware into Cubase. This

● means that audio is always recorded through one or several input busses.

Output busses let you route audio from Cubase to the outputs of your audio hardware.

● This means that audio is always played back through one or several output busses.

Once you have set up the internal input and output busses, you can connect your audio source, for example, a microphone, to your audio interface and start recording, playing back, and mixing.

Setting up Your System Setting up MIDI

RELATED LINKS

Audio Connections on page 21

Monitoring

In Cubase, monitoring means listening to the input signal 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.

RELATED LINKS

External Monitoring on page 269 Monitoring via Cubase on page 269 ASIO Direct Monitoring on page 269

Setting up MIDI

IMPORTANT

Turn off all equipment before making any connections.

PROCEDURE

1. Connect your MIDI equipment (keyboard, MIDI interface, etc.) to your computer.

2. Install the drivers for your MIDI equipment.

RESULT

You can use your MIDI equipment in Cubase.

MIDI Connections

To play back and record MIDI data from your MIDI device, for example, a MIDI keyboard, you need to connect the MIDI ports.

Connect the MIDI output port of your MIDI device to the MIDI input port of your audio hardware. This way, the MIDI device sends MIDI data to be played back or recorded inside your computer.

Connect the MIDI input port of your MIDI device to the MIDI output port of your audio hardware. This way, you can send MIDI data from Cubase to the MIDI device. For example, you can record your own playing, edit the MIDI data in Cubase, and then play it back on the keyboard and record the audio that is coming out of the keyboard for a better edited performance.

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 Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select MIDI Port Setup.

3. To hide a MIDI port, deactivate its Visible column.

Setting up Your System Setting up MIDI

4. Click OK.

Setting up All MIDI Inputs

When you record MIDI, you can specify which MIDI input each recording MIDI track should use. However, you can also record any MIDI data from any MIDI input. You can specify which inputs are included when you select

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select MIDI Port Setup.

3. Activate In ‘All MIDI Inputs’ for a port.

NOTE

If you have a MIDI remote control unit connected, make sure to deactivate the In ‘All MIDI Inputs’ option for that MIDI input. This avoids accidental recording of data from the remote control when

4. Click OK.

All MIDI Inputs for a MIDI track.

All MIDI Inputs is selected as input for a MIDI track.

RESULT

When you select All MIDI Inputs on the Input Routing menu of a MIDI track in the Inspector, the MIDI track uses all MIDI inputs that you specied in the MIDI Port Setup.

MIDI Port Setup Page

The MIDI Port Setup page in the Studio Setup dialog displays the connected MIDI devices and allows you to set up their ports.

● To open the MIDI Port Setup page, select Studio > Studio Setup and activate MIDI Port Setup in the Devices list.

The following columns are displayed:

Setting up Your System Synchronizers

Device

I/O

Port System Name

Show As

Visible

State

In 'All MIDI Inputs'

The connected MIDI devices.

The port input/output status.

The system name of the port.

Allows you to rename the port. This name is used in the Input Routing and Output Routing pop-up menus.

Allows you to activate/deactivate MIDI ports.

The state of the MIDI port.

Allows you to record MIDI data from all MIDI inputs.

NOTE

Deactivate this option if you use remote control devices.

The following options are available:

Use System Timestamp for 'Windows MIDI' Inputs

Activate this option if you have persistent timing problems such as shifted notes. If this is activated, the system timestamp is used as a time reference.

Use Device 'DirectMusic'

If you do not use a device with a DirectMusic device driver, you can leave this option deactivated. This enhances the system performance.

Use System Timestamp for 'DirectMusic' Inputs

Activate this option if you have persistent timing problems such as shifted notes. If this is activated, the system timestamp is used as a time reference.

Plug and Play Support for USB MIDI Devices

Cubase supports plug and play of USB MIDI devices. These devices can be plugged in and switched on while the application is running.

Synchronizers

When using Cubase with external tape transports, you most likely must add a synchronizer to your system.

IMPORTANT

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 1032

Audio Connections

To play back and record in Cubase, you must set up input and output busses in the Audio 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.

Audio Connections Window

The Audio Connections window allows you to set up input and output busses, group and FX channels, external effects, and external instruments. Furthermore, you can use this window to access and congure the Control Room (Cubase Pro only).

● To open the Audio Connections window, select Studio > Audio Connections.

Inputs/Outputs Tab

The Inputs and Outputs tabs allow you to set up and congure input and output busses.

The following options are available above the bus list:

+- All

Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.

Add Bus

Opens the Add Input Bus dialog, where you can create a new bus conguration.

Presets

Opens the Presets menu, where you can select bus conguration presets. Store allows you to save a bus conguration as preset. Delete deletes the selected preset.

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 conguration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase Pro only)) of each bus.

Audio Connections Audio Connections Window

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 rst 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. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name.

Up to 3 bus assignments can be displayed in this way. If more connections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the port name.

For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the Adat1 port is already assigned to 3 stereo busses plus 2 additional busses.

Group/FX Tab (Cubase Pro only)

This tab allows you to create group and FX channels/tracks and to make output assignments for these.

The following options are available above the bus list:

+- All

Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.

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 conguration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase Pro only)) of each bus.

Output Routing

Lets you select the output routing for the corresponding bus.

External FX Tab (Cubase Pro only)

This tab allows you to create send effect or return busses. You can use these to connect external effects which can then be selected via the effect pop-up menus from inside the program.

Audio Connections Audio Connections Window

The following options are available above the bus list:

+- All

Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.

Add External FX

Opens the Add External FX dialog, where you can congure a new external FX.

Favorites

Lets you store external effect congurations as favorites that you can recall.

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 conguration (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

rst 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. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name.

Up to 3 bus assignments can be displayed in this way. If more connections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the port name.

For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the Adat1 port is already assigned to 3 stereo busses plus 2 additional busses.

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 effect and select Check User Delay to automatically determine the delay value.

NOTE

The latency of the audio hardware is handled automatically by Cubase.

Send Gain

Allows you to adjust the level of the signal that is sent to the external effect.

Return Gain

Allows you to adjust the level of the signal that the external effect sends.

Audio Connections Audio Connections Window

NOTE

Excessive output levels from an external effect device can cause clipping in the audio hardware. You cannot use the Return Gain setting to compensate for this. You must lower the output level on the effect device instead.

MIDI Device

When you click in this column, a pop-up menu opens where you can disconnect the effect from the associated MIDI device, select a MIDI device, create a new device, or open the

Used

Whenever you insert an external effect into an audio track, this column shows a checkmark (x) to indicate that the effect is being used.

External Instruments Tab (Cubase Pro only)

This tab allows you to create input/output busses that can be used to connect external instruments.

MIDI Device Manager to edit the MIDI device.

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 congure a new external instrument.

Favorites

Lets you store external instrument congurations as favorites that you can recall.

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 conguration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase Pro only)) of each bus.

Audio Device

Shows the selected ASIO driver.

Device Port

Audio Connections Audio Connections Window

The Device Port pop-up menu displays how many busses are connected to a given port. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name.

Up to 3 bus assignments can be displayed in this way. If more connections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the port name.

For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the Adat1 port is already assigned to 3 stereo busses plus 2 additional busses.

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 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.

NOTE

Delay column for the

Excessive output levels from an external effect device can cause clipping in the audio hardware. The lower the output level on the effect device instead.

MIDI Device

When you click in this column, a pop-up menu opens where you can disconnect the instrument from the associated MIDI device, select a MIDI device, create a new device, or open the

Used

Whenever you insert the external instrument into a VST instrument slot, this column shows a checkmark (

Return Gain setting cannot be used to compensate for this. You must

MIDI Device Manager to edit the MIDI device.

x) to indicate that the instrument is being used.

Control Room Tab (Cubase Pro only)

This tab allows you to enable and congure the Control Room.

The following options are available above the bus list:

+- All

Expands/Collapses all busses in the bus list.

Audio Connections Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs

Add Channel

Opens a menu where you can select the type of channel that you want to add. You can add the following channels:

● External Input

● Talkback

● Cue

● Headphone

● Monitor

Presets

Opens the Presets menu, where you can select bus conguration presets. Store allows you to save a bus conguration as preset. Delete deletes the selected preset.

Enable/Disable Control Room

Enables/Disables the Control Room.

Open Control Room

Opens the Control Room window.

Conguration

Displays the selected channel conguration.

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 conguration (mono, stereo, surround formats (Cubase Pro only)) of each bus.

Audio Device

Shows the selected ASIO driver.

Device Port

The Device Port pop-up menu displays how many busses are connected to a given port. The busses are shown in square brackets next to the port name.

Up to 3 bus assignments can be displayed in this way. If more connections have been made, this is indicated by a number at the end of the port name.

For example, “Adat 1 [Stereo1] [Stereo2] [Stereo3] (+2)” means that the Adat1 port is already assigned to 3 stereo busses plus 2 additional busses.

RELATED LINKS

Control Room (Cubase Pro only) on page 418

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. But if you and the other studio owner have agreed on identical names for your inputs and outputs, Cubase corrects inputs and outputs for your busses.

Audio Connections Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs

NOTE

If you open a project that was created on another computer and the port names do not match or the port conguration is not the same, the Missing Ports dialog appears. This allows you to manually re-route ports that are used in the project to ports that are available on your computer.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select VST Audio System.

3. Open the ASIO Driver pop-up menu and select your audio hardware driver.

4. In the Devices list, select your audio hardware driver.

5. In the Show As column, click on a port name and enter a new name.

6. Repeat the previous step until you have renamed all required ports.

7. Click OK.

RELATED LINKS

Re-Routing Missing Ports on page 97

Hiding Ports

You can hide ports that you are not using. Hidden ports are not displayed in the Audio Connections window.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select your audio hardware driver.

3. In the Visible column, deactivate the ports that you want to hide.

4. Click OK.

Activating and Deactivating Ports (macOS only)

On macOS 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 Studio > Studio Setup.

2. In the Devices list, select your audio hardware driver.

3. Click Control Panel.

4. Activate/Deactivate ports.

5. Click OK.

Audio Connections Adding Input and Output Busses

Adding Input and Output Busses

PROCEDURE

1. In the Audio Connections dialog, click the Inputs or Outputs tab.

2. Click Add Bus.

3. In the Add Input Bus dialog, congure the bus.

4. Optional: Enter a name for the bus.

If you do not specify a name, the bus is named according to the channel conguration.

5. Click Add Bus.

The new bus is added to the bus list.

6. For each of the speaker channels in the bus, click in the Device Port column and select a port of your audio hardware.

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 Audio Connections dialog, right-click the output bus that you want to use as default output bus.

2. Select Set <bus name> as Main Mix.

RESULT

The selected bus is used as default bus. The Main Mix is indicated by a speaker icon next to its name.

RELATED LINKS

Inputs/Outputs Tab on page 21

Adding Child Busses (Cubase Pro only)

Child busses allow you to route tracks to particular channels within a bus.

For example, you can route a stereo track to a stereo channel pair within a surround bus. Or you can record a stereo channel pair in the surround bus to a separate stereo track.

PROCEDURE

1. On the Inputs tab, Outputs tab, or Group/FX tab, right-click a surround bus.

2. Click Add Child Bus and select a channel conguration.

RESULT

The child bus is created and can be used for routing.

Audio Connections Presets for Input and Output Busses

Presets for Input and Output Busses

For input and output bus congurations, you can use different kinds of presets.

● A number of standard bus congurations.

● Automatically created presets tailored to your specic hardware conguration.

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 congurations. If you create a new empty project, these default presets are applied. To create default presets, save your preferred input and output bus congurations under the name Default. If you have not dened default presets, the last used input and output bus conguration is applied when creating a new empty project.

Saving a Bus Conguration Preset

You can save your own input and output bus conguration and the studio conguration as presets.

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Audio Connections.

2. Set up your bus conguration.

3. Click Store.

4. In the Type in Preset Name dialog, enter a name.

5. Click OK.

RESULT

The preset is available in the Presets menu.

Deleting a Bus Conguration Preset

PROCEDURE

1. Select Studio > Audio Connections.

2. From the Presets menu, select the preset that you want to delete.

3. Click Delete.

RESULT

The preset is deleted.

Adding Group and FX Channels (Cubase Pro only)

Group channels and FX channels allow you to group bus congurations.

Adding group and FX channels in the Audio Connections window is identical to creating group channel tracks or FX channel tracks in the Project window.

Audio Connections Monitoring Bus

PROCEDURE

1. In the Audio 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. Congure the channel.

4. Optional: Enter a name for the group channel track.

5. Click OK.

The group channel or FX channel is added to the bus list.

6. For each of the speaker channels in the bus, click in the Output Routing column and select a port of your audio hardware.

RELATED LINKS

Audio Effects on page 437

Monitoring Bus

In the Audio Connections window, you can set up the busses that are used for monitoring, activate/deactivate and open the Control Room.

When the Control Room is disabled on the Control Room tab of the Audio Connections window, the Main Mix bus is used for monitoring. In this case, you can adjust the monitoring level in the MixConsole.

In Cubase Artist, the Main Mix bus is always used for monitoring.

RELATED LINKS

Control Room (Cubase Pro only) on page 418 MixConsole on page 344

External Instruments and Effects (Cubase Pro only)

You can integrate external effect devices and external instruments, for example, hardware synthesizers, into the sequencer signal ow.

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.

Cubase compensates for the input/output latency and ensures that the audio that is processed through external effects is not shifted in time.

Connecting an External Instrument/Effect

PREREQUISITE

The hardware device has stereo inputs and outputs.

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