STEINBERG Cubase Pro 12 User Manual

Score Layout and Printing

The Steinberg Documentation Team: Cristina Bachmann, Martina Becker, Heiko Bischoff, Lillie Harris, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, Sabine Pfeifer, Benjamin Schütte

Translation: Ability InterBusiness Solutions (AIBS), Moon Chen, Jérémie Dal Santo, Rosa Freitag, Josep Llodra Grimalt, Vadim Kupriianov, Filippo Manfredi, Roland Münchow, Boris Rogowski, Sergey Tamarovsky

This document provides improved access for people who are blind or have low vision. 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 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 Pro_12.0.20_en-US_2022-04-27

specically allowed in the License Agreement.

5 Score Editor

7 Score Editor Toolbar 13 Score Display 14 Page Mode 14 Status Line 15 Info Line 15 Extended Toolbar 16 Filters 17 Left Zone 20 Right Zone 21 Inspector Settings Dialog 23 Ruler 23 Position Info Window 24 Zooming in the Score Editor

27 Score Editor Basics

27 MIDI Notes vs. Score Notes 28 Setting up a Display Quantize Note Value 28 Preparing Scores 29 Activating a Staff 30 Setting up the Page 30 Clef, Key, and Time Signature Settings 41 Setting up Note Names 42 Transposing Instruments 43 Printing from the Score Editor 44 Exporting Entire Scores as Image Files

45 Transcribing MIDI Recordings

45 Preparing Recorded Parts 45 Display Quantize Exceptions 48 Resolving Parts That Contain Mixed Notes and

Triplets

49 Converting MIDI Notes to Match the Score 49 Adjusting Rests 50 Adjusting Note Lengths

51 Entering and Editing Notes

51 Snap 52 Acoustic Feedback 52 Lock Layers 53 Setting up the Staff 54 Note Values and Positions 56 Note Input 58 Note Selection 60 Editing Note Positions 61 Editing Note Pitches 62 Moving Notes across Staves 63 Duplicating Notes 63 Cut, Copy, and Paste 64 Note Editing Overlay 65 Further Note Length Adjustment Methods 68 Splitting Notes 68 Deleting Notes 68 Setting up a Split Staff 69 Multiple Staves 70 Inserting Clefs, Keys, or Time Signatures 71 Troubleshooting for Note Display

73 Score Settings Dialog

74 Score Settings – Project Tab 89 Score Settings – Layout Tab 92 Score Settings – Staff Tab 103 Score Settings – Text Tab

106 Polyphonic Voicing

106 Setting up Polyphonic Voices 108 Activating Voices and Entering Notes 110 Inserting Display Quantize Changes for Active

Voices

110 Creating Crossed Voicings 111 Merging Polyphonic Voices 112 Converting Voices to Tracks – Extract Voices

114 Additional Note and Rest Formatting

114 Note Stems 117 Set Note Info Dialog 119 Note Event Properties 123 Setting up Accidental Options 124 Changing the Enharmonic Spelling 124 Changing the Notehead Shape 125 Colorizing Noteheads 125 Copying Settings Between Notes 126 Beams 132 Tied Notes 133 Moving Notes Graphically 134 Moving Rests 134 Displaying Cue Notes for Voices 135 Converting Notes to Cue Notes 135 Creating Grace Notes 136 Editing Grace Notes 136 Converting Grace Notes to Regular Notes 137 Building Tuplets 137 Quantizing the Display to Show Tuplets 138 Tuplets Dialog

139 Working with Symbols

139 Layers 142 Symbol Details 164 Inserting Note Symbols 165 Inserting Note-Dependent Symbols 165 Symbol Handles 166 Moving Notes and Symbols 167 Copying Notes and Symbols between Bars 169 Resizing Symbols 170 Resizing Note Symbols and Dynamics 170 Aligning Symbols 171 Aligning Dynamics

172 Working with Chord Symbols

172 Inserting Chord Symbols 176 Creating Chord Symbols from a Recording 177 Displaying Chord Symbols from the Chord

Track

178 Working with Text

178 Text 179 Lyrics

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Table of Contents 

181 Block Text 182 Layout Text 183 Page Text 185 Words 187 Text Attribute Sets 188 Context Menu Options 188 Setting up the Text Font 189 Setting up the Font for Other Elements 190 Finding and Replacing Text 191 Editing Staff Names 195 Melisma Lines 196 Setting up Bar Numbers

200 Working with Layouts

200 Extracting Musical Parts from Full Scores 201 Open Layout Dialog 202 Importing Symbols from Another Layout 202 Removing Layouts 203 Showing Markers in Layouts 203 Exporting Layouts

204 Working with MusicXML

204 MusicXML vs. MIDI 205 Imported/Exported Parameters

209 Additional Techniques for Designing Your

Score

209 Auto Layout Dialog 211 Reset Layout Dialog 212 Adjusting the Staff Size 212 Setting the Staff Size for All Staves 213 Barline Dialog 214 Barline Properties 215 Editing Barlines 216 Moving Barlines 216 Breaking Barlines 218 Adding Brackets and Braces 218 Setting the Default Number of Bars per Staff 220 Setting the Distance Between Staves 220 Inserting Page Breaks 221 Hidden Objects 223 Multi-Bar Rests 225 Creating Pick-Up Bars 226 Creating Pick-Up Bars by Hiding Rests

227 Scoring for Drums

227 Setting up Drum Maps 230 Setting up a Staff for Drum Scoring 231 Drum Note Editing 231 Setting up a Single Line Drum Staff

232 Tablature

232 Creating Tablature from Scratch 233 Showing Staff Notation in Tablature 234 Changing Noteheads to Numbers 235 Setting up the Tablature Font 235 Changing Note Pitches 235 Moving Notes to Another String

237 Rhythmic Notation

238 Showing Staff Notation as Rhythmic Notation 238 Showing Rhythmic Notation as Regular

Notation

239 Rhythmic Bar Indicators 239 Hiding Notes and Rests in Bars 240 Replacing Notation with Repeat Bar Signs

241 Playback

241 Playing Back Repeats and Project Symbols 241 Mapped Dynamics

245 Index

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor

The Score Editor window shows MIDI notes as a musical score. It is divided into several sections.

To open a MIDI part in the Score Editor, do one of the following:

● Select one or several MIDI parts in the Project window and select Scores> Open Score Editor.

●

Select one or several MIDI parts in the Project window and press Ctrl/Cmd - R.

NOTE

If you select parts on several tracks, one staff for each track is displayed. The staves are tied together by barlines and placed in the order of the tracks in the Project window. You can split a staff in two when scoring for piano, for example.

The Score Editor window:

The Score Editor is divided into several sections:

1 Toolbar

Contains tools and settings.

Status Line

Shows the mouse time position, the mouse value, and the current chord.

Left Zone

The left zone features the following tabs:

● The Symbols tab contains symbols that you can add to the score.

● The Inspector tab contains settings for working with MIDI tracks.

Project cursor

When you open the Score Editor, the view is automatically scrolled so that the project cursor is visible in the window.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor 

● You can change the position of the project cursor by holding down Alt - Shift and

clicking in the score.

5 Score Display

Shows the notes in the edited parts on one or several staves. Parts on different tracks are shown on different staves.

6 Info Line

Displays information about the selected note.

7 Tools/Extended toolbar/Command bar

Contains note value buttons and enharmonic shift buttons.

Filters

Allows you to lter out indicators, handles, and other non-printed elements from the score.

Right Zone

Allows you to display the Properties tab that shows options and settings for the elements that you select in the score display.

NOTE

The right zone is only available if you open the Score Editor in a separate window. It is not available in the lower zone of the Project window.

NOTE

You can activate/deactivate the status line, the info line, the tools, the lters, and the right zone by clicking Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activating/deactivating the corresponding options.

You can open the Score Editor in a separate window or in the lower zone of the Project window. Opening the

Score Editor in the lower zone of the Project window is useful if you want to access

the Score Editor functions from within a xed zone of the Project window.

NOTE

If you select MIDI> Set up Editor Preferences, the Preferences dialog opens on the Editors page. Make your changes to specify if you want editors to open in a separate window or in the lower zone of the

Project window.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor Toolbar on page 7 Score Display on page 13 Status Line on page 14 Info Line on page 15 Extended Toolbar on page 15 Filters on page 16 Symbols on page 18 Inspector on page 19 Ruler on page 23 Left Zone on page 17 Right Zone on page 20

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Score Editor Toolbar

Score Editor Toolbar

The toolbar contains tools and various settings for the Score Editor.

● To show or hide the toolbar elements, right-click the toolbar and activate/deactivate the elements.

Edit Solo

Solo Editor

Solos the editor during playback if the editor has the focus.

Record in Editor

Enables the recording of MIDI data in the editor if the editor has the focus.

NOTE

This only works if MIDI Record Mode is set to Merge or Replace.

Retrospective Record

Insert MIDI Retrospective Recording in Editor

Allows you to recover MIDI notes that you played in stop mode or during playback.

Left Divider

Allows you to use the left divider. Tools that are placed to the left of the divider are always shown.

Auto-Scroll

Keeps the project cursor visible during playback.

Acoustic Feedback

Automatically plays back events when you move or transpose them, or when you create them by drawing.

Tool Buttons

Object Selection

Selects events and parts.

Insert Note

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Score Editor Toolbar

Erase

Split

Glue

Zoom

Display Quantize

Inserts notes.

Deletes events.

Splits events.

Glues together events of the same pitch.

Zooms in. Hold Alt/Opt and click to zoom out.

Allows you to insert different staff settings for specic sections of the track.

Layout

NOTE

This works only in Page Mode.

Move Single Object allows you to move an object without affecting the score or playback in any way.

Move Notes and Context allows you to move a note and have other score objects move accordingly.

Cut Notes

Cuts notes.

Select Export Range

Allows you to export a specic part of a page.

NOTE

This works only in Page Mode.

Arranger

Previous Chain Step

Navigates to the previous entry in the current arranger chain list.

Next Chain Step

Navigates to the next entry in the current arranger chain list.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Score Editor Toolbar

First Repeat of Current Chain Step

Activate Arranger Mode

Nudge Palette

Move Left

Move Right

Nudge End Left

Navigates to the rst repeat of the current entry in the current arranger chain list.

Navigates to the last repeat of the current entry in the current arranger chain list.

Moves the selected event to the left.

Moves the selected event to the right.

Decreases the duration of the selected event by moving its end to the left.

Nudge End Right

Increases the duration of the selected event by moving its end to the right.

Transpose Palette

Move Up

Transposes the selected event up by a half note.

Move Down

Transposes the selected event down by a half note.

Move Up More

Transposes the selected event up by an octave.

Move Down More

Transposes the selected event down by an octave.

Display Transpose

Allows you to enable/disable display transpose. This function can be useful if you work with transposing instruments and want to show the concert key and not the scored key.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Score Editor Toolbar

Insert Velocity

Note Insert Velocity

Snap

Snap Type

Event Movement Restrictions

Allows you to specify a velocity value for new notes. You can also open the Set up Insert Velocities pop-up menu to select a velocity value.

Allows you to select one of the following snap types:

●

Grid snaps events to the grid that is selected in the Quantize Presets pop-up menu.

●

Grid Relative keeps the relative positions when snapping events to the grid.

Allows you to restrict the movement when editing or inserting events:

● Keep Notes within Key restricts the movement of notes to the current key.

● Snap Slurs to Notes restricts the movement of slurs to the start and end of notes.

● Keep Crescendo Symbols Horizontal keeps crescendo and diminuendo symbols

horizontal.

● Snap Rests and Repeats Vertically restricts the movement of rests and repeats to

system and note lines.

Note Editing Overlay

Note Editing Overlay On/Off

Activates/Deactivates an overlay that helps you to edit note durations, note time positions, display durations, and note velocities in a similar way as in the

Options

● Colorize Overlaid Noteheads colorizes the heads of the notes for which the

overlay is shown.

Part Colors shows the notes and velocities in the overlay in the part colors.

●

Channel Colors shows the notes and velocities in the overlay in the channel colors.

●

Pitch Colors shows the notes and velocities in the overlay in the pitch colors.

●

Velocity Colors shows the notes and velocities in the overlay in the velocity colors.

●

Color Setup opens a dialog that allows you to set up the channel, pitch, or velocity

●

colors. This is not available for Part Colors.

Key Editor.

Quantize

Apply Quantize

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Score Editor Toolbar

Quantize Presets

Soft Quantize On/Off

Open Quantize Panel

Length Quantize

Applies the quantize settings.

Allows you to select a quantize or a groove preset.

Activates/Deactivates soft quantize.

Opens the Quantize Panel.

Allows you to set a value for quantizing event lengths.

Step/MIDI Input

Set up Computer Keyboard Input

Allows you to set up the options for the computer keyboard input:

● Require ALT Key requires that you hold down Alt/Opt when you insert notes.

● Legato changes the length of the previous note when you insert notes.

● Use On-Screen Keyboard Keys allows you to insert notes by pressing the keys

that correspond to the note on the On-Screen Keyboard (qwerty).

Computer Keyboard Input

Activates/Deactivates computer keyboard input.

Step Input

Activates/Deactivates MIDI step input.

MIDI Input

Activates/Deactivates MIDI input.

Move Insert Mode

Moves all note events to the right of the step input position to the right to make room for the inserted event when you insert notes.

NOTE

This only works if Step Input is activated.

Record Pitch

Includes the pitch when you insert notes.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Score Editor Toolbar

Record NoteOn Velocity

Record NoteOff Velocity

Event Colors

Hide Colors

Dark Mode

Includes the NoteOn velocity when you insert notes.

Includes the NoteOff velocity when you insert notes.

Allows you to colorize noteheads.

Allows you to temporarily hide notehead colors.

Inverses the score display mode from black on white to white on black. This is useful if you work at night or in a dim environment.

Paper Background

Background Texture

Allows you to specify different background textures for the score.

NOTE

The background texture only affects the display and is not used for printing.

Insert Layer

Allows you to select the insert layer. You can insert score objects on the note layer, the project layer, and the layout layer.

Right Divider

Allows you to use the right divider. Tools that are placed to the right of the divider are always shown.

Window Zone Controls

Open in Separate Window

This button is available in the lower zone editor. It opens the editor in a separate window.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Score Display

Open in Lower Zone

This button is available in the editor window. It opens the editor in the lower zone of the Project window.

Show/Hide Left Zone

Shows/Hides the left zone.

Set up Window Layout

Allows you to set up the window layout.

Set up Toolbar

Opens a pop-up menu where you can set up which toolbar elements are visible.

Score Display

The main area of the Score Editor window shows the notes in the edited parts on one or several staves. Parts on different tracks are shown on different staves.

● If you are editing one or several parts on the same track, as much of them as possible is shown on several staves, comparable with a score on paper.

● If you are editing parts on several tracks, they are put on a grand staff. A grand staff is composed of multiple staves that are tied together by barlines.

● The number of bars that are displayed on the screen depends on the size of the window and the number of notes in each bar.

● The end of the last part is indicated by a double barline.

All MIDI input is directed to one of the tracks, which is called the active staff. The active staff is indicated by a rectangle to the left of the clef symbol.

To change the active staff, click on the staff that you want to activate.

●

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Activating a Staff on page 29

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Page Mode

Page Mode

The Score Editor has two different modes: Page Mode and edit mode. Page Mode offers additional features which are directly related to how the score is displayed and printed.

NOTE

Page Mode is not available in the lower zone editor.

● To activate Page Mode, select Scores, and enable Page Mode.

In Page Mode, a page number indicator is shown in the lower right corner. This allows you to move to another page in your score.

In Page Mode, the score display follows the project cursor position if Auto-Scroll is activated on the toolbar.

When you view a single part in Page Mode, the bars before and after the part are shown as empty bars in the Score Editor.

NOTE

If you want to view and print a part without any surrounding empty bars, activate Unlock Layout When Editing Single Parts in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page). Make sure that you do not adjust the layout when editing the part in this mode as this would erase the layout for the whole track.

Status Line

The status line shows the mouse time position, the mouse value, and the current chord.

● To show the status line, click Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activate Status

Mouse Time Position

Mouse Value

Current Chord Display

Line.

Shows the musical position in bars, beats, sixteenth notes, and ticks.

Shows the pitch according to the vertical position of the pointer in a staff.

Shows the current chord at the position of the project cursor.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Set up Window Layout on page 13

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Info Line

Info Line

The info line shows information about the selected note.

● To show the info line, click Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activate Info Line.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Set up Window Layout on page 13

Extended Toolbar

The extended toolbar contains additional tools for your score.

●

To show the extended toolbar, click Set up Window Layout on the toolbar, and activate

Tools.

Insert to Voice buttons

Shows the voices of the active staff. Activate a voice button to insert notes into that voice. Activate Lock Insert Staff to lock the movement of notes and other objects between staves.

Note Value buttons

Shows the note values for note input, as well as options for triplet and dotted note values. Activate a note value button to insert notes of that value.

Enharmonic Shift buttons

Activate a button to change the display of the selected note. Off resets the notes to original display.

Functions buttons

Get Info opens the Set Note Info dialog for the selected note.

Flip ips the stem of the selected note.

Group Notes groups the selected notes under a beam.

Auto Layout opens the Auto Layout dialog that allows you to adjust such as bar

widths and staff distances.

Hide hides the selected notes and objects.

Position Panel opens the Position Info window that allows you to view and adjust

object positions in the ruler display format.

No shows no accidentals, regardless of the pitch.

NOTE

In Page Mode, you can also open the Position Info window by clicking in the ruler.

Make Chord Symbols analyzes the selected notes and creates a chord symbol. For this to work, all selected notes must be located in the same MIDI part.

Force Update forces a redraw of the whole page.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Filters

One down allows you to select the next lower dynamics symbol.

One up allows you to select the next higher dynamics symbol.

Layer buttons

Activate a layer button to unlock this layer and display the score objects that are assigned to that layer.

Toggle All Layers toggles the lock state of all layers.

Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3 contains the score objects that you assigned to the

corresponding note layers.

Layout Layer contains all the score objects that are associated with the layout layer.

Project Layer contains all the score objects that are associated with the project layer.

Colorize Layer displays the score objects in different colors, where each color stands

for a specic type of layer.

Set Up Score Lock Layers allows you to set up which object types are associated with that layer.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Set up Window Layout on page 13 Note Layer Symbols on page 139 Layout Layer Symbols on page 140 Project Layer Symbols on page 140 Lock Layers on page 52

Filters

The lters bar allows you to lter out indicators, handles, and other non-printed elements from the score.

● To show the lters bar, click Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activate Filters.

The following elements in the score are not printed and only serve as indicators for layout changes. They can be hidden or shown:

Bar Handles

Shows/Hides bar handles that can be used for copying bars.

Hidden Notes

Shows/Hides any notes you might have hidden.

Hide

Shows/Hides markers in the score for hidden element, except notes.

Quantize

Shows/Hides markers at positions where you have used the Display Quantize tool.

Layout Tool

Shows/Hides markers where you have made adjustments with the Layout tool.

Grouping

Shows/Hides markers where you have made beam groupings.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Left Zone

Cut/Rhythm

Shows/Hides markers where you have cut events or where rhythmic notation is shown instead of regular notation.

Split Rests

Shows/Hides markers where you have split multiple rests.

Stems/Beams

Shows/Hides markers where you have made stem or beam adjustments.

RELATED LINKS

Symbol Handles on page 165 Hiding Objects on page 221 Inserting Display Quantize Exceptions on page 46 Moving Notes Graphically on page 133 Beams on page 126 Cutting Notes Manually on page 133 Rhythmic Bar Indicators on page 239 Splitting Multiple Rests on page 225 Flipping Note Stems on page 115 Adjusting Beam Slants on page 131 Score Editor on page 5 Set up Window Layout on page 13

Left Zone

The left zone of the Score Editor allows you to display the Inspector and the Symbols tab.

To show/hide the left zone, click Show/Hide Left Zone on the Score Editor window toolbar.

The top of the left zone features the following tabs:

● Inspector

● Symbols

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Left Zone

Symbols

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Symbols on page 18 Inspector on page 19 Right Zone on page 20

The Symbols tab in the left zone of the Score Editor contains symbols that you can add to the score.

● In the Score Editor window, you can show/hide the left zone by clicking Show/Hide Left Zone on the toolbar.

NOTE

In the lower zone editor, the left zone is shown in the left zone of the Project window.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Left Zone

●

To open/close a section, click its name.

●

To open a section as a palette, open the section, right-click any of its symbols, and select Open as Palette.

RELATED LINKS

Inspector Settings Dialog on page 21 Working with Symbols on page 139 Symbol Palettes on page 19

Symbol Palettes

You can open a section of the Symbols tab as a palette. This allows you to move the symbol palette on the screen.

● To switch between a vertical or horizontal view of the palette, right-click any symbol, and

● To bring up another palette instead of the current one, right-click any symbol, and select one

● To open a palette in a new window, hold down Ctrl/Cmd while right-clicking any symbol,

● To close a symbol palette, click the close button.

RELATED LINKS

Working with Symbols on page 139 Symbols on page 18

select Toggle.

of the palettes from the context menu.

and select the palette from the context menu.

Inspector

The Inspector provides settings for working with MIDI tracks.

In the Score Editor window, you can show/hide the Inspector by clicking Set up Window

● Layout on the toolbar and activating/deactivating Inspector.

NOTE

In the lower zone editor, the Inspector is always shown in the left zone of the Project window.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Right Zone

● To open/close a section, click its name.

NOTE

For a description of the Inspector sections for MIDI tracks, refer to the Operation Manual.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Symbols on page 18 Inspector Settings Dialog on page 21

Right Zone

The right zone of the Score Editor allows you to display the Properties tab that shows options and settings for the elements that you select in the score display. This gives you context-related access to settings and editing options for the selected element.

To show/hide the Properties tab in the right zone, do one of the following:

● Click Show/Hide Right Zone on the Score Editor window toolbar.

● Click Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activate Right Zone.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Left Zone on page 17 Staff Properties on page 21 Note Event Properties on page 119 Barline Properties on page 214 Bar Number Properties on page 197 Clef Properties on page 34 Key Properties on page 38 Staff Name Properties on page 192 Chord Symbol Properties on page 173 Bar Handle Properties on page 168 Multi-Bar Rest Properties on page 223 Gradual Dynamic Properties on page 154

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Inspector Settings Dialog

Staff Properties

The Properties tab for staves in the right zone of the Score Editor allows you quick access to general

They are available in the right zone of the Score Editor if nothing is selected in the score display. These options affect the active staff.

Staff Settings Section

Display Quantize

Allows you to set up display quantize values for your score.

score-specic settings.

Staff Mode

Allows you to set up the voices.

Staff Presets

Allows you to select a staff preset.

RELATED LINKS

Right Zone on page 20 Staff – Main Tab on page 93 Setting up Polyphonic Voices on page 106 Saving Staff Presets on page 93

Inspector Settings Dialog

You can congure which Inspector sections are shown. You can also specify the order of the sections.

● To open the Inspector Settings dialog, click Set up Inspector, and select Setup from the pop-up menu.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Inspector Settings Dialog

Hidden Items

Displays sections that are hidden in the Inspector.

Visible Items

Displays sections that are visible in the Inspector.

Activate Pin by clicking the column for a section to exclude this section from being closed automatically.

Add

Allows you to move an item selected in the Hidden Items list to the list of visible sections.

Remove

Allows you to move an item selected in the Visible Items list to the list of hidden sections.

Move Up/Move Down

Allows you to change the position of an item in the list of visible sections.

Presets

Allows you to save Inspector settings as presets.

Reset All

Allows you to restore the default Inspector settings.

RELATED LINKS

Inspector on page 19

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Ruler

Ruler

The Score Editor rulers are only available in Page Mode. They are graphic rulers that are shown at the upper and left border of the score and help you to position symbols and graphical objects in the score.

●

The current pointer position is indicated by thin lines in the rulers.

●

To specify which unit to show on the rulers, click above the vertical scrollbar to the right to open the Zoom pop-up menu, and select one of the options. You can choose between points, inches, and centimeters.

●

To hide the rulers, select Off from the Zoom pop-up menu. To display the ruler again, open the pop-up menu above the scrollbar at the far right and select one of the units.

NOTE

This setting also affects the units used in the Position Info window.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Position Info Window on page 23 Zoom Pop-Up Menu on page 24

Position Info Window

The Position Info window helps you to determine and edit exact positions for symbols, objects, and staves in your score.

To open the Position Info, click in the ruler.

●

The window contains the following settings and values:

Measure in

Allows to change the unit.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Zooming in the Score Editor

NOTE

This setting also affects the units used in the ruler.

Abs.Pos/Rel.Pos

Allows to select whether X-Y position values are absolute and refer to the upper left corner of the current page, or relative and refer to the upper left corner of the active staff.

X, Y

● If a single object is selected, these values show the horizontal and vertical position

of this object. Click a value and enter in a new position for the object.

●

If no objects or several objects are selected, these values show the current horizontal and vertical position of the mouse pointer.

dX, dY

These values indicate the horizontal and vertical distance by which you have moved an object. Click and enter values to move the objects by the

Sel.Staff

specied distances.

● If Abs.Pos is active, this value shows the distance from the top of the score page

to the top of the active staff. Click and enter a value to move the active staff.

● If Rel.Pos is selected, this value is always 0, since vertical positions are related to

the top of the active staff.

To Prev Staff

The distance between the active staff and the staff above it. Click and enter a value to move the active staff.

To Next Staff

The distance between the active staff and the staff below it. Click and enter a value to move the staves below the active staff.

RELATED LINKS

Score Editor on page 5 Ruler on page 23

Zooming in the Score Editor

You can zoom in the Score Editor using the standard zoom techniques.

RELATED LINKS

Zoom Pop-Up Menu on page 24 Zoom Tool on page 25 Zooming with the Mouse Wheel on page 26

Zoom Pop-Up Menu

The Zoom pop-up menu contains options for zooming in the Score Editor.

To open the Zoom pop-up menu, click above the vertical scrollbar to the right.

●

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Zooming in the Score Editor

NOTE

In Page Mode, you can also open the Zoom pop-up menu by right-clicking in the ruler.

The following options are available if the Score Editor is in edit mode:

The following options are available if the Score Editor is in Page Mode:

Zoom Tool

● Fit Width adjusts the zoom factor so that the full width of the page becomes visible.

● Fit Page adjusts the zoom factor so that the whole page becomes visible.

The Zoom tool on the Score Editor toolbar allows you to zoom in to and out of specic sections or score objects.

● Click with the Zoom tool to zoom in one step.

● Hold down Alt/Opt and click with the Zoom tool to zoom out one step.

● Drag a rectangle with the Zoom tool to set a custom zoom factor.

The section encompassed by the rectangle is zoomed to ll the score display.

Hold down a modier key and right-click with the Zoom tool to open the Zoom pop-up

● menu, and select a zoom setting.

RELATED LINKS

Zoom Pop-Up Menu on page 24 Score Editor Toolbar on page 7

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Zooming in the Score Editor

Zooming with the Mouse Wheel

You can zoom in and out at specic positions of the score with the mouse wheel.

PROCEDURE

1. Move the mouse pointer to the position in the score where you want to change the zoom factor.

2. Hold down Ctrl/Cmd and move the mouse wheel.

RESULT

The mouse position is kept when you zoom in or out.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Basics

The Score Editor allows you to display any possible piece of music as a score, complete with all the necessary symbols and formatting. You can extract parts out of a full orchestra score, add lyrics and comments, create lead sheets, drum scores, tablatures, etc.

The Score Editor interprets the MIDI notes in the MIDI parts and displays them according to the settings you have made.

This is done in real time. Any change to the MIDI data or the settings is immediately reected in the score.

You can enter and edit notes with the mouse or the computer keyboard, or you can record them with a MIDI keyboard. You can also use a combination of both. However, even if you have recorded the piece perfectly, your recording often requires some manual editing before printing.

RELATED LINKS

Preparing Scores on page 28 Activating a Staff on page 29 Setting up the Page on page 30 Clef, Key, and Time Signature Settings on page 30 Transposing Instruments on page 42 Printing from the Score Editor on page 43 Exporting Entire Scores as Image Files on page 44 Transcribing MIDI Recordings on page 45 Entering and Editing Notes on page 51

MIDI Notes vs. Score Notes

MIDI tracks in Cubase hold MIDI notes and other MIDI data. A MIDI note in Cubase is dened by its position, length, pitch and velocity.

This is not nearly enough information to decide how the note is to be displayed in a score. Information about the type of instrument, the key of the song, the basic rhythm, or the grouping of the notes under beams is not provided. This is the kind of information that you can set up in

Score Editor.

the

EXAMPLE

Cubase stores a MIDI note position in an absolute value, called ticks. A quarter note consists of 480 ticks.

A quarter note at the end of a 4/4 bar

The note is on the fourth beat of the bar.

If you change the time signature to ¾, this shortens the length of a bar to three quarter notes which corresponds to 1440 ticks. The quarter note is therefore moved to the next bar:

The same note in 3/4

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Basics Setting up a Display Quantize Note Value

The note is still at the same absolute position, but by changing the time signature, each bar is shorter. This effectively moves the note in the score, because the Score Editor interprets it differently.

Setting up a Display Quantize Note Value

You can dene the smallest note value that can be displayed by setting up a Display Quantize note value.

PREREQUISITE

You have recorded a gure with some staccato eighth notes, and you have opened it in the Score Editor.

PROCEDURE

Select Scores> Settings.

On the Staff tab, open the Main tab.

In the Display Quantize section, set the Notes value to 8.

RESULT

The eighth notes are displayed as expected. The Display Quantize setting tells the program to display all notes as if they were on exact eighth note positions, regardless of their actual positions and that it should not display any notes smaller than eighth notes.

IMPORTANT

Setting a Display Quantize value does not alter the MIDI notes of your recording in any way. It only affects how the notes are displayed in the Score Editor.

AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK

Add a staccato symbol.

RELATED LINKS

Staff – Main Tab on page 93

Preparing Scores

When you prepare a score, we suggest you do things in the following order, since this minimizes the time needed if you make a mistake somewhere and need to redo a step.

PREREQUISITE

You have made copies of the recorded tracks. You might have to change them permanently,

● after which they do not play back as they originally did.

You have broken up the score into smaller segments.

●

In the Project window, you have arranged the tracks in the order you want them displayed

● in the score. You cannot rearrange the order of systems in the

PROCEDURE

Open the Score Editor and select File> Page Setup to set up the page.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor.

Score Editor Basics Activating a Staff

2. Do one of the following:

3. If needed, use polyphonic voicing to resolve overlapping notes, create piano systems, handle

4. Hide unwanted objects and add note-dependent and note-related symbols such as accents,

RELATED LINKS

Auto Layout Dialog on page 209

● If you have recorded music into tracks already, adjust the graphic display of the score as

much as possible without permanently editing the notes by using Display Quantize or Grouping.

● If the tracks are empty, make basic staff settings, enter the notes, and then make

detailed adjustments.

crossing voices, etc.

dynamic symbols, crescendo, slurs, lyrics, or graphic rests.

Use the Auto Layout options.

Add layout symbols such as endings or page text.

Print or export the score.

Create alternative layouts to extract voices, for example.

Activating a Staff

Only one staff can be active at a time. The active staff is indicated by a rectangle to the left of the clef symbol.

PROCEDURE

● Do one of the following to activate a staff:

● Click anywhere on the staff.

● Use the UpArrow and DownArrow keys to navigate between staves.

RESULT

The staff is activated.

RELATED LINKS

Score Display on page 13

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

Score Editor Basics Setting up the Page

Setting up the Page

Before preparing the score for printing, you must make some page settings for your project. This also affects the on-screen display of the score.

PROCEDURE

1. Select File> Page Setup.

This opens the Page Setup dialog of your operation system. The only additional Cubase options are the margin settings.

2. In the Page Setup dialog, select the preferred printer, paper size, orientation, etc.

Optional: Change the margins by setting the left, right, top, and bottom margins.

Click OK and save the project to make the settings permanent.

If you want new projects to always start with certain page setup settings, you can create project templates.

RELATED LINKS

Printing from the Score Editor on page 43

Clef, Key, and Time Signature Settings

Before you enter notes into a score, we recommend that you rst set the clef, key, and time signature for the staff.

The symbols for clef, key, and time signature are displayed at the beginning of the staff. If you have multiple staves, you can set the clef, key, and time signature independently for each staff or for all staves at once.

RELATED LINKS

Score Settings – Staff Tab on page 92 Hiding Objects on page 221

Setting the Initial Clef, Key, and Time Signature

You can set the initial clef, key, and time signature for your project.

PROCEDURE

1. Open the Symbols tab.

Open the Clefs section and click the clef symbol that you want to use.

Click at the position of the staff to set the clef.

Open the Keys section and click the key symbol that you want to use.

Click at the position of the staff to set the key.

Open the Time Signatures section and click the time signature symbol that you want to use.

Cubase Pro 12.0.20

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