Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Operation Manual 
						

							Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, 
Sabine Pfeifer, Kevin
 Quarshie, Benjamin Schütte
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complexity and number of images in this document, it is not possible to include text 
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© Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, 2015.
All rights reserved. 
						

							3
Table of Contents
11Introduction
11About the Program Versions
11Typographical Conventions
12Part I - Getting into the Details
13Setting Up Your System
13Setting Up Audio
19Setting Up MIDI
20Connecting a Synchronizer
21Setting Up Video
22VST Connections
22VST Connections Window
29Renaming the Hardware Inputs and 
Outputs
30Adding Input and Output Busses
31Adding Child Busses (Cubase Pro only)
32Presets for Input and Output Busses
33Adding Group and FX Channels
33About Monitoring
33External Instruments and Effects (Cubase 
Pro only)
40Editing the Bus Configurations
43Project Window
44Toolbar
46Status Line
47Info Line
48Overview Line
48Ruler
50Inspector
52Global Track Controls
54Visibility
56Track List
57Event Display
57Racks
58Zooming in the Project Window
62Snap Function
64Cross-Hair Cursor
65Edit History Dialog
67Project Handling
67Creating New Projects
68Steinberg Hub
69Project Assistant
70About Project Files
70About Template Files
72Project Setup Dialog
75Opening Project Files
77Saving Project Files
78Reverting to the Last Saved Version
78Choosing a Project Location
79Removing Unused Audio Files
79Creating Self-Contained Projects
82Tracks
82Audio Tracks
89Instrument Tracks
96MIDI Tracks
103Arranger Track
105Chord Track
108FX Channel Tracks
114Folder Tracks
115Group Channel Tracks
121Marker Track
122Ruler Track
123Signature Track
124Tempo Track
126Transpose Track
127VCA Fader Track (Cubase Pro only)
130Video Track
131Customizing Track Controls 
						

							4
134Track Handling
134Adding Tracks
135Removing Tracks
135Moving Tracks in the Track List
136Renaming Tracks
136Coloring Tracks
137Showing Track Pictures
139Setting the Track Height
140Selecting Tracks
141Duplicating Tracks
141Disabling Audio Tracks
142Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks
143Handling Overlapping Audio
143Track Folding
144How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks
145Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks
145Working with Lanes
149Defining the Track Time Base
150TrackVersions
160Track Presets
166Parts and Events
167Audio Handling
168Parts
169Auditioning Audio Parts and Events
169Adding Events to a Track
170Scrubbing
171Folder Parts
172Render in Place
177Editing Parts and Events
191Range Editing
191Creating a Selection Range
193Editing Selection Ranges
196Playback and Transport
196Transport Panel
200Transport Menu
202Setting the Project Cursor Position
203Left and Right Locators
204Auto-Scroll
204Time Formats
206Locating to Specific Time Positions
207Metronome
209Chase
210Virtual Keyboard
210Recording MIDI With the Virtual Keyboard
211Virtual Keyboard Options
212Recording
212Basic Recording Methods
216Monitoring
219Audio Recording Specifics
225MIDI Recording Specifics
232Remaining Record Time
233Lock Record
234Quantizing MIDI and Audio
234Quantizing Audio Event Starts
235AudioWarp Quantize (Cubase Pro only)
236Quantizing MIDI Event Starts
236Quantizing MIDI Event Lengths
236Quantizing MIDI Event Ends
236Quantizing Multiple Audio Tracks (Cubase 
Pro only)
237AudioWarp Quantizing Multiple Audio 
Tracks (Cubase Pro only)
238Quantize Panel
245Additional Quantizing Functions
247Fades, crossfades, and envelopes
247Creating fades
250The Fade dialogs
252Creating crossfades
254The Crossfade dialog
255Auto fades and crossfades
257Event envelopes
259Arranger Track
259Introduction
259Setting up the arranger track
260Working with arranger events
264Flattening the arranger chain
267Live mode
269Arranging your music to video
271Transpose Functions
272Transposing your music
277Other functions
281Markers
281Position Markers
281Cycle Markers
283Markers Window
287Marker Track
289Importing and Exporting Markers 
						

							5
291MixConsole
293Setting Up the MixConsole
293MixConsole Toolbar
295Functions Menu
297Configuring the MixConsole
304Synchronizing Channel and Track Visibility
305Finding Channels
305Linking Channels
308VCA Faders (Cubase Pro only)
314Metering (Cubase Pro only)
318Input Levels
319Copying and Moving Rack and Channel 
Settings
320Fader Section
325Working with Channel Racks
348Using Channel Settings
350Adding Notes to a MixConsole Channel
350Keyboard Navigation
352Control Room (Cubase Pro only)
352Adding Channels to the Control Room
353Output Routing
353Exclusive Assignment of Monitor Channels
353Control Room Channels
356Control Room Mixer
362Control Room Setup
365Setting Up a Cue Mix
366Adjusting the Overall Cue Send Level
367Metering
367Loudness
372Audio Effects
372Overview
374Insert Effects
382Send Effects
388Side-Chain Input
391External Effects (Cubase Pro only)
391Effect Control Panel
392Comparing Effect Settings
392Effect Presets
398Plug-In Information Window
401Audio processing and functions
401Background
401Audio processing
416Applying plug-ins (Cubase Pro only)
418The Offline Process History dialog
420Freeze Edits
421Detect Silence
424The Spectrum Analyzer
426Statistics
428About time stretch and pitch shift 
algorithms
432Sample Editor
432Window overview
440General Functions
452Warping audio
459Working with hitpoints and slices
468VariAudio (Cubase Pro only)
488Generating Harmony Voices for 
Monophonic Audio (Cubase Pro only)
489Flattening realtime processing
492Audio Part Editor
492Window Overview
494Opening the Audio Part Editor
495Operations
498Options and Settings
499Pool
500Pool Window
504Working with the Pool
522MediaBay
523Working With the MediaBay
523Setting Up the MediaBay
524Define Locations Section
525Scanning Your Content
525Updating the MediaBay
526Locations Section
528Results Section
533Previewer Section
539Filters Section
544Attribute Inspector
550Loop Browser, Sound Browser, and Mini 
Browser
550MediaBay Preferences
552MediaBay Key Commands
552Working with MediaBay-Related Windows
555Working With Volume Databases
558Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only)
559Deliverables
559Available surround configurations
560Preparations
562Using the SurroundPanner V5
574Using the MixConvert V6 plug-in
574Exporting a surround mix 
						

							6
576Automation
576Automation Curves
576Static Value Line
577Write/Read Automation
577Writing Automation Data
580Editing Automation Data
582Automation Tracks
584Virgin Territory vs. Initial Value (Cubase Pro 
only)
585Automation Panel
595MIDI Controller Automation
599VST Instruments
599VST Instruments Window
602Adding VST Instruments
603Presets for Instruments
605VST Quick Controls
607Playing Back VST Instruments
609About Latency
610Import and Export Options
612External Instruments (Cubase Pro only)
613Installing and Managing Plug-ins
613Installing VST plug-ins
614Plug-in Manager
617Compiling a New Effects Collection
618Track Quick Controls
619Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls
623Connecting Quick Controls with Remote 
Controllers
624Activating Pick-up Mode for Hardware 
Controls
625Quick Controls and Automatable 
Parameters
626Remote controlling Cubase
626Setting Up
628Operations
630The Generic Remote device
634Track Quick Controls
634The Remote Control Editor
641Apple Remote (Macintosh only)
643MIDI realtime parameters and effects
643The Inspector – general handling
644The Inspector sections
652MIDI effects
658Using MIDI devices
658MIDI devices – general settings and patch 
handling
668About Device panels (Cubase Pro only)
672MIDI Processing
672MIDI functions vs. MIDI modifiers
673What is affected by the MIDI functions?
673Transpose
674Making your settings permanent
677Dissolve Part
679Bounce MIDI
679Repeat Loop
680Other MIDI functions
686MIDI Editors
686Opening MIDI editors
687Changing the Default MIDI Editor
688Common MIDI Editor Functions
696Key Editor
706Key Editor Operations
728Basic Score Editor (Cubase Artist only)
734Score Editor Operations (Cubase Artist 
only)
743Drum Editor
753Drum Editor Operations
761List Editor
768List Editor Operations
771In-Place Editor
773SysEx Messages
778Expression maps (Cubase Pro only)
778Introduction
780Using expression maps
785Creating and editing expression maps
792Note Expression
792Introduction
794Setting up the Note Expression Inspector 
tab
797Mapping controllers
799Recording
802Editing Note Expression data
808Note Expression and MIDI
813HALion Sonic SE
814Chord Functions
814Chord Track
815Chord Events
824Scale Events
825Voicings
828Converting Chord Events to MIDI
829Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using 
the Chord Track
833Assigning Voices to Notes
833Extracting Chord Events from MIDI
835Recording Chord Events with a MIDI 
Keyboard 
						

							7
836Chord Pads
836Chord Pads Zone
840Functions Menu
841Preparations
841Chord Assistant
844Assigning Chords to Chord Pads
848Moving and Copying Chord Pads
848Playing Back and Recording Chords
850Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control
853Chord Pad Settings – Players
856Chord Pad Settings – Pad Layout
857Chord Pads Presets
858Creating Events from Chord Pads
859The Logical Editor, Transformer, and 
Input Transformer
859Introduction
860Opening the Logical Editor
861Window overview
861Setting up filter conditions
872Selecting a function
873Specifying actions
877Applying the defined actions
877Working with presets
878The Input Transformer
881Project Logical Editor (Cubase Pro only)
882Opening the Project Logical Editor
882Window overview
883Setting up filter conditions
893Specifying actions
896Selecting a function
897Applying Macros
897Applying the defined actions
898Working with presets
900Editing tempo and signature
900Background
901Tempo and signature display
904Editing tempo and signature
908Process Tempo (Cubase Pro only)
909The Process Bars dialog (Cubase Pro only)
911The Beat Calculator
912Merge Tempo From Tapping (Cubase Pro 
only)
913The Time Warp tool (Cubase Pro only)
920Tempo Detection (Cubase Pro only)
925Adjusting the audio to the project tempo
926Project Browser (Cubase Pro only)
926Window Overview
928Editing tracks
938Export Audio Mixdown
938Introduction
939Mixing down to audio files
941The Export Audio Mixdown dialog
946The available file formats
954Synchronization
954Background
955Timecode (positional references)
957Clock sources (speed references)
958The Project Synchronization Setup dialog
964Synchronized operation
965Example Scenarios (Cubase Pro only)
966Working with VST System Link
971Activating VST System Link
980Video
980Before You Start
983Preparing a Video Project
986Playing Back Video
990Editing Video
990Extracting Audio From a Video File
991Replacing the Audio in a Video File
992ReWire
992Introduction
993Launching and quitting
994Activating ReWire channels
994Using the transport and tempo controls
995How the ReWire channels are handled
996Routing MIDI via ReWire
996Considerations and limitations
997Key Commands
997Introduction
998Setting up key commands
1003Setting up tool modifier keys
1003The default key commands
1012File handling
1012Importing audio
1018Exporting and importing OMF files (Cubase 
Pro only)
1021Exporting and importing standard MIDI files
1025Exporting and importing MIDI loops
1026Exporting and importing track archives 
(Cubase Pro only)
1028Customizing
1028Workspaces
1032Using the Setup options
1034Appearance
1038Applying colors in the Project window
1042Where are the settings stored?
1045Optimizing
1045Optimizing Audio Performance 
						

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1051Preferences
1051Preferences Dialog
1053Appearance
1054Editing
1063Event Display
1067General
1068MIDI
1073MediaBay
1074Metering
1075Record
1077Scores (Cubase Pro only)
1080Transport
1082VST
1086VariAudio (Cubase Pro only)
1087Video
1088Part II - Score Layout and Printing 
(Cubase Pro only)
1089How the Score Editor works
1089About this chapter
1089Welcome!
1089How the Score Editor operates
1090MIDI notes vs. score notes
1090Display Quantize
1094Entering notes by hand vs. recording notes
1095The basics
1095About this chapter
1095Preparations
1096Opening the Score Editor
1097The project cursor
1097Playing back and recording
1097Page Mode
1099Changing the zoom factor
1100The active staff
1100Making page setup settings
1101Designing your work space
1105About the Score Editor context menus
1105About dialogs in the Score Editor
1106Setting clef, key, and time signature
1114Transposing instruments
1115Printing from the Score Editor
1116Exporting pages as image files
1117Working order
1118Force update
1119Transcribing MIDI recordings
1119About this chapter
1119About transcription
1119Getting the parts ready
1120Preparing parts for score printout
1121Staff settings
1121Situations which require additional 
techniques
1122Inserting Display Quantize changes
1124The Explode function
1125Using "Scores Notes To MIDI"
1127Entering and editing notes
1127About this chapter
1127Score settings
1129Note values and positions
1132Adding and editing notes
1135Selecting notes
1137Moving notes
1140Duplicating notes
1140Cut, copy, and paste
1141Editing pitches of individual notes
1143Changing the length of notes
1145Splitting a note in two
1145Working with the Display Quantize tool
1146Split (piano) staves
1147Strategies: Multiple staves
1148Inserting and editing clefs, keys, or time 
signatures
1150Deleting notes
1152Staff settings
1152About this chapter
1152Staff settings
1153Making settings
1153Working with staff presets
1154Staff names
1155Key and clef
1155Display Quantize and Interpretation 
Options
1159Display Transpose
1160The Options tab
1162The Polyphonic tab
1162The Tablature tab 
						

							9
1163Polyphonic voicing
1163About this chapter
1163Background: Polyphonic voicing
1165Setting up the voices
1168Strategies: How many voices do I need?
1168Entering notes into voices
1169Checking which voice a note belongs to
1169Moving notes between voices
1172Handling rests
1172Voices and Display Quantize
1173Creating crossed voicings
1175Automatic polyphonic voicing – Merge All 
Staves
1176Converting voices to tracks – Extract 
Voices
1177Additional note and rest formatting
1177About this chapter
1177Background: Note stems
1178Setting stem direction
1180Stem length
1181Accidentals and enharmonic shift
1183Changing the note head shape
1183Other note details
1186Coloring notes
1188Copying settings between notes
1188Handling beaming
1196About tied notes
1198Graphic moving of notes
1199Cue notes
1200Grace notes
1202Tuplets
1206Working with symbols
1206About this chapter
1206Background: The different layers
1208The Symbols Inspector
1212Important! – Symbols, staves, and voices
1212Adding symbols to the score
1224Selecting symbols
1226Moving and duplicating symbols
1231Changing length, size, and shape
1233Deleting symbols
1233Copy and paste
1233Alignment
1234Symbol details
1246Working with chords
1246About this chapter
1246Inserting chord symbols
1249Global chord settings
1251Working with text
1251About this chapter
1251Adding and editing text symbols
1256Different types of text
1264Text functions
1269Working with layouts
1269About this chapter
1269Background: Layouts
1270Creating a layout
1270Opening a layout
1271Layout operations
1272Using layouts – an example
1273Marker Track to Form
1274Working with MusicXML
1274Introduction
1276Importing and exporting MusicXML files
1279Designing your score: additional 
techniques
1279About this chapter
1279Layout settings
1282Staff size
1283Hiding/showing objects
1285Coloring notes
1285Multiple rests
1287Editing existing bar lines
1287Creating upbeats
1289Setting the number of bars across the page
1291Moving bar lines
1293Dragging staves
1296Adding brackets and braces
1296Displaying the Chord Symbols from the 
Chord Track
1297Auto Layout
1300Reset Layout
1301Breaking bar lines
1303Scoring for drums
1303About this chapter
1303Background: Drum maps in the Score 
Editor
1304Setting up the drum map
1307Setting up a staff for drum scoring
1307Entering and editing notes
1308Using “Single Line Drum Staff”
1309Creating tablature
1309About this chapter
1309Creating tablature automatically
1311Creating tablature manually
1312Tablature number appearance
1312Editing
1313Note head shape 
						

							10
1314The score and MIDI playback
1314About this chapter
1314Scores and the Arranger mode
1315Working with mapped dynamics
1319Tips and Tricks
1319Overview
1319Useful editing techniques
1322Frequently asked questions
1327If you wish you had a faster computer
1328Index