Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
181
Origin
Moves the selected events to their original positions, i. e. the positions at 
which they were originally recorded.
Front/Back
This function does not actually change the position of the events, but moves 
the selected events to the front or back, respectively. This is useful if you have 
overlapping events and want to see one that is partially obscured. For audio 
events, this is an extra important feature, because only the visible sections of 
events will be played back. Moving an obscured audio event to front (or 
moving the obscuring event to back) will allow you to hear the whole event on 
playback.
Moving via the Info Line
PROCEDURE
1. In the event display, select the event or part that you want to move.
2. In the info line, double-click the Start field and enter a new value for the event 
start.
The event is moved accordingly.
Moving with the Nudge Buttons
PROCEDURE
1. Right-click the Project window toolbar and activate Nudge Palette.
The nudge buttons become available in the toolbar.
2. In the event display, select the events or parts that you want to move, and use 
the Move Left/Move Right nudge buttons.
The selected events or parts are moved to the left or right.
Renaming Events
By default, audio events show the name of their clip, but you can enter a separate 
descriptive name for events.
• To rename an event, select the event and type in a new name in the Name 
field on the info line. 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
182
• To give all events on a track the same name as the track, change the track 
name, hold down a modifier key, and press [Return].
Resizing Events
Resizing events means to move their start or end positions individually.
The following resizing modes are available:
• To select one of the resizing modes, select the Object Selection tool and 
then click again on the Object Selection tool icon on the toolbar. This opens 
a pop-up menu from which you can select one of the options.
The toolbar icon indicates the resizing mode
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
When resizing events, any automation data not taken into account.
To resize events, do one of the following:

						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
183
•Use the Trim buttons (Nudge palette) on the toolbar.
This will move the start or end position of the selected events by the amount 
set on the Grid Type pop-up menu. The sizing type currently selected applies 
to this method too, with the exception of Sizing Applies Time Stretch which 
is not possible with this method.
•Use the Scrub tool.
•Apply time stretch.
RELATED LINKS
Snap Function on page 62
Resizing Events Using Time Stretch on page 183
Resizing Events Using Time Stretch
Time stretching allows you to resize a part and make its contents fit the new size.
PROCEDURE
1. Click the Object Selection tool on the toolbar and click again to select the 
Sizing Applies Time Stretch option from the pop-up menu.
2. Point close to the end point of the part you want to stretch.
3. Click and drag left or right.
When you move the mouse, a tooltip shows the current mouse position and length of 
the part. Snap is taken into account.
4. Release the mouse button.
RESULT 
The part is stretched or compressed to fit the new length.
• For MIDI parts, this means that the note events are stretched (moved and 
resized).
Controller data and Note Expression data will be stretched, too.
• For audio parts, this means that the events are moved, and that the referenced 
audio files are time stretched to fit the new length.
A dialog shows the progress of the time stretch operation.
RELATED LINKS
Time Stretch on page 414 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
184
Splitting Events
You can split events in the Project window in the following ways:
• Click with the Cut tool on the event you want to split.
If Snap is activated, this determines the exact split position. You can also split 
events by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and clicking with the Object Selection tool.
•Select Edit > Functions > Split at Cursor.
This splits the selected events at the position of the project cursor. If no 
events are selected, all events (on all tracks) that are intersected by the 
project cursor will be split.
•Select Edit > Functions > Split Loop.
This splits events on all tracks at the left and right locator positions.
NOTE
If you split a MIDI part so that the split position intersects one or several MIDI notes, 
the result depends on the Split MIDI Events option (File > Preferences > Editing 
> MIDI). If the option is activated, the intersected notes will be split (creating new 
notes at the beginning of the second part). If it is deactivated, the notes will remain 
in the first part, but stick out after the end of the part.
RELATED LINKS
Snap Function on page 62
Gluing Events Together
No data will be kept in the clipboard.
The following options are available:
• To glue an event together with the next event on the track, click on an event 
with the Glue tool. The events do not have to touch one another.
The result is a part containing the two events, with one exception: If you first 
split an event and then glue the two sections together again (without moving 
or editing them first), they become a single event again.
• You can select several events on the same track and click on one of them with 
the Glue tool.
A single part is created.
• To glue an event together with all following events on this track, hold down 
[Alt]/[Option] and click on an event with the Glue tool. 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
185
Duplicating
Events can be duplicated in the following ways:
• Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and drag the event to a new position.
If Snap is activated, this determines to which positions you can copy the events.
NOTE
If you hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] as well, movement direction is restricted 
to either horizontal or vertical. That means if you drag an event vertically it 
cannot be moved horizontally at the same time.
•Select Edit > Functions > Duplicate to create a copy of the selected event 
and place it directly after the original.
If several events are selected, all of these are copied “as one unit”, maintaining 
the relative distance between the events.
NOTE
When you duplicate audio events, the copies always refer to the same audio clip.
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Events
You can cut or copy selected events, and paste them in again, using the functions 
on the Edit menu.
• When you paste an audio event, it is inserted on the selected track, positioned 
so that its snap point is aligned with the cursor position.
If the selected track is of the wrong type, the event will be inserted on its 
original track.
• If you use the Paste at Origin function (Edit > Function), the event is pasted 
at the position from which you cut or copied it.
• If you use the Paste Relative to Cursor function (Edit > Function), the event 
is pasted while keeping its relative position to the project cursor.
RELATED LINKS
Snap Function on page 62
Repeating
Events can be repeated in the following ways:
• Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and click the handle in the lower right corner of the 
last selected event and drag to the right.
•Select Edit > Functions > Repeat to open a dialog, allowing you to create a 
number of copies (regular or shared) of the selected events. 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
186
Fill Loop
You can create a number of copies between the right and left locators.
•Select Edit > Functions > Fill Loop to create a number of copies starting at 
the left locator and ending at the right locator.
The last copy is automatically shortened to end at the right locator position.
Creating Shared Copies
You can create shared copies of audio and MIDI parts. If you edit the contents of a 
shared copy, all other shared copies of the same part are automatically edited in the 
same way.
• Hold down [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift] and drag to the right.
NOTE
You can convert a shared copy to a real copy by selecting Edit > Functions > 
Convert to Real Copy. This creates a new version of the clip (that can be edited 
independently) and adds this to the Pool.
Sliding the Contents of an Event or Part
You can move the contents of an event or part without changing its position in the 
Project window.
• To slide an event or part, press [Alt]/[Option]-[Shift], click in the event or part 
and drag to the left or right.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
When sliding the contents of an audio event, you cannot slide past the start or end of 
the actual audio clip. If the event plays the whole clip, you cannot slide the audio at all.
Grouping Events
You can treat several events as one unit by grouping them.
• To group events, select the events (on the same or different tracks) and select 
Edit > Group.
Grouped events are indicated by a group icon on the right. 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
187
If you edit one of the grouped events in the Project window, all other events in the 
same group are affected too (if applicable).
Group editing operations include:
• Selecting events.
• Moving and duplicating events.
• Resizing events.
• Adjusting fade-in and fade-out (audio events only).
• Splitting events. Splitting one event will automatically split any other grouped 
events that are intersected by the split position.
• Locking events.
• Muting events.
• Deleting events.
RELATED LINKS
Creating fades on page 247
Group Editing (Cubase Pro only)
The group editing mode for folders allows you to quickly group events and parts 
across multiple tracks without having to select all the events or parts. This is useful 
for multi-track recordings of drum sets, where you often want to edit the different 
drum tracks (bass drum, snare, toms, etc.) together. Edit groups are also useful if 
you want to quantize multiple tracks.
• To activate group editing, click the Group Editing button for a folder in the 
track list.
If the group editing mode is activated and you select an event, a part or a range on 
a track inside the folder track, other events, parts or ranges that have the same start 
and end time and the same playback priority, are also selected and temporarily 
grouped.
Temporarily means that on every new selection with the Object Selection or the 
Range Selection tool, Cubase looks for corresponding events or parts inside the 
folder and groups them. If you edit the start or end point of a single event or part 
before activating the = button for group editing, the event or part is excluded from 
the group. 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
188
Edit actions in group editing mode affect all grouped events, parts, or ranges. If you 
select another take by using the small To Front arrow at the right side of one event 
o f  a n  e d i t  g r o u p ,  f o r  e x a m p l e ,  a l l  o t h e r  t r a cks inside the edit group also switch to the 
corresponding take. This is useful for comparing takes of a multi-track recording.
NOTE
The group editing setting overwrites any regular group settings in the edit group.
RELATED LINKS
Muting Events on page 189
Locking Events
If you want to make sure that you do not edit or move an event by accident, you can 
lock it.
Locking can affect one or any combination of the following properties:
• To specify which of these properties are affected by the Lock function, use 
the Lock Event Attributes pop-up menu (File > Preferences > Editing).
• To lock events, select them and select Edit > Lock.
The events will be locked according to the options specified in the 
Preferences dialog.
The padlock symbol indicates that one or more of the lock options are activated for 
the event.
• To adjust the lock options for a locked event, select the locked event and 
select Edit > Lock.
This opens a dialog in which you can activate or deactivate the desired lock 
options.
Lock Option Description
Position If this is locked, the event cannot be moved.
Size If this is locked, the event cannot be resized.
Other If this is locked, all other editing of the event is disabled. This includes 
adjusting the fades and event volume, processing, etc. 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
189
• To unlock an event (turn off all lock options), select the event and select Edit 
> Unlock.
• To lock a whole track, click the padlock symbol in the track list or in the 
Inspector.
This disables all editing of all events on the track.
Muting Events
You can mute events in the Project window. Muted events can be edited as usual 
(with the exception of adjusting fades), but are not played back.
Muted events are grayed out.
• To mute events, select them and select Edit > Mute.
• To unmute events, select them and select Edit > Unmute.
• To mute or unmute a single event, click on it with the Mute tool.
• To mute or unmute several events, click in an empty area with the Mute tool 
and drag a selection rectangle around several events.
All selected events are muted.
• To change the mute status of selected events, [Shift]-click them.
Creating New Files From Events
An audio event plays a section of an audio clip, which in turn refers to one or more 
audio files on the hard disk. However, you can create a new file that consists only 
of the section that is played by the event.
PROCEDURE
1. Select one or several audio events.
2. Set up fade in, fade out, and event volume.
These settings will be applied to the new file.
3. Select Audio > Bounce Selection.
You are asked whether you want to replace the selected event or not.
4. Do one of the following:
• To create a new file that only contains the audio in the original event, click Replace.
A clip for the new file is added to the Pool, and the original event is replaced 
by a new event playing the new clip.
• To create a new file and add a clip for the new file to the Pool, click No.
The original event is not replaced. 
						

							Parts and Events
Editing Parts and Events
190
NOTE
You can also apply the Bounce Selection function to an audio part. In that case, the 
audio from all events in the part will be combined into a single audio file. If you select 
Replace when asked, the part will be replaced with a single audio event playing a clip 
of the new file.
RELATED LINKS
Creating fades on page 247
Region Operations
Regions are sections within a clip.
Regions are best created and edited in the Sample Editor. However, to access the 
following options, select Audio > Advanced.
Event or Range as Region
This function is available when one or several audio events or selection ranges 
are selected. It creates a region in the corresponding clip, with the start and 
end position of the region determined by the start and end position of the 
event or selection range within the clip.
Events from Regions
This function is available if you have selected an audio event whose clip 
contains regions within the boundaries of the event. The function will remove 
the original event and replace it with events positioned and sized according 
to the regions.
RELATED LINKS
Working with regions on page 448