Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Sample Editor
VariAudio (Cubase Pro only)481
…the micro-pitch curve is straightened.
The pitch of the selected segments is straightened.
Muting Segments
You can mute or unmute individual segments using the Pitch & Warp tool.
PROCEDURE
1. Move the mouse pointer over the bottom center of a segment.
An x symbol appears.
2. Click the x symbol to mute the segment.
The segment is grayed out to indicate that it is muted.
3. To unmute the segment, click the x symbol again.
MIDI Input
You can change the pitch on the fly by selecting the segment you want to change 
and pressing a key on your MIDI keyboard or using the Virtual Keyboard.
PROCEDURE
1. After having corrected the segmentation, select the segment for which you 
would like to change the pitch.
2. Activate the Pitch & Warp tool and click MIDI Input .
3. Press a key on your MIDI keyboard or use the Virtual Keyboard to change the  pitch 
 of the segment.
The pitch of the segment changes according to the note you play.
The MIDI Input function has two modes: Still mode 
 and Step mode . You can 
switch between them by [Alt]/[Option]-clicking on the MIDI Input button:
In Still mode you can select individual segments by clicking on them and change their 
pit
 ch by pressing a MIDI key. You can also  select several segments and press a MIDI 
key to change the pitch of several segments simultaneously. The pitch of the first 
selected segment is changed to the pitch of  the MIDI note you play. The pitches of 
the other selected segment are changed by the same amount.
In Step mode you can step through the segments by selecting the first segment that 
you woul
 d like to change and pressing a MI DI key. The next segment will automatically 
be selected afterwards. This allows you to  work in a more creative way, for example, 
to develop completely new melody lines via MIDI. 
						

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4. When you are done, deactivate the MIDI Input button.
NOTE
MIDI controller data like pitchbend or modulation are ignored.
RELATED LINKS
Virtual Keyboard on page 210
Warping segments
Time correction, i. e. warping at segment level, is useful if you want to align a musical 
accent to a certain position, or change or quantize the timing of single segments in 
monophonic vocal recordings. When warping audio segments, warp markers will 
be created. These are shown on the VariAudio and the AudioWarp tabs of the 
Sample Editor Inspector.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
Any correction of the segmentation must be applied before warping segments.
To warp a segment, proceed as follows:
PROCEDURE
1. On the VariAudio tab activate the Pitch & Warp tool.
2. To change the timing of a segment, move the mouse pointer over the start/end 
of the segment.
The mouse pointer becomes a double arrow and the warp markers are displayed in the ruler.
3. Drag the start/end of the segment to the desired position.
If the Snap button is activated, the segment border will snap to the grid. When you drag 
the segment border, warp markers are shown not only at the border but also at the 
adjacent segment borders to indicate which portions of the audio are stretched/affected.
NOTE
Warping a segment will also change the timing of the adjacent segments.
NOTE
Timing modifications introduced this way will not adapt to the project tempo. If this is 
what you want, use Musical Mode. 
						

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• You can change the insert position of a warp marker in the audio by clicking 
and dragging the warp marker handle in the ruler. This will change the warping.
• Hold down [Shift] (by default) to delete warp markers. To delete a warp marker, 
hold down the tool modifier so that the pointer becomes an eraser and click on 
the warp handle.
• If you are not satisfied with your changes, you can revert the timing of the 
selected segments by choosing the “Warp Changes” option from the Reset 
pop-up menu
RELATED LINKS
Free Warp on page 457
Musical Mode on page 451
Editing warp markers on page 458
Reset on page 485
Editing Warp markers
In some cases the beginning of the waveform does not correspond to the beginning 
of a segment, e.
 g. when the audio starts with non-tonal portions like breath sounds. 
But when it comes to warping, any changes you wish to make must affect the 
waveform as a whole.
You can of course change the segmentation to achieve this, but if you want to pitch 
your audio afterwards, this would affect also any non-tonal portions of the audio. If 
this is not what you want, proceed as follows:
PROCEDURE
1. Activate the Pitch & Warp tool and activate the Snap button.
In this example the beginning of the segment does not correspond to the beginning 
of the waveform. 
						

							Sample Editor
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484
2. Move the mouse pointer over the start of the segment so that it becomes a 
double arrow and drag the segment start to the beginning of the bar.
The segment border snaps to the grid at the exact bar position.
Now the beginning of the segment matches the beginning of the bar, but we want the 
beginning of the waveform to match the beginning of the bar:
3. Point at the warp handle displayed in the ruler so that it turns into a double 
arrow and drag it to the beginning of the waveform.
The background is displayed in orange to indicate which part of the waveform is 
affected by the change.
Now the beginning of the waveform matches the desired bar position.
Editing warp markers can also be useful if you change the length of a segment that 
you have already warped. In this case, editing warp markers can help you synchronize 
your audio again.
RELATED LINKS
Understanding the waveform display in VariAudio on page 469 
						

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Reset
This pop-up menu at the bottom of the VariAudio tab allows you to reset the 
modifications you performed with the Pitch & Warp tool. It also lets you reset the 
changes you made in Segments mode by reanalyzing the audio and returning to the 
original segmentation. The following options are available:
Pitch Changes
If you select this option, pitch changes including micro-pitch modifications 
with the Tilt Micro Pitches tool are reset either for the selected segments (if 
available) or for the whole file.
Warp Changes
If you select this option, warp changes are reset.
Pitch + Warp Changes
If you select this option, pitch, micro-pitch, and warp changes are reset either 
for the selected segments (if available) or for the whole file.
Reanalyze Audio
If you select this option, the audio is reanalyzed and all your segmentation 
changes are reset.
NOTE
You can set up key commands for the reset and the reanalyze function in the 
Sample Editor category of the Key commands dialog.
RELATED LINKS
Key Commands on page 997
Listening to your modifications
You can listen to the results of your modifications using the following methods:
• By activating Acoustic Feedback on the toolbar.
The segments are played back so that you can easily audition your pitch 
modifications while editing.
• By using the Play tool on the toolbar.
• By using the Audition and the Audition Loop tool on the toolbar.
• By using cycle playback in the Project window. 
						

							Sample Editor
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If you want to compare the original to the modified audio (i. e. hear the audio without 
pitch or warp modifications), you have the following possibilities:
• You can disable your pitch modifications by clicking the Disable Pitch 
Changes button on the VariAudio tab or by setting up and using the 
“VariAudio - Disable Pitch Changes” key command in the Key Commands 
dialog, Sample Editor category.
• You can disable your warp modifications by clicking the Disable Warp 
Changes button on the AudioWarp tab or by setting up and using the 
“VariAudio – Disable Warp Changes” key command in the Key Commands 
dialog, Sample Editor category.
RELATED LINKS
Key Commands on page 997
Extracting MIDI
You can extract a MIDI part from your audio. This is useful if you have an audio event 
with a certain tune and sound and you want to create an identical second tune with 
a MIDI instrument or VST instrument.
The extracted MIDI part can also be used to print out notes from within the Score 
Editor or it can be exported as a MIDI file. Furthermore, you can convert the audio 
to MIDI notes containing Note Expression data which allows you to adopt the 
modulation data for individual notes.
NOTE
• Before extracting MIDI from your audio you should correct the segmentation. 
Otherwise, you will have to correct segmentation errors later in the MIDI part. 
Transition changes, tilting of the micro-pitch curve, Quantize Pitch settings, 
and pitch corrections will also be taken into account.
• If your audio event references only a section of the audio clip, only this section 
will be extracted.
The quality of the resulting MIDI data depends on the quality and the characteristics 
of your audio.
To extract a MIDI part from your audio, proceed as follows:
PROCEDURE
1. Open the audio file that you want to extract a MIDI part from in the Sample 
Editor.
2. Open the VariAudio tab.
3. Activate Segments mode.
4. Click the “Extract MIDI…” button.
The “Extract MIDI” dialog opens. 
						

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5. On the Pitch Mode pop-up menu, specify which data should be included 
when extracting the MIDI part. The following options are available:
6. On the Volume Mode pop-up menu, specify how volume information from the 
audio is extracted to MIDI. The following options are available:
7. On the Destination pop-up menu, specify where the MIDI part will be placed. 
The following options are available:
Option Description
Just Notes and No 
Pitchbend DataOnly notes are included in the MIDI part.
Notes and Static 
Pitchbend DataA pitchbend event is created for each segment. Select a 
pitchbend value from 1 to 24 in the Pitchbend Range field. 
When you are working with an external MIDI device, it might be 
necessary to set it to the same value.
Notes and 
Continuous 
Pitchbend DataPitchbend events that correspond to the micro-pitch curve are 
created within the resulting MIDI part. Select a pitchbend value 
from 1 to 24 in the Pitchbend Range field. The setting should 
correspond to the value set on your MIDI device or the 
controlled VST instrument.Note that although the graphic 
representation of the pitchbend curve is smoothed, all 
pitchbend data is included.
Notes and 
NoteExp Pitchbend 
CurveMIDI pitchbend events that correspond to the micro-pitch 
curve are created as Note Expression data for the resulting 
MIDI notes.
Notes and 
NoteExp VST 3 
Tuning CurveVST 3 events for the “Tuning” parameter are created as Note 
Expression data for the resulting MIDI notes. Note that this 
works only with a connected VST instrument that is compatible 
with Note Expression.
Option Description
Fixed Velocity All created MIDI notes get the same velocity. Select a velocity 
value in the Velocity field.
Dynamic Velocity Each created MIDI note gets an individual velocity value 
according to the amplitude of the audio signal.
Volume Controller 
CurveA continuous volume controller curve is created within the 
MIDI part. You can select the MIDI controller to be used for the 
curve in the MIDI Controller field.
NoteExp Volume 
Controller CurveMIDI volume controller events are created as Note Expression 
data for the resulting MIDI notes.
NoteExp VST 3 
Volume CurveA VST 3 volume curve is created as Note Expression data for 
the resulting MIDI notes. Note that this works only with a 
connected VST instrument that is compatible with Note 
Expression.
Option Description
First Selected 
TrackThe MIDI part will be placed on the first selected MIDI or 
instrument track. Note that any MIDI parts from previous 
extractions that are on this track will be deleted. 
						

							Sample Editor
Generating Harmony Voices for Monophonic Audio (Cubase Pro only)
488
NOTE
If you have opened the Sample Editor from the Pool and the audio file is not part of 
your project, the MIDI part will be inserted at the beginning of the project.
8. Click OK.
RESULT 
A MIDI part is created according to the specified settings.
You can also use a key command to extract a MID I  p ar t  f r o m  y o u r  au d i o .  I n  th i s c a s e  
no dialog opens and the settings that were used for the previous extraction are 
used.
RELATED LINKS
Exporting and importing standard MIDI files on page 1021
Note Expression on page 792
Segments mode on page 472
Key Commands on page 997
Generating Harmony Voices for Monophonic Audio 
(Cubase Pro only)
You can quickly harmonize monophonic audio using the “Generate Harmony 
Voices” function on the Audio menu.
This function automatically performs a VariAudio analysis, copies your event the 
specified number of times, and adds the resulting voices on separate tracks in the 
Project window. If you add a chord track to your project, the pitches of the resulting 
voices are altered to match the voicing of the chord track.
PROCEDURE
1. Import a monophonic audio file.
2. In the Project window, select the audio event.
New MIDI Track A new MIDI track will be created for the MIDI part.
Project Clipboard The MIDI part is copied into the clipboard so that you can 
insert it at the desired position on a MIDI or instrument track in 
the Project window. Option Description 
						

							Sample Editor
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3. On the Audio menu, select “Generate Harmony Voices…”.
4. Specify the number of voices that you want to create and enter a value for the 
vibrato reduction.
RESULT 
The new voices follow the soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices from the chord track 
voicing.
To open all voices in the Sample Editor, activate the “Open Sample Editor After 
Completion” option.
This allows you to view and edit the different voices.
NOTE
If you generate harmony voices without the chord track, the generated VariAudio 
segments of voice number 1 (soprano) are transposed three semitones upwards in 
relation to the original audio. The segments of voice numbers 2, 3, and 4 (alto, tenor, 
and bass) are transposed three, six, and nine semitones downwards.
RELATED LINKS
Chord Functions on page 814
Handling Several Audio Events (Cubase Pro only) on page 448
Flattening realtime processing
You can “flatten” realtime processing at any time. This can be done to serve two 
purposes: to reduce the CPU load and to optimize the sound quality of the 
processing.
Also use this function before applying any offline processing. When the flatten 
processing is applied, a copy of the original file is automatically created in the Pool 
so that the original audio clip remains intact.
The flatten function takes the following into account:
• Warp modifications, even when Bypass is activated. After the flattening, your 
Warp markers will be lost. However, you can undo this function as usual.
• VariAudio pitch modifications, even when Bypass is activated. After the 
flattening, your VariAudio data will be lost. However, you can undo this 
operation.
•Event transpose 
						

							Sample Editor
Flattening realtime processing
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PROCEDURE
1. Select the audio events that you want to process.
2. On the Audio menu, open the Realtime Processing submenu and select the 
Flatten command.
Provided that the time stretching factor is not outside the range of 0.5 and 2, a dialog 
opens where you can select an algorithm for the processing.
If the audio has been transposed, the dialog also contains the “Formant Correction” 
option. You can activate this, for example, if you want to avoid a “chipmunk voice” 
effect.
3. Select an algorithm preset and click OK.
After the processing, any loop that was previously stretched in realtime or had been 
pitch shifted will play back exactly the same, but Musical Mode will be deactivated 
and the realtime pitch shifting will be set to 0.
NOTE
Instead of the Flatten menu command, you can click the Flatten button on the Process 
tab of the Sample Editor.
RESULT 
The audio clip is now like any standard audio clip before applying realtime 
processing, i.
 e. it does not follow tempo changes. The flattening processing 
function is best used when you have determined the tempo or key of a project. If you 
want to adapt the audio to a new key or tempo after flattening, it is better to revert 
to the original audio clip rather than to process the already processed file again.
RELATED LINKS
Free Warp on page 457
Warping segments on page 482
Changing the pitch on page 476
Transposing individual parts or events using the info line on page 276
Selecting an algorithm for the flattening
When you flatten the realtime processing, you can use the MPEX 4 algorithm or the 
Realtime algorithm to process the audio. The MPEX 4 algorithm may produce better 
sound quality than the realtime processing. The Realtime algorithm corresponds to 
the algorithm preset selected on the Sample Editor toolbar.
NOTE
If you introduced VariAudio pitch modifications, the MPEX presets will not be 
available and the algorithm preset “Standard – Solo” is used automatically.