Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							MediaBay
MediaBay Preferences
551
Show Managed Locations Only
If this option is activated, all folders that are not scanned for files are hidden. 
This keeps the tree view in the Define Locations section less cluttered.
Use Current Selection as Base Location
If this option is activated, only the selected folder and its subfolders are 
shown.
Scan Folders only when MediaBay is open
If this option is activated, Cubase only scans for media files when the 
MediaBay window is open.
If this is deactivated, the folders are scanned in the background even when 
the MediaBay window is closed. However, Cubase never scans folders while 
playing back or recording.
Maximum Items in Results List
Specifies the maximum number of files that are displayed in the Results list. 
This avoids unmanageably long lists of files.
NOTE
The MediaBay does not warn you if the maximum number of files has been 
reached. There might be situations where a certain file you are looking for 
cannot be found because the maximum number of files was reached.
Allow Editing in Results List
If this option is activated, you can edit attributes in the Results list. If this 
option is deactivated, attributes can only be edited in the Attribute Inspector.
Show File Extensions in Results List
I f  t h i s  o p t i o n  i s  a c t i v a t e d ,  f i l e  name extensions are displayed in the Results list.
Scan unknown File Types
When scanning for media files, the MediaBay ignores files with an unknown 
file extension. If this option is activated, the MediaBay tries to open and scan 
any file in the search location and ignores those files that cannot be 
recognized. 
						

							MediaBay
MediaBay Key Commands
552
MediaBay Key Commands
You can display the available MediaBay key commands from within the MediaBay 
window. This is useful if you want to get a quick overview over the assigned and the 
available MediaBay key commands.
• To open the key commands pane, click the Key Commands button in the 
lower left corner of the MediaBay.
• To close the key commands pane, click anywhere outside of the pane.
• To assign or modify a key command, click the corresponding key command.
RELATED LINKS
Key Commands on page 997
Working with MediaBay-Related Windows
The MediaBay concept can be found throughout the program, for example, when 
adding new tracks or when choosing presets for VST instruments or effects. The 
workflow in all MediaBay-related windows is the same as in the MediaBay.
Adding Tracks
If you add a track by selecting Project > Add Track, the following dialog opens: 
						

							MediaBay
Working with MediaBay-Related Windows
553
Click the Browse button to expand the dialog to show the Results list. Only file 
types that can be used in this context are shown.
Applying Effect Presets
If you have added an insert effect to a track, you can choose from a variety of presets 
via the Results browser for the effect slot.
PROCEDURE
1. In the Inserts tab of the Inspector, click the Select Preset icon below the 
preset name.
2. In the Results browser, double-click a preset to apply it. 
						

							MediaBay
Working with MediaBay-Related Windows
554
Applying Track Presets
You can choose from a variety of track presets.
PROCEDURE
1. In the Inspector, click the Preset Management icon on the right of the 
Inserts tab.
2. Select From Track Preset.
3. In the Results browser, double-click a track preset to apply it.
RELATED LINKS
Track Presets on page 160
Applying Instrument Presets
When working with VST instruments, you can choose from a variety of presets via 
the Results browser.
PROCEDURE
1. In the track list, right-click the instrument track and select Load Track Preset.
2. In the Results browser, double-click a preset to apply it.
Instrument Presets Results Browser
The Results browser for instrument track presets lets you preview VST presets and 
apply them to your instrument track.
To open the Results browser, right-click an instrument track, and select Load 
Track Preset. 
						

							MediaBay
Working With Volume Databases
555
VST presets for instruments can be divided into the following groups:
Presets
Presets contain the settings of the entire plug-in. For multi-timbral 
instruments, this means the settings for all sound slots as well as the global 
settings.
Programs
Programs contain only the settings for one program. For multi-timbral 
instruments, this means only the settings for one sound slot.
Working With Volume Databases
Cubase stores all media file information used in the MediaBay, such as paths and 
attributes, in a local database file on your computer. However, in some cases, it 
might be necessary to browse and manage this kind of metadata on an external 
volume.
For example, a sound editor might have to work both at home and in a studio, on 
two different computers. Therefore, the sound effects are stored on an external 
storage medium. To be able to connect the external device and directly browse its 
contents in the MediaBay without having to scan the device, you have to create a 
volume database for the external device.
Volume databases can be created for drives of your computer or for external 
storage media. They contain the same kind of information about the media files on 
these drives as the regular MediaBay database. 
						

							MediaBay
Working With Volume Databases
556
NOTE
When you launch Cubase, all available volume databases are automatically 
mounted. Databases that are made available while the program is running have to 
be mounted manually.
Rescanning and Refreshing Volume Databases
If you have modified the scan settings on a different system, you must rescan or 
refresh the MediaBay.
RELATED LINKS
Updating the MediaBay on page 525
Creating a Volume Database
PROCEDURE
• In the Define Locations section, right-click the external storage medium, 
drive, or partition of your computer system that you want to create a database 
for, and select Create Volume Database.
IMPORTANT
You must select the topmost level (root) for this. You cannot create a database file for 
a lower-level folder.
RESULT 
The file information for this drive is written into a new database file. When the new 
database file is available, this is reflected by the symbol to the left of the drive name.
NOTE
If the drive contains a large amount of data, this process may take a while.
Volume databases are automatically mounted when Cubase is launched. They are 
shown in the Define Locations section and their data can be viewed and edited in 
the Results list. 
						

							MediaBay
Working With Volume Databases
557
Removing a Volume Database
If you have worked on another computer using an external hard disk and return to 
your own computer and connect the external device again as part of your system 
setup, you do not need a separate volume database for it any more. Any data on this 
drive can then be included in the local database file again, by removing the extra 
database file.
PROCEDURE
• In the Define Locations section, right-click the volume database and select 
Remove Volume Database
RESULT 
The metadata is integrated in the local MediaBay database file and the volume 
database file is deleted.
NOTE
If the drive contains a large amount of data, this process may take a while.
Mounting and Unmounting Volume Databases
Volume databases that are made available while Cubase is running must be 
mounted manually.
• To mount a volume database manually, right-click the external storage 
medium, drive, or partition of your computer system that you want to mount 
and select Mount Volume Database.
• To unmount a volume database, right-click it and select Unmount Volume 
Database. 
						

							558
Surround Sound (Cubase Pro 
only)
Cubase has integrated surround sound features with support for several formats. 
This support goes all the way through the audio path: all audio-related channels (i.
 e. 
audio and instrument tracks as well as group channels) and busses can handle 
multi-channel speaker configurations. A channel in the MixConsole can either carry 
complete surround mixes, or an individual speaker channel which is part of a 
surround setup.
Cubase offers the following surround-related features:
• Audio-related tracks can be routed freely to surround channels.
• The SurroundPanner V5 plug-in is automatically applied to audio-related 
tracks with a mono or stereo configuration that are routed to output channels 
with a multi-channel configuration (other than stereo). It is available in the 
Inspector and MixConsole and can be used to graphically position channels 
in the surround field.
•Cubase Pro only: The MixConvert V6 plug-in is used to convert a surround 
channel into a different format if the corresponding input/output configuration 
is not handled by the SurroundPanner V5. Cubase places MixConvert V6 
automatically where needed. Furthermore, the plug-in is described in detail in 
the separate PDF document “Plug-In Reference”.
• Cubase supports surround-specific plug-ins, that is, plug-ins with 
multi-channel support specifically designed for surround sound mixing tasks 
(the included “Mix6to2” plug-in is an example of this). Furthermore, any VST 
3 plug-in features multi-channel support and can therefore be used in a 
surround configuration, even if it was not specifically designed for surround. 
All plug-ins are described in the separate PDF document “Plug-in Reference”.
• You configure Cubase for surround sound by defining input and output 
busses in the desired surround format and specifying which audio inputs and 
outputs are used for the different channels in the busses.
RELATED LINKS
Using the SurroundPanner V5 on page 562
Using the MixConvert V6 plug-in on page 574
Preparations on page 560
Effects in Multi-Channel Configurations (Cubase Pro only) on page 377 
						

							Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only)
Deliverables
559
Deliverables
The result of a surround mix in Cubase is either the multi-channel audio sent from 
the surround output bus to your dubber, or (if you use the Export Audio Mixdown 
feature) audio file(s) on your hard disk. Exported surround mixes can either be split 
(one mono file per speaker channel) or interleaved (a single file containing all the 
surround channels).
Available surround configurations
The following surround configurations are supported in Cubase:
LRCS
LRCS refers to Left Right Center Surround, where the surround speaker is 
center-rear positioned. This is the original surround format that first appeared 
as Dolby Stereo in cinema and later as the home cinema format Dolby 
ProLogic.
5.0
This is the same as 5.1 (see below) but without the LFE channel. The LFE 
channel is optional in 5.1 and if you do not plan to use it, you might find this 
option more convenient.
5.1
This format is one of the most popular in cinema and DVD. In its various 
cinema and DVD encoding implementations (established by different 
manufacturers) it is referred to as Dolby Digital, AC-3, DTS and MPEG 2 
Multichannel. 5.1 has one center speaker (mainly used for speech) and four 
surround speakers (for music and sound effects). Additionally a subchannel 
(LFE – Low Frequency Effects) with lower bandwidth is used for special low 
frequency effects.
LRC
Same as LRCS, but without the surround speaker channel.
LRS
Left-Right-Surround, with the surround speaker positioned at center-rear.
LRC+LFE
Same as LRC but with an LFE subchannel added.
LRS+LFE
Same as LRS but with an LFE subchannel added. 
						

							Surround Sound (Cubase Pro only)
Preparations
560
Quadro
The original Quadraphonic format for music, with one speaker in each corner. 
This format was intended for vinyl record players.
LRCS+LFE
Same as LRCS but with an LFE subchannel added.
Quadro+LFE
Same as Quadro but with an LFE subchannel added.
6.0 Cine
A Left-Right-Center front speaker arrangement with 3 (Left-Right-Center) 
surround channels.
6.0 Music
This uses 2 (Left/Right) front channels with Left and Right surround channels 
and Left and Right Side channels.
Preparations
Output bus configuration
Before you can start working with surround sound, you have to configure a surround 
output bus, through which all the speaker channels of the selected surround format 
are routed.
RELATED LINKS
Adding Input and Output Busses on page 30
Child busses
A child bus is a bus within a (wider) bus. The most obvious application of a child 
bus is to create stereo busses within your surround bus – this allows you to route 
stereo tracks directly to a stereo speaker pair within the surround bus. You may also 
want to add child busses in other surround formats (with fewer channels than the 
“parent bus”).
Once you have created a surround bus, you can add one or several child busses to 
it by right-clicking the bus and selecting “Add Child Bus”.
RELATED LINKS
Adding Child Busses (Cubase Pro only) on page 31