Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Track Quick Controls
Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls
621
Manual Assignment via the Inspector Tab
You can assign track parameters manually.
PROCEDURE
1. In the Inspector for your track, open the Quick Controls tab.
2. On the Quick Controls tab, click on the first Quick Control slot.
A pop-up menu opens. It lists all parameters currently accessible for this particular track.
3. Double-click the parameter that you want to assign to the first Quick Control 
slot.
The parameter name and its value are displayed in the slot. You can change the value 
by dragging the slider.
The track’s main volume parameter is assigned to Quick Control 1.
4. Repeat these steps for each Quick Control slot until all slots are associated 
with track parameters.
RESULT 
You can now control the functions most important to you via one single Inspector section.
• To rename a Quick Control, double-click on the name in the slot to select it, 
enter a new name and press [Enter].
• To replace a parameter assignment with a different parameter, click on the 
corresponding Quick Control slot and double-click a different parameter.
Automatic Assignment of VST Instrument Parameters
When you create an instrument track or load a VST instrument via the VST 
Instruments window including creating an associated MIDI track, the main 
parameters of the instrument are automatically assigned to the slots on the Quick 
Controls tab in the Inspector.
NOTE
This only works if the VST instrument supports this feature.
If you have changed the parameter assignment or if you manually route a MIDI track 
to a VST instrument, you can retrieve the default assignments.
PROCEDURE
1. In the Inspector for your track, open the Quick Controls tab.
2. Click Get Default QCs from Plug-in. 
						

							Track Quick Controls
Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls622
Removing Parameter Assignments
• To remove a parameter from a slot, double-click the parameter name to select 
it and press the [Delete] or [Backspace] key. Confirm by pressing [Return].
Alternatively, you can click in the corresponding slot and select  No
  
parameter  from the pop-up menu.
• To remove the Quick Control assi gnments
  for all slots, click the Remove All 
QC Assignments  button.
Showing Automated Quick Control Assignments
You can show all Quick Control assignments that have been automated for one 
track.
PROCEDURE
1. Click the track for which you want  to show automated Quick Control 
assignments.
2. In the  Inspector for your track, open the  Quick Controls tab.
3. On the  Quick Controls  ta
 b, click Preset Management  .
4. Select Show Automated QC Assignments .
RESULT 
The automation tracks of the automated Quick Control parameters open for the 
sele
 cted track.
NOTE
•If  Volume  is assigned as a Quick Control parameter, it is always shown as 
automated, independent of whet her it is automated or not.
• You can also show automated Qu ick Control assignments via the Track 
Quick Controls rack in the MixConsole . 
						

							Track Quick Controls
Connecting Quick Controls with Remote Controllers623
Saving/Loading Track Quick Control Assignments as Presets
You can save and load your own Quick Control assignments as presets for audio, 
instrument, MIDI, FX, and group tracks. You can also use the factory presets.
PROCEDURE
1. In the Inspector for your track, open the  Quick Controls tab.
For instrument tracks, the Track Quick Contro ls are automatically set to the 8 default 
VST Quick Controls of the loaded instrument by default.
NOTE
You can also make your own assignments and save them as presets and delete, 
rename, or reset the presets to the default assignments.
2. On the Quick Controls tab, click  Preset Management .
• To save a preset, click  Save Preset.
Enter a name in the  Type
  In Preset Name dialog and click OK .
• To load a preset, select one of the presets in the upper list of the menu. 
The Track Quick Control assignment changes and gives you access to the 
channel parameters.
RELATED LINKS
Manual Assignment via the Inspector Tab on  page  621
Connecting Quick Controls with Remote Controllers
Quick Controls become powerful when used in combination with a remote 
controller.
P
REREQUISITE 
Your remote device is connected to Cubase via MIDI.
PROCEDURE
1. Select  Devices > Device Setup .
2. In the Devices list, select  Track Quick Controls  or VST Quick Controls .
This opens the respective section on the right.
3. From the MIDI Input pop-up menu, select the MIDI port on your computer.
If your remote controller has its own MIDI  input and supports MIDI feedback, you can 
connect your computer to the device input. Select the corresponding MIDI port in the 
MIDI Output  pop-up menu.
Alternatively, you can select  All MIDI Inpu
 ts.
4. Click  Apply.
5. Activate  Learn.
6. In the  Control Name  co
 lumn, select QuickControl 1. 
						

							Track Quick Controls
Activating Pick-up Mode for Hardware Controls
624
7. On your remote control device, move the control that you want to use for the 
first quick control.
8. Select the next slot in the Control Name column and repeat the previous steps.
9. Click OK.
NOTE
In addition to using the Learn function to set up the table in the Quick Controls 
section, you can modify the values manually. The available options are identical to the 
ones available for the Generic Remote device.
RESULT 
The quick controls are now associated with control elements on your external 
remote controller. If you move a control element, the value of the parameter that is 
assigned to the corresponding Quick Control changes accordingly.
The remote controller setup for Quick Controls is saved globally, that is, it is 
independent of any projects. If you have various remote controllers, you can save 
and load several Quick Control setups using the Export and Import buttons.
RELATED LINKS
The Generic Remote device on page 630
Activating Pick-up Mode for Hardware Controls
Pick-up Mode allows you to change configured Quick Control parameters without 
accidentally modifying their previous values.
Often, the parameter settings of your Quick Controls are initially different from the 
settings of your hardware controls, for example, when the hardware controls control, 
different Quick Controls on different tracks. In this case, you will notice that moving 
a hardware control changes the previous value of a parameter in a way that it is 
initially set to the zero position, before it is changed. Thus, you always lose your 
previous setting of the parameter.
To avoid this, you can activate Pick-up Mode. This has the effect that when you 
move your hardware control, you can only change the parameter once the control 
reaches the parameter’s previous value. The control “picks up” the parameter at the 
value to which it was last set.
NOTE
This only applies to hardware controllers whose controls use specific ranges.
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices > Device Setup.
2. In the Devices list, select Track Quick Controls or VST Quick Controls.
3. Activate Pick-up Mode.
4. Click OK. 
						

							Track Quick Controls
Quick Controls and Automatable Parameters
625
Quick Controls and Automatable Parameters
You can use Quick Controls not only to access certain parameters of the current 
track, but also to control all automatable parameters. This makes it possible to use 
the Quick Controls tab of a dedicated track as a kind of “mini mixer”, controlling 
parameters on other tracks.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
Use this function with caution, however, as you might accidentally modify 
parameters on other tracks.
PROCEDURE
1. Create a new, empty audio track and open its Quick Controls tab.
This track has no events or parts.
2. Hold down the [Ctrl]/[Command] key and click on the slot for Quick Control 1.
The parameter selection context menu opens, but it lists not the parameters of the 
current track, but all automatable parameters.
3. Open the VST Mixer folder.
The pop-up menu lists all channels available in the MixConsole of your current 
project.
4. Assign a parameter of one particular channel to Quick Control 1, and another 
parameter of another channel to Quick Control 2.
RESULT 
The Quick Controls tab has become a secondary mixer, dedicated to 
quick-controlling parameters on other tracks.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
Quick Controls that are assigned that way cannot work when saved as track 
presets. 
						

							626
Remote controlling Cubase
It is possible to control Cubase via MIDI.
A large number of MIDI control devices is supported. This chapter describes how 
to set up Cubase for remote control. The supported devices are described in the 
separate PDF document “Remote Control Devices”.
There is also a Generic Remote Device option, allowing you to use any MIDI 
controller to remote control Cubase.
RELATED LINKS
The Generic Remote device on page 630
Setting Up
Connecting the remote device
Connect the MIDI output on the remote unit to a MIDI input on your MIDI interface. 
Depending on the remote unit model, you may also need to connect a MIDI Out on 
the interface to a MIDI In on the remote unit (this is necessary if the remote unit 
features “feedback devices” such as indicators, motorized faders, etc.).
If you are recording MIDI tracks, you do not want any MIDI data from the remote unit to 
be accidentally recorded as well. To avoid this, you should make the following setting:
PROCEDURE
1. Open the Device Setup dialog from the Devices menu.
2. Select “MIDI Port Setup” in the list on the left.
3. Check the table on the right and locate the MIDI input to which you have 
connected the MIDI remote unit.
4. Deactivate the checkbox in the “In ‘All MIDI Inputs’” column for that input, so 
that the State column reads “Inactive”.
5. Click OK to close the Device Setup dialog.
RESULT 
Now you have removed the remote unit input from the “All MIDI Inputs” group. This 
means that you can record MIDI tracks with the “All MIDI Inputs” port selected 
without risking to record the data from the remote unit at the same time. 
						

							Remote controlling Cubase
Setting Up
627
Selecting a remote device
PROCEDURE
1. Open the Device Setup dialog from the Devices menu.
2. If you cannot find the remote device you are looking for, click on the plus sign 
in the top left corner and select the device from the pop-up menu.
The selected device is added to the Devices list.
NOTE
Note that it is possible to select more than one remote device of the same type. If you 
have more than one remote device of the same type, these will be numbered in the 
Devices list. For example, to be able to use a Mackie Control Extender, you must 
install a second Mackie control device.
3. Select your MIDI control device model from the Devices list.
Depending on the selected device, either a list of programmable function commands 
or a blank panel is shown in the right half of the dialog window.
4. Select the correct MIDI input from the pop-up menu.
If necessary, select the correct MIDI output from the pop-up menu.
5. Click OK to close the dialog.
RESULT 
You can now use the MIDI control device to move faders and knobs, activate Mute 
and Solo, etc. The exact parameter configuration depends on which external MIDI 
control device you are using.
A white stripe in the Project window and in the MixConsole indicates which 
channels are currently linked to the remote control device. 
						

							Remote controlling Cubase
Operations
628
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
Sometimes communication between Cubase and a remote device is interrupted or the 
handshaking protocol fails to create a connection. To re-establish communication with 
any device in the Devices list, select it and click the Reset button in the lower part of the 
Device Setup dialog. The “Send Reset Message to all Devices” button at the top left of 
the dialog next to the “+” and “-” buttons will reset every device in the Devices list.
Operations
Global options for remote controllers
In the Device Setup dialog, on the page for your remote device, some (or all) of the 
following global functions may be available (depending on your remote device):
Bank pop-up menu
If your remote device contains several banks, you can select the bank you 
want to use.
The bank you select here is used by default when Cubase is launched.
Smart Switch Delay
Some of the Cubase functions (e. g. Solo and Mute) support the so called smart 
switch behavior: In addition to regular activation/deactivation of a function by 
clicking a button, you can also activate the function for as long as the button is 
pressed. Upon releasing the mouse button, the function is deactivated.
This pop-up menu allows you to specify how long a button must be pressed 
before it goes into smart switch mode. When “Off” is selected, the smart 
switch function is deactivated in Cubase.
Enable Auto Select
If this option is activated, touching a fader on a touch-sensitive remote control 
device automatically selects the corresponding channel. On devices without 
touch-sensitive faders, the channel gets selected as soon as you move the 
fader. 
						

							Remote controlling Cubase
Operations
629
Writing automation using remote controls
Automating the MixConsole in Touch mode using a remote control device is done 
in the same way as when you operate on-screen controls in Write mode. In order to 
replace existing automation data for a control in Touch mode, the computer needs 
to know how long the user actually “grabbed” or used the control. When doing this 
“on screen”, the program simply detects when the mouse button is pressed and 
released. When you are using an external remote control device without 
touch-sensitive controls, Cubase cannot tell whether you “grab and hold” a fader or 
simply move it and release it.
Therefore, when you are using a device without touch-sensitive controls and want 
to replace existing automation data, pay attention to the following:
• If you activate Write mode and move a control on the remote control device, 
all data for the corresponding parameter is replaced from the position where 
you moved the control, up to the position where playback is stopped.
In other words, as soon as you move a control in Write mode, it remains 
“active” until you stop playback.
• Make sure that you move only the controller you want to replace.
Assigning remote key commands
For some remote devices, you can assign any Cubase function (to which a key 
command can be assigned) to generic buttons, wheels, or other controls.
PROCEDURE
1. Open the Device Setup dialog and select your remote device.
On the right side of the window you will find a three column table. This is where you 
assign commands.
2. Use the Button column to locate a remote device control or button to which 
you wish to assign a Cubase function.
3. Click in the Category column for the control and select one of the Cubase 
function categories from the pop-up menu.
4. Click in the Command column and select the desired Cubase function from 
the pop-up menu.
The available items on the pop-up menu depend on the selected category.
5. Click “Apply” when you are done.
Click “Reset” to revert to the default settings.
RESULT 
The selected function is now assigned to the button or control on the remote device. 
						

							Remote controlling Cubase
The Generic Remote device
630
A note about remote controlling MIDI tracks
While most remote control devices will be able to control both MIDI and audio 
channels in Cubase, the parameter setup may be different. For example, 
audio-specific controls (such as EQ) will be disregarded when controlling MIDI 
channels.
Accessing device panel parameters via remote control devices 
(Cubase Pro only)
Cubase allows you to control external MIDI devices through user device panels.
When you have assigned project parameters to a device panel to be displayed in 
the MixConsole (i.
 e. when creating the panel, you must select the Channel Strip 
Size option in the Add Panel dialog), you can access these parameters through 
some of the remote control devices supported by Cubase.
This feature is supported for the following devices:
•Steinberg Houston
• Mackie Control
•Mackie HUI
• Yamaha DM 2000
•CM Motormix
•SAC2K
These remote control devices provide an extra display page in the Inserts section 
for the selected channel.
This page is called User and is displayed as the 9th insert page for audio channels 
and as the 5th insert page for MIDI channels. It allows you to control the parameters 
assigned to your user device panel from your remote control device.
The Generic Remote device
If you have a generic MIDI controller, you can use this for remote control of Cubase 
by setting up the Generic Remote device:
PROCEDURE
1. Open the Device Setup dialog on the Devices menu.
If the Generic Remote device is not on the Devices list, you need to add it.