Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Note Expression
Note Expression and MIDI
811
3. On the MIDI menu, open the Note Expression submenu and select “Convert 
to Note Expression”.
The MIDI data of the types you specified in the Note Expression MIDI Setup dialog is 
converted from controller lane data into Note Expression data, leaving the 
corresponding controller lanes empty.
RESULT 
During this process, the program searches for notes that are sounding at the same 
time as the controllers and if several notes are playing at the same time, the same 
Note Expression parameters will be attributed to them, with the same values.
NOTE
When converting MIDI controllers into Note Expression data, release phases are 
automatically created where necessary, so that no controller data is lost during this 
process.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
When you are editing the MIDI notes after the conversion, it might be necessary to 
consolidate the controller data.
RELATED LINKS
Editing the release phase of a note on page 807
Consolidating MIDI overlaps
It can be problematic to convert regular MIDI controllers into Note Expression data 
or to edit MIDI controllers which have been recorded as Note Expression data. For 
example, when you move notes so that they overlap other notes containing the same 
controllers (e.
 g. by moving or quantizing), these controllers are conflicting. This 
might cause trouble, especially for connected MIDI devices.
You can eliminate such controller conflicts using the “Consolidate Note Expression 
Overlaps” command on the Note Expression submenu of the MIDI menu. When you 
select this command, the following happens:
• If notes overlap that contain data for the same controller, the controller values 
of the second note are used from the beginning of the overlap.
• If a note is moved so that it is positioned entirely within a longer note and if 
these notes contain controller data for the same controller, the controller 
values of the longer note are used until the encompassed note starts. The 
controllers for the “embedded” shorter note are used for the entire length of 
that note. At the end of the shorter note, the controllers of the longer note are 
used again. 
						

							Note Expression
Note Expression and MIDI
812
Distributing notes to different channels
If you do not have a VST 3 instrument, but still want to use the Note Expression 
functions, proceed as follows:
PROCEDURE
1. Add a multi-timbral instrument, open its control panel, and assign the same 
sound to different channels.
2. In the Inspector for the corresponding MIDI track, make sure the MIDI output 
pop-up menu is set to “Any”.
3. Enable the “MIDI as Note Expression” button and record or enter MIDI notes 
with expression as needed.
4. On the MIDI menu, open the Note Expression submenu and select “Distribute 
Notes to MIDI Channels”.
This will distribute the MIDI notes to different channels (starting at channel 1).
5. Edit Note Expression for each note independently without controller conflicts.
Dissolving Note Expression data
• To convert Note Expression data into MIDI controller data on controller lanes, 
select the “Dissolve Note Expression” option from the Note Expression 
submenu on the MIDI menu.
Note that this applies only to Note Expression data that consists only of MIDI 
controllers (i.
 e. not the VST 3 controller data).
Removing all Note Expression data
• To delete all the Note Expression data for the current selection, open the MIDI 
menu and, on the Note Expression submenu, select “Remove Note 
Expression”.
Trimming Note Expression data
When you reduce the release length of a note after entering Note Expression data 
for the release phase, some of the data ends up behind the release phase, thereby 
becoming unused.
• To keep only those Note Expression events that are actually used, select the 
notes and select “Trim Note Expression to Note Length” from the Note 
Expression submenu on the MIDI menu.
This will delete any Note Expression data present after the end of the release 
phase for the notes. 
						

							Note Expression
HALion Sonic SE
813
HALion Sonic SE
HALion Sonic SE is a VST 3-compatible VST instrument. For use with Note 
Expression, it offers the VST
 3 parameters “Tuning” (Pitch), “Volume”, and “Pan”. 
HALion Sonic SE comes with several presets (with the file name extension 
“*.NoteExp”) that can be used with Note Expression. Use them to get a quick 
overview of the possibilities HALion Sonic SE offers when working with Note 
Expression.
For detailed information about HALion Sonic SE and its parameters, refer to the 
separate PDF document HALion Sonic SE.
NOTE
You can also open the Project Browser to have all the Note Expression data shown 
in a list.
RELATED LINKS
Project Browser (Cubase Pro only) on page 926 
						

							814
Chord Functions
The chord functions provide you with many possibilities for working with chords.
The chord functions allow you to:
• Build chord progressions by adding chord events to the chord track.
• Convert chord events to MIDI.
• Use the chord track to control audio playback (Cubase Pro only) or MIDI 
playback.
• Use the chord track voicing to change the pitches of your MIDI.
• Extract chord events from MIDI data to get an overview of the harmonic 
structure of a MIDI file.
• Record chord events with a MIDI keyboard.
RELATED LINKS
Chord Editing Section on page 711
Chord Track
The chord track allows you to add chord events and scale events.
RELATED LINKS
Scale Events on page 824
Chord Events on page 815 
						

							Chord Functions
Chord Events
815
Adding the Chord Track
PROCEDURE
•Select Project > Add Track > Chord.
RESULT 
The chord track is added to your project.
Chord Events
Chord events are representations of chords that control or transpose playback on 
MIDI, instrument, and audio tracks (Cubase Pro only).
Chord events alter the pitches of MIDI notes and VariAudio segments (Cubase Pro 
only), if their tracks are set up to follow the chord track.
Chord events have a specific start position. Their end, however, is determined by 
the start of the next chord event. They can have a root note, a type, a tension, and 
a bass note:
1) Root note
2) Type
3) Tension
4) Bass note
RELATED LINKS
Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback using the Chord Track on page 829 
						

							Chord Functions
Chord Events
816
Chord Editor
The Chord Editor allows you to define or change chord events, and to add new 
chord events.
• To open the Chord Editor, double-click a chord event.
1)Go to Previous/Next Chord
Allow you to select the previous/next chord on the chord track for editing.
2)Add Chord
Adds a new undefined chord event on the chord track.
NOTE
This works only if the last chord event on the chord track is selected.
3)Chord definition buttons
Activate these buttons to define a root note, a chord type, a tension, and a 
bass note for your chord event.
NOTE
If you do not select a separate bass note, the setting is linked to the root note, 
so that no extra bass note is heard.
4)Keyboard display
Shows the notes of the chord event, considering the current voicing settings.
5)Define Chord by Text Input
Allows you to define a chord using the computer keyboard.
6)Activate MIDI Input
Allows you to define a chord by playing a chord on your MIDI keyboard. If the 
chord is recognized, it is reflected by the chord buttons and the keyboard display. 
						

							Chord Functions
Chord Events
817
Adding Chord Events
PREREQUISITE 
Add the chord track.
PROCEDURE
1. Select the Draw tool and click in the chord track.
An undefined chord event named X is added.
2. Select the Object Selection tool and double-click the chord event.
3. In the Editor, select a root note.
4. Optional: Select a chord type, tension, and bass note.
5. Do one of the following:
• To close the Editor, click anywhere outside the Editor.
• To add a new undefined chord event, click Add Chord.
RELATED LINKS
Adding the Chord Track on page 815
Defining Chords By Text Input
In the chord Editor, you can use the text input field to define a chord with the 
computer keyboard.
PROCEDURE
1. Double-click a chord event to open the chord Editor.
2. Click in the text input field at the bottom of the Editor.
3. Enter a chord by performing the following actions:
• Define a root note, for example, C, D, E.
• Define accidentals, for example, # or b.
• Define the chord type, for example maj, min, dim, sus, or aug.
• Define a chord extension, for example 7, 9, or 13.
NOTE
If you have activated Solfège in the Note Name pop-up menu (File > Preferences 
> Event Display > Chords), you can also enter chords in this format. You must 
capitalize the first letter and write “Re” instead of “re”, for example. Otherwise, the 
chord is not recognized.
4. Press [Tab] to add a new chord and define it. 
						

							Chord Functions
Chord Events
818
Chord Assistant
The Chord Assistant allows you to use a chord as a starting point to get 
suggestions for the next chord.
• To open the Chord Assistant, in the Chord Editor, click Chord Assistant.
The Chord Assistant has the following modes:
•List
•Proximity
• Circle of Fifths 
						

							Chord Functions
Chord Events
819
Chord Assistant – List (Cubase Pro only)
The List mode of the Chord Assistant allows you to create harmonic chord 
progressions based on harmonic rules that can be more or less complex.
1)Go to Previous/Next Chord
Allow you to select the previous/next chord on the chord track for editing.
2)Add Chord
Adds a new undefined chord event on the chord track.
NOTE
This works only if the last chord event on the chord track is selected.
3)Suggestions
Shows suggestions for the next chord. Click a chord suggestion to select it.
4)Complexity Filter
Allows you to increase the complexity and thus the number of suggestions. 
The higher the complexity, the more suggestions you get.
5)Gap Mode
Activate this button to get suggestions for the chords in between two defined 
chords based on the previous and the next chord.
Deactivate this button to get suggestions for the next chord based on the 
previous chord.
NOTE
For this to work you must select all undefined chords in between two defined 
chords. 
						

							Chord Functions
Chord Events
820
6)Algorithm Mode
Select Cadence to build up a chord progression based on cadences. Select 
Common Notes to build up a progression by specifying how many common 
notes the chords should share.
7)Cadence Type
NOTE
This option is only available, if you selected Cadence as Algorithm Mode.
Allows you to select a cadence type for the suggestions. This way, only the 
chords with specific harmonic functions are suggested.
8)Chord Assistant tabs
Click the tabs to open one of the chord assistant modes.
Chord Assistant – Proximity (Cubase Pro only)
The Proximity mode of the Chord Assistant takes a set of harmonic rules into 
account to offer suggestions that match the origin chord.
If you open the Chord Assistant for a chord event, the previous event is set as 
origin chord. This is shown in the bottom center of the Chord Assistant. The farer 
away a suggestion is situated from the origin chord in the graphic, the more complex 
the suggestion. The suggested chords are triads or 4-note chords.
• To assign a chord to the selected chord event and play it, click it.
The last three suggested chords that you clicked are shown with a highlighted 
frame.
• To use a chord as origin for further suggestions, right-click the suggested 
chord and select Use as Origin.
NOTE
• If you move the mouse pointer over one of the suggestions in the Chord 
Assistant, a tooltip with suggestions for progressions is shown.