Steinberg Cubase Le 8 Manual

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Hard Disk and Controller
The number of hard disk tracks that you can record and play back at the same time 
also depends on the speed of your hard disk and hard disk controller. If you use 
E-IDE disks and controllers, make sure that the transfer mode is DMA Busmaster. 
Under Windows, you can check the current mode by launching the Windows 
Device Manager and looking for properties of the IDE ATA/ATAPI controller’s 
primary and secondary channel. DMA transfer mode is enabled by default, but may 
be turned off by the system in case of hardware problems.
Audio Hardware and Driver
The hardware and its driver can have some effect on regular performance. A badly 
written driver can reduce the performance of your computer. But where the 
hardware driver design makes the most difference is with latency.
NOTE
We recommend that you use audio hardware for which there is a specific ASIO 
driver.
This is especially true when using Cubase for Windows:
• Under Windows, ASIO drivers written specifically for the hardware are more 
efficient than the Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver or a DirectX driver and 
produce shorter latency times.
• Under Mac OS X, audio hardware with properly written Mac OS X (Core 
Audio) drivers can be very efficient and produce very low latency times.
However, there are additional features currently only available with ASIO drivers, 
such as the ASIO Positioning Protocol.
Settings That Affect Performance
Audio Buffer Settings
Audio buffers affect how audio is sent to and from the audio hardware. The size of 
the audio buffers affects both the latency and the audio performance.
Generally, the smaller the buffer size, the lower the latency. On the other hand, 
working with small buffers can be demanding for the computer. If the audio buffers 
are too small, you may get clicks, pops or other audio playback problems.
• To adjust the buffer size settings under Mac OS X, select Devices > Device 
Setup, and select the Device Setup dialog. You may also find buffer settings 
in the control panel for the audio hardware.
• To adjust the buffer size settings under Windows, select Devices > Device 
Setup, select the driver page, and click Control Panel. 
						

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Multi Processing
When Multi Processing is activated and there is more than one CPU in your system, 
the processing load is distributed evenly to all available CPUs, allowing Cubase to 
make full use of the combined power of the multiple processors.
• To activate Multi Processing, select Devices > Device Setup, select VST 
Audio System, and activate Multi Processing.
VST Performance Window
This window shows the audio processing load and the hard disk transfer rate. This 
allows you to verify that you do not run into performance problems when adding 
effects or plug-ins, for example.
• To open the VST Performance window, select Devices > VST 
Performance.
Average load
Shows how much of the available CPU power is used for audio processing.
Real-time peak
Shows the processing load in the realtime path of the audio engine. The 
higher this value, the higher the risk that dropouts occur.
Overload indicator
The overload indicator to the right of the real-time peak indicator and the 
average load indicator displays overloads of the average or real-time 
indicator.
If it lights up, decrease the number of EQ modules, active effects, and audio 
channels that play back simultaneously. You can also activate the 
ASIO-Guard.
Disk
Shows the hard disk transfer load.
Disk overload indicator
The overload indicator to the right of the disk indicator lights up if the hard disk 
does not supply data fast enough.
If it lights up, use Disable Track to reduce the number of tracks playing back. 
If this does not help, you need a faster hard disk. 
						

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NOTE
You can show a simple view of the performance meter on the Transport panel and 
on the Project window toolbar. These meters only feature the average and the disk 
indicator.
ASIO-Guard
The ASIO-Guard allows you to shift as much processing as possible from the ASIO 
realtime path to the ASIO-Guard processing path. This results in a more stable 
system.
The ASIO-Guard allows you to preprocess all channels as well as VST instruments 
that do not need to be calculated in realtime. This leads to less dropouts, the ability 
to process more tracks or plug-ins, and the ability to use smaller buffer sizes.
ASIO-Guard Latency
High ASIO-Guard levels lead to an increased ASIO-Guard latency. When you 
adjust a volume fader, for example, you will hear the parameter changes with a slight 
delay. The ASIO-Guard latency, in contrast to the latency of the audio hardware, is 
independant from live input.
Restrictions
The ASIO-Guard cannot be used for:
• Realtime-dependent signals
• External effects and instruments
• Plug-ins that have a different bit version than the operating system
NOTE
If you select Devices > Plug-in Manager and click Show Plug-in 
Information, you can deactivate the ASIO-Guard option for selected 
plug-ins.
If you activate the monitoring for an input channel, a MIDI or a VST instrument 
channel, the audio channel and all dependent channels are automatically switched 
from ASIO-Guard to realtime processing and vice versa. This results in a gentle 
fade out and fade in of the audio channel.
Activating the ASIO-Guard
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices > Device Setup.
2. In the Device Setup dialog, open the VST Audio System page. 
						

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3. Activate the Activate ASIO-Guard option.
NOTE
This option is only available, if you activate Multi Processing.
4. Select an ASIO-Guard Level.
The higher the level, the higher the processing stability and audio processing 
performance. However, higher levels also lead to an increased ASIO-Guard latency 
and memory usage. 
						

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Preferences
The Preferences dialog provides options and settings that control the global 
behavior of the program.
Preferences Dialog
The Preferences dialog is divided into a navigation list and a settings page. Clicking 
one of the entries in the navigation list opens a settings page.
• To open the Preferences dialog, select File > Preferences.
In addition to the settings, the dialog provides the following options:
Preference Presets
Allows you to select a saved preference preset.
Store
Allows you to save the current preferences as a preset.
Rename
Allows you to rename a preset. 
						

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Delete
Allows you to delete a preset.
Store marked preferences only
Allows you to select which pages are included in the preset.
Help
Opens the dialog help.
Defaults
Resets the options on the active page to their default settings.
Apply
Applies any changes that you have made without closing the dialog.
OK
Applies any changes that you have made and close the dialog.
Cancel
Closes the dialog without saving any changes.
Saving a Preference Preset
You can save complete or partial preference settings as presets.
PROCEDURE
1. Select File > Preferences.
2. In the Preferences dialog make your settings.
3. Click the Store button in the lower left section of the dialog.
4. Enter a preset name and click OK.
RESULT 
Your settings are now available on the Preferences Presets pop-up menu.
Saving Partial Preferences Settings
You can save partial preferences settings. This is useful when you have made 
settings that only relate to a certain project or situation, for example. When you 
apply a saved partial preference preset you only change the saved settings. All other 
preferences will be left unchanged.
PROCEDURE
1. Select File > Preferences.
2. In the Preferences dialog make your settings. 
						

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3. Activate Store marked preferences only.
In the preferences list a Store column is shown.
4. Click in the Store column of the preference pages that you want to save.
5. Click Store in the lower left section of the dialog.
6. Enter a preset name and click OK.
RESULT 
Your settings are now available from the Preferences Presets pop-up menu.
Appearance
Colors
This page features subpages that allow you to change the default color settings.
General
Allows you to adjust the default colors for the general interface of the 
program.
Track Type Defaults
Allows you to adjust the default colors for the different track types.
Project
Allows you to adjust the default colors in the Project window.
Editors
Allows you to adjust the default colors in the editors.
MixConsole Faders
Allows you to adjust the default colors for the level faders of the channel types 
in the MixConsole.
MixConsole Racks
Allows you to adjust the default colors for the racks in the MixConsole. 
						

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MixConsole Channel Strip
Allows you to adjust the default colors for the channel strips in the 
MixConsole.
Editing
Select Track on Background Click
This allows you to select a track by clicking in the event display background.
Auto Select Events under Cursor
If this option is activated, all events in the Project window or in an editor that 
are currently touched by the project cursor are automatically selected. This 
can be helpful when you rearrange your project, because it allows you to 
select whole sections (on all tracks) simply by moving the project cursor.
Cycle Follows Range Selection
If this is activated, range selections that you make in the Sample Editor will 
be mirrored in the Project window as well. This lets you audition a range in 
the Sample Editor as a loop with the main transport controls, rather than with 
the Audition and Audition Loop controls in the Sample Editor.
Delete Overlaps
If this is activated and you move, size, or nudge an event so that it partly 
overlaps another event, the other event is automatically resized so that the 
overlapped (hidden) section is removed. Hold [Shift] while moving to override 
this setting.
Link Editors
When this is activated, the parts or events shown in the open editor windows 
will follow the selection that you make in the Project window.
Parts Get Track Names
If this is activated and you move an event from one track to another, the moved 
event will automatically be named according to its new track. Otherwise, the 
event will retain the name of the original track.
Quick Zoom
If this option is activated, the contents of parts and events will not be 
continuously redrawn when you zoom manually. Instead, the contents are 
redrawn once you have stopped changing the zoom – activate this if screen 
redraws are slow on your system.
Use Up/Down Navigation Commands for Selecting Tracks only
• When this option is deactivated and no event/part is selected in the 
Project window, the up/down arrow keys on the computer keyboard are 
used to step through the tracks in the track list. 
						

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• When this option is deactivated and an event/part is selected in the 
Project window however, the up/down arrow keys still step through the 
tracks in the track list. Only on the currently selected track, the first 
event/part will also be selected.
• When this option is activated, the up/down arrow keys are only used to 
change the track selection – the current event/part selection in the 
Project window will not be altered.
Track Selection follows Event Selection
If this option is activated and you select an event in the Project window, the 
corresponding track is also automatically selected.
Automation Reduction Level
This setting determines the amount of reduction applied when you add 
automation events by drawing or by using the Write function. When you write 
or draw Automation events, they are added as a continuous stream of densely 
packed events. The Reduction function will remove superfluous event points, 
and the automation curve contains only the event points that are necessary to 
reproduce your actions.
• The lower the reduction level, the more automation events are retained, 
resulting in a more detailed automation curve. Usually the default setting 
is sufficient.
• The minimum reduction level setting is not recommended as this will 
simply retain a lot of unnecessary events.
Show Automation Track in Project on Writing Parameter
If you activate this option, the corresponding automation track is revealed on 
writing automation parameters. This is useful if you want to have a visual 
control of all parameters that are changed during writing.
Automation follows Events
If you activate this option, automation events will automatically follow when 
you move an event or part on the track.
This facilitates setting up automation that is related to a specific event or part, 
instead of a specific position in the project. For example, you can automate 
the panning of a sound effect event (having the sound pan from left to right, 
etc.) – if you need to move the event, the automation will automatically follow. 
The rules are:
• All automation events for the track between the start and end of the 
event or part will be moved. If there are automation events in the position 
to which you move the part or event, these will be overwritten.
• If you duplicate an event or part (by holding [Alt]/[Option] and dragging 
or by using the Duplicate or Repeat functions) the automation events 
will also be duplicated as well.
• This function also affects copying and pasting. 
						

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Drag Delay
When you click and drag an event, this setting determines the delay before 
the event is moved. This helps you avoid accidentally moving events when you 
click on them in the Project window.
Editing - Audio
Treat Muted Audio Events like Deleted
If you have two overlapping audio events in your project and you mute the top 
one (the event you hear during playback), playback of the other (obscured) 
event will still only start at the end of the overlapping section.
If this is not what you want, Treat Muted Audio Events like Deleted allows 
you to immediately play the obscured event when muting the top event.
Use Mouse Wheel for Event Volume and Fades
• If this is activated, you can use the mouse wheel to move the event 
volume curve up or down.
• When you hold down [Shift] while moving the mouse wheel, the fade 
curves will be affected. To move the end point of the fade in, position 
the mouse in the left half of the event. To move the start point of the fade 
out, position the mouse in the right half of the event.
On Import Audio Files
This setting determines what happens when importing an audio file into a 
project:
•Open Options Dialog
An Import Options dialog opens when you import, allowing you to select 
whether you want to copy the file to the audio folder and/or convert it to 
the project settings.
•Use Settings
Allows you to set the following standard actions:
Copy Files to Working Directory copies the files to the project’s audio 
folder before import.
Convert and Copy to Project If Needed copies the files to the 
project’s audio folder before import and converts them if the files have 
a different sample rate or a lower resolution than the project settings.
Enable Automatic Hitpoint Detection
If this is activated, and you add an audio file to your project by recording or by 
importing, Cubase automatically detects its hitpoints. This allows you to 
navigate to hitpoints of an audio file from within the Project window.
Remove Regions/Hitpoints on all Offline Processes
If this is activated and you perform offline processing on an audio range that 
contains regions, these will be removed.