Steinberg Cubase SE 3 Getting Started Manual

							CUBASE SEInstallation and Requirements for Mac OS X 3 – 31
Installing Cubase SE
Defragment the hard disk
If you plan to record audio on a hard disk where you have already 
stored other files, now is the time to defragment it. Defragmentation 
reorganizes the physical allocation of space on the hard disk in order 
to optimize its performance. It is done with a special defragmentation 
program.
It is crucial to the audio recording performance that your hard disk is op-
timized (defragmented). You should make sure to defragment regularly.
Installing the files from the DVD-ROM
The installation procedure puts all files in the right places, automatically.
1.Insert the Cubase SE DVD-ROM.
2.Locate the Cubase SE installer and run it.
The installation procedure starts. This will create a Cubase SE folder in your Applica-
tions folder and add various required files to your system.
3.You will be asked to read and confirm the license agreement (shown 
on screen).
This is required for the installation to proceed.
Finally, a dialog box informs you that the installation was successful.
Setting up the protection key
If you are a new Cubase SE user
1.After restarting the computer, plug in the hardware protection key into 
the USB port.
If you are unsure which port this is, consult the computer’s documentation.
2.You are now ready to launch Cubase SE! 
						

							CUBASE SE3 – 32 Installation and Requirements for Mac OS X
If you are upgrading from a previous version of Cubase SE/LE
• For the activation of the copy protection key, you need a working 
internet connection, as this is performed online. In case you have no 
connection to the internet on the computer on which you wish to use 
Cubase SE, you can always use a different computer for activation.
Simply install the License Control Center separately on the internet computer, without in-
stalling the complete product. To do this, the product installation DVD contains a dedi-
cated installer called “SyncrosoftLicenseControl.mpkg”. You can also find up-to-date 
versions of this installer for Mac and PC at www.syncrosoft.com/downloads/index.html.
Whether you bought a new Steinberg key or whether you are using an ex-
isting Steinberg key: this key does not yet contain the necessary license. 
You must download this license before you can launch the program.
To activate the protection key for use with your new Cubase SE 
version, proceed as follows:
1.After restarting the computer, plug in your protection key into the USB 
port.
2.Make sure that your computer has a working internet connection.
3.Locate the activation code in the upgrade package and keep it at hand.
4.Launch the “License Control Center” application (found in the Appli-
cations folder).
This application allows you to view your USB protection keys and activate them for 
new applications by downloading licenses.
5.Use the License Control Center “Wizard” functions to download a 
license for your new program version to your protection key.
This requires that you enter your activation code – just follow the instructions on screen. 
If you are uncertain about how to proceed, consult the help for LCC.
6.When the activation is complete, you are ready to launch Cubase SE!
For information about product updates, you should check the Steinberg 
website regularly. Open the “Steinberg on the Web” submenu on the Help 
menu and select “Product Updates”. The website that opens contains a 
list with the recent updates. 
						

							CUBASE SEInstallation and Requirements for Mac OS X 3 – 33
Register your software!
Registering your software will make sure you are entitled to technical 
support and kept aware of updates and other news regarding Cubase 
SE. For full support services, you need to register by sending in your 
registration card. 
						

							CUBASE SE3 – 34 Installation and Requirements for Mac OS X 
						

							4
Setting up your system 
						

							CUBASE SE4 – 36 Setting up your system
Setting up audio
Always make all connections with all equipment turned off!
Connecting audio
Exactly how to set up your system is a very personal matter – the fol-
lowing connection diagrams should be taken as examples.
The audio connections below may be digital or analog, it doesn’t matter.
Stereo input and output – the simplest connection
If you only use a stereo input and output from Cubase SE, you can 
connect your audio hardware directly to the input source, a mixer for 
example, and the outputs to a power amplifier and speaker.
A simple stereo audio setup.
Audio card inputsAudio card outputs
Amplifier and speakers
Source to be recorded
LRLR 
						

							CUBASE SESetting up your system 4 – 37
Multi-channel input and output
Most likely however, you will have other audio equipment that you 
want to integrate with Cubase SE. This will require a mixer, preferably 
one with a group or bus system that can be used for feeding inputs on 
the audio hardware.
In the example below, four buses are used for feeding signals to the 
audio hardware’s inputs. The four outputs are connected back to the 
mixer for monitoring and playback. Remaining mixer inputs can be used 
for connecting audio sources like microphones, instruments, etc.
A multi-channel audio setup.
• When connecting an input source (like a mixer) to the audio hardware, 
you should use output buses, sends or similar that are separate from 
the mixer’s master output to avoid recording what you are playing back.
Recording from a CD player
Most computers come with a CD-ROM drive that can also be used as 
a regular CD player. In some cases the CD player is internally con-
nected to the audio hardware so that you can record the output of the 
CD player directly into Cubase SE (consult the audio hardware docu-
mentation if you are uncertain).
• All routing and level adjustments for recording from a CD (if available) are 
done in the audio hardware setup application (see page 38).
• You can also grab audio tracks directly from a CD in Cubase SE (see the Op-
eration Manual). 
Audio    card inputsAudio card outputs
Amplifier and speakers Mixer Inputs
1 to 4Bus
1 to 4
LR 
						

							CUBASE SE4 – 38 Setting up your system
About recording levels and inputs
When you connect your equipment, you should make sure that the im-
pedance and levels of the audio sources and inputs are matched. 
Typically, different inputs may be designed for use with microphones, 
consumer line level (-10 dBV) or professional line level (+4 dBV), or 
you may be able to adjust input characteristics on the audio interface 
or in its control panel. Please check the audio hardware documenta-
tion for details.
Using the correct types of input is important to avoid distortion or 
noisy recordings. For more information about checking input levels, 
see page 95.
Cubase SE does not provide any input level adjustments for the signals 
coming in to your audio hardware, since these are handled differently for 
each card. Adjusting input levels is either done in a special application in-
cluded with the hardware or from its control panel (see below). 
Making settings for the audio hardware
Most audio cards come with one or more small applications that allow 
you to configure the inputs of the hardware to your liking. 
This includes:
• Selecting which inputs/outputs are active.
• Turning monitoring via the hardware on/off (see page 44).
• Setting levels for each input. This is very important!
• Setting levels for the outputs, so that they match the equipment you use for 
monitoring.
• Selecting digital input and output formats.
• Making settings for the audio buffers.
In many cases all available settings for the audio hardware are gath-
ered in a control panel, which can be opened from within Cubase SE 
as described below (or opened separately, when Cubase SE isn’t run-
ning). In some cases there may be several different applications and 
panels – please refer to the audio hardware documentation for details. 
						

							CUBASE SESetting up your system 4 – 39
Selecting a driver and making audio settings in Cubase SE
The first thing you need to do is select the correct driver in Cubase SE 
to make sure that the program can communicate with the audio hard-
ware:
1.Launch Cubase SE, select Device Setup from the Devices menu and 
click on VST Audiobay in the list.
The VST Audiobay page in the Device Setup dialog.
2.Select your audio hardware driver from the Master ASIO Driver menu.
There may be several options here that all refer to the same audio hardware. When you 
have selected a driver, it is added to the Devices list.
Under Windows, we strongly recommend that you access your hardware 
via an ASIO driver written specifically for the hardware, if available. If no 
ASIO driver is installed we recommend that you check with your audio 
hardware manufacturer if they have an ASIO driver available, for exam-
ple for download via the Internet.
3.Select the driver in the Devices list to open the Driver settings for your 
audio hardware.
4.Bring up the control panel for the audio hardware and adjust the set-
tings as recommended by the audio hardware manufacturer.  
						

							CUBASE SE4 – 40 Setting up your system
•Under Windows, you can open the control panel by clicking the Con-
trol Panel button.
The control panel that appears when you click this button is provided by the audio 
hardware manufacturer and not Cubase SE (unless you use DirectX or MME, see be-
low). Hence it will be different for each audio card brand and model.
The Control panels for the ASIO Multimedia and ASIO DirectX drivers are an excep-
tion, as they are provided by Steinberg. They are described in the HTML Help, opened 
by clicking the Help button in the respective dialog. See also the notes below.
•Under Mac OS X, you will find the control panel for your audio hard-
ware in the System Preferences (“Other” section), opened from the 
Apple menu or from the Dock.
If you are using the built-in audio hardware of the Macintosh, you use the “Sound” con-
trol panel in the System Preferences to set levels, balance, etc.
If you are using ASIO audio hardware, you can click the Control Panel button to bring 
up its panel.
5.If you plan to use several audio applications simultaneously, you may 
want to activate the option “Release ASIO Driver in Background” on 
the VST Audiobay page. This will allow another application to play 
back via your audio hardware even though Cubase SE is running.
The application that is currently active (i.e. the “top window” on the desktop), will get 
access to the audio hardware. Make sure that any other audio application accessing 
the audio hardware is also set to release the ASIO (or Mac OS X) driver so Cubase SE 
can use it when it becomes the active application again.
6.If your audio hardware and its driver support ASIO Direct Monitoring, 
you may want to activate the Direct Monitoring checkbox.
Read more about monitoring later in this chapter and in the Recording chapter in the 
Operation Manual.
7.Click Apply and then OK to close the dialog.