Steinberg Nuendo 4 Manual
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211 Surround sound Additional parameters (Standard mode) Center Level. This determines how center source signals should be reproduced by the front speakers. With a value of 100%, the center speaker will provide the center source. With a value of 0%, the center source will be provided by the ghost image created by the left and right speakers. Other values will produce a mix between these two methods. Divergence Controls. The three divergence controls determine the attenuation curves used when positioning sound sources, for X-axis front, X-axis back and Y-axis (front/rear), respectively. If all three Divergence values are 0% (default), positioning a sound source on a speaker will set all other speakers to zero level (-×) (except for the center speaker which depends on the cen- ter level). With higher values, the other speakers will receive a percent- age of the sound source. Additional parameters (Position and Angle mode) Attenuate. Attenuate can be used to amplify or weaken the source. Exactly what effect this has on the level in each speaker can be determined by the level read- outs, the concentric circle (Position mode) and the arc (Angle mode). Normalize. Normalize is a function for controlling the overall loudness from all speak- ers. When this is set to 1.0 (full normalization), the level from all speakers together is always exactly 0dB. The individual levels will then be boosted or attenuated accordingly. Automation All parameters in the SurroundPan plug-in can be auto- mated, just as with any other plug-in. See “Enabling and disabling the writing of automation data” on page 214. Mixconvert Mixconvert is a special plug-in that converts one multi- channel audio source into another multi-channel destina- tion. It is most frequently used to “downmix” a multi-chan- nel surround mix into another format with less channels (a 5.1 surround mix into a stereo mix for example). This plug-in can be used as an insert effect in the mixer like other plug-ins but it also has special functions. Nu- endo will automatically insert Mixconvert in place of the surround panner in cases where the channel (audio track, group channel etc…) is being routed to a destination that has fewer audio paths. Mixconvert will also be inserted in place of any aux send panner when the destination has a different audio path than the source. The surround pan- ner’s displays and controls will be replaced by Mixcon- vert’s. Please refer to the separate manual “Nuendo Expansion Kit – Cubase Music Tools for Nuendo 4” for detailed infor- mation on the operation of Mixconvert. ÖThere is one exception to this behavior. When a stereo channel is routed to a mono destination through the chan- nel routing or an aux send routing, a normal panner will ap- pear. However, this panner will control the balance of the left and right channels as they are blended into the mono destination. The center position blends both channels to- gether equally. With the pan set all the way to the left, only the left channel will be heard. With the pan set all the way to the right, only the right channel will be heard. Exporting a Surround mix When you have set up a surround mix you can choose to export it with the Export Audio Mixdown function. This function exports a single selected output bus – this means that all channels that you want to be part of the mix must be routed to the surround output bus. You have the following export options when doing sur- round work: Export to “split” format, resulting in one mono audio file for each surround channel. Export to interleaved format, resulting in a single multi- channel audio file (e.g. a 5.1 file, containing all six sur- round channels). !Please note that this is not a dynamic feature, like compression or limiting. It is instead just a tool for scaling the nominal output levels from the surround channels.
212 Surround sound Under Windows you can also export a 5.1 surround mix to a file in Windows Media Audio Pro format. This is an encoding format tailored for 5.1 surround – see “Windows Media Audio Pro files (Windows only)” on page 442. You can also export a surround mix to a Dolby Digital AC3 file or a DTS file, if you have the Steinberg Dolby Dig- ital Encoder or the Steinberg DTS Encoder (both optional, separate plug-ins) installed in your system. Please go to www.steinberg.net for details. For more about exporting to files, see the chapter “Export Audio Mixdown” on page 437. Using effects in surround configurations Nuendo introduces a special surround format for VST plug-ins, that is plug-ins that can process more than two channels. Mix8to2 is an example of such a plug-in. Applying a Surround-aware plug-in This is not different from applying a regular plug-in. The only difference is that the plug-in panel may have controls for more than two channels. Using a stereo plug-in in a surround configuration Normally, when you apply a stereo insert effect to a sur- round configuration, the first two speaker channels (often L and R) are routed through the plug-in and other chan- nels are left unprocessed. However, you may want to use the plug-in on other speaker channels. This is described in the chapter “Audio effects” on page 168.
214 Automation Introduction In essence, automation means finding and recording, for each and every moment of your project, the right values for a particular mixer parameter. When you create your final mix, you won’t have to worry about having to adjust this particular parameter control yourself – Nuendo will do it for you. Automation is a key feature when mixing audio data in complex, multi-track projects. Whether you want to mix a music project or if you are performing a feature-film re-re- cording – without comprehensive automation features your task would be impossible. Nuendo provides very powerful and yet intuitive automation of virtually every mixer and effect parameter. The following sections provide detailed descriptions of the Nuendo automation features: The section following below describes how to activate automation Write mode and how the automation data is displayed. What can and what cannot be automated is briefly ex- plained in “What can be automated?” on page 216. “The Automation panel” on page 217 provides a first look at the Automation panel and its features. Make sure you read and understand “Virgin territory vs. the initial value” on page 217! The various automation punch-out modes are explained in detail in the section “Automation modes” on page 219. The Nuendo automation features become truly powerful thanks to the automation performance utilities, as ex- plained in the section “Automation performance utilities” on page 222. “The Settings section” on page 229 describes the glo- bal options and settings available on the Automation panel. “Hints and further options” on page 230 gives you gen- eral information on how the automation features interact with other Nuendo features. The section “Automation track operations” on page 231 describes how to open and manipulate automation tracks. Finally, the section “Working with automation curves” on page 235 explains how to edit automation curves. Enabling and disabling the writing of automation data Tracks and mixer channels in Nuendo can be “automation enabled” by activating their automation Write (W) buttons. All track types except arranger, folder, marker, transpose, video and ruler tracks feature Write (W) and Read (R) but- tons in the mixer, in the Track list and in the Channel Set- tings window. Furthermore, the control panels for all plug- in effects and VST Instruments also feature Write and Read buttons. The Write and Read buttons for a channel in the mixer and for an auto- mation track in the Track list. If you activate Write for a channel, virtually all mixer pa- rameters you adjust during playback for that specific channel will be recorded as automation events. If Read is activated for a channel, all your recorded mixer actions for that channel will be performed during playback, just like you performed them in Write mode. The W and R buttons for a track in the Track list are mir- rors of the W and R buttons in the corresponding channel strip in the mixer. ÖNote that the Read button is automatically enabled when you enable the Write button. This allows Nuendo to read existing automation data at any time. You can separately deactivate Write, if you want to only read existing data. There is no status Write on/Read off. There are also global Read and Write indicator buttons (“All Automation to Read/Write Status”) in the common panel of the mixer and at the top of the Track list: The “All Automation to Read/Write Status” buttons in the mixer, and in the Track list.
215 Automation These buttons light up as soon as there is a single en- abled Read or Write button on any channel/track within your project. When “All Automation to Read/Write Status” is dis- abled and you click on one of these buttons, all Read/ Write buttons on all tracks/channels are enabled. When “All Automation to Read/Write Status” is enabled, this means that at least one of the Read/Write buttons on one of the channels of your project is enabled. When “All Automation to Read/Write Status” is enabled and you click on one of these buttons, any enabled Read/ Write buttons on the tracks/channels of your project are disabled. ÖYou will also find global Read/Write buttons on the Automation panel. See the section “The Read/Write but- tons in the Mode section” on page 221. MIDI Controller Input to Automation Tracks If you set up a remote device to control parameters and settings in Nuendo, you can record automation with that remote device – just activate Write as usual. However, if you are recording a MIDI track and want to record auto- mation at the same time, the controller data sent by the re- mote device will be recorded “twice” – as automation and as MIDI controller data on the MIDI track. To avoid this, activate the “MIDI Controller Input to Auto- mation Tracks” option in the Preferences (MIDI page). When this is activated, the controllers will be recorded as automation only, not as MIDI controller data on the re- corded MIDI track. Creating automation data Within a Nuendo project, the changes in a parameter value over time are reflected as curves on so-called auto- mation tracks. The curves are drawn in real-time while you write the automation data. Most of the tracks in your project have automation tracks, one for each automated parameter. ÖNote that automation tracks are hidden by default. You can display all automated parameters and the corre- sponding automation tracks at the same time. See the section “Automation track operations” on page 231 for details on how to show, hide or remove automation tracks. “Working with automation curves” on page 235 explains what you can do with automation curves. There are two approaches you can use to create automa- tion curves: “Offline”, by manually drawing the curves on automation tracks in the Project window. See “Editing automation events” on page 235. “Online”, by enabling the Write/Read buttons and ad- justing parameters in the mixer or channel settings win- dow while rolling through the project in real-time. The value settings are recorded and displayed as a curve on the automation track. In the following sections, this online writing of automation data is also re- ferred to as an “automation pass”. See “Enabling and disabling the writ- ing of automation data” on page 214. The methods are not different in terms of how the automa- tion data is applied. They only differ in the way the automa- tion events are created – manually drawing them or recording them during automation passes. Any applied automation data will be reflected in both the mixer (a fader will move for example) and in a corresponding automation track curve. There are no hard and fast rules regarding which method you should use. For example, you can create your automa- tion data online without ever even opening an automation track. Or you can stick to drawing automation curves off- line. Every method has its advantages, but of course it is up to you to decide what to use and when.
216 Automation Editing curves on automation tracks offers a graphical overview in relation to the track contents and the time po- sition. This makes it easy to quickly change parameter values at specific points, without having to activate playback. For example, this method gives you a good overview if you have a voice-over or a dialog on one track and a music bed on another track, the level of which needs to be lowered by a specific amount every time the dialog occurs. By using write automation in the mixer you don’t have to manually select parameters from the Add Parameter list. You can work much like you would using a “real” physical mixer. Every action you perform is automatically recorded on automation tracks which you can later open for viewing and editing of the parameters you changed. The automation tracks themselves indicate the writing of automation data: While writing automation data, the color of the automa- tion track in the track list changes to red. The delta indicator in the automation track shows the relative amount by which the new parameter setting devi- ates from any previously automated value. This is an additional visual aid when writing new automation data. What can be automated? You can automate virtually every parameter in the Nuendo mixer. To find out which parameters can be automated for a particular track, click in the Parameter display of the auto- mation track to open a pop-up menu. Select “More…” to open the Add Parameter dialog. This dialog lists all automatable parameters for a particular track type. It is described in detail in the section “Assigning a parameter to an automa- tion track” on page 232. The following actions CANNOT be automated, even though they are features of the Nuendo mixer: Changing the input phase Changing the input gain Changing of routing settings Inserting a plug-in Moving of plug-ins to different insert slots Copying insert settings Changing the stereo panner mode Changing Control Room settings The delta indicator
217 Automation The Automation panel The Automation panel is a floating window, similar to the Mixer and Transport panel. You can leave it open while you work – the Project window will always have the focus. To open the Automation panel, open the Project menu and select the Automation Panel option or click the Automa- tion Panel button on the Nuendo toolbar. The Automation panel gives you access to all automation options in Nuendo. By default, all seven sections are dis- played. You can change the panel configuration using the Setup dialog – see “The Setup dialogs” on page 506. The fol- lowing sections will explain all options and functions.Virgin territory vs. the initial value Before we go into detail about the various modes and op- tions available through the Automation panel, we need to explain how Nuendo handles those sections of your project in which you have not yet performed an automation pass. For parameter automation, Nuendo works either with an initial value (see below) or with “virgin territory” (see “Vir- gin territory” on page 218). It is very important that you understand the difference be- tween these two concepts and their individual advantages and disadvantages before continuing. The initial value An initial value is always used when “Use Virgin Territory” is disabled on the Automation panel. Use Virgin Territory is disabled. Click here… …to open the Automation panel. !When we speak of “touching a control” in the follow- ing sections, we mean both clicking a parameter control on the Nuendo program interface and physi- cally touching a fader or other control on a remote control device.
218 Automation When no automation data exists for a particular parame- ter, and you perform an automation pass for this parame- ter, its value at the moment when you start the automation pass is saved as the initial value. When you punch-out of the automation pass, it is this initial value to which the pa- rameter will return. This has one very important consequence: As soon as the initial value is set, the corresponding parameter is fully au- tomated, on this track, at any given timecode position of the project – even if your automation pass lasted only 2 seconds. The straight line after the last automation event indicates the initial value. This is reflected in the curve on the automation track – it is visible right through to the end of the project that the initial value is kept. As long as the track is in Read mode, the pa- rameter control will follow this curve – it will either take values set during an automation pass, or it will return to its initial value. You may touch the parameter control and force it to a dif- ferent value manually. But as you let go of the control, it will return to the value defined by the automation curve – even when in Stop mode. Virgin territory Think of virgin territory as the “state” of the automation track before performing the first automation pass. When you enable the “Use Virgin Territory” option, no automa- tion curve is displayed on the automation track, and you have full manual control of the parameter. Use Virgin Territory is enabled. The idea here is that you find automation only where you actually perform an automation pass – there is no initial value to which the parameter can return. Outside a section with automated values, you always have full manual control of the parameter. Gaps After an automation pass you will find virgin territory only to the right of the last automation event. “Empty” sections between two automation curves are referred to as “gaps” in the following sections. Only the dynamic change in the parameter is automated. You can create gaps inside a section with automated val- ues. This is useful if you want to have full manual control: 1.Make sure that “Use Virgin Territory” is enabled. 2.Select the Range Selection tool. 3.On an automation track with existing automation data, select a range and press [Delete] or [Backspace]. A gap is created. A new break-point at the position where the selected range started marks the end point of the automation curve to the left. A second new break-point can now be found at the position where the selected range ended, marking the start of the automation curve to the right of the gap.
219 Automation When you select one or more break-points of an auto- mation curve with the Arrow tool and press [Delete] or [Backspace], no gap is created. Instead, the selected break-points are deleted. The curve between the deleted points is replaced by a new line connecting the two points to the left and right of the deleted points. The “Terminator” setting You can “force” any automation track into using virgin ter- ritory, by defining any automation break-point on the auto- mation curve as the “terminator” point of this part of the curve. This will automatically delete the line between this break-point and the next one, creating a gap – a section on the automation track where you find no automation data. The next break-point to the right of the terminator point will automatically become the “start” point of the next automated section. ÖNote that this is independent of the setting for “Use Virgin Territory” – you can create gaps at any time. To define a break-point as the last point in an automa- tion curve, select it by clicking on it with the mouse pointer, and in the Event info line above the Project win- dow, set “Terminator” to Yes.When you set the “Terminator” option for the last (right- most) automation break-point of an automation curve to “Yes”, any automation data to the right of this point (as de- fined by an initial value) is deleted. Automation modes Nuendo provides three different punch-out modes for au- tomation, available on the Automation Mode pop-up menu on the main toolbar and in the Mode section on the Auto- mation panel. Selecting the automation mode in the Automation panel and the Nu- endo toolbar The three modes available are Touch, Auto-Latch and Cross-Over. In all three modes, automation data will be written as soon as a parameter control is touched in play mode. They differ in the way the writing of automation data is ended, i. e. in their “punch-out” behavior. Which mode to use depends on what is required in your particular working situation. ÖNote that you can change the automation mode at any time, i. e. in play or stop mode or during an automation pass. You can also assign key commands to the automa- tion modes so you can quickly change between them. See “Automation key commands” on page 230. General punch-out conditions The current automation pass will always punch-out as soon as one of the following conditions is met, indepen- dent of which automation mode is selected: If you Disable Write If you Stop playback If you activate Fast Forward/Rewind If the project cursor reaches the right locator in Cycle mode. If you click in the timeline to move the project cursor. Select a break-point… …and set “Terminator” to Yes. A gap is created.
220 Automation Touch Typically, you would use Touch mode in situations where you want to make a change lasting only a few seconds to an already set up parameter. As the name implies, Touch will write automation data only for as long as you actually touch a parameter control – punch-out occurs as soon as you release the control. After punch-out, the control will return to the previously set value. The Return Time setting (see “Return Time” on page 229) determines how long it takes for the parameter to reach the previously set value. Automation mode: Touch Auto-Latch In Auto-Latch mode, there is no specific punch-out condi- tion other than those valid in all modes – see “General punch-out conditions” on page 219. Auto-Latch is probably the automation mode you will use the most, in all situations where you want to keep a value over a longer period of time – for example when making EQ settings for a particular scene. Once your pass has started, the writing of automation data continues for as long as playback lasts or Write is enabled – if you wanted an adjustment that lasted for just a few moments, you would use Touch mode. The last value setting will be kept until you stop writing. Automation mode: Auto-Latch ÖThe automation mode for ON/OFF switches is always Auto-Latch (even if another mode is selected globally or for the track). Cross-Over Think of the Cross-Over mode as a kind of “manual return time” option (see also “Return Time” on page 229). The Cross-Over mode can be used in situations where you are not happy with an already existing automation curve or with the automatically applied return settings. Cross-Over mode gives allows you to perform a “manual return” to en- sure smooth transitions between new and existing auto- mation settings. For Cross-Over, the punch-out condition is crossing over an already existing automation curve after touching the parameter for a second time. Look at the figure below: Like in Auto-Latch mode, once the automation pass begins with the first touching of the parameter control, automation data is written for as long as playback lasts. When you have found the correct value setting, you can release the fader – the automation pass continues, with the value setting remaining the same.