Hitpoints mark musically relevant positions in audio files. Cubase can detect these positions and create hitpoints automatically by analyzing onsets and melodic changes of the audio.
You can create slices from hitpoints, where each slice ideally represents an individual sound or beat of the audio.
The project tempo affects how the sliced audio is played back.
The following list informs you about the most important improvements in Cubase and provides links to the corresponding descriptions.
This is the Operation Manual for Steinberg’s Cubase. Here you will find detailed information about all the features and functions in the program.
Operation Manual
To use Cubase, you must set up your audio, and if required, your MIDI system.
To play back and record in Cubase, you must set up input and output busses in the Audio Connections window. Here, you can also set up group and FX channels, external effects, external instruments, and the Control Room.
The Project window provides an overview of the project, and allows you to navigate and perform large scale editing.
In Cubase, projects are the central documents. You must create and set up a project to work with the program.
Tracks are the building blocks of your project. They allow you to import, add, record, and edit parts and events. Tracks are listed from top to bottom in the track list and extend horizontally across the Project window. Each track is assigned to a particular channel strip in the MixConsole.
Tracks are the building blocks of your project. In Cubase, events and parts are placed on tracks.
Parts and events are the basic building blocks in Cubase.
Editing in the Project window is not restricted to handling whole events and parts. You can also work with selection ranges, which are independent from the event/part and track boundaries.
Cubase offers multiple methods and functions to control playback and transport.
The On-Screen Keyboard allows you to play and record MIDI notes by using your computer keyboard or mouse. This is useful if you have no external MIDI instrument at hand and you do not want to draw in notes with the Draw tool.
In Cubase, you can record audio and MIDI.
You can add audio and MIDI files to your project by importing them.
Quantizing means moving recorded audio or MIDI and positioning it on the nearest grid position that is musically relevant. Quantizing is designed to correct errors, but you can also use it in a creative way.
Fades allow you to gradually increase or decrease the volume at the start or end of audio events or audio clips, and to create smooth transitions.
The arranger functions in Cubase allow you to work in a non-linear fashion. Using an arranger track allows you to specify how and when specific sections are played back, even in live performances. This way, you do not need to move, copy, and paste events in the Project window.
The transpose functions for audio and MIDI in Cubase allow you to change the pitches of audio and MIDI for playback without changing the actual MIDI notes or the audio.
Markers are used to locate certain positions quickly. There are two types of markers: position markers and cycle markers.
The MixConsole provides a common environment for producing mixes in stereo or surround. It allows you to control level, pan, solo/mute status, etc. for audio and MIDI channels. Furthermore, you can set up the input and output routing for multiple tracks or channels at the same time. You can undo/redo MixConsole parameter changes for an open project at any time.
VCA faders serve as remote controls for groups of channel faders in the MixConsole.
The Control Room allows you to divide the studio environment into the performing area (studio) and the engineer/producer area (control room).
Cubase provides a master meter that works as a multi-channel true peak meter, and a loudness meter that allows you to measure the loudness in compliance with the loudness recommendation R 128 of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Cubase comes with a number of included effect plug-ins that you can use to process audio, group, instrument, and ReWire channels.
Direct Offline Processing allows you to instantly add plug-in effects and audio processes to the selected audio events, clips, or ranges, without destructing the original audio.
In Cubase, time-stretching and pitch-shifting algorithms are used for offline processes, in the Sample Editor, or for the Flattening Realtime Processing function. Depending on the feature, élastique, MPEX, or Standard algorithm presets are available.
Cubase offers particular functions for analyzing the audio in your project.
The Sample Editor provides an overview of the selected audio event. It allows you to view and edit audio by cutting and pasting, removing, or drawing audio data, and by processing audio. Editing is non-destructive so that you can undo modifications at any time.
When you add an audio file to your project by recording or by importing, Cubase automatically detects hitpoints.
You can navigate through the hitpoints of an audio event in the Project window.
Slicing audio is useful if you want to change tempo and timing of the audio without affecting its pitch and quality.
You can slice all tracks of a multi-track drum recording at once.
If the project tempo is slower than the tempo of the original audio event, there may be audible gaps between the slice events in the part. You can close these gaps so that the audio plays without any breaks.
If the project tempo is higher than the tempo of the original audio event, the slice events in the part may overlap. You can delete these overlaps.
You can use hitpoints to create a groove quantize map.
You can create markers at hitpoint positions. This allows you to snap to hitpoint positions.
You can create regions at hitpoint positions. This allows you to isolate recorded sounds.
You can create events at hitpoint positions.
You can create warp markers at hitpoint positions. This allows you to quantize audio based on hitpoint positions.
You can create MIDI notes from hitpoints. This allows you to double, replace, or enrich drum hits by triggering sounds of a VST instrument.
Cubase offers several functions that allow you to match the tempo of audio in your project.
The VariAudio features in Cubase allow you to edit pitch, and correct the timing and intonation of individual notes in monophonic vocal recordings.
The Audio Part Editor provides an overview of the selected audio parts. It allows you to view, audition and edit parts by cutting and pasting, crossfading, drawing level curves, or by processing parts. Editing is non-destructive so that you can undo modifications at any time.
Cubase supports extensions such as Audio Random Access (ARA). ARA allows you to integrate compatible programs as plug-ins into your DAW. This integration allows for random access to audio events in the musical context of your project.
The sampler track feature allows you to chromatically play back any audio from your audio sample library via MIDI. You can create and edit new sounds based on specific samples, and integrate them into an existing project.
Every time that you record on an audio track, a file is created on your hard disk. A reference to this file, a clip, is added to the Pool.
You can manage media files on your computer as well as presets from multiple sources from within the MediaBay or the Media rack.
Cubase provides integrated surround sound features with support for several formats. All audio-related channels and busses can handle multi-channel speaker configurations. A channel in the MixConsole can contain either complete surround mixes or an individual speaker channel which is part of a surround setup.
In essence, automation means recording the values for a particular MixConsole or effect parameter. When you create your final mix, Cubase can adjust this particular parameter control.
VST instruments are software synthesizers or other sound sources that are contained within Cubase. They are played internally via MIDI. You can add effects or EQ to VST instruments.
Cubase supports the VST 2 and VST 3 plug-in standards. You can install effects and instruments that comply with these formats.
Cubase allows you to set up 8 different track parameters or settings as Track Quick Controls for quick access.
You can control Cubase via MIDI with a connected MIDI device.
MIDI realtime means that you can change or transform MIDI events on MIDI or instrument tracks before they are sent to the MIDI outputs. This allows you to change the way MIDI data is played back.
The MIDI Device Manager allows you to work with MIDI devices, that is, representations of external MIDI hardware.
MIDI functions allow you to permanently edit MIDI events or MIDI parts in the Project window or from within a MIDI editor.
There are several ways to edit MIDI in Cubase. You can use the tools and functions in the Project window for large-scale editing or the functions on the MIDI menu to process MIDI parts in various ways. To manually edit your MIDI data on a graphical interface, you can use the MIDI editors.
Expression maps allow you to set up a map for all your articulations. This allows you to audition a project including articulations.
Note expression allows you to edit MIDI notes and their expressions as one unit.
The chord functions provide you with many possibilities for working with chords.
Chord pads allow you to play with chords, and to change their voicings and tensions. In terms of harmonies and rhythms, they allow for a more playful and spontaneous approach to composition than the chord track functions.
The Logical Editor is a powerful tool for search and replace functions on MIDI data.
The Project Logical Editor is a powerful tool for search and replace functions in the Project window.
You can set up a tempo and time signature for your project. By default, the tempo is set to 120 bpm, and the time signature to 4/4.
The Project Browser provides a list-based representation of the project. It allows you to view and edit all events on all tracks.
You can render existing material to new audio material.
The Export Audio Mixdown function allows you to mix down and export all audio that is contained between the left and right locators of a project or in ranges defined by cycle markers.
Synchronization is the process of getting 2 or more devices to play back together at the same speed, position, and phase. These devices can range from audio and video tape machines to digital audio workstations, MIDI sequencers, synchronization controllers, and digital video devices.
VST System Link is a digital audio network system that allows you to link several computers using digital audio hardware and cables.
Cubase allows you to work with video content.
Cubase supports a number of file formats that you can use to exchange files with other applications.
ReWire is a special protocol for streaming audio between two computer applications.
Key commands are assigned to most main menus and functions in Cubase. They are stored as Preferences that are used for all your projects.
In Cubase you can organize windows and dialogs in workspaces, set up the appearance of specific elements, and save program settings as profiles.
To get the most out of your Cubase system, performance-wise, you can optimize specific settings.
The Preferences dialog provides options and settings that control the global behavior of the program.
