Steinberg Cubase 5 Operation Manual

							21
VST Connections: Setting up input and output busses
2.Connect an unused input pair on your audio hardware 
to the output pair on your hardware device.
Once the external device is connected to the audio hard-
ware of your computer, you have to set up the input/out-
put busses in Cubase.
Setting up external effects
1.Open the VST Connections window from the Devices 
menu.
2.Open the External FX tab and click “Add External FX”.
3.In the dialog that appears, enter a name for the exter-
nal effect and specify the Send and Return configurations.
Depending on the type of effect, you can specify mono, stereo or surround 
configurations. 
You also need a MIDI device that corresponds with the 
external effect. You can then click the Associate MIDI De-
vice button to connect the two.
You can use the MIDI Device Manager to create a new MIDI device for 
the effect. Note that delay compensation will only be applied for the ef-
fect when you use MIDI devices. For information about the MIDI Device 
Manager and user device panels see the chapter “Using MIDI devices” 
on page 314.
4.Click OK. This adds a new External FX bus.
5.Click in the Device Port column for the Send Bus 
“Left” and “Right” ports and select the outputs on your au-
dio hardware.6.Click in the Device Port column for the Return Bus 
“Left” and “Right” ports and select the inputs on your au-
dio hardware.
7.If you like, make additional settings for the bus.
These are found in the columns to the right. Note that you can adjust 
these while actually using the external effect – which may be easier as 
you can hear the result. The following options are available:
8.When you are done, close the VST Connections win-
dow.
ÖNote that external device ports are exclusive, see 
“Connecting the external effect/instrument” on page 20.
How to use the external effect
If you now click an insert effect slot for any channel, you 
will find the new external FX bus listed on the “External 
Plug-ins” submenu.
When you select it, the following happens:
 The external FX bus is loaded into the effect slot just like a 
regular effect plug-in.
 The audio signal from the channel is sent to the outputs on the 
audio hardware, through your external effect device and back 
to the program via the inputs on the audio hardware.
!Please note that it is possible to select input/output 
ports for external effects/instruments that are already 
used (i.e. that have been selected as inputs/outputs 
in the VST Connections window). If you select a 
used port for an external effect/instrument, the exist-
ing port assignment will be broken. Note that you will 
not get a warning message!
Setting Description
Delay If your hardware effect device has an inherent delay (la-
tency), you should enter this value here, as it allows Cu-
base to compensate for that delay during playback. You 
can also let the delay value be determined by the pro-
gram: Right-click in the Delay column for the effect and 
select “Check User Delay”. Note that you do not have to 
take the latency of the audio hardware into account – this 
is handled automatically by the program.
Send Gain Allows you to adjust the level of the signal being sent to 
the external effect.
Return Gain Allows you to adjust the level of the signal coming in from 
the external effect. 
Note however that excessive output levels from an external 
effect device may cause clipping in the audio hardware. 
The Return Gain setting cannot be used to compensate 
for this – you have to lower the output level on the effect 
device instead.
MIDI Device When you click in this column, a pop-up menu opens 
where you can disconnect the effect from the associated 
MIDI device, select a MIDI device, create a new device or 
open the MIDI Device Manager to edit the MIDI device. 
When Studio Manager 2 is installed, you may also select 
an OPT editor to access your external effect.
Used Whenever you insert an external effect into an audio 
track, this column shows a checkmark (“x”) to indicate 
that the effect is being used. 
						

							22
VST Connections: Setting up input and output busses
 A parameter window appears, showing the Delay, Send Gain 
and Return Gain settings for the external FX bus. You can ad-
just these as necessary while playing back. The parameter 
window also provides the “Measure Effect’s Loop Delay for 
Delay Compensation” button. This is the same function as the 
“Check User Delay” option in the VST Connections window. It 
provides Cubase with a Delay value to be used for delay com-
pensation. When you have defined a MIDI device for the ef-
fect, the corresponding Device window will be opened. When 
Studio Manager 2 is installed, and you have set up a corre-
sponding OPT editor, this OPT editor will be displayed.
The default parameter window for an external effect
Like any effect, you can use the external FX bus as an in-
sert effect or as a send effect (an insert effect on an FX 
channel track). You can deactivate or bypass the external 
effect with the usual controls.
Setting up external instruments
1.Open the VST Connections window from the Devices 
menu.
2.Open the External Instrument tab and click “Add Ex-
ternal Instrument”.
3.In the dialog that appears, enter a name for the exter-
nal instrument and specify the number of required mono 
and/or stereo returns.
Depending on the type of instrument, a specific number of mono and/or 
stereo return channels is required.
You also need a MIDI device that corresponds with the 
external instrument. You can then click the Associate MIDI 
Device button to connect the two.
You can use the MIDI Device Manager to create a new MIDI device. For 
information about the MIDI Device Manager and user device panels, see 
the chapter “Using MIDI devices” on page 314.
4.Click OK.
This adds a new external instrument bus.
5.Click in the Device Port column for the “Left” and 
“Right” ports of the Return Bus and select the inputs on 
your audio hardware to which you connected the external 
instrument.
6.If you like, make additional settings for the bus.
These are found in the columns to the right. Note that you can adjust 
these while actually using the external instrument – which may be easier 
as you can hear the result. The following options are available:
7.When you are done, close the VST Connections win-
dow.
ÖNote that external device ports are exclusive, see 
“Connecting the external effect/instrument” on page 20.
Measure Effect’s Loop 
Delay button
Setting Description
Delay If your hardware device has an inherent delay (latency), 
you should enter this value here. This allows Cubase to 
compensate for that delay during playback. Note that you 
do not have to take the latency of the audio hardware into 
account – this is handled automatically by the program.
Return Gain Allows you to adjust the level of the signal coming in from 
the external instrument. 
Note however that excessive output levels from an exter-
nal device may cause clipping in the audio hardware. The 
Return Gain setting cannot be used to compensate for 
this – you have to lower the output level on the device in-
stead.
MIDI Device When you click in this column, a pop-up menu opens 
where you can disconnect the instrument from the asso-
ciated MIDI device, select a MIDI device, create a new 
device or open the MIDI Device Manager to edit the MIDI 
device. 
When Studio Manager 2 is installed, you may also select 
an OPT editor to access your external instrument.
Used Whenever you insert the external instrument into a VST 
Instrument slot, this column shows a checkmark (“x”) to 
indicate that the instrument is being used. 
						

							23
VST Connections: Setting up input and output busses
How to use the external instrument
Once you have set up the external instrument in the VST 
Connections window, you can use it as a VST Instrument. 
Open the VST Instruments window and click on an empty 
instrument slot. On the Instrument pop-up menu, your ex-
ternal instrument is listed on the External Plug-ins submenu:
When you select the external instrument in the VST Instru-
ments window, the following happens:
 A parameter window for the external device is opened auto-
matically. This may either be the Device window, allowing you 
to create a generic device panel, an OPT editor window or a 
default editor. For information about the Device window, the 
MIDI Device Manager and User device panels, see the chap-
ter “Using MIDI devices” on page 314.
The external instrument will behave like any other VST In-
strument in Cubase.
About the Favorites buttons
In the VST Connections window, both the External FX tab 
and the External Instruments tab feature a Favorites button.
The Favorites button on the External FX tab
Favorites are device configurations that you can recall at 
any time, like a library of external devices that are not con-
stantly connected to your computer. They also allow you 
to save different configurations for the same device, e. g. a 
multi-effect board or an effect that provides both a mono 
and a stereo mode.
To save a device configuration as a favorite, proceed as 
follows:
When you have added a new device in the VST Con-
nections window, select it in the Bus Name column and 
click the Favorites button.
A context menu is displayed showing an option to add the selected ef-
fect or instrument to the Favorites.
You can recall the stored configuration at any time by 
clicking the Favorites button and selecting the device 
name from the context menu.
About the “plug-in could not be found” 
message
When you open a project that uses an external effect/in-
strument, you may get a “plug-in could not be found” mes-
sage. This will happen when you remove an external device 
from the VST Connections window although it is used in a 
saved project, or when transferring a project to another 
computer on which the external device is not defined. You 
may also see this message when opening a project cre-
ated with an earlier version of Cubase.
In the VST Connections window, the broken connection 
to the external device is indicated by an icon in the Bus 
Name column.
To reestablish the broken connection to the external de-
vice, simply right-click the entry for the device in the Bus 
Name column and select “Connect External Effect”. The 
icon is removed, and you can use the external device 
within your project as before.
!To send MIDI notes to the external instrument, open 
the Output Routing pop-up menu in the Inspector for 
the corresponding MIDI track and select the MIDI 
device to which the external instrument is connected. 
This ensures use of delay compensation. The instru-
ment will now play any MIDI notes it receives from 
this track and return them to Cubase through the re-
turn channel(s) you have set up. 
!Note that busses set up for external effects or exter-
nal instruments are saved “globally”, i.e. for your par-
ticular computer setup. 
						

							24
VST Connections: Setting up input and output busses
Freezing external effects/instruments
Just as when working with regular VST instruments and 
effects, you can also choose to freeze external effects and 
instruments. The general procedure is described in detail 
in the chapters “Audio effects” on page 150 and “VST In-
struments and Instrument tracks” on page 169.
When freezing external instruments or effects, you can ad-
just the corresponding tail value in the Freeze Channel 
Options dialog:
Use the arrow buttons next to the Tail Size value field to 
set the desired Tail length, i.e. the range after the part 
boundary that should also be included for the freeze. You 
can also click directly in the value field and enter the de-
sired value manually (the maximum value being 60 s).
When the Tail Size is set to 0 s (default), the freezing will 
only take into account the data within the Part boundaries.
!Note that you have to perform Freeze in realtime. Oth-
erwise external effects will not be taken into account. 
						

							3
The Project window 
						

							26
The Project window
Background
The Project window is the main window in Cubase. This 
provides you with an overview of the project, allowing you 
to navigate and perform large scale editing. Each project 
has one Project window.
About tracks
The Project window is divided vertically into tracks, with a 
timeline running horizontally from left to right. The follow-
ing track types are available:
About parts and events
The tracks in the Project window contain parts and/or 
events. Events are the basic building blocks in Cubase. 
Different event types are handled differently in the Project 
window:
 Video events and automation events (curve points) are always 
viewed and rearranged directly in the Project window.
 MIDI events can always be found in MIDI parts, which are con-
tainers for one or more MIDI events. MIDI parts are rearranged 
and manipulated in the Project window. To edit the individual 
MIDI events in a part, you have to open the part in a MIDI edi-
tor (see “The MIDI editors” on page 337). 
Track type Description
Audio For recording and playing back audio events and audio 
parts. Each audio track has a corresponding audio chan-
nel in the mixer.
An audio track can have any number of automation tracks 
for automating mixer channel parameters, effect settings, 
etc.
Folder Folder tracks function as containers for other tracks, 
making it easier to organize and manage the track struc-
ture. They also allow you to edit several tracks at the 
same time. See “Folder tracks” on page 53.
FX Channel FX channel tracks are used for adding send effects. Each 
FX channel can contain up to eight effect processors – by 
routing effect sends from an audio channel to an FX chan-
nel, you send audio from the audio channel to the effect(s) 
on the FX channel. Each FX channel has a corresponding 
channel strip in the mixer – in essence an effect return 
channel. See the chapter “Audio effects” on page 150.
All FX channel tracks are automatically placed in a special 
FX channel folder in the Track list, for easy management.
An FX channel can also have any number of automation 
tracks for automating mixer channel parameters, effect set-
tings, etc.
Group 
ChannelBy routing several audio channels to a Group channel, 
you can submix them, apply the same effects to them, 
etc. (see “Using group channels” on page 127).
A Group channel track contains no events as such, but 
displays settings and automation curves for the corre-
sponding Group channel. Each Group channel track has 
a corresponding channel strip in the mixer. In the Project 
window, Group channels are organized as tracks in a 
special Group Tracks folder. 
Instrument This allows you to create a track for a dedicated instru-
ment, making e.g. VST instrument handling easier and 
more intuitive. Instrument tracks have a corresponding 
channel strip in the mixer. Each instrument track can have 
any number of automation tracks in the Project window. 
However, Volume and Pan are automated from within the 
mixer. It is possible to edit Instrument tracks directly in 
the Project window, using the Edit In-Place function (see 
“The In-Place Editor” on page 356). For more information 
on instrument tracks, see the chapter “VST Instruments 
and Instrument tracks” on page 169.
MIDI For recording and playing back MIDI parts. Each MIDI 
track has a corresponding MIDI channel strip in the mixer. 
It is possible to edit MIDI tracks directly in the Project 
window, using the Edit In-Place function (see “The In-
Place Editor” on page 356).
A MIDI track can have any number of automation tracks 
for automating mixer channel parameters, insert and send 
effect settings etc. 
Marker The Marker track displays markers which can be moved 
and renamed directly in the Project window (see “Mark-
ers” on page 54). A project can have only one marker 
track.
Arranger The Arranger track is used for arranging your project, by 
marking out sections in the project and determining in 
which order they should be played back. See the chapter 
“The Arranger track” on page 96.
Ruler
(Cubase only)Ruler tracks contain additional rulers, displaying the time-
line from left to right. You can use any number of ruler 
tracks, each with a different display format if you wish. 
See “The ruler” on page 33 for more information about 
the ruler and the display formats.
Signature Time signature events can be added and edited on the 
signature track, or in the Tempo Track Editor window. A 
project can have only one signature track. See the chap-
ter “Editing tempo and signature” on page 401 for details.
Tempo You can create tempo changes within a project using the 
tempo track. A project can have only one tempo track. 
See the chapter “Editing tempo and signature” on page 
401 for details.
Transpose The Transpose track allows you to set global key 
changes. A project can have only one transpose track. 
See the chapter “The Transpose functions” on page 103.
Video For playing back video events. A project can have only 
one video track. Track type Description 
						

							27
The Project window
 Audio events can be displayed and edited directly in the Project 
window, but you can also work with audio parts containing sev-
eral events. This is useful if you have a number of events which 
you want to treat as one unit in the project. Audio parts also 
contain information about the time position in the project.
An audio event and an audio part
Audio handling
When you work with audio files, it is crucial to understand 
how audio is handled in Cubase:
When you edit or process audio in the Project window, 
you always work with an audio clip that is automatically 
created on import or during recording. This audio clip re-
fers to an audio file on the hard disk that itself remains un-
touched. This means, that audio editing and processing is 
“non-destructive”, in the sense that you can always undo 
changes or revert to the original versions.
An audio clip does not necessarily refer to just one origi-
nal audio file! If you apply e.g. some processing to a spe-
cific section of an audio clip, this will create a new audio 
file containing only this section. The processing will then 
be applied to the new audio file only, leaving the original 
audio file unchanged. Finally, the audio clip is automati-
cally adjusted, so that it refers both to the original file and 
to the new, processed file. During playback, the program 
will switch between the original file and the processed file 
at the correct positions. You will hear this as a single re-
cording, with processing applied to one section only. This 
feature makes it possible to undo processing at a later 
stage, and to apply different processing to different audio 
clips that refer to the same original file.
An audio event is the object that you place on a time po-
sition in Cubase. If you make copies of an audio event and 
move them to different positions in the project, they will 
still all refer to the same audio clip. Furthermore, each au-
dio event has an Offset value and a Length value. These 
determine at which positions in the clip the event will start and end, i.e. which section of the audio clip will be played 
back by the audio event. For example, if you resize the au-
dio event, you will just change its start and/or end position 
in the audio clip – the clip itself will not be affected.
An audio region is a section within a clip with a length 
value, a start time, and a snap point. Audio regions are 
shown in the pool and are best created and edited in the 
Sample Editor. 
ÖIf you want to use one audio file in different contexts, or 
if you want to create several loops from one audio file, you 
should convert the corresponding regions of the audio clip 
to events and bounce them into separate audio files. This is 
necessary since different events that refer to the same clip 
access the same clip information.  
						

							28
The Project window
Window Overview
The Track list
The Track list displays all the tracks used in a project. It 
contains name fields and settings for the tracks. Different 
track types have different controls in the Track list. To see 
all the controls you may have to resize the track in the Track 
list (see “Resizing tracks in the Track list” on page 35).
The Track list area for an audio track:The Track list area for an automation track (opened by 
clicking the Show/Hide Automation button on a track):
The Track list area for a MIDI track:
Project 
overview
The event display, showing audio parts and events, MIDI parts, automation, markers, etc. InspectorRuler Info lineToolbar
The Track list with various track types
Mute & 
SoloRecord Enable & 
Monitor Track 
name
Lane Display 
Type Show/hide 
automation
Indicates whether effect sends, EQ or insert effects are activated for 
the track. Click to bypass.Musical/Linear 
Time BaseLock track Automation Read/Write Edit channel settings
Track 
activity 
indicator Freeze Audio 
Track
Automation Read/Write
Automation parameter 
(click to select parameter) Append auto-
mation track
Mute
Lock track
Record Enable & 
Monitor
Track 
name
MIDI 
Output Bank Patch MIDI channel
Drum map, Lock track and Lane display typeAutomation 
Read/Write Edit channel 
settings
Mute & 
SoloEffect sends/in-
sert effects 
indicators and 
bypass Edit 
In-Place
Track 
activity 
indicator 
						

							29
The Project window
The Inspector
The area to the left of the Track list is called the Inspector. 
This shows additional controls and parameters for the track 
you have selected in the Track list. If several tracks are se-
lected (see “Handling tracks” on page 38), the Inspector 
shows the setting for the first (topmost) selected track.
To hide or show the Inspector, click the Inspector icon in 
the toolbar.
The Inspector icon
For most track classes, the Inspector is divided into a 
number of sections, each containing different controls for 
the track. You can hide or show sections by clicking on 
their names.
Clicking the name for a hidden section brings it into view and hides the 
other sections. [Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking the section name allows you 
to hide or show a section without affecting the other sections. [Alt]/[Op-
tion]-clicking a section name shows or hides all sections in the Inspector.
You can also use key commands to show different In-
spector sections.
These are set up in the Key Commands dialog, see “Setting up key com-
mands” on page 480.
ÖHiding a section does not affect its functionality.
For example, if you have set up a track parameter or activated an effect, 
your settings will still be active even if you hide the respective Inspector 
section.
Which sections are available in the Inspector depends on 
the selected track.ÖPlease note that not all Inspector tabs are shown by 
default. You can show/hide Inspector sections by right-
clicking on an Inspector tab and activating/deactivating 
the desired option(s).
Make sure you right-click on an inspector tab and not on the empty area 
below the Inspector, as this will open the Quick context menu instead.
The Inspector Setup context menu
Inspector sections
The Inspector contains the controls that can be found on 
the Track list, plus some additional buttons and parame-
ters. In the table below, these additional settings and the 
different sections are listed. Which sections are available 
for which track type is described in the following sections.
Parameter Description
Auto Fades 
Settings 
buttonOpens a dialog in which you can make separate Auto 
Fade settings for the audio track. See “Making Auto Fade 
settings for a separate track” on page 95.
Edit Channel 
settingsOpens the Channel Settings window for the track, allow-
ing you to view and adjust effect and EQ settings, etc. 
See “Using Channel Settings” on page 122.
Volume Use this to adjust the level for the track. Changing this 
setting will move the track’s fader in the mixer window, 
and vice versa. See “Setting volume in the mixer” on page 
117 to learn more about setting levels.
Pan Use this to adjust the panning of the track. As with the 
Volume setting, this corresponds to the Pan setting in the 
mixer.
Delay This adjusts the playback timing of the audio track. Posi-
tive values delay the playback while negative values 
cause the track to play earlier. The values are set in milli-
seconds.
Input Routing This lets you specify which Input bus or MIDI input the 
track should use (see “Setting up busses” on page 14 for 
information about Input busses). 
						

							30
The Project window
Audio tracks
For audio tracks, all settings and sections listed above are 
available.
Instrument tracks
As explained in the chapter “VST Instruments and Instru-
ment tracks” on page 169, the Inspector for an Instrument 
track shows some of the sections you would find for VST 
Instrument channels and MIDI tracks.
MIDI tracks
When a MIDI track is selected, the Inspector contains a 
number of additional sections and parameters, affecting the 
MIDI events in realtime (e.g. on playback). Which sections 
are available for MIDI tracks is described in the chapter 
“MIDI realtime parameters and effects” on page 305.
Arranger track
For the Arranger track, the Inspector displays the lists of 
available Arranger chains and Arranger events. See “The 
Arranger track” on page 96 for details.
Folder tracks
When a folder track is selected, the Inspector shows the 
folder and its underlying tracks, much like a folder struc-
ture in the Windows Explorer or Mac OS X Finder.
ÖYou can click one of the tracks shown under the folder 
in the Inspector to have the Inspector show the settings 
for that track. This way, you don’t have to “open” a folder 
track to make settings for tracks within it.
FX channel tracks
When an FX channel track is selected, the following con-
trols and sections are available:
 Edit button
 Volume control

 Output Routing pop-up menu
 Inserts section
 Equalizers section
 Equalizer Curve section
 Sends section
 Studio Sends section (Cubase only)
 Surround Pan section (Cubase only)
 Channel section
 Notepad section
Output 
RoutingHere you decide to which output the track should be 
routed. For audio tracks you select an output bus (see 
“Setting up busses” on page 14) or Group channel, for 
MIDI tracks you select a MIDI output and for Instrument 
tracks, you select the Instrument to which it is routed.
Inserts section Allows you to add insert effects to the track, see the 
chapters “Audio effects” on page 150 and “MIDI realtime 
parameters and effects” on page 305. The Edit button at 
the top of the section opens the control panels for the 
added insert effects.
Equalizers 
sectionLets you adjust the EQs for the track. You can have up to 
four bands of EQ for each track, see “Making EQ set-
tings” on page 123. The Edit button at the top of the sec-
tion opens the Channel Settings window for the track. 
Equalizer 
Curve sectionLets you adjust the EQs for the track graphically, by click-
ing and dragging points in a curve display.
Sends section Allows you to route an audio track to one or several FX 
channels (up to eight), see the chapter “Audio effects” on 
page 150. For MIDI tracks, this is where you assign MIDI 
send effects. The Edit button at the top of the section 
opens the control panel for the first effect in each FX 
channel.
Studio Sends 
(Cubase only)The Studio Sends are used to route cue mixes to Control 
Room Studios. For a detailed description of Studios and 
Studio Sends, see the chapter “Control Room (Cubase 
only)” on page 135.
Surround Pan 
(Cubase only)When the SurroundPanner is used for a track, this is also 
available in the Inspector. For further information, see 
“Using the SurroundPanner” on page 184.
Channel 
sectionShows a duplicate of the corresponding mixer channel 
strip. The channel overview strip to the left lets you acti-
vate and deactivate insert effects, EQs and sends.
Notepad 
sectionThis is a standard text notepad, allowing you to jot down 
notes about the track. 
If you have entered any notes about a track, the icon next 
to the “Notepad” heading will light up to indicate this. 
Moving the pointer over the icon will display the Notepad 
text in a tooltip.
User Panel 
(Cubase only)Here you can display device panels, e.g. for external MIDI 
devices, audio track panels or VST insert effect panels. 
For information on how to create or import MIDI device 
and user panels, see the separate PDF document “MIDI 
Devices”.
Quick Controls Here you can configure quick controls, e.g. to use remote 
devices. See the chapter “Track Quick Controls” on 
page 295. Parameter Description