Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual

101
Playback and the Transport panel
Background
This chapter describes the various methods available for controlling playback and 
transport functions in Cubase.
The Transport panel
The Transport panel contains the main transport functions in Cubase, as well as many 
other options related to playback and recording. 
The following sections can be shown on the Transport panel, from left to right:
-Virtual Keyboard, see “The Virtual Keyboard” on page 108.
- Performance, this is related to the VST...

102
Playback and the Transport panelOperations
The MIDI Activity, Audio Activity and Audio Level Control sections
These sections are useful to monitor the MIDI and audio input and output signals. The 
Audio Level Control section furthermore contains clipping indicators and an output 
level control.
ÖThe audio activity and clipping indicator as well as the output level control refer to the 
Control Room channel (Cubase only), if the Control Room is activated. Otherwise, 
these controls refer to the Main...

103
Playback and the Transport panelOperations
•If the “Locate when Clicked in Empty Space” option is activated in the Preferences 
dialog (Transport page) you can click anywhere in an empty section of the Project 
window to move the cursor position.
•By changing the value in any of the position displays.
•By using the position slider above the transport buttons in the Transport panel.
The range of the slider relates to the Length setting in the Project Setup dialog. 
Hence, moving the slider all the way...

104
Playback and the Transport panelOperations
The following rules apply:
•If you change the time format of the primary time display on the Transport panel, 
the time format of the ruler will be changed as well. 
This is the same as changing the display format in the Project Setup. Therefore, to 
have different display formats in the ruler and the main time display you should 
change the format in the ruler. 
•The primary time display format is set on the pop-up menu to the right in the main 
time...

105
Playback and the Transport panelOperations
•By creating cycle markers you can save any number of left and right locator 
positions, which can be recalled by simply double-clicking on the corresponding 
marker (see 
“Editing markers on the marker track” on page 174).
•The “Locators to Selection” item on the Transport menu (default key command [P]) 
sets the locators to encompass the current selection.
This is available if you have selected one or several events or made a selection 
range.
•You can...

106
Playback and the Transport panelOptions and Settings
•The “Use Inserts While Scrubbing” option in the Preferences dialog on the 
Transport–Scrub page allows you to activate insert effects for scrubbing with the 
jog wheel.
By default, insert effects are bypassed.
ÖYou can also use a jog wheel on a remote controller for scrubbing.
Nudging the project cursor 
The “+” and “–” buttons in the middle of the Shuttle/Jog section allow you to nudge 
the project cursor position one frame at a time to the right...

107
Playback and the Transport panelOptions and Settings
ÖIn the Preferences dialog (Editing–Audio page) you will find the “Treat Muted Audio 
Events like Deleted” option. When you activate this option, any events overlapped by 
a muted event will become audible.
About Chase
Chase is a function that makes sure your MIDI instruments sound as they should when 
you locate to a new position and start playback. This is accomplished by the program 
transmitting a number of MIDI messages to your instruments...

108
Playback and the Transport panelThe Virtual Keyboard
•In this section of the Preferences dialog, you will also find the “Chase not limited to 
Part Boundaries” option.
When you activate this option, MIDI controllers are also chased outside the part 
boundaries, i.
 e. the Chase will be performed on the part touched by the cursor as 
well as on all the parts to the left of it. Please note that this option should be 
deactivated for very large projects, as it considerably slows down operations such 
as...

109
Playback and the Transport panelThe Virtual Keyboard
4.Use the fader “Note velocity level” to the right of the virtual keyboard to adjust the 
volume.
You can also use the up and down arrow keys for this.
5.Enter the desired notes this way.
6.When you are done, hit the Stop button and close the Virtual Keyboard.
When the Virtual Keyboard is hidden, all key commands are available again.
Options and settings
•In piano keyboard mode, you have a wider range of keys at your disposal, allowing 
you to...

110
Recording
Background
This chapter describes the various recording methods that you can use in Cubase. As 
it is possible to record both audio and MIDI tracks, both recording methods are 
covered in this chapter.
Before you start
This chapter assumes that you are reasonably familiar with certain basic recording 
concepts, and that the following initial preparations have been made:
•You have properly set up, connected and calibrated your audio hardware. 
•You have opened a project and set the project...