Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual

21
Setting up your systemConnecting a synchronizer
Setting up MIDI ports in Cubase
The Device Setup dialog lets you set up your MIDI system as follows:
ÖWhen you change MIDI port settings in the Device Setup dialog, these are 
automatically applied.
Showing or hiding MIDI Ports
The MIDI ports are listed in the Device Setup dialog on the MIDI Port Setup page. By 
clicking in the “Visible” column for a MIDI input or output, you can specify whether or 
not it is listed on the MIDI pop-up menus in the...

22
Setting up your systemOptimizing audio performance
Optimizing audio performance
This section gives you some hints and tips on how to get the most out of your Cubase 
system, performance-wise. Some of this text refers to hardware properties and can be 
used as a guide when upgrading your system. This text is very brief. Look for details 
and current information on the Cubase web site.
Two aspects of performance
There are two distinct aspects of performance with respect to Cubase.
Tracks and effects...

23
Setting up your systemOptimizing audio performance
CPU and processor cache
It goes without saying that the faster the computer processor, the better. But there are 
a number of factors that affect the apparent speed of a computer: the bus speed and 
type (PCI is strongly recommended), the processor cache size and of course, the 
processor type and brand. Cubase relies heavily on floating point calculations. When 
shopping for a processor, please make sure that you get one that is powerful in...

24
Setting up your systemThe VST Performance Window
Optimizing processor scheduling (Windows only)
To get the lowest possible latencies when using ASIO under Windows (on a single-
CPU system), the “system performance” has to be optimized for background tasks:
1.Open the Control Panel and select the System settings.
2.On the left, select the “Advanced system settings” option.
The System Properties dialog opens.
3.Select the Advanced tab and click the “Settings…” button in the Performance 
section.
The...

25
Setting up your systemThe ASIO-Guard Option
•The overload indicator to the right of the disk indicator lights up, if the hard disk 
does not supply data fast enough.
Try using the Disable Track function to reduce the number of tracks playing back. 
If this does not help, you need a faster hard disk.
ÖYou can show a simple view of the performance meter on the Transport panel and on 
the Project window toolbar. These meters only feature the average and the disk 
indicator. 
The ASIO-Guard Option
The...

26
VST Connections
About this chapter
This chapter focuses on the settings you can perform in the VST Connections 
window. Here you can set up input and output busses, group and FX channels, 
external effects, and external instruments. Furthermore you can use this window to 
configure the Control Room (Cubase only) and access the Control Room itself. 
Since input and output busses are vital for working with Cubase, a large part of this 
chapter concentrates on busses and this is also the reason why you...

27
VST ConnectionsSetting up busses
Setting up busses
Cubase uses a system of input and output busses to transfer audio between the 
program and the audio hardware.
- Input busses let you route audio from the inputs on your audio hardware into the 
program. This means that when you record audio, you will always do this through 
one or several input busses.
- Output busses let you route audio from the program to the outputs on your audio 
hardware. When you play back audio, you will always do this through...

28
VST ConnectionsSetting up busses
- Cubase only: You need a surround bus in the format of your speaker configuration 
(in this example, 5.1) assigned to the correct outputs (which in turn are connected 
to the correct speakers). You may want additional surround busses if you tend to 
work in different surround formats. 
Preparations
Before you set up busses, you should name the inputs and outputs on your audio 
hardware. For example, if you are using a 5.1 surround speaker setup, you should 
name the...

29
VST ConnectionsSetting up busses
Adding input and output busses
Depending on whether you have selected the Inputs or the Outputs tab in the VST 
Connections window, the corresponding busses are listed, with the following 
information:
To add an input or output bus, proceed as follows:
1.Open the Inputs or Outputs tab depending on the type of bus that you want to 
add.
2.Click the Add Bus button.
A dialog opens.
3.Select a (channel) configuration.
The Configuration pop-up menu contains a Mono and a...

30
VST ConnectionsSetting up busses
Setting the Main Mix bus (the default output bus)
The Main Mix is the output bus that each new audio, group or FX channel is 
automatically routed to.
Any of the output busses in the VST Connections window can be the default output 
bus. By right-clicking on the name of an output bus, you can set it as the Main Mix bus.
Adding child busses (Cubase only)
A surround bus is essentially a set of mono channels – 6 channels in the case of the 
5.1 format. If you have a mono...