Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual

811
Working with symbols
About this chapter
In this chapter you will learn:
- What the different types of symbols are.
- How to insert and edit symbols.
- Details about special symbols.
Background: The different layers
A score page is always made up of three layers – the note layer, the layout layer and 
the project layer. When you add symbols, these are inserted into one of these layers, 
depending on the type of symbol. The symbols that have a relation to notes – accents, 
dynamic markings, slurs,...

812
Working with symbolsThe Symbols Inspector
Layout layer symbols
Now let’s examine the layout layer symbols. The layout layer is not stored individually 
for each track, as the other symbols are. Instead  it  i s c om mo n t o a “ s et  of t rac k s” . L et ’s  
illustrate this with an example:
You have four tracks that make up a string quartet. You edit them all at the same time 
and add symbols to the score, both note layer symbols and layout layer symbols.
Now you close the Score Editor and open...

813
Working with symbolsThe Symbols Inspector
Showing/Hiding Symbols Inspector tabs
If you right-click on any tab in the Inspector, a context menu appears. On this menu, 
you can directly check (show) or uncheck (hide) elements of the Inspector as desired.
You can also select different preset configurations from the lower half of the menu. To 
display all Symbols Inspector tabs, select “Show All”.
The Symbols Inspector Setup dialog
If you right-click on any closed tab in the Symbols Inspector and select...

814
Working with symbolsThe Symbols Inspector
Working with symbol palettes
You can open any of the Symbols Inspector sections as separate symbol palettes.
Opening tabs as palettes 
1.In the Symbols Inspector, open the desired symbols tab.
2.Right-click on any of the symbols of the tab.
Note that you have to right-click on a symbol. Right-clicking on a tab header opens 
a different context menu instead.
3.Select “Open As Palette” from the context menu.
The selected tab is shown as palette.
Moving and...

815
Working with symbolsImportant! – Symbols, staves, and voices
Setting up the Favourites tab
In the Symbols Inspector, you can find a tab called Favourites. Cubase allows you to 
fill this tab with a selection of symbols from other tabs. This way, you have instant 
access to the symbols you use often:
1.Open the Favourites tab.
If it is the first time you are using this tab, it is empty.
2.Open the tab from which you want to copy a symbol.
ÖNot all symbols can be placed on the Favourites tab....

816
Working with symbolsAdding symbols to the score
About the Draw tool
Unlike the other MIDI editors, the Score Editor toolbar does not contain a Draw tool. 
Instead, the Draw tool is “automatically” selected when you insert symbols. The 
following applies:
•Normally, the Draw tool is automatically selected when you click on a symbol in the 
Inspector. However, if the “Double-Click Symbol to get Draw Tool” option is 
activated in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page), you need to double-
click...

817
Working with symbolsAdding symbols to the score
4.Click on one of the notes.
The symbol is added to each selected note, at a predefined distance. The symbols 
can be moved later.
Adding a symbol without tying it to a note
Note-dependent symbols can be entered freely, too. This allows you to add a fermata 
to a rest symbol for example.
1.Make sure that the correct staff is active.
2.Click the symbol so that the Draw tool is selected, as described above.
3.Hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] and click where you...

818
Working with symbolsAdding symbols to the score
When you draw in a tie or slur, the program uses the Quantize value to find the closest 
two notes to “attach” the symbol to. In other words, if you want to add the slur/tie to a 
note at a sixteenth note position, make sure Quantize is set to 1/16th notes or smaller 
(this is only true for manual drawing in of slurs and ties).
Please note that this does not necessarily mean that the symbol has to start or end 
exactly above/below two notes. Instead,...

819
Working with symbolsAdding symbols to the score
The Bezier slur
The Bezier slur is a special slur symbol, found on the Dynamics symbol tab. Unlike the 
regular slur, this symbol is made up of a bezier curve, allowing you to create more 
advanced curve shapes.
To add a Bezier slur, click on the symbol in the Inspector so that the Draw tool is 
selected, and click or drag in the score. Clicking creates a Bezier slur of the default 
length and shape, while dragging creates a straight line.
The default...

820
Working with symbolsAdding symbols to the score
- If you choose to include a help note, the second note is converted to a “Graphic” 
note, with brackets but without stem. Otherwise, the second note is hidden, too.
- The trill symbols you selected in the dialog are inserted.
Inserting symbols across staves
If you hold down [Alt]/[Option] while adding a symbol to one staff in a grand staff, this 
symbol is put in at corresponding positions on all staves. This allows you for example 
to insert rehearsal...