Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual

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RecordingAudio recording specifics
2.Select the desired option.
The following options are available:
3.Click anywhere outside the panel to close the Audio Record Mode panel. 
To learn how to create a “perfect take” by combining the best parts from the different 
cycle laps, see 
“Working with lanes” on page 94.
Handling overlapping audio
The basic rule for audio tracks is that each track can only play back a single audio 
event at a time. If two or more events overlap, you will only hear one of them: the one 
that is actually visible (e.
 g. the last lap of a cycle recording). 
If you have a track with overlapping (stacked) events/regions, use one of the following 
methods to select the event/region that is played back:
•Open the context menu for the audio event in the event display and select the 
desired event or region from the “To Front” or “Set to Region” submenu.
The available options depend on whether you performed a linear or a cycle 
recording and the record mode you used. When recording audio in cycle mode, 
the recorded event is divided in regions, one for each take. 
•Use the handle in the middle of a stacked event and select an entry from the pop-
up menu that appears.
•Activate the “Show Lanes” button and click on the desired take.
For details about lane editing, see “Working with lanes” on page 94.
Recording with effects (Cubase only)
Normally you record the audio signals “dry” and add effects non-destructively during 
playback as described in the chapter 
“Audio effects” on page 227. However, Cubase 
also allows you to add effects (and/or EQ) directly while recording. This is done by 
adding insert effects and/or making EQ settings for the input channel in the 
MixConsole.
This will make the effects become part of the audio file itself – you cannot change the 
effect settings after recording.
About the record format
When you record with effects, consider setting the bit resolution to 32 Bit Float. This 
is done in the Project Setup dialog opened via the Project menu. Note that this is not 
required in any way – you can also record with effects in 24 or 16
 Bit format. However, 
there are two advantages to the 32 Bit Float format:
•You do not risk clipping (digital distortion) in the recorded files.
This can be avoided with 24 or 16 Bit recording as well, but requires more care 
with the levels.
OptionDescription
Keep HistoryExisting events (or portions of events) that are overlapped by a 
new recording are kept. 
Cycle History + 
ReplaceExisting events (or portions of events) that are overlapped by a 
new recording are replaced by the new recording. 
However, if you record in cycle mode, all takes from the current 
cycle recording are kept. 
ReplaceExisting events (or portions of events) that are overlapped by a 
new recording are replaced by the last recorded take. 
						

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RecordingAudio recording specifics
•Cubase processes audio internally in 32 Bit Float format – recording in the same 
format means the audio quality will be kept absolutely pristine.
The reason is that the effect processing in the input channel (as well as any level or 
EQ settings you make there) is done in 32 Bit Float format. If you record at 16 or 
24 Bit, the audio will be converted to this lower resolution when it is written to file 
– with possible signal degradation as a result.
ÖIt does not matter at which actual resolution your audio hardware works. Even if the 
signal from the audio hardware is in 16 Bit resolution, the signal will be 32 Bit Float 
after the effects are added in the input channel.
An example
This example shows how to apply the “SoftClipper” effect while recording. The 
principle is the same for all effects (or combinations of effects).
1.Set up an audio track for recording and select the desired input bus.
For best results, also activate monitoring as this allows you to hear and try out your 
settings before actually recording. See 
“Monitoring via Cubase” on page 118 for a 
description of monitoring via Cubase.
2.Open the MixConsole, and locate the input channel (bus) from which you record.
If the input channels are hidden, click the “Channel Types” button, and activate 
“Input Channels”.
3.Check the input level (of the signal coming into the audio hardware) as described 
in the section 
“Setting input levels” on page 116 and adjust the level of the source 
audio if necessary.
4.Activate the “Show Channel Racks” button, click Racks, and activate Inserts.
Now the Channel Racks section shows the insert slots. 
						

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RecordingAudio recording specifics
5.Click an insert slot and select an effect from the effect selector.
As you see, the included effects are sorted into submenus – you will find the 
SoftClipper effect on the “Distortion” submenu.
The effect is loaded and activated and its control panel is automatically opened.
6.Adjust the effect parameters to your liking.
For detailed information on the effect parameters, see the separate PDF document 
“Plug-in Reference”.
7.When the effect is set up as desired, you can check the level of the input channel 
by setting the Meters to post-fader (see 
“Setting input levels” on page 116). 
Use the input channel fader to adjust the level if needed.
8.Activate recording.
9.When you are finished, you can play back the recorded audio track. 
As you can hear, the effect you applied is now a part of the actual audio file.
10.If you do not want to record more with the same plug-in, deactivate it by clicking in 
the insert slot and selecting “No Effect”.
Recovery of audio recordings after system failure
Normally, when a computer crashes, all changes made to your current project since 
you last saved it will be lost. Usually, there is no quick and easy way to recover your 
work.
With Cubase, when your system crashes while you are recording (because of a 
power cut or other mishap), you will find that your recording is still available, from the 
moment when you started recording to the time when your computer crashed.
When you experience a computer crash during a recording, simply relaunch the 
system and check the project record folder (by default this is the Audio subfolder 
inside the project folder). It should contain the audio file you were recording at the 
time of the crash.
!This feature does not constitute an “overall” guarantee by Steinberg. While the 
program itself was improved in such a way that audio recordings can be recovered 
after a system failure, it is always possible that a computer crash, power cut, etc. 
might have damaged another component of the computer, making it impossible to 
save or recover any of the data.
!Please do not try to actively bring about this kind of situation to test this feature. 
Although the internal program processes have been improved to cope with such 
situations, Steinberg cannot guarantee that other parts of the computer are not 
damaged as a consequence. 
						

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RecordingMIDI recording specifics
MIDI recording specifics
Activating MIDI Thru
Normally, when working with MIDI, you will have MIDI Thru activated in Cubase, and 
Local Off selected in your MIDI instruments. In this mode, everything you play during 
recording will be “echoed” back out again on the MIDI output and channel selected 
for the recording track.
1.Make sure that the “MIDI Thru Active” option is activated in the Preferences dialog 
(MIDI page).
2.Record enable the tracks on which you want to record.
Now, incoming MIDI is “echoed” back out again for all record-enabled MIDI tracks. 
ÖIf you just want to use the Thru function for a MIDI track without recording, activate the 
monitor button for the track instead. This is useful, for instance, if you want to try out 
different sounds or play a VST instrument in realtime without recording your playing.
Setting MIDI channel, input, and output
Setting the MIDI channel in the instrument
Most MIDI synthesizers can play several sounds at the same time, each on a different 
MIDI channel. This is the key to playing back several sounds (bass, piano, etc.) from 
the same instrument. Some devices (such as General MIDI compatible sound 
modules) always receive on all 16 MIDI channels. If you have such an instrument, 
there is no specific setting you need to make in the instrument. On other instruments, 
you will have to use the front panel controls to set up a number of “Parts”, “Timbres” 
or similar so that they receive on one MIDI channel each. See the manual that came 
with your instrument for more information.
Naming MIDI ports in Cubase
MIDI inputs and outputs are often displayed with unnecessarily long and complicated 
names. However, you can rename your MIDI ports to more descriptive names:
1.Open the Device Setup dialog from the Devices menu.
2.Select the MIDI Port Setup item in the Device list.
The available MIDI inputs and outputs are listed. On Windows systems, which 
device to choose depends on your system.
3.To change the name of a MIDI port, click in the “Show As” column and type in a 
new name.
After closing the dialog, the new name will appear on the MIDI Input and Output 
Routing pop-up menus.
Setting the MIDI input in the Inspector
You select MIDI inputs for tracks in the Inspector (the area to the left of the track list in 
the Project window):
1.Select the track by clicking in the track list.
To select multiple tracks, press [Shift] or [Ctrl]/[Command] and click. The 
Inspector shows the settings for the first selected track (for details, see 
“The 
Inspector” on page 43).
Record Enable 
buttonMonitor button 
						

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2.Click the track name in the Inspector to make sure that the topmost section is 
shown.
3.Open the Input Routing pop-up menu and select an input.
The available MIDI inputs are shown. The items on the menu depend on the type of 
MIDI interface you are using. 
•If you select the “All MIDI Inputs” option, the track will receive MIDI data from all 
available MIDI inputs.
•If you hold down [Shift]-[Alt]/[Option] and select a MIDI input, this will be used for 
all selected MIDI tracks.
Setting the MIDI channel and output
The MIDI channel and output settings determine where the recorded MIDI is routed 
during playback, but are also relevant for MIDI Thru in Cubase. Channel and output 
can be selected in the track list or in the Inspector. The procedure below describes 
how to make the settings in the Inspector, but it can be done in largely the same 
manner in the track list as well.
1.To select the tracks and show the settings in the Inspector, proceed as when 
selecting a MIDI input (see above).
2.Open the Output Routing pop-up menu and select an output.
The available MIDI outputs are shown. The items on the menu depend on what 
type of MIDI interface you are using.
•If you hold down [Shift]-[Alt]/[Option] and select a MIDI output, this is selected for 
all selected MIDI tracks.
3.Use the Channel pop-up menu to select a MIDI channel for the track.
•If you set the track to MIDI channel “Any”, each MIDI event on the track will be sent 
out on the channel stored in the event itself.
In other words, the MIDI material will be played back on the channels used by the 
MIDI input device (the MIDI instrument you play during recording). 
						

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RecordingMIDI recording specifics
Selecting a sound
You can select sounds from within Cubase by instructing the program to send 
Program Change and Bank Select messages to your MIDI device. This is done using 
the “Program Selector” and “Bank Selector” fields in the Inspector or track list.
Program Change messages give access to 128 different program locations. If your 
MIDI instruments have more than 128 programs, Bank Select messages (set in the 
“Bank Selector” field) allow you to select different banks, each containing 128 
programs.
ÖBank Select messages are recognized differently by different MIDI instruments. The 
structure and numbering of banks and programs may also vary. Consult the 
documentation of your MIDI instruments for details.
ÖNote that it is also possible to select sounds by name. For descriptions of how to set 
this up, see the separate PDF document “MIDI Devices”.
Recording MIDI
You can record MIDI according to the basic recording methods (see “Basic recording 
methods” on page 110). When you finish recording, a part containing MIDI events is 
created in the Project window.
ÖIf you perform a live recording on a VST instrument, you usually compensate the 
latency of the audio card by playing earlier. In consequence, the timestamps are 
recorded too early. If you activate the “ASIO Latency Compensation” button on the 
track list, all recorded events are moved by the current Latency setting. 
About overlap and the MIDI Record Mode
MIDI tracks are different from audio tracks when it comes to overlapping parts: All 
events in overlapping parts are always played back. If you record several parts in the 
same locations (or move parts so that they overlap), you will hear the events in all 
parts.
When recording overlapping parts, the result depends on the MIDI Record Mode 
setting on the Transport panel. To select a MIDI Record Mode, proceed as follows:
1.On the Transport panel, click the MIDI symbol in the lower left section.
2.Select the desired option.
The following options are available:
OptionDescription
New PartsExisting parts that are overlapped by a new recording are kept. The new 
recording is saved as a new part.
MergeExisting events in parts that are overlapped by a new recording are 
kept. The newly recorded events are added to the existing part.
ReplaceExisting events in parts that are overlapped by a new recording are 
replaced.
Click here…
…to open the MIDI 
Record Mode panel. 
						

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RecordingMIDI recording specifics
The MIDI Cycle Record Modes
When you record MIDI in cycle mode, the result depends not only on the MIDI Record 
Mode, but also on which Cycle Record Mode is selected in the MIDI Cycle Record 
Mode section:
To learn how to create a “perfect take” by combining the best parts from the different 
cycle laps after a stacked recording, see 
“Assembling a perfect take” on page 95.
About the Automatic MIDI Record Quantize function
If Auto Quantize is activated on the Transport panel (the “Auto Q” button), the notes 
you record are automatically quantized according to the current Quantize settings. For 
more information about quantizing, see 
“Quantizing MIDI and Audio” on page 134.
Recording different types of MIDI messages
Notes
When you press and release a key on your synth or other MIDI keyboard, a Note On 
(key down) and a Note Off (key up) message are sent out. The MIDI note message 
also contains the information which MIDI channel was used. Normally, this information 
is overridden by the MIDI channel setting for the track, but if you set the track to MIDI 
channel “Any”, the notes will be played back on their original channels.
Continuous messages
Pitchbend, aftertouch, and controllers (like modulation wheel, sustain pedal, volume, 
etc.) are considered as MIDI continuous events (as opposed to the momentary key 
down and key up messages). If you move the pitchbend wheel on your synthesizer 
while recording, this movement is recorded together with the key (Note On and Note 
Off messages), just as you would expect. But the continuous messages can also be 
recorded after the notes have been recorded (or even before). They can also be 
recorded on their own tracks, separately from the notes to which they belong. 
OptionDescription
MixFor each completed lap, everything you record is added to what was 
previously recorded. This is useful for building up rhythm patterns. 
Record a hi-hat part on the first lap, the bass drum part on the second 
lap, etc. 
OverwriteAs soon as you play a MIDI note (or send any MIDI message), all MIDI 
you have recorded on previous laps is overwritten from that point. Make 
sure that you stop playing before the next lap begins – otherwise you 
will overwrite the entire take.
Keep LastEach completed lap replaces the previously recorded lap. If you 
deactivate recording or press Stop before the cursor reaches the right 
locator, the previous take will be kept. If you do not play or input any 
MIDI during a lap, nothing happens (the previous take will be kept).
StackedEach recorded cycle lap is turned into a separate MIDI part and the 
track is divided into “lanes”, one for each cycle lap. The parts are 
stacked above each other, each on a different lane. All takes but the last 
one are muted. 
Mix StackedSame as Stacked, but parts are not muted. 
!Use MIDI filters to decide exactly which event types are recorded, see “Filtering MIDI” 
on page 130. 
						

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RecordingMIDI recording specifics
Say, for instance, that you record one or several bass parts on track 2. If you now set 
another track, like track 55, to the same output and MIDI channel as track 2, you can 
make a separate recording of just pitchbends for the bass parts on track 55. This 
means that you activate recording as usual and only move the pitchbend wheel during 
the take. As long as the two tracks are set to the same output and MIDI channel, it will 
appear to the MIDI instrument as if the two recordings were made at the same time.
Program Change messages
Normally, when you switch from one program to another on your keyboard (or 
whatever you use to record), a number corresponding to that program is sent out via 
MIDI as a Program Change message. These can be recorded on the fly with the 
music, recorded afterwards on a separate track, or manually entered in the Key or List 
Editors. 
System Exclusive messages
System Exclusive (SysEx) is a special type of MIDI message used to send data that 
only makes sense to a unit of a certain make and type. SysEx can be used to transmit 
a list of the numbers that make up the settings of one or more sounds in a synth. For 
details about viewing and editing SysEx messages, see the section 
“Working with 
SysEx messages” on page 527.
The Reset function
The Reset function on the MIDI menu sends out note-off messages and resets 
controllers on all MIDI channels. This is sometimes necessary if you experience 
hanging notes, constant vibrato, etc. when punching in and out on MIDI recordings 
with pitchbend or controller data. 
There are two other options to perform a reset:
•Cubase can automatically perform a MIDI reset on stop.
You can turn this function on or off in the Preferences dialog (MIDI page).
•Cubase can automatically insert a reset event at the end of a recorded part. 
Open the Preferences dialog (MIDI page) and activate the “Insert Reset Events 
after Record” option. The inserted Reset event will reset controller data such as 
Sustain, Aftertouch, Pitchbend, Modulation, Breath Control, etc. This is useful if a 
MIDI part is recorded and the Sustain pedal is still held after stopping recording. 
Usually, this would cause all following parts to be played with Sustain, as the Pedal 
Off command was not recorded. This can be prevented by activating “Insert Reset 
Events after Record”.
Retrospective Record
This feature allows you to capture any MIDI notes you play in Stop mode or during 
playback and turn them into a MIDI part “after the fact”. This is possible due to the fact 
that Cubase can capture MIDI input in buffer memory, even when not recording.
Proceed as follows:
1.Enable the “Retrospective Record” option in the Preferences dialog (Record–MIDI 
page).
This activates the buffering of MIDI input, making Retrospective Record possible.
2.Make sure a MIDI track is record-enabled.
3.When you have played some MIDI material you want to capture (either in Stop 
mode or during playback), select Retrospective Record from the Transport menu 
(or use the key command, by default [Shift]-Num[*]). 
						

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RecordingMIDI recording specifics
The content of the MIDI buffer (i. e. what you just played) is turned into a MIDI part on 
the record enabled track. The part will appear where the project cursor was when you 
started playing – this means that if you played along during playback, the captured 
notes will end up exactly where you played them in relation to the project.
•The Retrospective Record Buffer Size setting in the Preferences dialog (Record–
MIDI page) determines how much data can be captured.
MIDI Preferences
There are several other options and settings in the Preferences dialog that affect MIDI 
recording and playback:
MIDI page
•Length Adjustment
Adjusts the length of notes so that there is always a short time between the end of 
one note and the start of another (of the same pitch and on the same MIDI 
channel). The time is set in ticks. By default there are 120 ticks per 1/16 note, but 
you can adjust this with the MIDI Display Resolution setting on the same page. 
Record–MIDI page
•Snap MIDI Parts to Bars
When this is activated, recorded MIDI parts will automatically be lengthened to 
start and end at whole bar positions. If you are working in a Bars+Beats-based 
context, this can make editing (moving, duplicating, repeating, etc.) easier.
•Solo Record in MIDI Editors
If this is activated and you open a part for editing in a MIDI editor, its track is 
automatically record-enabled. Furthermore, Record Enable is deactivated for all 
other MIDI tracks until you close the editor again.
 
This makes it easier to record MIDI data when you are editing a part – you will 
always be sure the recorded data ends up in the edited part and not on any other 
track.
•MIDI Record Catch Range in ms
When you record starting at the left locator, this setting helps you make sure that 
the very start of the recording is included. A very annoying scenario is when you 
have recorded a perfect MIDI take, only to find out that the very first note was not 
included – because you started playing a little bit too early! If you raise the Record 
Catch Range, Cubase will catch the events played just before the recording start 
point, eliminating this problem. 
•ASIO Latency Compensation Active by Default
This determines the initial state of the “ASIO Latency Compensation” button in the 
track list for MIDI or instrument tracks, see 
“Basic track settings” on page 450.
For a description of the other options, click the Help button in the Preferences dialog. 
						

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RecordingOptions and Settings
Filtering MIDI
The MIDI–MIDI Filter page in the Preferences dialog allows you to prevent certain 
MIDI messages from being recorded and/or “thruput” ( by the MIDI Thru function).
The dialog is divided into four sections:
Options and Settings
Recording-related Transport Preferences
A couple of settings in the Preferences dialog (Transport page) are relevant for 
recording. Set these according to your preferred method of work:
Deactivate Punch In on Stop
If this is activated, punch in on the Transport panel is automatically deactivated 
whenever you enter Stop mode.
Stop after Automatic Punch Out
If this is activated, playback will automatically stop after automatic punch out (when 
the project cursor reaches the right locator and punch out is activated on the 
Transport panel). If the post-roll value on the Transport panel is set to a value other 
than zero, playback will continue for the set time before stopping (see below).
SectionDescription
Record Activating any of these options prevents that type of MIDI message 
from being recorded. It can, however, be thruput, and if already 
recorded, it will play back normally.
Thru Activating any of these options prevents that type of MIDI message 
from being thruput. It can, however, be recorded and played back 
normally.
ChannelsIf you activate a channel button, no MIDI messages on that MIDI 
channel will be recorded or thruput. Already recorded messages will, 
however, be played back normally.
Controller Allows you to prevent certain MIDI controller types from being 
recorded or thruput.
To filter out a controller type, select it from the list at the top of the 
Controller section and click “Add”. It will appear on the list below.
To remove a controller type from the list (allow it to be recorded and 
thruput), select it in the lower list and click “Remove”.