Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual

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The transpose functions
Introduction
Cubase offers transpose functions for audio, MIDI and instrument parts and for audio 
events. These allow you to create variations of your music or change the harmonics of 
an entire project or separate sections. 
Transpose can be applied on three levels:
•To the entire project
By changing the project Root Key in the Project window toolbar, the whole project 
will be transposed (see 
“Transposing an entire project with the root key” on page 
161). 
•To sections of the project
By creating transpose events on the transpose track, you can set transpose values 
for separate sections of your project (see 
“Transposing separate sections of a 
project using transpose events” on page 164).
•To individual parts or events
By selecting individual parts or events and changing their transpose value in the 
info line, you can transpose individual parts or events (see 
“Transposing individual 
parts or events using the info line” on page 165).
Apart from the transpose features described in this chapter, you can also transpose all 
MIDI notes on the selected track using the MIDI modifiers (see 
“Transpose” on page 
452), selected notes using the Transpose dialog (see “Transpose” on page 472), and 
MIDI tracks using MIDI effects (see the separate PDF document “Plug-in Reference”).
Transposing your music
In the following sections we will describe the different possibilities of transposing your 
music. Note that these can also be combined. However, we recommend you to set 
the root key first, before recording or changing transpose values on the transpose 
track. 
Transposing an entire project with the root key
The root key you specify for a project will be the reference that audio or MIDI events in 
your project will follow. You can however exclude separate parts or events from being 
transposed, e.
 g. drums or percussion (see “The Global Transpose setting” on page 
166). 
Depending on whether you are using events which already contain root key 
information or not, the procedures differ slightly.
!The transpose functions do not change the actual MIDI notes or the audio, but only 
affect the playback. 
!As a general rule, always set the root key first when you work with content with a 
defined root key. 
						

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The transpose functionsTransposing your music
If the events already contain root key information
Let’s say you want to create a project based on loops. Proceed as follows:
1.Open the MediaBay and drag some loops into an empty project, see “Inserting the 
files into the project” on page 402.
For this example, import audio loops with different root keys.
2.Open the Root Key pop-up menu in the Project window toolbar and set the project 
root key.
If the Root Key pop-up menu is not visible, right-click the toolbar and select the 
“Project Root Key” option from the context menu. By default, no project root key is 
specified (“-”).
The entire project will be played back with this root key. To do so, the separate loops 
are transposed to match the project root key. For example, if you have imported a bass 
loop in C and the project root key is set to E, the bass loop will be transposed up by 
4 semitones.
3.With the root key set, record some audio or MIDI.
The recorded events will get the project root key.
4.When you are done, you can change the project root key and your events will 
follow.
If the events do not contain root key information
Let’s say you have created a project by recording audio and importing some MIDI 
loops, and you want to match the root key of the whole project to the register of a 
certain singer.
!If you work with drums or percussion, exclude these from being transposed by setting 
the “Global Transpose” setting on the info line to “Independent” (see 
“The Global 
Tr a n s p o s e  s e t t i n g ” on page 166). 
						

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The transpose functionsTransposing your music
Proceed as follows:
1.Open the Project menu and select “Transpose” from the Add Track submenu (or 
right-click the track list select the corresponding option from the context menu). 
A transpose track is created. You can only have one transpose track in a project.
2.Set the project to the desired root key by selecting the corresponding option from 
the Root Key pop-up menu in the Project window toolbar.
3.Right-click the transpose track in the track list and select “Set root key for 
unassigned events” from the context menu.
This sets the project root key for all parts or events not containing any root key 
information. This option is only available, if a project root key has been set.
Recording with a project root key
Let’s say that you want to record a guitar line for a project that is in D# minor, but your 
guitar player prefers to play in A minor. In this case, change the project root key to A, 
so that you can record your guitar. Proceed as follows:
1.Open your project and set the project root key to A.
All parts and events will be transposed in order to match the root key.
2.Listen to your project and verify that no drums and percussions have been 
transposed. 
If drums have been transposed, select them and set their Global Transpose setting 
to “Independent”.
3.Record your guitar line as desired.
4.When you are done and satisfied with the result, you can change the project root 
key back to D# minor and your events will follow.
Changing the root key of single events or parts
If you want to check if an audio event or part has root key information or if you want to 
change it, proceed as follows:
1.Open the Pool and display the Key column by activating the Root Key option on 
the View/Attributes pop-up menu.
2.Click in the Key column for the desired audio event and set the root key according 
to your needs.
You can also check and assign root keys in the MediaBay.
ÖIf you change the root key of an audio part or event, the corresponding audio file will 
not change. To save the root key in the audio file, you have to use the “Bounce 
Selection” function on the Audio menu. 
!If you work with drums or percussion, exclude these from being transposed by setting 
the “Global Transpose” setting on the info line to “Independent” (see “The Global 
Tr a n s p o s e  s e t t i n g ” on page 166).
!For recorded audio events and MIDI parts, the “Global Transpose” setting on the info 
line is automatically set to “Follow”, i.
 e. the events or parts will get the project root key. 
						

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The transpose functionsTransposing your music
To check or change the root key setting of a MIDI part, proceed as follows:
1.Select your MIDI part in the Project window and check the Project window info 
line.
A MIDI part 
with the root 
key set to “D”
2.Click on the root key value in the info line to open the corresponding pop-up menu 
and select the desired root key.
Transposing separate sections of a project using transpose events
Sometimes you may want to transpose only certain sections of your project, e. g. to 
create harmonic variations. This can be done by creating transpose events. Transpose 
events allow you to add a relative transpose offset by specifying transpose values in 
semitones. For example, you can brighten up your loops in C major by transposing 
them by 5 semitones, so that the subdominant on F major is played back, or you can 
turn your hit more interesting by transposing the last chorus one semitone upwards.
1.Open the Project menu and select “Transpose” from the Add Track submenu (or 
right-click the track list select the corresponding option from the context menu). 
A transpose track is created. You can only have one transpose track in a project.
2.Select the Draw tool and click in the transpose track to create a transpose event. 
A transpose event will be created from the point where you clicked until the end of 
the project.
3.To create another transpose event, click with the Draw tool on the first transpose 
event.
By default, the transpose value of new transpose events is set to 0.
You can add more transpose events by clicking with the Draw tool. 
4.Click in the transpose value field and enter the transpose value for the transpose 
event.
You can enter the desired value with the computer keyboard, use the mouse wheel 
or [Alt]/[Option]-click on the transpose value to open a value fader. You can 
specify values between -24 and 24 semitones. 
!If you change the project root key after setting the event root key, the events will keep 
their own root key settings, and will be transposed to match the project root key. If you 
record an audio or a MIDI part and the project root key is specified, this root key is 
automatically set. 
						

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The transpose functionsOther functions
5.Play back your project.
The parts of your project on the same position as the transpose events will be 
transposed according to the specified transpose values.
ÖYou can also transpose the whole project using the transpose track. This is useful if 
your singer does not reach a certain pitch, for example. You could then transpose the 
whole project by -2 semitones, for example. Always remember to verify that the 
“Global Transpose” setting for drums and percussion is set to “Independent” on the 
info line (see 
“The Global Transpose setting” on page 166).
You can erase and move transpose events, but you cannot mute, cut or glue them. 
The “Locators to Selection” option does not apply on transpose events. 
Transposing individual parts or events using the info line
You can also transpose individual audio and MIDI parts and events using the info line 
(or the Inspector). This transposition will be added to the global transposition (i.
 e. the 
root key or the transpose events). Proceed as follows:
1.Select the event that you want to transpose.
2.In the Project window info line, adjust the Transpose value as desired.
ÖA global transpose change will not overwrite individual part or event transpose, but 
will be added to the transpose value for the part or event. In this case, it might be 
useful to keep the transposition within the octave range (see 
“Keep Transpose in 
Octave Range” on page 167).
Other functions
Indicate Transpositions
When you transpose your music using the transpose track, you may sometimes want 
to visually compare the original sounds and the transposed music. For MIDI parts, you 
can check this by opening the Key Editor and clicking the “Indicate Transpositions” 
button. This will help you to see how your MIDI notes will be transposed. If the button 
is activated, the Key Editor will show the note pitch you will hear, if it is deactivated, 
the Key Editor shows the original pitch of the notes in your MIDI part. By default, the 
“Indicate Transpositions” button is deactivated.
A MIDI part as originally recorded When you activate “Indicate Transpositions” you will 
see how your MIDI part will be transposed. 
						

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The transpose functionsOther functions
The Global Transpose setting
If you are working with drum and percussion loops or special effects (FX) loops, you 
will want to exclude these from being transposed. This can be achieved by locking 
them using the Global Transpose setting. Proceed as follows:
1.Open your project.
2.Select the desired event or part and set the “Global Transpose” setting on the info 
line to “Independent”.
A symbol will be displayed in the upper right corner of the selected part or event, 
indicating that it will not be transposed neither by changing the root key nor by 
specifying transpose events. 
If Global Transpose is set to Independent, the selected part will not be transposed.
3.You can now change the project root key.
The “Independent” parts or events will not be affected by the root key changes.
ÖIf you import ready-made parts or events that are tagged drums or FX, Global 
Transpose will be automatically set to Independent.
If you record audio or MIDI, Global Transpose will be set to “Independent”, provided 
that the transpose track exists and you have specified at least one transpose event 
(even when the transpose value is not defined). In this case, your recording will sound 
exactly the way you played it. The transpose events will not be taken into account 
during recording and the recorded event will not get the project root key. 
Have a look at the following example:
1.Set up a project with the root key in C.
2.Add a transpose track and enter transpose events with the values 0, 5, 7 and 0.
3.Record some chords with your MIDI keyboard. For our example, record C, F, G 
and C.
The transpose events are not taken into account and the result of your recording will 
be C, F, G and C. No root key will be set.
ÖRecorded events are independent from Global Transpose.
If no transpose track exists or if no transpose event has been added, Global 
Transpose will be set to Follow.
If Global Transpose is set to Follow, the selected part will follow all global 
transpositions. 
						

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The transpose functionsOther functions
Locking the transpose track
If you want to prevent your transpose events from being changed by mistake, activate 
the Lock button on the transpose track. This way, you will not be able to move your 
transpose events or change their transpose values.
Muting transpose events
Sometimes it might be useful to disable the transpose track, e. g. to hear the original 
sound of individual tracks. If you activate the mute button on the transpose track, your 
transpose events will not be taken into account during playback.
Keep Transpose in Octave Range
The “Keep Transpose in Octave Range” button on the transpose track (the button 
with an up and down arrow in brackets) keeps the transposition in the octave range. 
This option is activated by default. This way, nothing will be transposed by more than 
seven semitones. This ensures that your music never sounds unnatural because the 
pitch was raised too high or too low. 
To understand the principle behind this, follow the example below:
1.Create a MIDI part, enter a C major chord, open the Key Editor and activate 
“Indicate Transpositions”.
This way you can observe and understand what happens when you change the 
transposition.
2.Add a transpose track and create a transpose event.
By default, the transpose value is set to 0. 
						

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The transpose functionsOther functions
3.Make sure that the “Keep Transpose in Octave Range” button is activated on the 
transpose track and change the transpose value of the transpose event to 7.
Your chord will be transposed accordingly.
If you enter a transpose value of 7, your chord will be transposed by seven semitones 
upwards. In this example, this would be G3/B3/D4.
4.Set the transpose value to 8 semitones.
As “Keep Transpose in Octave Range” is activated, your chord will now be 
transposed to the nearest interval or pitch. 
Your chord has been transposed to the nearest pitch, this results in G#2/C3/D#3.
!If you mainly work with audio loops, we recommend activating “Keep Transpose in 
Octave Range”.  
						

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Using markers
Introduction
Markers are used to locate certain positions quickly. If you often find yourself jumping 
to a specific position within a project, you should insert a marker at this position. You 
can also use markers to make range selections (see 
“Using markers to make range 
selections in the Project window” on page 175) or for zooming (see “Zooming to 
cycle markers” on page 170). Markers are located on the marker track.
There are two types of markers: position markers and cycle markers.
Position markers
As the name implies, position markers allow you to save a specific position. Position 
markers on the marker track are shown as marker events: vertical lines with the marker 
description (if assigned) and number beside it. If you select a marker track, all its 
markers are shown in the Inspector.
Cycle markers
By creating cycle markers you can save any number of left and right locator positions 
as start and end positions of a range and recall them by double-clicking on the 
corresponding marker. Cycle markers are shown on marker tracks as two markers 
bridged by a horizontal line. Cycle markers are ideal for storing sections of a project. 
By defining cycle markers for sections of a song, e.
 g. “Intro”, “Verse”, and “Chorus”, 
you can quickly navigate to the song sections and repeat the section by activating the 
Cycle button on the Transport panel. 
Using cycle markers
Cycle markers represent ranges in your project. Therefore you can use them for 
moving the left and right locators:
•If you double-click on a cycle marker or select it from the Cycle pop-up menu in 
the track list, the left and right locators are moved to encompass the cycle marker.
Now you can move the project cursor position to the start or the end of the cycle 
marker by moving it to the corresponding locator (e.g. by using the keys [1] and [2] 
on the numeric keypad). 
						

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Using markersThe Marker window
Editing cycle markers using tools
Cycle markers can be edited on marker tracks using the following tools (Snap is taken 
into account):
In the Marker window, you can open the Functions pop-up menu and select the “Set 
marker start to cursor” and “Set marker end to cursor” options to set the start or end 
of the selected cycle marker in the marker list to the cursor position. 
Zooming to cycle markers
•When you select a cycle marker on the Zoom pop-up menu, the event display is 
zoomed in to show the selected range only (see the section 
“Zoom presets and 
cycle markers” on page 66).
•You can also zoom in by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and double-clicking on the cycle 
marker in the event display.
The Marker window
In the Marker window you can view and edit markers. The markers on the marker track 
are displayed in the marker list in the order in which they occur in the project. 
To open the Marker window, you have the following possibilities:
- Open the Project menu and select “Markers”.
- Click the Show button in the marker section on the Transport panel.
- Use a key command (by default [Ctrl]/[Command]-[M]).
ToolUse
Object Selection 
toolDrag the start or end handle of a cycle marker with the Object 
Selection tool to change its start or end position, or drag the upper 
border to move the whole cycle marker.
Double-click on a cycle marker to set the left and right locators.
Selection RangeDouble-click on a cycle marker – this creates a selection range 
spanning all tracks in the project. You can also select a range inside 
the cycle marker and press [Ctrl]/[Command]-[X] to trim or to divide a 
cycle marker.
PencilPress [Ctrl]/[Command] and use the Draw tool to create new cycle 
markers.
EraserClick with the Erase tool to delete a cycle marker. If you hold down 
[Alt]/[Option] when you click, all consecutive markers are also be 
deleted.
Functions Filter markers Locate arrow Auto-Scroll with Project Cursor