Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual

							201
The MixConsoleLinking Channels (Cubase only)
Linking Channels (Cubase only)
You can link selected channels in the MixConsole so that any change that is applied 
to one channel is mirrored by all linked channels. 
To link channels and edit links and linking configuration, you can use the Control Link 
options on the MixConsole toolbar.
Creating a Linked Group
To link channels in the MixConsole, proceed as follows:
1.Select the channels that you want to link.
2.On the MixConsole toolbar, click the Link button.
3.Activate the settings that you want to link, and click OK.
The number of the linked group is indicated above the channel name, to the left of 
the channel number. 
						

							202
The MixConsoleLinking Channels (Cubase only)
Changing Link Settings
If you change a setting for a channel of the linked group, the change is applied to the 
whole group. 
•To change the link settings for an existing group, select the group, click the Edit 
button and change the settings in the Control Link dialog.
•To unlink channels, select one of the linked channels and click the Link button. 
You cannot remove individual channels from a link.
•To make individual settings and changes for a channel in a linked group, activate 
the Sus button or press [Alt]/[Option].
•To make absolute instead of relative value changes, activate the Abs button. 
ÖThe automation tracks for linked channels are not affected by the Link function.
Using Quick Link 
You can also temporarily link selected channels. Proceed as follows:
1.Select the channels that you want to link.
2.On the MixConsole toolbar, activate the Q-Link button.
3.Change the parameters for one of the selected channels.
The changes are applied to all selected channels until you deactivate the Q-Link 
button.
ÖInstead of using the Q-Link button, you can press [Shift]-[Alt]/[Option] to temporarily 
link channels. In that case, the link is only active as long as you press the keys. 
						

							203
The MixConsoleMetering (Cubase only)
Metering (Cubase only)
The MixConsole features a master meter and a loudness meter that can be shown to 
the right of the fader section.
To show the meters, proceed as follows:
1.Click the “Set up Window Layout” button on the toolbar and activate the “Control 
Room/Meter” option.
2.Click the Meter tab at the top of the Control Room/Meter section.
By default, the master meter is displayed.
Master Meter
The master meter is a multi-channel true peak meter with the following parameters:
Scale standards Alignment level 
standards
RMS/Peak meter 
AES17 standard
Reset RMS and PPM Max
ParameterDescription
Scale standardsLets you select a scale according to different broadcast standards 
(Digital, DIN, EBU, British, Nordic, K-20, K-14, or K-12). 
The 
headroom is indicated by red lines in the meter scale.
Alignment level 
standardsLets you select an alignment level (offset) for your scale. This is 
unavailable for digital and K-System scales. The broadcast meter 
scales DIN, EBU, Nordic, and British have a default alignment level 
of -18
 dBFS. 
RMS/Peak meterShows the RMS and peak hold values as blue lines and the peak 
values as grey lines.
AES17 standardActivates the AES17 standard that adds an offset of 3 dB to the RMS 
value.
Reset RMS and 
PPM MaxResets the measurement. 
						

							204
The MixConsoleMetering (Cubase only)
Loudness Meter
The loudness meter complies to the loudness recommendation R 128 of the European 
Broadcasting Union (EBU). Measurements that correspond to this recommendation 
consider loudness, loudness range, and maximum true peak level values. Loudness is 
measured in LUFS (Loudness Unit, referenced to Full Scale) or LU.
To activate the loudness meter, click the Loudness tab at the bottom of the meter 
display. 
The following parameters are available:
RMS MaxShows the maximum RMS value.
Peak MaxShows the maximum peak value.
Parameter Description
ParameterDescription
Loudness meterShows the Momentary Max value as a green triangle in the left meter 
scale and the Integrated value as a grey triangle in the right meter 
scale.
Measure LoudnessActivates the loudness measurement. 
Switch between 
LUFS and LUSwitches the meter scale between LUFS (absolute values) and LU 
(relative values).
Loudness meter 
LUFS/LU switch
Measure Loudness Configure Loudness 
Settings
Reset Loudness 
						

							205
The MixConsoleUsing Channel Settings
Using Channel Settings 
For each channel in the MixConsole, there is an Edit (e) button. 
Click this button to open the Channel Settings window. 
For audio-related channels, this window contains:
- The Channel Inserts section
- The Channel Strip/EQ section (always visible)
- The Channel Sends section
- The Channel Faders
Configure 
Loudness SettingsLets you specify a threshold value for the Short Term, the Integrated, 
and the True Peak clipping indicators. If values above the set 
thresholds are detected, the corresponding indicators turn red. 
To reset all values on playback start, activate the “Reset on Start” 
option.
Reset LoudnessResets all loudness values.
Momentary MaxShows the maximum loudness measured over a duration of 400 ms. 
Short TermShows the loudness measured over a duration of 3 ms. 
IntegratedShows the average loudness measured from start to stop. The 
period of measurement is shown in the Time display. The 
recommended value for the integrated loudness is -23
 LUFS. This 
absolute value is the reference point for the relative LU scale where 
-23
 LUFS equals 0 LU. 
RangeShows the dynamic range of the audio measured from start to stop. 
This value help
s you to decide how much dynamic compression 
you can apply. The range that is recommended
 for highly dynamic 
audio like film music is 20
 LU.
True PeakShows the true peak level of the audio. The maximum permitted true 
peak level in production is -1
 dB. 
TimeShows the duration of integrated loudness measurement. 
Parameter Description 
						

							206
The MixConsoleUsing Channel Settings
To show or hide sections of the Channel Settings window, click the “Set up Window 
Layout” button on the toolbar and activate or deactivate the corresponding options.
The Channel Settings window is suitable especially for the following actions:
•Routing Inserts
This is done on the Routing tab in the Inserts section. For further information, see 
“Using the Routing Editor” on page 231.
•Changing the position of the Channel Strip and the inserts
By default, the inserts are positioned before the Channel Strip in the signal flow. In 
the Inserts section you can change this by clicking the arrow at the top of the Strip 
tab. The tabs are swapped. 
•Making EQ Settings
The Channel Settings window features a big EQ curve display with several modes. 
By default, the equalizer controls are hidden, but you can click the little green 
button at the top right corner to show the equalizer controls or the equalizer knob 
controls below the EQ curve. For further information, see 
“Making EQ Settings” on 
page 196.
The equalizer 
curve
The equalizer 
controls
The equalizer 
knob controls 
						

							207
The MixConsoleUsing Channel Settings
•Panning Sends
This is done on the Panning tab in the Sends section. For further information, see 
“Setting pan for the sends (Cubase only)” on page 239.
•Showing the Output Chain
If you click the “Show Output Chain” button on the toolbar, the output chain is 
shown in the channel faders section of the Channel Settings window. This allows 
you to keep track of more complicated output routings.
Browsing through Channels in the Channel Settings Window
Every channel has its own Channel Settings window, but you can view any channel’s 
settings from a single window. This allows you to have a single Channel Settings 
window open in a convenient position on the screen and use it for all your EQ and 
channel effect settings. 
To select a channel in the Channel Settings window, proceed as follows:
•Click the “Go to Previous Channel” button to show the previous MixConsole 
channel. Click the “Go to Next Channel” button to show the next MixConsole 
channel.
•Click the channel name or the Search tool on the toolbar and select a channel.
Show Output Chain Channel faders section 
						

							208
The MixConsoleSaving and Loading Selected Channel Settings
By default, the Channel Settings window follows the channel selection in the 
MixConsole. If this is not what you want, open the Functions menu on the Channel 
Settings window toolbar and deactivate “Follow ‘e’ buttons or selection changes”. 
To browse through the edited channels, click “Go to Last Edited Channel” or the “Go 
to Next Edited Channel”. The buttons are only available if at least two channels have 
been edited in the Channel Settings window.
Saving and Loading Selected Channel Settings
It is possible to save MixConsole settings for selected audio-related channels. You 
can load these later into any project. Channel settings are saved as MixConsole 
settings files with the file extension .vmx. 
1.Open the Functions menu on the MixConsole toolbar and select “Save Selected 
Channels”.
A standard file dialog opens where you can specify the file name and location.
ÖThe input/output routing is not saved.
To load MixConsole settings saved for selected channels, proceed as follows:
1.Ensure that you select a number of channels that corresponds to the number of 
channels for which you saved the settings.
The settings are applied in the same order as they were saved. For example, you 
save the settings for channels 4, 6, and 8 and apply these settings to channels 
1,
 2, and 3. In this case, the settings saved for channel 4 are applied to channel 1, 
the settings saved for channel 6 are applied to channel
 2, and so on.
2.Open the Functions menu on the MixConsole toolbar and select “Load Selected 
Channels”.
A standard file dialog opens that allows you to locate the settings file.
3.Select the file and click Open.
The channel settings are applied to the selected channels.
Resetting MixConsole Channels
You can reset all or selected channels on the MixConsole to their default settings. 
1.Open the Functions menu in the MixConsole toolbar and select “Reset 
MixConsoles…”.
2.Decide if you want to reset all channels or only the selected channels.
All EQ, insert, and send effect settings are reset. Solo and Mute buttons are 
deactivated, the volume fader is set to 0
 dB, and pan is set to the center position.
!When you apply MixConsole settings to fewer channels than those contained in the 
settings file, some of the saved settings are disregarded. Since the saved settings are 
applied from left to right as shown in the MixConsole, the settings for the channels 
that remain on the right are not applied to any channels. 
						

							209
The MixConsoleAdding Pictures
Adding Pictures
Pictures allow you to recognize your MixConsole channels easily. You can select 
pictures from the factory content or add new ones to the user library and insert them 
into your MixConsole channels.
ÖPictures can also be shown in the track list by activating the “Show Track Pictures” 
function on the track list context menu.
Inserting Pictures from the Factory Library
To add pictures from the factory library to a MixConsole channel, proceed as follows:
1.Click the “Set up Window Layout” button on the toolbar and activate the Pictures 
option.
2.Select the channel to which you want to add a picture and click in the pictures 
section.
3.In the Track Pictures Browser, click the Factory button.
The pictures from the factory content are shown.
4.Select a picture and click OK to insert the selected picture into the selected 
channel.
Adding Pictures to the User Library
To add your own pictures in BMP, JPEG, or PNG format to the user library, proceed 
as follows:
1.In the Track Pictures Browser, click the Import button, and browse to the location 
of the picture.
2.Select the picture and click Open.
The picture is shown in the Track Pictures Browser and it is assigned to the 
selected MixConsole channel. 
Reset Current Picture
Preview 
sectionRemove Selected Pictures from User Library
Library 
section 
						

							210
The MixConsoleAdding Notes
Removing Pictures from the User Library
•To remove the picture from a MixConsole channel, click on the picture in the 
MixConsole to open the Track Pictures Browser, and click “Reset Current 
Picture”.
•To remove a picture from the User Library, click the User button, select the picture 
and click “Remove Selected Pictures from User Library”. Confirm the message 
with Delete.
Previewing and Editing Pictures
If you click the “Show Preview” button, a preview section is shown to the right of the 
Track Pictures Browser. In this section you have the following options:
•To set the track color, click the “Track Color” button, and select a color. 
The picture is automatically tinted in the track color.
•To increase or decrease the track color tinting, use the Intensity setting.
•To change the size of the picture, use the Zoom setting.
•To change the visible part of the picture, move the picture in the preview section.
•To change the orientation of the picture, use the Rotate setting.
Adding Notes
To add notes to a MixConsole channel, proceed as follows:
1.Click the “Set up Window Layout” button on the toolbar and activate the Notepad 
option.
The Notepad section is shown above the fader section.
2.Select the channel for which you want to add notes, click in the notepad section 
and type in your notes.
3.To close the notepad, press [Esc] or click in another section of the MixConsole.