Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual

							541
The MIDI editorsScore Editor operations
Changing the text font, size and style
To change the font settings for the text you have added, proceed as follows:
1.Select the text by clicking it with the Object Selection tool.
2.Open the MIDI menu and select “Set Font…” from the Scores submenu.
The Font Settings dialog appears, containing the following settings:
3.When you have made your settings, click Apply.
If you like, you can leave the Font Settings dialog open, select another text block 
and adjust the settings for that – just remember to click Apply before you select a 
new text block.
•If you make settings in the Font Settings dialog with no text selected, the settings 
will be used as default for all new text.
In other words, all text you enter from then on will get the settings you have 
specified (although you can of course change this manually for each text as usual).
Printing
To print your score, proceed as follows:
1.Open the parts you want to print in the Score Editor.
Printing is only available from within the Score Editor.
2.Select “Page Setup…” from the File menu and make sure all your printer settings 
are correct. Close the dialog.
3.Select “Print…” from the File menu.
4.A standard print dialog appears. Fill out the options as desired.
5.Click Print.
ItemDescription
Font This is where you specify the font for the text. Which fonts are 
available on the pop-up menu depends on the fonts you have 
installed on you computer. You probably do not want to use the 
“Steinberg” fonts – these are special fonts used by the program (e.
 g. 
for score symbols) and not suited for common text.
SizeSets the size of the text.
FrameAllows you to encase the text in a rectangular (box) or oval frame.
Font optionsThese checkboxes determine whether the text is formatted bold, 
italic, and/or underlined.
!If you change your setting for paper size, scale and margins now, the score may 
change its look.  
						

							542
Working with the Chord Functions
Introduction
The chord functions provide you with many possibilities for working with chords. They 
allow you to build chord progressions by adding chord events to the chord track. You 
can transform chord events to MIDI, or you can use the chord track to extract chord 
information from MIDI data to get an overview of the harmonic structure of a MIDI file. 
Furthermore, you can transpose MIDI and audio data using the chord track. 
In this chapter, you find some examples that may serve you as starting points for 
further experimenting. Feel free to play with the tools and find new and innovative 
ways of composing music.
ÖFor a description of the chord editing functions that are available in the Key Editor, see 
“Inserting and Editing Chords with the Chord Editing Tools” on page 492. 
The Chord Track
On the chord track, you can add chord events and scale events, see “Chord Events” 
on page 543 and “Scale Events” on page 544. The events on the chord track are not 
meant to sound by themselves. Instead, they should be seen as meta data. They can 
transform the pitches of MIDI notes or VariAudio segments on other tracks, but they 
do not create nor delete notes, and they do not change the time position or length of 
the notes. 
Auditioning the Chord Track
To hear the events on the chord track, you can connect the chord track to the output 
of a MIDI track or an instrument track. 
Proceed as follows:
1.On the Project menu, open the “Add Track” submenu, and select Chord.
2.Add an instrument or a MIDI track, and assign a VST instrument to it.
3.In the track list of the chord track, activate the “Audition Chords” button, open the 
“Select Track for Auditioning” pop-up menu, and select the instrument or MIDI track.
 
If you now add chord events to the chord track, they trigger the sound of the assigned 
instrument on the MIDI or instrument track. 
Audition Chords Select Track for Auditioning 
						

							543
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Track
Chord Events
Chord events are representations of chords that control or transpose playback on MIDI, 
instrument, and audio tracks. If these tracks are set up to follow the chord track, chord 
events alter the pitches of MIDI notes and VariAudio segments, see 
“Controlling MIDI or 
Audio Playback with the Chord Track (Follow Chords)” on page 553.
Chord events have a specific start position. Their end, however, is determined by the 
start of the next chord event. They can have a root note, a type, a tension, and a bass 
note.
•To add a new undefined chord event, click in the chord track with the Draw tool. 
An undefined chord event named X is added. For further information, see “Adding 
Chord Events” on page 551.
•To edit the chord event, double-click it and select at least a root note in the Chord 
Editor.
For further information, see “The Chord Editor” on page 548.
•To show all chords properly, even at low horizontal zoom levels, activate the 
“Resolve Display Conflicts” button in the track list.
 
•To hear the chord, click the chord event. 
For this to work, the “Audition Chords” button must be active, and a track must be 
selected on the “Select Track for Auditioning” pop-up menu. 
•You can set up the font for the chord event in the Preferences dialog (Event 
Display-Chords).
Voicings on the Chord Track 
Voicings determine how chord events are set up. For example, a C chord can be 
spread over a wide range of pitches, and a pianist will choose different notes than 
someone guitarist. Furthermore, the same pianist or guitarist might play completely 
different pitches for different musical genres. Thus, voicings not only define the 
vertical spacing and order of the pitches in a chord, but also the instrumentation and 
genre of a musical piece. 
Different 
voicings of the 
same chord in 
the Key Editor
Root noteType Tension
Bass note
Root position 
(C1/C3/E3/G3)1st inversion 
(C1/E2/G2/C3)2nd inversion 
(C1/G2/C3/E3) 
						

							544
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Track
•To set up voicings for an individual chord event, select it and select the voicing 
from the Voicing pop-up menu on the info line.
ÖWhen “Automatic Voicings” is activated in the “Chord Track” Inspector, you can only 
change the voicings for the first chord event on the info line.
•To set up a voicing library (Guitar, Piano, or Basic) for the whole chord track, 
select it from the pop-up menu in the “Chord Track” Inspector section.
•To select a voicing library subset, select it from the pop-up menu.
•To adjust the voicing parameters, click the “Configure voicing parameters” button.
For further information, see “Configuring Voicing Parameters” on page 547.
•To let Cubase set the voicings automatically, activate “Automatic Voicings” in the 
chord track Inspector. 
This is useful if you do not want the individual voices to jump too much. 
•To make sure that the chord events also affect the MIDI notes that have been 
triggered too early, enter a negative number of ticks as “
Mapping Offset”.
Scale Events 
A scale is a sequence of notes that belong to a specific root note. You can add scale 
events on the scale lane. Scale events determine which notes are allowed in a specific 
chord (vertically) or in a row of chords (horizontally). Scale events have a specific start 
position. Their end is determined by the start of the next scale event.
•To show the scale lane in the lower part of the chord track, activate the “Show 
Scales” button.
Voicing library
Configure voicing parameters
Automatic Voicings
Voicing library subset
A scale event on the scale lane
Show Scales 
						

							545
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Track Inspector Section
•To add a scale event for a chord event, select the chord event, and select a scale 
type from the “Scale Assistant” pop-up menu on the scale lane.
The pop-up menu is available when you select a chord event, and “Automatic 
Scales” is deactivated.
The Scale Assistant shows all available scales for the selected chord events.
•To add a scale event anywhere on the scale lane, select the Draw tool, and click at 
the corresponding position. 
•To change the scale type, select the corresponding scale event, and select a type 
on the Scale pop-up menu on the info line.
•To bring up a keyboard with the notes of the scale highlighted, double-click the 
scale event. To change the root note or scale type, open the corresponding pop-
up menus, and select the desired option.
•To hear the notes that belong to the selected scale, click the scale event. 
For this to work, the “Audition Chords” button must be active, and a track must be 
selected on the “Select Track for Auditioning” pop-up menu. 
•To let Cubase create scale events automatically, activate “Automatic Scales” in 
the Inspector. 
The Chord Track Inspector Section
When you add a chord track to your project, the “Chord Track” section becomes 
available in the Inspector of MIDI, instrument, and audio tracks.
The “Chord Track” section for MIDI, instrument, and audio tracks
Scale type 
pop-up menu Root key 
pop-up menu 
						

							546
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Track Inspector Section
Follow Chord Track
In the “Chord Track” section of the Inspector you can determine how your track follows 
the chord track, by selecting an option from the “Follow Chord Track” pop-up menu. 
The following options are available:
ÖIf you set “Follow Chord Track” to “Voicings” or “Single Voice”, you can set up 
separate voicing parameters for your track in the Voicings section.
When you select one of the options from the “Follow Chord Track” pop-up menu for 
the first time, the following dialog opens:
OptionsDescription
Off“Follow Chord Track” is deactivated.
AutoThis option is the default setting. The intervals of the original chord or 
scale are maintained as far as possible. 
Chords MIDI notes are transposed to match the key note and are then 
mapped to the current chord.
Scales MIDI notes are transposed to match the current scale. This allows a 
bigger variety of notes and a more natural performance.
Roots MIDI notes are transposed to match the root note of the chord event. 
The effect corresponds to using the transpose track. This option is 
suitable for bass tracks.
Voicings MIDI notes are transposed to match the voices of the selected 
voicing library. If the MIDI notes are not already set to voices, open 
the Project menu, and on the “Chord Track” submenu, select “Move 
Notes to Voices”. 
Single VoiceMIDI notes and VariAudio segments are mapped to the notes of a 
single voice (soprano, tenor, bass, etc.) of the voicing. Use the pop-
up menu below to select the desired voice. 
 
If you apply this mode on a selection of tracks that contain separate 
voices, you can set up one track as master and the others as voicing 
slaves. This way, you can change the voicing of the master, and the 
slaves will follow automatically. 
Options Description
Follow Directly Activate this if your VariAudio segments or MIDI notes are already in 
accordance with the chord track. This is the case if you extracted 
your chords from the MIDI events on the track by using the “Make 
Chord” function, for example. 
Synchronize Track 
Data – Analyze 
ChordsActivate this if the track data has nothing in common with the chord 
events. “Analyze Chords” (MIDI only) analyzes the MIDI events and 
matches the found chords to the chord track. 
Synchronize Track 
Data – Apply a 
Known ChordActivate this if the track data has nothing in common with the chord 
events. “Apply a Known Chord” (audio and MIDI) allows you to 
specify the root note and the chord type. This is useful if you know the 
key of your events and if there are no chord changes. 
						

							547
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Track Inspector Section
Configuring Voicing Parameters 
To configure your own voicing parameters for a specific voicing scheme (basic, piano 
or guitar), click the “Configure Voicing Parameters” button in the Voicings section.
The “Configure Voicing Parameters” dialog for the piano voicing scheme of a MIDI track
ÖThe “Start Voicing” section for piano, guitar, and basic voicings lets you select a start 
voicing. This is only available for MIDI, instrument, and audio tracks, but not for the 
chord track, and only if you select “Voicings” in the “Follow Chord Track” pop-up 
menu.
Piano Voicings
For piano voicings, you can set up the following parameters in the Style section:
In the Options section, you can set up the following parameters:
ParameterDescription
TriadsSets a triad. Chords with more than three notes are not changed.
Triads with maj9Sets a triad with a major ninth, but without root note. Chords with 
more than three notes are not changed.
Triads with maj9 
and min9Sets a triad with a major and a minor ninth, but without root note. 
Chords with more than three notes are not changed.
4-note chordsSets a default 4-note chord without root note. Chords with less than 
three notes are not changed.
4-note chords 
(Open Jazz)Sets a 4-note chord without root note and without fifth. Chords with 
less than three notes are not changed.
5-note chordsSets a 5-note chord with a ninth. Chords with less than four notes 
are not changed.
ParameterDescription
Add Root NoteAdds a root note.
Duplicate RootDuplicates the root note.
Fatten upDuplicates the tenor. 
						

							548
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Editor
In the “Voicing Range” section, you can set up the following parameters:
Guitar Voicings
For guitar voicings the following style parameters are available:
Basic Voicings
For basic voicings, only the “Octave Offset from C3” parameter is available. This 
parameter allows you to determine an offset value for the default octave range. 
Live Transform
On the “Live Transform” pop-up menu of the “Chord Track” Inspector section, you 
can determine if the MIDI input should be transposed to match chord or scale events 
in realtime.
For further information, see “Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback with the Chord Track 
(Follow Chords)” on page 553.
The Chord Editor
The Chord Editor allows you to define or change chord events, and to add new chord 
events. 
•To open the Chord Editor, double-click a chord event.
ParameterDescription
Lowest Root NoteSets the limit for the lowest root note.
Lowest NoteSets the limit for the lowest note, except the root note.
Highest NoteSets the limit for the highest note, except the root note.
ParameterDescription
TriadsSets a triad with four, five or six voices.
4-Note ChordsSets a 4-note chord with four, five or six voices without tensions.
3-String TriadsSets a three string triad.
Modern JazzSets 4-note, 5-note, and 6-note chords, partly without root note, but 
with tensions. 
Tension
Bass note Chord type
Root note
Add Chord 
						

							549
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Assistant (Cubase only)
•To define a root note, a chord type, a tension, and a bass note for your chord 
event, click the corresponding buttons. 
The keyboard display at the bottom of the Chord Editor shows your chord, 
considering the current voicing settings.
•To define a chord with your MIDI keyboard, activate the “MIDI Input” button and 
play a chord.
If the chord is recognized, it is reflected by the chord buttons and the keyboard 
display. Depending on the current voicing settings, the keyboard display may 
update when you release the keys.
•To add a new undefined chord event on the chord track, click the “Add Chord” 
button (“+” symbol).
This button is only available if the last chord event on the chord track is selected.
ÖIf you do not specificially select a separate bass note, the setting is linked to the root 
note, so that no extra bass note is heard.
The Chord Assistant (Cubase only)
The Chord Assistant allows you to create harmonic chord progressions. It suggests 
the next chord event, taking the previous event into account. These suggestions are 
based on harmonic rules that can be more or less complex. You do not need musical 
background: you can simply drag the complexity slider to determine how many 
suggestions you get and how common they are, see 
“Complexity Slider” on page 
549. However, you can dive deeper into harmonic theory by setting up your own 
complexity filters.
•To open the Chord Assistant for a chord event, double-click the event, and select 
the “Chord Assistant” tab.
Complexity Slider
The Complexity slider determines how many suggestions are shown and how 
complex they are. Drag the complexity slider to the right to increase the complexity 
and thus the number of suggestions.
Suggestions
Gap Mode Complexity Filters
Add Chord 
						

							550
Working with the Chord FunctionsThe Chord Assistant (Cubase only)
Gap Mode
You can use the Chord Assistant to suggest chords in between two chords. Select all 
chords in the gap and activate or deactivate the “Gap Mode” button to determine 
which chord events are considered.
•If “Gap Mode” is activated, the suggestions for the chord events in the gap are 
based on the previous and the next chord. 
•If “Gap Mode” is deactivated, only the previous chord event is taken into account.
Mode – Cadence
If you want to build up a chord progression that follows the harmonic functions of the 
preset cadence modes, open the Mode pop-up menu, and select Cadence. In the 
Type pop-up menu below, you can select a cadence type that modifies the 
suggestions by allowing only chords with the specified harmonic functions.
ÖA C major chord in “Full (I-IV-V-I)” mode can be considered as having the harmonic 
function of a tonic (I), a subdominant (IV), or a dominant (V), for example. In the first 
case, the suggested next chord is F major, in the second case D major, and in the 
third case F major.
Complexity Filters for Cadences
The following complexity filters are available for cadences:
Mode – Common Notes
If you want to build up your chord progression by specifying how many common notes 
the suggested next chord shares with the previous chord, open the Mode pop-up 
menu and select “Common Notes”. 
ModeDescription
Use Major/Minor 
Scale, Use 
Harmonic/Melodic 
MinorThese options determine which scales are used to find suggestions 
for the next chord.
Substitute Source 
ChordActivate this mode to use a substitute for the source chord. 
For example, a substitute for the source chord A minor could be its 
relative key C major. In this case, the Chord Assistant gives the same 
suggestions for A minor as for C major.
Substitute 
Destination ChordActivate this mode to use a substitute for the destination chord. 
For example, if the source chord is C major, the destination chord 
would be the next chord after C major (I), that is F major (IV). A 
substitute for F major could be its relative key D minor (II).
Second-Level 
SubstitutesActivate this mode to get suggestions for substitute chords that 
might sound a bit odd or are rarely used. 
Use Alterated 
SubstitutesActivate this mode to get suggestions for substitute chords that have 
a similar root and construction as the original chord, but with one 
different pitch. Alterated substitutes can be used for the source 
chord or the destination.
Filter DoublesActivate this mode to filter out doubles from the list of suggestions.