Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual
Have a look at the manual Steinberg Cubase 7 User Manual online for free. It’s possible to download the document as PDF or print. UserManuals.tech offer 523 Steinberg manuals and user’s guides for free. Share the user manual or guide on Facebook, Twitter or Google+.
731 The basicsThe project cursor Editing parts on different tracks If you have selected parts on two or more tracks (or several entire tracks – no parts) and open the Score Editor, you get one staff for each track (although you can split a staff in two, e.g. when scoring for piano). Think of the Project window as an overview of your entire score and the tracks as representing one instrument each. Editing predefined combinations of tracks How to open the Score Editor for a certain combination of tracks that you edited before is described in the section “Layout operations” on page 859. Displaying single voices or the complete score When the “Double-click on staff flips between full score/part” option is activated in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page), double-clicking on the blue rectangle to the left of a staff switches between display of either the whole score or the current voice. The project cursor The project cursor appears as a vertical line across the staff. When you open the Score Editor, the view is automatically scrolled so that the project cursor is visible in the window. This means you do not always see the beginning of the edited part when you first open the Score Editor. •Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and [Shift] and click anywhere in the score to move the project cursor there. This is handy when the project cursor is not visible. This is not possible if Computer Keyboard Input mode is activated, see “Entering notes using the computer keyboard” on page 756. Playing back and recording You can play back and record MIDI in the Score Editor using the standard transport commands, just like in the other MIDI editors. See the chapter “The MIDI editors” on page 481 for details. Page Mode When you are preparing a score for printout, you should set the Score Editor to Page Mode. This is done by selecting Page Mode from the Scores menu. When Page Mode is activated, a checkmark appears next to this menu option. In Page mode, the window switches to display one page at a time, as it appears on printout.
732 The basicsPage Mode Page Mode vs. Edit Mode When Page Mode is not activated, the Score Editor is in Edit Mode. All you can do in Edit Mode, you can also do in Page Mode. But Page Mode offers lots of additional features which are directly related to how the score is displayed and printed. Changing the Background in Page Mode In Page Mode, you can specify different background textures for the score by selecting an option from the Background Texture pop-up menu on the toolbar. ÖThe background texture only affects the display and is not used for printing. Using the scrollbars in Page Mode In Page Mode, the scrollbars are used to scroll the image of the page inside the window. Moving between pages in Page Mode If your score takes up more than one page, you use the page number indicator in the lower right corner to move to another page in your score. The number can be adjusted using the standard editing techniques. The page number indicator – adjust it to move to another page. Also, if Auto-Scroll is activated on the toolbar, the score display follows the project cursor position. This way you can scroll the score by using fast forward or rewind. Editing individual parts in Page Mode When you view a single part in Page Mode, the bars before and after the part is normally shown as empty measures in the Score Editor. This is to preserve the layout of the track, i.e. the spacing between staves and bar lines, number of bars per staff, etc. If you want to view and print a single part, without any surrounding empty bars, activate the “Unlock Layout when editing single parts” option in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page). Note, however, that if you adjust the layout when editing the part in this mode, this erases the layout for the whole track! !This section of the manual assumes you are in Page Mode. It is mentioned explicitly if something in this text specifically relates to Edit Mode.
733 The basicsChanging the zoom factor Changing the zoom factor There are two ways to change the zoom in Page Mode: by setting a zoom factor on the zoom pop-up menu or by using the Zoom tool (magnifying glass). Using the Zoom pop-up menu Above the vertical scrollbar to the right you can find a pop-up menu allowing you to set the zoom factor. By zooming in you can make detailed adjustments to symbols, etc. By zooming out you get a better overview. •If you select “Fit Page”, the zoom factor is adjusted according to the window size so that the whole page becomes visible. •If you select “Fit Width”, the zoom factor is adjusted according to the window width so that the full width of the page becomes visible. ÖThis pop-up menu can also be opened by right-clicking in the ruler. Using the Zoom tool The Zoom tool in the Score Editor works much like in the Project window: •Click once with the Zoom tool to zoom in one step. •Hold down [Alt]/[Option] and click once with the Zoom tool to zoom out one step. •Drag a rectangle with the Zoom tool to set a custom zoom factor. The section encompassed by the rectangle is zoomed to fill the window. •Hold down a modifier key and right-click with the Zoom tool to open the Zoom context menu, and select the desired Zoom setting. Using the Mouse wheel You can also zoom by holding down [Ctrl]/[Command] and moving the mouse wheel. The mouse position is kept (if possible) when zooming in or out.
734 The basicsThe active staff The active staff One thing to note when you are working with multiple staves is the “active” staff. Only one staff at a time can be active, and it is indicated by a blue rectangle to the left of the clef symbol. ÖTo make a staff active, click anywhere on it. By default, you can also use the up and down arrow keys on the computer keyboard to step between staves. Making page setup settings Before preparing the score for printout, you have to make some page settings for your project. This does not have to be the first thing you do, but it is a good working habit, because it also affects the on-screen display of the score. 1.On the File menu, select Page Setup. The Page Setup dialog appears. This is the regular operation system Page Setup dialog, described in detail in your system’s documentation. The only things that Cubase adds to this are the margin settings. 2.Select the preferred printer, paper size, orientation, etc. 3.If you need to, change the margins by setting the left, right, top and bottom settings. •To make the settings permanent, save the project. If you want new projects to always start with certain page setup settings, you can create project templates with these, see “Setting up a default template” on page 59. Designing your work space You can design your work space according to your needs by showing/hiding different areas using the Window Layout function and by showing/hiding different options of these areas using the Setup options dialogs. Which areas and options to show or hide depends on what kind of project you are working on, how large your monitor is, and so on. To configure the window layout, proceed as follows: 1.On the toolbar, click the “Set up Window Layout” button. This staff is active.
735 The basicsDesigning your work space 2.Activate the desired options. The status line The status line features the Mouse Time and the Mouse Note Position displays as well as the Current Chord Display, which helps you identify chords in the Score Editor note display. It can be hidden/displayed using the “Status Line” option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane. The status line has its own Setup dialog where you can specify exactly which properties you want to see. •Right-click on the status line and select “Setup…” from the context menu. In the dialog that appears you can configure where the separate items will be placed and save/recall different setup configurations. The info line The info line displays information about the selected note. It can be shown and hidden using the “Info Line” option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane. The info line has its own setup dialog where you can specify exactly which properties are shown. •Right-click on the info line and select “Setup…” from the context menu. In the dialog that appears you can configure where the separate items will be placed and save/recall different setup configurations. The extended toolbar The extended toolbar contains additional tools four your score. It can be hidden/displayed using the Tools option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane. The filter bar This area contains checkboxes determining which indicators, handles, and other non- printed elements are shown in the score. It can be hidden/displayed using the Filters option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane. Showing and hiding elements Some of the elements in the score are not printed, but rather serve as indicators for layout changes, handles, etc. These elements can be hidden or shown in any combination by using the Filters options. The following options are available: Extended toolbar Symbols InspectorInfo line Status line Filter bar OptionDescription Bar HandlesDisplays the bar handles, used for copying bars (see “Moving and duplicating with the bar handles” on page 828). Hidden NotesDisplays any notes you might have hidden (see “Hiding/showing objects” on page 868).
736 The basicsDesigning your work space The Symbols Inspector This area contains symbol tabs, which are used to add symbols to the score. It can be hidden/displayed using the Symbols option in the “Set up Window Layout” pane. The symbol tabs can also be opened as free-floating palettes by opening them, right- clicking any of the buttons and selecting “Open as Palette” from the context menu. This way you can move symbol palettes around on the screen by clicking and dragging their title bars. Right-clicking on a symbol palette brings up a pop-up menu: •Select “Toggle” to switch between a vertical or horizontal view of the palette. •Select one of the options on the pop-up menu to bring up the corresponding palette instead of the current palette. •Hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] and select a palette from the pop-up menu to open the selected palette in a new window (without closing the existing one). •Click the close button to close a symbol palette. In the Symbols Inspector setup dialog you can specify exactly which symbol tabs are shown. For a detailed description, see “The Symbols Inspector Setup dialog” on page 813. How to work with symbols is explained in detail in the chapter “Working with symbols” on page 811. The ruler In the Score Editor there are no meter/time position rulers as in the other editors. Instead, there are horizontal and vertical “graphic rulers” in Page Mode. These help you to position symbols and graphical objects in the score. HideDisplays markers in the score for each hidden element (except notes, see “Hiding/showing objects” on page 868). QuantizeDisplays markers in the score where you have made Display Quantize “exceptions” (see “Inserting Display Quantize changes” on page 750). Layout ToolDisplays markers in the score where you have made adjustments with the Layout tool (see “Graphic moving of notes” on page 805). GroupingDisplays markers in the score where you have made beam groupings (see “Grouping” on page 797). CutflagDisplays markers in the score where you have inserted cutflag events (see “The Cut Notes tool” on page 804). Split RestsDisplays markers in the score wherever you have split multiple rests (see “Splitting multi-rests” on page 870). Stems/BeamsDisplays markers in the score where you have made any stem or beam adjustments (see “Setting stem direction” on page 790 and “Manual adjustment of beams” on page 802). Option Description
737 The basicsAbout the Score Editor context menus •To specify which units to show on the rulers, open the Zoom pop-up menu and select one of the options. You can choose between points, inches, and centimeters. •To hide the rulers, select “Off” from the pop-up menu. The Position Info window To help you when positioning objects in the score, the Page Mode has a special Position Info window, in which you can view and adjust object positions numerically, in the unit selected for the ruler. To display the Position Info window, click in the ruler. About the Score Editor context menus Many functions and settings of the Score Editor can be accessed via context menus, opened by right-clicking on certain elements of the score. For example, if you choose a note, the note context menu opens, listing note-related functions. If you open the context menu on an empty area of the score, it lists all available tools (allowing you to quickly switch between tools) and it contains many functions of the main menus. About dialogs in the Score Editor There are two types of dialogs available in the Score Editor: •Non-modal dialogs can remain open while you continue working in the score. In a non-modal dialog, clicking the Apply button applies the settings in the dialog to the selected objects in the score. This means you can select different elements in the score and change their settings, without having to close the dialog in between. The dialog is closed by clicking the standard close button in the window title bar. The Score Settings dialog is an example for a non-modal dialog. •Regular dialogs have an OK button instead of an Apply button. Clicking OK applies the settings you have made and closes the dialog. You cannot continue working in the score (or select other objects) until you close the dialog. ÖIf the “Apply closes Property Windows” option is activated in the Preferences dialog (Scores–Editing page), clicking the Apply button in a non-modal dialog closes the dialog. In other words, this makes a non-modal dialog work a bit more like a regular dialog.
738 The basicsSetting clef, key, and time signature Setting clef, key, and time signature When preparing to enter notes into a score, you probably want to start out by setting the desired clef, key, and time signature for the staff. The text below assumes you are working on one track only. If you have multiple staves, you either make this setting independently for each staff or for all staves at once, see “Staff settings” on page 748. Normally, all these symbols appear at the beginning of each staff. However, you can control this by using the Real Book option (see “Real Book” on page 867) and by hiding objects (see “Hiding/showing objects” on page 868). When entering or editing keys, there is one important thing to note: Using the Symbols Inspector to set the initial clef, key, and time signature 1.Click the “Set up Window Layout” button on the toolbar and activate the Symbols option. The Symbols Inspector is displayed. 2.Open the Clefs tab of the Inspector and click on the symbol for the clef that you want to use in your score. 3.Click anywhere in the first bar of the staff to set the clef for this track. 4.Select the Keys tab and click on the symbol for the key that you want to use. 5.Click anywhere in the first bar of the staff to set the key for the track. 6.Open the Time Signature tab of the Inspector and click on the symbol for the time signature value that you want to use. If you cannot find the desired time signature, you can use the Edit Time Signature dialog (see below). The settings you have made so far are valid for the entire track. If you want to further edit these settings, or if you need different settings for different bars of your track, proceed as described in the next section. Editing the time signature 1.Double-click on the time signature symbol at the beginning of the staff. A dialog opens. !In the Score Settings dialog on the Project–Notation Style subpage (Keys category) you can find the “Key Changes for the entire Project” option. When this option is activated, all changes made to the key always affect every staff in the project, i.e. it is not possible to define different keys for different staves.
739 The basicsSetting clef, key, and time signature 2.If the project is in 4/4 or 2/2, you can select common time/cut time directly by clicking one of the two symbols on the right. This sets the time signature to 4/4 or 2/2, respectively and also inserts a common/cut time symbol on the staff. 3.If the project is in any other time, set the numerator and denominator above and below the line, respectively. The numerator can consist of several numbers for composite time signatures. However, if the project is in a simple time signature you only need to fill in the first number above the line. The more advanced options are described below. •The “Pickup Bar” option is described in the section “By using the Pickup Bar feature” on page 872. 4.Click OK or press [Return]. If you need to enter half a bar somewhere (for example) you have to make a time signature change (e.g. from 4/4 to 2/4 and back again). See “Inserting and editing clefs, keys, or time signatures” on page 768 to find out how to enter time signature changes. Composite time signatures and the For Grouping Only option For composite signatures, the numerator can be made up of up to four groups. For example, “4+4+3+/” on the upper line and 8 on the lower means the time signature is 11/8. The reason for dividing the numerator into several numbers is to get beaming and tied notes displayed correctly automatically. This does not affect the metronome or anything else, only beams and ties. For more information on beaming, see “Handling beaming” on page 797. If “For Grouping Only” is not activated, the numerator shows all the numbers entered. If it is activated, it shows the sum of the numbers entered, as for “simple” time signatures. “For Grouping Only” off and on Note that Cubase tries to preserve the denominator when you insert a composite signature with “For Grouping Only” activated. This means that if you have a 4/4 time signature, and change it to a composite value (3+3+2 eighths for example), the time signature still is displayed as 4/4 instead of 8/8. Setting the time signature on the Transport panel You can also set the time signature directly on the Transport panel. Please note that you cannot create composite time signatures from the Transport panel. !All tracks share the time signature! In other words, when you set the time signature, you do this for all tracks in the project.
740 The basicsSetting clef, key, and time signature Setting the time signature using the signature track/Tempo Track Editor You can also add, edit and delete time signatures using the signature track or the Tempo Track Editor (see the chapter “Editing tempo and signature” on page 610). Please note the following: •The score always shows the time signature events set in the signature track/Tempo Track Editor, regardless of whether or not the Tempo button is activated. Likewise, any time signatures you create in the Score Editor are shown in the signature track/Tempo Track Editor. •You cannot create composite time signatures using the signature track/Tempo Track Editor. Editing the clef On the clef context menu When you right-click on a clef symbol, a context menu with a list of all available clefs opens. This menu also contains the following options: •Display Clef Changes as Small Symbols If you activate this option and insert a clef change in the score, the clef is displayed with a smaller symbol. •Warnings for new Clefs at Line Breaks If you activate this option and insert a new clef at a line break, the Clef change symbol is inserted in the last bar before the staff break. When this is deactivated, the symbol is inserted in the first bar of the next staff line. •Hide If you select this function, the clef is hidden. •Properties If you select this function, the Edit Clef dialog opens. In the Edit Clef dialog 1.Double-click on the current clef. A dialog appears. 2.Use the scrollbar to select a clef. 3.Repeat the steps above for all staves in the system. !This does not work if Auto Clef is activated on the Staff page of the Score Settings dialog, see below.