Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual
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Video Replacing the Audio in a Video File 991 • By activating the “Extract Audio on Import Video File” option in the Preferences dialog (Video page). This will automatically extract the audio stream from any video file during import. • By using the “Extract Audio from Video File” option on the Media menu. This creates an audio clip in the Pool, but does not add any events to the Project window. IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT These functions are not available for MPEG-1 video files. RELATED LINKS Audio file import options on page 1012 Importing Video Files on page 983 Replacing the Audio in a Video File Once you have edited all audio and MIDI data to the video and created a final mix, you will need to put the new audio back with the video. You can do this by embedding the audio in another stream within the video container file. PROCEDURE 1. Place the left locator at the start of the video file in Cubase. This will ensure that your audio and video streams are synchronized. 2. Open the File menu and select the Audio Mixdown option from the Export submenu to export the audio file you wish to insert into the video container file. 3. From the File menu, select “Replace Audio in Video File…”. A file dialog opens prompting you to locate the video file. 4. Select the video file and click Open. Next, you are prompted to locate the corresponding audio file. 5. Select the audio file and click Open. The audio is added to the video file, replacing its current audio stream. AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK Once the process is completed, open the video file in a native media player and check for proper synchronization. RELATED LINKS Export Audio Mixdown on page 938
992 ReWire Introduction ReWire is a special protocol for streaming audio between two computer applications. Developed by Propellerhead Software and Steinberg, ReWire provides the following possibilities and features: • Realtime streaming of up to 256 (Cubase Artist: 128) separate audio channels, at full bandwidth, from the “synthesizer application” into the “mixer application”. In this case, the “mixer application” is of course Cubase. An example of a “synthesizer application” is Propellerhead Software’s Reason. • Automatic, sample accurate synchronization between the audio in the two programs. • The possibility to have the two programs share one audio card and take advantage of multiple outputs on that card. • Linked transport controls that allow you to play, rewind, etc., either from Cubase or from the synthesizer application (provided it has some kind of transport functionality). • Automatic audio mixing functions of separate channels as required. In the case of Reason, for example, this allows you to have separate channels for the different devices. • Additionally, ReWire offers the possibility to route MIDI tracks in Cubase to the other application, for full MIDI control. For each ReWire compatible device, a number of extra MIDI outputs will be made available in Cubase. In the case of Reason, this allows you to route different MIDI tracks in Cubase to different devices in Reason, with Cubase serving as the main MIDI sequencer. • The overall load on your system is much reduced, compared to when using the programs together in the conventional way.
ReWire Launching and quitting 993 Launching and quitting When using ReWire, the order in which you launch and quit the two programs is very important. Launching for normal use with ReWire PROCEDURE 1. First launch Cubase. 2. Enable one or several ReWire channels in the ReWire Device dialog for the other application. 3. Launch the other application. It may take slightly longer for the application to start when you are using ReWire. RELATED LINKS Activating ReWire channels on page 994 Quitting a ReWire session When you are finished, you also need to quit the applications in a special order. PROCEDURE 1. First quit the synthesizer application. 2. Then quit Cubase. Launching both programs without using ReWire We cannot think of any scenario, in which you would need to run Cubase and the synthesizer application simultaneously on the same computer, without using ReWire, but you can. PROCEDURE 1. First launch the synthesizer application. 2. Then launch Cubase. NOTE Please note that the two programs now compete for system resources such as audio cards, just as when running either with other, non-ReWire audio applications.
ReWire Activating ReWire channels 994 Activating ReWire channels ReWire supports streaming of up to 256 (Cubase Artist: 128) separate audio channels. The exact number of available ReWire channels depends on the synthesizer application. Using the ReWire Device panels in Cubase, you can specify which of the available channels you want to use. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Devices menu and select the menu item with the name of the ReWire application. All recognized ReWire compatible applications will be available on the menu. The ReWire panel appears. This consists of a number of rows, one for each available ReWire channel. 2. Click on the power buttons to the left to activate/deactivate the desired channels. The buttons light up to indicate activated channels. Please note that the more ReWire channels you activate, the more processing power is required. For information about exactly what signal is carried on each channel, see the documentation of the synthesizer application. 3. If desired, double-click on the labels in the right column, and type in another name. These labels will be used in the Cubase MixConsole to identify the ReWire channels. Using the transport and tempo controls IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT This is only relevant if the synthesizer application has some sort of built-in sequencer or similar. Basic transport controls When you run ReWire, the transports in the two programs are completely linked. It does not matter in which program you play, stop, fast forward or rewind. However, recording (if applicable) is still completely separate in the two applications. Loop settings If there is a loop or cycle facility in the synthesizer application, that loop will be completely linked to the cycle in Cubase. This means that you can move the start and end point for the loop or turn the loop on or off in either program, and this will be reflected in the other.
ReWire How the ReWire channels are handled 995 Tempo settings A s f a r a s t e m p o g o e s , C u b a s e i s a l w a y s t h e m a s t e r . T h i s m e a n s t h a t b o t h p r o g r a m s will run in the tempo set in Cubase. However, if you are not using the tempo track in Cubase, you can adjust the tempo in either program, and this will immediately be reflected in the other. IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT If you are using the tempo track in Cubase (i. e. the Tempo button is activated on the Transport panel), you should not adjust the tempo in the synthesizer application, since a tempo request from ReWire will automatically deactivate the tempo track in Cubase! How the ReWire channels are handled When you activate ReWire channels in the ReWire Device panels, they will become available as channels in the MixConsole. The ReWire channels have the following properties: • ReWire channels may be any combination of mono and stereo, depending on the synthesizer application. • ReWire channels have the same functionality as regular audio channels. This means you can set volume and pan, add EQ, insert effects and sends, and route the channel outputs to groups or busses. However, ReWire channels have no monitor buttons. • All channel settings can be automated using the Read/Write buttons. When you write automation, channel automation tracks will automatically appear in the Project window. This allows you to view and edit the automation graphically, just as with VST instrument channels, etc. • You can mix down the audio from ReWire channels to a file on your hard disk with the Export Audio Mixdown function. You can export the output bus to which you have routed the ReWire channels. Cubase Pro only: You can also export individual ReWire channels directly – “rendering” each ReWire channel to a separate audio file. RELATED LINKS Mixing down to audio files on page 939
ReWire Routing MIDI via ReWire 996 Routing MIDI via ReWire When using Cubase with a ReWire-compatible application, additional MIDI outputs will automatically appear on the MIDI Output pop-up menus for MIDI tracks. This allows you to play the synthesizer application via MIDI from Cubase, using it as one or several separate MIDI sound sources. The MIDI outputs for a Reason song. Here, each output goes directly to a device in the Reason rack. • The number and configuration of MIDI outputs depends on the synthesizer application. Considerations and limitations Sample rates Synthesizer applications may be limited to audio playback in certain sample rates. If Cubase is set to a sample rate other than those, the synthesizer application will play back at the wrong pitch. Consult the documentation of the synthesizer application for details. ASIO drivers ReWire works well with ASIO drivers. By using the Cubase bus system you can route sounds from the synthesizer application to various outputs on an ASIO compatible audio card.
997 Key Commands Introduction Most of the main menus in Cubase have key command shortcuts for certain items on the menus. In addition, there are numerous other Cubase functions that can be performed via key commands. These are all default settings. You can customize existing key commands to your liking, and also add commands for many menu items and functions that currently have no key command assigned. You can find out for which functions key commands can be assigned by looking in the Key commands dialog (see below), or by checking the tooltip for a particular interface element. If a tooltip shows [!] at the end, you can assign a key command to this function. Assigned key commands are shown in the tooltips in square brackets. IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT You can also assign tool modifier keys, i. e. keys that change the behavior of various tools when pressed. This is done in the Preferences dialog. RELATED LINKS Setting up tool modifier keys on page 1003 How are key commands settings saved? Every time you edit or add any key command assignment, this is stored as a global Cubase preference – not as part of a project. If you edit or add a key command assignment, any subsequent projects that you create or open will use these modified settings. However, the default settings can be restored at any time by clicking the Reset All button in the Key Commands dialog. In addition, you can save key commands settings as a “key commands file”, which is stored separately and can be imported into any project. This way you can quickly and easily recall customized settings, when moving projects between different computers, for example. The settings are saved in an XML file on the hard disk. RELATED LINKS Saving key commands presets on page 1001
Key Commands Setting up key commands 998 Setting up key commands Adding or modifying a key command In the Key Commands dialog you will find all main menu items and a large number of other functions, arranged in a hierarchical way similar to the Windows Explorer and Mac OS Finder. The function categories are represented by a number of folders, each containing various menu items and functions. When you open a category folder by clicking the “+” sign beside it, the items and functions it contains are displayed with the currently assigned key commands. To add a key command, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Open the File menu and select “Key Commands…”. The Key Commands dialog opens. 2. In the Commands list on the left, choose a category. 3. Click the “+” sign to open the category folder and display the items it contains. Note that you can also click the “global” “+” and “-” signs in the top left corner to open and close all category folders at once. 4. In the list, select the item to which you want to assign a key command. Already assigned key commands are shown in the Keys column as well as in the Keys section in the top right corner.
Key Commands Setting up key commands 999 5. Alternatively, you can use the search function in the dialog to find the desired item. For a description of how to use the search function, see below. 6. When you have found and selected the desired item, click in the “Type in Key” field and enter a new key command. You can choose any single key or a combination of one or several modifier keys ([Alt]/[Option], [Ctrl]/[Command], [Shift]) plus any key. Just press the keys you want to use. 7. If the key command you enter is already assigned to another item or function, this is displayed below the “Type in Key” field. You can either ignore this and proceed to assign the key command to the new function instead, or you can select another key command. 8. Click the Assign button above the field. The new key command appears in the Keys List. IMPORTANT If the key command you enter is already assigned to another function, you will get a warning message asking if you really want to reassign the command to the new function. 9. Click OK to exit the dialog. NOTE You can set up several different key commands for the same function. Adding a key command to a function that already has another key command will not replace the key command previously defined for the function. If you wish to remove a key command, see below. Searching for key commands If you want to know which key command is assigned to a certain function in the program, you can use the Search function in the Key Commands dialog. PROCEDURE 1. Click in the search text field at the top left of the dialog and type in the function for which you want to know the key command. This is a standard word search function, so you should type the command as it is spelled in the program. Partial words can be used; to search for all quantize related commands, type “Quantize”, “Quant”, etc. 2. Click the Search button (the magnifying glass icon). The search is conducted and the first matching command is selected and displayed in the Commands list below. The Keys column and the Keys list show the assigned key commands, if any. 3. To search for more commands containing the word(s) you entered, click the Search button again. 4. When you are done, click OK to close the dialog.
Key Commands Setting up key commands 1000 Removing a key command PROCEDURE 1. Use the list of categories and commands to select the item or function for which you wish to remove a key command. The key command is shown in the Keys column and the Keys list. 2. Select the key command in the Keys list and click the Delete button (the trash icon). You are asked whether you really want to remove the key command. 3. Click Remove to remove the selected key command. 4. Click OK to close the dialog. Setting up macros A macro is a combination of several functions or commands to be performed in one go. For example, you can select all events on the selected audio track, remove DC offset, normalize the events and duplicate them, all with a single command. Macros are set up in the Key Commands dialog as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Click the Show Macros button. The macro settings are shown in the lower part of the dialog. To hide these from view, click the button (now renamed Hide Macros) again. 2. Click New Macro. A new, unnamed macro appears in the Macros list. Name it by typing the desired name. You can rename a macro at any time by selecting it in the list and typing in a new name. 3. Make sure that the macro is selected, and use the categories and commands in the upper half of the dialog to select the first command you want to include in the macro. 4. Click Add Command. The selected command appears in the list of commands in the Macros section. 5. Repeat the procedure to add more commands to the macro. Note that commands are added after the currently selected command in the list. This allows you to insert commands “in the middle” of an existing macro.