Steinberg Cubase Essential 4 Operation Manual

51
Recording
Setting up the track
Creating a track and selecting the channel configuration
Audio tracks can be configured as mono or stereo tracks. 
This allows you to record or import a file containing multi-
ple channels and treat it as one entity, with no need to split 
it up into several mono files etc. The signal path for an au-
dio track maintains its channel configuration all the way 
from the input bus, via EQ, level and other mixer settings 
to the output bus.
You specify the channel...

52
Recording
4.Adjust the output level of your audio source so that the 
meters go reasonably high without reaching 0.0 dB.
Check the numerical peak level indicator below the meter in the bus 
channel strip. To reset the peak level indicator, click on it.
ÖYou must adjust the output level of the audio source – 
you cannot use the faders in Cubase Essential to adjust 
the input level!
ÖAn alternative way of checking the input levels would 
be to use the control panel for your audio hardware (if it...

53
Recording
ASIO Direct Monitoring
If your audio hardware is ASIO 2.0 compatible, it may sup-
port ASIO Direct Monitoring. In this mode, the actual mon-
itoring is done in the audio hardware by sending the input 
signal back out again. However, monitoring is controlled 
from Cubase Essential. This means that the audio hard-
ware’s direct monitoring feature can be turned on or off 
automatically by Cubase Essential, just as when using in-
ternal monitoring.
ÖIf you are using RME Audio Hammerfall DSP...

54
Recording
In “Normal” or “Merge” mode, recording where some-
thing has already been recorded creates a new audio 
event that overlaps the previous one(s).
When you record audio, there is no difference between “Normal” and 
“Merge” mode – the difference only applies to MIDI recording (see 
“About overlap and the Record Mode setting” on page 56).
In “Replace” mode, existing events (or portions of events) 
that are overlapped by the new recording will be removed.
This means that if you record a section...

55
Recording
Naming MIDI ports in Cubase Essential
MIDI inputs and outputs are often displayed with unneces-
sarily long and complicated names. However, you can re-
name your MIDI ports to more descriptive names:
1.Open the Device Setup dialog from the Devices menu.
2.Select the MIDI Port Setup item in the Device list.
The available MIDI inputs and outputs are listed. Under Windows, which 
device to choose depends on your system.
3.To change the name of a MIDI port, click in the “Show 
As” column and...

56
Recording
3.Use the channel pop-up menu to select a MIDI chan-
nel for the track.
If you set the track to MIDI channel “Any”, each MIDI 
event on the track will be sent out on the channel stored in 
the event itself.
In other words, the MIDI material will be played back on the channel(s) 
used by the MIDI input device (the MIDI instrument you play during re-
cording).
Selecting a sound
You can select sounds from within Cubase Essential by 
instructing the program to send Program Change and 
Bank...

57
Recording
Recording MIDI in cycle mode
When you record MIDI in cycle mode, the result depends 
on which Cycle Record mode is selected on the Transport 
panel:
Cycle Record mode: Mix (MIDI)
For each completed lap, everything you record is added to 
what was previously recorded in the same part. This is use-
ful for building up rhythm patterns, for example. Record a 
hi-hat part on the first lap, the bass drum part on the sec-
ond lap etc. 
Cycle Record mode: Overwrite (MIDI)
As soon as you play a MIDI...

58
Recording
System Exclusive messages
System Exclusive (SysEx) is a special type of MIDI mes-
sage used to send data that only makes sense to a unit of 
a certain make and type. SysEx can be used to transmit a 
list of the numbers that make up the settings of one or 
more sounds in a synth. For more about viewing and edit-
ing SysEx messages, see the chapter “Working with Sys-
tem Exclusive messages” on page 261.
The Reset function
The Reset function on the MIDI menu sends out note-off 
messages and...

59
Recording
Filtering MIDI
The MIDI–MIDI Filter page in the Preferences allows you 
to prevent certain MIDI messages from being recorded 
and/or “thruput” (echoed by the MIDI Thru function).
The dialog is divided into four sections:
Options and Settings
Recording-related Transport Preferences
A couple of settings in the Preferences (Transport page) 
are relevant for recording. Set these according to your 
preferred method of work:
Deactivate Punch In on Stop
If this is activated, punch in on the...

60
Recording
An example:
1.Set the locators to where you want to start and end re-
cording.
2.Activate Punch in and Punch out on the Transport 
panel.
3.Activate the option “Stop after Automatic Punch Out” 
in the Preferences (Transport page).
4.Set suitable preroll and postroll times by clicking in the 
corresponding fields on the Transport panel and typing in 
time values.
5.Activate preroll and postroll by clicking the buttons 
next to the preroll and postroll times so that they light up.
6.Activate...