Steinberg Cubase Essential 4 Operation Manual

							31
The Project window
Audio and MIDI parts can also be duplicated by press-
ing [Alt]/[Option] + [Shift] and dragging.
This creates a shared copy of the part. If you edit the contents of a 
shared copy, all other shared copies of the same part are automatically 
edited in the same way.
Shared copies are indicated by showing the name in italic text and an 
icon in the right corner of the part.
Note:
When you duplicate audio events, the copies are al-
ways shared. This means that shared copies of audio 
events always refer to the same audio clip (see “Audio 
processing” on page 142).
You can convert a shared copy to a real copy by select-
ing “Convert to Real Copy” from the Edit menu. This cre-
ates a new version of the clip (that can be edited indepen-
dently) and adds this to the Pool. Note that no new files are 
created by this operation – for that you need to use the 
“Bounce Selection” function from the Audio menu.
Selecting “Duplicate” from the Edit menu creates a 
copy of the selected event and places it directly after the 
original.
If several events are selected, all of these are copied “as one unit”, main-
taining the relative distance between the events.
Selecting “Repeat…” from the Edit menu opens a dia-
log, allowing you to create a number of copies (regular or 
shared) of the selected event(s).
This works just like the Duplicate function, but you can specify the num-
ber of copies.
You can also perform the Repeat function by dragging: 
Select the event(s) to repeat, press [Alt]/[Option], click the 
handle in the lower right corner of the last selected event 
and drag to the right.
The longer to the right you drag, the more copies are created (as shown 
by the tooltip).
Selecting “Fill Loop” from the Edit menu creates a num-
ber of copies starting at the left locator and ending at the 
right locator.
The last copy is automatically shortened to end at the right locator posi-
tion.
Using Cut, Copy and Paste
You can cut or copy selected events, and paste them in 
again, using the functions on the Edit menu.
When you paste an event it is inserted on the selected 
track, positioned so that its snap point is aligned with the 
cursor position.
If the selected track is of the wrong type, the event will be inserted on its 
original track. See “Snap” on page 38 for information about the snap point.
If you use the “Paste at Origin” function, the event is 
pasted at its original position (the position from which you 
cut or copied it).
Renaming events
By default, audio events show the name of their clip, but 
you can enter a separate descriptive name for separate 
events if you like. This is done by selecting the event and 
typing in a new name in the “Description” field in the info 
line.
You can also give all events on a track the same name 
as the track by changing the track name, holding down a 
modifier key and pressing [Return].
See “Handling tracks” on page 26.
Splitting events
You can split events in the Project window in the following 
ways:
Click with the Scissors tool on the event you want to 
split.
If Snap is activated, this determines the exact split position (see “Snap” 
on page 38). You can also split events by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and 
clicking with the Arrow tool. 
						

							32
The Project window
Select “Split at Cursor” from the Edit menu.
This splits the selected events at the position of the project cursor. If no 
events are selected, all events (on all tracks) that are intersected by the 
project cursor will be split.
Select “Split Loop” from the Edit menu.
This splits events on all tracks at the left and right locator positions.
ÖIf you split a MIDI part so that the split position inter-
sects one or several MIDI notes, the result depends on the 
option “Split MIDI Events” in the Preferences (Editing–
MIDI page). 
If the option is activated, the intersected notes will be split (creating new 
notes at the beginning of the second part). If it is deactivated, the notes 
will remain in the first part, but “stick out” after the end of the part.
Gluing events together
You can glue events together using the Glue Tube tool. 
There are three possibilities: 
Clicking on an event with the Glue Tube tool glues it to-
gether with the next event on the track. The events do not 
have to touch one another.
The result is a part containing the two events, with one exception: If you 
first split an event and then glue the two sections together again (without 
moving or editing them first), they become a single event again.
You can select several events on the same track and 
click on one of them with the Glue Tube tool.
A single part is created.
When you hold down [Alt]/[Option] while clicking on an 
event with the Glue Tube tool, this event will be glued to-
gether with all following events on this track.
You can change the default key command for this in the Preferences 
(Editing–Tool Modifiers page).
Resizing events
Resizing events means to move their start or end positions 
individually. In Cubase Essential, there are three types of 
resizing:To select one of the resizing modes, select the Arrow tool 
and then click again on the Arrow tool icon on the toolbar. 
This opens a pop-up menu from which you can select one 
of the resizing mode options.
The icon on the toolbar will change, indicating the selected resizing mode.
The actual resizing is done by clicking and dragging the 
lower left or right corner of the event. If Snap is activated, 
the Snap value determines the resulting length (see 
“Snap” on page 38).
Normal sizing
Sizing moves contents.
If several events are selected, all will be resized in the 
same way.
Resizing type Description
Normal Sizing The contents of the event stay fixed, and the start or end 
point of the event is moved to “reveal” more or less of the 
contents.
Sizing Moves 
ContentsThe contents follow the moved start or end of the event 
(see the figure below).
Sizing Applies 
Time StretchThe contents will be time stretched to fit the new event 
length (see the separate description on “Resizing events 
using time stretch” on page 33). 
						

							33
The Project window
You can also resize events with the Scrub tool.
This works just the same as when resizing with the Arrow tool, but the 
audio under the pointer is played back (scrubbed) while you drag.
It is also possible to resize events by using the Trim but-
tons (located in the Nudge palette) on the toolbar.
This will move the start or end position of the selected Event(s) by the 
amount set on the Grid pop-up menu. The sizing type currently selected 
applies to this method too, with the exception of “Sizing Applies Time 
Stretch” which is not possible with this method. You can also use key 
commands for this (by default, press [Ctrl]/[Command] and use the left 
and right arrow key).
ÖNote that the Nudge palette is not visible in the toolbar 
by default. See “The Setup dialogs” on page 314 for in-
structions on how to show and hide items in the toolbar.
Resizing events using time stretch
If you want to resize a part and make its contents “fit” the 
new size, you should use this option. Proceed as follows:
1.Click the Arrow icon on the toolbar and select the “Siz-
ing Applies Time Stretch” option from the pop-up menu.
2.Point close to the end point of the part you want to 
stretch.3.Click and drag left or right.
When you move the mouse, a tooltip shows the current mouse position 
and length of the part. Note that the snap value applies, as with any part 
operation.
4.Release the mouse button.
The part is “stretched” or “compressed” to fit the new length.
For MIDI parts, this means that the note events are 
stretched (moved and resized).
Controller data will be moved.
For audio parts, this means that the events are moved, 
and that the referenced audio files are time stretched to fit 
the new length.
A dialog box shows the progress of the time stretch operation.
Sliding the contents of an event or part
You can move the contents of an event or part without 
changing its position in the Project window. By default, this 
is done by pressing [Alt]/[Option]+[Shift], clicking in the 
event or part and dragging to the left or right.
!When sliding the contents of an audio event, you 
cannot slide past the start or end of the actual audio 
clip. If the event plays the whole clip, you cannot 
slide the audio at all. 
						

							34
The Project window
Grouping Events
Sometimes it is useful to treat several events as one unit. 
This can be done by grouping them: Select the events (on 
the same or different Tracks) and select “Group” from the 
Edit menu.
Grouped events are indicated by a group icon in the right corner.
If you edit one of the grouped events in the Project window, 
all other events in the same group are affected too (if appli-
cable). 
Group editing operations include:
 Selecting events.
 Moving and duplicating events.
 Resizing events.
 Adjusting fade-in and fade-out (audio events only, see “Cre-
ating fades” on page 63).
 Splitting events (splitting one event will automatically split any 
other grouped events that are intersected by the split position).
 Locking events.
 Muting events (see below).
 Deleting events.
Locking events
If you want to make sure you don’t edit or move an event 
by accident, you can lock it. Locking can affect one (or any 
combination) of the following properties:To specify which of these properties should be affected 
by the Lock function, use the “Lock Event Attributes” pop-
up menu in the Preferences (Editing page).
To lock events, select them and select “Lock…” from 
the Edit menu.
The events will be locked according to the options specified in the Pref-
erences.
You can adjust the lock options for a locked event by 
selecting it and selecting “Lock…” from the Edit menu 
again.
This opens a dialog in which you can activate or deactivate the desired 
lock options.
To unlock an event (turn off all lock options), select it 
and select “Unlock” from the Edit menu.
It is also possible to lock a whole track, by clicking the 
padlock symbol in the Track list or in the Inspector.
This disables all editing of all events on the track.
Muting events
To mute individual events in the Project window, proceed 
as follows:
To mute or unmute a single event, click on it with the 
Mute tool.Lock Options Description
Position If this is locked, the event cannot be moved.
Size If this is locked, the event cannot be resized.
Other If this is locked, all other editing of the event is disabled. 
This includes adjusting the fades and event volume, pro-
cessing, etc.
The padlock symbol indicates that 
one or more of the lock options are 
activated for the event. 
						

							35
The Project window
To mute or unmute several events, select them – either 
by using the standard selection techniques, or by using 
one of the options on the Select submenu on the Edit 
menu – and click on one of the selected events with the 
Mute tool.
All selected events will be muted.
You can also click in an empty area with the Mute tool 
and drag a selection rectangle around several events you 
want to mute or unmute, and then click on one of them 
with the Mute tool.
You can mute events by selecting them and selecting 
“Mute” from the Edit menu.
Similarly, you can unmute the selected events by selecting “Unmute” 
from the Edit menu.
You can also change the mute status of selected events 
on the info line.
Muted events can be edited as usual (with the exception 
of adjusting fades), but are not played back.
Muted events are “grayed out”.
You can also mute whole tracks by clicking the Mute 
(“M”) button in the Track list, the Inspector or the mixer.
Clicking the Solo (“S”) button for a track mutes all other tracks. Note that 
there are two modes for the track solo function: 
If the option “Enable Solo on Selected Track” is activated in the Prefer-
ences (Editing–Project & Mixer page) and you have soloed a track, se-
lecting another track in the track list will automatically solo that track 
instead – the solo state “moves” with the track selection.
If the option isn’t activated, the track you solo stays soloed, regardless of 
the selection.
Removing events
To remove an event from the Project window, use any of 
the following methods:
Click on the event with the Eraser tool.
Note that if you press [Alt]/[Option] while you click, all following events 
on the same track will be deleted, but not the event you clicked and all 
events before it.
Select the event(s) and press [Backspace], or select 
“Delete” from the Edit menu.
Creating new files from events
An audio event plays a section of an audio clip, which in 
turn refers to one or more audio files on the hard disk. 
However, in some situations you may want to create a new 
file that consists only of the section played by the event. 
This is done with the function “Bounce Selection” on the 
Audio menu:
1.Select one or several audio events.
2.Set up fade in, fade out and event volume (on the info 
line or using the volume handle) as desired.
These settings will be applied to the new file. For details on fades and 
event volume, see “Creating fades” on page 63.
3.Select “Bounce Selection” from the Audio menu.
You are asked whether you want to replace the selected event or not.
If you click “Replace”, a new file is created, containing 
only the audio in the original event. A clip for the new file is 
added to the Pool, and the original event is replaced by a 
new event playing the new clip.
If you click “No”, a new file is created and a clip for the 
new file is added to the Pool.
The original event is not replaced.
You can also apply the Bounce Selection function to an 
audio part. In that case, the audio from all events in the 
part will be combined into a single audio file. If you choose 
“Replace” when asked, the part will be replaced with a 
single audio event playing a clip of the new file.
Range editing
Editing in the Project window isn’t necessarily restricted 
to handling whole events and parts. You can also work 
with selection ranges, which are independent from the 
event/part and track boundaries.
Creating a selection range
To make a selection range, drag with the Range Selection 
tool. 
						

							36
The Project window
When the Range Selection tool is selected, the Select 
submenu on the Edit menu has the following items for 
making selection ranges:
Double-clicking on an event with the Range Selection 
tool creates a selection range encompassing the event.
If you hold down [Shift] you can double-click several events in a row, and 
the selection range will expand to encompass them all. Double-clicking a 
second time on an event opens it for editing in the Sample Editor.
Adjusting the size of the selection range
You can adjust the size of a selection range in the follow-
ing ways:
By dragging its edges.
The pointer takes the shape of a double arrow when you move it over an 
edge of the selection range.
By holding down [Shift] and clicking.
The closest selection range edge will be moved to the position at which 
you clicked.
By adjusting the selection range start or end position on 
the info line.By using the Trim buttons on the toolbar.
The left Trim buttons will move the start of the selection range and the 
right buttons will move the end. The edges will be moved by the amount 
specified on the Grid pop-up.
Clicking this Trim button…
…will move the start of the selection range to the right by 1beat.
By using the Nudge buttons on the toolbar.
These will move the whole selection range to the left or the right. The 
amount of movement depends on the selected display format (see “The 
Project Setup dialog” on page 22) and the value specified on the Grid 
pop-up menu.
ÖThe Trim buttons and the Nudge buttons are located 
in the Nudge palette, which is not visible in the toolbar by 
default. 
See “The Setup dialogs” on page 314 for instructions on how to show 
and hide items in the toolbar.
Option Description
All Makes a selection that covers all tracks, from the start of 
the project to the end (as defined by the Length setting in 
the Project Setup dialog).
None Removes the current selection range.
In Loop Makes a selection between the left and right locator, on 
all tracks.
From Start
to CursorMakes a selection on all tracks, from the start of the 
project to the project cursor.
From Cursor 
to EndMakes a selection on all tracks, from the project cursor to 
the end of the project.
All on Selected 
TracksOnly used for event selection (see “Selecting events” on 
page 29).
Select Event This is available in the Sample Editor (see “Using the Se-
lect menu” on page 156).
Left Selection 
Side to CursorMoves the left side of the current selection range to the 
project cursor position.
Right Selection 
Side to CursorMoves the right side of the current selection range to the 
project cursor position.
!Note that the contents of the selection are not 
moved – using the Nudge buttons is the same as ad-
justing the start and end of the selection range at the 
same time, by the same amount. 
						

							37
The Project window
Making selection ranges for several non-contiguous 
tracks
You can create selection ranges that cover several tracks 
by pressing [Alt]/[Option]+[Shift]. However, it is also pos-
sible to exclude tracks from a selection range:
1.Create a selection range from the first to the last de-
sired track.
2.Press [Alt]/[Option] and click in the selection range on 
the tracks you want to exclude from the selection.
3.In the same manner, you can add a track to the selec-
tion range by [Alt]/[Option]-clicking in the selection range 
area on the track.
Moving and duplicating
To move a selection range, click and drag it to a new 
position.
This will move the contents of the selection range to the new position. If 
the range intersected events or parts, these will be split before moving, 
so that only the sections within the selection range are affected.
To duplicate a selection range, hold down [Alt]/[Option] 
and drag.
You can also use the Duplicate, Repeat and Fill Loop functions, just as 
when duplicating events (see “Duplicating events” on page 30).
Using Cut, Copy and Paste
When working with selection ranges, you can either use 
Cut, Copy and Paste on the Edit menu, or use the func-
tions “Cut Time” and “Paste Time” on the Range submenu 
on the Edit menu. These work differently to their related 
functions on the Edit menu:
Deleting selection ranges
Again, you can either use “regular” Delete or “Delete Time”:
If you use the Delete function on the Edit menu (or press 
[Backspace]), the data within the selection range is re-
placed by empty track space.
Events to the right of the range keep their position.
If you use “Delete Time” on the Edit menu’s Range sub-
menu, the selection range is removed and events to the 
right are moved to the left to close up the gap.
Function Description
Cut Cuts out the data in the selection range and moves it to 
the clipboard. The selection range is replaced by empty 
track space in the Project window, meaning that events 
to the right of the range keep their positions.
Copy Copies the data in the selection range to the clipboard.
Paste Pastes the clipboard data at the start position and track 
of the current selection. Existing events are not moved to 
make room for the pasted data.
Paste at Origin Pastes the clipboard data back at its original position. Ex-
isting events are not moved to make room for the pasted 
data.
Cut Time Cuts out the selection range and moves it to the clip-
board. Events to the right of the removed range are 
moved to the left to fill out the gap.
Paste Time Pastes the clipboard data at the start position and track 
of the current selection. Existing events are moved to 
make room for the pasted data.
Paste Time at 
OriginPastes the clipboard data back at its original position. Ex-
isting events are moved to make room for the pasted data. 
						

							38
The Project window
Other functions
On the Range submenu on the Edit menu, you will find 
three more range editing functions:
Options
Snap
The Snap function helps you to find exact positions when 
editing in the Project window. It does this by restricting 
horizontal movement and positioning to certain positions. 
Operations affected by Snap include moving, copying, 
drawing, sizing, splitting, range selection, etc.
You turn Snap on or off by clicking the Snap icon in the 
toolbar.
Snap activated.
ÖWhen you are moving audio events with Snap acti-
vated, it isn’t necessarily the beginning of the event that is 
used as Snap position reference. Instead, each audio 
event has a snap point, which you can set to a relevant po-
sition in the audio (such as a downbeat, etc.).
The snap point is preferably set in the Sample Editor since it allows for a 
higher degree of precision (see “Adjusting the snap point” on page 155). 
You can however also set the snap point directly in the Project window, 
in the following way: 
1.Select an event.
2.Place the project cursor at the desired position within 
the selected audio event.3.Pull down the Audio menu and select “Snap Point To 
Cursor”.
The snap point is set at the cursor position.
The snap point for an event is displayed as a blue line in the Project 
window.
Exactly how Snap works depends on which mode is se-
lected on the Snap mode pop-up menu.
The following sections describe the different Snap modes:
Grid
In this mode, the Snap positions are set with the Grid 
pop-up menu to the right. The options depend on the dis-
play format selected for the ruler. For example, if the ruler 
is set to show bars and beats, the grid can be set to bars, 
beats or the quantize value set with the next pop-up menu 
to the right. If a time or frame-based ruler format is se-
lected, the grid pop-up menu will contain time or frame-
based grid options, etc.
When Seconds is selected as ruler format, the grid pop-up menu con-
tains time-based grid options. Function Description
Split Splits any events or parts that are intersected by the selec-
tion range, at the positions of the selection range edges.
Crop All events or parts that are partially within the selection 
range are cropped, that is, sections outside the selection 
range are removed. Events that are fully inside or outside 
the selection range are not affected.
Insert Silence Inserts empty track space from the start of the selection 
range. The length of the silence equals the length of the 
selection range. Events to the right of the selection range 
start are moved to the right to “make room”. Events that 
are intersected by the selection range start are split, and 
the right section is moved to the right. 
						

							39
The Project window
Grid Relative
When you move events and parts in this mode they will not 
be “magnetic” to the grid. Rather, the grid determines the 
step size for moving the events. This means that a moved 
event will keep its original position relative to the grid.
For example, if an event starts at the position 3.04.01 (one 
beat before bar 4), Snap is set to Grid Relative and the 
Grid pop-up is set to “Bar”, you can move the event in 
steps of one bar – to the positions 4.04.01, 5.04.01 and 
so on. The event will keep its relative position to the grid, 
i.e. stay one beat before the bar lines.
This only applies when dragging existing events or parts 
– when you create new events or parts this mode works 
like the Grid mode.
Events
In this mode, the start and end positions of other events 
and parts become “magnetic”. This means that if you drag 
an event to a position near the start or end of another 
event, it is automatically aligned with the start or end of the 
other event. For audio events, the position of the snap 
point is also magnetic (see “Adjusting the snap point” on 
page 155).
Note that this includes marker events on the marker track.
This allows you to snap events to marker positions, and vice versa.
Shuffle
Shuffle mode is useful when you want to change the order 
of adjacent events. If you have two adjacent events and 
drag the first one to the right, past the second event, the 
two events will change places.The same principle works when changing the order of 
more than two events:
Magnetic Cursor
When this mode is selected, the project cursor becomes 
“magnetic”. Dragging an event near the cursor causes the 
event to be aligned with the cursor position.
Grid + Cursor
This is a combination of the “Grid” and “Magnetic Cursor” 
modes.
Events + Cursor
This is a combination of the “Events” and “Magnetic Cur-
sor” modes.
Events + Grid + Cursor
This is a combination of the “Events”, “Grid” and “Mag-
netic Cursor” modes.
Snap to Zero Crossing
When this option is activated in the Preferences (Editing–
Audio page), splitting and sizing of audio events is done at 
zero crossings (positions in the audio where the amplitude 
is zero). This helps you avoid pops and clicks which might 
otherwise be caused by sudden amplitude changes.
!This setting affects all windows in all open projects – 
with the exception of the Sample Editor (which has 
its own “Use Snap” button for this).
12345
5 2 4 3 1
Dragging event 2 past event 4…
…changes the order of events 2, 3 and 4. 
						

							40
The Project window
Autoscroll
Autoscroll activated
When this option is activated, the waveform display will 
scroll during playback, keeping the project cursor visible 
in the window.
If the option “Stationary Cursors” is activated in the 
Preferences (Transport page), the project cursor will be 
positioned in the middle of the screen (if possible).