Steinberg Cubase Le 8 Manual

Chord Functions
Recording Chord Events with a MIDI Keyboard
521
Detect Arpeggios
Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain arpeggiated chords, 
that is, chords whose notes are played one after another instead of all at once.
Interpret Sustain Pedal
Activate this, if you want your chord events to contain sustain pedal chords, 
that is, notes that are played while the sustain pedal is held.
Ignore Notes Shorter Than
Allows you to determine the minimum length of the MIDI events that are taken...

522
Chord Pads
Chord pads allow you to play with chords, and to change their voicings and 
tensions. In terms of harmonies and rhythms, they allow for a more playful and 
spontaneous approach to composition than the chord track functions.
You can:
• Perform with chords in realtime via a MIDI keyboard.
• Record your performance as MIDI events on a MIDI or instrument track or 
even on the chord track.
NOTE
We assume that you have a MIDI keyboard connected and set up.
RELATED LINKS
Voicings on page 512...

Chord Pads
Chord Pads Zone
523
The chord pads zone holds the following controls:
1)Close Chord Pads Zone
Closes the chord pads zone.
2)Current Player
Shows the current player and opens a menu where you can select another 
player.
3)Chord Pad
Each chord pad can contain a chord symbol. To change it, click the Open 
Editor control on the left edge of the chord pad.
4)Keyboard
Shows which keys are played when you trigger a chord pad. To zoom the 
keyboard, click a key and drag up or down. To scroll the...

Chord Pads
Chord Pads Zone
524
10)Show/Hide Chord Assistant
Shows/Hides the Chord Assistant that shows suggestions of chords that 
match the chord that you specified as the origin chord.
11)Show/Hide Settings
Shows/Hides the chord settings, where you can configure different players, 
the pad layout, and the remote assignment.
RELATED LINKS
Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control on page 533
Players and Voicings on page 537
Chord Pad Controls
The chord pad controls allow you to edit the chord pads.
• To show...

Chord Pads
Functions Menu
525
6)Voicing
Allows you to set another voicing for the chord pad.
7)Tensions
Allows you to add/remove tensions for the chord.
Chord Pad Context Menu
•Use X as Origin for Chord Assistant
Sets the chord of the current pad as an origin chord for the Chord Assistant.
•Assign Pad from MIDI Input
Allows you to assign a chord by pressing keys on your MIDI keyboard.
•Lock
Allows you to lock a chord pad for editing.
•Adaptive Voicing
Sets the current pad as adaptive voicing reference....

Chord Pads
Preparations
526
•Assign Pads from Chord Track
Assigns the chord events from the chord track to the chord pads in the same 
order as they appear on the chord track. Chord events that have more than 
one occurrence are only assigned once.
•Snap Playback to Musical Grid
Allows you to delay the playback of a triggered chord pad to the next defined 
musical position. This is useful, if you work with an arpeggiator or with the 
Pattern Player.
•Transpose All Pads
Transposes all chord pads by a...

Chord Pads
Chord Assistant
527
Chord Assistant
The Chord Assistant allows you to use a chord as a starting point for suggestions 
for the next chord. It assists you in finding the right chords for creating a chord 
progression for your song.
•Click Show/Hide Chord Assistant on the left side of the chord pads area to 
open the Chord Assistant.
You must define an origin chord as follows:
• Right-click the chord pad with the chord you want to use as origin and select 
Use X as Origin for Chord Assistant....

Chord Pads
Assigning Chords to Chord Pads
528
• To play a chord, click it.
The last three chords that you clicked are shown with a highlighted frame.
• To assign a chord to the next unassigned chord pad, right-click the suggested 
chord and select Assign to Pad.
You can also drag the suggested chord and drop it on a chord pad.
• To assign a suggestion to the next unassigned chord pad and use this chord 
as origin, right-click the chord and select Assign to Pad and Use as Origin.
NOTE
The Circle of Fifths...

Chord Pads
Assigning Chords to Chord Pads
529
Assigning Chords with the Chord Editor
If you know exactly which chord you want to assign to a specific chord pad, you can 
use the chord Editor.
PROCEDURE
1. Move the mouse pointer to the left edge of the chord pad, and click Open 
Editor.
2. In the chord Editor, use the chord definition buttons to define a root note, a 
chord type, a tension, and a bass note.
The new chord is triggered automatically to give an acoustic feedback.
RELATED LINKS
Chord Editor...

Chord Pads
Assigning Chords to Chord Pads
530
Assigning Chords with the MIDI Keyboard
If you know which chord you want to assign to a specific chord pad, you can use a 
MIDI keyboard.
PREREQUISITE 
You have selected a MIDI track or an instrument track.
PROCEDURE
1. Right-click the chord pad that you want to use for the new chord, and select 
Assign Pad from MIDI Input.
The borders of the chord pad change their color to indicate that it is now ready for 
recording.
2. On your MIDI keyboard, press the keys...