Steinberg Cubase Le 8 Manual

							91
Track Handling
Adding Tracks
PROCEDURE
1. Select Project > Add Track, or right-click the track list.
2. Do one of the following:
• Add a track of a specific type.
For some track types a dialog opens that allows you to insert several tracks at 
once.
• To add a track based on a track preset, select Add Track Using Track Preset.
The Choose Track Preset dialog opens that allows you to select a track 
preset. The number and type of added tracks depends on the selected track 
preset.
RESULT 
The track is added to the project.
RELATED LINKS
Add Track Dialog on page 91
Track Presets on page 101
Add Track Dialog
The Add Track dialog opens when you add audio, MIDI, group/FX channel, or 
instrument tracks.
Browse
Expands the dialog and allows you to select a track preset for the track.
Count
Allows you to enter the number of tracks that you want to add. 
						

							Track Handling
Removing Tracks
92
Configuration
Allows you to set the channel configuration. Audio-related tracks can be 
configured as mono or stereo tracks.
Speakers
Shows the speaker names according to the track configuration.
Track Name
Allows you to specify a track name.
Add Track
Adds the track and closes the dialog.
RELATED LINKS
Track Presets on page 101
Removing Tracks
You can remove selected or empty tracks from the track list.
• To remove selected tracks, select Project > Remove Selected Tracks or 
right-click the track that you want to remove, and from the context menu select 
Remove Selected Tracks.
• To remove empty tracks, select Project > Remove Empty Tracks.
Moving Tracks in the Track List
You can move tracks up or down in the track list.
PROCEDURE
• Select a track and drag it up or down in the track list. 
						

							Track Handling
Renaming Tracks
93
Renaming Tracks
PROCEDURE
1. Double-click the track name and type in a new name for the track.
2. Press [Return].
If you want all events on the track to get the same name, hold down any modifier key 
and press [Return].
AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK 
If the Parts Get Track Names option (File > Preferences > Editing) is activated, 
and you move an event from one track to another, the moved event will automatically 
be named according to its new track.
Coloring Tracks
All new tracks are automatically assigned a color according to the Auto Track 
Color Mode settings. However, you can change the track color manually.
• To change the color for the selected track, use the Select Colors pop-up 
menu on the toolbar.
• You can also use the Track Color Selector. In the Inspector, click the arrow 
to the right of the track name and select a color.
In the track list, [Ctrl]/[Command]-click in the left area and select a color.
• To control which colors are used for new tracks, select File > Preferences 
> Event Display > Tracks and edit the Auto Track Color Mode settings. 
						

							Track Handling
Showing Track Pictures
94
Showing Track Pictures
You can add pictures to tracks to recognize your tracks easily. Track pictures are 
available for audio, instrument, MIDI, FX channel and group channel tracks.
PREREQUISITE 
Adjust the track height to at least 2 rows.
PROCEDURE
1. Right-click any track in the track list.
2. From the track list context menu, select Show Track Pictures.
If you move the mouse to the left on a track, a highlighted rectangle appears.
AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK 
Double-click the rectangle to open the Track Pictures Browser and set up a track 
picture.
RELATED LINKS
Track Pictures Browser on page 94
Track Pictures Browser
The Track Pictures Browser allows you to set up and select pictures that can be 
shown in the track list and in the MixConsole. Track pictures are useful to recognize 
tracks and channels easily. You can select pictures from the factory content or add 
new ones to the user library.
• To open the Track Pictures Browser for a track, double-click in the lower left 
side of the track list. 
						

							Track Handling
Showing Track Pictures
95
Factory
Shows the factory content in the pictures browser.
Pictures Browser
Shows the pictures that you can assign to the selected track/channel.
User
Shows your user content in the pictures browser.
Import
Opens a file dialog that allows you to select pictures in bmp, jpeg, or png 
format and add them to the user library.
Remove Selected Pictures from User Library
Removes the selected picture from the user library.
Reset Current Picture
Removes the picture from the selected track/channel.
Show/Hide Preview
Opens/Closes a section with further color and zoom settings.
Track Picture Preview
Shows the current track picture. When you zoom in the picture, you can drag 
it with the mouse to change its visible part.
Track Color
Opens the Track Color Selector. Click the rectangle to change the track 
color.
Intensity
Allows you to apply the track color to the track picture and set the color 
intensity. 
						

							Track Handling
Setting the Track Height
96
Zoom
Allows you to change the size of the track picture.
Rotate
Allows you to rotate the track picture.
Setting the Track Height
You can enlarge the track height to show the events on the track in detail, or you 
can decrease the height of several tracks to get a better overview of your project.
• To change the height of an individual track, click its lower border in the track 
list and drag up or down.
• To change the height of all tracks simultaneously, hold down 
[Ctrl]/[Command], click the lower border of one track, and drag up or down.
• To set the number of tracks to view in the Project window, use the track zoom 
menu.
• To set the track height automatically when you select a track, click Edit > 
Enlarge Selected Track.
RELATED LINKS
Track Zoom Menu on page 96
Customizing Track Controls on page 88
Track Zoom Menu
The track zoom menu allows you to set the number of tracks and the track height in 
the Project window.
• To open the track zoom menu in the lower right of the Project window, click 
the arrow button above the vertical zoom control. 
						

							Track Handling
Selecting Tracks
97
The following options are available:
Zoom Tracks x Rows
Zooms all track heights to show the specified number of rows.
Zoom Tracks Full
Zooms all tracks to fit in the active Project window.
Zoom x Tracks
Zooms the specified number of tracks to fit in the active Project window.
Zoom N Tracks
Allows you to set the number of tracks to fit in the active Project window.
Zoom Tracks Minimal
Zooms all track heights to the minimum size.
Snap Track Heights
Changes the track height in fixed increments when you resize it.
Selecting Tracks
• To select a track, click on it in the track list.
• To select several tracks, [Ctrl]/[Command]-click several tracks.
• To select a continuous range of tracks, [Shift]-click the first and last track in a 
continuous range of tracks.
Selected tracks are indicated by a light gray color in the track list.
RELATED LINKS
Track Selection follows Event Selection on page 649
Scroll To selected Track on page 654
Select Channel/Track on Solo on page 654
Select Channel/Track on Edit Settings on page 654
Selecting Tracks with Arrow Keys
You can select tracks and events with the up/down arrow keys on the computer 
keyboard. However, you can make the up/down arrow keys exclusively available for 
selecting tracks.
• To make the up/down arrow keys exclusively available for selecting tracks, 
select File > Preferences > Editing and activate Use Up/Down Navigation 
Commands for selecting Tracks only. 
						

							Track Handling
Duplicating Tracks
98
The following applies:
• When this option is deactivated and no event/part is selected in the Project 
window, the up/down arrow keys on the computer keyboard are used to step 
through the tracks in the track list.
• When this option is deactivated and an event/part is selected in the Project 
window, the up/down arrow keys still step through the tracks in the track list 
– but on the currently selected track, the first event/part will automatically be 
selected as well.
• When this option is activated, the up/down arrow keys are only used to 
change the track selection – the current event/part selection in the Project 
window will not be altered.
Duplicating Tracks
You can duplicate a track with all contents and channel settings.
PROCEDURE
•Select Project > Duplicate Tracks.
RESULT 
The duplicated track appears below the original track.
Disabling Audio Tracks (Cubase Elements only)
You can disable audio tracks that you do not want to play back or process at the 
moment. Disabling a track zeroes its output volume and shuts down all disk activity 
and processing for the track.
PROCEDURE
• Right-click in the track list and select Disable Track from the context menu.
RESULT 
The track color changes and the corresponding channel in the MixConsole is 
hidden.
To enable a disabled track and restore all channel settings, right-click in the track 
list and select Enable Track. 
						

							Track Handling
Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks
99
Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks
You can organize your tracks in folders by moving tracks into folder tracks. This 
allows you to perform editing on several tracks as one entity. Folder tracks can 
contain any type of track including other folder tracks.
• To create a folder track, open the Project menu and in the Add Track 
submenu select Folder.
• To move tracks into a folder, select them and drag them into the folder track.
• To remove tracks from a folder, select them and drag them out of the folder.
• To hide/show tracks in a folder, click the Expand/Collapse Folder button of 
the folder track.
• To hide/show data on a folder track, open the context menu for the folder track 
and select an option from the Show Data on Folder Tracks submenu.
• To mute/solo all tracks in a folder track, click the Mute or Solo button for the 
folder track.
NOTE
Hidden tracks are played back as usual.
Moving Tracks to Folder Tracks
You can move your tracks to folder tracks to organize them and to perform editing 
on several tracks as one entity. You can move any type of track including other folder 
tracks to folder tracks.
PROCEDURE
•Select Project > Track Folding > Move Selected Tracks to New Folder.
RESULT 
This creates a new folder and moves all selected tracks into it.
NOTE
You can also drag and drop tracks into or out of a folder track.
RELATED LINKS
Folder Tracks on page 79
Folder Track Controls on page 80 
						

							Track Handling
Handling Overlapping Audio
100
Handling Overlapping Audio
The basic rule for audio tracks is that each track can only play back a single audio 
event at a time. If two or more events overlap, you will only hear one of them: the one 
that is actually visible (e.
 g. the last lap of a cycle recording).
If you have a track with overlapping (stacked) events/regions, use one of the 
following methods to select the event/region that is played back:
• Open the context menu for the audio event in the event display and select the 
desired event or region from the To Front or Set to Region submenu.
The available options depend on whether you performed a linear or a cycle 
recording and the record mode you used. When recording audio in cycle 
mode, the recorded event is divided in regions, one for each take.
• Use the handle in the middle of a stacked event and select an entry from the 
pop-up menu that appears.
How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks
Closed folder tracks can display data of the contained audio, MIDI, and instrument 
tracks as data blocks or as events.
When you close folder tracks, the contents of the contained tracks are displayed as 
data blocks or events. Depending on the folder track height, the display of the 
events can be more or less detailed.
Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks
You can modify the event display on folder tracks.
PROCEDURE
1. Right-click the folder track.
2. On the context menu, select Show Data on Folder Tracks.
You have the following options:
•Always Show Data
If this option is activated, data blocks or event details are always displayed.
•Never Show Data
If this option is activated, nothing is displayed.
•Hide Data When Expanded
If this option is activated, the display of events is hidden when you open folder tracks.
•Show Event Details
If this option is activated, event details are displayed. If deactivated, data blocks 
are displayed.
NOTE
To change these settings, select File > Preferences > Event Display > Folders.