Steinberg Cubase Le 8 Manual
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Track Handling Track Presets 101 Track Presets Track presets are templates that can be applied to newly created or existing tracks of the same type. You can create them from virtually all track types (audio, MIDI, instrument, group, FX, VST instument return, input, and output channels). They contain sound and channel settings, and allow you to quickly browse, preview, select, and change sounds, or reuse channel settings across projects. Track presets are organized in the MediaBay. Audio Track Presets Track presets for audio tracks, group tracks, FX tracks, VST instrument channels, input channels, and output channels include all settings that define the sound. You can use the factory presets as a starting point for your own editing and save the audio settings that you optimized for an artist that you often work with as a preset for future recordings. The following data is saved in audio track presets: • Insert effects settings (including VST effect presets) •EQ settings • Volume and pan NOTE To access the track presets functions for input and output channels, activate the Write buttons for input and output channels in the MixConsole. This creates input and output channel tracks in the track list. Instrument Track Presets Instrument track presets offer both MIDI and audio features and are the best choice when handling sounds of simple, mono-timbral VST instruments. Use instrument track presets for auditioning your tracks or saving your preferred sound settings, for example. You can also extract sounds from instrument track presets for use in instrument tracks. The following data is saved in instrument track presets: • Audio insert effects •Audio EQ • Audio volume and pan • MIDI insert effects
Track Handling Track Presets 102 • MIDI track parameters • The VST instrument used for the track • Staff settings • Color settings • Drum map settings MIDI Track Presets You can use MIDI track presets for multi-timbral VST instruments (not in Cubase LE). When creating MIDI track presets you can either include the currently set channel or the currently set patch. The following data is saved in MIDI track presets: • MIDI modifiers (Transpose, etc.) • Output and Channel or Program Change • Volume and pan • Staff settings • Color settings • Drum map settings Multi-Track Presets You can use multi-track presets, for example, when recording setups that require several microphones (a drum set or a choir, where you always record under the same conditions) and you have to edit the resulting tracks in a similar way. Furthermore, they can be used when working with layered tracks, where you use several tracks to generate a certain sound instead of manipulating only one track. If you select more than one track when creating a track preset, the settings of all selected tracks are saved as one multi-track preset. Multi-track presets can only be applied if the target tracks are of the same type, number, and sequence as the tracks in the track preset, therefore, they should be used in recurring situations with similar tracks and settings. VST Presets VST instrument presets behave like instrument track presets. You can extract sounds from VST presets for use in instrument tracks. The following data is saved in VST instrument presets: •VST instrument
Track Handling Track Presets 103 • VST instrument settings NOTE Modifiers, inserts, and EQ settings are not saved. VST effect plug-ins are available in VST 3 and VST 2 format. NOTE In this manual, VST presets stands for VST 3 instrument presets, unless stated otherwise. Applying Track Presets When you apply a track preset, all the settings that are saved in the preset are applied. Track presets can be applied to tracks of their own type only. The only exception are instrument tracks: for these, VST presets are also available. NOTE • Once a track preset is applied, you cannot undo the changes. It is not possible to remove an applied preset from a track and return to the previous state. If you are not satisfied with the track settings, you have to either edit the settings manually or apply another preset. • Applying VST presets to instrument tracks leads to removal of modifiers, MIDI inserts, inserts, or EQs. These settings are not stored in VST presets. Loading Track or VST Presets PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select a track. 2. Do one of the following: • In the Inspector, click Load Track Preset. • In the track list, right-click the track and select Load Track Preset. 3. In the Presets browser, select a track or VST preset. 4. Double-click the preset to load it. RESULT The preset is applied. NOTE You can also drag and drop track presets from the MediaBay, the Windows Explorer, or the Mac OS Finder onto a track of the same type.
Track Handling Track Presets 104 RELATED LINKS Filters Section on page 350 Loading Multi-Track Presets PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select several tracks. NOTE Multi-track presets can only be applied if track type, number, and sequence are identical for the selected tracks and the track preset. 2. In the track list, right-click the track and select Load Track Preset. 3. In the Presets browser, select a multi-track preset. 4. Double-click the preset to load it. RESULT The preset is applied. Extracting the Sound from an Instrument Track or VST Preset For instrument tracks, you can extract the sound of an instrument track preset or VST preset. PROCEDURE 1. Select the instrument track to which you want to apply a sound. 2. In the Inspector, click VST Sound. 3. In the Presets browser, select an instrument track preset or VST preset. 4. Double-click the preset to load the settings. RESULT The VST instrument and its settings (but no inserts, EQs, or modifiers) on the existing track are overwritten with the data of the track preset. The previous VST instrument for this instrument track is removed and the new VST instrument with its settings is set up for the instrument track.
Track Handling Track Presets 105 Creating a Track Preset You can create a track preset from a single track or from a combination of tracks. PROCEDURE 1. In the Project window, select one or more tracks. 2. In the track list, right-click one of the selected tracks and select Save Track Preset. 3. In the New Preset section, enter a name for the new preset. NOTE You can also define attributes for the preset. 4. Click OK to save the preset and exit the dialog. RESULT Track presets are saved within the application folder in the Track Presets folder. They are saved in default subfolders named according to their track type: audio, MIDI, instrument, and multi.
106 Parts and Events Parts and events are the basic building blocks in Cubase. The tracks in the Project window contain parts and/or events. Different event types are handled differently in the Project window: • Video events and automation events (curve points) are always viewed and rearranged directly in the Project window. • MIDI events can always be found in MIDI parts, which are containers for one or more MIDI events. MIDI parts are rearranged and manipulated in the Project window. To edit the individual MIDI events in a part, you have to open the part in a MIDI editor. • Audio events can be displayed and edited directly in the Project window, but you can also work with audio parts containing several events. This is useful if you have a number of events which you want to treat as one unit in the project. Audio parts also contain information about the time position in the project. NOTE If the “Object Selection tool: Show Extra Info” option is activated in the Preferences dialog (Editing–Tools page), a tooltip will be shown for the Object Selection tool, displaying information depending on where you point it. For example, in the Project window event display, the tool will show the current pointer position and the name of the track and event you are pointing at. The Preferences dialog contains several settings for customizing the display in the Project window. RELATED LINKS Event Display on page 656 Event Display - MIDI on page 658 Event Display - Chords on page 658 Event Display - Tracks on page 659
Parts and Events Audio Handling 107 Audio Handling When you work with audio files, it is crucial to understand how audio is handled in Cubase. When you edit or process audio in the Project window, you always work with an audio clip that is automatically created on import or during recording. This audio clip refers to an audio file on the hard disk that itself remains untouched. This means, that audio editing and processing is “non-destructive”, in the sense that you can always undo changes or revert to the original versions. Audio Clips An audio clip does not necessarily refer to just one original audio file! If you apply some processing to a specific section of an audio clip, for example, this will create a new audio file containing only this section. The processing will then be applied to the new audio file only, leaving the original audio file unchanged. Finally, the audio clip is automatically adjusted, so that it refers both to the original file and to the new, processed file. During playback, the program will switch between the original file and the processed file at the correct positions. You will hear this as a single recording, with processing applied to one section only. This feature makes it possible to undo processing at a later stage, and to apply different processing to different audio clips that refer to the same original file. Audio Events An audio event is the object that you place on a time position in Cubase. If you make copies of an audio event and move them to different positions in the project, they will still all refer to the same audio clip. Furthermore, each audio event has an Offset value and a Length value. These determine at which positions in the clip the event will start and end, i. e. which section of the audio clip will be played back by the audio event. For example, if you resize the audio event, you will just change its start and/or end position in the audio clip – the clip itself will not be affected. Audio Regions An audio region is a section within a clip with a length value, a start time, and a snap point. Audio regions are shown in the Pool and are best created and edited in the Sample Editor. NOTE If you want to use one audio file in different contexts, or if you want to create several loops from one audio file, convert the corresponding regions of the audio clip to events and bounce them into separate audio files. This is necessary since different events that refer to the same clip access the same clip information.
Parts and Events Parts 108 Parts Parts are containers for MIDI or audio events, and for tracks. RELATED LINKS Folder Parts on page 111 Creating MIDI Parts A MIDI part is automatically created when you record. It contains the recorded events. However, you can also create empty MIDI parts and later add events to them. You can create MIDI parts in the following ways: • Draw a part on a MIDI track with the Draw tool. You can also draw parts by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and using the Object Selection tool. • Double-click with the Object Selection tool on a MIDI track, between the left and right locator. Adding Events to a MIDI Part • To add events to a MIDI part, use the tools and functions in a MIDI editor. RELATED LINKS MIDI Editors on page 433 Creating Audio Parts There is no way of automatically creating audio parts on recording. On recording audio events are created always. You can create audio parts in the following ways: • To gather existing audio events into a part, select Audio > Events to Part. This creates an audio part containing all selected audio events on the same track. To remove the part and make the events appear as independent objects on the track again, select the part and select Audio > Dissolve Part. • Draw a part on an audio track with the Draw tool. You can also draw parts by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and using the Object Selection tool.
Parts and Events Auditioning Audio Parts and Events 109 • Double-click with the Object Selection tool on an audio track, between the left and right locator. NOTE You can use copy and paste or drag and drop in the Audio Part Editor to add events to existing audio parts. RELATED LINKS Audio Part Editor on page 306 Auditioning Audio Parts and Events Audio parts and events can be auditioned in the Project window with the Play tool. PROCEDURE 1. Select the Play tool. 2. Click where you want playback to start, and keep the mouse button pressed. Only the track on which you click is played back, starting at the click position. NOTE When auditioning, the Main Mix bus is used. 3. Release the mouse button to stop playback. Adding Events to a Track To add events to a track, do one of the following: •Record. • Drag and drop files on the track. You can drag from the following locations: the desktop, the MediaBay and its related windows, the Pool, the Find media dialog, another open Project window, the Audio Part Editor, the Sample Editor (press [Ctrl]/[Command] and drag to create an event of the current selection). • Grab audio CD tracks and convert them to audio files. •Use Copy and Paste on the Edit menu. This allows you to copy all kinds of events between projects. You can also copy events within the project, for example, from the Sample Editor. • Draw marker or automation tracks. For audio, MIDI, and instrument tracks, you can only draw parts.
Parts and Events Scrubbing 110 • Import audio or video files via the File > Import menu. When you import a file this way, a clip is created for the file and an event that plays the whole clip is inserted on the selected track, at the position of the project cursor. • Import audio or video files via the File > Import menu. RELATED LINKS Basic Recording Methods on page 145 MediaBay on page 334 Exporting and importing standard MIDI files on page 622 Importing audio CD tracks on page 617 Creating MIDI Parts on page 108 Creating Audio Parts on page 108 Scrubbing Scrubbing can be quite a burden on your system. If playback problems occur, try deactivating the “Use High Quality Scrub Mode” option in the Preferences dialog (Transport–Scrub page). The resampling quality will then be lower, but scrubbing will be less demanding on the processor. This can be useful when scrubbing in large projects. You can adjust the volume of the Scrub function in the Preferences dialog (Transport–Scrub page). When scrubbing with the mouse, insert effects are always bypassed. Using the Scrub Tool The Scrub tool allows you to locate positions in MIDI or audio parts and in audio events by playing back, forwards or backwards, at any speed. PROCEDURE 1. Select the Play tool and click a second time on the icon. A pop-up menu opens. 2. Select “Scrub”. 3. Click your event or part and keep the mouse button pressed. The project cursor moves to the position where you click. The mouse pointer is not visible anymore. 4. Drag to the left or right. The project cursor moves correspondingly and the event or part is played back. The speed and thus the pitch of the playback depend on how fast you move the mouse. NOTE You can also scrub all audio and video tracks of your project with the Jog wheel and Shuttle Speed control on the Transport panel. In this case, MIDI events are ignored.