Steinberg Cubase LE Operation Manual

							CUBASE LEAutomation 9 – 191
What can be automated?
Mixing in Cubase LE can be completely automated. The following pa-
rameter settings can be recorded automatically – or manually drawn in 
– on automation subtracks:
For each audio and group track:
• Volume
• Pan Left - Right
• Pan Front - Rear
• Mute
• EQ Master Bypass
• FX Send Bypass
• Settings for 4 EQ modules (Enable/Freq/Quality/Gain)
• 4 x effect Send on/off switches
• 4 x effect Send levels
• 4 x effect Send pre/post switches
• 2 x Insert effect program selection and effect parameters (if insert effects are 
used)
Global for all audio and group tracks
From the Master automation track:
• Master Gain
• L and R levels for all output buses
• Send effects “master” input levels 
For each Plug-in automation track (if audio effects are used):
• Send effect program selection and effect parameters
• Master effect program selection and effect parameters
• VST Instrument program selection and parameters
• There is one Plug-in automation track for each automated Send effect, 
Master effect and VST Instrument.
For each MIDI track
• Volume
• Pan
• Mute 
						

							CUBASE LE9 – 192 Automation
• Track Parameters on/off switch
• Transpose
• Vel. shift
• Random 1-2 Min/Max/Target
• Range 1-2 Min/Max/Target
About automation tracks
There are three types of automation tracks available:
•Channel automation tracks
There is one automation track for every audio, group, and MIDI track, and also for each 
activated ReWire and VST Instrument channel. Each channel’s insert effect program 
selection and effect parameter settings are handled by the Channel automation track. 
For MIDI tracks, all Track parameters are also handled by the Channel automation track.
•Plug-in automation tracks
There is one Plug-in automation track for each automated Send and Master effect, and 
for each automated VST Instrument. These tracks have one automation subtrack. 
•Master automation track
There is only one Master automation track for a project. This track can have an automa-
tion subtrack, for the Master Gain parameter, all the bus output levels and the send ef-
fects “master” input levels. 
						

							CUBASE LEAutomation 9 – 193
Automation subtrack operations
Opening an automation subtrack 
Opening a Channel automation subtrack
Every track/channel has its own automation track, and each automa-
tion subtrack shows one automation parameter. There are two ways 
you can open a Channel automation subtrack:
•By right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) the track in the Track 
list and selecting “Show Automation” from the pop-up that appears.
•By clicking on the “Show/Hide Automation” button (the plus sign) in 
the Track list for the channel.
The automation subtrack opens in the Track list, and a straight black horizontal line is 
shown as well as a greyed out mirror image of the audio events’ waveform (or MIDI 
events for MIDI tracks) in the event display. By default, the subtrack is assigned the 
Volume parameter. 
Click the plus button to open an automation subtrack.
Opening a Plug-in automation subtrack
•Plug-in automation tracks are automatically created when the Write 
button is activated on an effect (Send/Master) or VST instrument con-
trol panel.
There is one Plug-in automation track for each automated effect or VST Instrument, 
containing one subtrack for the parameters for the effect or VST Instrument.
Opening a Master automation subtrack
•Select “Add Track” from the Project menu, and select “Master Auto-
mation” from the submenu.
A Master automation subtrack is added to the Track list. By default, the Master Gain 
parameter is assigned. 
						

							CUBASE LE9 – 194 Automation
Assigning a parameter to an automation subtrack
All parameters are actually already “assigned” to the automation track. 
To select what parameter an open subtrack should display, proceed 
as follows:
1.If none exists, open a Channel automation subtrack using one of the 
methods described previously.
2.Click in the parameter display for the automation subtrack.
A pop-up list is shown containing some of the automation parameters plus the item 
“More...” at the bottom of the list. 
•If the parameter you wish to automate is on the pop-up you can select 
it directly. 
The parameter will then replace the current parameter in the automation subtrack. 
If you wish to add several items or to view all parameters that can be 
automated, go on to the next step. 
						

							CUBASE LEAutomation 9 – 195
3.Select “More...”.
The Add Parameter dialog appears. This list contains all parameters that can be auto-
mated for the selected channel, including the parameters for any assigned insert ef-
fects. The available parameters are identical for all audio related channel types. MIDI 
tracks have different parameters.
The Add Parameter dialog for an audio track.
4.Select a parameter from the list, and click OK.
The parameter will then replace the current parameter in the automation subtrack.
• Note that the “replacing” of the parameter displayed in the subtrack is 
completely non-destructive. 
For example, if the replaced subtrack had contained any automation data, this data would 
still be there, although it would not be visible in the current subtrack. If you click in the pa-
rameter display you can switch back to the replaced parameter. All automated parame-
ters are indicated with an asterisk (*) after the parameter name on the pop-up menu. 
The Volume parameter is automated. 
						

							CUBASE LE9 – 196 Automation
•You can select several parameters at the same time from the Add Pa-
rameter dialog using standard selection methods. 
The parameters selected in the dialog will then appear on the parameter display pop-
up menu.
Before selecting parameters in the dialog, the pop-up shows the first number of pa-
rameters, in the order they appear in the Add Parameter list. By selecting parameters 
you can temporarily “reorder” the list so that they become available on the pop-up. 
•Automation subtracks that contain automation events are indicated by 
an asterisk after the name on the parameter display pop-up menu.
Removing automation subtracks 
To remove automation subtracks from the Track list, proceed as follows:
•To remove a single parameter, click in the parameter display on a sub-
track and select “Remove Parameter” from the pop-up menu.
Note that this will also delete any automation events on the subtrack, and the subtrack 
will be closed.
•To remove a currently unused subtrack from a track in the Track list, 
select “Remove Unused Parameters” from a subtrack.
The subtrack will be closed for the selected track.
Hiding automation subtracks
•To hide a single automation subtrack, click the “Hide Automation” but-
ton (the minus sign) in the Track list.
•To hide all automation subtracks for all tracks in the Track list, right-
click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) any track and select “Hide All Automa-
tion” from the pop-up menu that appears.
This option is also available on the Project menu. 
						

							CUBASE LEAutomation 9 – 197
Showing only used automation subtracks
If a lot of automation subtracks are used, it may be impractical to have 
them all open in the Track list. If you want to bring back all hidden auto-
mation tracks that are currently used (e.g. there are automation events 
on the subtrack), this can be done using the following methods:
•Right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) any audio or MIDI track in 
the Track list allows you to select the option “Show Used Automation 
for All Tracks” from the pop-up menu.
This will open all automation subtracks that contain automation events for all tracks. This 
option is also available on the Project menu.
•Right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) a specific track allows you 
to select the option “Show Used Automation” from the pop-up menu.
This will open an automation subtrack that contains automation events for the selected 
track.
Muting automation subtracks
You can Mute individual automation subtracks by clicking their Mute 
(X) buttons in the Track list. While clicking the Read (R) button (see 
page 198) for an automation subtrack will activate or deactivate Read 
mode for all automated parameters of the track, using the Mute button 
allows you to turn off automation for a single parameter. 
						

							CUBASE LE9 – 198 Automation
Using Write/Read automation
Write (W) and Read (R) buttons can be found for each channel in the 
Mixer, for each MIDI, audio and group track (including subtracks) in 
the Track list, on the control panels for all plug-in effects and VST In-
struments and for the Master fader.
The Write and Read buttons for a channel in the Mixer, and for an automation 
subtrack in the Track list.
• If you activate Write for a channel, all mixer parameters you adjust during play-
back for that specific channel will be recorded as automation events.
• If you activate Read for a channel, all your recorded mixer actions for that 
channel will be performed during playback, just like you performed them in 
Write mode.
• The W and R buttons for a track in the Track list are mirrors of the W and R 
buttons in the corresponding channel strip in the Mixer.
• The first time you activate the Write button on the control panel for a send or 
master effect, a plug-in automation track is created for the effect plug-in.
You can then proceed with automating the parameters of the plug-in (by editing the au-
tomation subtrack or by writing, as described below). To play back the plug-in automa-
tion, make sure the Read button for the plug-in is activated.
There are also global Read All and Write All buttons in the Mixer’s 
Common panel:
When Write All is activated, all Mixer actions you perform during 
playback (for all channels) will be recorded as automation events. When Read All is activated, all your recorded mixer actions 
for all channels will be performed during playback. 
						

							CUBASE LEAutomation 9 – 199
Recording your actions – an example
If the settings in your current project are crucial, you may not want to 
“experiment” with automation until you know more about how it all fits 
together. If so, you can open up a new project for the following example. 
It doesn’t even have to contain any audio events, just a few audio tracks. 
Proceed as follows:
1.Open the Mixer.
2.Click the “Write All” button in the Mixer Common Panel.
Cubase LE is now in Global Write mode. 
3.Start playback, and adjust some volume faders and/or other parameter 
settings in the Mixer or perhaps in a Channel Settings window.
Stop playback when you are done, and return to the position where playback was 
activated.
4.Deactivate Write mode, and click the “Read All” button in the Mixer’s 
Common panel.
Cubase LE is now in Global Read mode.
5.Start playback, and watch the Mixer window.
All your actions performed during the previous playback will be reproduced exactly. 
6.If you wish to redo anything that was recorded, activate Write mode 
again, and start playback from the same position.
•You may have Write and Read activated simultaneously, if you want to 
watch and listen to your recorded mixer actions while you’re recording 
fader movements for another mixer channel, etc. 
						

							CUBASE LE9 – 200 Automation
Working with automation curves
About automation curves 
There are two kinds of automation curves, “Ramp” and “Jump”:
•Jump curves are created for any parameter that only has on/off values, 
like a Mute button, for example.
•Ramp curves are created for any parameter that generates continuous 
multiple values, such as fader or dial movements etc. 
Examples of Jump (top subtrack) and Ramp automation curves shown in the event 
display.
About the static value line
When you first open an automation subtrack for a parameter, it doesn’t 
contain any automation events (unless you have previously adjusted 
that parameter with Write automation activated), and this is reflected 
in the event display as a straight horizontal black line, the “static value” 
line. This line represents the current parameter setting.
In the following description it is assumed that you have a Volume sub-
track open showing a static value line with neither Read nor Write au-
tomation activated.
•If you click and hold the static value line with the Arrow tool, you can 
drag it up or down.
The corresponding fader in the mixer moves with the static value line and vice versa. 
•If you have manually added any automation events or used Write auto-
mation for the corresponding parameter, and then deactivate Read 
mode, the automation curve will be greyed-out in the automation sub-
track event display and the static value will be used instead.
As soon as Read mode is activated the greyed-out automation curve will become active.