Steinberg Cubase LE Operation Manual
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CUBASE LE24 – 462 Synchronization Background What is synchronization? Synchronization is said to exist when you make two pieces of equip- ment agree on time or tempo. You can establish synchronization be- tween Cubase LE and a number of other types of devices. When you set up a synchronization system, Cubase LE can be used as the master and all other devices are slaved to it, which means they will adjust their playback speed to Cubase LE. But you can also syn- chronize Cubase LE to external MIDI Timecode, i.e. Cubase LE will be slave to an external master. ❐The VST System Link feature (with which you can synchronize separate computers running Cubase LE or Nuendo) is described in a separate chapter. See page 467. MIDI Clock MIDI Clock is a tempo based type of synchronization signal, that is it is related to the number of “beats per minute”. MIDI Clock signals are suitable for synchronizing two devices that agree on tempo, such as for example Cubase LE and a drum machine. ❐MIDI Clock is not suitable as a master sync source for an application like Cubase LE. Therefore Cubase LE will transmit MIDI Clock signals to other devices, but it will not receive MIDI Clock. However, Cubase LE can be synchronized to external MIDI Timecode signals. Any digital playback system has an internal clock that ultimately affects the playback speed and stability, and PC audio hardware is no excep- tion. This clock is extremely stable. Since Cubase LE is playing back with no external synchronization, all playback is internally synchronized to the internal digital audio clock, to ensure synchronization between digital audio and MIDI.
CUBASE LESynchronization 24 – 463 MIDI Timecode MIDI Timecode (MTC) is the MIDI version of timecode, transmitted in MIDI cables. When synchronizing your system to external timecode, via a synchronizer, the most common timecode format is MTC. Contrary to some reports you might have heard, MTC delivers good precision for external sync. This is due to the fact that the operating system can time stamp incoming MIDI messages, which increases precision. Synchronization Setup This dialog box is used for setting up everything that has to do with Cubase LE’s synchronization to other units. You reach it from the Transport menu. The Synchronization Setup dialog Synchronizing other equipment to Cubase LE using MIDI Clock You may have other MIDI devices that you want to synchronize to Cu- base LE. This can be done by transmitting MIDI Clock. Transmitting MIDI Clock If you transmit MIDI Clock to a device supporting this type of synchro- nization signal, the other device will follow Cubase LE’s tempo. The tempo setting in the other device is of no relevance. Instead it plays at the same tempo as Cubase LE. If the device also reacts to song posi- tion pointers (which Cubase LE transmits) it will follow when you wind, rewind and locate using the Cubase LE transport panel.
CUBASE LE24 – 464 Synchronization • MIDI Clock transport commands include “Start”, “Stop” and “Continue”. However, some MIDI equipment (e.g. some drum machines) do not rec- ognize the “Continue” command. If this is the case with your equipment, activate the option “Always Use MIDI Clock Start” in the Preferences dia- log (Transport page). When this is activated, only the Start command is used. Setting up 1.Connect the desired MIDI Outputs from Cubase LE to the device(s) that you plan to synchronize. 2.Open the Synchronization Setup dialog from the Transport menu. 3.Activate the sync outputs by using the corresponding checkboxes. ❐Some MIDI Interfaces will automatically send MIDI Clock to all MIDI out- puts, regardless of the MIDI Clock Port selection you make in Cubase LE. If this is the case, you should only select one MIDI Clock Port (consult the documentation of the MIDI Interface if in doubt). 4.Set the other device(s) to their “external synchronization” mode (or some other mode with a similar name) and activate playback on them if necessary. 5.Activate playback in Cubase LE, and the other device(s) will follow. Receiving MIDI Timecode If you receive MIDI Timecode in Cubase LE, it will synchronize time- wise to the MTC sending device, that is, the time displays on the other device’s transport panel and on Cubase LEs will agree. When you wind and locate the other device and then activate playback, Cubase LE will follow from the same position (if it has this capability and is set up for it!). MIDI Clock transmitted to Output 3.
CUBASE LESynchronization 24 – 465 Setting up Cubase LE for external sync to MIDI timecode 1.In the Synchronization dialog, set Timecode Source to MIDI Time- code. Use the MIDI Timecode Settings - MIDI Input pop-up menu to select an input for the timecode. 2.Close the Synchronization Setup dialog and instead open the Project Setup dialog from the Project menu. 3.Use the Start value to set which frame on the external device (e.g. a video tape) should correspond to the beginning of the project. You can also set this with the function Set Timecode at Cursor on the Project menu. This is useful if you know that a certain position in your project would coincide with a certain timecode position in the external device. Move the project cursor to the desired position, select Set Timecode at Cursor and specify the corresponding timecode po- sition in the dialog that appears - the Start value is adjusted accordingly. 4.Close the Project Setup dialog. 5.On the Transport panel, activate the Sync button (or select Sync On- line from the Transport menu). 6.Start playback on the device that sends the timecode. Cubase LE starts playing when it receives timecode with a position higher than, or equal to, the project Start frame. You can wind the device that sends the timecode to any position and start from there. • When the device with the timecode is stopped, you can use the Cubase LE transport controls as you normally do, when it is not synchronized.
CUBASE LE24 – 466 Synchronization Options Making Project Settings About Frame Rates The frame rate is the number of frames per second in a film or on a video tape. Just as there is always sixty seconds to a minute, there is al- ways a certain number of frames to each second. However, the frame rate used varies with the type of media (film or video), which country the video tape has been produced in, and other circumstances. In the Project Setup dialog are two settings for frame rates: •The Frame Rate pop-up determines the frame rate of the sent sync signal. •The Display Format pop-up has, in addition to various other formats, an identical set of frame rates. This is the “master” setting for the display format used in the various windows’ rulers and position displays. To make editing with frame accuracy correspond to the actual frame rate in an external sync source, set this pop-up to the same value as the Frame Rate pop-up. In Cubase LE there are six frame rates to choose from: Frame Rate Description 24 fps The traditional frame rate of 35mm film. 25 fps The frame rate used for all video and audio in Europe (EBU). 30 fps Straight 30 frames per second. This is often used in the United States for audio only work. 30 dfps Very rarely used. 29.97 fps Straight 29.97 frames per second. 29.97 dfps “Drop frame” code running at 29.97 frames per second, most often used in the United States of America for work with color video.
CUBASE LE25 – 468 VST System Link Introduction VST System Link is a network system for digital audio that allows you to have several computers working together in one large system. Un- like conventional networks it does not require Ethernet cards, hubs, or CAT-5 cables; instead it uses the kind of digital audio hardware and cables you probably already possess in your studio. VST System Link has been designed to be simple to set up and oper- ate, yet give enormous flexibility and performance gains in use. It is ca- pable of linking computers in a “ring” network (the System Link signal is passed from one machine to the next, and eventually returns to the first machine). VST System Link can send its networking signal over any type of digital audio cable, including S/PDIF, ADAT, TDIF, or AES, as long as each computer in the system is equipped with a suitable ASIO compatible audio interface. So, why would you want to link up two or more computers? Well, the added computer power gives you vast possibilities: • Dedicate one computer to running VST instruments while recording audio tracks on another. • If you need lots of audio tracks, you may simply add tracks on another com- puter. • You could have one computer serve as a “virtual effect rack”, running CPU-in- tensive send effect plug-ins only. • Since you can use VST System Link to connect different VST System Link ap- plications on different platforms, you can take advantage of effect plug-ins and VST instruments that are specific to certain programs or platforms. This chapter describes how to set up and use VST System Link in Cubase LE.
CUBASE LEVST System Link 25 – 469 Preparations Requirements The following equipment is required for VST System Link operation: •Two or more computers. These can be of the same type or use different operating systems – it doesn’t matter. For example, you can link an Intel-based PC to an Apple Macintosh without problems. •Each computer must have audio hardware with specific ASIO drivers, installed and working. •The audio hardware must have digital inputs and outputs. Of course, to be able to connect the computers the digital connections must be com- patible (i.e. the same digital formats and connection types must be available). •At least one digital audio cable for each computer in the network. •A VST System Link host application installed on each computer. As of this writing, VST System Link is implemented for Cubase LE, Cubase SX/SL, Nu- endo 1.6 or higher and Cubase 5.2s (System Link version). Any VST System Link ap- plications can connect to each other. Additionally, we recommend that you use a KVM switchbox: Using a KVM switchbox If you want to set up a multi-computer network, or even a small net- work in a limited space, its a good idea to invest in a KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) switchbox. With one of these switchers you can use the same keyboard, monitor, and mouse to control each computer in the system, and switch between computers very rapidly. KVM switch- ers are not too expensive, and very easy to setup and operate. It you decide not to go this route, the network will function just the same, but you may end up doing a lot of jumping from one machine to the other while setting up!
CUBASE LE25 – 470 VST System Link Making connections Below, we will assume that you are connecting two computers. Should you have more than two computers, it’s still best to start with two and add the others one by one once the system is working – this makes troubleshooting easier if you run into problems. For two com- puters, you will need two digital audio cables, one in each direction: 1.Connect a digital audio cable from the digital output of Computer 1 to the digital input of Computer 2. 2.Connect the other cable from the digital output of Computer 2 into the digital input of Computer 1. •If a card has more than one set of inputs and outputs, choose which- ever one that suits you – for simplicity usually the first set is best.