Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Audio Effects And VSTi Manual

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
The included effect plug-ins 1 – 21 
The Calibrate function
 
This function, activated by using the Calibrate button located below 
the Threshold knob, is used to automatically set the threshold level. It 
is especially useful for material with consistent inherent background 
noise, like tape hiss. This may most of the time be masked by the au-
dio content, but becomes noticeable during silent passages.
Use it as follows: 
1. 
Find a part of the audio material, preferably not too short, where only 
the background noise is heard. 
If you can only find a short background noise section, try looping it.
 
2. 
Play it back, and click on the Calibrate button. 
The button will blink for a few seconds, and then automatically set the threshold so that 
the noise will be silenced (gated) during passages where there is no other signal present. 
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
1 – 22 The included effect plug-ins 
The Compressor section
 
Compressor reduces the dynamic range of the audio, making softer 
sounds louder or louder sounds softer, or both. Compressor functions 
like a standard compressor with separate controls for threshold, ratio, 
attack, release and make-up gain parameters. Compressor features a 
separate display that graphically illustrates the compressor curve 
shaped according to the Threshold, Ratio and MakeUp Gain parame-
ter settings. Compressor also features a Gain Reduction meter that 
shows the amount of gain reduction in dB, and a program dependent 
Auto feature for the Release parameter.
The available parameters work as follows: 
Parameter Values Description 
Threshold -60 - 0dB This setting determines the level where Compressor 
“kicks in”. Signal levels above the set threshold are af-
fected, but signal levels below are not processed.
Ratio 1:1 - 8:1 Ratio determines the amount of gain reduction applied 
to signals over the set threshold. A ratio of 3:1 means 
that for every 3 dB the input level increases, the output 
level will increase by only 1 dB.
Attack 0.1-100 ms This determines how fast Compressor will respond to 
signals above the set threshold. If the attack time is 
long, more of the early part of the signal (attack) will 
pass through unprocessed.
Release 10-1000ms or 
“Auto mode”Sets the amount of time it takes for the gain to return to 
its original level when the signal drops below the 
Threshold level. If the “Auto” button is activated, Com-
pressor will automatically find an optimal release set-
ting that varies depending on the audio material.
MakeUp Gain 0 - 24dB This parameter is used to compensate for output gain 
loss, caused by compression.
Compressor 
ModeRMS/Peak RMS mode operates using the average power of the 
audio signal as a basis, whereas Peak mode operates 
more on peak levels. As a general guideline, RMS 
mode works better on material with few transients 
such as vocals, and Peak mode better for percussive 
material, with a lot of transient peaks. 
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
The included effect plug-ins 1 – 23 
The Limiter section
 
Limiter is designed to ensure that the output level never exceeds a 
certain set output level, to avoid clipping in following devices. Con-
ventional limiters usually require very accurate setting up of the attack 
and release parameters, to totally avoid the possibility of the output 
level going beyond the set threshold level. Limiter adjusts and opti-
mizes these parameters automatically, according to the audio mate-
rial. You can also adjust the Release parameter manually.
The available parameters are the following: 
The Routing section
 
In the Routing section you can set the signal flow order for the three 
processors. Changing the order of the processors can produce differ-
ent results, and the available options allow you to quickly compare 
what works best for a given situation. Beside each processor label is 
a number. These numbers are used to represent the signal flow op-
tions shown in the Routing section. There are three routing options: 
• 1-2-3 (Compressor-Gate-Limit)
• 2-1-3 (Gate-Compressor-Limit)
• 1-3-2 (Compressor-Limit-Gate)
 
Parameter Values Description 
Threshold -12 - 0dB This setting determines the maximum output level. 
Signal levels above the set threshold are affected, 
but signal levels below are left unaffected.
Release 10-1000ms or 
“Auto mode”This parameter sets the amount of time it takes for 
the gain to return to its original level when the sig-
nal drops below the threshold level. If the “Auto” 
button is activated, Limiter will automatically find an 
optimal release setting that varies depending on 
the audio material.  
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
1 – 24 The included effect plug-ins 
Magneto (Cubase SX only)
 
Magneto brings the positive qualities of analog recording to your dig-
ital system, by providing the following capabilities: 
• Simulates “tape saturation” and “tape overdrive” in a very realistic manner.
• Adds warmth, punch, and brilliance to a sound.
• Allows you to emphasize the “small details” in the sound.
• Works great on bass and guitar recordings as well as on drums, including 
individual samples and drum loops.
• Makes sampled drums and percussion sound much more “natural” and “warm”.
• Removes the “hardness” otherwise associated with digital audio recording.
 
All this makes Magneto suitable for processing both single sounds 
and complete recordings. In other words; practically any recording 
that you want to make sound warmer or more “natural”.
The algorithm behind Magneto is based on extensive studies and 
measurements of analog tape recorders. Special care has been taken 
to transfer the results of these studies into the digital domain. 
• 
If your audio material has been recorded digitally with Emphasis, it con-
tains a disproportionate amount of high frequencies. This will disturb 
the audio analysis in Magneto. 
We recommend that you convert such material (removing Emphasis) before process-
ing it with Magneto.   
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
The included effect plug-ins 1 – 25 
About the Drive parameter and Magneto output levels
 
• Magneto is different from analog tape recorders in one respect: On an analog 
tape machine, you will get a lower output level when overdriving the tape “too 
far”. This is known as the “saturation” effect. In Magneto, high Drive settings 
do not have this effect on the Output level.
• Magneto needs headroom to perform its “magic”. For this reason you may 
note a decrease in Output level (compared to the Input level) when using very 
low Drive parameter settings (when the onTape meter shows levels below ap-
proximately +10dB). Since low Drive settings is not a normal situation (since 
the plug-in then practically doesn’t have any audible effect), this is not some-
thing you would normally encounter. However, if for some application a low 
Drive setting is required, you can compensate for the loss in level with the 
Output Level parameter, see later in this text.
 
Metering Switch
 
Use the “Level” buttons to switch the meters between three modes: 
• 
Input 
In this mode, the level of the input signal is shown. This should never exceed 0dB, as 
mentioned above and described in more detail below.
 
• 
onTape 
In this mode, the meters show an equivalent of the level recorded on the simulated 
“tape”. See the description of the Drive parameter for more details.
 
• 
Output 
This shows the output level for the entire plug-in. This should never exceed 0dB, see 
below.
 
Clip LEDs
 
The Input and Output Clip LEDs, located on the corresponding “Level” 
meter buttons, show if the signal is too “hot” (clipping occurs) at the in-
put or output. The advantage of these is that they indicate clipping re-
gardless of the mode the meters are switched to. 
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
1 – 26 The included effect plug-ins 
Input Level
 
This is used to make sure the input signal is strong enough, without 
exceeding full level (so that clipping is avoided). 
• If your input is already normalized, or sufficiently hot, leave this knob at 0.0 dB.
• If you need to adjust the input level, switch the Level metering to Input. Then 
adjust the knob until the signal peaks are as close as possible to 0dB without 
ever exceeding that level!
 
Output Level
 
• Under normal conditions, the Output Level control should be left at 0.0dB. 
The DSP algorithm in Magneto includes an “auto-gain” function which tries to 
keep the output level as close as possible to 0dBfs, at high Drive settings.
• At very low drive settings (if onTape metering indicates peak levels at 7dB or 
less – see the Drive parameter description for more info) you might need to 
amplify the signal using the Output Level control. However, always do this 
with the Level metering Output button activated, so that you can check that 
clipping doesn’t occur.
• At very high HF-Adjust settings, you might need to back off a bit on the Out-
put level. Again, use Output metering to check.
 
If “digital clipping” occurs
 
If clipping occurs, (if the sound is heavily distorted), start by switching 
to input metering and check the input levels. If the input levels seem 
OK, switch to Output metering and adjust the Output Level as needed. 
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
The included effect plug-ins 1 – 27 
The main parameters
 
You can change the Magneto parameters in realtime – i.e. while the 
audio material is played back – and the changes take effect more or 
less immediately (depending on your system). This allows you to ex-
periment to get a feeling for how the settings interact. 
Input level, Output Level, “Level” buttons and Meters
 
These are used to adjust the level throughout the signal chain as de-
scribed on the previous pages. 
Drive
 
This is the main parameter. It is used to set the simulated analog tape 
“recording level”. The value corresponds to how far above normal work-
ing level (0dB) you want to “record” on the “analog tape”. For example, 
a setting of 7 means the “tape” is “overdriven” by 7dB.
The higher you set this, the more of the “tape saturation” effect you 
will get.
Please use the following guidelines: 
• Start out with a Drive setting of 10dB. Then adjust to taste.
• The effect of this parameter varies drastically with the frequency content and 
other characteristics of the material. There is no “best setting” for all types of 
recordings.
• If the material you are processing is already compressed or has been recorded 
on analog tape, a high Drive setting is not recommended, since it will give the 
sound an unnatural character.
• When processing complete mixes, you will have to be more careful with the 
Drive settings than when processing individual recordings. If all you want is to 
add some “warmth” or “punch” to a complete mix, adjust the Drive setting 
carefully.
• Always use the onTape meter to check out the effect of the setting on the ma-
terial. This meter has to go pretty far above the 0dB level for Magneto to have 
any audible effect on the sound. If the meter displays levels close to, or even 
below 0dB, you get no “overdrive” or tape saturation effect at all! If this oc-
curs, you need to raise the Drive setting or adjust the input level. 
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
1 – 28 The included effect plug-ins 
Characteristics
 
This affects the tonal characteristics of the “tape saturation” effect 
controlled by the Drive parameter, as described above. 
Tape Speed
 
This switches the tape simulation between 15 and 30 ips (inches per 
second) tape speed. There are slight differences in the harmonic 
character of the two. How much you will actually be able to hear of 
this difference depends on the frequency content of the material. 
HF-Adjust
 
Various types of tape, recording and playback equalizers and the gen-
eral design of various tape machines has an overall impact on the char-
acter of the sound. This control is used to adjust the High frequency 
content of the material to simulate those differences. It also has an ef-
fect on the perceived “warmth” of the sound.
This parameter can be used to compensate for the loss in high fre-
quency that the overdrive effect introduces. Unlike on a real tape re-
corder it can also be used to boost the high frequency contents, 
compared to the original! 
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
The included effect plug-ins 1 – 29 
MIDI Gate
 
Gating, in its fundamental form, silences audio signals below a certain 
set threshold level. I.e. when a signal rises above the set level, the 
Gate opens to let the signal through while signals below the set level 
are cut off. MIDI Gate however, is a Gate effect that is not triggered by 
threshold levels, but instead by MIDI notes. Hence it needs both audio 
and MIDI data to function. 
Setting up
 
MIDI Gate requires both an audio signal and a MIDI input to function.
To set it up, proceed as follows: 
1. 
Select the audio to be affected by the MIDI Gate. 
This can be audio material from any audio track, or even a live audio input (provided 
you have a low latency audio card).
 
2. 
Select the MIDI Gate as an insert effect for the audio track. 
The MIDI Gate control panel opens.
 
3. 
Select a MIDI track to control the MIDI Gate. 
This can be an empty MIDI track, or a MIDI track containing data, it doesn’t matter. How-
ever, if you wish to play the MIDI Gate in real-time – as opposed to having a recorded 
part playing it – the track has to be selected for the effect to receive the MIDI output.
 
4. 
Open the Output (“out:”) pop-up menu for the MIDI track and select 
the MIDI Gate option. 
The MIDI Output from the track is now routed to the MIDI Gate.  
						

							 
CUBASE SX/SL
1 – 30 The included effect plug-ins 
What to do next depends on whether you are using live or recorded 
audio and whether you are using real-time or recorded MIDI. We will 
assume for the purposes of this manual that you are using recorded 
audio, and play the MIDI in real-time.
Make sure the MIDI track is selected and start playback. 
5. 
Now play a few notes on your MIDI keyboard. 
As you can hear, the audio track material is affected by what you play on your MIDI key-
board.
 
The following MIDI Gate parameters are available: 
Parameter Description 
Attack This is used for determining how long it should take for the Gate to open 
after receiving a signal that triggers it.
Hold Regulates how long the Gate remains open after a Note On or Note Off 
message (see Hold Mode below).
Release This determines how long it takes for the Gate to close (in addition to the 
value set with the Hold parameter).
Note To 
AttackThe value you specify here determines to which extent the velocity values 
of the MIDI notes should affect the Attack. The higher the value, the more 
the Attack time will increase with high note velocities. Negative values 
will give shorter Attack times with high velocities. If you do not wish to 
use this parameter, set it to the 0 position.
Note To 
ReleaseThe value you specify here determines to which extent the velocity values 
of the MIDI notes should affect the Release. The higher the value, the 
more the Release time will increase. If you do not wish to use this param-
eter, set it to the 0 position.
Velocity To 
VCAThis controls to which extent the velocity values of the MIDI notes deter-
mine the output volume. A value of 127 means that the volume is con-
trolled entirely by the velocity values, while a value of 0 means that 
velocities will have no effect on the volume.
Hold Mode Use this switch to set the Hold Mode. In Note-On mode, the Gate will 
only remain open for the time set with the Hold and Release parameters, 
regardless of the length of the MIDI note that triggered the Gate. In Note-
Off mode on the other hand, the Gate will remain open for as long as the 
MIDI note plays, and then apply the Hold and Release parameters.