Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Getting Started Manual
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CUBASE SX/SLGuided Tour 7 – 91 Tempo Track Editor For each audio and MIDI track, you can specify whether it should use a musical or linear Time base. Tempo based tracks follow a tempo, which can either be fixed through the whole project or follow the Tempo Track. In the Tempo Track Editor you can draw curves that determine how the tempo will change over time or record tempo changes in real time. Time signature events The tempo curve
CUBASE SX/SL7 – 92 Guided Tour The Mixer The Mixer is where you mix your audio and MIDI channels, that is, adjust the levels (volume), panning, effect sends, EQ, etc. You will also find channel strips for the output busses here (as well as input busses and a dedicated bus for auditioning functions – Cubase SX only). •There are 3 different mixer windows (2 in Cubase SL) that can be configured to show different views of the mixer. This allows you to e.g. control all audio channels in one window and all VST Instrument channels in another. •In Cubase SX, each audio channel in the mixer can carry up to 6 speaker channels. Surround sound is fully supported in Cubase SX; from the input busses via audio mixer channels to the output busses.
CUBASE SX/SLGuided Tour 7 – 93 Channel Settings The Channel Settings window is used for adding effects and EQ to individual channels. Each mixer channel has its own Channel Settings window. VST Connections This is where you set up input and output busses – the audio connec- tions between Cubase SX/SL and the inputs and outputs on your au- dio hardware. Inserts section Equalizer sectionSends section
CUBASE SX/SL8 – 96 Quick start for former Cubase users Introduction This chapter is intended as a quick start for users that are familiar with previous versions of Cubase (i.e. pre-SX/SL). We will outline some of the more basic concept differences between Cubase SX/SL and earlier versions of Cubase, to help seasoned Cu- base users to quickly find their way around in this new environment! You can import Songs and Arrangements created with previous versions of Cubase into Cubase SX/SL. Before you attempt to do this, you should read through the section “Importing older Cubase files” in the Operation Manual – File Handling chapter. What is the fundamental difference? Basically everything is new in Cubase SX/SL. Cubase SX/SL are not updated Cubase versions – they have been completely redesigned. While this is mostly transparent to the user – the main working areas of the program are still very similar – there are still changes in how re- corded files are handled, changes in terminology used, the main menu structure is different etc. While this may be slightly confusing initially to users of previous ver- sions of Cubase, the advantages will soon become very apparent. Once the basic concept differences have been overcome, we feel certain that you will never look back!
CUBASE SX/SLQuick start for former Cubase users 8 – 97 Songs and Arrangements The basic concept of Songs and Arrangements is no longer used. Instead, the native document format of Cubase SX/SL is called a project (Windows file extension “.cpr”). All settings, file references etc. relating to the project are stored in the project folder which is designated when you create a project. You can have several open projects, but only one can be active at a time. Can’t I work with multiple Arrangements in the way I’m used to? Of course you can. As several projects can share the same project folder, having different formats for Songs and Arrangements is redun- dant. Simply create new projects and designate them to use the same project folder. For information about creating a project and the file and folder struc- ture of a project, see page 58. Project window vs. Arrange window Cubase SX/SL’s main working area, the Project window, is compara- ble to the ‘Arrange’ window in earlier Cubase versions. It allows real- time placement of audio, video and MIDI parts and performing of almost all primary editing tasks, including automation and it gives an overview of the entire project. Please read the chapter “Tutorial 5: Editing in the Project window” for a tutorial covering the basic editing procedures in the Project window.
CUBASE SX/SL8 – 98 Quick start for former Cubase users Audio related differences Files and segments Cubase SX/SL uses different terminology for referencing audio files in a project. Please read through the section about audio terminology on page 60 to familiarize yourself with the basic terms used in Cubase SX/SL. About audio channels •You do not have to specify the number of audio channels to use in a project nor do you have to designate an audio channel to record on in Cubase SX/SL. You can simply create as many audio tracks you need in any project (limited only to what your computer can handle). •In Cubase SX/SL, an audio track and an audio channel is the same thing. All audio tracks will have a corresponding audio channel strip in the Mixer. About busses In earlier Cubase versions, the number of output busses was directly related to the number of outputs on your audio hardware. In Cubase SX/SL you can create and set up any number of output busses with dif- ferent channel configurations (especially useful when working with dif- ferent surround formats in Cubase SX). Similarly, all audio input passes through input busses – again you can create and set up any number of these. In Cubase SX, you can also add effects or EQ to the input bus- ses, making it possible to record with effects. Recording audio In former Cubase versions, recording normally happened on the se- lected track. •In Cubase SX/SL, you simply activate the Record Enable button for each track you wish to record on. How many you can record at a time depends on the number of activated inputs on your audio hardware. You can also set things up so that selected tracks are automatically record enabled.
CUBASE SX/SLQuick start for former Cubase users 8 – 99 Events/parts In Cubase SX/SL, audio events can appear directly on audio tracks in the Project window, with no need for audio parts. You can also put one or several audio events into an audio part – this is useful for grouping events together and e.g. moving them as one unit. Dynamic events There are no dynamic events for audio events anymore. Instead, you can use the pencil tool to draw a volume curve directly in the part or use the regular automation features to automate pan (you can have the automation follow when you move and rearrange events if you like). The Match Points feature in previous Cubase versions has been re- placed by a comprehensive Hitpoint editing feature. For matching time positions and meter positions – check out the Time Warp and Warp Samples tools. These tools and Hitpoints are described in the Opera- tion Manual. Applying processing (SX only) In Cubase SX/SL you can of course use plug-in effects in real time, just as before. But in Cubase SX you can also permanently apply the effect processing to selected audio events which can be very useful. This is described in the Operation Manual chapter “Audio processing and functions”.
CUBASE SX/SL8 – 100 Quick start for former Cubase users MIDI related differences Recording MIDI In former Cubase versions, recording normally happened on the se- lected track. •In Cubase SX/SL, recording happens on all tracks that are record en- abled. You can also set things up so that selected tracks are automatically record enabled. •The MIDI input can be set separately for each MIDI track in Cubase SX/SL. The MIDI input was global for all tracks in previous versions of Cubase. Setting MIDI Thru To be able to play a connected MIDI instrument, MIDI Thru must be activated. This is done either by record enabling the track or by click- ing the Monitor button for the track. Play Parameters Cubase SX/SL features greatly extended real time processing of MIDI data. Cubase SX/SL comes with a number of MIDI effect plug-ins, ca- pable of transforming the MIDI output from a track in various ways. MIDI effects are described in the Operation Manual chapter “MIDI realtime parameters and effects”. However, unlike the Play Parameters in previous Cubase versions, track parameters in Cubase SX/SL cannot be applied to individual MIDI parts. Instead, they are always set up for complete MIDI tracks (with two exceptions: you can adjust velocity shift and transpose for individual MIDI parts using the info line in the Project window).