Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Operation Manual

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Using group channels for insert effects
Like all other channels, group channels can have up to eight insert ef-
fects (five in Cubase SL). This is useful if you have several audio 
tracks that you want to process through the same effect (e.g. different 
vocal tracks that all should be processed by the same compressor). 
Another special use for group channels and effects is the following:
If you have a mono audio track and want to process this through a ste-
reo insert...

CUBASE SX/SL11 – 262 Audio effects
To remedy this, you can freeze the track, by clicking on the Freeze 
button in the Inspector.
• When you freeze an audio track, the program renders the output of the track, 
including all pre-fader insert effects, to an audio file. This file is placed in the 
“Freeze” folder within the Project folder.
• The frozen audio track is locked for editing in the Project window. The frozen 
insert effects cannot be edited or removed and you cannot add new insert ef-
fects for...

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Send effects
Background
Send effects are handled through FX channel tracks. These are spe-
cial tracks that each can contain up to eight insert effects (five in Cu-
base SL). The signal path is as follows:
•By routing an effect send from an audio track to an FX channel track, 
the audio is sent to the FX channel and through its insert effect(s).
Each audio channel has eight sends, which can be routed to different FX channels. 
You control the amount of signal sent to...

CUBASE SX/SL11 – 264 Audio effects
Setting up send effects
Adding an FX channel track
1.Pull down the Project menu and select “FX Channel” from the “Add 
Track” submenu.
A dialog appears.
2.Select a channel configuration for the FX channel track.
Normally, stereo is a good choice since most effect plug-ins have stereo outputs.
3.Select an effect for the FX channel track.
This is not strictly necessary at this point – you can leave the Plug-in pop-up menu set 
to “No Effect” and add effects to the FX...

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Adding and setting up effects
As mentioned above, you can add a single insert effect when you cre-
ate the FX channel track if you like. To add and set up effects after the 
FX channel track is created, you can either use the Inspector for the 
track (click the Inserts tab) or the FX Settings window:
1.Click the Edit (“e”) button for the FX channel track (in the Track list, 
mixer or Inspector).
The FX Settings window appears, similar to a regular Channel Settings...

CUBASE SX/SL11 – 266 Audio effects
•If you like, you can add up to eight effects for the FX channel (five in 
Cubase SL).
Note that the signal will pass through all the effects in series. It is not possible to adjust 
the effect send- and return levels separately for each effect – this is done for the FX 
channel as a whole. If what you want is several separate send effects (where you can 
control their send and return levels independently) you should instead add more FX 
channel tracks – one for each...

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Setting up the sends
The next step is to set up and route a send for an audio channel to the 
FX channel. This can be done in the mixer (in the extended panel), in 
the Channel Settings window or in the Inspector for the audio track. 
The example below shows the Channel Settings window, but the pro-
cedure is similar for all three sections:
1.Click the “e” button for an audio channel to bring up its Channel Set-
tings window.
In the mixer you would select one of the...

CUBASE SX/SL11 – 268 Audio effects
3.In this case, select an FX channel track from the pop-up menu.
Now the send is routed to the FX channel.
4.Click the power button for the effect send so that it lights up in blue.
This activates the send.
5.Click and drag the send level slider to a moderate value.
The send level determines how much of the signal from the audio channel is routed to 
the FX channel via the send.
Setting the Send level.
6.If you want the signal to be sent to the FX channel before the...

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A send set to pre fader mode.
• You can choose whether a send in pre fader mode should be affected 
by the channel’s Mute button or not.
This is done with the option “Mute Pre-Send when Mute” in the Preferences (VST 
page).
•When one or several sends are activated for a channel, the Send 
Effects buttons light up in blue in the mixer and the Track list. Click the 
button for a channel to bypass (disable) all its effect sends.
When the sends are bypassed, the button is...

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Setting pan for the sends (Cubase SX only)
By default, the sends for an audio channel follow any pan settings – 
stereo or surround – you make for the channel itself. This means that if 
an audio channel is panned to the right, the signal from its effect sends 
will be panned the same way, making the stereo imaging as clear and 
true as possible.
However, you may want to have different pan settings for the sends. 
There are several uses for this:
• If you route a send...