Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Operation Manual

CUBASE SX/SLVST Instruments 12 – 291
Activating and using VST Instruments
1.Pull down the Devices menu and select VST Instruments.
The VST Instruments panel appears with 64 slots (32 in Cubase SL). 
2.Pull down the pop-up menu for an empty slot in the panel and select 
the desired instrument.
The instrument is loaded and activated, and its control panel is automatically opened.
•If you look in the Project window, you will find that a special “folder” for 
the chosen instrument has been added, within a...

CUBASE SX/SL12 – 292 VST Instruments
6.Select the VST Instrument on the MIDI output pop-up menu.
The MIDI output from the track is now routed to the selected instrument. 
7.Depending on the selected instrument, you may also need to select a 
MIDI channel for the track.
For example, a multi-timbral VST Instrument can play back different sounds on different 
MIDI channels – check the instrument’s documentation for MIDI implementation details.
8.Make sure the option “MIDI Thru Active” is activated in the...

CUBASE SX/SLVST Instruments 12 – 293
About latency
Depending on your audio hardware and its ASIO driver, the latency 
(the time it takes for the Instrument to produce a sound when you 
press a key on your MIDI controller) may simply be too high to allow 
comfortable real-time VST Instrument playback from a keyboard. 
If this is the case, a workaround is to play and record your parts with 
another MIDI Sound Source selected, and then switch to the VST In-
strument for playback.
• You can check the latency...

CUBASE SX/SL12 – 294 VST Instruments
Constrain Delay Compensation
Cubase SX/SL features full delay compensation throughout the entire 
audio path. This means that any delay inherent in the VST plug-ins you 
use will automatically be compensated for during playback, so that all 
channels are kept in perfect sync (see page 251).
However, when you play a VST Instrument in real time or record live 
audio (with monitoring through Cubase SX/SL activated), this delay 
compensation may sometimes result in added...

CUBASE SX/SLVST Instruments 12 – 295
Selecting patches and making settings
•To select a patch for a VST Instrument, use its patch pop-up menu in 
the VST Instruments window.
The available patches depends on the VST Instrument. Not all VST Instruments come 
with pre-made patches.
•To access the parameters for the VST Instrument, click the Edit button 
in the VST Instruments window or in its channel strip (at the bottom of 
the fader strip) in the mixer.
This opens a “control panel” for the VST...

CUBASE SX/SL12 – 296 VST Instruments
Automating a VST Instrument
•Automation of the VST Instrument channel settings is done in the 
same way as automating regular channels.
•Automation of the specific parameters for a VST Instrument is done in 
the same way as automating VST effect parameters.
See page 318.
The Instrument Freeze function
Like all plug-ins, VST Instruments can sometimes require a lot of pro-
cessor power. If you are using a moderately powerful computer or if 
you are using a large number...

CUBASE SX/SLVST Instruments 12 – 297
Performing the Freeze
1.Set up the Project so that the VST Instrument plays back the way you 
want it.
This includes editing the MIDI parts routed to the VST Instrument and making parame-
ter settings for the VST Instrument itself. If you have automated parameter changes for 
the VST Instrument, make sure the Read (R) button is activated.
2.Open the VST Instruments window from the Devices menu.
3.Click the Freeze button for the VST Instrument (the button to the left...

CUBASE SX/SL12 – 298 VST Instruments
The Freeze button lights up and the power, bypass and edit buttons 
for the VST Instrument are greyed out (and the control panel closes if 
it was open). If you check the Project window at this point you will find 
that the relevant MIDI tracks have greyed out controls in the Track list 
and Inspector. Furthermore, the MIDI parts are locked and cannot be 
moved.
5.Try playing back the project.
You will hear exactly the same sound as before Freezing the VST Instrument...

13
Surround sound
(Cubase SX only) 

CUBASE SX/SL13 – 300 Surround sound  (Cubase SX only)
Background
What is Surround sound?
Surround is a common name for various techniques for positioning 
audio in reference to the listener. Whereas regular stereo is limited to 
left/right positioning, within a relatively narrow field, surround sound 
opens possibilities of positioning an audio source anywhere around 
the listener.
Surround sound comes in many flavors, from the ill-fated Quadraphonic 
format for vinyl discs launched in the 70s, to...