Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Operation Manual

19
Audio warp realtime processing 

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Background
Audio warp is the generic name for the realtime time stretching and 
pitch shifting functions in Cubase SX/SL. The main audio warp fea-
tures are as follows:
• Tempo match any audio loop to the project tempo – see page 423.
• Match up an audio clip with fluctuating tempo to a fixed tempo – see page 430.
• Pitch shift any number of audio clips in realtime – see page 439. 
• Quantize audio – see page 437.
• Freeze the realtime processing to...

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Using the Audio Tempo Definition tool
The Audio Tempo Definition tool can be found in the Sample Editor, 
where most audio warp related editing takes place. 
When this tool is selected, you can set the tempo, length (in bars and 
beats) and time signature for an audio file. Once these parameters 
have been set correctly, you can activate Musical mode and the audio 
file will sync to the project tempo in Cubase SX/SL by using realtime 
time stretching....

CUBASE SX/SL19 – 424 Audio warp realtime processing
1.Import a suitable loop, for example a drum loop.
2.Double-click the loop in the Project window to open the Sample Edi-
tor.
On the toolbar you can find three numerical edit fields for setting the 
time signature, audio tempo and bars & beats. You can only edit these 
values when the Audio Tempo Definition tool is selected.
The signature, audio tempo and tempo fields in the Sample Editor.
3.Select the Audio Tempo Definition tool (the button with a note...

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5.Click the Musical mode button (the note button to the right of the Bars 
and Beats field) so that it lights up.
The Musical mode button.
Now the loop is automatically stretched. To the far right on the Sam-
ple Editor toolbar you can find a warp setting pop-up and a warp icon. 
The warp icon is lit up if the audio clip is stretched. 
On the “warp setting” pop-up you can find various warp options that 
govern the audio quality of the realtime time...

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Activating Musical mode in the Pool
It is also possible to activate/deactivate Musical mode from the Pool. 
When you have correctly set a tempo or length for an audio clip, this 
information is saved with the project. This allows you to import files 
into the project with Musical mode already activated. If you import a 
new file into the Pool, or if a clip in the pool has not had tempo or 
length set using the Audio Tempo Definition tool, the tempo is...

CUBASE SX/SLAudio warp realtime processing19 – 427
5.Move the mouse pointer to the upper part of the ruler until the pointer 
changes to a hand symbol.
6.Click and drag the ruler to the right until the first bar in the ruler 
matches the first downbeat in the sample.
7.Release the mouse button.
Now the ruler grid is offset so that it starts on the first downbeat in the sample.
8.Audition the file to determine where the next downbeat occurs, i.e. the 
first beat of the second bar in the sample.
Stop the...

CUBASE SX/SL19 – 428 Audio warp realtime processing
9.In this example the second downbeat in the sample is located at the 
start of the second beat of the second bar (at the cursor position in 
the picture).
10.Place the mouse pointer at the start of bar 2 in the waveform display.
The pointer changes to a metronome icon with a blue line indicating the pointer posi-
tion. The pointer will snap to the grid positions.   

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11.Click and drag the grid to the right until the second bar in the ruler is 
aligned with the position of the second downbeat of the sample, and 
release the mouse button.
The correct tempo is automatically calculated, based on the time it takes for one bar to 
finish.
12.Now you can enter Musical mode, and the audio clip will adapt to the 
tempo in Cubase SX/SL.   

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Warp tabs and the Warp Samples tool
Warp tabs are a kind of marker or anchor that can be attached to mu-
sically relevant time positions in an audio event, e.g. the first beat of 
every bar. Warp tabs can be dragged to the corresponding time posi-
tions in the project, and the audio will be stretched accordingly. 
A typical application of warp tabs is to make an audio file with a vary-
ing tempo lock to a strict tempo. Using this method, any performance...