Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Operation Manual

							CUBASE SX/SLThe Project window 5 – 111
•If you want to rename a preset, select “Organize…” from the pop-up 
menu.
In the dialog that appears, select the desired preset in the list and click the Rename 
button. A second dialog opens, allowing you to type in a new name for the preset. 
Click OK to close the dialogs.
Zoom presets are global for all projects, i.e. they are available in all 
projects you open or create.
The middle part of the pop-up lists any cycle markers you have added 
in the project:
•If you select a cycle marker from this menu, the event display is 
zoomed in to encompass the marker area (see page 175).
•You cannot edit the cycle markers in this pop-up menu. For informa-
tion on editing markers, see page 168.
Only the cycle markers you create in the current project are available on 
the menu.
The Zoom history
Cubase SX/SL maintains a history of recent zoom stages, allowing you 
to undo and redo zoom operations. This way you can zoom in several 
steps and then easily go back to the zoom stage at which you started.
There are two ways to invoke Undo Zoom and Redo Zoom:
•Use the items on the Zoom submenu on the Edit menu.
You can also assign key commands for these.
•Double click with the Zoom tool (magnifying glass) to Undo Zoom.
Press [Alt]/[Option] and double click to Redo Zoom. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SL5 – 112 The Project window
Adjusting how parts and events are shown
The Preferences dialog on the File menu (the Cubase SX/SL menu, un-
der Mac OS X) contains several settings for customizing the display in 
the Project window.
The Event Display page contains common settings for all track types:
The Event Display–Video page contains settings for video events:
Option Description
Colorize Event 
BackgroundDetermines whether the backgrounds or “contents” (waveforms, 
etc.) of parts and events will be colorized. See page 116.
Transparent Events When this is activated, events and parts will be transparent, 
showing the waveforms and MIDI events only.
Show Data on Small 
Track HeightsIf this is activated, the contents of events and parts will be 
shown, even if the height of a track is very small.
Show Event Names Determines whether the names of parts and events should be 
shown in the Project window.
Option Description
Show Video 
ThumbnailsWhen this is activated, thumbnail frames of the video contents 
are shown on the Video track.
Video Cache Size This determines how much memory is available for video thumb-
nails. If you have long video clips and/or work with a large zoom 
factor (so that a lot of frames are shown in the thumbnails), you 
may have to raise this value. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SLThe Project window 5 – 113
The Event Display–Audio page contains settings for audio events:
Option Description
Interpolate Audio 
ImagesIf the option is deactivated, single sample values are drawn as 
“steps”. If the option is activated they are interpolated to form 
“curves”.
Wave Image Style Determines whether audio waveforms should be displayed as 
solid images, frames or “inverted” images (solid+frame). This 
selection affects all waveform images in the Project window, 
Sample Editor and Audio Part Editor.
Note that the “Framed” and “Solid and Framed” styles are more 
demanding for the computer. If the system feels slower in these 
modes, please switch back to “Solid” wave image style.
Show Event Volume 
Curves AlwaysIf this is activated the “volume curves” created with the volume 
and fade handles are always shown – if not, the curves are only 
shown for selected events.
Show Waveforms Determines whether audio waveforms should be shown at all.
Background Color 
ModulationWhen this is activated, the backgrounds of audio waveforms 
are displayed in a different way, reflecting the waveform dynam-
ics. This is especially useful to get an overview when working 
with small track heights. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SL5 – 114 The Project window
The Event Display–MIDI page contains settings for MIDI parts:
Option Description
Default Edit Action Determines which editor should be opened when you double 
click a MIDI part or select it and press [Ctrl]/[Command]-[E]: the 
Key, Drum, List or Score editor. Note that this setting is overrid-
den for tracks with drum maps if the option “Edit as Drums when 
Drummap is assigned” (see below) is activated.
Part Data Mode Determines if and how events in MIDI parts should be shown in 
the Project window: as lines, as score notes or as drum notes. If 
“No Data” is selected, events will not be shown at all. Note that 
this setting is overridden for tracks with drum maps if the option 
“Edit as Drums when Drum Map is assigned” (see below) is ac-
tivated.
Show Controllers Governs whether non-note events (controllers, etc.) should be 
shown in MIDI parts in the Project window.
Edit as Drums 
when Drum Map is 
assignedIf this is activated, parts on MIDI tracks with drum maps assigned 
will be shown with drum note symbols in the Project window. 
Also, the parts will automatically open in the Drum editor when 
double clicked (overriding the Default Edit Action setting above).
Note Name Style Determines how MIDI note names (pitches) should be displayed 
in editors, etc. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SLThe Project window 5 – 115
Zooming and navigating in the overview line
By clicking the Show Overview button on the toolbar, an extra pane 
appears under the toolbar; the project overview line. 
Show Overview button
In the overview line, events and parts on all tracks are displayed as 
boxes. You can use the overview line to zoom in or out, and for navi-
gating to other sections of the project. This is done by moving and re-
sizing the track view rectangle in the overview line:
•The track view rectangle indicates the section of the project currently 
displayed in the event display.
•You can zoom in or out horizontally by resizing the rectangle.
Resizing is done by dragging the edges of the rectangle.
•You can drag the track view rectangle to view other sections of the 
project.
This can also be done by clicking anywhere in the upper part of the overview – the 
track view rectangle will be moved to where you clicked. The number of tracks shown 
will not change.
The track view rectangle 
						

							CUBASE SX/SL5 – 116 The Project window
Handling tracks
To add a track to the project, select “Add Track” from the Project 
menu and select a track type from the submenu that appears. The 
new track is added below the currently selected track in the Track list.
•The items on the “Add Track” submenu are also available on the 
Quick menu.
This is accessed by right-clicking (Win)/[Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) in the Track list.
•There is an additional option at the bottom of the Add Track submenu, 
called “Multiple...”. Selecting this brings up a dialog allowing you to 
add more than one track in one operation.
The number of tracks to add is entered in the “Count” value field. You can set whether 
audio, MIDI or group tracks should be created by selecting from the Track pop-up in 
the dialog. For audio and group tracks, the channel configuration – mono, stereo or a 
surround configuration (Cubase SX only) – can be set in the Configuration pop-up. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SLThe Project window 5 – 117
Once you have created tracks, you can manipulate and rearrange them 
in various ways:
•To rename a track, double click in the name field and type in a new 
name.
If you hold down any modifier key when pressing [Return] to close the name field, all 
events on the track will get the name you entered.
•To select a track, click on it in the Track list.
A selected track is indicated by a light grey color in the Track list. 
It is possible to select several tracks, by pressing [Ctrl]/[Command] and clicking them. 
To select a continuous range of tracks, use [Shift]-clicking.
•To move a track, click and drag it up or down in the list.
•To duplicate a track, complete with all contents and channel settings, 
right-click (Win)/[Ctrl]-click (Mac) in the Track list and select “Dupli-
cate track” from the context menu.
The duplicated track will appear above the original track.
•You can select a default color for a track by activating “Show Track 
Colors” above the track list and selecting a color at the top of the In-
spector. This color will be used for all events on the track and will also 
be shown in the Mixer. If you like, you can override the default track 
color for individual events and parts by using the Color tool or the 
Color Selector pop-up menu. This is described in detail in the Getting 
Started manual. 
The option “Colorize Event Background” in the Preferences dialog (Event Display page) 
determines whether the backgrounds or waveforms of events will be colorized.
•To remove a track, right-click (Win)/[Ctrl]-click (Mac) on it in the Track 
list and select “Remove Track” from the context menu that appears.
You can also remove multiple selected tracks, by selecting “Remove Selected Tracks” 
either from the Project menu or from the context menu. Furthermore, you can remove 
all tracks not containing any events by selecting “Remove Empty Tracks” from the 
Project menu.
This track is selected. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SL5 – 118 The Project window
Disabling tracks
Tracks can be disabled by selecting “Disable Track” from the Track 
list context menu. Disabling a track in a way is the same as Muting it 
(see page 137), since a disabled track will not be played back. How-
ever, disabling a track not only “zeroes” the output volume from the 
track, but actually shuts down all disk activity for it. See page 38 for 
more information.
Dividing the Track list (Cubase SX only)
It is possible to divide the Track list into two parts. Both sections will 
have independent zoom and scroll controls (if needed), but resizing 
the window vertically will affect the lower section only (if possible). 
This could be convenient for example if you’re working with a video 
track along with multi-track audio. This way, you can place the video 
track in the upper Track list, letting you scroll the audio tracks sepa-
rately in the lower Track list, referencing them against the video track.
•To divide the Track list, click the “Divide Track List” button in the top 
right corner of the Track list.
The “Divide Track List” button.
•To revert to a single Track list, click the button again.
When the Track list is divided into two parts, the following applies:
•If you add tracks from the Project–Add Track submenu, Video tracks, 
Marker tracks and ruler tracks will automatically be placed in the up-
per part of the Track list.
All other types of tracks will be placed in the lower part. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SLThe Project window 5 – 119
•If you add tracks from the context menu invoked by right-clicking 
(Windows) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac OS X) in the Track list, tracks will 
be added to the part of the Track list in which you click.
•You can move any type of track from the lower Track list to the upper 
and vice versa by right-clicking or [Ctrl]-clicking it in the Track list and 
selecting “Toggle Track List” from the context menu.
•If the Track list already contains tracks of the type Video, Marker or 
Ruler, these will automatically be moved to the upper part when you 
divide the Track list.
•You can resize the upper part by clicking and dragging the divider be-
tween the Track lists. 
						

							CUBASE SX/SL5 – 120 The Project window
Switching between musical or linear time base
Tracks can be either “musical” (tempo) or “linear” (time) based.
• On a track using linear time base, the events will be positioned on specific 
time positions – changing the playback tempo will not affect the time position 
of events.
• On a track using musical time base, the positions of events are represented as 
meter values (bars, beats, 1/16th notes and ticks, with 120 ticks per 1/16th 
note). If you change the playback tempo, the events will play back at an earlier 
or later time.
Whether to use musical or linear time base depends on the type of 
project and recording situation. By default, all track types featuring a 
time base setting use linear time base. However, you can change this 
setting individually for each track. This is done by clicking the musical/
linear time base button in the Inspector or Track list. Musical time 
base is indicated by a note symbol, while linear time base is indicated 
by a clock symbol.
Note that internally, events on musical time based tracks use the same 
high precision for positioning (64 bit floating point values) as linear time 
based events.
However, switching between linear and musical time base results in a 
very small loss of precision (introduced by the mathematical operations 
used for scaling values in the two different formats). Therefore you should 
avoid switching repeatedly between the two modes.
For more information about tempo changes, see page 616.
The musical/linear time base button.
Linear time base selected. Musical time base selected.