Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Operation Manual
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![Page 237
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 237
Changing the meter characteristics
On the Mixer context menu, opened by right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-
clicking (Mac) anywhere on the mixer panel, there is a submenu named
“Global Meter Settings”. Here you can make settings for the preferred
meter characteristics, with the following options:
•If “Hold Peaks” is activated, the highest registered peak levels are
“held” and are shown as static horizontal lines in the meter.
Note that you can turn this on or off by...](http://img.usermanuals.tech/thumb/86/103328/w64_Operation_Manual_d-236.png "Page 237
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 237
Changing the meter characteristics
On the Mixer context menu, opened by right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-
clicking (Mac) anywhere on the mixer panel, there is a submenu named
“Global Meter Settings”. Here you can make settings for the preferred
meter characteristics, with the following options:
•If “Hold Peaks” is activated, the highest registered peak levels are
“held” and are shown as static horizontal lines in the meter.
Note that you can turn this on or off by...")
![Page 243
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 243
Utilities
Link/Unlink channels
This function is used to “link” selected channels in the mixer so that
any change applied to one channel will be mirrored by all channels in
that group. You can link as many channels as you like, and you can
also create as many groups of linked channels as you like. To link
channels in the mixer, proceed as follows:
1.Press [Ctrl]/[Command] and click on the strip just above the name
field for all the channels that you want to link.
There...](http://img.usermanuals.tech/thumb/86/103328/w64_Operation_Manual_d-242.png "Page 243
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 243
Utilities
Link/Unlink channels
This function is used to “link” selected channels in the mixer so that
any change applied to one channel will be mirrored by all channels in
that group. You can link as many channels as you like, and you can
also create as many groups of linked channels as you like. To link
channels in the mixer, proceed as follows:
1.Press [Ctrl]/[Command] and click on the strip just above the name
field for all the channels that you want to link.
There...")
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 241 MIDI specific procedures This section describes basic procedures for MIDI channels in the mixer. Selecting what to show in the extended MIDI channel strip (Cubase SX only) When using the extended channel strip view options (see page 204), the upper panel can be set to show different views for each MIDI channel strip. You select what to display for each channel by using the View options pop-up menu at the top of each channel strip. The following views are possible: •The MIDI insert effects. The MIDI inserts can also be found in the Inspector and the Channel Settings window for MIDI channels. How to use MIDI insert effects is described in the chapter “MIDI realtime parameters and effects” - see page 492. •The MIDI send effects. The sends can also be found in the Inspector and the Channel Settings window for MIDI channels. How to use MIDI send effects is described in the chapter “MIDI real- time parameters and effects” - page 502. •The “Meter Input” option shows large level (velocity) meters in the ex- tended panel. •The “User Panel” option allows you to import MIDI device panels – this is described in the chapter “MIDI devices” in the separate pdf document “MIDI Devices and Features”. •Selecting “Empty” will display a blank panel in the extended strip. •You can also select the “Overview” option – this shows a graphic overview of which insert effect slots and effect sends are activated for the channel. You can click the indicators to turn the corresponding slot/send on or off. •By selecting from the View options pop-up in the common panel, you can set the view for all channels in the mixer. Selecting EQ or Surround Panners (which apply to audio channels only) will not change the view for MIDI channels. Selecting inserts or send effects from the common panel will change the view for all channel types.
CUBASE SX/SL10 – 242 The mixer Using Channel Settings For each MIDI channel strip in the mixer (and MIDI track in the Track list or the Inspector) there is an Edit (“E”) button. Clicking this opens the MIDI Channel Settings window. This window contains a duplicate of the mixer channel strip, a section with four MIDI inserts and a section with four MIDI send effects. Every MIDI channel has its own channel settings. The MIDI Channel Settings window.
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 243 Utilities Link/Unlink channels This function is used to “link” selected channels in the mixer so that any change applied to one channel will be mirrored by all channels in that group. You can link as many channels as you like, and you can also create as many groups of linked channels as you like. To link channels in the mixer, proceed as follows: 1.Press [Ctrl]/[Command] and click on the strip just above the name field for all the channels that you want to link. There is an identical select channel field just above the pan control. Selected channels are indicated by highlighted select fields. [Shift]-clicking allows you to select a continu- ous range of channels. 2.Right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) somewhere on the grey mixer panel. The Mixer context menu appears. 3.Select “Link Channels” from the context menu. •To unlink channels, select one of the linked channels and select “Un- link Channels” from the Mixer context menu. The channels are unlinked. Note that you do not need to select all the channels that are linked, only one of them. • It is not possible to remove individual channels from Link status. To make individual settings to a linked channel, press [Alt]/[Option] when changing the setting.
CUBASE SX/SL10 – 244 The mixer What will be linked? The following rules apply for linked channels: •Fader levels will be “ganged”. The relative level offset between channels will be kept if you move a linked channel fader. The three channels shown are linked. Pulling down one fader changes the levels for all three channels, but keeps the relative level mix. •Any individual channel settings you have made before linking will re- main until you alter the same setting for any of the linked channels. For example, if you link three channels, and one of them was muted at the time you ap- plied the Link Channel function, this channel will remain muted after linking. However, if you mute another channel then all linked channels will be muted. Thus, the individual setting for one channel is lost as soon as you change the same parameter setting for any of the linked channels. •Only level, mute, solo, select, monitor and record enable will be linked between channels. Effect/EQ/pan/input and output routing settings are not linked. •By pressing [Alt]/[Option], you can make individual settings and changes for channels that are linked. Linked channels can also have individual automation subtracks. These are completely independent, and are not affected by the Link function.
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 245 Saving mixer settings Saving/Loading mixer settings does not apply to MIDI channels in the mixer – only audio related channels (group, audio, effect return, VSTi and ReWire) are saved with this function! It is possible to save complete mixer settings for selected or all audio channels in the mixer. These can later be loaded into any project. Channel settings are saved as mixer settings files. These have the Win- dows file extension “.vmx”. Right-clicking (Win) or [Ctrl]-clicking (Mac) somewhere on the mixer panel or in the Channel Settings window brings up the Mixer context menu where four Save/Load items can be found. The following op- tions are available: •“Save Selected Channels” will save all channel settings for the se- lected channels. Input/output routings are not saved. •“Save All Mixer Settings” saves all channel settings for all channels. When you select any of the above options, a standard file dialog opens where you can select a name and storage location on your disk for the file.
CUBASE SX/SL10 – 246 The mixer Loading mixer settings Load Selected Channels To load mixer settings saved for selected channels, proceed as follows: 1.Select the same number of channels in the new project to match the number of channels you saved settings for in the previous project. For example, if you saved settings for six channels, then select six channels in the mixer. •Mixer settings will be applied in the same order as they appear in the mixer, when saved. Thus, if you save settings from channels 4, 6 and 8 and apply these settings to chan- nels 1, 2 and 3, the settings saved for channel 4 would be applied to channel 1, the settings saved for channel 6 to channel 2 and so on. 2.Right-click (Win) or [Ctrl]-click (Mac) the mixer panel to open the context menu, and select “Load Selected Channels”. A standard file dialog appears, where you can locate the saved file. 3.Select the file and click “Open”. The channel settings are applied to the selected channels. If you choose to apply mixer settings to fewer channels than you saved, the order of the saved channels in the mixer applies – i.e. the saved channels that are “left over” and not applied will be the channels with the highest channel numbers (or furthest to the right in the mixer). Load All Mixer Settings Selecting “Load All Mixer Settings” from the context menu allows you to open a saved mixer settings file, and have the stored settings ap- plied to all channels for which there is information included in the file. All channels, master settings, VST Instruments, sends and master ef- fects will be affected. • Please note that if the saved mixer settings were 24 channels, and the mixer you apply it to currently contains 16 channels, only the settings for channels 1 to 16 will be applied – this function will not automatically add channels.
CUBASE SX/SLThe mixer 10 – 247 About the VST Performance window The VST Performance window is opened by selecting it from the De- vices menu. It indicates the current load on the CPU and the hard disk transfer rate. It is recommended that you check this from time to time, or keep it open always. Even though you have been able to activate a number of audio channels in the project without getting any warning, you may possibly run into performance problems when adding EQ or effects. •The upper bar graph shows the CPU (processor) load. If the red Overload indicator lights up, you need to decrease the number of EQ mod- ules, active effects and/or audio channels playing back simultaneously. •The lower bar graph shows the hard disk transfer load. If the red overload indicator lights up, the hard disk is not supplying data fast enough to the computer. You may need to reduce the number of tracks playing back by using the Disable Track function (see page 38). If this doesn’t help, you need a faster hard disk. Note that the overload indicator may occasionally blink, typically when you locate dur- ing playback. This does not indicate a problem, but happens because the program need an instant for all channels to load data for the new playback position. • The CPU and Disk load meters can also be shown on the Transport panel and on the Project window toolbar. There they are shown as two miniature vertical meters (by default at the left side of the panel/toolbar).
CUBASE SX/SL11 – 250 Audio effects About this chapter Cubase SX/SL comes with a number of effect plug-ins included. This chapter contains general details about how to assign, use and organize effect plug-ins. The effects and their parameters are described in the separate pdf document “Audio Effects and VST Instruments”. This chapter describes audio effects, i.e. effects that are used to pro- cess audio, group, VST Instrument and ReWire channels. For info on how to use MIDI effects, see page 492. Overview There are three ways to use audio effects in Cubase SX/SL: •As insert effects. An insert effect is inserted into the signal chain of an audio channel, which means that the whole channel signal passes through the effect. This makes inserts suitable for ef- fects for which you don’t need to mix dry and wet sound, e.g. distortion, filters or other effects that change the tonal or dynamic characteristics of the sound. You can have up to eight (five in Cubase SL) different insert effects per channel (and the same is true for input and output busses – for recording with effects and “master effects”, respectively). •As send effects. Each audio channel has eight effect sends, each of which can be freely routed to an ef- fect (or to a chain of effects). Send effects are practical for two reasons: you can control the balance between the dry (direct) and wet (processed) sound individually for each channel using the sends, and several different audio channels can use the same send ef- fect. In Cubase SX/SL, send effects are handled by means of FX channel tracks. •By using offline processing (Cubase SX only). You can apply effects directly to individual audio events – this is described on page 374.