Cubase 5: Tips and Tricks

Description

* Recording, editing, mixing and mastering
* Time saving shortcuts
* Discover Cubase 5 s hidden secrets
* Become a power user
* Improve your workflow

 Cubase 5 is undoubtedly one of the most powerful MIDI and audio production environments around but are you realising its full potential? This highly readable book is crammed with practical insider tips and tricks on using the program creatively.

 Keep it by you as you work. You ll find it not only a great companion for troubleshooting and advice but also a source of inspiration. Discover the art of recording, arranging, editing, using plug-ins and VST instruments, processing audio and mixing all within the realms of Cubase 5.

 Cubase 5 contains some amazingly cool new features and we've investigated them all to provide you with up-to-the-minute info on LoopMash, Groove Agent ONE, Beat Designer, VariAudio, PitchCorrect, REVerence, VST Expression and many more.

CONTENTS:

1 Setup tips

First and foremost. Speed matters. Which driver? Setting a buffer size. VST Audio System, Advanced Options.

2 Working methods

Manual work. Conduct a search. Preferences. Preferences Appearance. Startup behaviour. Templates. Toolsets. Project Setup. MIDI Device Manager. Renaming MIDI ports. MIDI Thru. Remote control. Workspace layouts. Window box. The Project Browser. Key Commands. Switching preferences with Key Commands. Key Command macros. Plug-in Information window. Regular savings. Backing up. Archive back up. Opening files. Importing audio. Cleaning up. Slide control. Edit History window. The Library. VST Sound. Media Bay. Media management - which view?. Track Presets. Track exchange. Channel Batch Export. Data dump. Notepads. First choice Editor. Editing Tools. Move To Front.

3 Project window

Multiple projects. Toolbar shortcuts. Snap points. Info line. Project Overview. Ruler display. Ruler Tracks. Arranger Track. Zooming. Track Controls Setting. Extending track lists. Locking tracks. Folder Tracks. Automatic fades. Shuffle events. Drag delay. Select events under Cursor. Shared copies. Drag and repeat events. Use drag and drop. Range selections. Inserting silence. Transport menu. Transport panel configuration. The Jog Wheel. Markers. Cycle Markers . Reverse locators. Colouring parts. Importing MIDI files. Exporting MIDI files. Project activation. Renaming parts. Renaming events. Track List division. Making tracks.

4 Mixer tips

Track count. Mixer 2 and 3. VST Channel window. Inspector Channel strip. Channel Select menu. Mixer Setting files. Linked Mixer Channels. Copy and Paste settings. Channel View Sets. Initialize Channel. Automation data. Group Tracks. GM/GS/XG control. Instrument tracks. VST Instrument setup. Group Channel routing. Moving inserted plug-ins. REVerence.

5 Audio recording

Events, Clips, and Files. Inputs and outputs. Surround sound bus naming. Sample rates. Record formats. File types. Input/Output channels. Clipping and distortion. Maximizer plug-in. Warming up audio signals. 32-bit float record format. Input levels. Record Enable (manual v automatic). Multitrack recording. Recording vocals. Recording electric guitars . Recording acoustic guitars. Recording brass. Recording strings. Recording acoustic bass. Recording grand piano. Recording upright piano. Monitor inputs. Stacked recording. Deleted takes. Punch In/Out. Waveform display. Remaining Record Time Display. Lock Record.

6 MIDI recording

MIDI track setup. Chase Events Filter. Cycle recording. Delete doubled notes. Stacked recording in cycle mode. Catch range. Retrospective recording. HALionOne. Realistic performance. Delete overlaps. Note length adjustment. Pitch bend and modulation. Applying legato. Delete unwanted ghost notes. Restricting polyphony. Adjusting note velocities. Smoother playing. Human touch. Plug-in trick. Step sequencing. Creating a sequence with Step Designer. Transposing parts. Hidden data. VST Expressions.

7 Time and tempo

Creating tempo changes. Time signature changes. Tempo changes. Alternative Metronome click. Metronome setup for 6/8 time. Musical v Linear time base. Cross-fading music at different tempi. Beat calculation. Tap Tempo. Tempo mapping (tap along method). Tempo mapping with the Time Warp tool. Importing and exporting tempo maps. Tempo slider.

8 Inspector tips

Show/Hide Inspector. Alternative mixer. Auditioning sounds. Track Preset box. Creating Track Presets. Input Transform. Extra track parameters, including Scale Transpose. Length Compression. MIDI Modifiers v MIDI menu.

9 Key Editor

Coloured Parts. Velocity values. Selecting notes. Tonic Sol-Fa note display. Step Input. MIDI Input. Splitting notes. Controller Lane uses. Multiple controller lanes. Controller Menu Setu. Chord recognition. Independent track looping. Multiple Part editing. Part Borders.

10 List Editor

The Filter Bar. Masking events. Set-up bars. Moving data. The System Exclusive Editor.

11 Score Editor

Page v Edit mode. Pre edit backup. Score settings. Score cleanup. Jazz quavers. Display Quantize tool. Score Event Layers. Selecting staves and notes. Selecting chords. Quick clicks and tips. Staff indent. Staff splitpoints. Transposing instruments. Speedy note entry. Guitar Tablature display.

12 Drum tracks

Drum Editor v Key Editor. Defining drum tracks. Understanding drum mapping. Creating drum maps. Exporting MIDI drum tracks. Output mapping. Resorting the drum instrument list. Drumstick tool. Cymbal crashes (why you can't alter their note lengths). Selecting beats. Drum Solo Button. Speedy beat entry. Recording realistic-sounding drums. Unravelling a MIDI drum track. Groove Agent ONE. Beat Designer. Beat making with Groove Agent ONE and Beat Designer.

13 Logical Editor

Filter, functions, actions. Logical Editor factory presets. Store and share Logical Editor presets. Bass notes trigger a kick drum.

14 Audio editing

Time stretching. Regions. Instant harmonies. VariAudio. Pitch Correct. Normalizing. Inserting silence with Noise Gate. Detecting silence. Offline Process History. Using the Merge Clipboard function. Sample Editor Overview. Zero Crossings. Inserting audio clips into a Project. Pool folders. Pool cleaning. Missing files. Reconstructing deleted files.

15 Quantizing

Quantize values. Groove Quantize. Advanced Quantize. Part to Groove. Quantizer the plug-in. Automating the Quantizer. Automatic Quantize.

16 Loops and Hitpoints

Slicing a loop using hitpoints. Seven ways to edit hitpoints. Creating effects with a sliced loop. Quantizing loops. Groove quantize. LoopMash.

17 Automation

Automation panel. REVerence program switching. Automatic gain riding. Merging MIDI Controller automation data. Convert MIDI part data into track automation data.

Appendix 1: Key commands

Appendix 2: Tools summary

Appendix 3: Useful contacts