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The SX2 Project.
The Cubase SX2 Project
A start to end guide for recording with Cubase SX.
By Bas.
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The SX2 Project.
Table of Contents
SX Overview..................................................................... 5Introduction................................................................................................................5
Setting U.................................................................................................................. !
Bac"ground infor#ation............................................................................................$%he hardware &i'er..............................................................................................$
&idi Basics..............................................................................................................1(
)hat do the nu#bers #ean* ..............................................................................11
)hat can I do with contro++ers*..........................................................................12
,igita+ -ecording.....................................................................................................1
Cab+es and wiring.................................................................................................... 1/
The SX interface............................................................. 15SX Basics.................................................................................................................15
Audio ,e0ice Setu.................................................................................................1&I,I de0ice setu................................................................................................... 22
Audio Inut and utut...........................................................................................2/
Basic concets of SX...............................................................................................2!
Creating trac"s In SX..........................................................................................2$
Adding &idi to the Project................................................................................. 2
&ore setu otions and references........................................................................ 1Preferences..........................................................................................................1
3ey Co##ands.................................................................................................../%oo+bars and editors............................................................................................!
%he %ransort Bar............................................................................................... $
%rac" tyes and editor..............................................................................................4
&idi trac"s.......................................................................................................... 4
Audio %rac"s.......................................................................................................4o+der %rac"s...................................................................................................... 4
X Channe+ %rac"...............................................................................................4
6rou Channe+ %rac"..........................................................................................4
-u+er %rac"......................................................................................................... 4
The Midi Project............................................................. 41Introduction............................................................................................................../1,ru# &as............................................................................................................../5
Inutting dru#s......................................................................................................./$
7ote about sounds................................................................................................... /4
8uanti9e...................................................................................................................5(
:e+ocities.................................................................................................................5
Patch Scrits............................................................................................................ 5/
&idi +ugins creati0e uses....................................................................................... 55;ffects and &I,I.................................................................................................... !1
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The SX2 Project.
)riting the auto#ation data.................................................................................... !2
&anua++y adding auto#ation +anes..........................................................................!2
Arranging the roject...............................................................................................!/
%he range too+..........................................................................................................!!
The Audio Project.......................................................... !
Setting u.................................................................................................................!
&onitoring............................................................................................................... !
;'terna+ &onitoring............................................................................................!&onitoring through SX.......................................................................................!
&onitoring
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The SX2 Project.
%he +ead 0oca+...................................................................................................11$
Auto#ation....................................................................................................... 114
;'ort Audio.....................................................................................................122
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The SX2 Project.
SX Overview.Introduction.
%his boo" ro0ides a guide to recording with Steinberg>s Cubase SX #usic
roduction suite. It wi++ show= in as #uch detai+ as ossib+e= how to #a"e
recordings in 0arious situations= how to edit and #aniu+ate the #usic you ha0ecreated and wi++ show tis and tric"s to a++ow you to find the ?uic"est and #ost
efficient ways to get jobs done in SX. %he ai# is that this one docu#ent wi++ co0er
basic and #ore ad0anced and esoteric too+s in the rogra#= and as such wi++
ro0ide a +ot of infor#ation= which I hoe wi++ be resented in a way that wi++
assist users of a++ s"i++ +e0e+s= fro# beginner to e'ert. )here ossib+e I sha++
ro0ide rojects on the Internet to acco#any the boo"= so you can see first handwhat the roject in0o+0ed when it was created.
Before I get into the roject= there are a few things that need to be e'+ained= so#e
of which #ay be ob0ious to #any eo+e= but for others it wi++ hoefu++y e'+ain
the interface and how to get around SX. %o sa0e referencing 0arious other
docu#ents I ha0e created= I wi++ coy so#e infor#ation into this one= #a"ing this a
one@sto@sho for reference when using SX. %he first chater co0ers concets andthe interface of SX= so#e setu considerations and so#e bac"ground infor#ation
on &idi and audio for#ats= +us so#e suggestions for setting u the syste# to
wor" efficient+y with Cubase SX.
,uring the course of this guide= there wi++ be a +ot of references to Key
Commands. %hese are 0ery usefu+ >shortcuts> to #enu>s or functions in SX= and
where a+icab+e= the defau+t 3ey Co##and wi++ be shown. Be aware that you wi++ha0e the ossibi+ity of changing the# a++ to your own referred "eys= but for those
starting out = the defau+ts wi++ be usefu+.
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The SX2 Project.
Setting Up.
Setting u Cubase on the PC is theoretica++y not a difficu+t rocess= but gi0en thatthere are so #any 0ariab+es on a PC that #ight cause it to fai+= it is worth running
through a few chec"s to #a"e the insta++ation rocess as ain+ess as ossib+e.
Make sure that the sound card is setup correctly and works with Windows
Media player before installin SX. It #a"es the fau+t finding difficu+t if the
syste# is in an un"nown state before insta++ing any software.
Test playback of Midi files and audio files in Windows itself. It #ay not ro0e
that a++ wi++ be 3 in SX= but it wi++ gi0e so#e confidence that the sound card is
correct+y insta++ed.
!nstall the software" but do not install all the freeware pluins. &any of therob+e#s reorted on foru#s show so#e fai+ure of a +ugin= that cause a #yriad of
rob+e#s with SX. By insta++ing on+y the a+ication itse+f= you can ru+e out theossibi+ity of third arty +ugins causing rob+e#s.
Check connections. %here are #any interfaces that can be used with SX= so #a"e
sure that yours is correct+y cab+ed. &idi connections shou+d be #ade so that theoutut fro# the e'terna+ "eyboard if used connects to the inut of the &idi
interface.
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Background information.
%he Progra# uses a %ae based interface to recorded data= i.e. It is based around a
#u+ti@trac" tae #achine= where each trac" records different instru#ents= be they &idi
or audio. %he transort bar ,efau+t "ey Co##and 2 is based around a tae recorder
contro+ with sto= start= rewind= fast forward and record buttons. %he #i'er inside SX
e#u+ates #i'ers found in studio>s a++ around the wor+d. %here are #ajor differences in
the #i'er inside SX and the hardware #i'ers though= sca+abi+ity. Channe+s are on+ycreated if the trac" is created in SX= or if a :S% instru#ent is added to the roject.
A+so the SX #i'er can be used to #i' &idi data = as we++ as audio data.
A+though #i'ers are co##on+ace= #any users ha0e not co#e fro# a traditiona+
studio bac"ground= and therefore are not aware of the functiona+ity of a rea+ #i'ing
des"= and the routing that it can ro0ide. or this reason the first bit of bac"ground
infor#ation wi++ be about hardware #i'ers= what they do= and how that re+ates to thesoftware 0ersion found in SX.
%he concet of trac"s wi++ a+so be co0ered in this section so that an understanding of
what is recorded= where it is +aced= what tye of container is used and what the
ad0antages are for the user.
The hardware Mixer.
Sound is catured by de0ices +i"e &icrohones and instru#ent ic"us= and trans+ated
into an ana+ogous 0o+tage or current. %he #o0ing wa0e through the air or other
#ediu# shou+d idea++y for# a direct ana+og e?ui0a+ent in the e+ectrica+ wa0efor#
created by the >transducer> . %his is se+do# the case = as a++ de0ices ha0e their owncharacteristics= and on+y share one co##on feature@ they are a++ i#erfect. nce the
signa+ is catured it can be fed to a recording de0ice +i"e a tae #achine or go
through a series of de0ices to #odify the signa+ in so#e way= andor be assed to an
a#+ifier where the signa+ is boosted in +e0e+ a++owing it to be heard o0er sea"ers.
%he &i'er a++ows a few sound sources to be added or #i'ed together to create a
signa+ that shou+d be si#i+ar to the effect of recording a++ the instru#ents with one
#icrohone. %he 0o+tages are added together in a si#i+ar #anner to the way that the
0arious wa0es in the air #i' together to create an e0en #ore co#+e' wa0efor#.
%he &i'ing des" has ad0antages o0er the rea+@wor+d +i0e #i'ing that occurs in the air=in that the des" a++ows for #ore contro+ of the signa+. If the guitarist or dru##er is too+oud sounds +i"e rea+ +ife= doesn>t it* the on+y way to reduce the +e0e+ of the signa+ is
to get the# to turn down the a#+ifier the guitarist uses= or as" the dru##er to +ay
#ore ?uiet+y. 7either haens in rea+ +ife. But for signa+s assing through the #i'ing
des"= each channe+ can be #essed with= and the #ain contro+ we use is the 0o+u#e
contro+. By adjusting the 0o+u#e for each channe+ each instru#ent on the #i'ing
des"= a ba+ance can be achie0ed where no one instru#ent wi++ o0erower the rest.
)e can areciate that a Bass guitar is genera++y #ore >bassy> than a guitar= and that
the cy#ba+s on a dru# "it wi++ genera++y be shar and high itched. %his is a++ to do
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The SX2 Project.
with the fre?uency content of each instru#ent. ne thing that #ight not be
areciated is that each instru#ent has a range of fre?uencies that it creates= which
can o0er+a the ranges used by other instru#ents. )hen #i'ed together this can #a"e
the definition between the instru#ents hard to discern. )e a+so ha0e the rob+e# that#icrohones and other transducers are not erfect= and one of the i#erfections is that
they do not create e'act+y ana+ogous signa+s fro# the rea+ signa+ they atte#t to ic"u= and so#e of that is because they do not ic" and and trans+ate a++ fre?uencies in
the sa#e #anner. or these reasons the ;8 e?ua+i9ation section co#es into it>s own.
%he ;8 section is a f+ashy tone contro+= where not on+y can certain fre?uencies be cut
or boosted = but where so#e can be cut and so#e boosted at the sa#e ti#e. %his can
be used for re#edia+ wor" +i"e trying to fi' the inaccuracies of the #icrohone or
other transducer or for creati0e uroses +i"e >#a"ing a sace> in the #i' a++owingtwo or #ore instru#ents to +ay at the sa#e ti#e= so the >+ead> one sti++ stands out.
n a &i'ing des"= the signa+s fro# 0arious channe+s can route to a #aster outut orBuss where the signa+s get #i'ed together. But with the ad0ent of #u+ti trac"
recording= the des" a+so ga0e the abi+ity to be ab+e to route signa+s to other oututs= so
that they cou+d be sent to the tae recorder. 6enera++y these oututs wou+d be ca++ed
grou oututs. ;ach outut of each grou cou+d ha0e one or #ore trac"s routed tothe#= and ro0ided an e'tra 0o+u#e contro+= a++owing the signa+ +e0e+ to be tri##ed
before it went to the tae #achine. In so#e cases the signa+ fro# a channe+ cou+d be
sent to both the #ain outut and a grou outut. n #any des"s the grou cou+d be
routed to the #ain outut= a++owing >sub@#i'es> on each grou= to be #i'ed at the
outut Buss = thus a++owing a way of #i'ing bac"ing instru#ents and 0oca+s on
different grous= and #i'ing those two grous together. %his can gi0e a +ot of contro+to a #i'= as we++ as a++owing a +i#ited a#ount of effects to be used on what #ight be
a +ot of channe+s.
Another area where the &i'ing des" beca#e in0a+uab+e was in +acing effects on
signa+s. &ost &icrohone recordings end u sounding 0ery dry as they do not ic" u
the subt+e echo>s caused by the rea+@+ife signa+s bouncing of wa++s of a roo#. %here0erberation and echo effects units atte#t to address this= by creating a sound that
si#u+ates rea+ roo#s= ca0es or concert ha++s etc.
As these effects #ay be re?uired on #ore than one channe+ of the des"= a syste# was
de0ised where each channe+ cou+d >send> a certain a#ount of a signa+ to an X sendeffect send and that wou+d go to the effects unit= which wou+d ass it>s signa+s with
the X on bac" to the X return= where it wou+d route to an outut Buss . ne thingto note is that the origina+ channe+ signa+s wou+d sti++ be routed to the outut Buss =
and the effects wou+d therefore get #i'ed with the dry signa+ at the outut Buss . In
SX the X Channe+ is a0ai+ab+e as a send fro# each audio tye trac"= and the return
fro# that X channe+ is routed to an outut Buss . So#e e'tra faci+ities that do not
e'ist on #id range des"s was the abi+ity to S;7, to grous= and the abi+ity to
-U%; or send one grou to another. %his cou+d be done with so#e e'terna+ wiring=but in the 0irtua+ #i'er of SX= both of these are a0ai+ab+e= which #eans that X
channe+s are not a+ways the best way of using shared effects= as these are +i#ited in the
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The SX2 Project.
choice of outut routing. nce the difference between routing and sending is grased=
the #i'ing des" concet in SX is ?uite easy to fo++ow.
ne other feature that rea+ des"s ro0ide is the abi+ity to brea" a signa+ ath and insertan effect so that it wi++ on+y affect that one channe+. %he co##on too+s that get used in
this way are co#ressors= which atte#t to >ta#e> a signa+ that ju#s fro# +ow +e0e+sto high +e0e+s i.e. has a wide dyna#ic range by turning down the gain during +oud
sections. %his feature is of course a0ai+ab+e in SX>s #i'er= on a++ audio tye
channe+s= grous and X channe+s.
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The SX2 Project.
Midi Basics.
&idi is a set of nu#bers sent a+ong a &idi cab+e= or a 0irtua+ &idi ort inside a
co#uter. %hese nu#bers reresent a set of tas"s for the recei0ing &idi de0ice to
react to. ;asy enough to say= but a +itt+e #ore to thin" about if we wish to use this factin a constructi0e #anner.
3nowing these nu#bers and how each string of nu#bers for#s a #essage is not
essentia+ to use &idi. %he SX interface can genera++y hide a++ that co#+e'ity fro# the
user= but it does rea++y he+ in certain situations= where you #ay want to #aniu+ate
data= based on the tye of #essage. %he creati0e use of contro++ers to #aniu+ate
sound= is a rea+ +us oint of both 0irtua+ and rea+ synths= and a +itt+e understanding of
the #essage for#at can he+ in using too+s +i"e the inut transfor#er= or +ogica+ editor.
%his shou+d be the +east entertaining art of the boo"= but in the case of &idi the o+d
adage >3now+edge Is Power>is certain+y true. Being ab+e to +oo" at any #essage and
#aniu+ate it in a #anner that gets the resu+t you re?uire= gi0es you end+ess scoe for
creati0e uses of &idi= and a++ this fro# a #ere age or two of reading #y dry rose.
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The SX2 Project.
What do the numbers mean
A++ nu#bers in &idi are sent as Bit codes= which #eans that they can ha0e 0a+ues of
( to 255. If the 0a+ue is 12 or abo0e= then that 0a+ue is seen as a >co##and> tye= andbytes that fo++ow are seen as either data bytes for the >co##and> or further subsets of
that co##and.
%he first nu#ber sent by a #idi de0ice as art of a string of nu#bers is ca++ed the
Status byte. It basica++y says that what co#es after is infor#ation about a articu+ar
tye of #essage.Be+ow is the +ist of nu#bers that #a"e u status bytes= a+ong with the #essage for#at
for that articu+ar status byteD
.ame Status /yte /yte2 /yte0
7ote ff 12@1/ 7ote 7u#ber :e+ocity off 0a+ue
7ote n 1//@154 7ote 7u#ber :e+ocity on 0a+ue
Aftertouch 1!(@1$5 7ote 7u#ber Aftertouch :a+ue
Contro++er 1$!@141 Contro++er I, :a+ue
Progra#
Change
142@2($ :a+ue
Channe+ressure 2(@22 :a+ue
Pitchbend 22/@24 Coarse 0a+ue ine 0a+ue
Syse' 2/(E2/$ secia+ case.
!ote" %he nu#bers for the status bytes are in ranges. %his is because the &idi channe+
that they are sent on is art of the status byte. %he 0a+ue 12 is note off= &I,I channe+
( referred to as &idi channe+ 1= nor#a++y. So there are 1! &idi channe+s a0ai+ab+e
for each of the abo0e #essages= e'cet Syse'= which does not use the concet of
channe+s.
)e need not rea++y go into Syse' for this e'ercise= as it is un+i"e+y that we wi++ be
#aniu+ating Syse' data for creati0e uroses. A+though it can be a 0ery usefu+ way to
contro+ so#e synths= it is beyond the scoe of this docu#ent.
Contro++ers on the other hand are of a +ot of interest= as these can be used for a++ sorts
of creati0e uses in SX.
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The SX2 Project.
What can # do with contro$$ers
Contro++ers can be used to #aniu+ate sound on synths or :S%i>s which are
rogra##ed to accet this #essage tye. %hat wi++ be a+#ost the entire current cro ofe'terna+ synths= and #ost :S%i>s. i+ters and resonance= tuning and X +e0e+s=
0o+u#es= an and e0en itch bend range #ay be a0ai+ab+e to be rogra##ed 0ia &I,I
contro++er #essages. In short= they can add to the sound= or configure the sound so thatyou get what you want fro# the synth.
%he &I,I contro++er nu#ber the second nu#ber sent in the contro++er #essage has
12 ossib+e 0a+ues= so if a synth is rogra##ed to accet contro++ers= then what are
the +i"e+y ara#eters that cou+d be contro++ed by this tye of #essage* )e++ the
answer is retty di0erse= as each synth wi++ use one or #ore of the #essages forwhate0er urose it sees fit= but there are standards defined in the secification that
a++ow for contro+ of these ara#etersF
/ank chane@ A++ows for #ore than one ban" of sounds to be se+ected= e'anding the
a+ate of sounds a0ai+ab+e= used in conjunction with rogra# change.
Main $olume@ A++ows for the 0o+u#e of a sound to be set= and #odified in rea+ ti#e.
Modulation@ A++ows for so#e #odu+ation to be added to a sound.
Sustain pedal@ a++ows for a iano tye sustain eda+ to be used to get the sound to
carry on +aying after the notes are re+eased.
%here are ob0ious+y +ots of these we cou+d discuss= but the #ost i#ortant art is toareciate that these &I,I contro++ers a++ ha0e a contro++er nu#ber= and a 0a+ue= so we
can use this infor#ation to a++ow us to contro+ sounds or other 0ariab+es using SX.
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&iital )ecordin1
%he ter# ,A) stands for ,igita+ Audio )or"station= and a+ies to too+s +i"e SX
that can record audio in digita+ for#at and #aniu+ate the sounds. But what is digita+*
%he wa0efor# of a sound assing through the air is trans+ated into a continuous+y
0arying 0o+tage by a #icrohone= and that signa+ is ca++ed ana+ogue at that oint. %he
0o+tage of the signa+ reresents the wa0e ressure at a gi0en oint in ti#e. %he
wa0efor# cou+d be recorded onto an ana+ogue tae #achine as a constant+y changing
#agnetic fie+d.
Co#uters dea+ with nu#bers= so the ana+ogue signa+ wou+d need to be reresented in
another #anner for a co#uter to record it. %o do this= the Ana+ogue to ,igita+Con0erter A,C >sa#+es> the signa+ +e0e+ at fi'ed oints in ti#e= and reresents
each +e0e+ as a nu#ber. %he rate at which sa#+es are ta"en is ca++ed the sampling
rate. Co##on sa#+ing rates are //.13h9 or //=1(( sa#+es er second and
/3h9. It is wise to note that if the signa+ is recorded at //.13h9 and +ayed bac" at/3G9= the sound wi++ be higher itched= and +ay bac" faster. It is a+so worth noting
that the #ore sa#+es er second that are ta"en the #ore accurate the reresentation
of the signa+ wi++ be. %here is a +ot of #ath in0o+0ed in the rocess of creating a
digita+ signa+ fro# an ana+ogue signa+= but with suitab+e +e0e+s and sa#+ing rates= the
sounds +ayed bac" fro# a digita+ syste# can be ?uite accurate to the origina+= and do
not suffer the sa#e noise rob+e#s of ana+ogue recording e?ui#ent= once they are inthe digita+ do#ain.
Bit deth is the nu#ber of bits used to reresent each sa#+e. 1!= 2/ and 2 Bit f+oat
are the co##on deths used in SX. A Bit is a Binary ,igit= and in a sa#+e of 1! bits
each bit reresents a 0a+ue within a binary nu#ber. %he first bit the +east significant
Bit or s confor# to one or #ore standards for what the #a'i#u#
0o+tage shou+d be. %ry to #atch the #i'ing des" or re@a#+ifier send +e0e+s with
those e'ected by the audio card= to #a"e the #ost of the a0ai+ab+e bits= whi+e not
c+iing the inut of the audio card.
%he standard +e0e+s are @1(dB: and E/dBU= the +atter being the >rofessiona+>
standard. @1(dB: uses a ea" signa+ (.1! :o+ts= and the rofessiona+ standard uses1.2 :o+ts -&S as the fu++ sca+e reading. )hiche0er +e0e+ is used= the #eters on a
#i'ing des" wi++ reresent the ea" 0a+ues for each standard as (dB.
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The SX2 Project.
or reference the dB decibe+ is a ratio of two signa+ +e0e+s= and is used to e'ress the
gain a+ied to a signa+= or as the +e0e+ of a signa+ with resect to a reference 0o+tage.
Cables and wirin1
Aart fro# the 0arious signa+ +e0e+s that can be used= there are a+so 0arious tyes of
cab+e used in a studio. -easonab+e ?ua+ity &icrohones tend to use balancedcab+es=
as does a+#ost a++ rofessiona+ e?ui#ent. %his techni?ue uses wires in a cab+e= one
ground or earthin the U3 wire and 2 signa+ wires hot and co+d. Because cab+escan ic" u noise fro# e+ectrica+ sources nearby= this #ethod was created to #a"e the
signa+ ath as noise@free as ossib+e.
)ith an unba+anced cab+e= noise e+ectrica+ 0o+tages ic"ed u by the signa+ +ead
wou+d cause a 0o+tage between the signa+ wire and the ground wire= and that wou+d
then be assed on to the ne't iece of e?ui#ent as noise. )ith the ba+anced cab+e=
noise ic"ed u on the signa+ wires is cance+ed out as both the signa+ wires recei0e thesa#e noise in theory and when the signa+s are added together by the recei0ingde0ice= they shou+d cance+ the 0o+tage. %he #ethod used is to in0ert the co+d signa+=
add that to the ositi0e hot signa+= and the su# of the two wi++ be twice as #uch for
the signa+ itse+f= but ( for any noise ic"ed u on both the signa+ +eads.
In genera+ ter#s= ba+anced cab+es do ic" u +ess noise.
!mpedance1
%he e+ectrica+ resistance to an a+ternating signa+ such as ana+ogue audio is ca++ed
i#edance. or best signa+ transfer the outut i#edance of a de0ice shou+d #atch the
inut i#edance of the de0ice to which it connects. Anyone who has used a Gigh@
i#edance &icrohone and +ugged it into a #i'ing des" which e'ects +owi#edance inuts or 0ice 0ersa wi++ "now that the +e0e+s aear incorrect. If you get
rob+e#s with +e0e+s fro# #icrohones or guitars= then too+s +i"e ,I direct inject
bo'es= or #atching transfor#ers can be 0ery usefu+= to #a"e sure that the signa+ +e0e+s
and i#edance are correct at each stage. If you need to use e'cessi0e gain on one
channe+ of the des"= the chances are that the +e0e+ or i#edance are not #atched to the
e?ui#ent that is +ugged into that channe+.
%he #ath behind why the i#edance of the circuitry affects the +e0e+s is beyond thescoe of this docu#ent.
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The SX interface.
Before starting the rojects I wi++ run through the basics of the SX interface= and getinto the detai+s which wi++ he+ you to #aster the rogra#= and a++ow you to get what
you want done= as ?uic"+y and ain+ess+y as ossib+e. %his chater wi++ be a reference
for where functions are accessib+e= and what is a0ai+ab+e in the rogra# as a who+e.
-ather than going through the #enu>s in order= I sha++ co0er the setu areas that wi++
enab+e you to record= and #i'= and show the other #enu>s so that you can for# your
own #ethods for the tye of wor" that you intend to do with SX.
The SX /asics1
n starting SX= there are references a++owing a defau+t roject to oen auto#atica++y=the +ast roject to oen= or to start with no roject. or this section= I sha++ assu#e that
you ha0e the defau+t of SX starting with no roject. %he ter# roject refers to a song=
or arrange#ent and is the wor"ing area for #usica+ creation. %he roject ho+ds
infor#ation about &I,I data= audio data= auto#ation= and a++ of the #usica+ asects
of the >song> . %here are references and resets that are he+d outside of the roject
itse+f= and I sha++ state where these ite#s are he+d when I discuss the#. A roject issa0ed to a fi+e with the e'tension .CP- Cubase Project .
Audio fi+es for a roject are recorded by defau+t into an audio fo+der= which is a sub@
directory of the roject fo+der. It is i#ortant for the sa"e of bac"us that this concetof the directory structure is understood. It can sa0e a +ot of ti#e and effort if you start
wor"ing with each roject ha0ing it>s own fo+der fro# the start. Use a new roject
fo+der er roject is the best aroach to #a"e certainyou wi++ not end u with audiofi+es be+onging to different rojects in the sa#e audio fo+der.
)hen creating a new roject= SX re?uests a te#+ate= and a roject fo+der. At the
oint where the roject fo+der is se+ected= I strong+y suggest that you use the browser=
and create a new roject fo+der for each roject.
1. Start SX.
2. ro# the file#enu se+ect .ew Project.. ro# the te#+ates dia+og se+ect mpty.
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/. ro# the Set Project folderdia+og na0igate to the area where you wish to storerojects= and ress the createbutton. 7a#e the roject fo+der so that it #a"es
sense to you. &a"e sure that the new fo+der is high+ighted se+ected before c+ic"ing
the 3 button.
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%hat wi++ now ha0e created a directory structure for the audio recordings= and wi++ be
the defau+t +ace where the CP- fi+e is sa0ed.
TipD Ga0ing a standard roject area can seed u the na0igation for oening rojects.I use a fo+der na#ed Audio i+es= and then create a directory for each a+bu#= with the
actua+ roject fo+ders created be+ow that for each song on that a+bu#.
Tip3or writing it can be usefu+ to create roject fo+ders under a directory for new
songs. If the song turns out to be a bit of a f+o= then de+eting the secific roject
fo+der wi++ get rid of the idea= and +ea0e the syste# c+ean. If the idea wor"s= then use
the Sa%e project to new folderfi+e #enu ite#= to #a"e sure a++ the audio and #usic
data gets coied to the intended +ocation= for e'a#+e a fo+der of songs for an a+bu#.
%his wi++ be co0ered in detai+ +ater in the boo".
%he roject wi++ now +oo" so#ething +i"e thisD
%he co+u#n at the +eft is the !nspector= the co+u#n ne't to that is the trac" +ist= and
fina++y the #ain area is the roject area.
So that we can use this +ater we sha++ sa0e the roject at this oint. Using the fi+e #enu
Sa0e defau+t 3ey Co##and3Contro+@S . As the roject has not been sa0ed before
the dia+og wi++ oen u as"ing for a fi+ena#e. Sa0e it as Project41cpr.
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Before we create trac"s and start recording= +et us first e'+ore the #enu>s for
i#ortant setu and reference otions= so that the de0ices we ha0e connected audio
and &I,I interfaces are set u correct+y.
5udio &e%ice Setup1
%he audio and &I,I setus for de0ices are in the &e%ices '&e%ice Setup #enu.
or the audio card the #ain contro+s are in the $ST Mutitracksection of the dia+og.
)ith the Setuptab se+ected= chec" the dri0er that you intend to use is se+ected. %here
wi++ genera++y be tyes of dri0er= the &irectX= the Multimedia= and the 5S!#
dri0er. %heir na#es wi++ a++ be refi'ed with HASI= e'cet for the actua+ 5S!#
dri0er= which wi++ be refi'ed with the #anufacturer na#e. )here a card suorts the
5S!#dri0er= this is the best choice. %his dri0er a++ows for +ow@+atency #onitoring=
which I wi++ discuss +ater when we do so#e recording as art of the roject.
%he +atency 0a+ues for both inut and outut are dis+ayed be+ow the se+ected dri0er.
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Be+ow that the contro+ ane+ is a0ai+ab+e for the audio card. ,eending on the dri0erse+ected there are a few ossib+e dia+ogs that wi++ aear if this is ressed.
)ith the 5S!#dri0er se+ected= the #anufacturers own contro+ ane+ wi++ be
dis+ayed= a++owing the buffer si9e or +atency 0a+ue to be a+tered= and on so#e cards
this wi++ a++ow so#e a+ternate routing otions for signa+s within the audio card.
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)ith the Multimediadri0er se+ected= the contro+ ane+ button oens a standard &&;
setu dia+og.
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)ith the &irectXdri0er se+ected the &irectX setupdia+og is ca++ed fro# the contro+
ane+ button.
or the rest of the roject= I sha++ assu#e that the 5S!#dri0er is being used.
nce the correct dri0er is setu= and the contro+ ane+ +atency settings are configured=
the settings are stored in the registry of )indows= and are roject indeendent.
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M!&! de%ice setup1
%he &I,I de0ices attached to the syste# are dis+ayed through the fo++owing sectionsof the &e%ice Setupdia+ogF
Windows M!&!. %hese are the dri0ers that confor# to the windows &I,I standard.
%he dia+og a++ows for hiding unused orts= so that they don>t aear in the inut and
outut dro@down #enu>s of &I,I trac"s.
&irectMusic1%hese are the dri0ers that confor# to &icrosoft>s &irectX standard.
%he dia+og a++ows for hiding unused orts= so that they don>t aear in the inut and
outut dro@down #enu>s of &I,I trac"s.
&efault M!&! Ports1%his is used to set the defau+t inuts and oututs when a new
trac" is created.
5ll M!&! inputs1&I,I trac" inuts can be set to use secific interfaces= or to use >a++
&I,I inuts>. %his dia+og +i#its the inuts that wi++ be used when the >a++ &I,I inuts>
de0ice is se+ected.
Timin problems with M!&! dri%ers1
)ith different #anufacturers the i#+e#entation of &I,I dri0ers can cause SX to
record &I,I data fro# an inut= and +ace it incorrect+y= with the notes being +aced
either +ate or ear+y. In SX there is a #ethod to show a++ a0ai+ab+e dri0ers= so that the
user can choose the best dri0er for their syste#.
1. Coy the IgnorePortfi+ter fi+e fro# the &I,I Port ;nab+er directory to the Cubase
SX a+ication fo+der. .ote3%he fi+e Jignoreortfi+terK is ( Bytes in +ength.
2. Start SX.
. en the de0ices ,e0ice setu ane+= and se+ect the )indows &I,I section.
/. Gide a++ if any of the orts +isted there by c+ic"ing in the show co+u#n showLno.
5. In the ,irect&usic section #a"e sure a++ the orts e#u+ated and otherwise are
showing ha0e showLyes for each entry.
!. C+ose the dia+og= create a new roject and add a &I,I trac".
$. Se+ect the first inut fro# the dro down.
. %est that the recording through that inut and dri0er is +aced correct+y in the art.Goefu++y that wi++ be a non@e#u+ated ort.
4. If that has any record ti#ing issues the notes are +aced incorrect+y on the screen=
then de+ete the art and change the inut for the trac" to the ne't dri0er for thathysica+ inut i.e use the e#u+ated if the non@e#u+ated ort was tried re0ious+y=
and test again. ne of these shou+d wor" 3.
1(. &a"e a note of the wor"ing Inut. If neither wor"= then try showing the )indows
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&I,I inut orts= and test the#.
11. nce you ha0e a wor"ing set of inuts= test the +aybac" in the sa#e #anner.
12. nce you ha0e deter#ines which orts which wor" correct+y= oen the de0icesetu@ ,irect&usic section and hide any that don>t wor". ,o the sa#e in the
)indows &I,I section.
1. ina++y set u the defau+t &I,I orts that you want in the ,efau+t &I,I orts
section= and then disab+e any unused or unwanted &I,I inuts fro# the A++ &I,I
Inuts section.
.ote3%he &I,I inuts and oututs can be na#ed in the Windows M!&! and
&irectMusicsections of the of the &e%ice Setupdia+og.
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Settin 6p !nputs and outputs for 5udio1
In the re0ious section= we saw how to se+ect the dri0er for audio de0ices. )ithin SX
we can set u /ussesthat a++ow you to se+ect your re?uired inut or outut de0ices.%his is accessed fro# the $ST Connectionsdia+og defau+t 3ey Co##andD / .
%he dia+og a++ows addition or re#o0a+ of /usseswhich are configured to use 5S!#
inuts or oututs. %he 5S!#oututs and inuts are resented by the dri0er we set u
in the re0ious section. &ost of the orts re+ate to hardware inuts or oututs= but for
so#e de0ices the 5S!#dri0er can resent a M!X)de0ice as an inut.
or #any a+ications a stereo inut and a stereo outut /uss wi++ be enough to
record and +ay bac" audio= but for &u+ti@trac" recording= #ore /usses #ay be
re?uired. %he /usses #ay be either #ono= stereo= ?uad or 0arious tyes of surround=
#eaning that they wi++ use differing a#ounts of hysica+ or 5S!# inuts or oututs.
%o #a"e this +ess confusing= I sha++ run through a few setus and we sha++ create so#e
/ussesand gi0e so#e e'a#+e uses.
1. Sa0e the current setu for the $ST connections as a reset= by c+ic"ing on the E
sy#bo+ ne't to the reset dro@down #enu at the to of the dia+og. Ca++ the reset
so#ething you wi++ re#e#ber= +i"e My default.
2. ro# the $ST Connections window= outputstab= rena#e the e'isting Buss by
doub+e@c+ic"ing on the na#e= and o0er tying. In this case ca++ it Master #ut1
. In the +eft ane of the dia+og= right c+ic" and se+ect 5dd /uss '( Stereo
/.-ena#e that Buss to 7X out.
5. C+ic" on the 5S!# &e%ice Port for the +eft channe+ of the new Buss and se+ect thesa#e 5S!#outut as on the first Buss .
!. C+ic" on the 5S!# &e%ice Port for the right channe+ of the new Buss and se+ect
the sa#e 5S!#outut as on the first Buss .
%he ane+ shou+d +oo" so#ething +i"e thisF
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%he setu you ha0e just created= a++ows you to route signa+s to one or both of the
Busses= and for the signa+ to be heard on the sa#e hysica+ oututs. If you route the
effects to the 7X outBuss and the dry signa+s to the Master #ut Buss then you can
so+o either one= to hear the dry signa+ on+y= or the wet effected signa+ on+y. )e sha++
use this Bussing arrange#ent in the roject= so it wi++ be a good idea to sa0e it as a
reset. o++ow the sa#e rocedure as before= but ca++ the reset &ry and Wet1
Another usefu+ a+ication of using the sa#e hysica+ oututs for effected and dry
signa+s is on the inut Buss . -ea+ ti#e recording of signa+s with effects +aced onthe# is a great feature of SX= but it can a+so be usefu+ to record the dry signa+ at thesa#e ti#e= and the sa#e ru+e a+ies. Create two Busses that use the sa#e hysica+
inuts= and on+y +ace the effect on one of the Busses.
Switch to the !nputs tab of the $ST Connections dia+og and using the abo0e #ethod
sa0e the reset as My defaultfor the e'isting setu. Add another Buss using the
sa#e inuts as the first Buss = na#e that 7X inand rena#e the origina+ Buss to &ry
in.
Sa0e the reset for this configuration as &ry and Wet1-estore your o+d configurations for the inut and outut by se+ecting the resets dro
down in both Inut and utut tabs of the :S% Connections dia+og.
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/asic concepts of SX1
%he 6UI in SX is ?uite c+ose to the +ogica+ +ayout of a recording studio. %rac"s are
created in the roject windowKs Track -ist and the e?ui0a+ent #i'er channe+ is
created for that trac". %he trac"s are si#i+ar in concet to the trac"s of a &u+ti@trac"
tae recorder= and the inut Buss is si#i+ar to the channe+ of the #i'ing des" that
feeds the tae #achine inuts. %he oututs of the trac"s are reresented by #i'er
channe+s= and these can be routed to grous or outut Busses in the sa#e way that
traditiona+ #i'ing des"s can route signa+s. %o be ab+e to e'+ain so#e of thereferences and otions that #a"e SX so owerfu+ and user friend+y= I wi++ first need
to co0er so#e of the genera+ +ayout of SX= so that the references and 3ey Co##ands
wi++ #a"e #ore sense.
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Creatin tracks !n SX1
1. en the test roject Project41cpr using the 7ile menu '(#pendefau+t 3ey
Co##andD Contro+@ .2. en the $ST Connections dia+og defau+t 3ey Co##and / and se+ect the
resets you sa0ed ear+ier &ry and Wetfor both the inut and outut tabs of the
dia+og.
. C+ose the dia+og Contro+@)
/. -ight c+ic" on the trac" +ist and se+ect 5dd 5udio Track1Use the dro down #enu
in the dia+og to see what for#ats are a0ai+ab+e. Se+ect Mono.
5. Press #Kand a new trac" is created in the roject.
!. By defau+t the Insector wi++ show the detai+s for the routing of that trac".
$. Add another audio trac"= of the sa#e tye.
. ro# the to ane of the Insector= with trac" 2 se+ected set the inut to be 7X !n'
(-eft.
4. Set the outut to be Master out1
1(.Se+ect the first trac" in the trac" +ist. en the &i'er fro# the de0ices #enudefau+t 3ey Co##and .
11.&a"e sure no icons are +it in the +eft hand Stri and the 0iew shou+d +oo" +i"e this
1. Mou now see the two inut Busses= two &ono audio trac"s= and two outut Busses.
2. %o change the 0iew of the &i'er= ress the showe+tended mi+er %iewicon at the
botto# +eft of the #i'er= and the show input and output settinsicon. 7ote howthe different 0iews can be se+ected easi+y.
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. or the Channe+ tit+ed Audio1= set the inut to be &ry !n'(-eftand the outut to
be Master #ut1/. Contro+@) or using the 3ey Co##and that was used to oen the #i'er= wi++ c+ose
it. 7ote that with the audio trac" 5udio4se+ected in the trac" +ist the Insector wi++
show the sa#e inut and outut as you set in the &i'er.
5. At the to of the trac" +ist= ress the Wwrite auto#ation button twice. %hat wi++
create a fo+der in the roject window= which wi++ ho+d the inut and outut Busses
that are configured.
!. Se+ect the 7X inchanne+ in the trac" +ist. In the Insector= Contro+@c+ic" on the
tiny +us sy#bo+ ne't to the Inserts. %he use of Contro+@C+ic" "ees the e'isting
0iew oen= and adds the se+ected 0iew rather than re+acing it which is what
haens with a nor#a+ c+ic" on the +us sy#bo+.
$. C+ic" on the first s+ot of the Inut Buss insert the b+ac" area and se+ect the &5T6/ fro# the #enu.
. )hat you ha0e created is a air of audio trac"s= one of which can record the dry
signa+ fro# an instru#ent or 0oice= whi+e at the sa#e ti#e the other trac" wi++
record the sa#e signa+ with effects added. %his has the ad0antage of being ab+e touse the c+ean signa+ in the #i' +ater on= if you find that the effect you inserted on
the Buss was not right for the needs of the #usic. %his #ethod a+so shows so#e of
the ower of the the routing that SX ro0ides= and has hoefu++y gi0en a brief
o0er0iew of the &i'er and so#e of the ethos of the way that SX does things.
5ddin Midi to the Project1
Adding &I,I trac"s to the roject is si#i+ar in concet to the re0ious rocedure= but
there are no inut Busses to thin" about. %he orts can be accessed direct+y fro# the
inut and outut dro down #enu>s for &I,I trac"s. recorded or #anua++y entered
&I,I infor#ation is sa0ed within the roject fi+e .CP- itse+f.
or the sa"e of co#+eteness= we sha++ run through adding a few &I,I trac"s=showing what is a0ai+ab+e and where. At this oint I a# trying to gi0e enough detai+
so that the settings and references in SX wi++ #a"e sense= and then when we co#e to
record a roject= we can add so#e #eat to the bones.
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1. In the current roject add a &I,I trac" using the right@c+ic" #enu on the trac" +ist
5dd M!&! track1%here are no otions re?uired for this rocedure= the trac" is
created with the inut and outut that you set u in the ,e0ice setu #enu under
&efault M!&! ports12. %o add another &I,I trac"= doub+e c+ic" be+ow the se+ected e'isting &I,I trac"=
and the new one is created. %he &I,I channe+ wi++ incre#ent fro# the e'isting
trac".
. %he current oututs a0ai+ab+e for the trac" wi++ be to hardware interfaces that are
configured on your syste#.
/. en the &e%ices'($ST !nstrumentsane+ defau+t 3ey Co##and 11.
5. In s+ot 1 c+ic" on the b+ac" area of that dia+og= and se+ect a4as the $STiyou want
to use. C+ose the 6UI for the a4and c+ose the :S% Instru#ents dia+og.
!. Se+ect one of the &I,I trac"s= and on itKs outut dro down #enu in the Insector=
se+ect a4.
$. Any &I,I data recorded on that trac" wi++ now be assed to the a4synth.. As :S%iKs are &I,I contro++ab+e sound #odu+es= you wi++ see that another fo+der
has been created in the roject window= which contains the audio channe+s for the
:S%i.
4. ening the &i'er defau+t 3ey Co##and now shows %wo inut Busses= two
Audio channe+s= two &I,I channe+ stris and two outut Busses. %o see a++ the
inserts and sends X and so on +aced on a sing+e channe+= ress the s#a++ ebutton
on that channe+= and the resecti0e Channel settinswindow wi++ oen one for
&I,I= one for Audio channe+s= one for Busses and one for :S%i channe+s etc..
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If you ha0e a &idi "eyboard connected to the defau+t inut de0ice try se+ecting the
&I,I trac" that you routed to the a4:S%i= and +ay so#e notes. If a++ the
connections are correct you shou+d see &I,I acti0ity on the transort bar defau+t
3ey Co##and 2 and on the &I,I trac" #eter= assu#ing that you ha0e &I,I
through enab+ed in the references. %he a4shou+d resond to the note infor#ation=
and the sound shou+d co#e fro# the oututs that you set u in the $ST
Connections,ia+og. P+aying the "eys shou+d show audio acti0ity in the :S%i
channe+ of the &i'er= and on the outut Buss .
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More setup options and preferences.
&uch of SX is configurab+e to suit the #any #usica+ needs that it #ay encounter= and
the references and 3ey Co##ands are we++ worth e'+oring= to #a"e sure you getSX to wor" in a #anner that wi++ suit your needs. or the sa"e of "eeing this chater
a reasonab+e +ength= I sha++ not co0er e0ery set u otion and reference= but gi0e the
ones I see as i#ortant to get you started= whi+e gi0ing a c+ue where to +oo" when you
want to change so#e asect of SXKs interface= or functiona+ity.
Preferences1
%he references are found in the i+e #enu@NPreferences.
1 5ppearance section1 Co0ers #inor changes in grahics to change the screen>s
contrast between the dar"er co+ors and +ighter co+ors. %he i#act #ay not be as
strong as you #ay wish for the settings= but they can be used to get 0iews of the
roject that stand out enough= without beco#ing too bright.
2 ditin section1:arious editing and too+ se+ection features that are i#ortant to
set u for your needs. %he i#ortant ones for #e areF
2.1Mi+er selection follows project. %his se+ects the channe+ in the #i'er that is
se+ected in the roject window. It is i#ortant to note that it #ay be aw"ward if
you ha0e other references set= where for e'a#+e record enab+e is set for these+ected trac". If you ha0e this otion chec"ed then c+ic"ing on the #i'er wi++
change the se+ected trac" in the roject= and that trac" wi++ no +onger be in record
#ode.
2.2 Cycle follows rane selection1A++ows for auto#atic setting of the +ocatorswhen using the range too+ to se+ect arts of the roject.
2. nable record on selected track1Se+ecting a trac" auto#atica++y uts it into
record enab+e #ode. It sa0es #e a +ot of ti#e= instead of ressing ) the defau+t
3ey Co##and to #anua++y record enab+e the trac". It #ay be worth switching off
after finishing trac"ing.
2./ nable Solo on Selected track1If a trac" so+o is se+ected defau+t 3ey
Co##and S and the another trac" is se+ected= then the new se+ected trac"
beco#es so+oKd = and the re0ious+y se+ected trac" beco#es #uted a+ong with the
rest of the trac"s.
2.5 5utomation follows %ents1Auto#ation trac"s be+ow audio e0ents or &idiarts wi++ be coied and #o0ed with the arte0ent.
2.! Popup toolbo+ on riht click1A++ows for the :S% sty+e too+bo' to be
dis+ayed by defau+t= or the conte't #enu if this otion is not chec"ed. 7ote that
Contro+@right@c+ic" wi++ oen the other #enu if the otion is set= or the too+bo' if
the otion is not set.
0 ditin'5udio section1
.1 Shared clips options1,ecides what action shou+d be ta"en if an audio c+i is
to be rocessed and it aears in #ore than one +ace in the roject. I +ea0e the
setting to oen a dia+og= so that I can #a"e the decision on what I need the rogra#
to do.
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.2 !mport 5udio files options1I use the otions dia+og as the reference=
a++owing #e to decide if I need the audio coied to the audio fo+der= the sa#+e rate
changed or #u+tichanne+ audio fi+es s+it into #u+ti+e &ono fi+es.
8 %ent display section1 A++ows setting of 0arious ara#eters for e0ents in theroject window. %he Show data on small track heihtsotion is usefu+ if you
wish to see wa0efor#s or &idi data dis+ayed in the roject window e0en at +ow
0ertica+ 9oo# +e0e+s.
/.1 %ent display'M!&!1,ecide which editor wi++ oen when &I,I arts are
doub+e@c+ic"ed in the roject window.
9 *eneral section1A++ow auto sa%e= and set the inter0a+ between sa0es. Can be
usefu+ if you forget to sa0e your wor" when you are busy. Set startu roject statusF
otions of #pen last project" #pen default project" show #pen dialo" show
Template dialo" show #pen options dialo" or &o nothin1
! Midi Section1A++ow M!&! throuh. %his is +i"e+y to be needed for #ost
situations= but for so#e odd situations where +oos can be created= it can be
disab+ed. )eset on Stop" )eset on Part end1%hese otions shou+d be +eft switched
off= un+ess there is a rob+e# with notes hanging when SX is stoed. Chase
e%ents1%his is used to a++ow SX to send &I,I infor#ation that is actua++y beforethe start oint which SX is as"ed to +aybac". &I,I contro++ers #ay need to be
chased= as their +ast 0a+ue #ay not be the 0a+ue that the &idi de0ice recei0ed +ast.
I#agine a itchbend that was recorded at Bar 5= and was set to fu++ bend. If the
roject was +ayed fro# Bar $= the contro++er wou+d not be sent= and the #odu+e
#ay +ay out of tune. If the chase is set= then the +ast 0a+ue before the +ay oint
can be sent when there is no e'+icit #essage in the &I,I art. %he tyes of
#essage that can be chased are se+ectab+e here.!.1 M!&! section'M!&! files1;'ort and i#ort otions for &I,I fi+es.
!.2 M!&! section'Midi 7ilter1A++ows for fi+tering of &I,I data either to sto it
assing through to a de0ice= or to sto the #essage tye being recorded. or #ost
uroses I on+y use the Syse' &idi through fi+ter otion.
$ Transport section1So#e references for na0igation and +aybac". Stationary
Cursorswi++ #a"e the roject scro++= and cursor stay sti++. %his can ta"e #ore CPU
for the grahics card= so #ay cause c+ic"s and os in audio as it +oads the syste#.
It can be usefu+ for 0iewing wa0e fi+es as the roject +ays= to identify where a
noise was recorded. -ocate when clicked in mpty Spacecan be usefu+ for ?uic"
na0igation. %he song cursor wi++ ju# to the oint in the -u+er where the #ouse
ointer was c+ic"ed= without ha0ing to go to the -u+er to c+ic". I wi++ co0er #ore ofthese otions in the roject sections of the boo".
$ST section1%he 5uto Monitorinreference a++ows for users to set u when
&onitoring wi++ be acti0e. or e'a#+e I use the reference ditin'( nable
)ecord on selected track1 )ith the 5uto Monitorin setting set to While
)ecord nabled= a se+ected trac" wou+d not +ay bac"= as it wou+d be in &onitor
#ode. I +ea0e the #onitor #ode set to Manual1
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%his is by far not e0ery otion= but as we co#e to the other usefu+ references= I sha++
show ossib+e settings that #ay he+ for gi0en situations.
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Key Commands.
3ey Co##ands are Shortcuts that can be used fro# the "eyboard= and in a +ot of cases
#a"e the #ouse c+ic"s a thing of the ast. )ith a +ot of functions that can be accessedusing 3ey Co##ands = #uch of the #enu dri0en #ouse c+ic"s can be done at the
touch of a "ey= or two. )e ha0e seen a few of the standard "eys that wi++ oen 0arious
tas"s in SX= for the &i'er= / for the :S% Connections ,ia+og. %here are
hundreds of these a0ai+ab+e= and so#e co##on tas"s are not e0en assigned by defau+t=
but can be Jrogra##edK into the 3ey Co##ands dia+og.
%he #ost usefu+ things in the dia+og are the search bo'= and the 3ey Co##ands find
function.
1. en the 3ey Co##ands dia+og fro# 7ile menu'(Key Commands .
2. In the to search bo'= enter M!X) and ress the #agnifying g+ass button.
. %he 3ey co##and for oening the #i'er #ay be dis+ayed. If not then ress the
#agnifying g+ass button a few ti#es #ore= unti+ it is dis+ayed. %his can be a 0ery
?uic" way of finding the #enu ite# or function for which you want to assign a 3ey
Co##and.
/. C+ic" on the Type !n Key entry bo' at the right of the dia+og= and ress / the
function "ey.
5. Press the Select button with the +eft facing arrow and you shou+d see that the
co##and $ST Connectionsis shown on the +eft hand ane. Mou ha0e estab+ished
that the 3ey Co##and / is in use= and that it is assigned to oening the $ST
Connections dia+og.
%hese two features are in0a+uab+e in wor"ing out what functions are a0ai+ab+e= and
what "eys are a+ready assigned= thus #a"ing the job of assigning new co##ands
#uch #ore efficient.
Again= there are far too #any features that can be accessed 0ia 3ey Co##ands for #e
to go through each= but when we get to #a"e so#e #usic with the too+s= I wi++ ointout where the re+e0ant co##and is he+d in the +ist of a0ai+ab+e co##ands. or #enu
ite#s this is fair+y easy= as the structure of the co##ands genera++y fo++ows the #enu
structure of SX.
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The Key Commands Dialog.
7ote that resets can be sa0ed and reca++ed= which cou+d be used to gi0e access to
secific "ey co##ands for secific uroses= thus +i#iting the a#ount of "ey
co##ands and therefore "ey co#binations re?uired in one te#+ate. or e'a#+e= ifdea+ing with &I,I editing= the ?uantise 0a+ues cou+d be #aed to secific "eys= and
in other reset the sa#e "eys cou+d be used for changing too+s in the too+bo'.
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Toolbars and editors.
At the to of the roject window there is a %oo+bar that is configurab+e to dis+ay
#any of the fre?uent+y accessed too+s that SX ro0ides. -ight@C+ic" on the too+bar toenab+e or disab+e articu+ar too+ 0iews. Se+ecting the setu otion oens the fo++owing
dia+og.
7ote that with a +ot of too+s acti0e on the %oo+bar= and when using +ow reso+ution
dis+ays= that so#e too+s #ay not be 0isib+e= as their osition is outside of the
0iewab+e area. If this is the case then re#o0e so#e other too+s to a++ow your re?uired
ones to be seen. Again resets can be used to #a"e the sets of too+s you want to
dis+ay easi+y accessib+e. &any of the too+s are du+icated fro# the %ransort Bar= andtherefore it #ay be #ore usefu+ to hide the transort and #ar"er functions on either
the %oo+bar= or the %ransort Bar. or #uch of the wor"= the %oo+bar can be used=
and the %ransort Bar hidden= sa0ing on screen sace. ro# e'erience= showing thetoo+ se+ection wor"s best for #y needs= and custo#ising the %ransort Bar #ini#ises
the sace used = +ea0ing #e #ore area to actua++y 0iew #y rojects. )ith #any of
these features= on+y e'erience wi++ te++ you what wor"s for your needs. %here is nodefiniti0e right or wrong setting that wi++ suit e0eryone.
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The Transport /ar1
Transport Bar with all functions shown.
%he %ransort Bar is the #ain too+ to +ay and record or na0igate around a roject=
and to dis+ay infor#ation about ti#e= &I,I and Audio acti0ity= set record #odes and
#ore. %his can be ca++ed u or hidden using the defau+t 3ey Co##and 2. It is the
Swiss ar#y "nife of the ,A) wor+d. Because it has the caabi+ity of showing so#uch infor#ation= it can be both in0a+uab+e or be too big= and too c+uttered to see
what you want. )ith the sa#e #ethods as the %oo+bar= you can edit what is dis+ayed=
thus custo#ising the setu to your needs. -ight@c+ic" on the gray area of the %ransort
Bar to access the showhide otions= or the setu screen.
7ote the reset otions at the botto# of the #enu to dis+ay on+y the co##on too+s
you #ay need. Changing to on+y the transort contro+s can sa0e a +ot of sace if youdo not need to see a++ the other infor#ation that the %ransort Bar ro0ides. And the
0iew is easy to change= which #a"es this a 0ery usefu+ feature.
Minimal view of transport controls.
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n the %ransort bar the fo++owing can be dis+ayedF
1. Performance1%his is a s#a++er du+icate of the Perfor#ance #eter defau+t 3ey
Co##and 12.2. )ecord Mode1tions for how the recorded #ateria+ is hand+ed. %his wi++ be
co0ered #ore in@deth in the rojects +ater in the boo".
. -ocators. A dis+ay of the +ocator ositions. %hese can be edited by se+ecting a
fie+d and o0er tying= using the #ouse abo0e or be+ow a fie+d to incre#ent ordecre#ent the 0a+ue = by using a scro++ #ouse abo0e a fie+d to change the 0a+ue.
%his is co##on of a +ot of the nu#eric fie+ds in SX= and the scro++ #ouse can sa0e
a +ot of tying.
/. :o;Scrub wheel1Used for audio wor"= to shutt+e bac" and forth through s#a++
arts of audio= whi+e being ab+e to hear the resu+ting noise. Because &I,I wou+d
not s+ow down and re@tune the way that audio does when it is +ayed s+ow+y= the
&I,I is not +ayed bac" using these too+s.
5. Main Transport1%he start= sto= forward= rewind = and record buttons.
!. Master and Sync1%he Tempobutton switches on or off the te#o reading fro#
the %e#o trac". If the roject re?uires te#o changes= then the %e#o button
shou+d be ressed so that it reads %rac" in the sace by the button. %o oen the
%e#o %rac"= Contro+@c+ic" on the %e#o Button. %he sync button switches the
synchroni9ation to interna+ ti#ing is ta"en fro# the interna+ syste# c+oc" or whense+ected = the sync is switched to the source set u in the sync dia+og Contro+@c+ic"
on the sync button to oen this. %he Clickbutton switches off or on the
#etrono#e= and there is a attern e#erging here Contro+@c+ic" on the C+ic"
button wi++ oen the #etrono#e Setu. ina++y the Pre Countbutton a++ows forenab+ing or disab+ing the recount when a recording is initiated. %he 0a+ues for there count are a+so set in the &etrono#e ,ia+og. 7ote the setu dia+ogs are a+so
a0ai+ab+e fro# the transort #enu= a+ong with #any of the onoff stati for the
transort buttons.
$. Marker1%he #ar"er button a++ows for ?uic" access to the first 15 #ar"ers. %hese
can be set u by c+ic"ing on the Show button= and the #ar"ers the#se+0es added
there= or by setting the song cursor and Contro+@c+ic"ing on the #ar"er nu#ber you
wish to add.
. M!&! 5cti%ity1 Shows inut and outut acti0ity of &I,I data. 7ote acti0ity of the
outut is restricted to rea+ &I,I orts= or orts that are resented to SX as rea+
&I,I orts= +i"e &I,I Mo"e and does not inc+ude &I,I sent to :S%iKs. SMS;Xsyste# e'c+usi0e &I,I data and rea+ ti#e #essages &%C and and &I,I c+oc"
are not shown on the &idi indicators.
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Track types and editor1
I ha0e a+ready discussed a few of the trac" tyes a0ai+ab+e in SX= and now see#s a
good ti#e to show the rest of the tyes = to co#+ete the icture.
Midi tracks1%hese trac"s a++ow recording and editing of &I,I data. %hey a+so ha0e
attached 5utomation -aneswhich wi++ be discussed in detai+ +ater. %he recorded
&I,I data is shown in Parts= which are containers for the &I,I data. %he &I,I Partscan be #o0ed around the roject coied and asted= +i"e sections of te't in a word
rocessor. %o edit0iew the &I,I data= the Score " -ist" &rum" or Key editors#aybe used. %he interface is different for each= but they show the sa#e &I,I data in
different ways. I a# about as usefu+ as a choco+ate teaot reading #usica+ score= so
that wi++ not be co0ered in this boo"= but the +ist and 3ey editors wi++ be co0ered when
we record and edit so#e #usic in the roject.
5udio Tracks1%hese are used for arranging the Audio data recorded or i#orted into
SX. %he data is dis+ayed in two for#ats in the roject window= as eventsor Parts. In
this case the e0ents reresent so#e audio c+is= and the Part is a ho+der or wraer for
e0ents. %hus which editor is used deends on the for#at that is dis+ayed in theroject. 7ote a++ Audio is recorded and reresented as an ;0ent in the roject window=
but can be JwraedK into a art by using the 5udio Menu '( %ents to Part1%heeditor used wi++ ob0ious+y deend on the tye of dis+ay used for audio data. ,oub+e@
c+ic"ing the %entwi++ oen the sa#+e editor= a++owing editing of the raw data that
#a"es the sound. ,oub+e@c+ic"ing the Partwi++ oen the art editor which a++ows
editing of +ace#ent of the %entsit contains.
7older Tracks1o+der trac"s are used to tidy u the roject window= and "ee
rojects #anageab+e. %he fo+ders can house grous= Audio and :S% trac"s= in fact any
of the the other tyes of trac". %hey can be oened to dis+ay the contents or c+osed=
to sa0e sace. %hey a+so ha0e the distinct ad0antage of being ab+e to #o0e a++ the
contents of the fo+der= in one go. %his can #a"e the arrange#ent of #usic a #oresi#+ified affair. At the ush of a button a++ the trac"s in a fo+der can be record
enab+ed= so they #a"e for a good wor" f+ow when recording fro# #u+ti+e sources.
7X Channel Track1%he X channe+ is a secia+ist *roup Channel1 %he X channe+
houses a series of u to inserted effects= and the channe+ is accessib+e as a send fro#Audio= :S%i= and 6rou channe+s. %here are no sends on an X channe+= and it can
on+y be routed to outut Busses.
*roup Channel Track1%he 6rou channe+ a++ows for sends or routing fro# Audio=
:S%i= and other grou channe+s. %he +i#itation is that grous can on+y send or route
to 6rous that were created after the#se+0es. As the grous can be #o0ed in the
roject window= this can create so#e confusion. 3nowing the order in which thegrous were created is not ob0ious= or e0en 0isib+e once they are created.
)uler Track. %his can be used to show another ti#e +ine in a roject. %here is a -u+er
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at the to of the roject= but ha0ing searate -u+er trac"s a++ows for dis+ay of ti#e
and BarBeat for#ats at once= and a+so can be use to a+ign &I,I or Audio arts in the
roject window.
If you ha0e #ade any changes to the acti0e roject= then c+ose the roject Contro+@
) and as" it not to sa0e changes. %hat wi++ +ea0e you with one &idi trac" in the
roject1.cr = ready for the ne't chater= %he &I,I roject.
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The Midi Project1
%o rea++y get to "now a rogra#= the best way to +earn is to use it. In this chater Isha++ ta"e you though #y #ethods for writing a song= and creating a &I,I bac"ing
that can be arranged and #i'ed to a reasonab+e standard. As a +ot of you wi++ ha0eaccess to a 6enera+ &I,I 6& #odu+e or sound source= I sha++ use that as the #ain
instru#ent for this roject. I wi++ add on+y the :S%iKs and X that co#e with SX= so
that as #any eo+e as ossib+e can re+icate the roject= or +oad the 0ersions that
co#e with this boo"= and be ab+e to see what I was atte#ting to do at each stage.
;'eri#entation is the "ey to getting the #ost of any too+= so donKt be afraid to J+ayKwith the too+s= this can he+ you to re#e#ber features as and when you actua++y need
the#.
%a"e care not to set u odd references that #ay i#ede your wor" f+ow in roer
rojects= and bac" u "eyco##ands before adding your custo# ones= so you can
reca++ the set if you do #a"e #ista"es. )ith "eyco##ands= thin" about sche#es
where co##on tas"s ha0e si#i+ar "eystro"es for e'a#+e Contro+@S is sa0e= Contro+@A+t@S is incre#enta+ sa0e= Contro+@Shift@S is sa0e as. &a"e notes if it he+s of the
3ey Co##ands you ha0e set u and see if they are actua++y re?uired after a eriod of
ti#e. I often set u 3ey Co##ands for short ter# reetiti0e tas"s or si#+y to test a
theory and once I ha0e tested the# I re#o0e the# for# the 3ey Co##ands.
or #y way of wor"ing= I tend to #ess around with the e'terna+ &I,I "eyboard= andha0e a &I,I trac" record enab+ed = and routed to the :S%i or &I,I #odu+e that I
want to audition sounds through. &y reference is to use the =ypersonic:S%i as #y
#ain sound source= but I ha0e a few e'terna+ hardware too+s for 6&6S and 6&X6sound creation. %he 6S and X6 are -o+and and Ma#aha e'tensions to the 6&
standard= and a++ow for a +ot #ore contro+ of the sound character than si#+e 6&
sources.
ne rea++y neat too+ in SX is the abi+ity to record a trac" without actua++y ressing
record. %he )etrospecti%e )ecordfunction wi++ cature your +aying of the &I,I
"eyboard as +ong as the trac" is set to record enab+e. or this reason I tend to use the
reference )ecord nable Selected Track= #eaning I on+y need to create a &I,Itrac" with the defau+t inut and outut used and it wi++ cature #y ideas= which I can
then dis+ay using the %ransort #enu co##and )etrospecti%e )ecorddefau+t 3ey
Co##and Shift'P5&>
Assu#ing that you ha0e c+osed the roject you created fro# the re0ious chater= and
SX is oen with no other rojects +oaded use the i+e &enu@N en defau+t 3ey
Co##and Contro+@ = or the i+e #enu -ecent rojects to oen the fi+e
Project41CP).
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If you do not ha0e the Insector showing then use the 3ey Co##and A
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Project window with one MIDI trac added.
P+aying the &usica+ "eyboard connected to the defau+t &I,I inut shou+d show so#e
+ights on the transort bar and the &I,I trac" itse+f= showing that &I,I data is being
recei0ed. Mou shou+d be ab+e to hear the notes as you +ay the#. . P+ay whate0erco#es to #ind and ress SGI%@PA,O the O "ey on the "eyad of the co#uter
"eyboard. %he notes you +ayed shou+d now aear in a art on that trac". %hat is
retrosecti0e record in action.
%o #a"e +ife easier it is better to get the transort co##ands for na0igation out of theway. )hi+e e0erything #ay be done with the #ouse= it is usefu+ to use the co#uter
"eyboard or a -e#ote Contro+ de0ice to ju# around the song= and get SX to +ay=
sto= rewind etc.
A +ot of #y wor" wi++ be based around writing sections of #usic= a 0erse for e'a#+e=
and I wi++ bui+d that section u with #ore instru#entation. Because of this I do nottend to start with #ar"ers= but use the
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If you created the art successfu++y then #a"e sure it is se+ected c+ic" on it with the
#ouse se+ection too+ @ress 1 on the "eyboard to change the too+ if re?uired= or use the
right arrow "ey on the "eyboard to re@se+ect the art .Press the de+ete "ey= orbac"sace "ey both defau+t assign#ents under the 3ey Co##ands. %he art shou+d
be de+eted. 7ote this can be undone using the edit menu undo delete or the defau+t
undo 3ey Co##and Contro+@. %hat wi++ bring the art bac".
Bac" to the roject= I wou+d tend to +ay around unti+ I get an idea= then ossib+e usethe retrosecti0e record= so that I cou+d +ay it bac"= and try to "ee the +uc"y bits that
were recognisab+e as a tune. A+so using T!MW5)PI #ay deri0e the te#o of theart I just +ayed= as at this oint it was +ayed natura++y= with no re+ationshi to the
te#o of the roject. I wi++ co0er the use of T!MW5)P+ater on but it is usefu+ to
"now that it can be used to get a te#o ?uic"+y for a art that you +ayed without ati#ing reference.
%he %ransort Bar can show the current te#o and ti#e signature of the roject= and
wi++ a+so show if the te#o setting is ta"en fro# the %e#o %rac"= or is i'ed. or the
writing stage I tend to +ea0e the te#o setting to fi'ed= so that I can adjust it fro# the
%ransort Bar. &y referred #ethod is to scro++ oint the #ouse ointer o0er the
te#o fie+d and use the scro++ whee+ on the #ouse= but c+ic"ing and tying on thete#o fie+d can achie0e the sa#e resu+t.
I wou+d then set u the c+ic" for the te#o as a guide = which is accessed fro# the
%ransort &enu &etrono#e Setu= or contro+@C+ic" on the C+ic" fie+d of the
%ransort Bar. In rea+ity these otions se+do# need changing= they ha0e been set to
#y references for a whi+e now= and a++ I need to do is to enab+e or disab+e the
#etrono#e and recount.
I set the te#o= the &etrono#e otions active in record and play!ac mode= the re@
count is set to 2 bars= the +eft
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recount bars and +aying the the idea into SX= where it is recorded for osterity.
So#eti#es the idea is not easy to get down with a si#+e #etrono#e= and in these
cases I wou+d tend to set u a dru# trac"= which wi++ gi0e so#e "ind of groo0e for #eto +ay a+ong with. or that I use the &rum mapand editor features of SX.
&rum Maps. %hese are another way of reresenting &I,I data. %he #as a++ow for
the notes to be na#ed to the sound that they wi++ roduce= and a+so a++ow for the
indi0idua+ notes to be +ayed to #ore than one &I,I de0ice= #eaning the "ic" sound
can be roduced by one instru#ent and the snare by another and so on. %his a++ows
the best #i' and #atch dru# "it to be created without re?uiring u to 12 different&I,I trac"s to dri0e the ossib+e 12 instru#ents er #a. %he defau+t 6& #a that
co#es with SX= wi++ dri0e a 6& #odu+e on channe+ 1( the defau+t &I,I channe+ for
dru#s and a++ows na#ed dru#s to be rogra##ed easi+y.
%o create a dru# trac"= si#+y create a &I,I trac"= and use the dro down #enu in
the Insector to se+ect the ,ru# #a. )ith the defau+t reference %ent &isplay
'Midi" dit as &rums When &rum Map is 5ssinedthe art on a dru# trac" wi++
use the dru# editor by defau+t= when doub+e@c+ic"ed.
As we are to use 6& sound sources for the roject= the 6& #a that co#es with SX
wi++ be used to #a"e the dru# rogra##ing easier.
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1. ro# the trac" +ist create another &I,I trac".
2. Set the outut channe+ to 1( using the scro++ #ouse ointed o0er the channe+ fie+d
in the Insector whi+e the trac" is se+ected in the trac" +ist or c+ic"ing on that fie+dand se+ecting 1( fro# the dro down.
. ;nsure the correct outut is used for you syste#= by c+ic"ing or scro++ing o0er theoutut fie+d in the Insector.
/. &a"e the trac" into a dru# trac"= by se+ecting 6& &AP fro# the &a fie+d in the
Insector.
%o test the #a= create a art on that trac"= which can be done using the enci+ too+ress on the #ain "eyboard to change the se+ect too+ to the enci+= or use the right
c+ic" too+bo' or #enu. ,raw a bo' on that trac" and +et go of the #ouse button and a
art is created. 7ote that you can a+so use the A
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%he changeab+e fie+ds are the na#e of the dru# sound= the 8uantise setting for that
sound= the &ute status for each sound= the note nu#ber in and out= the outut channe+
and interface. 7ote that the outut na#ed defau+t wi++ use the outut setting in the
Insector= which can sa0e ti#e in ha0ing to set a++ 12$ ossib+e sounds to a secifiedoutut. If you wish to change a++ the fie+ds to the sa#e 0a+ue for e'a#+e the &I,I
channe+ = then c+ic" on the re?uired fie+d= and ress contro+ and se+ect the re?uired
0a+ue. A++ the dru#s wi++ use that sa#e 0a+ue.
S+ide the artition between the anes to the +eft= and that wi++ +ea0e you with #ore
roo# to enter notes in the grid on the right.
!nputtin drums.%he dru# too+ is se+ectab+e fro# the right c+ic" #enu or too+bo'= or by ressing the
dru#stic" icon on the too+bar. Under the too+ section of the 3ey Co##ands dia+og
there is setting a++owed for a 3ey Co##and for the dru# too+= but this is not assignedby defau+t.
C+ic"ing anywhere in the right hand ane wi++ +ace a dia#ond in the grid= whichsignifies that a note is entered for the articu+ar dru# sound at the ti#e indicated on
the -u+er at the to of the editor window.
Progra##ing the attern is Jsi#+yK a case of utting the correct dru#s in the right
+ace at the right ti#e. As is a+ways the case= there is a +ot #ore to it than that. %o get
so#e rea+is# to dru# +aying= we #ay want to use 0e+ocities for the different dru#s=so they are not a++ sounding +i"e they are being hit the sa#e strength a++ the ti#e. )e
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#ay wish to ha0e the beat wor"ing in a #anner that is s+ight+y off erfect ti#ing= to
get a groo0e to the dru# attern.
ening the Info Bar contro+@I for the dru# trac" wi++ dis+ay a +ot about a note youha0e entered= and a++ows changes to be #ade using the scro++ #ouse= or se+ection and
o0er@tying 0a+ues.
%he 0e+ocity of the notes which are drawn in wi++ be the 0a+ue shown in the !ns1 $el1
,ro down #enu at the to of the editor. %here are 5 reset 0a+ue a0ai+ab+e= or aninut bo' where another 0a+ue can be entered. A+so accessib+e is the setu for the
standard 0e+ocities. %here are "eyco##ands a0ai+ab+e to se+ect the re?uired reset
Insert :e+ocity= but these are not set by defau+t. If you do a +ot of entry of &I,I notes
using the #ouse= then these are worth setting u "ey co##ands for. )ith "ey
co##ands set u= the inut of different +e0e+s beco#es #uch easier= by se+ecting the
correct reset 0e+ocity before entering the note. %he 3ey Co##ands for Insert0e+ocities is under the &idi section of the 3ey Co##ands dia+og.
or this section we wi++ use a standard 0e+ocity setting= and edit the 0e+ocities after
entering the notes.
ne thing we are ai#ing for is a ?uic" entry of dru# beats= so that we can write a
song to that beat. or the seed of creating the rhyth#= I tend to use the JIndeendenttrac" +ooK faci+ity. At the to of the &I,I editors there is the Indeendent %rac"
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Setting +ay #ode enter on the "eyad= sace bar= or the +ay button on the %ransort
bar wi++ +ay the se+ected 2 bars of rather uni#aginati0e dru#s.
&ini#ise the dru# editor= and the roject window wi++ be dis+ayed but the sa#e twobars wi++ reeat. Stoing SX +aying sace bar or ( on "eyad or the transort
contro+s wi++ sto the +oo. Because the +oo is +aying fro# the editor= we do not
ha0e to worry about how #any bars we rogra##ed= and we can write #usic for as
#any bars as we fee+ = whi+e ha0ing the dru# groo0e +aying.
At this stage I set the te#o of the roject= with the dru#s +aying using the scro++whee+ o0er the te#o setting of the transort bar. or this to wor" the te#o #ust be
set to IX;,. Use the te#o button or set a 3ey co##and under the transort section
of the "ey co##ands dia+og #aster trac" on off.
Sa0e the roject = using the defau+t "ey co##and Contro+@A+t@S= which sa0es theroject as a new na#e.
.ote about sounds1%he 6& standard #asprogram changesto sounds +ayed. SXcan use a &idi ,e0ice scrit that wi++ dis+ay the na#e of the sound= and send the
aroriate rogra# and ban" changes to the synth. I sha++ co0er the use of the scrits
+ate in the boo"= but for now I sha++ use the rogra# change fie+d of the Insector to
se+ect the Piano sound I re?uire for the ne't art= a rogra# change 0a+ue 1.
)ith the roject set u for #e to record= I wou+d se+ect trac" 1= and +ay a+ong withthe beat. nce I ha0e an idea= I sto= ress 3eyad 1 #o0e to +eft +ocator = 3eyad O
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record and +ay to the beat. As the reference for record enab+e on se+ected trac" is
set= there is no other setting I need to #a"e to record.
%he fo++owing is the resu+t of the recording= which I sto using the sace bar on the"eyboard.
If the resu+ts of the +aying ha0e so#e hoe of being usab+e= then I wou+d sa0e the
roject at this oint= using Contro+@A+t@S .
or the sa"e of showing the too+s that are a0ai+ab+e= I a# going to "ee the "ee the
e'tre#e+y bad+y +ayed iano art= and we can use that for so#e editing. At this
oint it #ight be usab+e for a basic tune= but had I +i"ed the idea= I wou+d genera++y
ha0e "et that ta"e= and re@+ayed it= on another trac". %hat way as the ideas getfor#a+ised= the +aying gets +ess tentati0e= and the editing after the fact shou+d be +ess
intensi0e.
If the +aying is 3= but I fee+ the need to #a"e the dru#s fit better= it is a case of
restoring the #ini#ised dru# editor= and twea"ing the dru#s to suit. I wi++ run
through the &I,I editing in the iano art first= so that I a# fair+y sure that the +aying
is tidied u to a standard that wi++ be usab+e for the #ain song.
?uanti@e1
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%a"ing the iano art and a+ying ?uanti9e #ay or #ay not #a"e the +aying
accetab+e for the song. 8uantise is a too+ to #o0e #is@ti#ed notes and +ace the# to
a grid set by the ?uanti9e 0a+ue. %he troub+e with strict ?uanti9e is that what the
co#uter sees as #is@ti#ed notes #ay actua++y be correct+y +ayed notes for the fee+of the #usic. or this reason it is wise to on+y #o0e notes that re?uire ?uanti9e and
not the who+e art .
or the sa"e of auditioning the art set the +ocators. or this I wou+d resi9e the Piano
art with the sna set to bar in the roject window using the si9e too+ described
ear+ier. )hi+e the art is sti++ se+ected use the locators to selectionfro# the transort
#enu defau+t "ey co##and P .
Set cyc+e #ode fro# the transort bar or using the defau+t "ey co##and "eyad .en the se+ected art using enter on the #ain "eyboard= or Contro+@; or by doub+e
c+ic"ing the art. Si9e the 3ey ;ditor to show #ost of the notes that you want= with
enough detai+ to see the ti#ing of the notes. Use the si9ing bars at the botto# of theeditor to get a suitab+e 0iew. 7ote that c+ic"ing on the -u+er at the to of the window
and dragging u or down wi++ 9oo# editors or the roject window = which can be
usefu+.
P+ay the art and the dru#s and iano arts wi++ +ay together. If the arts needs to
scro++ in the editor then use the autoscro++ button or the defau+t "ey co##and R to
#a"e sure that the 0iew scro++s the #usic so you can see the notes and hear the# at
the sa#e ti#e. As you co#e across notes that shou+d not be there of which there are a
few sto SX +aying and se+ect the bad note and de+ete it. 7ote the reference
@%ransort@ return to start osition on sto shou+d not be set for this tye of editing.So#e of the edits can be done on the f+y= whi+e the #usic is +aying= and use of the
rewind "eyad by defau+t can #a"e auditioning the edits you just #ade #uch
?uic"er than waiting to hear the edits on the ne't cyc+e. If you de+ete so#e of the notes
that you wanted to "ee= then use the edit undo #enu contro+@ by defau+t .
nce the accidenta+ notes ha0e been re#o0ed= +isten to the +aying for ti#ing issues.It is a+so worth sa0ing the roject at this oint= using contro+@A+t@S. ;0en with the
undo history= so#e hu#an error can cree in= and ha0ing the roject sa0ed at 0arious
stages wi++ sa0e a +ot of the heartache of +osing a good ta"e.
)ith the e'tra notes re#o0ed it is worth e'eri#enting with the ?uanti9e settings tosee what wi++ wor" with the iece. )ith the ?uanti9e setting of 1 fro# the ?uanti9e
dro down #enu of the editor= ress the 8 "ey defau+t ?uanti9e "ey co##and .A+though the art tidies u ?uite we++= there are so#e o0er+aing notes that #a"e the
art sound unnatura+ and the who+e iece is a bit ob0ious+y ?uanti9ed. Use the U "ey
defau+t "ey co##and for undo ?uanti9e to return to the way the art was recorded.
)e cou+d #o0e notes if there are sections or indi0idua+ notes that are out of ti#e= and
we can a+so +et ?uanti9e be a+ied to on+y the se+ected notes. &uch deends on therob+e#s we are trying to fi'= as to the best so+ution.
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or e'eri#entations> sa"e= in this case we sha++ atte#t to create so#e 0ariation in
ti#ing= but get the notes that are too far out of ti#e c+oser to their intended +ace#ent.
or this we can use the ?uanti9e setu fro# the ?uanti9e dro down #enu.
Setting the 7on@?uanti9e 0a+ue to 1/ #eans notes that are +ayed within 1/ tic"s of aperfect?uanti9e 0a+ue are not #o0ed by the ?uanti9e function. %hus the ti#ing of
rea++y bad+y +ayed notes is changed= and the notes that are c+ose to ?uanti9e 0a+ues"ee their osition.
or the test iece this wor"s " aart fro# the fact that one art of the +aying sti++
has note o0er+as which sound odd as the sa#e chord is +ayed twice= and the first one
is not finished. %he offending notes are at bar 12 in the test iece= so using the #ouse
ointer to se+ect the notes by dragging a bo' around the#= or se+ecting #ore than onenote by c+ic"ing and then using shift@c+ic" for subse?uent notes= we can reduce the
+ength of the notes using the scro++ whee+ o0er the +ength fie+d in the info bar. 7ote
that using contro+ and scro++ on this fie+d wi++ gi0e a++ the se+ected note the sa#e
+ength 0a+ue= or without contro+ they a++ ha0e their +ength adjusted by the a#ount of
the change of +ength 0a+ue i.e if the 0a+ue is reduced by 1( tic"s then a++ the se+ected
note +engths are changed by 1( tic"s.
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$elocities1
Instru#ents +i"e the iano owe #uch of their e'ression as #uch to 0e+ocity as they
do to ti#ing. %o test this theory se+ect a++ notes contro+@a and se+ect the 0e+ocity fie+dof the info bar= enter a 0a+ue of 1(( and ress contro+@return. P+ay the art and hear
how boring the art sounds e0en #ore than the origina+ +aying. Show the contro++er
+ane for 0e+ocity= if not a+ready shown= by using the right c+ic" conte't #enu add
contro++er +ane= and se+ecting 0e+ocity fro# the dro down #enu of the now 0isib+e
contro++er +ane. Undo the 0e+ocity changes using contro+@9 edit #enu @undo . %he
high oints and +ow oints of the #usic can be seen and heard as the song +ays. 7ote
that the difference in sound ti#bre for a gi0en 0e+ocity wi++ 0ary with the &I,I#odu+e or :S%i used to audition the sound= and we++ +ayed ieces of #usic #ay not
sound as good if the 0e+ocity resonse of the iano sound is different to the one used
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when trac"ing. P+ayers wi++ +ay with the feedbac" that they get fro# the instru#ent
that they use.
%here are +enty of too+s to a+ter 0e+ocities= and "ee the dy