The Cubase experience: finest tools for artists
In 1984, Steinberg was founded on an ideal: to help artists to make music in ways that put their creativity first, and using technology that almost anyone could afford. Since then, Steinberg has developed some of the most successful music products and technologies including Cubase, the world’s most popular software for composing, recording and mixing music.
Defining industry standards for over 25 years
Since the foundation of the company, Steinberg has constantly pushed back the boundaries of what is possible in digital audio. The advanced technologies included in Cubase offer flexible, cost-effective and intuitive ways of realizing the artist's full creative and professional potential. Steinberg’s experience in developing highly performing cross-platform applications gives Mac and Windows PC users the option to enjoy Cubase on the hardware of choice.
VST3: Steinberg’s industry standard Virtual Studio Technology
The leading Virtual Studio Technology (VST) standard, developed by Steinberg, creates a full, professional studio environment on your PC or Mac and allows the seamless integration of virtual effect processors and instruments right into your sequencing software. The revolutionary VST standard recently reached a new stage with the release of VST3, a groundbreaking new version with a host of new capabilities, including sidechaining, dynamic I/O management and enhanced CPU efficiency.
VST Sound: Steinberg’s universal media management format
Steinberg’s universal media management format — VST Sound — is a fundamental part of VST3, the latest version of Steinberg’s industry standard Virtual Studio Technology. By supporting VST Sound, plug-ins and instruments from third-party manufacturers can be directly integrated into MediaBay — the media management system used in Steinberg’s host applications. This integration makes the entire process of finding and working with any form of media file including audio, loops, VSTi presets, videos, MIDI parts and Track Presets, much faster and simpler.
ASIO: Steinberg's low-latency, high-performance audio standard
The Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) architecture forms the backbone of VST. ASIO addresses any needs a professional audio recording solution might have. It does this by supporting variable bit depths and sample rates, multi-channel operation and synchronization. As a result, the user gets low latency, high performance, easy set up and stable audio recording within VST. Since its introduction, ASIO has become a supported standard by many leading audio hardware manufacturers — for good reason.
Creating value for all
Cubase helps both musicians and producers with every step of the music creation process: from the first idea through the arrangement to the final mix. In doing so, Cubase offers various tools to meet your individual needs. And this is why Cubase can be tweaked and used for all music styles and areas of application. Be it a recording engineer, rock guitarist, dance DJ, hip-hop producer, songwriter or film score composer, Cubase users are among the most successful professionals in the world.Singer/Songwriter
Cubase 5 is the ideal tool for singers and songwriters for recording vocal lines, preparing playbacks and creating entire songs. VariAudio and PitchCorrect are two first-class features in Cubase 5 with which you can optimize your intonation and adjust the timing and melody of a vocal line anytime you want to. The PitchCorrect plug-in removes intonation problems in real time and shifts recorded vocals to the next note value on a defined scale. VariAudio goes yet a step further by letting you edit monophonic vocal recordings just as easy as if it were a MIDI part, adjusting the pitch, note length and timing position of each note. All recognized notes can be converted to MIDI data which, for example, you can play back using one of the many VST instruments available in Cubase 5. This means you can easily create entire arrangements based on your vocal recordings. Cubase 5 offers a wealth of virtual instruments and sounds, letting you create professional-sounding accompaniments, be it a playback for your vocal exercises or even an entire demo. To edit your vocals, various effect plug-ins such as high quality EQs, reverbs and a professional DeEsser to reduce excess sibilance are also readily available. Any VST plug-in can be recorded together with the signal or used exclusively for monitoring — ideal for those who don’t like to sing “dry” during recordings. And with several recording modes at your disposal, you can capture the perfect recording each and every time.
Composer
- Film composer Erran Baron Cohen
With Cubase, composers get a complete software notation program for professional score layouts. MIDI notes being played are translated directly to musical notation, resulting in a score that can be edited using more than 100 professional notation symbols. On the other hand, all playing instructions noted in the Score Editor are converted directly into MIDI parameters that can trigger any VST instrument in real time.
A special highlight for all composers is the new VST Expression featured in Cubase 5, delivering an innovative solution for working with different instrumental articulations. VST Expression allows you intuitively and quickly to edit articulations directly in the Key and Score Editor. Thanks to the integrated HALion ONE sample player, you have hundreds of sounds at your fingertips, including a slew of high quality orchestral sounds played in different styles — perfectly complementing the new VST Expression functions. On top of this, you also get a fully functional 90-day trial version of HALion Symphonic Orchestra 16-bit Special Edition, the great sounding virtual symphony orchestra created by Steinberg. All composers working with comprehensive orchestra libraries also benefit from the native 64-bit support. Under Windows Vista 64, up to one terabyte of RAM can be addressed by Cubase — providing space for more samples and allowing you to work more efficiently.
Cubase 5 is also the perfect solution for film score composers. Video files of virtually all popular formats like AVI, MPEG and QuickTime can be displayed in a freely scalable video window within Cubase or, alternatively, can be played back on an external monitor using the appropriate video hardware. The individual video frames are displayed as thumbnails in a video track, making it a whole lot easier to compose in sync with individual frames. Basic editing functionality, such as edit, cut and paste, are also readily available.
A special highlight for all composers is the new VST Expression featured in Cubase 5, delivering an innovative solution for working with different instrumental articulations. VST Expression allows you intuitively and quickly to edit articulations directly in the Key and Score Editor. Thanks to the integrated HALion ONE sample player, you have hundreds of sounds at your fingertips, including a slew of high quality orchestral sounds played in different styles — perfectly complementing the new VST Expression functions. On top of this, you also get a fully functional 90-day trial version of HALion Symphonic Orchestra 16-bit Special Edition, the great sounding virtual symphony orchestra created by Steinberg. All composers working with comprehensive orchestra libraries also benefit from the native 64-bit support. Under Windows Vista 64, up to one terabyte of RAM can be addressed by Cubase — providing space for more samples and allowing you to work more efficiently.
Cubase 5 is also the perfect solution for film score composers. Video files of virtually all popular formats like AVI, MPEG and QuickTime can be displayed in a freely scalable video window within Cubase or, alternatively, can be played back on an external monitor using the appropriate video hardware. The individual video frames are displayed as thumbnails in a video track, making it a whole lot easier to compose in sync with individual frames. Basic editing functionality, such as edit, cut and paste, are also readily available.
Electronic Music Producer
- Kraftwerk performing live with Cubase
Producers of all types of electronic music find an arsenal of stunning virtual synthesizers and numerous effects in Cubase 5.
Prologue, Spector and Mystic are based on renowned synthesizer technology by VirSyn and are the perfect choice for any type of synth sound, covering everything from powerful low end and impressive leads up to spherical pads and unheard-of atmos. In addition to hundreds of available presets, there are so many other ways to modulate, filter and edit your sound creatively. All this and the polyphonic pad synthesizer Embracer, the resource-saving Monologue synthesizer as well as the HALion ONE sample player round out the rich sound spectrum of Cubase 5. The handy Track Quick Controls and its MIDI Learn feature let you record those lively filter sweeps as well as virtually control every sound parameter, also with an external MIDI controller.
Let’s just put the awesome synthesizers aside for one moment and you’ll see that Cubase also provides outstanding drum tools including the drum sampler Groove Agent ONE and the Beat Designer step sequencer for programming quick and individual grooves. What’s more, LoopMash is a truly inspirational tool, letting you create new variations of available grooves and loops but is also pure fun for just playing around with. In case you crave even more sounds, simply turn to the hundreds of third-party software instruments that can perfectly be integrated into Cubase through the VST interface. Prefer to work with hardware synthesizers and samplers? Not a problem at all — external sound modules can seamlessly be connected to Cubase and used just as easily as plug-ins.
There are more than 50 audio effects in Cubase for sound designing and mixing: reverbs, delays, modulation effects, dynamic processors and many more. And it doesn’t stop here! Cubase 5 also features 18 MIDI-effects, such as the powerful Arpache arpeggiator.
Many sequencers confine you to a certain way of doing things. Cubase 5, on the other hand, allows you to choose between timeline- und pattern-based arranging — perfectly integrated into the familiar Project window. Using the Arranger function, you can define different segments of the song as Arranger parts and play them back in any order — the ideal solution for live performances.
Prologue, Spector and Mystic are based on renowned synthesizer technology by VirSyn and are the perfect choice for any type of synth sound, covering everything from powerful low end and impressive leads up to spherical pads and unheard-of atmos. In addition to hundreds of available presets, there are so many other ways to modulate, filter and edit your sound creatively. All this and the polyphonic pad synthesizer Embracer, the resource-saving Monologue synthesizer as well as the HALion ONE sample player round out the rich sound spectrum of Cubase 5. The handy Track Quick Controls and its MIDI Learn feature let you record those lively filter sweeps as well as virtually control every sound parameter, also with an external MIDI controller.
Let’s just put the awesome synthesizers aside for one moment and you’ll see that Cubase also provides outstanding drum tools including the drum sampler Groove Agent ONE and the Beat Designer step sequencer for programming quick and individual grooves. What’s more, LoopMash is a truly inspirational tool, letting you create new variations of available grooves and loops but is also pure fun for just playing around with. In case you crave even more sounds, simply turn to the hundreds of third-party software instruments that can perfectly be integrated into Cubase through the VST interface. Prefer to work with hardware synthesizers and samplers? Not a problem at all — external sound modules can seamlessly be connected to Cubase and used just as easily as plug-ins.
There are more than 50 audio effects in Cubase for sound designing and mixing: reverbs, delays, modulation effects, dynamic processors and many more. And it doesn’t stop here! Cubase 5 also features 18 MIDI-effects, such as the powerful Arpache arpeggiator.
Many sequencers confine you to a certain way of doing things. Cubase 5, on the other hand, allows you to choose between timeline- und pattern-based arranging — perfectly integrated into the familiar Project window. Using the Arranger function, you can define different segments of the song as Arranger parts and play them back in any order — the ideal solution for live performances.
Beat Producer
Cubase 5 includes a ton of tools for the creative beat producer. LoopMash is a revolutionary new instrument that lets you creatively work with loops and create constantly new and seamless groove variations of available audio material. The Groove Agent ONE drum machine combines powerful drum sampling with comprehensive sound design capability. Groove Agent ONE allows you to import sliced loops and MPC kits plus includes several acoustic and electronic drum kits. By using the Beat Designer step sequencer, you can quickly and intuitively program individual drum patterns. Including dozens of beats in different music styles, Beat Designer is the perfect complement to Groove Agent ONE, but can also be used with any other drum sampler of choice. Alongside the included libraries of LoopMash and Groove Agent ONE, you can also use the high quality drum kits of the HALion ONE sample player as well as a selection of inspiring loops made by Big Fish Audio — installed when adding the free VST Sound Collection.
The added effects provide everything you need to let your beats sound punchier, louder and dirtier. Here you have high quality EQs, compressors, limiters, distortion effects and tons more in your hand, not to forget the featured full side-chaining support.
Bands
- Cubase user Qemists
Different recording modes and great tools allow you to manage multiple takes and find the perfect recording in a jiffy. Due to the integrated audio pre-record function, you won’t miss a single take (especially the really good ones) even when forgetting to activate the recording function. What’s more, Cubase comes with PitchCorrect and VariAudio, two powerful tools for pitch and intonation correction, to edit the vocal line during or even after the recording.
Thanks to the virtual control room, recording with Cubase 5 is just as straightforward as using an expensive studio console. The Cubase 5 control room is a unique and powerful recording and monitoring environment, including four studio buses for individual submixes, talkback function, separate metronome bus, four monitor setups and much, much more. By using the control room functions, you can set up headphone mixes for musicians and singers, toggle between different loudspeaker setups and connect to six external sound sources such as tape, CD and DVD. Together with the Steinberg MR816 CSX/X FireWire interfaces, it is also possible to create absolutely latency-free monitor mixes in Cubase.
