Welcome to No Limit Sound Productions

Company Founded
2005
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Our services include Sound Engineering, Audio Post-Production, System Upgrades and Equipment Consulting.
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Our mission is to provide excellent quality and service to our customers. We do customized service.

Friday, August 8, 2025

Cubase 14: The New Drum Machine

Each of Drum Machine’s sound engines offers something unique. Shown here is the Kick 4 engine, with its FM‑based oscillator section.Each of Drum Machine’s sound engines offers something unique. Shown here is the Kick 4 engine, with its FM‑based oscillator section.

Cubase’s Drum Machine features some good kits, but also lets you create original sounds.

Cubase 14 brought some very interesting new additions to all three of its main editions but, for Pro and Artist users, the new Drum Machine instrument is a real treat. Supplied with its own dedicated track type, it comes packed with a broad range of ready‑to‑go preset kits. While these are all aimed very much at electronic music styles, the engine provides plenty of scope for designing your own sounds too, so in this workshop I’ll explore some of those possibilities by targeting some drum‑meets‑percussive sounds that would be suitable for a more cinematic context.

Show Some Backbone

Drum Machine can, in some ways, be thought of as a cross between Steinberg’s Groove Agent and Backbone instruments. It offers the multiple 4x4 grids of virtual drum pads that will be familiar to GA users, and on these pads you can lay individual drum sounds (or create playable pitched sounds). You also get a ‘lite’ version of the layered drum synthesis/ sample‑based sound‑design tools that lie at the heart of Backbone.

Each sound in Drum Machine can be built from up to four layers. The layers can be based on any combination of the instrument’s various synthesis engines or audio samples. The former are divided into categories based on drum type (Kicks, Snares, Hihats, Toms, Claps, Cymbals and Percussion), but each category also offers multiple options in each of the synthesis engines. For example, each of the four Kicks options has a distinct feature set, going from a simple oscillator combination through to a more versatile FM‑based oscillator. Samples can simply be dropped into a layer from the MediaBay or your OS file browser.

With additional filters, distortion and envelope controls at the layer level, plus both per‑pad effects and global delay and reverb with individual sends from each pad, Drum Machine manages to pack a lot of sound‑design potential into a compact, easily navigated GUI. Indeed, there are enough options here that there are multiple ways to approach any specific sound‑design target. With that in mind, please take the examples that follow for what they are: launch pads for your own experiments.

Boom & Drop

My first cinematic target was a sort of ‘boom with a pitch drop’ sound. I deliberately confined myself to a sound based on a single layer, and the first screenshot (above) shows the settings I arrived at. This is based upon the Kick 4 synth engine and, aside from adding a dollop of Drum Machine’s own reverb, I didn’t touch any of the pad‑level effects.

Kick 4 uses an FM oscillator and offers some interesting ways to change the character of the sound. The key settings to note are that I set the Tune control to ‑12 semitones, for a little extra low‑frequency energy, and both the FM Env and FM Dec were maxed out. While you don’t get full control over all the aspects of the amplitude and modulation envelopes (Backbone gives you more on this front), the latter extends the FM modulation envelope decay time so, when triggered and sustained, the tonal character of my ‘boom’ changes over time.

The other settings to note are the Filter LP Freq (set to 100Hz to focus the overall sound in the lower frequency range) and the relatively long Pitch Decay and Amp Env Decay settings. Alongside the also maxed‑out Pitch Env Depth, the first of these generates an extended pitch drop as the sound sustains. The second lets you influence the overall length of the sound once triggered.

The end result can be heard in the audio examples on the SOS website (https://sosm.ag/cubase-0325): a nice beefy boom, with a little growl and pitch drop appearing after the initial hit, and which responds to MIDI velocity. It’s pretty effective even just using a single layer like this, but you could easily take things further by blending in additional layers to target both the initial transient/hit and the sustain portion of the sound.

Take My Pulse

My second target was a ‘pulse’ sound of the kind that might be used to underscore a tension/drama cue to give it a sense of pace. The second screenshot shows a composite of my Drum Machine settings. I used the very simple Kick 1 synth engine but hardly touched the controls, as the main sound‑shaping came thanks to the Filter and Equaliser modules in the PadFX section. A low‑pass filter was set to 150Hz (and given a little resonance), while both Low Cut (100Hz) and High Cut (1000Hz) were used to shape the low and high end, respectively. Add in just a touch of reverb and the sound – heartbeat‑like, but with a little punch to it — was good to go.

Creating my ‘pulse’ sound was as much about filtering and EQ as it was using the Kick 1 engine itself.Creating my ‘pulse’ sound was as much about filtering and EQ as it was using the Kick 1 engine itself.

Again, you could add more layers to refine the sound but it could also be interesting to experiment with the combination of the oscillator’s Click settings and the filter cutoff. If you add some ‘click’ and don’t set the cutoff too low, you can create an interesting attack dimension to the overall sound that could be used to give it more emphasis. Alternatively, dial back the oscillator’s Tone control for a somewhat softer end result.

Tick Tock

My third target was a ‘ticker’ sound, something that’s often used as a high‑frequency complement to a pulse. Drum Machine offers a number of potential starting points for this, and I opted for the Closed HH 3 engine. In this case, I made two variants of the sound: a ‘tick’ (mapped to G1) and a ‘tock’ (slightly lower in pitch, and mapped to A1). You could impersonate a ticking clock with this combination, of course, but used in a more percussive role, the two variations simply provide some performance variety.

Set with very short Amp Env Decay, the Closed HH engines all provide plenty of options for ‘ticker’ style sound design.Set with very short Amp Env Decay, the Closed HH engines all provide plenty of options for ‘ticker’ style sound design.

The final screenshot shows the settings used for the ‘tick’ version. A little reverb aside, there are only three settings to note. First, the Amp Env Decay was made short, so the overall sound is shorter and less obviously cymbal‑like. For the ‘tick’, the Oscillator Tune control was slightly raised and the filter cutoff (which affects both the oscillator and the noise components of the sound) was set to about 11 o’clock. For the ‘tock’ version, the Tune control was adjusted to lower the pitch and the cutoff set to the eight o’clock position. Both these changes emphasised the lower‑frequency component of the sound. There are plenty of other options to explore. For example, if you wished to make the sound more assertive or aggressive, the Closed HH 3 engine’s Dist section or the more flexible PadFX Distortion module could be explored.

Stuck In Reverse

As mentioned earlier, Drum Machine lets you base a layer on an audio sample. I’ve not exploited that possibility in the examples above, but there are plenty of processing options, with low‑/high‑pass filtering, pitch adjustment, a full filter section and adjustment of the sample start/end points and the amplitude envelope. You can also reverse samples but, unlike Backbone, it’s not possible to control the amplitude envelope in a way that syncs to the project tempo — so, if you create a riser effect (for example), triggering it to reach its peak right on your target beat/bar position can be a bit hit‑and‑miss.

You can configure Modulators as automation sources for Drum Machine’s parameters and those can be sync’ed to the project tempo.

Eagle‑eyed Pro users may have also noted that, in its first iteration at least, Drum Machine doesn’t offer a pop‑open upper panel to access Cubase Pro 14’s new Modulators. Happily, you can configure Modulators as automation sources for Drum Machine’s parameters and those can be sync’ed to the project tempo, so you could pretty easily configure a pad’s Level control to gradually increase over the course of (for example) a bar using something like the Step Modulator.

Full Hit Kit

So, Drum Machine might have been designed primarily with electronic drum sounds in mind, but it also offers enough sound‑design features that it can be useful in other musical contexts, and if you’re currently using Elements, Drum Machine might be just another item to add to your ‘reasons to upgrade’ list. With eight banks of 16 pads in a single Drum Machine instance, you could easily build quite a comprehensive single preset containing different types and styles of cinematic hits and sound effects. Yes, there are dedicated third‑party virtual instruments that offer this kind of sound palette too, but rolling your own isn’t hard, it’s fun, and it means the sounds you use will be unique to you. 



Published March 2025

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Steinberg update Cubase 14

 

New features, fixes & improvements

Steinberg Cubase 14 music production DAW update

Steinberg have announced the release of a maintenance update for Cubase that kits the popular DAW out with some new features and tackles a number of known bugs. Cubase 14.0.20 introduces some changes to the Pattern and Score Editors, additional Audio Export options and a new Audio Segment Detection feature capable of highlighting individual elements such as words and drum hits in audio regions. 

In response to user requests, Cubase’s Pattern Editor now offers undo and redo support via the Edit History window, while the Step Grid menu has gained new Double Pattern Length and Double Resolution options. It’s now possible to set minimum and maximum randomisation values in the parameter lane, allowing for more detailed control over step variations, and synchronisation has been improved between the Drum Machine and Pattern Editor when using extended pitch ranges for Drum Machine pads. 

The Score Editor has also been treated to an upgrade, and is now capable of importing Dorico projects along with MusicXML files from any application. It also now supports rhythm slashes, bar repeats, and numbered bar regions, along with tremolos, which can be converted to and from grace notes. A new Notation Settings dialog controls the automatic notation of rhythms, while new options in the Layout Settings provide greater control over bar numbers. Furthermore, it’s now possible to change the enharmonic spelling of notes, set the project cursor position, input playing techniques in percussion and more.

Thanks to the Audio Segment Detection function, it’s now possible for users to make quick volume adjustments to specific parts of audio regions. Hovering over a track’s waveform display with the Range tool whilst holding the modifier key will result in Cubase automatically highlighting detected audio segments and displaying a volume control which can be dragged up or down to alter the level of that specific element without affecting the rest of the region. 

An update to the MixConsole means that the Fader section is now configurable in both the standalone and Lower Zone views, with its visibility adjustable via the Setup Window Layout option, and a whole host of new key commands have been introduced for tasks such as transposing MIDI Parts and Audio Events, accessing Curve Tool variants and adding Tempo and Time Signature Events. The Transport section has been updated, too, with a new Record Start at Selection mode joined by new playback control key commands. Cubase now supports exporting Marker Tracks into wave files, meaning that marker positions can be embedded into the file’s metadata for integration with WaveLab and other third-party applications. 

Along with the headline features, Cubase 14.0.20 tackles a wide range of known bugs and issues, a full list of which can be found in the release notes. The update also implements full support for Windows on ARM on devices powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processors, and enables Windows 11 users to run these products natively with Snapdragon X CPU technology.

Availability

Cubase 14.0.20 is available now, and is a free update for all existing Cubase 14 users. More information can be found on the Steinberg website.

www.steinberg.net/cubase/release-notes/14




Monday, August 4, 2025

Cubase 14: Banish Boring Pads

Screen 1: Spicing up our static pad with the new Modulator options by targeting parameters both in Retrologue itself and insert effects on the Retrologue channel.Screen 1: Spicing up our static pad with the new Modulator options by targeting parameters both in Retrologue itself and insert effects on the Retrologue channel.

Want to awaken those sleepy synth pads? Then give Cubase 14’s Modulators a try!

If existing Cubase users needed a single excuse to upgrade to Pro 14, the new Modulator options might well provide it, especially if your music makes use of synth‑based elements. While lots of modern virtual synths have modulation options on board, those only let you modulate parameters inside that instrument. In contrast, Cubase’s new Modulators have track‑wide reach — they grant you access to any parameter on the selected track, whether in the instrument itself, or in an insert effect or a parameter of the channel hosting it.

The creative sound‑design options the Modulator system offers are almost limitless but let’s start an exploration of the potential with three (from many) different options the Modulator system provides for tackling a common task: banishing the ‘boring’ from a simple synth pad.

Inside & Out

There are contexts where a static pad sound, such as the Retrologue sound I’ve started with in the audio examples (available on the SOS website: https://sosm.ag/cubase-0425), can be just what the musical mood requires. But if you need to add some sonic movement, parameter modulation is a great place to start. Retrologue has its own well‑featured modulation system, of course, but in this example the preset I’ve created makes no use of that. Instead, I’ve opened the new Modulators panel in the Project window’s Lower Zone and, as shown in the first screenshot, used its modulation options instead.

The new Modulator system provides six different modulator types:

  • LFO
  • Envelope Follower
  • Shaper
  • Macro Knob
  • Step Modulator
  • ModScripter

Any combination of these can be added in the eight available slots on the selected track/channel. To start things fairly simply, this first example just uses two instances of the LFO Modulator type and one of the Shaper. The LFO instances are both sine waves, but are set to different Note (speed) values, and with some Shape and Phase changes applied to the second instance. These target parameters in the synth’s engine, including Filter Cutoff and Osc 3 Fine pitch (LFO 1), and Filter Resonance and Osc 2 Fine pitch (LFO 2). The system for adding targets to a Modulator is beautifully implemented — in the majority of cases, you simply hit the large ‘+’ button, then click the desired target parameter.

In this example, all the Modulation Depth values are set quite modestly, so the changes to both filter and pitch are subtle, while the Note settings mean the modulation also occurs quite slowly. Even with just these two Modulators applied, the pad benefits from some nice tonal and pitch movement.

Up to this point, these modulation moves could have been created in Retrologue’s own modulation matrix. The Shaper modulator, though, demonstrates one of the key advantages of the new Modulator system, because it’s targeting parameters outside Retrologue. 



Published April 2025

Friday, August 1, 2025

Steinberg eLicenser support to end in May

 

Software to exclusively use Steinberg Licenser from 20 May 2025

Steinberg Licensing eLicenser end of support

Steinberg have announced that following a gradual changeover period to the new Steinberg Licenser management system, their old eLicenser system will be switched off on 20 May 2025. 

The company say that customers whose software requires Steinberg Licensing are already enjoying the benefits that this new system offers, such as a simplified license activation as well as allowing a single-user license to run on up to three computers without the physical USB-eLicenser dongle. The changeover to the new ID-based Steinberg Licensing system has been in progress since 2022, with various options and offers provided to help users transition seamlessly from eLicenser-based products to the new system.

Following the close down, Steinberg will continue to ensure that customers are able to update or upgrade eLicenser-based products as long as the eLicenser has been registered accordingly. Existing eLicenser-based products can still be used without limitations, as long as the licenses are available on the USB-eLicenser or Soft-eLicenser.

“Over several years we have kept our customers posted through the various avenues available to us on the development of a new licensing system. After successfully rolling out our new license system, the time is gradually drawing closer to call an end to the transitional phase from the old eLicenser to the new Steinberg Licensing system.” - Clyde Sendke, Managing Director, Steinberg

More information, and FAQs regarding the end of the eLicenser system, can be found via the link below. 

www.steinberg.net/licensing/elicenser-end-of-service