Thursday, November 30, 2023
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Cubase: MIDI Logical Editor
The Extract Kick Drum (C1) to New Track preset.
When it comes to MIDI editing, Cubase’s MIDI Logical Editor can do magic!
If I had to identify options for a ‘most underutilised features in Cubase’ list, prime candidates would be the Project Logical Editor (found only in the Pro version) and the MIDI Logical Editor (found in the Pro and Artist versions). Both are incredibly powerful editing tools but, because they use Boolean logic (commands can be chained together to make ‘true or false’ decisions, which determine the eventual editing outcome), they can also seem somewhat intimidating. It’d be a great shame if you let that put you off, though, because both are incredibly useful and have the potential to streamline lots of repetitive editing tasks. Fortunately, Steinberg include some excellent presets for them in Cubase, and unpicking an example or two provides a fairly gentle entry into these powerful tools. In this column, I’ll do just that for the MIDI Logical Editor, which is, as its name suggests, a tool for doing things to your MIDI data.
Double Your Kick
Let’s start with a preset that’s easy to understand, yet turns a very common MIDI editing task into something close to a single click: Extract Kick Drum (C1) to New Track. Layering multiple sounds is common practice with MIDI‑based drums so, for this example, let’s assume we have created a MIDI clip that triggers our main drum virtual instrument (VI), and we want to double the kick performance with a second VI.
The first screen shows the content of the preset (the preset system is accessed at the very top of the UI). The upper panel (Event Target Filters) lets you specify criteria to define what MIDI events are selected for editing. In this case, there are two criteria used. The first simply states that the Filter Target ‘type’ is ‘equal’ to a MIDI ‘note’, meaning that all MIDI notes (and nothing else) are potential targets for selection. However, the second line refines that selection by specifying that the note’s pitch must be equal to C1 (that’s the default MIDI note used for the kick drum, though you can change this if desired). The entry in the Bool column (on the right of the UI) is worth paying attention to. In this case, it is set to ‘And’ (as opposed to ‘Or’). This means that the MIDI Logical Editor will only select items that meet both the first and second criteria. For this preset, that means it will only select MIDI notes whose pitch is equal to C1.
In this preset, the GUI’s lower panel (Event Transform Actions) is empty. I’ll cover this section below but for now note that, with no entries here, the selected MIDI data (notes with a pitch of C1) will not be altered in any way. However,...
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Monday, November 27, 2023
Cubase: Exploring The Project Logical Editor
By John Walden
Toggling the bypass status for insert plug‑ins on multiple tracks: a great shortcut for A/B comparison.
Embrace the power of Cubase’s Project Logical Editor, and you can become a workflow ninja!
In last month’s workshop I demonstrated just how powerful the MIDI Logical Editor, found in both the Pro and Artist versions of Cubase, can be for manipulating MIDI data, but as I mentioned in that column Pro users also have something called the Project Logical Editor. This is a similar logic‑driven tool that allows you to simplify complex tasks, but in this case rather than work with MIDI data, it’s used to streamline project‑level tasks. As with the MIDI Logical Editor, if you’re not used to working with Boolean logic, the Project Logical Editor can feel intimidating at first, but exploring just a few example presets will soon get over that initial speed bump.
Better In Or Out?
We’ll start our introductory tour with a preset that’s conceptually easy to understand yet does a super‑useful job. ‘Toggle Inserts Bypass of Selected Tracks’ is found in the Mixing category of the Factory presets and does as the name suggests: action this preset and all the insert plug‑ins on the currently selected tracks will have their bypass status switched, with active plug‑ins put into bypass and bypassed plug‑ins made active. The first screen shows how this is achieved.
As with the MIDI Logical Editor last month, the options in the Event Target Filters panel dictate what objects are to be selected. The Event Transform Actions panel then specifies what changes are to be made to those selected objects. In the upper panel, the ‘Container Type’ is selected if it is ‘Equal’ to ‘Track’ and if its ‘Property Is Set’ to ‘Selected’. This means that only tracks that you’ve selected within the Project or MixConsole windows are going to be changed by any of the commands specified in the lower panel. In that lower panel, a single entry applies a ‘Track Operation’ to the ‘Inserts Bypass’ parameter: it ‘Toggles’ the status of the bypass setting. This preset can be a really useful function for A/B comparisons. For example, you can select all your subgroup bus tracks and quickly bypass their insert plug‑ins to check whether all those mix processing moves are helping as intended, or hindering. Another scenario is use it on one or more tracks to toggle between two instances of an EQ or compressor (or both) that are configured with different settings, to see which you prefer.
And since you can configure a key command to execute any Project Logical Editor preset, once you’ve selected the tracks you wish to work with, a single click lets you toggle the bypass status of all the insert plug‑ins. There are other (equally useful) presets within this Mixing category that provide similar ‘bypass’ options for...
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Friday, November 24, 2023
Steinberg unveil Cubase 13
The latest version of Steinberg’s popular music production-focused DAW has arrived, bringing with it a whole host of new features and enhancements. Cubase 13 delivers a refreshed MixConsole design, expands the capabilities of the Key and Drum Editors and adds some new plug-ins, as well as reintroducing the Vocoder.
Cubase has long been praised for its MIDI editing capabilities, and the latest version continues to expand and improve the DAW's powerful toolset. A new range tool in the Key Editor and Drum Editor windows makes quick work of applying changes to multiple notes or MIDI messages, and both editors also benefit from a new Visibility tab, which makes it possible to quickly switch between editing multiple parts, whilst a Track view provides a timeline display of the parts from within the editor window.
The Project window has also gained a new Channel tab, which provides channel strip-style access to all of a selected part’s mixer parameters — including routing, inserts and sends — without needing to switch windows.
The update brings with it a number of new plug-ins, including VocalChain, a comprehensive vocal processor packed with filter, EQ, dynamics and effects modules dedicated to crafting professional-sounding vocals. VoxComp then provides a compressor specifically designed for vocal tracks, whilst Black Valve promises the warmth and character associated with vintage valve compressors, and a pair of EQ-P1A and EQ-M5 plug-ins offer Pultec-style EQ options. The release also marks the return of Vocoder, which comes loaded with 24 filter bands capable of adding some interesting textures to instruments or creating robotic vocal sounds.
There’s a vast collection of other improvements and enhancements, too, including a new Spectral Warp mode for the Sampler Track, new video editing and export capabilities, new chord pads that offer musical starting points, a compact Iconica Sketch instrument that provides composers with an all-in-one orchestral scoring tool and much more.
We’ve been putting the latest version to the test here at SOS, with a full review planned for the upcoming December issue.
Compatibility
Cubase 13 is supported on PCs running Windows 10 or 11, and Macs running macOS 12 or 13.
Pricing & Availability
Cubase 13 is available now, with pricing as follows:
There are also a range of upgrade options available for existing Cubase users.
https://www.steinberg.net/cubase/
Published 2/11/23
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Studio Module
A completed Studio Module setup in Cubase on the PC.
The Studio Module allows PC and Atari users to select configurations and patch names for their synths within Cubase. Paul Nagle guides you through the basics of creating a Studio Module setup.
The Studio Module was developed for Cubase back in its Atari ST days and has survived, little changed in functionality, in the PC version. On the Mac, however, the Studio Module was effectively (or ineffectively) replaced by Opcode's Open MIDI System, so the only part of this month's Cubase Notes relevant to Mac users will be the last section, where I'll discuss the new method of selecting patches — scripting — that was introduced with VST 5 on Mac and PC.
The Studio Module's job is to receive System Exclusive data from a wide range of MIDI equipment such as synths and effects units, store this data, and retransmit it when necessary. It can extract user patch names and display them, to allow easy patch selection within Cubase, and it is shipped with many (user‑tailorable) lists of ROM and expansion board preset names for popular synths. Despite being simple in purpose, the Studio Module is an area of Cubase that leaves many a brow furrowed. As it (usually) requires two‑way communication with MIDI devices, even a modest setup can result in a complex nest of MIDI leads connected to your computer via switching units, multi‑port interfaces or patchbays. My only advice in this area is to be meticulous, label your leads and plan things out on paper. Almost all problems with the Studio Module are related to MIDI interfacing errors.
Modules
The Studio Module 'sucks' patch names and data from your synths and stores them, allowing you to change patches from within Cubase.
In terms of Cubase as a whole, modules are 'optional extras' — parts of the program you can choose to activate if you want. The Modules Setup menu lists all kinds of goodies: the arpeggiator, SysEx editor, AVI player, SMPTE display and more. Two settings, Active and Preload, determine whether each module should be activated for the current session or automatically each time Cubase loads. Find Studio Module in the list and set both Active and Preload to Yes. Now, assuming this is the first time you've used it, you must start by supplying some information about your gear.
First, you need to tell the Studio Module which devices you have in your studio. Select Studio Module from Cubase's Modules menu and choose its Setup option. The setup screen (the screenshot, left, shows a completed setup) looks pretty confusing at first, but it isn't so bad. As an example, let's assume our studio has a Roland XP80 workstation. To tell the Studio Module about this instrument, first click Add and navigate to the Library folder of your Cubase CD. This folder contains a subfolder called StudioModuleDrivers, which contains the drivers for all supported instruments. Now plunge into the folder named Roland, select XP80.DEV and click OK, and this instrument should now appear in your instrument list. (You may overtype the device name field if you wish; this name is what appears within Cubase when you select an instrument.)
The next bit is important: you must tell the Studio Module which MIDI connections to make to communicate with the synth. Do this using the pull‑down menus in the center of the Setup screen labelled Output and Input. One tip I'd recommend is to use the SetupMME program, which is installed along with Cubase to name each MIDI port according to the synths that are connected to it. Subsequent MIDI In/Out selection within Cubase becomes very easy if you do this.
Next, specify the MIDI channel(s) your synth will use, any device ID information necessary and you're almost done. If you are unsure of the device ID for your synth (your synth manual may refer to this as the 'SysEx ID'), try leaving it at the default setting.
MIDI patchbays can be useful for organising a growing hoard of MIDI gear, and if the instrument you just added is connected to one, there's an extra step to perform now. In the Setup option's Patchbay box, type in the program number Cubase should send (to the patchbay) so that two‑way MIDI communication is established. You should also enter a program number which will re‑establish 'normal' connections after any SysEx dump has taken place. Typically this would be the connection of your master keyboard to one of the MIDI inputs of the system. The Studio Module supports two patchbays simultaneously. If one or both of yours cannot switch connections via MIDI program changes, set the MIDI channel box to 'Man' and you will be prompted to make the switch yourself when necessary.
Beneath the MIDI Patchbay box is smaller box with just two pull‑down menus: Total Recall and Mask. The former is a name field you can use to categorise your data dumps, while the latter lists the available data types for the currently selected device. The XP80, for instance, has Patches, Performances, Rhythm and System data types as Mask entries. Ensure all these are ticked and create a Total Recall definition called 'All'. As you add new instruments, make sure all their data types are also ticked.
Congratulations, you've just assembled a complete Studio backup (and restoration) tool! If you prefer to work at patch level, you might create a second Total Recall definition just for patches. This will be far quicker in use because it gathers less data. If you edit sounds a lot, you'll probably find this more streamlined Recall very handy.
Using A Studio Module Setup
Updating the patch data for a single instrument within the Studio Module.
OK, having set things up, it's time to test communication by sucking some patch data from your synths. There are several ways to do this; I'd suggest opening the Modules menu, selecting Studio Module and then choosing Total Receive. You'll be asked which type of dump to retrieve, which is where our Total Recall names come into play. Select All, and the Studio Module will request a filename to use when storing the data. Enter something meaningful and it should begin grabbing data from each of your synths in turn, storing the resulting file with an MEM file extension. The results should look something like the topmost screenshot. If everything is connected properly and the data is retrieved successfully, clicking on a track's patch name field should cause a box listing all your patches to appear. Good, eh?
You may wish to associate a particular patch or performance dump with a song. Let's suppose the song is called Wibble.all. Simply save the Total patch dump as Wibble.mem in the same directory as the song, and when you next load Wibble.all, Cubase will ask if it should load just the patch names or load the names and transmit the SysEx data to all devices. It's clever enough to recognise that a dump called def.mem (Cubase's default song is def.all) in the Cubase directory should always be 'names only', so it won't ask this question each time the default song loads. Finally, in the Data Dump Manager (see screenshot, above), you can load and save data from individual instruments rather than the entire studio. The data format is actually identical to that of the MEM‑format dumps. In the Data Dump Manager you may see an 'n' next to items in the Data Type list. This means that names are currently loaded into the Studio Module's memory but not the actual patch data. A '>' sign indicates that names and data are held in memory and can, if necessary, be transmitted to the synth.
Generic Drivers
Patch Name Scripting is a new alternative to the Studio Module.
If no Studio Module driver exists for a particular piece of your gear and you don't fancy tackling the DMaker tool to create one (see DMaker box on page 248), Cubase provides alternate methods of patch selection and data gathering. Housed within the the Library section of the Cubase CD are several general‑purpose Studio Module drivers. Of these, 'Any_Dump' is intended as a receiver of SysEx data in cases where no specific driver exists. It happily receives any data you throw at it, storing it along with data from your other instruments. The Studio Module neither knows nor cares about the data format or the byte count in a dump of this type. A slightly more sophisticated driver, 'Generic', allows you to code a SysEx string (you'll have to work it out from your synth's manual) which is sent to your instrument as a request to spill out its patches. With this driver, you specify how many bytes the dump should be and Cubase treats it almost like a proper driver. The main limitation with the Generic driver is that no patch names can be automatically extracted. Finally, the List Driver provides straightforward name boxes for easy patch selection. Overtype the names as you want, then use the Function/SaveNames to update your copy of the driver (see Saving/Loading Name Files box on page 249).
Patch Name Scripting
You can even get patch names from ROM expansion boards into the Studio Module.
VST 5.0 introduced a new feature called Patch Name Scripting, which is designed to be easier to use than the List Driver. A Patch Script is a basic text file, which can be created with any text editor. If you want to use a Script file instead of a Studio Module driver, use the 'Setup Instruments' option when selecting an instrument for a track (see screenshot, below) and specify that the source is a Script file. These reside in the Cubase directory, in a folder called Scripts. If there is no script for the instrument you want, make up your own based on an existing example.
If you really want to, you can use program and bank change numbers instead of patch names, but I'm willing to bet that once you're used to the convenience of the Studio Module, you'll turn your nose up at any other method of patch selection. For me, this sets Cubase apart from all the other sequencers I've tried and I find it invaluable for quickly collecting and saving the correct sounds for each song. The Studio Module is a large topic, and I can't cover every aspect of it here — but fortunately it occupies about 100 pages of the electronic documentation, and this is definitely worth reading!
Create Your Own Drivers with DMaker
What if you have a synth which is not currently supported by the Studio Module? Well, included on the Cubase CD is a program called DMaker which is used to create drivers. Many people have complained that DMaker is too complicated but, in reality, it's the variety and complexity of synthesizer SysEx data that makes it a tough nut to crack. Few people understand SysEx well enough to create a driver themselves and, since each synth has its own data format, patch name location within the data, and so on, each driver must be approached seperately. Explainging DMaker would take an article (or two) by itself. All I'll say here is that if you are really confident, the source of all the existing drivers is on the Cubase CD and, by studying the driver of a synth as similar as possible to yours, you might start to understand how DMaker works. Good luck!
Saving/Loading Name Files
A question I'm asked quite often is "I have an expansion board in my JV1080. How do I get its names into the Studio Module?" If you look at the screenshot above, you can see that selection of ROM sounds is an important part of the Studio Module's agenda — so how do you load names of your own into it? Don't worry, it's pretty easy. First, back up your synth's internal sounds. Then use the synth's own copy function to copy the sounds from the expansion slot or ROM card to internal memory. Next, receive this data into the Studio Module by clicking Data Dump/MIDI/Receive. In the Studio Module's Patch Selection screen, click Function and then Save/Update Names. Type a filename and save the patch names. Next comes the clever part: click the appropriate expansion slot within the Studio Module's Patches display, click Function and this time choose Load Names. Load in the file you just saved, and all the names should now be correctly entered into the driver. Repeat this for as many expansion cards or ROM banks as you have. When you've finished, choose Save/Update Names from the Function menu, and this time take the Update option to update your version of the driver. It should now contain appropriate names in the locations that match your synth's expansion board patches. When you have everything set up as you want it, save your default song and (this is very important!) back up both Cubase's def.all song and studio.dat folder. In fact, back them up twice. Or more. That way, if you need to ever reinstall Cubase, you can simply copy these back into the Cubase directory and Cubase will look and behave as it always did.
Other Functions
The Studio Module is also handy for renaming patches in your synth. Hold down Alt and double‑click a patch name, and you can then overtype it. Hold down Ctrl and click, and the patch will be sent to the synth. This is probably easier than naming patches on the synth itself. Even with devices such as the Waldorf Pulse and Korg DW8000, which have no names on board, you can give their patches names for convenience using this method if you wish. A Find command on the Function menu is useful to perform a patch name search through your banks.
Several Studio Module drivers include a Macro Editor, which typically consists of a few on‑screen sliders designed to tweak some aspects of the patch. If a Macro Editor exists for your instrument, it is opened by double‑clicking a patch name.
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Monday, November 20, 2023
Manipulating Note Lengths
The key to a smooth performance is the Legato function, which works well with both monophonic and polyphonic parts. The upper window shows the original part, and the lower one shows the part after the Legato function has been applied.
The facilities that Cubase offers for manipulating note lengths may not be amongst its most exciting features, but as this month's Cubase Notes demonstrates, they can prove to be invaluable.
The subject of MIDI note lengths may not sound very exciting, but knowing how to make the best use of Cubase functions related to this topic can make your life a lot easier, by cleaning up your mix, reducing CPU overhead, and even preventing hanging notes. Some of the functions under discussion here have been in Cubase for ages, but others have only just appeared in version 5.0, so you may need to upgrade to take full advantage. Remember also that in Cubase 4.0 and beyond you can create your own keyboard shortcuts — the ones mentioned here are the default settings only.
Since Cubase still only provides one level of Undo, it's safest to apply all these functions from inside an editor — in most cases this will be the Key Editor, since this displays note lengths in the most easily understood form. You can then apply as many separate edits as you want: if you like the end results, pressing Enter will fix them permanently, whereas using the Esc key lets you ignore the lot and return to the original unedited version.
However, don't forget that Undo can also be used to see what changes a given function has made. When you use the Ctrl–Z Undo shortcut (or Command‑Z for Mac users), any notes that have been altered or deleted will not only reappear in their original form, but are also automatically selected. You can then repeatedly press Ctrl‑Z to toggle between Redo and Undo, viewing the changed and unchanged versions, and this will not only make it obvious which notes have altered, but how.
Fixing Your Lengths
The sustain pedal data shown along the bottom of the upper part can mislead you. After the 'Pedal to Note Lengths' function has been applied, generating the sequence in the lower window, it's far clearer how both parts will actually sound.
The first and easiest function to understand is 'Fixed Length' (keyboard shortcut Alt‑T for PC or Apple‑T for Mac). As its name suggests, this forces every selected note to the same fixed length, chosen by the current Quantise value, but leaves its start position unaltered. You can select this length using the mouse and drop‑down menu options, but most musicians find it quicker to select using the number keys on the main keyboard (not the ones on the numeric pad). Keys 1 to 8 select quantise and snap values from whole notes right through to 32nd notes, and you can also enter dotted and triplet values using the full stop (.) and T keys respectively.
I find 'Fixed Length' particularly handy in making ad hoc drum and percussion parts more legible, since many drum sounds play to their end regardless of how long the note is. There's also a 'Length Size' function, which leaves the note start positions unaltered, but this time quantises the length of the note to the nearest quantise value. I've yet to come across an occasion to use this one.
A Smooth Performance
The Cubase Inspector also offers a Length parameter, with options ranging from 25 to 200 percent. At 25 percent all notes are played at a quarter their actual length, and at 200 percent, twice their actual length. This function operates in real time without permanently altering the data in the selected Track or Part, and is a quick and useful way to convert existing lines into short staccato stabs or smooth legato performances. If you want the latter, however, there's also a dedicated MIDI Legato function, which is far more intelligent. It looks for gaps where no notes are playing, and extends the nearest note (or notes) to fill them.
Legato also has an optional overlap parameter. If you leave this at the default setting of zero, notes will be extended to exactly fill any gaps, but by entering a positive value you can force every note to overlap the start of the next one, which might be useful with some synth patches, to avoid entering the release phase. Entering negative values forces a gap between every note of this length, which might sometimes be needed to ensure that a synth retriggers its envelopes properly.
Most musicians tend to use legato on monophonic lines such as lead or bass, but for the most realistic woodwind and brass parts don't forget to leave an occasional gap for your 'players' to take a breath! The Legato function can also be useful on polyphonic parts like strings. The only complication here is that the algorithm extends only the note that starts nearest to the gap, so if you've left a polyphonic part in unquantised form, only one note in each chord is likely to be altered. The way around this limitation is to apply Note On quantise first, and then the Legato function. You can use the Undo Quantise functions afterwards if you wish to return to your original timing.
Back Pedalling
If you record your MIDI parts using a keyboard equipped with a sustain pedal, every time you press the pedal you'll generate a Sustain On message, and each time you release it a Sustain Off. However, during subsequent editing it's easy to accidentally delete one or other of this pair of MIDI controller messages, either cutting notes off shorter than intended or, which is far worse, leaving them to drone on for ever. The new 'Pedal to Note Lengths' option in Cubase 5.0's list of MIDI functions lets you replace all pedal data by extending the note lengths to the next pedal off position, and then deleting the associated MIDI Controller 64 data.
This makes parts easier to read, especially for non‑keyboard instruments such as strings, and when the pedal data has been replaced, you may find that the resulting data shows lots of overlapping notes on the same key. These can cause note‑robbing even in apparently simple parts, and can also confuse a few synths that expect a Note Off command before the next Note On. You can remove these using the 'Delete Overlaps (mono)' function, to make the most of your polyphony.
The 'Delete Overlap (poly)' function is rather more drastic, since it cuts the length of all existing notes at the point where each new one starts. This is perfect for monophonic parts such as woodwind and synth lead lines where only one note should sound at a time, although you can get the same result with many synths by restricting polyphony for such instruments in the synth itself.
'Delete Overlap (poly)' isn't as useful for tidying up polyphonic parts, since each new note played will chop off all the others already sounding in a chord. However, it can be used to convert moving chord shapes into an arpeggiated sequence. Overlaps with simple block chords will also be cleaned up nicely, as long as all the notes in each chord have exactly the same start position. You can use the same trick as for Legato, by Note On Quantising them first and then applying the 'Delete Overlap (poly)' function.
Exploiting Polyphony
The 'Restrict Polyphony' function that first appeared in Cubase 4.0 on the Mac lets you reduce the maximum number of simultaneous notes in any track or part to any one of a selection of 15 options, ranging from one to 32 voices. This can be particularly useful for those using soft synths, since the CPU overhead of soft synths tends to rise with the number of notes. Given that exceeding around 70 to 80 percent of the maximum CPU power available will cause your computer's audio output to glitch, it's wise to cap the number of voices to a suitable number within the synth itself.
Even when you've done this, however, or if you are using one of the many hardware analogue synths with a restricted number of voices, choosing the same number using the 'Restrict Polyphony' function will ensure that you get no nasty surprises with notes cut off in their prime. Most synths operate on 'most recent note' priority, so that the oldest note gets chopped when polyphony runs out, but this type of note‑robbing can often prove frustrating and unpredictable in practice. If you ensure that your parts never contain more than the desired number of voices, you should never experience note–robbing.
The same function may also help when using a multitimbral synth across multiple tracks — in the past I've occasionally had a vital bass line cut off in mid‑note when a busy string part on another track reached the maximum polyphony of the synth and grabbed the voice the bass was using. By restricting the polyphony of the actual tracks, you can keep control over which notes are played.
By the way, you won't find descriptions of any of these functions in Cubase's electronic documentation, but you will find them included in the help file, in the MIDI Functions section of the Functions menu, which you can find in the final Menu Reference section.
Missing Notes
Some MIDI synths may respond slowly to MIDI information, and if you play lots of short, repeated notes, may miss a few. Cubase 5.0 normally avoids this possibility by forcing a short gap between Note Off and Note On commands on the same MIDI channel, but you can alter the length of this gap in the Playback section of MIDI Preferences if you still have problems with a particular synth. Older versions of Cubase have the similar Length Correction parameter, which can be found in the MIDI Setup window. Martin Walker
Cubase 5 On The Mac
By the time you read this, Cubase v5 should be generally available on the Mac platform as well as for Windows PCs. Although version 5 was a huge step up for PC users, many of its new features were already available in the Mac version 4, released late in 1998 (see Martin Walker's review in SOS September 2000 for a full run‑through of version 5). Nevertheless, upgrading to the new version still reveals some striking differences. The most obvious are in the look of the program: the Arrange page has adopted an understated, blue‑grey appearance more than a little reminiscent of the new look that was introduced in Emagic's Logic v4, while the virtual mixers and effects racks have also been redesigned. Personally, I like the new layout a lot, and find it both more ergonomically satisfying and easier on the eye than earlier versions.
There are new bundled effects, including plug‑in dynamics and a useable reverb at last, while the default plug‑in interface has been modified, with the new version allowing you to see every parameter at once. The EQ window has also changed, and now allows you to draw in EQ curves with the mouse.
Operational changes include the addition of dithering algorithms for mixing down 24‑bit files to 16‑bit masters and InWire support for collaboration over the Internet using the Rocket Networks server, but the one that is likely to be of most importance to most users is the addition of a new method of keeping track of synth patches. Patch Name Scripting (see last month's Cubase Notes) might, at last, mean the end of Cubase users' forced reliance on Opcode's increasingly dated Open Music System. Sam Inglis
Saturday, November 18, 2023
Friday, November 17, 2023
Interactive Phrase Synthesizer
The IPS works on an existing MIDI part, such as this step‑time C scale.
The Interactive Phrase Synthesizer is one of those parts of Cubase that most of us know exist, but which few have actually used. We take a look at what it can do, as well as offering some handy tips on setting up loops and introducing the idea of controlling your computer remotely...
One of the great strengths of Cubase is its breadth — by which I mean the ease with which it can accommodate the different working methods of different users. A skilled sight‑reader, for example, can compose music in Score Edit with familiar staves and notation. A technophile dance producer can gain total control over his or her MIDI equipment by typing baffling hexadecimal strings in Grid Edit. Normal people can easily grasp the intuitive 'piano roll' interface of Key Edit, and so on.
In short, there's something in it for everyone — and regardless of your musical background and training (or lack of it), chances are it won't have been long after you first tried it that you began to figure out how to make music with Cubase in a way that made sense to you.
However, whilst this easy accessibility is undoubtedly a testament to the excellence of Steinberg's software design, it has also arguably had an unfortunate side‑effect for some users: laziness. If it's possible to sketch out ideas quickly and easily using just Key Edit and the Arrange Window, who can be bothered to spend time ploughing through pages of baffling manual in order to find out what the other, more obscure features of Cubase do? Wouldn't that time be better spent writing music?
Well, perhaps. However, Cubase has a number of features which, although non‑essential, can when used properly act as both invaluable labour‑saving devices and inspiring compositional tools. Logical Edit (featured previously in Cubase Notes) is an example of the former; the Interactive Phrase Synthesizer (IPS) is an example of the latter.
What's A Phrase Synth?
The Interactive Phrase Synth may appear confusing at first, but it's actually pretty easy to use.
Given the wide availability of software virtual instruments for Cubase VST these days, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the Interactive Phrase Synth was a synthesizer in the conventional sense, ie. a sound generator. However, in this case it's actually 'Phrase' that's the operative word. The IPS is like an unusually complex arpeggiator, which is used to generate new musical phrases and motifs by processing MIDI note data. It is a purely MIDI‑based module, which has been a part of Cubase since early versions on the Atari ST. It's 'Interactive' in that, to get the best out of it, the user must provide a fair amount of real‑time input.
To try to explain the concepts behind the IPS further at this early stage would probably just confuse matters unnecessarily, so instead let's get our hands dirty with some practical examples. First ensure that the IPS module is loaded, by selecting it from the Modules menu, and choosing Load if you are prompted. (Note: this article is written from the point of view of an Atari user running Cubase 3.1. In later Mac and PC versions of Cubase, the IPS can be found on the Panels menu, and should not need loading as a separate Module.)
Next, assign a suitable sound (let's say a piano) to a convenient track, create a Part one bar long in the Arrange window and double‑click on it to enter Key Edit. Set the Quantize and Snap values to eighth notes (by pressing '4' on your computer's keyboard), and then activate Step input by clicking on the 'foot' icon. Use your MIDI keyboard to enter a C major scale starting from middle C (ie. C3, D3, E3, F3, G3, A3, B3, C4) as shown in the screenshot, above.
Now choose Select All from the Edit menu to select all of the notes, followed by Copy to Phrase from the Modules menu (Convert to IPS Phrase on the Functions menu, in later versions of Cubase). Click OK in the dialogue box that appears. This copies your C major scale as the input Phrase from which the IPS will generate its variations. You can now exit Key Edit and delete the original Part, as it is no longer needed. Open the IPS by selecting Phrase Synth from the Modules menu (the Panels menu in later versions) and you should see something like what appears in the upper screen on page 246.
This is the IPS window. At first glance it's a little baffling, but you should be able to see the name of the Part from which you copied your Phrase (in this example 'Piano') in the Phrase Input section in the top left‑hand corner of the window. In the bottom right‑hand corner of the window are two buttons labelled IPS A and IPS B. There are actually two separate Interactive Phrase Synths, and these buttons are used to choose which of their controls the IPS window displays. Notice also that beside each IPS button there is a smaller button labelled On. These buttons can be used to switch each IPS on or off independently. A highlighted (shaded) button indicates that the IPS is on.
Experimenting
The Modulators allow you to apply LFO‑based variations to pitch and rhythm. Here, both Modulators are using a random LFO setting.
Next, click on the Init button near the top right‑hand corner of the IPS window to reset the IPS to its defaults, and click on Active to activate it. To keep things simple in these first examples, we'll just be experimenting with IPS A, so you can switch off IPS B if you like. Press and hold down middle C on your MIDI keyboard and the IPS will play the major scale from the Part you programmed. By default it will loop continuously for as long as you hold down the key. Pressing any other key will cause an equivalent scale to be played, starting from the corresponding note.
Now let's begin experimenting. Locate the Pitch section in the centre of the IPS window, and click on the button labelled On beside the drop–down menu where Major is displayed. This enables a pitch‑correction function, which forces the notes in your phrase to follow a particular scale. Of course, since our phrase in this example is a major scale anyway, the Major option will have no discernible effect. Select Balinese instead, and trigger the Phrase again from your MIDI keyboard. Weird, isn't it? Try some others; Hungarian 1 and Persian are both favourites of mine.
Of course, Pitch isn't the only parameter that we can alter. In the Rhythm section (below the Pitch section), set the right‑hand drop‑down menu (labelled 'Q') to '32T'. This changes the quantize resolution of the IPS to 32nd note triplets. Trigger the Phrase from your keyboard again to hear the difference. Try switching to dotted 64th notes ('64.') or quarter notes — you can change the resolution without releasing the key.
Modulation
By now you'll be getting heartily sick of your endlessly looping piano Phrase, so let's break it up into something more interesting. The IPS has two Modulators, on the bottom row of the IPS window, which can be used to dynamically alter various IPS settings by assigning LFOs (Low‑Frequency Oscillators) to them. This is where things really start to get interesting.
From the Modulator 1 drop‑down menu, choose Rhythm: Quantize (don't worry too much about what all the other options mean: we'll cover them in more detail next month) and from the Modulator 2 drop–down menu choose Pitch: Transpose. In both Modulator 1 and Modulator 2 click where it says Off above LFO, and a menu will appear that allows you to choose an LFO waveform. Choose the 'random' one, ie. the one that looks like a jagged mountain range (see the lower screen, above). You'll notice that the values of the Transpose field in the Pitch section and the Q field in the Rhythm section start changing continuously as soon as an LFO waveform is selected.
Now turn the volume up, brace yourself and hold down middle C. Et voila! Instant terrifying 'free jazz' piano soloing, like McCoy Tyner on John Coltrane's 'Ascension'. Selecting other LFO waveforms for the Modulators restores some kind of order to the proceedings, and allows you to shape the IPS's output to a certain extent. Try some different settings in the Modulation menus to get a feel for what kinds of things they do.
If you stumble across anything interesting in the course of your experiments, you can easily record it to a track for posterity. Select MROS in the IPS's Output drop‑down menu and, provided MROS is selected (in MIDI Setup) as a recording input, you can record its output just as you would anything else.
Next month we'll learn more about what the different IPS settings mean, and consider ways to use them more strategically. Until then... Paul Sellars
Remote Control
One of the drawbacks of computer‑based software sequencers like Cubase is that, well... that they require you to have a computer in the studio. Even leaving aside the problems of noise and interference from CPU fans and other hardware, the simple fact is that a QWERTY keyboard and a mouse just aren't the most comfortable additions to the working environment for many people. Furthermore, in larger studios it simply may not be possible to have the computer keyboard within reach at all times.
Cubase's Remote Control function (found on the Options menu) provides a neat solution to these problems, allowing you to control vital sequencer functions (Start, Stop, Play, Record, Cycle and so on) from your MIDI controller keyboard. Typically you'll choose one key on the keyboard to act as the 'Remote Key' and then assign various combinations of that and other keys to different functions.
For example, I have my system set up in such a way that pressing C6 (the Remote Key) together with A5 on my keyboard activates record, C6 and D#5 solos the currently active track, and so on. Notes aren't the only means of controlling sequencer functions in Cubase: continuous controllers and even program change messages can be assigned! In this way it's possible to lay down the greater part of a Song all from the comfort of your favourite synth or controller keyboard. Paul Sellars
Looping In Cubase
Here's a shortcut that I use all the time, and which surprisingly few Cubase users seem to have come across before. When you want to work on a short section of a song, the easiest way to do it is to set up a temporary loop around it by adjusting the position of the left and right locators, and then switching on the Cycle function on the toolbar. Of course, you can do this by directly entering the required positions of the locators, but there's a much quicker way. Simply select the desired part or parts, and then use Alt‑P (Apple‑P for Mac users) in Cubase 5.0 to set the locator positions both automatically (in some older PC versions you may have to use Ctrl‑Alt‑P).
Here's another one you may not have come across. Set the right locator to the start of a song section, and the left one to the end, switch on Cycle, and then when the song position pointer reaches this section it will skip it altogether. This is handy for trying out different arrangements. Martin Walker