Use Cubase
Cubase is an audio editing and sound mixing software. It is also a powerful tool for midi sequencing and adding instrumental effects. While the best way to learn how to use Cubase may be hands-on experience, there is some basic knowledge that can help you get started.
Contents
Steps
- Download and install Cubase using the Steinberg website.
- Start the program and look at the opening page. The layout consists of 4 main elements.
- Audio tracks: these are the tracks that show at the top of your track lists. They are stereo or mono channels that represent analog audio data such as sound clips, riffs and loops. Cubase allows you to add pre-recorded audio tracks or record your own audio tracks through a microphone or input device.
- Midi tracks: you can see the midi tracks under your audio tracks in the tracks list. Midi tracks are different from audio tracks because they are digitally transcribed using virtual instruments such as a virtual keyboard or drum machine. Some instruments come with a midi-out option or you can use midi software if you want to convert audio tracks to midi tracks. Although the quality of midi tracks is usually poorer that audio tracks because they have been digitized, midi tracks do offer more flexibility for musicians to edit placements of music notes even after the track has been created.
- Locators: the right and left locators are near the top of your screen. They are like a beat counter that lets you set the beat for your song (ranging from 4 to 8 bars). You can loop your beat after it has been created between the left and right locators. Use your right mouse button to set the right locator and similarly set the left locator using your left mouse button.
- Transport bar: the transport bar is where all the main controls are located. Here you can use buttons to play, stop or record your audios. You can also increase or decrease the speed of your audio using the transport bar.
- Import files on Cubase by clicking on an empty audio track and using the explorer menu to select a file to import. Once the audio file has been imported, you will be able to see the wave data for the imported segment. You can right-click on the audio segment to see the tool menu that allows you to edit the audio. Different tools in the tools menu allow you to erase, crop or move parts of the audio segment. You can also vary the volume to create fade-in and fade-out effects using the tools.
- Double-click between the left and right locators on any midi channel to create a blank midi segment. Double-click within the midi segment to bring up the midi sequencing window. Here you can choose from a list of midi instruments and position notes that will play on your computer once you run the midi sequence. The keyboard design on the left helps you position notes but if you select percussion instruments the sounds of the drum-kit such as snare, kick and crash symbol may vary depending on which percussion instrument you pick.
- Go to "Panels" and then "Mixer" to see the Cubase mixer. Use the mixer to set the volume levels of your audio tracks. You can mix many audio channels at the same time and also adjust other sound mixing levels.
- Use the buttons above the volume faders on the mixer to bring up the effects board. Here you can add various effects to your audio tracks. You can also adjust the equalizers for enhanced audio editing such as adding treble or bass boost.
Tips
- You can play notes directly on the keyboard in the midi sequencer to hear what they sound like. This is particularly useful when you are trying to find different sounds for percussion instruments.
Warnings
- Use Cubase original file format if you want all information in your file to be retained. Other file formats may compress your file or limit the individual attributes of your audio file that can be saved.
