Cubase 4 from Steinberg is a native music production system combining full-featured audio and MIDI recording and editing, virtual instruments and powerful audio mixing with the added flexibility of loop- and pattern-based arranging and mixing.
The software supports Mac OSX and Windows XP, works with a multitude of audio interfaces and provides the seamless integration of external audio and MIDI hardware.
This latest version of the Cubase includes SoundFrame, a powerful combination of Track Presets, Instrument Tracks and MediaBay database, to help organize all sounds from every instrument, both software VSTi and hardware.
Note:
This pricing is for registered owners of Cubase SX 3 who wish to upgrade to Cubase Studio 4.
General Features
Graphic Editing
Interactive, real-time graphic editing, project overview panel, savable screen sets and user-definable keyboard shortcuts. Part-based Volume Envelopes available for direct control of dynamics. Level problems can be fixed on the fly without wasting automation tracks allowing events to move with their volume envelopes.
Control Room
Control Room section provides the ability to connect multiple sets of control room monitors and external sources (CD, DVD, Tape etc.) directly to the user's audio hardware and switch between them from a convenient software panel. The section also offers a talkback channel, a headphone bus and the ability to create up to four studio mixes.
Intuitive Play Order Track
Pattern-based arranging adds a new level of creative music editing. Dividing a song into sections allows one to re-arrange it on the fly. Alternative versions of the song can be compared and then converted back into a linear form for mixdown and mastering.
User-Definable Workspaces
Window layouts help in organizing the desktop. One can create and save a separate workspace for each step of the production process and then switch workspaces on the fly, as if working on multiple computers or monitors.
SoundFrame
Allows the user to manage ANY sound from ANY software or hardware synthesizer under a single, unified user interface (MediaBay.) SoundFrame can help find any sound, not only by instrument but also by category, type, style, character or other attributes. Comes with more than 1,000 ready to play sounds.
External FX Plugins
Allows for direct integration of external hardware effects processors into the VST audio mixer. Favorite outboard gear can be used just like plugins, including automatic delay compensation.
User-definable Color Coding
Color coding for tracks and VST mixer channels provides more clarity and better orientation, especially in complex projects.
Notation
The software has all the score functionality of Cubase Score VST - a perfect integration of score-writing, sequencing and music production.
Audio Features
Native Audio
No expensive additional outboard equipment required, and by the same token, the user can choose from a multitude of high-end interfaces as budget and taste allows.
Tracks and Mixer
Simultaneous playback of unlimited audio tracks (dependent on the power of the computer.) Adaptive and configurable track mixer, with three different selectable views.
Instrument tracks
Provides a fast and convenient way to use virtual instruments. As a quick alternative to the VSTi Rack, Instrument Tracks provide a single MIDI Input and a single stereo Output within a single channel/track.
Freeze
Extended function for virtual instruments and audio tracks with added flexibility and improved performance. Virtual instruments can be frozen with or without insert effects. This automatically unloads the instrument to free up RAM. Frozen audio tracks with insert effects free up even more CPU performance.
Surround
Supports surround with freely configurable speaker setup with up to six discrete channels and surround panning.
Undo/Redo
Unlimited undo/redo provides the freedom to experiment without fear of losing earlier moments of inspiration. Off-line processing of individual audio files allows effects to be "stamped" onto them layer after layer, and with the off-line process history, one can jump back to any individual process such as the reverb, edit it, remove it or replace it with any other effect.
Effects
Includes professional real-time VST effects and virtual instruments. Four EQs with graphic display are available per channel with Apogee UV22HR dithering included.
MIDI Features
Editors
Editor windows include key (piano keyboard), drum, event list, sys-ex, score and logical. Inplace Editor supports ultra-fast direct MIDI event editing from within the project page. The key and drum editors make editing MIDI information easier than ever before with cut, copy and paste, or the drag and drop functionality. MIDI events can be edited in context with audio or video.
Plug-Ins
Offers real time MIDI plug-ins such as quantizer, chorder, MIDI-echo, compressor and many more. Most of them can be inserted while playing on a MIDI keyboard and can also be fully automated like any other parameter in the Cubase mixer. Controller data can be drawn and edited on one page with the new multiple controller lanes using the new mathematical curve functions.
MIDI Device Maps/Panels
Supports direct access to external MIDI hardware with user-definable graphic editing panels. VST mixer maps can be import or user editing panels created, even for the Track Inspector or the mixer's channel strip.