Basics
Audio Hardware
Cubase runs on nearly every audio interface available on the market, including all ASIO- and Core Audio-compatible audio hardware, ready for immediate use. Because countless professional vendors offer interfaces in every price class and with the most diverse analog and digital I/O options, Cubase allows you to to configure the setup that meets your individual needs and best suits your working environment.
Project Window
As the primary window in Cubase Studio 4, the Project window affords you a view of the arrangement and its various tracks. The Project window is fully scalable; you can hide and show tools and display panels at will to adapt the window to the requirements of the task at hand. Folder tracks provide an excellent way of organizing complex arrangements, speeding up workflow.
Located on the left side of the Project window, the Track Inspector provides lightning-fast access to all vital parameters for any track including mixer parameters. This provides an easy way of editing mixer settings right in the Project window without having to open a new one. Not only can every element in the Track Inspector can be shown or hidden, but the the ordering of items is also completely customizable for each track or track type.
Workflow
Cubase Studio 4 was developed specifically to enable efficient, ergonomic handling that is easily personalized to satisfy your requirements. Keyboard shortcuts are available for nearly all functions in Cubase Studio 4. You can assign these key commands freely and export the entire set if you wish to use your personalized key commands on other systems. Preprogrammed key configurations are available if you are adopting Cubase now but have experience with another program to ensure a painless changeover. If you wish to jump quickly to specific locations within arrangement, you can place markers at any position. The Workspace function lets you create different window layouts that are accessible via key commands. You are free to create the perfect panel for every step of the production process. Cubase Studio 4 offers unlimited undo so you can give your creative urges free rein: Go ahead and try anything out; you can always cancel any number of editing actions if it doesn’t work out.
Pattern-based arranging
While many other DAW applications force you to use a specific way of working, Cubase Studio 4 allows a free choice between timeline-based and pattern-based arranging - both directly accessible within the Cubase Studio 4 Project window.
The Arranger Track is an intuitive alternative to linear arrangements. Parts of a song or production can be defined as Arranger Parts, the order sequence and repetitions of which can be handled in a, easy-to-use editor. Different versions of a project can be created and compared in next to no time - without the original version being altered. The resequenced project can then be transformed into a traditional linear arrangement with a single mouse click.
Arranger parts can be triggered live by clicking in the part list. In combination with the special playback modes the arranger feature allows new live performance applications
Resource Management
Cubase Studio 4 offers functions enabling you to create complex arrangements that require less computing power and let you use performance-hungry plug-ins. As the name would suggest, the Freeze function freezes VST instruments or audio tracks with insert effects. The track is mixed into a temporary audio file, freeing up sufficient resources for further processing. Unlike conventional track bouncing, which requires you to commit early on, freezing grants you greater flexibility throughout the production process because its actions can be undone at any time. You have another easy option for tapping additional resources – simply connect computers via the VST System Link. By linking two computers via a conventional digital audio connection, you can trigger one computer plug-ins’ with sample precision and have the other do the computing. This lets you combine the two computer systems’ performance power.
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