Advanced Integration of Steinberg’s new hardware
Designed especially for Cubase by Steinberg and Yamaha, and precision-manufactured by Yamaha to the most exacting standards, the MR816 CSX and the MR816 X represent a new generation of solutions for musicians and producers. Together with the CC121 Advanced Integration Controller, MR 816 CSX and MR 816 X combine with the Cubase Essential 4.5 to provide an all-round system solution of unparalleled flexibility and power.
Pioneering technologies developed for this unique new system move beyond traditional software/hardware paradigms and offer a range of exciting new advantages for anyone recording, mixing and producing music.
MR816 CSX and MR816 X Advanced Integration DSP Studio
Experience a new level of integration with Cubase Essential 4.5 and the new Steinberg audio hardware: all aspects of I/O setup and configuration, handling and routing are mirrored between Cubase and MR816 CSX and MR816 X.
- Outstanding Sound Quality
16-channel I/O FireWire Interface with 8 discrete Class A ‘D-pre’ mic preamps
- True Integrated Monitoring™
Thanks to the new True Integrated Monitoring™ it’s now easy to create real-time, unique – and most importantly, no-latency – mixes with DSP FX from different audio input sources all from within Cubase. - Complete Cubase user interface integration throughout
MR816 CSX and MR816 X both feature direct integration into Cubase through unique windows and views within Cubase that give full access to all hardware functionality. - DSP Power for Cubase
Cubase Essential 4.5 can take full advantage of the MR816 CSX and MR 816 X onboard DSP chip. Both units feature Yamaha’s renowned REV-X reverb and the MR816 CSX can run up to 8 instances of the first-class Sweet Spot Morphing Channel Strip plug-in, featuring the latest compression and EQ technology. The full DSP capability is also accessible VST plug-in for mixing playback tracks in Cubase!
- Quick Connect and Integration
The unique Quick Connect feature allows for instant routing and rerouting of inputs to Cubase tracks on the fly from the front panel of the I/O with the push of a single button.
Find out more about MR816 CSX and MR816 X
Steinberg CC121 Advanced Integration Controller
The Cubase Essential 4.5 update supports all functions of Steinberg’s new Advanced Integration Controller – the next-generation dedicated USB Controller. CC121 provides totally integrated, full tactile control of Steinberg’s Cubase Essential 4.5 Music Production System.
- Full precision control
Controlling Cubase has never been easier: when simply moving the mouse over a parameter, the AI Knob on the CC121 automatically controls it, without need to click, hold or other additional settings.
- Direct connection to Cubase
To effectively control Cubase, CC121 offers a set of dedicated controls. The 100mm touch-sensitive motorized fader gives full tactile control of the channel or group volume fader, while dedicated buttons represent the most important functions for each track. - Full Cubase EQ section in hardware
CC121 features a full, dedicated EQ section, with the Cubase VST3 Channel EQ in hardware form. 12 dedicated rotary encoders offer direct control over all the main EQ parameters, including Q-factor, Frequency and Gain as well as EQ Type selector switch and Bypass button.
Find out more about CC121 Advanced Integration Controller
Improved support of Yamaha Hardware
Cubase Essential 4.5 continues to integrate Yamaha hardware and Steinberg software even more tightly:
Yamaha MOTIF-RACK XS / MOTIF XS6/7/8 integration
Completely new and extended support for the MOTIF XS has been added to Cubase Essential 4.5:
Yamaha MOTIF-RACK XS / MOTIF XS6/7/8 integration
Completely new and extended support for the MOTIF XS has been added to Cubase Essential 4.5:
- Integration through IEEE1394
Thanks to exclusive technologies by Steinberg and Yamaha, Cubase automatically detects any Yamaha MOTIF XS unit which is connected via FireWire to the computer. The detected MOTIF is automatically configured and immediately ready to use as an external VST3 instrument, including all the corresponding audio and MIDI channels – directly in the Cubase environment! - VST 3 editor for MOTF XS*
The new Editor for MOTIF XS supports VST 3 and introduces major advantages in managing MOTIF data: any voices and multi data from the MOTIF XS can be saved and loaded directly to and from Cubase MediaBay. Search, find, preview, load and play all MOTIF Voices with the content focused tools in the MediaBay. The Editor now also supports automation of basic voice parameters which can be saved together with the Cubase project.
(* Please note that for full functionality a separate MOTIF XS VST3 Editor installer is required. The VST3 version of MOTIF XS Editor will be coming in 4Q, 2008 and will be available on the Yamaha website.)
Yamaha KX25/KX49/KX61/KX8 USB Keyboard support
With the KX series keyboards it’s now possible to very quickly browse through the MediaBay remotely and select and pick a sound in the Instrument Preset Browser by just clicking a button on KX!
VST Sound™
Steinberg’s universal media management format – VST Sound™ – is a fundamental part of VST3, the latest version of Steinberg’s industry standard Virtual Studio Technology.
By supporting VST Sound™, plug-ins and instruments from third party manufacturers can be directly integrated into MediaBay – the media management system used in Steinberg’s host applications. This integration makes the entire process of finding and working with any form of media file including audio, loops, VSTi presets, videos, MIDI parts and Track Presets, much faster and simpler.
VST Sound™ replaces SoundFrame, which was incorporated into previous versions of Cubase products.
- VST Sound™ allows you to manage ANY sound from ANY software or hardware synthesizer under a single, unified user interface (MediaBay)
- VST Sound™ can help you find any sound, not only by instrument but also by category, type, style or character
- VST Sound™ content is conveniently organized by instrument category, type, and character - ready to use with the Cubase MediaBay. Sounds can be instantly previewed before loading.
- VST Sound™ can even manage your VST effects plug-in presets as well. These can also be organized and categorized to form one big effects library.
Sequel Content Set compatibility in Cubase Essential 4.5
The new first-class content sets for Sequel 2 feature hundreds of outstanding loops in a range of styles and genres. All the Sequel Content Sets can now be used with Cubase Essential 4.5 right out of the box. This means access for Cubase customers to hundreds of outstanding audio loops from top producers in the styles Rock, Hip Hop, Industrial, Electro and Funk. Each Content Set offers a stunning array of loops to ignite song ideas and fuel the creative flow. Conveniently organized into easy-to-use construction kits, the Sequel Content Sets are so easy to get them into a project straight away. More Sets are planned for release in 2008!
The Sequel Content Sets are available exclusively in the Steinberg Online Shop for download – just download and they’re ready-to-use.
More information and demo songs
New Features in Cubase Essential 4
New Plug-in Set – VST3
Cubase Essential 4 includes a completely new set of audio effect plug-ins! VST3 offers major new features both for plug-in developers and users. A silence detection function makes sure that a plug-in only processes audio when there’s actually a signal present. This helps to reduce overall CPU load. VST3 plug-ins natively support Intel-based Macs. In Cubase Essential 4, there more than 20 all-new audio plug-ins. In addition, some of the previous plug-ins have been reworked and updated for this version, pushing the total number of plug-ins to 31!
HALion One sampling instrument
HALion One is a special player version of HALion and comes with a complete set of ready-to-use instruments derived from Yamaha Motif waveforms. These sounds have been optimized for low memory usage extremely fast loading.
MIDI File Playback using HALionOne
Cubase Essential 4 users have access to a complete General-MIDI Sound-Set. With Cubase Essential 4, Standard MIDI Files can be imported and played directly using HALionOne. Dragging a MIDI File into Cubase will automatically set up instrument tracks with HALionOne and select the correct GM sound. Users may now edit or exchange sounds and add effects.
Built-in Amp Simulator for instant guitar recording
As part of the new VST3 plug-in set in Cubase Essential, the Amp Simulator deserves special attention. With a total of 14 different amp and 10 speaker cabinet emulations, there are thousands of exciting sound possibilities. The new graphical user interface and a complete set of great-sounding presets make this plug-in fun and easy-to-use.
The Amp Simulator becomes even more powerful when combined with other effects, such as the Tone Booster, or VSTDynamics. Complete effect combinations and EQ settings can be saved into Track Presets and quickly recalled in any project. To check out the outstanding sound quality of these effects, check out the included guitar Track Presets!
AudioWarp realtime time stretching/pitch shifting
Cubase Essential 4 now includes powerful realtime time-stretching and pitch-shifting functions – AudioWarp. Audio files can now follow the projects tempo or a tempo track without the need for offline processing. Loops can match a projects tempo and even be transposed in realtime. Cubase Essential 4 uses a custom-designed realtime algorithm, which offers high audio quality combined with low CPU load.
In order to maintain the best sound quality possible, AudioWarp offers different playback modes for specific instrument groups (Drums, Plucked, Pads, Vocals, Mix, Solo) and a special advanced mode for custom settings. These can be set independently for each audio event. For realtime pitch shifting of solo audio material (like lead vocals), a special playback Solo algorithm preserves formants for natural-sounding transposition. AudioWarp is fully compatible with ACID files for instant compatibility with hundreds of loop libraries available.
Unique Arranger Track
Like no other music production software of its kind, Cubase Essential 4 offers a unified concept for both linear and pattern-style arranging. Thanks to the new Arranger Track, any linear arrangement can be easily divided into musical sections (Arranger Parts) and transformed into a new playback order. Up to 16 different arrangements can be saved within a single project without touching any tracks or parts in the project window.
But that’s not all! The Arranger Track offers some exciting special features for more experienced users:
- Arranger parts can be triggered live to experiment with different arrangements and to audition transitions.
- Special playback modes allow for more flexible arranger chains: Normal, Repeat Forever and Pause After Repeats
- Various “Flatten” options are available in the Arranger Track edit window. One, multiple or all Chains can be flattened with a single command; the Arranger Track can be kept after flattening.
MediaBay – database for sound management
To keep up with the ever-growing number of sounds, samples, loops and presets, Cubase Essential 4 is equipped with a powerful media file management system known as MediaBay. MediaBay is the central place for browsing, searching, managing and categorizing any type of media file. This includes audio and MIDI files, instrument and plug-in presets, video data and even project files.
A user-friendly musical category search system helps finding sounds or loops fast. A Scope section features previewing options. Loops can be auditioned in the song’s tempo and conveniently imported using drag-and-drop.
Instrument Tracks
Cubase Essential 4 offers a new track type: Instrument Track. An Instrument Track 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. Setting up a VST Instrument and getting ready to play is now just one step away. As a limitation, Instruments in an Instrument Track only provide a single MIDI Input and one Stereo Output. Of course, the VSTi Rack can still be used in the familiar way.
Drag & Drop for Insert FX
A new feature indispensable when working in the Cubase Essential 4 mixer: effects can now be re-arranged using drag & drop. This includes both moving and swapping of inserts and works both within a single channel, as well as between channels.
Windows Vista and Mac Universal Binary Support
Cubase Essential 4 supports the latest Windows and Mac operating systems, including Windows XP and Vista as well as MacOS 10.4 and 10.5 (Leopard). As a Universal Binary application, it supports both PPC- and Intel-based systems. It is also compatible with both Vista32 and Vista64 bit systems.
Track Freeze Function
The powerful Freeze function known from Cubase 4 and Cubase Studio 4 is now available in Cubase Essential 4.
Eliminating a common problem specifically on slower computers, the Freeze option converts audio or instrument tracks, as well as entire virtual instruments into invisible audio files, thereby dramatically reducing CPU load. Cubase Essential 4 offers additional options to freeze virtual instrument channels with or without insert effects, and even unload these instruments to save RAM.
VST Plug-in Bridge (Mac)
The new VST Plug-in Bridge in Cubase Essential 4 ensures maximum compatibility of plug-ins. Mac PPC-only versions of plug-ins and virtual instruments can now be used on Macs with Intel processors. Although performance drawbacks must be expected, this feature helps Mac users when switching to a new Intel machine. However, it is generally recommended to use native (Universal Binary) versions of plug-ins or instruments whenever available.
Full latency-compensated audio engine with dynamic multiprocessing
Cubase Essential 4 features Steinberg’s latest-generation audio engine, which offers full plug-in latency compensation across the entire signal path. This includes insert effects and send/return effects, as well as virtual instruments, avoiding latency-related timing issues. In addition, dynamic multiprocessing takes performance to a new level by distributing the CPU load dynamically between available processors or processor cores.
Redesigned Sample Editor
Just like the Score Editor, the Cubase Essential 4 Sample Editor now has a new Inspector-style section to the left, which consolidates many important audio-editing functions; especially those used for musical tempo operations (including AudioWarp and Hitpoints). Things that were spread across different parts of the program are now in one place. The first two tabs include everything needed to set an audio event's tempo and timing, as well as to apply quantize ("Straighten Up") or Audio Warp.
The first tab "Definition" is used to set an audio event's tempo and timing (grid). The second tab "Playback" is used to apply AudioWarp. The third tab includes all Hitpoint related functions. The new Inspector replaces the previous “Musical Mode” function, which is now directly integrated into the new Editor.
User Interface Design Update
Cubase Essential 4 features a redesigned user interface which improves visibility for visual elements and supports easy navigation, especially in the Mixer and Inspector areas, with selected mixer channels are very clearly highlighted. Small fonts are rendered to be highly legibl, helping to keep a clear overview evening larger projects.
The new user interface also introduces a number of new features:
- The Track Inspector is now fully customizable. A new setup panel allows each item in the Track Inspector to be made visible or hidden. Also, the order of items can be changed – individually for each track type, of course. In addition, entire setups can be stored as presets making recalling or switching between favourite setups fast and easy.
- The Channel Strip window is also fully customizable, and features its own setup panel, allowing individual sections to be configured in the same way as the track inspector. Presets can also be created for later recall. The larger EQ section features a large display area for easy editing.
- Individual colors can be set for tracks/channels for better visibility. This includes convenient Auto Track Coloring functions that support easy navigation.
Drum Editing Enhancements
Cubase Essential 4 offers great drum editing tools:
- Velocity data can now be edited for multiple pitches simultaneously
- Instrument names are shown in the key editor, when selecting/moving events (if a drum map has been assigned)
- Instrument names are also shown in the Drum Editor info line, as well as the context display when selecting/moving events
Apple Remote Support
Mac users using an Apple Remote will be pleased to find their little infrared remote control to be available as a remote device in Cubase Essential 4. “Apple Remote Control” is now available from the device setup window. It is already programmed with preset functions but is fully programmable with hundreds of available functions (OSX-only).
Advanced QuickTime 7 Support
QuickTime compatibility has improved in Cubase Essential 4 in several areas:
- MPEG1, MPEG4, H.264 formats are now supported
- “HQ” flag support (high-resolution video playback)
- Half/Double Size support
Cubase Essential 4 is now compatible with the latest and most popular video formats and offers more flexibility and enhanced image quality.
