CUBASE 4

Cubase 4 represents the cutting edge in digital audio workstations. Designed for professionals from the ground up, Cubase converges extraordinary sound quality, intuitive handling and a vast range of highly advanced audio and MIDI tools for composition, recording, editing and mixing.

New Features
Cubase 4 comes with a brand-new VST3 plug-in set and four new integrated software instruments with more than 1000 sounds. The revolutionary SoundFrame is a powerful combination of Track Presets, Instrument Tracks, and MediaBay database, to help organize all your sounds from every instrument - both software VSTi and hardware. Cubase 4's mixer now offers a flexible Control Room section and up to four independent studio mixes. Composers and musicians benefit from the enhanced score editor while the redesigned user interface with many new features speeds up workflow and boosts creativity to new levels.

Control Room
The mixer in Cubase 4 has been expanded with a powerful Control Room section. You're now able to connect multiple sets of control room monitors and external sources (CD, DVD, Tape etc.) directly to your audio hardware and switch between them from a convenient Control Room panel. The Control Room section also offers a talkback channel, a headphone bus, and the ability to create up to four studio mixes (monitor mixes), so each mixer channel now offers a separate studio send section for controlling those mixes.

New Plug-in Set - VST3
Cubase 4 not only includes a completely new set of superlative audio effect plug-ins, it also marks the next step in VST plug-in technology. VST3 offers major new features both for plug-in developers and users. VST3 plug-ins can adjust their number of audio busses to the channel they're inserted to (mono, stereo, 5.1, etc.). 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 Macintosh computers. For developers there are many more features under the hood.

New Virtual Instruments
Cubase 4 adds four new outstanding virtual instruments: HALion One, Prologue, Spector and Mystic. HALion One is a special version of Steinberg's award-winning HALion virtual sampler and puts hundreds of quality instruments at your direct disposal. The HALion One content is based on the same renowned Yamaha sample content used in its famed Motif series of synthesizers.

Prologue is a polyphonic analog-modeling synthesizer with exceptional-sounding filters and powerful modulation capabilities - ideal as a general purpose sound armory covering everything from smooth, rich pads to bright, acerbic leads. With its flexible spectrum filter synthesis, Spector adds an additional range of synthesis tools for exquisitely detailed sounds and textures, while the aptly-named Mystic uses a stunningly powerful combination of physical modeling and spectrum filters to create a vast range of unusual textures ranging through darkly emotive, startlingly original or just plain strange. Prologue, Spector and Mystic are powered by VirSyn technology and also come with hundreds of fantastic presets to get you going.

SoundFrame - Universal Sound Manager
SoundFrame is a set of features which incorporate a powerful Universal Media Library within Cubase 4. SoundFrame combines the new Instrument Tracks, Track Templates, and VST3 categorization functions with a powerful database system known as MediaBay.

MediaBay - media file management system
To keep up with the ever-growing number of sounds, samples, loops and presets, Cubase 4 is equipped with an immensely 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, track presets, video data and even project files.

Track Presets
One of the most powerful new features in Cubase 4 is the Track Presets system - especially when combined with the new MediaBay feature. Track Presets store every aspect of track/channel settings for audio, MIDI, and Instrument tracks. Combinations of tracks can also be saved as Multi-Track Presets. Almost all track and mixer setting are stored including volume and Pan information and all insert effect settings as well as the channel EQ. For instrument tracks, all Instrument/Preset information is stpre with a Track Preset, while for MIDI tracks, the Track Preset includes MIDI Port, Channel and Patch information.

Track Presets can be saved with attributes like Category/Style/Character and so on, opening up a whole new dimension in sound management on your DAW.

Instrument Tracks
Cubase 4 introduces a new track type: the 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!

Major Score Editor Enhancements
The Score Editor in Cubase 4 has seen a major redesign, including many usability and workflow improvements as well as new features. Composers don't despair! None of the existing functions have been lost. All functions from previous versions are still available, albeit in different places.

User Interface Redesign
Designed with meticulous attention to detail, Cubase 4 features an extensively redesigned and anhanced user interface. The overall visibility of active items versus inactive items has been drastically enhanced, so although there are now more screen elements in Cubase 4 providing better access to even more features, overall visibility and orientation is now better than ever. Critical areas such as the Mixer and Inspector have received particular attention, with clearer highlighting and better readability of textual information.
The new user interface also introduces a number of new features, inculding a fully customizable Track Inspector. Not only can each item in the Track Inspector be hidden or shown as desired, but the order and visibility of items can be changed and stored individually for each track type.

Technical Info

CUBASE STUDIO 4

New Features
Cubase Studio 4 offers a brand new plug-in set based on the new VST3 standard, as well as 2 top-quality, outstandingly versatile software instruments with hundreds of ready-to-play sounds. The unique SoundFrame system is a groundbreaking new technology with powerful new features such as Track Presets, Instrument Tracks and the new MediaBay database, which will revolutionize the way you manage and access your media files and presets, bringing them directly into the creative composition process. Composers will enjoy the new professional scoring and notation printing feature set, while the range of interface and workflow enhancements make working with Cubase Studio 4 fast, efficient and, above all, extraordinarily creative.

New Plug-in Set - VST3
Cubase Studio 4 not only includes a completely new set of superlative audio effect plug-ins, it also marks the next step in VST plug-in technology. VST3 offers major new features both for plug-in developers and users. VST3 plug-ins can adjust their number of audio busses to the channel they're inserted to (mono, stereo, 5.1* etc.). 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 Macintosh computers. For developers there are many more features under the hood.

In Cubase Studio 4, there are 20 all-new first-class audio and MIDI plug-ins. In addition, some of the previous plug-ins have been reworked and updated for this version, pushing the total number of audio plug-ins to 47.

One of the many highlights of this new plug-in set are a Vintage Compressor, Studio Chorus, a new Multiband Compressor, a voice-doubler called Cloner, and a great-sounding modeling guitar amplifier with speaker cabinet simulation.

A feature not related to VST3 but to the Cubase mixer: effects can now be re-arranged using drag & drop. This works both within a single channel, as well as between channels.

*Surround functionality is not supported in Cubase Studio 4

New Virtual Instruments
Cubase Studio 4 adds an outstanding new virtual virtual instrument. HALion One is a special version of Steinberg's award-winning HALion virtual sampler and puts hundreds of quality instruments at your direct disposal. The HALion One content is based on the same renowned Yamaha sample content used in its famed Motif series of synthesizers. Prologue is a polyphonic analog-modeling synthesizer with exceptional-sounding filters and powerful modulation capabilities - ideal as a general purpose sound armory covering everything from smooth, rich pads to bright, acerbic leads.

SoundFrame - Universal Sound Manager
SoundFrame is a set of features which incorporate a powerful Universal Media Library within Cubase Studio 4. SoundFrame combines the new Instrument Tracks, Track Templates, and VST3 categorization functions with a powerful database system known as MediaBay.

MediaBay - media file management system
To keep up with the ever-growing number of sounds, samples, loops and presets, Cubase Studio 4 is equipped with an immensely 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, track presets, video data and even project files.

Track Presets
One of the most powerful new features in Cubase Studio 4 is the Track Presets system - especially when combined with the new MediaBay feature. Track Presets store every aspect of track/channel settings for audio, MIDI, and Instrument tracks. Combinations of tracks can also be saved as Multi-Track Presets. Almost all track and mixer setting are stored including volume and Pan information and all insert effect settings as well as the channel EQ. For instrument tracks, all Instrument/Preset information is stpre with a Track Preset, while for MIDI tracks, the Track Preset includes MIDI Port, Channel and Patch information.

Track Presets can be saved with attributes like Category/Style/Character and so on, opening up a whole new dimension in sound management on your DAW,

Instrument Tracks
Cubase Studio 4 introduces a new track type: the 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!

First-class Notation and Score Printing
Cubase Studio 4 includes all notation and score printing functionality from Cubase 4 - a first at this price point in the CUbase range. The Score Editor offers all symbols and characters needed to build full-scale scores. This includes not only elements like song texts and dynamic markings, but also drum scores, guitar tablature and lead sheets. All new scoring features from Cubase 4 are included in the Cubase Studio 4 Score Editor, such as the configurable Inspector, user-friendly context menus, new score fonts as well as the new Signature feature for Track Presets.

User Interface Redesign
Designed with meticulous attention to detail, Cubase Studio 4 features an extensively redesigned and anhanced user interface. The overall visibility of active items versus inactive items has been drastically enhanced, so although there are now more screen elements in Cubase Studio 4 providing better access to even more features, overall visibility and orientation is now better than ever. Critical areas such as the Mixer and Inspector have received particular attention, with clearer highlighting and better readability of textual information.
The new user interface also introduces a number of new features, inculding a fully customizable Track Inspector. Not only can each item in the Track Inspector be hidden or shown as desired, but the order and visibility of items can be changed and stored individually for each track type.

Technical Info

GROOVE AGENT 3

Groove Agent 3 is the third incarnation of Steinberg’s phenomenally successful Groove Agent virtual drummer VST instrument, and is a major step up from previous versions. Groove Agent 3 combines a huge library of drum and percussion sounds with a range of player technologies to give you dynamic, ready-to-go drums, beats, rhythms and percussion in only a few mouse clicks. Top-quality drum samples and live recorded drum performances in a massive number of variations cover 123 different styles from over 50 years of music history, automatically synced to the song tempo. And Groove Agent 3 also features more kits and sounds, including 3 new top-rate acoustic drum kits, as well as the ability to import user samples in wav and AIFF format for even more flexibility.

Groove Agent 3 adds two new agents to the Classic Agent seen in previous versions: Special Agent and Percussion Agent. While the top-notch Special Agent adds an astoundingly realistic studio drummer complete with new acoustic drum kits to Groove Agent 3’s arsenal, the Percussion Agent is specialized in red-hot percussive grooves and beats. The new Dual Mode puts any two of the three agents together in the recording studio for scorching virtual drum and percussion sessions – all within one single VST instrument. And while Groove Agent 3 breathes new life into any production with its inspiring and inventive drum performances, it’s also an ideal sparring partner for practice or jam sessions.