While it might seem that music production has either headed to iPads and GarageBand on one side and Ableton Live on the other, there are loads of reasons for other studio tools. So while they don’t get as much attention there days, great software such as Pro Tools, Digital Performer and Cubase keep advancing the state of the art with great new features and new ease-of-use tools to help artists get more music out of their systems quicker.
Today Steinberg announced the upcoming release of Cubase 7, coming December 5th. This is a major upgrade, with features that will be immediately useful to anyone making music. It is designed to be easy for anyone to jump in and be productive even if they are just starting with Cubase, and for veterans the new version is like a wish-list come true.
Here is a chunk of the press release focusing on the new features:
With an array of Virtual Studio Technology (VST) instruments and effects plus production tools employed by producers around the world, Cubase 7 and Cubase Artist 7 now include the new MixConsole mixer, the newly developed channel strip, Chord Track, significant workflow improvements and integration, new content and much more.
“This time around we focused in on one of the primary features in Cubase: the mixing. The result is the entirely new MixConsole, with never-before-seen transparency, fidelity, and functionality. Thanks to the built-in channel strip modules and their excellent-sounding EQ and dynamics, the days are finally over when we opened five plug-in windows per track to get the mix going. We also took care of many details that’ll make a big difference in time-critical situations, such as the Remote Control Editor, the redesigned Channel Settings window and the track, channel and plug-in finder. Version 7 is our commitment to the professional community and elevates Cubase to the top of every producer’s wish list,” said Helge Vogt, product marketing lead at Steinberg.
The MixConsole features full-screen mode and scalability for allowing seamless adjustment to small and large-scale displays alike. With Channel Zones, users are able to specify which channels and in which order they are to be displayed on the new mixer, while View Sets offers immediate recall of EQ, dynamics, sends and inserts. Other advantages of the new MixConsole include customizable track icons as well as Control Link and Quick Link for interlinking channels and parameters. Channel settings drag and drop, A/B comparison, global bypass on effects, plug-in search and integrated control room functionality add to the comprehensive list of new mixing features. Second in line is the newly developed channel strip with high and low-pass filters, noise gate, the four-band StudioEQ, three compressors, a spectrum analyzer, tube/tape saturation, a brickwall limiter, maximizer plus 150 factory presets, created by US producer Allen Morgan. Furthermore, the Channel Settings window is redesigned to provide easy access to all channel parameters, such as input metering and routing assignments, alongside the newly introduced Remote Control Editor for easy mapping of plug-in parameters to external controllers, supporting Mackie Control, Avid Artist Series and many others. Also available in Cubase 7 are Voxengo’s studio-grade 64-band spline CurveEQ, EBU R128 standard compliant loudness metering and the latest version of MixConvert for individual downmixes in unmatched quality.
The second assembly of musical features includes Chord Track, a dedicated track within the Project window. Cubase identifies the music’s harmony structure and provides chord and scale information to both MIDI and audio tracks that have been processed with VariAudio, and these in return automatically follow any harmonic adjustments in Chord Track. VariAudio is exclusively available in Cubase and has been enhanced to work seamlessly with Chord Track, allowing multiple-part editing within a single editor and harmonizing of lead vocals in choral arrangements. Another new feature exclusive to Cubase 7 is Chord Assistant for bridging chords and generating harmonic chord progressions. Implemented in both Cubase 7 and Cubase Artist 7, the Hermode tuning technology adjusts flaws of traditional well-tempered scales through dynamic retuning. Cubase also meets all demands for “in the box” content: next to the thousands of sounds already available, Cubase 7 and Cubase Artist 7 continue to stock up on samples, loops and presets: the new Hybrid Expansion for HALion Sonic SE boasts 300 new instrument sounds, while new drum samples and corresponding MIDI loops expand the Groove Agent ONE and Beat Designer library. More than 2,000 additional MIDI loops round out the extensive spectrum of sounds.
The final feature set delivers functional enhancements that boost the performance in various ways. ASIO-Guard is newly implemented into the Steinberg Audio Engine to improve stability and prevent data dropouts. Included for troubleshooting and diagnostics is the additional safestart mode to disable user preferences temporarily. With the keyword-oriented search engine, individual tracks and channels can now be quickly found in large projects. MemZap stores positions and zoom factors within the project at any particular time, while the new Steinberg Hub appears on start up, comprising an enhanced Project Assistant plus additional information services, such as news and a regularly updated list of video tutorials. Another highlight exclusively available to Cubase 7 is the brand-new VST Connect SE collaboration software, with talkback and chat functionality as well as real-time video and audio streaming over the Internet.
“Cubase 7 is bound to remain the widely acclaimed production software for recording, editing, mixing and producing music to the highest standards. With this major release, we’ve introduced new mixing and composition tools, improved on VariAudio, included Voxengo’s CurveEQ and many other really useful and important features to Cubase,” remarked Cubase product marketing manager Carlos Mendoza Rohde on the latest additions.
For anyone who bought the current version of Cubase after October 25th there is a free upgrade, otherwise pricing isn’t available – but there are upgrade as well as full versions available.
Here are an overview video:
Here are some feature videos, starting with the totally reinvented mix system:
Next we look at how Cubase 7 helps you as a musician and composer:
And finally at how it makes your life easier with extended collaboration options:
Head to Steinberg for more info on the new Cubase 7!
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