New Features
The following list informs you about the most important improvements in Cubase and provides links to the corresponding descriptions.
New Features in Version 12
Highlights
Raiser is a versatile limiter plug-in that can increase the loudness of the audio material to a high extent. Its range goes from smooth limiting of solo tracks and full mixes to a rather aggressive limiting, best suited for percussive material. The plug-in is described in the separate document Plug-in Reference. See Raiser.
This new multi-effect modulation plug-in combines several modulation effects that allow for extensive sound shaping, from classic ducking effects to exciting rhythmic patterns. You can create custom shaped LFOs and modulate up to 6 integrated effect modules at once. The LFO can be triggered via MIDI or separate side-chain inputs, where the envelope of the side-chain signal is added to the LFO. The plug-in is described in the separate document Plug-in Reference. See FX Modulator.
Verve is a felt piano with a beautiful and warm sound, enabling you to tell a new story with every single key you play. The VST instrument is described in the separate document Verve. See Verve.
The new Volume Automation Precision function allows for volume automation that is 100% sample accurate, regardless of the buffer size. You can set the number of samples after which a new volume automation event is processed. The automation curve between the processed events is interpolated. This smoothens transitions between automation events and prevents sudden jumps which may lead to crackles. See Audio System Page.
You can now freeze/unfreeze several tracks at once. See Freezing Multiple Tracks.
The new nudge grid options let you edit independently from the project grid. This allows you to work with a musical Bars+Beats grid for all mouse operations while fine-tuning positions and lengths of events and parts using Nudge key commands. See Setting up a Snap Grid for Nudge Operations.
You can now move event ends to the project cursor position. See Move Submenu.
When resizing events with the Object Selection tool, you can now automatically adapt the size of existing fades by using a tool modifier. See Resizing Events with the Object Selection Tool - Normal Sizing.
You can now assign key commands to slip event content operations. See Moving the Contents of Events.
We have extended key-command-based operations for creating and adjusting range selections. It is now possible to also increase/decrease the vertical direction to span range selections across multiple tracks. This way, you can entirely rely on key command support to adjust and move a range selection in all four directions. See Adjusting the Size of Selection Ranges.
All fade-related commands are now gathered in a dedicated Fades submenu in the Audio menu, and the commands Fade In to Range Start and Fade Out from Range End have been added. See Creating and Editing Fades with the Range Selection Tool.
You can now perform phase-coherent AudioWarp operations for parts and events on all tracks within a folder track. See Group Editing Mode.
The new Free Warp mode of the Time Warp tool allows you to perform quick warp operations by creating and editing warp markers on events in the Project window. See Time Warp.
You can now copy warp markers from a selected event to other events at the same time position. See Copying Warp Markers to Other Events.
Whether you want to get creative with melodies or correct the pitch of your recordings, the Scale Assistant in VariAudio brings two powerful tools together to make pitch editing a breeze. Just set the scale and follow the chord track or let the Scale Assistant suggest the scale, based on your recorded notes. You can then instantly quantize the pitch of your recording or snap the VariAudio pitch editing to the scale. See Selecting a Musical Scale for VariAudio Segments.
You can now permanently apply extension edits to audio events. See Permanently Applying Extension Edits to Audio Events.
You can now permanently apply extension edits to audio tracks. See Permanently Applying Extension Edits to Audio Tracks.
You can now use your AudioWarp and Quality settings for slice playback. See Playback Section.
Cubase now supports 2D channel configurations up to 7.1 and 3D channel configurations up to 7.1.4. See Available Surround Channel Configurations.
You can now create complete mixes with object-based audio content for Dolby Atmos® without additional software or hardware. See Object Audio in Cubase.
The Setup Assistant for Dolby Atmos dialog helps you to set up a fully compliant Dolby Atmos® project. The assistant allows you to add a main mix channel in a 3D channel configuration up to 7.1.4, to insert the Renderer for Dolby Atmos plug-in for monitoring, and to automatically route the existing tracks of your project to a bed group channel. This way, you can set up a perfect starting point for creating mixes for Dolby Atmos® in Cubase. See Setup Assistant for Dolby Atmos.
The Renderer for Dolby Atmos now offers a binaural downmix for monitoring Dolby Atmos mixes via headphones and allows you to measure the loudness of the renderer output signal. See Renderer for Dolby Atmos Plug-in Panel.
In the ADM Authoring for Dolby Atmos window, you can configure objects and beds from existing tracks in the project and customize the object structure. See ADM Authoring for Dolby Atmos Window.
Cubase allows you to export your own Dolby Atmos® mixes as fully compliant Audio Definition Model (ADM) files in Broadcast Wave Format (BWF). See ADM Files.
MIDI controllers are essential to every music production setup and, in Cubase, integrating them has reached a new level. Built around the new concept of MIDI remote scripts, Cubase will automatically detect your device and map the controls. If there is no script for your device yet, you can easily create your own with the MIDI Controller Surface Editor. You can then conveniently connect controls and parameters with the Mapping Assistant. See MIDI Remote.
The user interface and the layout of the Track Input Transformer have been modernized and made consistent to the overall application look & feel, and the Preset Browser has been renewed. See Track Input Transformer.
The user interface and the layout of the Project Input Transformer have been modernized and made consistent to the overall application look & feel, and the Preset Browser has been renewed. See Project Input Transformer.
The user interface and the layout of the Logical Editor have been modernized and made consistent to the overall application look & feel, and the Preset Browser has been renewed. See Logical Editor.
The user interface and the layout of the Project Logical Editor have been modernized and made consistent to the overall application look & feel, and the Preset Browser has been renewed. See Project Logical Editor.
You can now drop your audio recording on the chord track and Cubase will lay out the chord progression for you. And if the detection does not match your scale, the Chord Assistant can suggest the nearest alternatives based on the following chords. See Creating Chord Events from Audio Events.
Edit operations in the Project Logical Editor can now run commands and macros before and after the filters and actions. See Project Logical Editor Pre- and Post-Process Commands.
The Audio Performance window now offers realtime, ASIO-Guard, and peak indicators. See Audio Performance Window.
More New Features
Lin One Dither is a dithering plug-in that uses advanced algorithms and offers additional noise shaping to increase the apparent signal-to-noise ratio by altering the spectrum of the low-level audio signal. The plug-in is described in the separate document Plug-in Reference. See Lin One Dither.
The fully customizable multimeter audio analyzer comes with new modules: A classic VU meter, Spectrum Keyboard, Balance, Level Histogram, and Loudness Histogram. The plug-in is described in the separate document Plug-in Reference. See SuperVision.
StepFilter now allows you to apply a certain deviation of the base cutoff and base resonance parameters with each new cycle of the pattern. The plug-in is described in the separate document Plug-in Reference. See StepFilter.
You can now use up to 2 video tracks in Cubase projects. This also enables you to import all video tracks from existing Nuendo projects. See Video Tracks.
You can now import tempo tracks and signature tracks from other projects or track archives. See Track Import from Projects or Track Archives.
Cubase now allows you to render selections or range selections of audio events and MIDI parts and export the rendered audio .wav files. See Exporting Selected Events.
The advanced Crossfade editor offers more control, new operations, and advanced editing, to help you create the perfect blend. See Crossfade Editor.
The new Markers window gives you a better overview of the markers used in your project and facilitates editing. See Markers Window.
You can now open up to 4 MixConsole windows in Cubase. See MixConsole.
You can now use a maximum amount of 256 VCA faders. See Creating VCA Faders in the MixConsole.
The Sample Editor toolbar now comes with several improvements for displaying, zooming, and editing clips and events. See Sample Editor Toolbar.
You can now apply ARA extensions at track level and conveniently edit all events within that track. See Activating Extensions for Audio Tracks.
You can now produce fully compatible Dolby Pro Logic II mixes with Lt/Rt matrix encoding, including 90° phase shift of the surround channels. See MixConvert V6 Plug-in Panel.
Last but Not Least
Cubase now supports the Windows Runtime MIDI API, WinRT MIDI, that allows for native support of bluetooth MIDI in Windows, better plug and play, and better handling of multiple identical devices. See MIDI Port Setup Page.
You can now assign additional key commands that allow you to move the project cursor in fixed steps of 5 s, 10 s, and 20 s, forward or backward. See Setting the Project Cursor.
You can now use default fades to create event-based fade ins and fade outs. See Applying Default Fades.
The new audition function allows you to directly preview any position in the analyzed audio event. Furthermore, you can apply fade ins and fade outs to the resulting audio events. See Detect Silence Dialog.
You can now decide whether to append the clip name to the event name. See Event Display - Audio.
You can now scale the Cubase user interface relative to the Windows system scaling setting. See General.