How to Use Cubase

Cubase lets you create and record your own music with your own PC.

Cubase is a flexible audio software program that allows you to create your own songs. You can record live instruments and vocals through your computer's audio interface, as well as create digital music with the use of virtual instruments known as VST instruments. Thanks to the use of VST instruments, you do not have to be a trained musician to create music, as they are easily programmed to play music via Cubase's built-in sequencer.

Instructions

1. Launch Cubase and select the drop down "Devices" menu. Click on "Device Setup" to install the correct driver for your hardware. Select your audio hardware's driver from the "Master ASIO Driver" menu and click the apply button.

2. Click on "VST Connections" in the "Devices" drop-down menu list. Select the correct input and output channels for your VST instruments. Both the input and output tabs should display the currently selected device port for your instruments, allowing you to hear them during playback.

3. Open a new project by selecting "New Project" from the "File" menu. Select an empty template. You will add tracks to this temple that enable your VST instrument to play music.

4. Choose a new folder for the project from the pop-up window. You can call it whatever you like, but make it memorable, as this is where all of the song's files will be kept.

5. Add a MIDI track by clicking the "Project" menu and selecting "MIDI" from the "Add Track" option. The MIDI track allows you to create music by instructing the VST instrument to play a note. Most VST instruments are polyphonic, which means you can play more than one note simultaneously to create chords.

6. Add a VST instrument to the MIDI track by clicking the "Devices" menu and selecting "Vst instruments". A pop-up window "labeled VST Instruments" will appear, with a column of boxes numbered sequentially from 1 to 64.

7. Select the instrument you want to add to the track from the pop-up VST instruments window by clicking and holding down the mouse button on the first box in the list. A menu showing all the VST instruments will appear.

8. Select the "record" button of the VST instrument to assign the instrument to the MIDI track. The button is found on the left-hand side of the project window in the track inspector.

9. Click on the "MIDI out" label in the track inspector. Select the instrument you have added from the drop-down menu. This list will become more populated if you add more instruments. You will now be ready to add notes to the MIDI track.

10. Double click on the first track in the arrange window to open the MIDI part window. Insert a note using the pencil tool from the floating toolbox. You can stretch notes by dragging the pencil while holding down the "Ctrl" key. If you put a note in the wrong place, simply highlight it and press the "Delete" key.

11. Press the "play" button on the transport bar. Cubase will scroll through the MIDI track and play back the notes that you have created through the VST instrument. By adding more instruments and more tracks, you will soon finish writing your first song in Cubase.