#Cubase pro 8 color schemes how to
#Cubase pro 8 color schemes free

In this article, I'm going to run through aВ few strategies for getting the best out of Cubase's built-in level meters, and will recommend aВ few free or inexpensive plugвЂ‘ins that can help you plug the gaps where Cubase falls short. It's perfectly possible for there to be material that doesn't register as clipping on aВ conventional peak meter, yet will distort when run through aВ DвЂ‘A converter, as the converter 'draws' the the peak of the curve represented by the digital audio signal. You also need to know where any meter is taking its reading from: is it at the channel input, before all the insert slots, after the inserts, or after the fader? It makes aВ huge difference!ДЄ final thing to say about peak meters in general is that they're quite aВ blunt tool and won't always tell you if aВ signal is going to clip. Cubase doesn't include such meters, but it's easy enough to add thirdвЂ‘party plugвЂ‘ins to do the job (I'll discuss a few options later). In other words, you could have two channels, both with the same meter reading, but one much louder than the other or one signal only reaching вЂ‘20dBFS and the other reaching 0dBFS, but the вЂ‘20 one actually sounding louder! To monitor loudness, you need aВ different sort of meter that works on average levels - aВ VU or PPM meter.

Even the briefest, inaudible transient can clip without you really noticing, and it may be that the average level is actually quite low. They're tweakable to some extent, as I'll explain later, and setting them up so you know what they're telling you is important.Д«ut however you calibrate them, such meters tell you very little about how 'loud' things are. In Cubase 5, the channel levelвЂ‘meters are digital peak meters: they show you how near to clipping the highest peaks of each track are, and if they clip, there's aВ 'virtualвЂ‘LED' indicator at the bottom of the meter that will remain red - an indication that you should pull things back aВ bit.

It's this I have in mind when talking about clipping in this article. But when you bounce any processing down to 24-bit (or maybe 16-bit) files, or when the signal passes through any A-D or D-A conversion stages (if you're using external effects, for example), the audio file can't store all that information - and you'll end up with clipping. When I say 'clip', Cubase doesn't actually clip the signal during processing: its 32- or 64-bit engine can accommodate much higher levels.

#Cubase pro 8 color schemes how to

Knowing how to interpret and act on Cubase's level meters can help you to make better mixes.Д¬ubase allows you to change the appearance and behaviour of its meters.Д®very DAW package worthy of the name includes digital peak meters, whether in aВ mixer, on individual channels or both - but how often do you actually use them for anything more than an animated red and green light show? Paying more attention to your meters - and looking beyond simply where they 'clip' - can lead to better mixes.