18 Years & 11 Cubase Reviews Later
The modern era of Cubase comes of age this year and can finally have a drink, at least in England, as it enjoys its 18th birthday. After attending the product’s unveiling at the Frankfurt Musikmesse in 2002, I’ve followed the development of what started out as Cubase SX since the beta versions, reviewing many of the releases for Sound On Sound magazine in the intervening years.
To celebrate the announcement of Cubase 11, I’ve pulled together the introductory text and conclusion from those reviews with links to the original articles. So, sit back, and set your clocks for 2002…
Cubase SX: SX Appeal?
Key Features: The first version of Cubase’s modern era, built entirely from scratch with the Nuendo codebase.
Cubase SX is the most ambitious and eagerly anticipated software launch in years. Is this the future for computer-based music production?
One of the aspects that appealed to me when I first used Nuendo was the elegance in the design and operation of the program, and this has certainly been carried through to Cubase SX. In the core areas of the program, particularly the Project window, the attention to detail is obvious, and the overall interface has been streamlined to focus on the most common tasks. The fact that almost every function of the program can be accessed from the Project window without the user feeling that functionality has been compromised or that the interface has become cluttered deserves praise indeed.
Steinberg’s plug-in implementations of SPL’s famous DeEsser and Craig Anderton’s QuadraFuzz are bundled with Cubase SX. Notice also the ‘floating’ VST Send Effects rack and the new Plug-in Information window, which provides information about the installed VST, DirectX and MIDI plug-ins.
The appearance of Cubase SX is unlikely to appeal to everyone, but personally I liked the subtle, attractive and functional approach that’s been taken. The only aspect I had reservations about, at least when I first started using the program, was that the majority of buttons and labels are now pictorial instead of text-based. This was particularly off-putting at first, but hovering the mouse over most buttons displays a hint box to explain the function, and everything seems perfectly obvious now I’m used to the interface.
Computers are often criticised for being unpredictable, but when it comes to stability, I found Cubase SX to be completely reliable. The full release version hasn’t crashed on me once, even when pushing the limits with an arsenal of plug-in effects and instruments, and generally it felt as though Cubase SX was a robust platform to run my virtual studio from.
In terms of the Cubase product line, SX replaces both the previous high-end VST/32 version of Cubase and Cubase Score. At the lower end of the market, Steinberg will introduce Cubase SL with a reduced feature set to replace the current vanilla Cubase VST version. No feature set or pricing for Cubase SL was available at the time of writing.
So the ultimate question for most people will be: should I choose Cubase SX as my next MIDI + Audio sequencer? For existing Cubase users, the competitive upgrade price, coupled with the fact you can keep your existing dongle, means that the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. For musicians new to computer-based recording, SX is around 150 pounds cheaper than Logic Platinum, and around 150 pounds more than Sonar XL.
There’s really not much to choose between Cubase SX and Logic Platinum, other than personal preference. Where Cubase SX gains from being the new kid on the block in its simplicity and streamlined interface, Logic Platinum scores on mature power, and can also handle larger surround configurations. Perhaps Cubase’s most direct competition comes from Sonar: as a personal preference I would choose Cubase SX every time, but you should try out both programs before making a decision. I think Cubase is a more elegant program (for my way of working), and Sonar’s current lack of surround sound support may also be a factor.
It’s impossible to be anything other than impressed by Cubase SX. Steinberg have created an incredible music production tool that’s a joy to use and rarely feels like it’s getting in the way of what you’re trying to achieve.
Cubase SX 2: Still Feeling Like SX?
Key Features: The first version of Cubase to include both Windows and Mac versions in the same box; Steinberg claim over 100 new features; updated user interface; VST 2.3 audio engine with VST Connections window; Time Warp tool; Stacked Cycle Record mode; improved Key Editor.
The first major revision to Steinberg’s Cubase SX incorporates the newly developed audio engine from Nuendo 2, new features for media composers, and classic features from Cubase VST. Does it all add up to a substantial improvement over version 1?
Cubase SX 2 enters the market at an interesting time, facing tough competition from the latest generation of other MIDI + Audio applications, such as Sonar 3, Digital Performer 4 and Logic 6. From a personal perspective, putting the feature lists to one side for just a moment, I think I like using Cubase SX the most out of all the sequencers, primarily because the Project window is powerful, elegant, and, as I said in the original SX review a year ago, never feels like it gets in the way of what you’re trying to achieve. As Steinberg make it possible to achieve more and more in just the Project window, I think the brilliance of the design is proven because, even with all the new features, it doesn’t feel cluttered.
Existing SX users should upgrade to SX 2 immediately, without a doubt, because they’ll simply love the new feature set. For OS 9-based Cubase VST 5.x users who didn’t feel comfortable in making the jump before because of so many ‘missing’ features, SX is now a far more viable prospect than before and deserves serious consideration, especially since you can’t actually buy a new Mac that boots in OS 9. However, whether users of other sequencers will be tempted to switch is another, perhaps more subjective and personal matter, although I’m sure some users will at least be curious about using Nuendo’s advanced audio functionality at a lower price, especially if cross-platform work is important to you.
At the end of the day, SX 2 is a remarkable improvement over SX 1 in just about every respect. Although there are some features that still need to be brought back from VST 5.x, along with the issue of manipulating multiple Tempo Events in one go, and other small improvements that could be made, Steinberg have at least made an effort to address the weaker areas in the first release of SX a year ago. The more I worked with this new version, the more I liked it, and the more improvements I discovered; when I need to use a sequencer, the red diamond is still the icon I’m going to be double-clicking.
Cubase SX 3: Do You Think I’m S3Xy?
Key Features: Audio Warping; Play Order Tracks; improved colouring for channels, tracks, and parts; Audio Event Envelopes; redesigned Synchronisation and Metronome Setup windows; MIDI Device Panels; Edit In-Place; Process Tempo.
Cubase SX 3 is the latest incarnation of one of the best-known brands in sequencing software, offering many new features and tying up the loose ends from previous generations of Cubase. But with increased competition, most notably from Apple and Cakewalk, can Steinberg maintain their cross-platform advantage?
Some existing Cubase users have been disappointed that they will have to upgrade to SX 3 in order to resolve issues they had with SX 2, such as problems that many experienced with crossfades, there being no intermediate SX 2 release. At the end of the day, though, existing Cubase users who do pay to upgrade to SX 3 are unlikely to be disappointed with the purchase since there are so many other great new features aside from fixes that were requested in regard to SX 2.
In terms of the competition, it’s perhaps a shame that Steinberg haven’t responded more aggressively to Apple’s Logic Pro package, which bundles together all of Emagic’s software instruments and effects. While Apple have an advantage in being able to recoup revenue from computer hardware sales and Steinberg can’t simply afford to give away their entire product line, including the SE versions of Steinberg’s more popular VST Instruments might have been an interesting sweetener, encouraging users to upgrade to the full versions. Even the £200 Logic Express now includes a playback-only version of EXS24 MkI, the ES1 synth (although Steinberg and Waldorf’s included A1 is a good alternative), and the EVP73 modelled electric piano — and the just-announced version 7, previewed elsewhere in this issue, promises more goodies including all of Garage Band ‘s instruments.
Nevertheless, Cubase SX 3 brings Cubase back to a level where it can seriously be used for music composition and production, especially in the film and media industries where many previous users have either looked elsewhere or stuck with Cubase VST 5 in the absence of a suitable successor. These users should now seriously look to Cubase SX 3 as it’s a definite improvement over previous versions of Cubase, both SX and VST, despite a few MTC issues to be resolved with the otherwise brilliant Play Order Track feature.
Speaking of the Play Order Track, though, features like this in SX 3 make it feel like there is some genuinely musically interesting functionality in the application again, as opposed to purely utilitarian features like a new mix engine. Improvements can be seen in almost all areas of Cubase in this new version, and while Steinberg hasn’t quite got all of the loose ends tied up, this is undoubtedly a far superior sequencer to SX 2. What a difference a year makes; and the difference is you…
Cubase 4
This was the one of the versions of Cubase I didn’t review; it was written by Sound On Sound’s now Editor-in-Chief, the brilliant Sam Inglis. Cubase 4 was the version where the SX and SL appendages disappeared from the names of the main and junior editions of Cubase, the latter now being referred to, somewhat confusingly, as Cubase Studio. The user interface turned dark blue, and the Media Bay window was introduced for browsing files, project assets, and accessing the new Sound Frame preset management system, which is now known as VST Sound. This was also the first version to support Steinberg’s VST 3 plug-in standard.
Cubase 5: Five Stars
Key Features: VariAudio; VST Expression; Tempo and Time Signature Tracks in the Project window; Beat Designer and Groove Agent ONE MIDI and VST plug-ins; Reverence convolution reverb; improved interaction between automation and MIDI controller data; the first sully-supported 64-bit release for Windows Vista.
The first paid‑for update to Cubase for two years introduces some major innovations for sequencing and composition, including integrated Melodyne‑style pitch correction and editing.
Overall, Cubase 5 is a really fantastic update, and, compared to version 4, actually has musically useful new features that cater to many different groups of musicians. From major new facilities like VST Expression and VariAudio, to more workflow‑oriented improvements like the batch export feature in the Export Audio window, which I didn’t have space to discuss in more detail, allowing you to perform multiple exports of tracks or mixer channels with a single command, there really is something to make every Cubase user smile in this update.
Like any piece of software, it would seem, Cubase 5 isn’t perfect. There are a few quirks here and there, such as an instability that can manifest itself when you have multiple controller lanes open in the Key editor, or the fact that certain ‘on top’ windows like the transport panel don’t always minimise correctly with the parent window on Windows Vista. But at least Steinberg will be addressing many of these issues in the forthcoming 5.0.1 update mentioned earlier. One particular area of the application I wish Steinberg would look at in a future version, though, is the Preferences window.
With so many preferences, it’s becoming really hard to remember where to find certain options, especially when they get moved around from version to version or disappear altogether. Mac OS X Tiger’s System Preferences window showed one possible approach to locating certain settings, allowing you to search for items and having the window disclose where suitable matches might be found. And even Reaper, the “reasonably priced” digital audio workstation, offers a Find field in its Preferences window. We really need something like this in Cubase.
Ultimately, though, I actually do like the direction of Cubase 5. Rather than simply focus on redoing the user interface, or adding only ‘me too’ features from competing products, Steinberg seem to have really thought about functionality that will help users get more from the application. If Sound On Sound ever has to review Cubase 5 for a third time¹, there will be a high standard to beat.
¹ Cubase 5 was the second Cubase 5 the world has seen; Cubase VST 5, based on the original codebase, was released in 2000.
Cubase 5.5
Cubase 5.5 was a free update for existing users, offering performance enhancements, a redesigned Automation Panel with enhanced Fill modes and Trim functionality, the availability of Quick Controls for more Track types, a new OpenGL-based video engine, and 19 new kits for Groove Agent ONE with over 800 samples from vintage drum machines.
Cubase 6: Six Degrees of Cubase
Key Features: VST Expression is improved and becomes universally known as Expression Maps; support for VST 3.5 plug-ins; Note Expression; MIDI Meaning becomes Dynamic Mapping; Group Editing mode; new lane editing tools; Halion Sonic SE; Cubase now runs as a 64-bit application on Mac OS X, Cubase Studio is rebaptised as Cubase Artist.
Cubase 6 pushes the boundaries of expressive sequencing, while adding polish and new editing functionality to keep existing users happy. Is it all too good to be true?
Cubase 6 is a great release, and it’s especially gratifying that Steinberg have tidied up some of the loose ends introduced with the slightly dubious 5.5 update last Summer. The user interface finally feels as though it’s gaining consistency, with a cleaner, luculent and more polished appearance, so much so, that returning to Cubase 5.5 after experiencing the improvements — particularly the new Inspectors in the Project, Score and Key editors — is really disorientating. The phrase “How could we ever have worked like this?” kept springing to mind, which, to me at least, is usually the sign of a good upgrade.
Putting the user interface to one side, it’s gratifying to see Steinberg pushing ahead in Cubase 6 and exploring avenues that no other developer seems to be investigating. The Key editor has matured significantly, and compared to the paltry offerings in the competition — specifically Logic, Pro Tools and Sonar — Cubase easily has the best graphical event editing (it seems wrong to use the word MIDI here). The only slight chink in the armour — aside from the fact that it would be nice to have access to the Tempo, Signature and Marker tracks in the Key editor — is that for new features like Note Expression to be truly useful, Steinberg will need the support of its developer community. (See ‘Why VST3 Matters’ box.)
At the end of the day, Cubase 6 is a formidable release. Cubase users will love it, of course; but some of the new features are sure to make followers of other music production software green with envy.
Cubase 6.5
Sound On Sound Reviews Editor Matt Houghton reviewed this version of Cubase, which included a collection of new plug-in instruments and effects, such as Retrologue, PadShop, and VST Amp Rack. There was also a new dedicated comping tool, and additional support for formats and platforms when importing and exporting audio, such as SoundCloud.
Cubase 7: Lucky for Some?
Key Features: Steinberg Hub; MixConsole; redesigned Channel Settings window; VariAudio 2.0; ASIO Guard; Track and Channel pictures; Track Search; Chord Track with Chord Events; Hermode Tuning.
Steinberg’s DAW software has received perhaps its biggest shake-up to date, with a redesigned mixer and some clever chord functions.
While it’s always the case that not every new feature of any update is going to appeal to every single user, this situation seems truer than ever with Cubase 7. I’m sure there are going to be many users who never go near the Chord track functionality, for example, and perhaps even more who will never need loudness metering. But, overall, Steinberg have packed an incredible amount of new functionality into the program in an attempt to please as many people as possible in Cubase’s diverse user base, and I think this it ultimately a good thing. Whether it’s big features, like the new mixer, or smaller improvements such as the search facilities for tracks, channels and plug-ins, there really is something for every Cubase user in this release.
Cubase 7 may also be the cause of a little envy from users of other music creation software, since while Cubase 6 already had what is unquestionably the best piano-roll-style editor for composers, Cubase 7 reaffirms Steinberg’s commitment to music-creation features in a way that few competitors seem willing or able to match.
There are still many loose ends that need to be tied up for Cubase 7 to reach its full potential, especially certain MixConsole design choices; but Steinberg have actually been quite good at issuing both x.5 and small maintenance releases over the last few versions, and I would both hope and assume that this will also be the case with Cubase 7. So, ultimately, I don’t think there’s a good reason for existing Cubase users not to want to upgrade — but there are maybe a few reasons why users of other software might cast a curious eye over Steinberg’s latest work.
Cubase 7.5: Seven & A Half
Key Features: Track Versions; Track Visibility in the Project window; VST Quick Controls for VST Instruments; Halion Sonic SE2 and Groove Agent SE4 instrument plug-ins, Revelation algorithmic reverb, LoopMash FX, and Magneto 2 effects plug-ins.
Steinberg have packed a lot of new functionality into their bargain upgrade to Cubase.
Overall, Cubase 7.5 is an impressive release, and one almost gets the feeling Steinberg could have gotten away with calling this new version Cubase 8! It’s not Cubase 8, of course, but there are many substantive features here for a relatively inexpensive upgrade fee, Track Versions and Visibility being the obvious ones. Cubase 7.5 is also quite a dramatic improvement over Cubase 7, especially compared to the first 7.0.0 release, and this is largely thanks to the 7.0.x releases mentioned at the start of the review.
A few changes continue to niggle, such as the appearance of more and more cryptic dots in the user interface. In 7.5, the project window’s Visibility tab is a good example of this, but prior to 7.5, these dots had also started showing up in places like the audio insert slots in the Inspector. Where, in the original Cubase 7 release, inserts would display a power button when the mouse hovered over them, in recent versions all you see are three dots, and you can only discover the purpose of these dots by moving the mouse over them. While I suppose you quickly learn the left dot is the power button, the bottom dot accesses presets, and the right dot lets you select a different insert, it just seems unnecessarily cryptic.
Niggles aside, if you’re already using Cubase 7, there’s really no reason not to upgrade. If you’re still using a previous version, I’d say this would be a good moment to move to the latest and greatest. And if you’re using software from another company, Steinberg’s release schedule must be starting to sting!
Cubase 8: Pieces of Eight
Key Features: Cubase becomes Cubase Pro; VCA Fader Channels, automation “Virgin Territories”, and Direct Routing from Nuendo; darker appearance; the VST Instruments racks or Media Bay window can be accessed via the Project window; Render in Place; Chord Pads and Assistant; revamped Workspaces; Quadrafuzz v2, VST Bass Amp, Multiband Envelope Shaper, and Multiband Expander effects plug-ins; Acoustic Agent SE added to Groove Agent SE4; Plug-in Manager.
Cubase 8 combines powerful tools from Nuendo with new features such as VCA faders and the ability to render audio in place.
Cubase 8 is another great release from Steinberg that, despite clearly leaning towards mixing and production-oriented features, still has something to offer for everyone when you consider things like improved audio engine enhancements with ASIO Guard 2, improved workflow for those that make use of Workspaces, and Chord Pads. There are the inevitable teething problems (see ‘Trouble On The 805’), but nothing that makes me think I wouldn’t want to be using this latest version. And if Steinberg keep up with their current release schedule, I can’t wait to see what’s in store in Cubase 8.5.
Cubase 8.5: Point Break
Key Features: VST Transit; Import Tracks from Project feature; Drum Visibility Agents; new Transport functionality; Custom Chord Symbols; Profile Manager; Retrologue 2.
The latest Cubase update connects Steinberg’s DAW to the cloud, but also brings plenty of improvements for earthbound users.
There’s a great deal to like about Cubase 8.5; Steinberg have taken what was already a very strong and comprehensive release and made it — as you would hope with an upgrade — even better. It will be interesting to see if VST Transit sees wide adoption amongst Cubase users, though I remain sceptical about just how useful this sort of functionality is in the real world, and, more importantly, if people will pay for the additional storage and traffic that will be required.
For those who will be using Cubase offline, the editing improvements in the both the editor and project windows will be appreciated, not to mention the ability to import tracks from a project file. Given that Cubase 8.5 can be installed alongside 8.0, there’s really no reason for existing users not to take the plunge, since you can explore the new features before committing to the new version, and Retrologue 2 will be available in the older version.
However, as is to be expected with any significant upgrade, you may experience teething troubles. For example, I’ve had several friends complain about plug–in incompatibilities when loading up their existing templates. And if you’re not already using Cubase, the pace of its annual upgrade program — not to mention its ever–increasing sophistication — must be making Steinberg’s ‘Advanced Music Production System’ look more than a little tempting.
Cubase 9: The Ninth Wave
Key Features: The Project windows now provides a single-window home to functionality offered by different windows via a new zoning concept; Multiple Marker Tracks; Sampler Track; 32-bit plug-ins no longer supported; VST Plug-in Blacklist; new Frequency and Maximizer effects plug-ins, new video engine in 9.0.30.
The latest update to Cubase sees Steinberg’s DAW embrace single-window working and integrated sampling.
Cubase 9 is one of those versions that might, on the surface at least, not seem as exciting as previous updates. But as you begin to delve into the new features and improvements, you start to uncover the level of depth that people have come to expect from Steinberg. Some of the new features are admittedly very specific, so existing users will only see benefits where Steinberg have tackled something applicable to them. The Lower Zone, for example, is great for laptop users, but less so for multi-monitor workflows. And the (admittedly brilliant) Sampler track is something that users will embrace or find irrelevant. However, something as seemingly unexciting as Plug-in Sentinel will benefit everyone if it succeeds in making Cubase more stable by excluding errant plug-ins, and if one looks at Cubase 9 from the perspective of the whole application, Steinberg’s Advanced Music Production System continues to be an impressive and sophisticated offering.
Cubase 9.5
Cubase 9.5 introduced a new metronome with customisable click sounds and patterns, Direct Offline Processing, new 64-bit floating point mixing engine, additional audio insert effect slots with an adjustable pre/post fader divider, a fresh coat of paint for the Vintage Compressor, Tube Compressor, and Magneto III effects plug-ins, and Halion Sonic SE3 with the new FLEX wavetable synth library.
Cubase 10
Fellow Sound On Sound contributor John Walden reviewed Cubase 10, which offered an updated user interface with initial support for HiDPI displays, Audio Alignment, MixConsole Snapshots, AAF import and export from Nuendo, VariAudio 3, and new plug-ins in the form of Distroyer and Groove Agent 5SE.
Cubase 10.5: It Ain’t Half Cubase
Key Features: New Video Export functionality; updated Import Tracks from Project window from Nuendo; new MIDI Retrospective Record features; EQ comparison curve; improvements in the Key Commands window; MultiTap and Padshop 2 plug-ins.
There’s something for everyone in the latest version of Steinberg’s flagship music production package.
It sounds like a cliché, but Cubase 10.5 really is one of those updates where there really is something for all users. While some of the new features — notably the revised Import Tracks from Project window, the ability to colour MixConsole strips, and perhaps the Combine Selection Tools mode — are, shall we say, ‘inspired’ by competing products like Pro Tools, this is no bad thing. Sometimes the wheel is worth rethinking, but equally there isn’t always a need to reinvent it, and I think in this latest update Steinberg have achieved a good balance in observing the competition, meeting the needs of users, and keeping Cubase true to itself.
