Cubase
Introduction
This course is targeted at those individuals who want to learn how to work with Cubase®, while at the same time seeking a deep understanding of how a computer processes audio. The emphasis will be on the former, with considerable amount of time devoted to the latter. Throughout the semester, you'll learn Cubase® from the installation point up to the inserting–effects–into–your–music point, concurrently learning about dynamic range, microphone polar patterns, and the definition of compression, to name a few.
This course is not a composition course. It is, however, a course on how to translate your compositional ideas into music quickly.
Cubase® is cross–platform. As such, all the material from the class will apply, regardless of whether you use Cubase® on a Mac or PC.
Prerequisite: the requirements for the course are that you know, or are not afraid, to troubleshoot a computer, and that you own or have access to Cubase® (either Essential, Studio, or the full version).
Topics Covered
- System setup
- MIDI
- The Nyquist theorem
- Frequency response
- Analog audio
- Digital audio
- Mixing
- Editing
- VST plug–ins
- Microphone polar patterns
- Dynamics (ie, compressors, expanders, limiters, etc)
- Filters, such as low–pass, high–pass, band–pass, band–reject, and Q
- Connecters, such as XLR, Neutrik, phono, etc
- Balanced and Unbalanced Connections
- Dynamic range (dB)
Textbook & Readings
Textbook
Title: Cubase® 4 Power!
Author: Robert Guérin
ISBN–13: 978–1–59863–002–2
ISBN–10: 1–59863–002–4
Readings
- Chapter 1: Basic Concepts
- pages 3 — 14
- Chapter 2: Cubase Terminology
- pages 15 — 32
- Chapter 3: Setting Up Peripherals
- pages 33 — 50
- Chapter 4: Monitoring Audio
- pages 51 — 67
- Chapter 5: New Projects
- pages 69 — 80
- Chapter 6: Control Room Mixer
- pages 83 — 95
- Chapter 7: SoundFrame
- pages 97 — 114
- Chapter 8: Recording Audio
- pages 115 — 127
- Chapter 9: Using Instruments
- pages 129 — 145
- Chapter 10: Recording MIDI
- pages 147 — 155
- Chapter 12: Insert Effects
- pages 165 — 170
- Chapter 13: Pool
- pages 171 — 182
Other Readings
In addition to the assigned textbook readings, I will hand out copies of sections from the MIDI spec, Electronic Musician magazine, Remix magazine, and other sources.
Assignments
There will be five assignments/projects and a midterm exam. The projects are designed to give you the necessary hands–on experience to master Cubse®, while the exam is structured to test your memorization of key concepts relating to audio.
Cubase Features Comparison
Cubase® 4, Cubase® Essential 4, and Cubase® Studio 4 differ in their basic features, stock plug–ins, and advanced integration features. Here's a list:
Announcements
- 28 January 2009:
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Schedule
- Day:
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Homework
- Homework 1: due 6 March 2009
- Homework 2: due 27 March 2009
- Homework 3: due 17 April 2009
- Homework 4: due 8 May 2009
- Homework 5: due 5 June 2009
Resources
Books
A suggestion for some good books to have as references.
| Title | Cubase SX/SL — Mixing & Mastering | The Computer Music Tutorial | Real World Digital Audio |
| Author | Craig Anderton and Christian Deinhardt | Curtis Roads | Peter Kirn |
| Edition | First | First | First |
| ISBN | 0825627206 | 0262680823 | 0321304608 |
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Online Tutorials
Contact
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Last modified: Wed Jan 28 22:47:13 EST 2009