Steinberg Cubase 12 Released

Cubase is an incredibly popular DAW that’s suited to recording, editing and mixing music or audio. Its most recent incarnation - Steinberg Cubase 12 includes a number of updates and improvements that will likely help your workflow so you can get better results, quicker and more easily. 

If you bought Cubase 11 on or after the 10th November 2021, then you can upgrade to Cubase 12 for free. Here are some of the key improvements made in Steinberg Cubase 12.

This will be music to many users’ ears - Cubase 12 doesn’t require a USB dongle. Gone are the days of the eLicenser, instead using a more flexible and convenient licensing system. It’s worth noting that single-user licenses can still be activated on two computers so you can use it on the road and in the studio. 

There’s a new FX modulator that can help you breathe life into standard sounds. You’ve got a range of effects that you can use simultaneously - each with with their own EQ curve, allowing you to get incredibly creative, though there’s also got a load of presets to choose from too. Add rhythmic patterns, classic ducking effects and loads more to make your mix really stand out. 

Sometimes, you might need to adjust the timings of recordings to really help lock in the rhythm and groove of the track. The Free Warp tool in Cubase 12 allows you to edit your audio and correct timings in the Project window, plus you can adjust multiple tracks at once in Group Editing. 

Most people when recording music, will use a MIDI controller or MIDI instrument of some kind. Cubase 12 allows for better integration with your controllers so that when you plug it in, it will automatically map the controls. This gives you better control of a number of parameters, allowing you to tweak settings on the fly, without having to delve into menus on the computer. If your controller isn’t in there -  you can create your own script so it works exactly how you want.

Editing pitch can be useful for so much more than just correcting dodgy vocals! You can tweak instruments so that each little melody line is perfectly in tune with VSTs and synthesised instruments and loads more. The Scale Assistant in VariAudio within Cubase 12 makes this much easier and quicker now. Set the scale that you’re in, or even let it detect it for you if you’re not sure - then quantise accordingly, using as little or as much correction as you want.