Most entry-level sequencers are distinguished by what they leave out, rather than what they leave in, but Steinberg's Cubasis aims to change all that. Danny McAleer switches platforms to try out this entry-level Cubase for PC...

Cubase sometimes seems like a program that's been through more identity changes and fake suicides than Reginald Perrin, with a string of estranged wives wondering what the blazes is going on. Cubasis is its latest incarnation, and ranks with Cubase Lite as another attempt to bring functional sequencing into an affordable price range.

Installation of the software is simplicity itself, and is fully explained in the manual. There is no need to set up the MIDI port drivers before executing the program, making things easier still. Cubasis will run on a minimum system of a 386sx 25MHz PC with 4Mbytes of RAM and Windows 3.1. You can actually run it minimised alongside other applications whilst still listening to a song, but this can require more than 4Mbytes, depending of course, on the other programs' memory requirements.

Like the full version of Cubase, Cubasis allows more than one song, or 'arrangement' to be open at the same time. Up to 16 (memory permitting) can be open simultaneously, allowing the cutting and pasting of parts between different arrangements. The sort of occasion where one might like to do this is when combining several different pieces into a megamix or something, or in the use of MIDI file data like the Twiddly Bits riffs in existing songs.

As well as exporting and importing standard MIDI files, Cubasis also supports the ARR and ALL file formats peculiar to the Cubase series. The 'arrangement' file, omitted in the Lite version, saves only the current working window, whereas a 'song' (or .ALL) file saves all of the songs in memory, the editor windows' configurations, and even the position of the right and left locators. As with all versions of Cubase, the transferral of songs between different platforms and versions should work. I encountered no problems when trying to use v2.0 .ARR files from the Atari, and Lite .ALL files from the Mac with Cubasis.

Arranging blocks

The arrange page is where the blocks of data are recorded and sequenced together. Parts of any length, between one beat and an entire song length can be shuffled around the window onto other tracks, or moved in time. Each part can be individually named too, by double-clicking on it with the [alternate] key held down.

Each track has its own MIDI bar for playback monitoring, a solo/mute column, track name box, MIDI channel number and actual device settings. Cubasis automatically recognises any MIDI interfaces plugged in, so long as they were active before running Windows. Selection of a different port is a matter of just clicking on the appropriate box and making a selection.

In addition to individual MIDI bars, there are two status LED-type indicators for global MIDI in and MIDI out messages on the transport bar, that flash merrily when messages are travelling to and fro. This bar also contains all the necessary tape functions, tempo, time signature, Left and Right locator positions, and buttons for soloing, metronome toggle on/off, cycle on/off, and Mastertrack on/off.

The other principal functions exclusive to the arrangement page are the repeat parts menu bar option, quantise values menu, and the 'inspector'. The inspector is a concise listing of various track parameters, listing values for things like global channel volume, bank and program change, MIDI ports and drivers, plus a transpose and velocity box. Any values inputted here will be what that track defaults to every time the sequence is restarted, and with respect to parameters like transpose, affecting the track on a global scale. You can still use program changes later on in the piece, or just transpose a single part using the option from the drop-down menu bar.

The repeat parts menu makes copies of the selected part or parts. Copies can either be 'normal' or 'ghost' parts, the former producing an independent replicate of the original. Ghost copies are particularly useful for two reasons: RAM can be saved if the song has a continuously repeated figure by using a ghost copy; any alterations made to the original part, will be 'copied' to all of the ghost parts too. You can change a ghost part into a normal part by opening it up in one of the editors.

Recording bits

Setting up a part to record can be done by either creating the part first, by pressing [control] and [p] to make a block in between the locators, or by simply starting to record. The latter option can sometimes cause oddly-sized parts (not of whole bar lengths), depending on where you stop recording, which is a bit of a problem.

The way around it is to use the cycle mode; this enables you to add more notes to a piece each time it loops around, making light work of a complex drum pattern or piano part. It also sets up the proper sized pattern (dependent on the locator positions), regardless of how long you record for. You can actually opt to swap between tracks and record several parts during the same 'take', by pressing the up and down cursor keys too.

The other way to record a part is using the step input option in the Key editor (more later). Cubasis uses the overdub method in its real-time recording, so there is always the opportunity to add to a part later on, although the easiest way of adding to a part is to record the addendum separately and then drag it on to the old part with [alternate] and [control] depressed.

What is a bit frustrating is that the method of recording cannot be altered, so you cannot just re-record over a part, it has to be deleted.

Fine tuning

Once recorded, the block can then be re-shaped, copied, or edited using a number of the utilities available. The toolbox in the arrangement window has six implements (including the pointer) with which to perform various editing tasks: A pencil and rubber, for re-sizing, drawing and erasing parts; a magnifying glass that replays anything that's clicked on; scissors and glue, for cutting and pasting parts. Mute, and Match quantise tools are the only tools featured in Cubase that are omitted from this carpentry bag.

The quantise option has been reduced to just an over-quantise type (only quantising note on values), with a choice of notation values in triplet, dotted or normal form. Quantisation can be applied and then taken off, and then re-applied at any stage as it uses a different undo than the general purpose undo function. The MIDI filters are limited to just excluding system-exclusive messages from being recorded.

But most frustrating of all is that there is no 'all notes off' function in case of trailing note emergencies. I had to actually quit the application in order to stop a synth pad on the PC's sound card from wailing interminably and driving me completely insane. Perhaps adding this instead of the custom colour menu would have been more sensible.

The editors

Where Cubase Lite was seriously flawed was that it expected you to use a score editor to manipulate data; certainly not an easy feat to achieve with any level of success. Fortunately, Cubasis is far more generous, and has a List (or Grid) edit, and Key editor.

Double-clicking on a part opens up the key editor, although this default is user-definable, so you could have it open the List or Score edit. The key editor employs a user-definable grid on which to 'paint' on the notes corresponding to a piano on the left hand side. Both axes can be set to various resolutions, and then zoomed in and out accordingly. In addition to a slightly different set of tools in the toolbox, the Key edit also has an extra function bar. Activating step record is achieved by clicking on the foot icon in this menu. The lengths and snap values of the notes entered into the editor are dependent on the quantise settings. The quantise values can be altered during the recording, and rests inputted using the [Tab] key.

The key edit also has a bar graph window that displays various system messages data. Using the pencil or compass, whilst holding down the [alternate] key it is possible to 'draw' in new controller information. The choice of controllers in Cubasis is kept to a minimum, just allowing the use of the most frequently used: Pitch bend, aftertouch, velocity, modulation, volume, and pan.

The Score edit is possibly the worst place to try and do any description of editing (even if musical notation is familiar to you), and so it is advisable to keep this editor exclusively for creating printouts of scores. The quality of the printed page is actually very reasonable on a Canon BJ10ex bubblejet printer.

Options to edit the score include transposing instruments (ideal for changing the appearance of a part without physically transposing it), like the clarinet and trumpet, staff settings, and textual comments and titles. The text doesn't actually appear on the screen; it is only ever printed on paper, which can be a little disorientating, but not tragic.

The grid edit displays all manner of MIDI messages including system exclusives, and two interesting events; mute and text. These are events specific to MIDI files, the first offering a track on/off message, the second a way of adding textual notes to a track to remind you of something important, your Gran's birthday for instance.

Other functions include a master track option where tempos and time signatures can be altered at given points in the song, synchronisation options, for slaving or mastering another MIDI sequencer to Cubasis, plus a GM/GS/XG Mixer. This is a sixteen channel MIDI mixer with graphic dials and sliders, with GS and XG (Yamaha's proprietary GM format)-specific functions, for controlling effects parameters and muting.

Verdict

Cubasis retains many of the important editing, recording, and sequencing features of its paterfamilias. Whilst the Lite version was stripped down to its underwear and generally bereft of any of the more useful functions, Cubasis preserves rather more dignity, and represents a serious entry-level addition to the Steinberg range.

The CD-ROM section of this month's Re:Mix features a demo version of Steinberg's new Cubasis program