Steinberg Cubase Studio 4 Trade In
Cubase Studio 4 is the perfect music creation and production system for composers and producers. It comes with a brand-new VST3 plug-in set, integrated virtual instruments providing more than 600 sounds, and professional notation. The unique SoundFrame™ Universal Sound Manager organizes all your sounds from every instrument in your studio.
Top-10 New Features
- SoundFrame™ – Universal Sound Manager
- 21 All-New VST3 Audio Effects Plug-ins
- Built-in synth engine with hundreds of sounds
- Professional score editing, layout and printing
- Extended VST mixer
- MediaBay
- Instrument Tracks
- Track Presets
- User Interface Redesign
- Drag & Drop for Insert FX
Additional New Features
- Mac PPC/Intel - Universal Binary
- Advanced AudioWarp Realtime Transpose
- New Trim Tool
- Inplace Editor
- 8 Insert Effect Slots
- User-configurable Track Inspector
- User-configurable Channel Strip
- Intuitive Audio + MIDI Hardware Setup
- MPEX 3 – High-quality audio time-stretching and pitch-shifting
- Dynamic Output Configuration for VSTi’s
Added Value
- New tutorial manual including video tutorials
KEY NEW FEATURES EXPLAINED
SoundFrame
A powerful new environment which allows management of plug-ins, instruments, loops, presets, etc. SoundFrame allows you to manage ANY sound from ANY software or hardware synthesizer under a single, unified user interface (MediaBay – see below). You can find any sound, not only by instrument but also by category, type, style, character and other attributes. VST effects plug-in presets can be managed in a similar fashion. SoundFrame also includes more than 1000 ready-to-play sounds, conveniently organized by instrument category, type, and character. These can be instantly previewed before loading.
MediaBay
MediaBay is a single, intuitive interface for browsing, searching, managing and categorizing any type of media file. This includes audio and MIDI files, instrument and plug-in presets, video data and even project files. Powerful search tools, folder structures, a tag editor and a user-friendly musical category search system combine to make project organization easier than ever. MediaBay also allows loops to be auditioned in the song’s tempo.
Track Presets
One of the most powerful new features in Cubase 4 us Track Presets – especially when they’re combined with the new MediaBay. Track Presets are presets for complete track/channel settings. They are available for audio, MIDI, and instrument tracks. Combinations of tracks can also be saved as Multi-Track Preset. Most track and mixer settings are stored, as well as Instrument/Preset information for an instrument track, or MIDI Post/Channel/Patch information for a MIDI Track. Also included are all the insert effect settings as well as EQ. Track Presets can be saved with attributes like Category/Style/Character.
Instrument Tracks
An Instrument Track provides a fast and convenient way to use virtual instruments. As a quick alternative to the VSTi Rack, Instrument Tracks provide a single MIDI Input and a single stereo Output within a single channel/track. Setting up a VST Instrument and getting ready to play is now quicker and easier. Multitimbral VSTi’s and Instruments with multiple outputs may also be used in an Instrument Track. Of course, the VSTi Rack can still be used in the familiar way.
Cubase 4 System Requirements
- Macintosh: Power Mac G4 1 GHz or Core Solo 1.5 GHz, 512 MB RAM, OS X Version 10.4, Display Resolution 1024 x 768 pixels, CoreAudio compatible audio hardware DVD-ROM drive, USB component port for copy protection key, Internet access required for license activation
- Windows: Pentium / Athlon 1.4 GHz, 512 MB RAM, Windows XP Home and XP Professional, Display Resolution 1024 x 768 pixels, Windows DirectX compatible audio hardware; ASIO compatible audio hardware recommended for low latency performance, DVD-ROM drive, USB component port for copy protection key, Internet access required for license activation
Cubase Feature Comparison
| Feature |
Cubase Essential 4 |
Cubase Studio 4 |
Cubase 4 |
| Simultaneous playback of audio tracks |
64 |
unlimited |
unlimited |
| MIDI Tracks |
unlimited |
unlimited |
unlimited |
| Physical Inputs/Outputs |
32 |
128 |
256 |
| Inserts |
8 |
8 |
8 |
| Group channels |
256 |
256 |
256 |
| FX Send channels |
8 |
8 |
8 |
| FX Return Channels |
8 |
64 |
64 |
| Instrument Tracks |
unlimited |
unlimited |
unlimited |
| VST Instrument Slots |
16 |
32 |
64 |
| MIDI insert plugins |
4 |
4 |
4 |
| Number of mixer views |
1 |
2 |
3 |
| Control Room |
no |
no |
yes |
| Extended Channel EQ (VST3 Studio EQ) |
no |
no |
yes |
| Extended Mixer view |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Automation modes |
touch fader |
touch fader |
touch fader, x-over, autolatch, trim, overwrite |
| VST3 plug-in support |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Sidechain Inputs |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Recording from Busses |
no |
no |
yes |
| Mac OS X Universal Binary |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Multi Processing Support |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Surround: True Multichannel Audio Path |
no |
no |
yes |
| Unlimited Undo and Redo functions |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Offline Process History |
single undo |
for built-in audio |
for built-in audio and all plug-ins |
| MediaBay |
limited |
limited |
full |
| Track Presets |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Studio Connections |
Recall |
Recall |
Recall + Audio |
| External FX |
no |
no |
yes |
| External Instruments |
no |
no |
yes |
| Workspaces (virtual desktops) |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Project Browser |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Recording Modes: Mix, Overwrite, Normal, Merge, Stacked |
excl. Stacked |
yes |
yes |
| Editors: Key, List, Basic Score |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Drum Editor |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Logical Editor |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Project Logical Editor |
no |
no |
yes |
| Inplace Editor (MIDI Editing in Project Window) |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Advanced Options in Tempo Editor |
no |
no |
yes |
| Volume Envelopes |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Extended Track Inspector (shows VSTi channel for MIDI Tracks) |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| MIDI Devices (Device Maps and Editors) |
no |
no |
yes |
| Professional Score layout and printing functions (incl. MusicXML Import + Export) |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Arranger Track |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Global Transpose Track |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Audio Warp (Realtime Timestretching + PitchShifting) |
playback only |
yes |
yes |
| Time Warp Tool |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Pitch Shifting/Time Stretching algorithm |
Realtime |
Realtime + MPEX |
Realtime + MPEX |
| Dithering |
Apogee UV22HR |
Apogee UV22HR |
Apogee UV22HR |
| Key Command Macros |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Pool Import and Export |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Rewire Support |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Track Archives |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Extended Freeze for VST Instruments and Audio Tracks |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Hardware Controller Support |
Only Houston, Generic + Tascam US-428/224, Mackie Universal and HUI |
yes |
yes |
| Track Quick Controls |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Full MP3 Fraunhofer Encoding |
available as update |
available as update |
yes |
| Windows Media WMA Pro Encoding |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Sequel Project Import |
no |
yes |
yes |
| Number of VST MIDI effect plug-ins included |
15 |
16 |
16 |
| Number of VST audio effect plug-ins included |
31 |
37 |
55 |
| Number of VST instruments included |
1 |
2 |
6 |
| Number of instrument sounds included |
135 |
600+ |
1000+ |
| Full printed Operations Manual |
no |
no |
yes |
Inta Audio recommends the Steinberg Cubase Studio 4 Trade In by Steinberg
The Steinberg Cubase Studio 4 Trade In offers great value for money, features, build quality and reliability.