Cubase 10.5: New Features Overview

Packed with New Features for a Smoother Workflow

In this article, we explore the new features in the newly released Cubase 10.5.
Although this is a .5 update, it adds many powerful features, including spectral curve comparison, new plug-ins, and improved instruments. There is plenty to explore.

Cubase 10.5 New Features: Video Overview

Steinberg Product Distributor: Links to Content from Yamaha Music Japan Co., Ltd.

• Yamaha Music Japan MPP (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/user/SteinbergJapan
• MPP (Twitter): https://twitter.com/SteinbergJP
• Sound Roster Music Production Program (Fresh!): https://freshlive.tv/ymjsoundroster

Product page: https://bit.ly/2UiQvP5

Selected Questions and Answers from the YouTube Video

Could you tell me how to set up Cubase so that I can move left and right by grabbing an empty area in the project?

In Cubase Preferences, go to Transport and enable “Locate When Clicked in Empty Space.”

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This is unrelated to the video, but if the data for the bundled HALion Sonic or Groove Agent 5 gets deleted, does that mean I can no longer use them?

You can download and install them again using Steinberg Download Assistant. https://japan.steinberg.net/fr/support/content_and_accessories/steinberg_download_assistant.html

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Can I make the MixConsole and inserts appear in the lower part of the screen as soon as I start Cubase? They stopped appearing at startup after I replaced my computer, and I do not know how to restore that setup.

Try arranging the display the way you want and saving the song. Does that arrangement carry over the next time you launch Cubase, even after creating a new project? If it does not, another option is to create a template as shown in the linked tutorial. https://sleepfreaks-dtm.com/for-advance-cubase/template-4/

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After switching to my audio interface in Studio Setup and recording, I can see the waveform, but I can no longer hear other sounds either. I would appreciate advice on getting the sound back. Keep up the good work!

We have made a video on this. It is scheduled for release tomorrow, but here is an advance link. The issue may be related to the device settings discussed at the beginning, so please take a look. https://bit.ly/2wQfAIV The video is on our secondary channel. We would be grateful if you subscribed there as well. Thank you!

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Hello. I bought Cubase 10.5 and found this page after struggling with noise. May I ask for advice? My audio interface is a UA “allow.” I finished installing and configuring Cubase, but when I press its Monitor button to record, I get crackling and popping every time I speak. Without monitoring through Cubase, the “allow” alone sounds clean. I have changed the latency and buffer size, restarted the system, checked Steinberg’s FAQs, and tried various PC settings, including disabling antivirus software and Wi-Fi and changing sound settings, but nothing has helped. The computer is a Dell XPS 9380 / XPS 13 with an eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8565U, Windows 10 Home (64-bit), 16 GB of memory, and a 512 GB SSD. The Thunderbolt 3 cable connecting the PC and “allow” is a genuine Apple cable. Because the PC uses Thunderbolt 3, I connect Cubase’s USB-eLicenser through the adapter supplied with the Dell. My microphone is Audio-Technica’s high-end AT5040. The volume meter in Cubase is not clipping, and the signal is not unusually loud. Regardless of volume, crackling and popping occur when I enable monitoring and speak. I have no idea what is causing this and would really appreciate your help.

There are a few things to check: Is Cubase up to date, and is the driver for your “allow” up to date? Are all audio devices connected to the computer set to the same sample rate, such as 44,100 or 48,000 Hz, in the audio settings? Is the noise also present in the recorded audio?

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I use Cubase LE. I find the limited selection of sounds and the difficulty of learning the controls, with little information online, inconvenient. I would like to get serious about music production and buy a full edition, but I do not know whether to choose Artist, Pro, or Elements. The substantial price differences make the decision difficult.

If your budget allows it and you want to keep improving your music production or pursue it professionally, we recommend Cubase Pro. It offers a wide selection of instruments and effects, along with many useful features.

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When choosing presets in HALion Sonic SE 3, I clicked Category or Subcategory and accidentally selected None. Now it is no longer displayed. Do you know how to bring it back?

Click the icon shown in the image and enable “Filters.” That should bring it back. https://app.box.com/s/00dcuym3v1rj55nuxhxtfhdjvrcbfzr9

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I am thinking of buying Cubase. As I understand it, the USB-eLicenser is needed not only for activation but every time I use the software. Does it have to stay plugged in the entire time, or can I remove it after some kind of authentication each time?

The eLicenser must remain connected to your computer while you are using Cubase.

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EQ and Spectral Curve Comparison

The EQ in Cubase’s Channel Settings now lets you work while viewing the spectral curves of the tracks you want to compare.
Click the orange area above the EQ in the EQ tab of Channel Settings to choose the track to compare.

Here, let’s compare the kick with the bass channel that is currently open.

The kick’s spectral curve is now overlaid on the display.
This makes overlapping frequencies easy to spot, so you can make targeted cuts.

You can also switch which track you are editing from within this EQ view.
The bass is currently selected. Click the area labeled Kick above it.

The view switches to the kick track. You can adjust it here and then return to the bass.

Shortcuts to the selected tracks’ Solo buttons have also been added here.
Look for the S icons in the Bass and Kick areas at the top and click them.

This is very convenient when comparing tracks and adjusting their EQ.

Combining the Object Selection and Range Selection Tools

The Object Selection and Range Selection tools, previously separate tools, can now work together as one tool that changes flexibly according to the cursor position.
To enable this, click the icon to the left of the Object Selection tool.

With this enabled, placing the cursor in the upper half of an event activates Range Selection, while the lower half activates Object Selection.

This is particularly useful when you want to select a range, cut it, and immediately edit it.

Improved Retrospective MIDI Recording

It is now easier and more convenient to capture MIDI notes played while the transport is stopped or playing back.
Each MIDI or instrument track now has its own buffer to capture the MIDI data played on that track.

A Retrospective Recording section has been added below the main section of the track Inspector. Select a track and play a MIDI keyboard or similar device: MIDI data enters the buffer, and Retrospective Recording lights up in white.

Click it and select Insert as Linear Recording to insert the performance at the current project cursor position.

Select Empty Retrospective Recording Buffer to erase the buffered MIDI data.

If you play while cycle playback is running, clicking the illuminated Retrospective Recording control offers both Insert as Linear Recording and Insert as Cycle Recording.

Choosing Linear inserts the performance as one continuous MIDI event.

Choosing Cycle inserts multiple MIDI takes stacked within the cycle range.

A button for inserting buffered MIDI data has also been added to the Transport Zone.

Pressing this button inserts MIDI data at the position where it was played on the selected track. If the project cursor is inside the cycle range when you press it, the data is inserted as a cycle recording. If the cursor is outside the cycle range, it is inserted as a linear recording.

A buffer insertion button has also been added at the top right of the editor window. This makes it very convenient to immediately keep something you have just tried playing.

The Transport menu at the top also gains MIDI Retrospective Recording, providing the same functionality.

Improved Track Import from Projects

More track types are supported, and you have finer control over which attributes to import.
Choose File > Import > Tracks from Project and open the desired project file. Its track structure appears as a tree.

• 1. Checked items will be imported. Selecting a folder track selects all tracks inside it. Routing relationships, including FX and group channels, can also be imported.
• 2. You can import Events and Parts, Channel and Inspector Settings, or just one of these. Selecting Channel and Inspector Settings also makes automation available for selection.
• 3. Click Select Matching to automatically map tracks to tracks with matching names in the destination project. This lets you do useful things such as importing events from another version of a project or importing only its mixing settings.

Video Export

Cubase 10.5 can export video together with audio from a project. When adding sound to an already edited video, you can complete the job entirely within Cubase.
To export video, choose File > Export > Video.
In the dialog, specify the file name and location.

MP4 is the only video format available, and Stereo Out is the only export channel available.
The export range is the area between the locators set in the ruler.
Click Export Video to begin exporting.

MultiTap Delay

The new MultiTap Delay plug-in is a highly flexible tap delay that lends itself to creative uses.

• 1. Set the delay time that provides the time frame for placing taps.
• 2. Set the number of taps to place.
• 3. Adjust the tap positions, panning, and individual tap settings.

You can also enter a rhythm with mouse clicks. Click the TAP RHYTHM indicator to enable it, then click the text area to its right in rhythm.

It may be easier to do this while the song or metronome is playing.

MultiTap Delay also includes built-in effects that you can apply to the taps.

Padshop 2

Padshop 2 combines Padshop, Padshop Pro, and their factory content, while adding new features and content.
A new spectral oscillator offers advanced time-stretching and pitch-scaling capabilities.

An arpeggiator comparable to the one in Retrologue 2 has also been added.

Another feature inherited from Retrologue lets you easily assign modulation sources to destinations by dragging and dropping.

Other additions include two polyphonic LFOs and Envelope 3, whose start, attack, and end levels can be adjusted.

More than 100 presets have also been added, giving you a rich collection of sounds to use as a starting point for sound design.

MixConsole Channel Coloring

MixConsole channel backgrounds can now be colored using the selected channel color.
Open Preferences and enable this under User Interface > Track & MixConsole Channel Colors.

You can choose which elements to color and adjust the color intensity and brightness.

This makes the channels much easier to distinguish visually.

Using Loudness as a Normalization Reference

Loudness can now be used as the reference for normalization.
Choose Audio > Direct Offline Processing, then select Normalize from the processing list.

Loudness normalization is now available alongside peak normalization.
For example, you can adjust the level to -24 LUFS for broadcast or -13 LUFS for YouTube.

Score Editor Improvements

You can now set multiple subnames for staff names. To display them, first select Page Mode from the Scores menu.
Also right-click the staff name and enable Show Staff Names to Left of Staff.

Double-click the staff name to open a dialog where you can enter the subnames.

Once entered, they appear as shown here.

A position ruler is also now displayed when inserting notes.
Switch to note input mode, position the cursor where you want to insert a note, and hold down the mouse button.

A ruler appears. Drag to set the position, then release the mouse button to insert the note.

Disabling Automatic Project Activation

Previously, when multiple projects were open, closing the active project automatically activated the next one.
With this change, closing the active project leaves the other projects inactive.

A project is activated only when you press its Activate button, letting you choose which project to activate.

Starting in Safe Mode

Start Cubase while holding Shift+Option+Command on Mac or Shift+Alt+Ctrl on Windows to display the Safe Mode dialog shown here.

Select Disable All Third-Party Plug-ins to load only Steinberg plug-ins and temporarily disable those from other manufacturers.
This is useful for troubleshooting issues such as a plug-in preventing a project from loading.

That concludes our overview of the new features in Cubase 10.5.
As you have seen, this is a substantial update.
Why not explore the improved Cubase to create a more comfortable production workflow?

Just released: Cubase 10.5! What has changed in this update? Check out the new features!

🎥 YouTube: https://t.co/nwqzsbBIbc

📝 Article: https://t.co/YZnLM7Mu8S #Cubase @SteinbergMedia @SteinbergJP pic.twitter.com/r8QakDs6BM

— SLEEP FREAKS (@SLEEPFREAKS_DTM) November 13, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. When is Cubase 10.5’s EQ comparison mode useful?

It lets you see frequency conflicts between tracks, for example when adjusting EQ while checking overlap between a kick drum and bass. Overlaying spectral curves helps you make targeted cuts and mix more precisely.

Q2. Who will benefit from Retrospective Recording?

It is ideal for those who want to play a melody or phrase that comes to mind before recording, or try multiple takes during cycle playback. You can insert the MIDI data afterward, capturing ideas without missing the moment and keeping the workflow efficient.

Q3. What are the benefits of importing tracks from another version of a project?

Select Matching automatically maps tracks with the same name, making it easy to reuse consistent mixing settings or just automation between different versions of a project. This simplifies managing multiple projects.