Cubase 12 Release Notes

Cubase 12.0.70

What’s new?

June 28, 2023 – The Cubase 12.0.70 maintenance update is now available. The main purpose of this maintenance update is the support of the improvements in the VST 3 SDK for plug-in developers. In addition to this, we integrated some fixes for the track import and the MIDI Remote areas, and added support for the Spatial Connect plug-in by our friends from Dear Reality.

The update is immediately available for download via the Steinberg Download Assistant.

We have improved the following features and functionality

VST 3

Support of the new plug-in replacement process of the VST SDK 3.7.8 has been added.

Track Import

Send FX connections are now working correctly when importing tracks via "Import Tracks from Project" and Track Archives.

MIDI output ports are now correctly set when importing tracks via "Import Tracks from Project" and Track Archives.

Routings to group channels are now properly working when importing tracks via "Import Tracks from Project" and track archives.

MIDI Remote

Mappings for Device Surfaces which have "Label Fields" assigned for the "Piano Keys" item are now persistent.

Stability

We have improved the stability when importing track archives using HALion Sonic with content without valid licenses.

We have improved the stability when drawing into the waveform image with multiple clips open in the Sample Editor.

3rd party

Support for the Spatial Connect plug-in by Dear Reality has been added.

Cubase 12.0.60

What’s new?

March 30, 2023 – The Cubase 12.0.60 maintenance update is now available, and we are happy to improve Cubase in several important areas in both functionality and stability. We worked intensively with our partners to improve the performance with Audio Extensions and there are some significant improvements and fixes for MIDI Remote, audio export and MIDI recording. Please find all details below.

The update is immediately available for download via the Steinberg Download Assistant.

We have improved the following features and functionalities

Audio Extensions

We resolved an issue when bouncing tracks with audio extensions on tracks applied.

The reference track is now visible in SynchroArts Revoice when used as an audio extension.

Undo and redo operations are now applied correctly in Melodyne extensions.

The Antares Auto Tune extension will now open automatically in a separate window instead of the lower zone.

Export

We improved the latency compensation when exporting audio in projects with external hardware routings.

We have improved the performance when using “Export Selected Tracks“ or „Import Track Archive“ in projects containing a large number of hitpoints.

Exported Broadcast Wave files now contain the correct channel description iXML metadata.

Surround channels are now exported correctly when using Anymix Pro for upmixing for all supported buffer sizes.

MIDI Remote

We have added a new MIDI Remote factory script for the HXW Avatar EMK-25 MIDI keyboard.

The MIDI Remote API documentation is now available online via Github.

Focus Quick Controls now continue to work for plug-ins which have been moved to another channel.

The MIDI Remote Surface Editor now supports multiple 14 bit/14 bit NRPN controls with different CC numbers.

We have resolved an issue where specific OS language settings could lead to parameter mappings shown as "Missing" in the Mapping Assistant when using the context menu function "Pick for MIDI Remote Mapping" in the plug-in interface.

Changing mappings in the Mapping Assistant now works as expected in the mappings list.

We resolved an issue where the setup of a Mixer Bank Zone involving multiple MIDI remote devices lead to lost parameter assignments.

Miscellaneous

Recording over existing MIDI parts in Linear/Replace mode and active Pre-Roll no longer plays the first note event.

Short MIDI parts can be now properly selected after recording.

Audio objects are now still connected to the Renderer for Dolby Atmos after re-assigning their source tracks.

When starting the application for the first time on macOS systems, the built-in audio device is now selected automatically.

We resolved an issue where the Edit menu could not been accessed when "Rename First Selected Track" was added in a macro command.

Quick Controls now continue to work when plug-ins are loaded by FX Chain preset.

Quick Controls now work as expected on duplicated tracks.

The octave parameter value range in the Pitch section of the Sampler Control is now set to +/-5.

Due to technical reasons the "Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth" MIDI Port provided by the operating system is no longer listed in the MIDI Port section of the Studio Setup and cannot be selected as MIDI output for tracks anymore. In case the "Missing Ports" window appears when loading projects, consider to re-map this port to another one.

Plug-ins

We resolved an issue in REVerence with locating impulse response files.

We resolved an issue with MixConvert settings not being stored with the project.

We resolved an issue with Tube Compressor creating noise when being rendered including the full signal path.

Stability

We have improved the stability and performance in the following use cases:

When entering specific special characters in the marker window.

When selecting an Embody Immerse profile in the AmbiDecoder plug-in running natively on Apple silicon computers.

When using the Anymix Pro panner in projects with a 96 kHz sample rate.

When using Antares Auto Tune 10 as an ARA extension.

When exporting audio in projects with SuperVision used in the Control Room.

When changing VariAudio parameters on shared copies of Audio Events.

Cubase 12.0.52

What’s new?

November 22, 2022 – The 12.0.52 maintenance update is now available. We have received reports about issues with ADM exports and decided to release an immediate hot fix.

Please find all details below.

The update is immediately available for download via the Steinberg Download Assistant.

We have improved the following features and functionality:

Dolby Atmos

Multi-objects with LFE signals in their source tracks are now exported in ADM files as expected.

MIDI Remote

The MIDI Remote API functions "makeRepeating" for action- and command-bindings and the callback "mOnChangePluginIdentity" for host objects accessing insert-, strip-, or instrument-plugins are now working as expected.

VST

We have improved the automatic replacement of plug-ins in older projects when newer plug-in generations are available.

Cubase 12.0.50

What's new?

November 3, 2022 – The Cubase 12.0.50 maintenance update is now available, and we are very happy to introduce new functionality to the MIDI Remote integration, along many improvements on the existing features, the user interface, and the stability and performance in general. Please find all details below.

The update is immediately available for download via the Steinberg Download Assistant.

We have improved the following features and functionality:

MIDI Remote

Scripts

We have added new factory MIDI Remote scripts for Akai MIDI controllers:

Akai MPK261

Akai MPK mini mk2

Akai MPK249

Akai APC40 MK2

Akai APC Mini

Surface Editor

We have improved the MIDI Remote Surface Editor in general and added some additional items. Most of the possibilities were already available when writing a MIDI Remote Script via the MIDI Remote API. Now the Surface Editor allows you to create surfaces which can visually resemble your actual MIDI Remote Controller hardware more closely.

Adding MIDI Controller Surfaces

When adding a new MIDI Controller Surface, it is no longer mandatory to select a MIDI output port. Surfaces created this way cannot receive messages back, thus the "Transmit to Hardware" option in the Properties section for items won't be available.

Placement of Items, MIDI Learn and Properties

Placement of items is now possible without the need to learn incoming MIDI messages first.

Use the "+" button in the top/right corner of an added item to place it without the need to learn an incoming MIDI messages.

Once done, use the Properties section to set up a Message manually.

Message fields now allow to open a MIDI Monitor pop-up. This can be used to pick up a specific incoming MIDI message and helps for hardware controls, which may send multiple messages for controls.

On the toolbar, you can bypass the MIDI Learn function. This can be useful if your MIDI Remote Controller hardware tends to send erratic messages which messes up the MIDI Learn procedure.

Essentially all parameters of placed items can now be edited in the Properties section afterwards.

Additional Surface Editor Items

The following additional items are now available in the Items list on the left side and have corresponding Properties:

Pitch Bend and Modulation Wheel

X/Y Pad, X/Y Joystick (Requires a pair of messages for X and Y axis, which can be picked easily using the MIDI Monitor pop-up.)

Push Encoder (Similar to a Knob item but has an additional parameter to set up the "Push Value" message)

Piano Keys (Is meant to be used as a decorative element with adjustable keyboard range. Note: You cannot map host parameters to this item.)

Lamp

Blind Panels (Is meant to be used as a decorative element for controls available on your MIDI Remote Controller hardware but which cannot be addressed by MIDI messages. Note: You cannot map host parameters to this item.)

Shape Setting in Properties

Buttons, Blind Panels, and Lamps can be set up to either use a rectangular or circular shape in the Properties section.

Fader Orientation

Faders now automatically adapt to be shown as either vertical or horizontal items, depending on how you resize them.

Label Fields

Items can be set up to include an additional Label Field.

Click atop a selected item to create one.

This can be done for individual items or a multiple selection of items which should be grouped together. (Simple Example: Create a Fader, add a Label Field, and map it to "Volume" from "Selected Track" in the Functions Browser of the MIDI Remote Mapping Assistant. The Label Field of this Fader will now show and adapt its name according to the selected track in the Project window.

Other Improvements

Item cursor and already placed items can be properly clicked and dragged around.

Items without properly configured properties are marked in orange (If items do not have a MIDI Message properly configured or if you attempt to assign a message which is already in use by another item, these will be marked and discarded when leaving the Surface Editor.)

Item list on left side and Properties section on right side are scrollable now.

Individual items in a multi-selection of items are now properly highlighted.

Plug-ins

We have improved the user interface of Loopmash FX in scalings higher than 100% on Windows.

In the Frequency plug-in, the dynamic start is now displayed correctly.

Frequency values are now stored correctly in a saved project.

The MultiTap Delay Pitch Shifter module now fully mutes unprocessed signals when set to 100% wet.

In the VST Amp Rack and VST Bass Amp plug-ins, the order of effects can now be changed as expected

Miscellaneous

Playing automation data with Bezier curves in Cycle Mode will no longer produce audible artifacts.

After recalling Output Bus presets in the Audio Connection window, the Main Mix audio signal is now audible in the Control Room as expected.

On events with phase-coherent AudioWarp applied, the Bounce Selection function can now be used as expected.

Using the Size with Fade edit modifier now changes the fade end point as expected when a range selection is present on the track at the same time.

The editing modifier Size with Fade now gives visual feedback as expected when the Combine Selection Tools mode is active.

We have improved the Export Audio Mixdown performance when exporting files at a different sample rate than the project.

Insert effects are now applied correctly, when linked audio tracks are frozen.

Importing split wave files by drag and drop now creates tracks with correct channel width.

Insert plug-ins now process audio if their track was created automatically by dragging audio files to blank space.

In the Sample Editor, VariAudio note segments are now displayed as expected.

When changing the page setup for printing scores, the page display is now displayed as expected.

MIDI event positions are now displayed accurately in the Project window.

Video playback is now following the active Arranger Track chain correctly.

When nudging transport framewise, the video frame is now shown correctly.

Stability

We have improved the stability when a Tempo Detection session is ended by just changing to another tool.

We have improved the stability with automation on group track parameters.

We have improved the stability in Dolby Atmos projects with faulty object configuration.

We have improved the stability when loading large projects with several hundred Offline Processing edit files.

We have improved the stability when importing the same tracks twice from projects or track archives.

We have improved the stability when enabling the Regions panel in the Sample Editor while having the option Auto Select Events Under Cursor active.

We have improved the stability when deleting frozen tracks.

Cubase 12.0.40

What's new?

August 3, 2022 – The Cubase 12.0.40 maintenance update is now available. With this update, we are introducing some new functions and scripts to the MIDI Remote integration, we are resolving some issues with ARA extensions, and we are fixing more than thirty issues in various areas of the application. Please find all details below.

The update is immediately available for download via the Steinberg Download Assistant.

MIDI Remote

We have improved the script for the Arturia KeyLab Essential and added missing Key Commands.

We have added more Control Room functions to the MIDI Remote feature scope.

Fixed project mappings can now be converted to global mappings as expected.

Using the MIDI Remote Editor in the Lower Zone with Workspaces now works as expected.

We have added a new MIDI Remote factory script for the Novation Launchkey MK3 88.

ARA

We have fixed an issue related to using the Make Extension Permanent function on non-PCM clips with ARA extensions.

Events with Melodyne ARA extensions can now be cut without losing the note data.

Events with ARA extensions can now be copied and duplicated as expected.

Plug-ins

We have improved the user interface of the VST Bass Amp plug-in when Quick Control buttons are toggled.

The Frequency 2 plug-in now works as expected when using 7.1.4 channel configurations.

Writing automation of the Frequency plug-in Band On/Off parameter now works as expected.

We improved the loading process of external impulse response files for the Reverence plug-in when loading projects on a different computer.

We corrected the Peak and RMS needle of the SuperVision plug-in.

We have improved the quality of the FX Modulator plug-in when using fast volume modulation settings.

The Quick-Link function of the MixConsole is now also available for the input and output parameters of the Squasher plug-in.

Sample Editor

Event start/end and snap point handles are now displayed as expected.

Warp markers are now editable at all zoom settings.

Stretching VariAudio segments in a multi-event selection now works as expected.

User interface

The grid is no longer cut off when scrolling through the project in low dpi mode.

The waveform in silent areas is no longer displayed with 2 pixels instead of one.

The audio waveform interpolation in the Lower Zone Sample Editor is now consistent.

Miscellaneous

When duplicating a Track Version, bézier curves are now correctly applied.

Applying Audio Alignment now works correctly when multiple references are selected.

The warp algorithm custom settings dialog can now be opened from the Info Line in all language localizations.

We have fixed an issue related to editing parameters in the List Editor.

The Logical Editor window now opens exclusively.

The Click Patterns in the Pattern Editor are no longer cut off when using 1/32 patterns.

We have corrected the Loudness measuring of the Master meter and the SuperVision plug-in for 7.x channel configurations to match the ITU-BS.1770-4 specification.

The preference Mute Pre-Send when Mute is now saved as expected.

On the Nuage Master unit, the numeric keypad arrows now work for locating markers.

Vertical mouse wheel scrolling in the Score Editor edit mode now works as expected.

We have improved the usability with editing lines in the Score Editor.

Vertical scrolling speed in VariAudio editor now works consistently.

On macOS systems, the application now shows in which code architecture it is running in the Start and About screens.

Stability

We have improved stability in the following use cases:

When aborting an Export Audio Mixdown.

When using the Adjust Fades to Range function.

When changing the Sample Editor zoom mode with Select Events Under Cursor active.

When using the function Adjust Fades to Range.

When using the Scale Assistant with VariAudio.

When changing the AmbiDecoder output mode from Headphones to Speakers.

When dragging a MIDI loop from the MediaRack to the project.

Cubase 12.0.30

What’s new?

June 8, 2022 – The Cubase 12.0.30 maintenance update is now available. The update introduces some improvements to the performance, stability, and other areas of the application.

Performance and stability issues

The 12.0.30 update addresses a couple of performance issues. These issues could occur when closing the application. We have also improved the performance when working with Vienna Pro Ensemble.

We will continue to investigate performance issues on specific systems and provide additional improvements in future updates. We still rely on your reports, so please get in touch with us in the Steinberg Forum if you are still experiencing issues after this update.

Plug-in blank space issues

When opening and working with plug-ins, blank spaces could appear to the left/right side of the plug-in panel. We addressed this issue in this maintenance update.

We have improved the following features and functionality:

Editing

Editing time-stretched clips in Musical Mode now works as expected.

Moving Chord Events with the Range Selection tool now works as expected.

Switching from the Time Warp tool to other tools no longer changes the format of the timeline unexpectedly.

Recalling Project Logical Editor presets now works as expected.

The selection tool in the Sizing Applies Time Stretch mode works as expected when changing the algorithm in the preferences.

Adding warp markers to multiple selected events with the Free Warp tool now works as expected.

Miscellaneous

The Track Controls Settings window now works as expected.

Importing AAF files no longer causes error messages on Macs which run on Apple silicon.

When exporting selected tracks that contain audio clips with the ARA extension, error messages no longer appear.

When using ARA extensions on AIFF clips, processed audio files no longer sound distorted.

The ID and Description labels for marking events are no longer swapped.

Adding Ambisonics channels in the MixConsole now works as expected.

Using the MixConsole Reset Channel function on an output bus now works as expected.

VariAudio segments in the Sample Editor are colored correctly, according to the chord track.

Presets can now be loaded from the right-click menu in the Channel Settings window as expected.

Vertical scrolling in the Sample Editor when using VariAudio now works as expected.

The MIDI Remote mappings for the Control Room now work as expected.

The items in the Mapping List of the Mapping Assistant are now sorted correctly.

Performance

We have improved the performance when closing projects.

We have improved the performance with Vienna Pro Ensemble plug-ins.

The Roomworks VST3 plug-in now works as expected.

We have improved the user interface responsiveness when showing or hiding automation tracks in large projects.

Closing the application in Windows no longer takes an unexpectedly long time.

Stability

We have improved stability in the following areas:

when importing track archives with video tracks

when importing tracks from projects

when working with VariAudio

when working in the Score Editor

when working with Audio Alignment

when working with network drives

Video

The network connection to the GoPro VR Player can be established as expected.

The timecode overlay in the video player window and in exported videos is now as accurate as intended.

Cubase 12.0.20

What’s new?

April 27, 2022 – The Cubase 12.0.20 maintenance update is now available. The update introduces some improvements to the new MIDI Remote integration and also a lot of fixes and enhancements in other areas of the application.

Performance and stability issues

The 12.0.20 update addresses a couple of performance issues that occurred with different combinations of CPUs, plug-ins, MIDI Remote controllers, project settings or preferences. The performance on systems with many cores and short sample buffers sizes in particular will improve with this update.

We will continue to investigate performance issues on specific systems, and we will provide additional improvements with the next updates. Therefore, we still rely on your reports. Please get in touch with us in the Steinberg Forum if you are still experiencing issues after the update.

We have improved the following features and functionalities

MIDI Remote improvements

We are very happy about all the positive feedback on the new MIDI Remote integration, and our team is enjoying the enthusiasm and ambition of the community to create their own surfaces and scripts very much. As mentioned earlier, we will improve the usability and functionalities of the MIDI Remote Mapping Assistant and the MIDI Controller Surface Editor step by step. These are some of the new features in Cubase 12.0.20:

The MIDI Controller Surface Editor now supports trigger pads and horizontal faders.

Double-clicking on an item on a surface now opens the MIDI Remote Mapping Assistant window.

The MIDI Remote Mapping Assistant now allows to change mappings from "Fixed" to "Selected Track" to facilitate making your project-related mappings also globally available across different projects.

We have added explanatory texts for some of the settings in the Mapping Configuration section of the MIDI Remote Mapping Assistant.

The header of a surface now offers a pop-up control to access some of the key functions like disabling the controller script or exporting the script.

The "Import Script" function is now available when adding a device via the "+" button.

Miscellaneous

Render In-Place using option "Mixdown to One File" now works as expected.

Selected "Apply" action in (Project) Logical Editor now works as expected.

VariAudio note segments are now displayed correctly when editing multiple parts.

Selecting an output for a channel in the Channel Settings Window now works as expected.

We have improved the scrolling behaviour in the Sample Editor when changing the event selection.

The record file format in the project settings is now correct when a project is loaded after the application language was changed.

Saving presets in the StepDesigner MIDI plug-in now works as expected.

We have improved the performance with Vienna Pro Ensemble plug-ins.

Fast Forward/Rewind buttons in the Transport Bar now work as expected.

Writing automation in touch mode on linked VST MultiPanners now works as expected.

Audio-Exporting a Job Queue can now be cancelled as expected.

Pitch curves are now shown for the currently active audio clip only when using VariAudio.

The horizontal line of the Cross-Hair cursor is shown without an offset in the Key Editor.

We have improved the handling of unavailable network drives when starting up the application.

In the Markers window, attribute values are now displayed correctly.

Stability

We have improved stability in the following areas:

SpectraLayers as Track Extension

Insert/Send Bypass Track Operations set up in the Project Logical Editor

Cubase 12.0.10

What's new?

April 13, 2022 – The Cubase 12.0.10 maintenance update is now available, and we are very happy to introduce Dolby Atmos for music, along with long-requested functionalities, improvements on stability, and performance, as well as a long list of fixes and corrections.

With the release of 12.0.10, we also made the Cubase Pro 12 trial available. The big news is that the trial doesn’t require the USB eLicenser anymore. Hence, there is no more reason not to try Cubase.

Dolby Atmos for music

We are very excited to introduce Dolby Atmos for music in Cubase Pro. The integrated Dolby Atmos Renderer and the included VST MultiPanner let you explore new creative opportunities without the need for any additional software. You can start mixing binaural with your regular headphones even without a dedicated speaker setup.

To get you started, watch our brand-new tutorial video on the New in Cubase 12 product website and on our YouTube channel.

Additional improvements

We have already preannounced the new option to freeze and unfreeze multiple tracks at the same time in Cubase 12.0.10. Just select all the tracks you want to freeze and choose Freeze/Unfreeze Selected Tracks from the right-click menu. There are also new key commands that let you trigger freeze from your keyboard or your controller.

A further improvement is the redesigned Markers window. While there are no additional features, this window conveys a new, state-of-the-art look and feel.

Another small improvement can be found in the preferences. It is now possible to decide whether to append the file name to the event description or not.

Performance and stability issues

We have received several reports about performance and stability issues in the initial release of Cubase 12.0.0 from different users. In the past weeks, we invested a lot of time in investigating why, on some systems, Cubase 12 leads to suboptimal performances. We want to thank all users that provided traces to us and collaborated with our team to help us find the right spots to look at. We are confident that we made significant headway with Cubase 12.0.10. After the update, a good share of the users who previously experienced performance and start-up issues will be satisfied. However, unfortunately, there are still reports that we cannot reproduce on our systems. Sometimes, the root cause results from a combination of different hardware components, plug-ins, and preferences. In this case, establishing the correct configuration to reproduce an issue is crucial to fixing it. Please reach out to our team via the Steinberg user forum and let us know if you are still experiencing performance issues with Cubase 12.0.10. We are taking these reports very seriously, and fixing these issues is currently our highest priority.

We have improved the following features and functionalities

Audio Warp

The Free Warp tool can now be selected via key command.

Warp markers can now be set correctly on time-stretched audio events.

We have resolved an issue with audio artifacts related to using Phase-Coherent Audio Warp.

We have resolved an issue concerning Phase-Coherent AudioWarp when using crossfades.

MIDI Remote

Factory-supported scripts can now be added via the "+" button, and MIDI ports can be assigned manually if auto-detection does not work.

Plug-in Quick Controls can now show customized parameter names, as defined within the Remote Control Editor.

The MIDI Controller Surface Editor now offers an additional "Transmit to Hardware" option in the Item Properties section: When disabled, it prevents data from being sent back to the hardware device. It can be necessary for devices that transmit data to Cubase but interpret it differently when returned.

Surface controls that are not assigned to functions or parameters will now pass on incoming MIDI data from the hardware device to the respective track.

When used with Quick Controls, custom names for parameters are now working smoothly.

Manually imported MIDI Remote scripts will now activate as intended.

When duplicating a factory page or a page that includes factory mappings from a script, the factory mappings will now be displayed correctly in the MIDI Remote Mapping Assistant.

We have corrected an issue with the MIDI Remote fader banks related to switching the mapping page.

Arturia Keylab Essential 88 is now properly auto-detected.

Miscellaneous

Applying Audio Alignment no longer creates unwanted fades, in the event that the reference and the target clip are partly overlapping.

The Crossfade Editor user interface is now displayed correctly.

We improved the compatibility of exported WAV files with external applications.

We have corrected an issue with WAV files that were not accepted for import.

We have corrected an issue with missing MIDI device panels.

We have corrected an issue related to false content missing warnings.

The pre-filters of the MixConsole now work correctly, after being adjusted while in bypass mode.

StudioEQ curve editing using mouse gestures is now working as expected.

The undo function in the FX Modulator now works as intended.

The key command for changing the vertical zoom in the Sample Editor is now working as expected.

The Sampler Track now stores LFO waveforms as expected.

Move Event Starts to Cursor, in conjunction with Tempo Track nodes, now works as expected.

Changing the video offset in the Video Player setup is now working as expected.

The track selection in the Visibility Agent now follows the track selection in the tracklist, as expected.

Stability

We have improved stability in the following use cases:

When working with the video track.

When using the Draw tool in the Sample Editor.

When using the MIDI Remote integration.

When working with Groove Agent.

When starting the application.

Cubase 12

What's new?

March 2, 2022 – Today we proudly announce the immediate availability of the next major generation of Cubase. Since the “What’s new in Cubase 12” focuses only on the highlights, the following is a comprehensive list of all new features and improvements, also including details on Steinberg Licensing and the removal of legacy features and technologies, as well as a list of significant fixes we were able to realise during the development of Cubase 12. We have also added some information on the Grace Period update, the trial availability and the new demo projects.

All new features and improvements in Cubase Pro 12:

A second video track is now available.

A fourth MixConsole is now available.

Import Track from Projects now supports the import of Signature Tracks and Tempo Tracks.

Multiple events can be exported with Export Selected Events.

Advanced Crossfade Editor. The Simple Crossfade Editor can still be enabled in the Preferences.

The Performance Meter now shows Realtime, ASIO-Guard and Peak.

The audio engine drop-out time during playback when adding tracks and insert effects has been reduced.

The VCA track limit has been increased to 256.

The Enter Cursor Position dialog in the editors and the MixConsole windows now closes automatically after entering the position.

The grid in the Sample Editor can now be set to the global Quantize settings allowing to set the grid to triplets, for example.

New Zoom modes are available in the Sample Editor.

Lin One Dither replaces the UV22HR dithering plug-in.

ARA Extensions can now be inserted for the whole audio track.

The handling of ARA temp files has been improved. ARA temp files will only be created if the audio event is set to musical mode or contains non-destructive edits, like VariAudio, transpose, direct offline processing, fades, or volume envelopes.

Extensions can now be made permanent, which allows the event length to be altered, even if the event has been trimmed before.

Audio Export considers side-chain signals during export and render operations.

Warp markers can now be edited for multiple selected events in the Sample Editor.

The Free Warp tool is now also available in the Project window for direct warp marker editing on events.

Warp markers can now be copied from an audio event to other audio events.

Phase-Coherent AudioWarp mode warps multiple tracks in Group Editing mode while keeping the spatial relation between the tracks intact.

The Scale Assistant is now available with VariAudio in the Sample Editor.

It is now possible to create chord events from audio content.

The Project Logical Editor, the Logical Editor, the Input Transformer and the Transformer MIDI plug-in have been significantly enhanced.

The new MIDI Remote API offers a new way to integrate external MIDI controllers.

Independent grid settings for nudge operations allow you to decouple the nudge steps from the project grid settings.

The volume automation no longer depends on the sample block size and allows for near sample-accurate automation.

The MixConsole can now display long channel names in two lines.

The StepFilter plug-in features new parameters for randomization of Cutoff and Resonance.

The FX Modulator plug-in is now available.

The Raiser plug-in is now available.

The SuperVision plug-in features new modules including Signal VU, Spectral Keyboard, Phase Balance, Level Histogram, and Loudness Histogram.

Zoom and scroll with trackpad, magic mouse and mouse wheel are now consistent with the macOS settings.

The video engine no longer requires OpenGL.

The MixConvert V6 plug-in now supports Lt/Rt matrix encoding when downmixing 5.1. surround to stereo.

New channel configurations for immersive sound are available.

The audio engine now supports high-core-count CPUs (AMD Threadripper with up to 128 logical cores).

Cubase now supports Apple silicon natively.

WinRT MIDI Windows Bluetooth MIDI support is added.

A new display option for audio events allows you to append the clip name to the event name.

Sampler tracks allow to use AudioWarp and slice playback together.

New preference allows you to use the native Windows scaling settings for HDPI.

Stability

We have improved the stability when exporting MIDI files.

We have improved the stability when working with MIDI feedback loops.

We have improved the stability when disarming multiple tracks by selecting a new track to arm.

We have improved the stability when freezing Sampler Tracks.

We have improved the stability when importing video files by using key commands.

We have improved the stability when working with TrackVersions in the Japanese localized version.

We have improved the stability when editing Chord Pad parameters during playback.

Some parts of the user interface have been upgraded:

There are new controls in the Sample Editor Inspector.

The items in the Project Menu have been reordered.

The scrollbars on the Project Page and in the Editors have been redesigned.

New Commands and Key Commands have been introduced:

Fade In/Out to Range Start/End.

Remove Fades.

Resize events with fades.

Apply Standard Fade In/Out.

Remove Fade In/Out.

Additional Range Selection commands allow increasing and decreasing the Range Selection by Key Commands in all four directions.

Slip Editing is now available with Key Commands (Slip Event Content Left/Right).

Fade commands.

Move Events to cursor has been extended to support both alignments of events with their start as well as their end to the cursor position.

Nudge Cursor (+- 5, 10, 20 seconds)

Copy Warp Markers from Selected Event.

Extended Range Selection commands.

MIDI Remote API

The following MIDI controllers are currently supported thanks to a dedicated script.

They will be automatically detected when connected to your computer (via USB).

Note that MIDI controllers that aren't supported through a script yet can still be added manually with the Controller Surface Editor.

AKAI - MPKmini mkIII

ARTURIA - KeyLab Essential series

ARTURIA - MiniLab mkII

KORG - nanoKONTROL v1, v2

Novation - Launchkey Mini mk3

Novation - Launchkey mk3

Steinberg Licensing

Cubase 12 makes use of the brand-new Steinberg Licensing system. From Cubase 12, you will be able to use Cubase with your single-user license on up to three computers without the need of a USB-eLicenser dongle. There is a detailed introduction of Steinberg Licensing that will answer all of your questions on migrating to the new system or offline usage.

Grace Period update

The Grace Period of Cubase 12 started on November 10, 2021. This means that everyone who activated a Cubase version since then is eligible for a free update to Cubase 12. You can find all details about the process and how to update to Cubase 12 with the free Grace Period update in our Steinberg Helpcenter.

Please bear with us if the process seems to be complicated. The migration from the eLicenser system to Steinberg Licensing is challenging, but our support teams will do their best to assist you in the process when help is needed.

Cubase 12.0.0 Operation Manual

Please note that the Operation Manual for version 12 is a work in progress, so that information may be missing, or may refer to functionality currently not implemented in Cubase. The Operation Manual will be updated in time for the first maintenance update of Cubase 12.

Due to technical reasons the following plug-ins and technologies have been removed from the product scope:

VST instruments: Mystic, Prologue, Specter, LoopMash are no longer included in the factory content of Cubase.

Cubase no longer supports ReWire.

VST 2 plug-ins are no longer supported on Apple silicon Macs running in native mode.

Running Cubase in Rosetta mode still allows you to load VST 2 plug-ins.

MPEX is also no longer available on Apple silicon Macs running in native mode.

The GoPro VR player has been removed.

MixConvert (legacy VST 2 plug-in) and SurroundPan (legacy VST 2 plug-in) have been removed from the plug-in set.

New demo projects

We are very happy that two of our favorite Cubase users have created new demo projects for Cubase 12. Austin Hull produced a pop project that includes some of the new features in Cubase 12 like the FX Modulator, Raiser, Verve or VariAudio with the Scale Assistant. Some of you may know Austin from his MakePopMusic YouTube Channel. The second project is a heavy rock project produced by Mendel Bij De Leij with live drum recordings and massive guitars. Mendel is a regular guest on our Cubase YouTube channel where he shares his experience in recording, mixing and producing handmade rock music. For both projects, you can find a series of videos on our YouTube channel in which Austin and Mendel walk you through the production process.

Cubase 12 trial

The Cubase Pro 12 trial will be available in April. It will be the usual 30-day period, but no dongle will be required.

What to expect in upcoming maintenance updates

There are two things that we will postpone to the next maintenance updates of Cubase 12. Still, we are so excited about these features that we don’t want to keep this information from you.

This first announcement is a big deal: Dolby Atmos for music support will be available in one of the upcoming Cubase maintenance releases. More details will follow.

The second is a feature request that will finally make it into Cubase: Extended Channel Freeze capabilities in the Edit Menu freeze multiple selected tracks at once. Of course this includes Key Commands for Freeze/Unfreeze of selected channels and Freeze/Unfreeze of selected channels with current settings.

We have improved the following features and functionalities

Miscellaneous

Duplicated versions of the Chord Track now display the correct scales.

The "Show Half Level Axis" option in the Sample Editor now works as expected.

We have corrected graphical glitches in the output field of the Channel Settings Window.

Q-Link works now also for deactivated MIDI Inserts in the MixConsole.

We have corrected issues with the first Tempo node not being processed by the Project Logical Editor.

We have corrected an issue with Track Quick Controls when a track is deleted and the undo action is made afterwards.

The mouse pointer now shows the correct Object Selection Tool when switching between the alternatives and the Combine Selection Tool mode is enabled.

FX and Group Track presets are now stored and created correctly.

We corrected an issue with the Analyse button in the Tempo Detection panel in HiDPI mode.

Transposing selected events in the Key Editor beyond the visible window space now works as expected.

We have corrected the layout in the MIDI Record Modes panel.

We have corrected the reset function of Time Max and Time Display.

MIDI CC Ramps are now enabled as expected when switching the MIDI Channel from Any to a specific number.

The Enter Project Cursor Position window now closes after entering the position automatically.

Horizontal lines can now be moved when added to the Score Editor.

We have corrected issues with Direct Offline Processing in the Japanese localized version.

The buttons in the HUB have been redesigned.

We have redesigned the scrollbar handles in the Project window in order to fix artefacts in HiDPI mode.

We have corrected the behavior with incremental numbers when adding VST instrument tracks with the same instrument.

We have corrected an issue with entering values in the Info Line of the Signature Track.

We have corrected an issue with the Playhead in the Lower Zone Editor.

We have inverted the colors of the keyboard guidelines in VariAudio mode to match the corresponding key colors.

Warp markers are now created on all selected events when the musical mode is enabled.

We have increased the tolerance of the VST Performance indicator.

Audio is not analysed again when loading projects that use the Standard - Solo algorithm for AudioWarp.

We have corrected an issue with loading Drum Maps.

Audio Extensions

We have improved the handling of temporary Audio Extensions files in order to minimize the required hard disk space.

We have corrected an issue with the Play Tool when using Audio Extensions.

We have corrected an issue with Audio Extensions playing on the wrong channel when using the Divide Track List function.

Plug-ins

We have improved the performance of the Tuner plug-in in projects in 96 kHz.

We have corrected an issue with pitch bend messages in the Pitch Correct plug-in.

We have corrected the init value of the ER low cut in the REVelation plug-in.

The Compressor plug-in now keeps adjusted settings as expected.

We have correced an issue where the routing of plug-ins set to Post Fader was lost.

We have corrected some graphical glitches with the VST Amp Rack on macOS.

We have corrected an issue with the VST Amp Rack on offline rendering.