In this article I will guide you through ALL Cubase Pro 9.5 new features. If you want to know each and every new feature and where to find them, then this video is for you!
You'll also find the outline of each new feature below, but to get a full insight please watch the video fully. The statements below reflect the state of the release at 15 November 2017.
CONTENT:
00:22 - Bezier Curved Automation
01:36 - 16 Insert Effects, Free Pre / Post Fader Configuration
02:31 - New Metronome Features
04:11 - Sampler Track Improvements
06:20 - Direct Offline Processing
09:34 - 64-Bit Mixing Engine
10:47 - Right Zone Improvements
11:40 - Plug-in Instruments and Effects
13:05 - New Content
14:37 - Adapt to Zoom
15:37 - Set Playbar To Exact Position With Mouse
16:50 - Extend Playback Range Before Part Start
17:44 - New Studio Menu
18:06 - The "Visual Metronome"
18:32 - Stereo Out in Track List
19:13 - Re-Colour the Interface
20:00 - CONCLUSION
Bezier curved automation
- you shape the transition between any two points freely with a curve
- you can make the curve edgy or smooth, depending on where you move its control point
- raise or lower the overall scaling between any two points without selecting them, just drag this diamond shape on the top and move up/down.
- works perfectly with the Range tool / selection range, just hold Ctlr + Shift while drawing a range freely
- also works with VCF faders
- current drawback: strictly for the main Project window, so MIDI automations in Project windows or editors are not improved, hopefully MIDI automations will get a major overhaul later.
Insert FX extended to 16 Slots
- the number of insert fx slots has been doubled from 8 to 16.
- flexible pre- and post-fader insert slot configuration: just move the green line, everything above the line is pre-fader, below the line is post fader
- pre and post-fader inserts are coloured differently
Improved Insert FX Bypass, Activate on/off state display
- if the plug-in is active and working, it is blue
- if you bypass it, it is greyed out
- if you Alt+click on the left side icon you can toggle the plug-in on or off
Completely reworked and improved Metronome
- to access Metronome settings:
- Transport > Metronome setup
- lower Transport Bar > Metronome setup (you have to enable to make it visible)
- metronome can perfectly follow changes in signature / rhythm
- you can edit the metronome click patterns or make your own
- Steinberg provide different factory click sound presets or just load your own audio
- at Project > Signature Track you can render the metronome sound as a MIDI file or an audio file
Sampler improvements
- drag a MIDI part from an instrument track or from a Rack instrument MIDI track onto the Sampler track and Cubase will render the audio file for instant playback.
- drop any audio from Mediabay or Windows Explorer or Finder onto the track or onto the sampler itself, and the sounds are all instantly usable.
- you can compare the different states with the new A/B switch
- whenever you drop an audio file to the sampler, it will automatically copy it to the project audio folder
Direct Offline Processing
- replaces the old Offline Process History based audio processing
- works for each audio event separately, press F7 to open it
- you can keep it opened, just select audio events
- you can add plug-ins and processes in the same window
- it always works on copy of the original audio file, so you can always revert to the original audio.
- see all changes on the waveforms in real-time
- any parameter change instantly re-calulates and applies the effects to the wave file, then it does not consume CPU anymore > useful for any creative experimentation without any CPU limit!
- preview with Audition button, change fx order or bypass certain plug-ins - all changes are calculating nearly real time
- all settings are saved with the project
- two major problems:
- currently quite buggy
- unlike in Nuendo, you can not save preset chains here.
64-bit processing engine
- Cubase still uses the current 32-bit precision by default
- you can change between 32-bit and 64-bit it in Studio > Studio Setup > Processing Precision
- advantage: all channels can be processed at 64-bit resolution, so it does a slightly more precise roundings at the sonic computations.
- if you enable the 64-bit mode, nearly all the stock plug-ins and channel strips effects are prepared and 64-bit compatible right now, but any other plug-ins will still be processed with 32-bit precision as before
- restrictions:
- it works only with VST3 plug-ins, so no chance for VST2
- and these VST3 plug-ins should specifically support this 64-bit processing
- VST Plug-in Manager can filter to 64-bit capable plug-ins
Right zone improvements
- full featured Media section, with File Browser, Favourites, full drag-and-drop support
- drag and drop Steinberg instruments only from this new media
- Control Room, with the integrated Master and Loudness meters
Plug-ins
- New wavetable instrument called Flux, part of the stock HALion Sonic SE3, based on HALion 6 new wavetable engine
- Improvements of Cubase compressors
- Tube Compressor: new design, new "Character" parameter, Mix knob for easy parallel compression
- Vintage Compressor: new design, Mix knob for easy parallel compression
- Compressor: High ration mode, Mix knob for easy parallel compression
- Tape simulator Magneto: new GUI, new name mk III.
New Content
- 130 FX Chain Presets for all kinds of instruments groups, like Bass, Drums, Guitar, Synths, Vocals and more
- 75 New Mastering Track Presets (25 for Cubase Artist and Elements, 50 presets for Cubase Pro) in genres like 70's, 80s', Classical, Country, EDM, Hip Hop, Indie, Pop, etc.
- Updated Allen Morgan Signature Drums pack, sounds are now available as:
- one-shot samples
- fully editable MIDI Loops with 5 loop variation per loop in Groove Agent SE 4
- Groove Agent SE 4 presets
Adapt to Zoom
- the more you zoom in, the finer the horizontal grid will become
- works only when you are in Bars+Beats mode on the timeline
- works in MIDI editors (Key, Drum or List editor) as well
Set the Playbar anywhere using the mouse
- hold a modifier key (like Shift) and click in the background: according to the Grid Type you can position the playbar to exact timeline locations
- can snap to the nearest Beat, Bar or quantize setting
Extend playback range before Part start
- set a safety range to make sure that notes which are slighly out of the MIDI part at the beginning still play back
New Studio menu
- the very long Device menu of the earlier Cubase versions is restructured into a new Studio menu: everything is arranged, renamed and grouped in a much more logical way.
Visual Metronome
- Time Display window now has a Show Beat Count Only
Stereo Out in the Input/Output Channel folder
- Stereo Out will be always available in the Track section, with direct access to R/W automation, all its effect settings
Re-color Cubase
- Select a pre-defined color schemes in Preferences > User Interface
- use your own custom color
- all other items will automatically adapt to provide you a consistent look
Conclusion
- after so many years, Steinberg finally listens to its customer base, and user feature requests are prioritized
- it is very likely that you'll run into some kind of bugs here and there, like the operation of Direct Offline Processing should be seriously fixed!
- Cubase Pro 9.5 is a very solid update with useful features, with things that can really improve your personal workflow
- it's absolutely worth the lower than usual update price