Get a FREE fully-working copy of Steganos Security Suite 7 (worth £49.99) when you sign up to the Practical PC Newsletter. Review: Steinberg Cubase VST 5.1
Ian Waugh reports that 5.1 has been released with lots of new goodies to excite existing users and tempt new ones.
| Product | Cubase VST 5.1 |
|---|---|
| Company | Steinberg |
| Web | www.steinberg.net www.steinberguk.com |
| Price | VST £269, VST Score £399 VST/32 £529 Upgrade from V5 Free |
| We like | |
| We don't like | |
| Rating | 9/10 |
| Requirements |
It's quite a while since we looked at Steinberg's Cubase VST. The last major version was 5.0 but now 5.1 has been released with lots of new goodies to excite existing users and tempt new ones.
Most musicians will be familiar with the Cubase family. It's one of the Big Boys in the MIDI/digital audio sequencing field and arguably the most popular program of its type in the Western world, certainly in Europe.
There's simply not room to even list VST's main features so we won't try. Essentially, it allows you to combine MIDI and audio tracks on the same Arrange page, it includes both a MIDI mixer and a sophisticated audio mixer which support automation which enables you to program fader and control movements which will take place in real time during playback, a bit like the big motorised mixing desks you find in major studios.
It comes with numerous plug-in effects and several virtual instruments so it's possible to create complete pieces without requiring any external music hardware.
It has event list, piano roll, drum, controller and tempo editors, plus a good score editor with VST Score having more sophisticated scoring facilities suitable for arranging and printing music. All versions of VST support 24-bit digital audio recording while VST/32 supports 32-bit recording for those who require the highest audio quality. It also supports up to 128 audio channels (the others support 72) for those really bi-i-i-g projects.
With version 5.1 Steinberg has added eight new effects, three new filters and three new virtual instruments. It has also been optimised for Pentium III and IV processors and also, at last, for the AMD Athlon and AltiVec which will please fans of these low-price/high performance chips no end!
Here's a few words about the new features.
Effects
Mysterizer. Moving the mouse around the window and apply effects such as ring modulation, delay, filters and distortion to the sound. Very much a hands-on effect.
Vocoder. With control over 24 bands and eight-voice synth, you can create interesting metallic and robotic vocals plus many more effects Tip - try running a drum track through it.
BitCrusher. Reduce the number of bits in a sample for truly awful/highly authentic low res sounds. Industrial fans get grinding.
MIDI Gate. Mutes audio signals below a certain volume. Use with audio and MIDI signals to create rhythmic grooves and effects. Techno chicks check in here.
subBass. Adds low-pitched bass frequencies to audio. Watch your speakers and the windows. Great for Dance.
DaTube. Tube amp simulation, ranging from da valve distortion to da ultra clean.
Rotary. Rotary speaker simulator. Just what your organ needs!
Ring Modulator. One of the originals analogue synth stalwarts for creating metallic sounds.
Filters
PhatSync. A multi-mode filter with two 16-step patterns for cutoff and resonance parameters for creating filter-based rhythmic effects. If you like the MIDI Gate you'll love this!
MIDI Comb. A comb filter which creates short delays controlled via MIDI.
Autopole. Two separate miltimode filters that can be controlled via an LFO or an envelope for effect ranging from the sublime to the extreme. The plot thickens.
Virtual instruments.
JX16. A 16-voice, two-oscillator analogue synth with filters, glide and chorus effect.
CD-40. A simple six-voice synth.
LM*7. A new drum machine member of the LM*X family with 12 drum pads and individual volume and tune controls for each.
Software watchers will have noticed that the price of VST has come down significantly, too - £70 off the standard version, £100 off Score and £120 off VST/32. Doubtless is a shrewd marketing ploy to undercut the competition and attract more users. But however you look at it, the customer wins!
Existing VST 5.0 users can upgrade to 5.1 free of charge. The files are on the Web but they are a rather hefty 30Mb for the Windows version and 24Mb for the Mac version. If you're not on ISDN or ADSL you may prefer to buy and update CD for a small charge from your Steinberg distributor.
Although VST 5.1 has no major changes (other than optimisation for processors other than Intel's), it does have a shed load of new goodies making the program even more self-contained, interesting and exciting to use. And some of the additions are truly class acts.
Cubase has long been a powerful, professional and highly-regarded program. Existing 5.0 users have no reason not to upgrade to 5.1 and anyone who has yet to take the plunge now has lots more reasons for making Cubase VST their sequencer of choice.
