Cubase: the German veteran of music production

Cubase: the German veteran of music production

In the world of music software, few names can boast a longevity comparable to that of Cubase. Developed by Steinberg, this DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) was born in 1989 in the city of Hamburg, Germany, and has never stopped shaping the way music is recorded, arranged and mixed. More than thirty-five years after its creation, Cubase remains one of the most respected tools in music production, used in professional studios as well as in home studios. This article looks back at the history of this legendary software, its features that marked the industry, the artists who adopted it, and explains where to find Cubase today.

History: the birth of a legend in Hamburg

1989, Cubit becomes Cubase on Atari ST

Everything begins in the late 1980s. Karl Steinberg and Manfred Rurup, two German engineers passionate about music computing, founded the company Steinberg and developed a MIDI sequencer called Cubit. The software, renamed Cubase shortly after, was designed for the Atari ST, a personal computer particularly appreciated by the musicians of the time thanks to its built-in MIDI ports. From its very first version, Cubase impressed with its innovative graphical interface, which represented notes on a virtual grid, and with its sequencer capable of driving dozens of instruments. The success was immediate: in the 1990s, Cubase became the reference sequencer of amateur and professional studios, in Europe as well as in the rest of the world.

1996, the invention of the VST format

In 1996, Steinberg achieved a major coup that changed the history of computer music: the release of Cubase VST 3.0 and the invention of the VST format (Virtual Studio Technology). This technology made it possible for the first time to run effects and virtual instruments in real time directly inside the software, without external hardware. Synthesizers, reverbs, compressors and equalizers became plugins that you load in a few clicks. The VST format quickly established itself as the industry standard, adopted by almost all plugin manufacturers in the world. Even today, the universal compatibility of thousands of VST plugins owes everything to this pioneering software.

From Cubase SX to version 15

In the early 2000s, Cubase underwent a profound transformation with Cubase SX, a complete rewrite of the software that integrated professional multitrack audio recording, a sample editor and a very sophisticated virtual mixing console. The successive versions enriched the tool: Cubase 5 introduced the famous VariAudio vocal correction function, Cubase 8.5 improved the ergonomics, Cubase 9 offered a new sample editor, and versions 10, 11, 12 then 13 refined the workflow while adding increasingly sophisticated instruments and effects. Version 15, the most recent, continues this evolution with even more powerful arrangement tools and an ever smoother integration between MIDI and audio.

The features that made its legend

A MIDI sequencer of absolute reference

Cubase is historically a MIDI sequencer, and this expertise remains one of its greatest assets. The Key Editor allows you to program notes with formidable precision, while the Drum Editor makes it easy to create rhythms and the List Editor offers total control over each event. The humanization tools, the velocity editor, the Chord Assistant and the built-in arpeggiator make Cubase an extremely complete music writing tool. For film music composers, electronic music or pop composers, this mastery of MIDI is simply unmatched.

VariAudio and vocal work

Since Cubase 5, the VariAudio function makes it possible to correct the pitch of the notes of a vocal recording directly in the sample editor, in the manner of a built-in Melodyne. You can thus shift an out-of-tune note, modify the timing of a phrase, or create creative vocal effects in a few seconds. Recent versions have enriched this tool with an even more natural pitch repair mode, making it a first-class vocal correction solution, without needing an additional plugin.

A complete mixing console and powerful routing

Cubase's MixConsole is a real virtual mixing studio: channels with inserts and sends, precise automation, groups, summing buses, phase control and spectral analysis tools. The flexible routing allows you to configure complex processing chains, and the Control Room function facilitates monitoring and working with several pairs of monitors. Sound engineers particularly appreciate the stability of its audio engine, even on very heavy projects.

Generous instruments and effects

Cubase is not only a sequencer: it includes a collection of high-quality virtual instruments and effects. HALion Sonic SE offers a vast library of sounds, Retrologue is a virtual analog synthesizer with a warm character, Padshop excels in pads and granular textures, and Groove Agent SE covers percussion and drum needs. On the effects side, the RoomWorks reverb, the VintageCompressor compressor and the built-in equalizers allow you to produce a complete mix without adding anything.

The artists who made Cubase a standard

Cubase counts among its users some of the biggest names in contemporary music. Hans Zimmer, the most famous film music composer of his generation, has worked with Cubase since its beginnings and still uses it for his film scores such as Inception, Interstellar or Dune. Rapper and producer Snoop Dogg long made Cubase his portable studio, and producer Tycho, a figure of ambient electronic music, builds his albums on this software. This diversity of profiles, from the symphonic composer to the hip-hop producer, illustrates the exceptional versatility of the Steinberg software.

The legacy: VST as a universal standard

The impact of Cubase goes far beyond the software itself. By inventing the VST format, Steinberg created the largest plugin ecosystem in the history of music, the one that today allows any producer to build a complete virtual studio at low cost. From emulations of legendary consoles to the most creative virtual synthesizers, the whole world of modern plugins owes its existence to this technology born in the corridors of Steinberg. Cubase has also trained generations of musicians: many current producers discovered computer music on a version of the software, whether a trial version or a version bundled with a sound card. This continuous transmission explains why its name remains synonymous with professional music production, even in the face of competition from other DAWs.

Where to find Cubase and its ecosystem today

Cubase is offered in several editions to suit all needs and levels. The Elements version is an ideal gateway for beginners, with a complete sequencer, quality instruments and effects, while the Pro version offers all the advanced features of professional studios, from advanced audio editing to the management of large-scale projects. Students and teachers can also benefit from a dedicated educational offer. To help you choose your edition, here are the direct links to the product pages:

• Steinberg Cubase Elements 15, the ideal edition to start music production with Steinberg's DAW.



• Steinberg Cubase Elements 15 Education, the educational version reserved for students and teachers.



• Steinberg Cubase Pro 15, the complete edition for the most demanding professional productions.

To complete your studio, note that Cubase works with thousands of VST plugins. Emulations of legendary consoles are particularly appreciated by Cubase users: the Waves SSL 4000 Collection brings the sound of SSL consoles to your tracks, while the UAD SSL 4000 E Channel Strip offers an ultra-faithful emulation of the channel of the legendary console. These plugins integrate perfectly into the Cubase workflow and considerably enrich your sonic palette.

Why choose Green Musicians

Green Musicians is the music marketplace that brings together the biggest brands of the sector, from software to instruments, including plugins and accessories. By choosing Green Musicians for your move to Cubase, you benefit from a constantly renewed catalog, authentic products and expert advice that accompanies you at every stage of your music project.

• A complete catalog of music software, new, refurbished or second-hand, to find the Cubase edition suited to your budget.
• Authentic and verified products, with legitimate licenses and a responsive after-sales service.
• The possibility to buy and resell your music gear with complete confidence, on a platform designed by and for musicians.

Whether you are a film music composer, a hip-hop producer, a beatmaker or simply a computer music enthusiast, Cubase offers you thirty-five years of technological evolution concentrated in a single software. All that is left is to choose your edition and let your creativity speak.

And there you have it! We hope this article made you want to learn more about the world of music production. All that is left to do is browse Green Musicians to find the gear of your dreams at the best prices on the Internet.

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