Besides an included virtual bass amp and new dynamic processors, Cubase Pro 8 brings many useful enhancements, including VCA faders for simultaneous control of multiple faders without affecting their routing—automation written to each of the independent faders can be trimmed globally from a single VCA fader.
Render-in-place, another big user request, is now included with Cubase Pro 8. You can bounce MIDI instruments and audio to disk and it will appear on a new track directly adjacent and below the original in the Arrange page. You also have the option to render the selected region(s): dry, with inserted effects, with insert effects and send effects and/or with the entire path including output channel settings. Great workflow improvement for consolidating tracks destined for exportation to other DAWs.
For Windows PC users, you will find improved GUI window handling—windows now size automatically to full screen easily, and the search bar finds output routing of MIDI tracks. Another timesaver is the Plug-in Manager that’s useful for grouping and arranging your plug-in collection.
Cubase 8 has undergone a massive engine redesign/rebuild with projects now loading four times faster with significantly lower CPU usage. The full version of Cubase Pro 8 sells for $549.99 and upgrade from 7.5 is $99.99.
Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and more. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and loves teaching audio engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS and a contributing editor for Mix Magazine. barryrudolph.com
