Using Macros In Cubase

Using Shortcut Keyboard Commands and Macros in Cubase SX

Key commands can help you work on your music much faster with Cubase SX. You can simply hit one key on your computer keyboard to do something in Cubase automatically, instead of having to search around menus with your mouse to find what it is you want to do.

For example: let's say you want to work on a certain section of your song. Normally, you would have to move the Left and Right locators around that part or section that you want to work on, which requires a few mouse clicks and some dragging. By using a key command, you can automatically set the Left and Right locators around a selected part just by hitting "p" on your computer keyboard. First select a part, then hit "p" on your computer keyboard and watch the left and right locators jump right to the beginning and end of that part with one simple step.

For a complete list of shortcut key commands, check out Page 15-168 in the Getting Started Manual

Making Macros in Cubase SX

The new "Macros" feature in Cubase SX lets you take key commands a step further by letting you assign 2 or more key commands onto one single key. This way you can hit one key and do multiple things instantly that otherwise would have required many mouse clicks or many different keyboard commands one after the other.

For example: let's say you want to set the Left and Right locators around a part and then go directly into the key editor. With "Macros" you can do this with one single key by assigning a "String" of key commands in a certain order…in other words, first, I want to set the locators around a part and second, I want to go into the key editor.

1) Go to File>Key Commands

2) In the lower middle part of the window, click on "Show Macros"

3) Click on "New Macro" 4) Name the new macro as "Locate and Edit" since this is what we want to do…locate then edit

5) Look in the "Categories" column in the upper left side of the window and click on "Transport"

6) Look in the "Commands" column in the upper right side of the window and click on "Locators to Selection"

7) Click on "Add Command" in the lower right side of the window

8) Look in the "Categories" column in the upper left side of the window and click on "Edit"

9) Look in the "Commands" column in the upper right side of the window and click on "Open Key Editor"

10) Click on "Add Command" in the lower right side of the window

11) Look in the "Categories" column in the upper left side of the window and click on "Macros"

12) Now you will see the new macro we just created over on the right side of the window named "Locate and Edit" so go ahead and click on it to select it so that we can assign a keyboard key to this macro.

13) Click in the black strip on the middle right side of the window where it says "Type new key command" and hit the apostrophe key (') which is just to the left of the "enter" key on your keyboard.

14) Click "OK"

I know this seems like a lot of work from this step by step list, but, once you do it the first time, the next time will be easier.

From now on, when you click on any part and hit the apostrophe key, your locators will jump around that part and you will go right into the key editor. This will save you lots of time in the future for whenever you want to work on a certain section and go right into a part to make some changes.