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Operation Manual
Cristina Bachmann, Heiko Bischoff, Christina Kaboth, Insa Mingers, Matthias Obrecht, Sabine Pfeifer,
Benjamin Schütte, Marita Sladek
This PDF provides improved access for vision-impaired users. Please note that due to the complexity and
number of images in this document, it is not possible to include text descriptions of images.
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment
on the part of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. The software described by this document is subject to
a License Agreement and may not be copied to other media except as specifically allowed in the License
Agreement. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced, or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for
any purpose, without prior written permission by Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. Registered licensees
of the product described herein may print one copy of this document for their personal use.
All product and company names are
™
or
®
trademarks of their respective owners. For more information,
please visit www.steinberg.net/trademarks.
©
Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, 2017.
All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
3
10 Introduction
10 Platform-Independent Documentation
10 About the Documentation
11 Conventions
12 Key Commands
13 Getting Into the Details
14 Setting Up Your System
14 Setting Up Audio
21 Setting Up MIDI
24 Connecting a Synchronizer
25 VST Connections
25 VST Connections Window
31 Renaming the Hardware Inputs and Outputs
33 Adding Input and Output Busses
33 Adding Child Busses
34 Presets for Input and Output Busses
35 Adding Group and FX Channels
35 About Monitoring
35 External Instruments and Effects
42 Editing the Bus Configurations
44 Project Window
45 Showing/Hiding Zones
45 Project Zone
58 Left Zone
68 Lower Zone
75 Right Zone
80 Keyboard Focus in the Project Window
81 Zooming in the Project Window
84 Snap Function
86 Cross-Hair Cursor
87 Edit History Dialog
90 Project Handling
90 Creating New Projects
91 Hub
92 New Project Dialog
93 About Project Files
93 About Template Files
94 Project Setup Dialog
98 Opening Project Files
101 Saving Project Files
101 Reverting to the Last Saved Version
102 Choosing a Project Location
102 Creating Self-Contained Projects
105 Tracks
105 Track Inspector Settings
107 Track Control Settings
109 Audio Tracks
117 Instrument Tracks
125 MIDI Tracks
133 Sampler Tracks
140 Arranger Track
141 Chord Track
144 FX Channel Tracks
150 Folder Tracks
152 Group Channel Tracks
158 Marker Track
160 Ruler Track
161 Signature Track
162 Tempo Track
163 Transpose Track
164 VCA Fader Track
166 Video Track
168 Loudness Track
171 Track Handling
171 Adding Tracks
174 Importing Tracks
177 Exporting Tracks as Track Archive
178 Exporting MIDI Tracks as Standard MIDI File
180 Splitting Multi-Channel Audio Tracks
182 Merging Mono Audio Tracks to Multi-Channel
Tracks
183 Removing Tracks
184 Moving Tracks in the Track List
184 Renaming Tracks
184 Coloring Tracks
185 Showing Track Pictures
187 Setting the Track Height
188 Selecting Tracks
189 Duplicating Tracks
189 Disabling Tracks
189 Organizing Tracks in Folder Tracks
190 Handling Overlapping Audio
190 Track Folding
192 How Events are Displayed on Folder Tracks
192 Modifying Event Display on Folder Tracks
192 Working with Lanes
196 Defining the Track Time Base
197 TrackVersions
Table of Contents
4
204 Track Presets
211 Parts and Events
211 Events
215 Parts
217 Editing Techniques for Parts and Events
241 Range Editing
241 Creating a Selection Range
243 Creating Different Selection Ranges
244 Editing Selection Ranges
247 Playback and Transport
247 Transport Panel
249 Transport Menu
256 Transport
256 Transport Pop-Up Window
257 Left and Right Locators
258 Setting the Project Cursor Position
259 Auto-Scroll
260 Time Formats
260 Pre-Roll and Post-Roll
261 Punch In and Punch Out
262 Metronome
265 Chase
267 Virtual Keyboard
267 Recording MIDI With the Virtual Keyboard
268 Virtual Keyboard Options
269 Recording
269 Basic Recording Methods
273 Monitoring
275 Audio Recording Specifics
280 MIDI Recording Specifics
286 Remaining Record Time
287 Lock Record
288 Importing Audio and MIDI Files
288 Importing Audio Files
296 Importing MIDI Files
299 Quantizing MIDI and Audio
299 Quantize Functions
300 Quantizing MIDI Event Starts
301 Quantizing MIDI Event Lengths
301 Quantizing MIDI Event Ends
302 Quantizing Audio Event Starts
302 Quantizing Audio Event Lengths (AudioWarp
Quantizing)
303 Quantizing Multiple Audio Tracks
304 Quantize Panel
314 Fades, Crossfades, and Envelopes
314 Event-Based Fades
319 Creating Clip-Based Fades
321 Crossfades
328 Auto Fades and Crossfades
330 Event Envelopes
333 Arranger Track
334 Adding Arranger Events on the Arranger
Track
334 Arranger Editor
338 Setting up an Arranger Chain and Adding
Events
340 Jump Mode
342 Arranging Music to Video
343 Transpose Functions
343 Project Root Key
346 Transpose Track
348 Keep Transpose in Octave Range
349 Transpose on the Info Line
350 Excluding Individual Parts or Events from
Global Transpose
352 Markers
352 Position Markers
352 Cycle Markers
353 Markers Window
360 Marker Track
364 Importing and Exporting Markers
374 ADR
374 ADR and Marker Selection
375 ADR Statuses
375 ADR Modes
376 ADR Panel
377 ADR Setup
380 Setting Up ADR Tracks
382 Setting Up the ADR Environment
384 Rehearsing Takes
385 Recording Takes
385 Reviewing Takes
387 MixConsole
387 MixConsole in Lower Zone
390 MixConsole Window
441 VCA Faders
441 VCA Fader Settings
442 Creating VCA Faders
443 Nested VCA Faders
444 VCA Fader Automation
444 VCA Rack
447 Control Room
447 Adding Channels to the Control Room
448 Output Routing
448 Exclusive Assignment of Monitor Channels
449 Control Room Channels
451 Control Room Mixer
457 Control Room Setup
459 Setting Up a Cue Mix
461 Adjusting the Overall Cue Send Level
462 Metering and Loudness
462 Metering
463 Loudness Measurement
467 Loudness Track
469 Normalizing Loudness on Export
470 Audio Effects
470 Insert Effects and Send Effects
Table of Contents
5
473 Insert Effects
481 Send Effects
486 Side-Chain Input
488 Dither Effects
489 External Effects
489 Effect Control Panel
491 Effect Presets
496 Plug-In Information Window
499 Direct Offline Processing
500 Direct Offline Processing Workflow
501 Direct Offline Processing Window
508 Built-In Audio Processes
517 Applying Direct Offline Processing Using Key
Commands
519 Time Stretch and Pitch Shift Algorithms
519 élastique
520 MPEX
520 Standard
521 Limitations
523 Audio Functions
523 Detect Silence
526 Spectrum Analyzer
528 Statistics
531 Game Audio Connect
531 Game Audio Connect Window
532 Game Audio Connect Settings Dialog
533 Setting Up Game Audio Connect for Network
Communication
534 Renaming Events
536 Exporting Audio Assets to a Game Audio
Engine
539 Sample Editor
541 Toolbar
546 Info Line
546 Overview Line
547 Sample Editor Inspector
549 Ruler
550 Waveform Display
552 Range Editing
556 Regions List
559 Snap Point
561 Hitpoints
561 Calculating Hitpoints
564 Locating to Hitpoints in the Project Window
564 Slices
567 Creating a Groove Quantize Map
567 Creating Markers
567 Creating Regions
568 Creating Events
568 Creating Warp Markers
569 Creating MIDI Notes
571 Tempo Matching Audio
571 Algorithm Presets
572 Stretching Audio Events to the Project Tempo
572 Musical Mode
574 Auto Adjust
574 Manual Adjust
576 Free Warp
579 Flattening Realtime Processing
579 Unstretching Audio Files
580 VariAudio
580 VariAudio and Offline Processes
581 Segmenting Monophonic Audio
582 Segments and Gaps
582 Manual Editing of Segments
588 Pitch Changes
591 Micro-Pitch Changes
594 Timing Modifications
596 Reset Functions
597 Extracting MIDI from Audio
600 Flattening Realtime Processing
600 Harmony Voices for Audio
602 Audio Part Editor
604 Toolbar
609 Info Line
609 The Ruler
610 About Lanes
610 Operations
614 Controlling Sample Playback with Sampler
Tracks
614 Creating Sampler Tracks
615 Sampler Control
625 Sample Editing and Playback Functions
627 Transferring Samples from Sampler Control
to VST Instruments
628 Pool
628 Pool Window
632 Working with the Pool
651 MediaBay
651 MediaBay in Right Zone
652 MediaBay Window
678 Working with the MediaBay
682 Working with MediaBay-Related Windows
684 MediaBay Aspects
685 Working with Volume Databases
687 MediaBay Settings
688 MediaBay Key Commands
689 Surround Sound
690 Deliverables
690 Available Surround Channel Configurations
693 Preparations for Surround Mixing
696 VST MultiPanner
714 MixConvert V6
716 Surround Mix Export
717 Automation
717 Automation Curves
717 Static Value Line
717 Write/Read Automation
Table of Contents
6
718 Writing Automation Data
721 Editing Automation Events
723 Automation Tracks
725 Virgin Territory vs. Initial Value
726 Automation Panel
743 MIDI Controller Automation
747 VST Instruments
747 Adding VST Instruments
748 Creating Instrument Tracks
748 VST Instruments in the Right Zone
749 VST Instruments Window
749 VST Instruments Toolbar
750 VST Instrument Controls
752 Presets for Instruments
753 Playing Back VST Instruments
755 Latency
756 Import and Export Options
758 VST Quick Controls
760 Side-Chain Input for VST Instruments
761 External Instruments
762 Installing and Managing Plug-ins
762 Installing VST Plug-ins
762 Plug-in Manager
765 Compiling a New Effects Collection
766 Track Quick Controls
766 Assigning Parameters to Quick Controls
770 Connecting Quick Controls with Remote
Controllers
771 Activating Pick-up Mode for Hardware
Controls
771 Quick Controls and Automatable Parameters
773 Remote Controlling Nuendo
773 Setting Up
775 Operations
777 The Generic Remote Device
781 Track Quick Controls
782 The Remote Control Editor
788 Joysticks
789 Apple Remote (macOS only)
790 MIDI Realtime Parameters and MIDI Effects
790 MIDI Track Parameters
792 MIDI Modifiers
797 MIDI Effects
800 Transpose and Velocity on the Info Line
802 Using MIDI devices
802 MIDI devices – general settings and patch
handling
809 About Device panels
813 MIDI Processing
813 MIDI functions vs. MIDI modifiers
813 What is affected by the MIDI functions?
814 Transpose
815 Making your settings permanent
817 Dissolve Part
819 Bounce MIDI
819 Repeat Loop
819 Other MIDI functions
825 MIDI Editors
825 Common MIDI Editor Functions
832 Key Editor
845 Key Editor Operations
864 Drum Editor
879 Drum Editor Operations
883 Drum Maps
888 List Editor
898 List Editor Operations
903 In-Place Editor
906 Expression maps
906 Introduction
908 Using expression maps
912 Creating and editing expression maps
919 Note Expression
919 Introduction
921 Setting up the Note Expression Inspector
Section
924 Mapping controllers
925 Recording
927 Editing Note Expression data
933 Note Expression and MIDI
937 HALion Sonic SE
938 Chord Functions
938 Chord Track
939 Chord Events
946 Scale Events
947 Voicings
950 Converting Chord Events to MIDI
951 Controlling MIDI or Audio Playback Using the
Chord Track
954 Assigning Voices to Notes
955 Extracting Chord Events from MIDI
956 Recording Chord Events with a MIDI
Keyboard
958 Chord Pads
958 Chord Pads
961 Functions Menu
962 Preparations
962 Chord Assistant
964 Assigning Chords to Chord Pads
968 Moving and Copying Chord Pads
968 Playing Back and Recording Chords
970 Chord Pad Settings – Remote Control
974 Chord Pad Settings – Players
980 Chord Pad Settings – Pad Layout
980 Chord Pads Presets
981 Creating Events from Chord Pads
982 Logical Editor
982 Introduction
983 Opening the Logical Editor
983 Window overview
Table of Contents
7
983 Setting up filter conditions
993 Selecting a function
994 Specifying actions
998 Applying the defined actions
998 Working with presets
1000 Project Logical Editor
1000 Window Overview
1001 Filter Conditions
1011 Specifying actions
1014 Selecting a function
1015 Applying Macros
1015 Applying the defined actions
1015 Working with presets
1017 Editing Tempo and Time Signature
1017 Project Tempo Modes
1017 Track Time Base
1018 Tempo Track Editor
1020 Tempo Track
1021 Setting up Tempo Changes for Projects
1026 Setting up a Fixed Project Tempo
1028 Beat Calculator
1029 Tempo Detection
1030 Exporting a Tempo Track
1030 Importing a Tempo Track
1031 Process Tempo
1032 Process Bars
1032 Time Warp
1034 Set Definition From Tempo
1035 Project Browser
1035 Window Overview
1037 Editing tracks
1046 Track Sheet
1047 Viewing the Pages in the Track Sheet
1047 Adjusting the View
1048 Additional Settings
1049 Printing the Track Sheet
1050 Rendering Audio and MIDI
1050 Render Tracks
1053 Render Selection
1056 Export Audio Mixdown
1057 Mixing Down to Audio Files
1058 Available Channels for Export
1060 File Location
1062 File Format
1070 Audio Engine Output
1072 Import Into Project
1073 Post Process
1074 Networking
1074 Introduction
1074 What can I use the Networking functions for?
1074 Networking protocol and ports
1076 The network dialogs
1076 Selecting a user name
1078 Setting up a network
1081 Sharing projects
1089 Joining projects
1091 Working with shared projects
1094 Further options
1096 Synchronization
1096 Background
1097 Timecode (positional references)
1100 Clock sources (speed references)
1101 Frame edge alignment (phase)
1102 The Project Synchronization Setup dialog
1113 Synchronized operation
1114 Example Scenarios
1120 Working with VST System Link
1124 Activating VST System Link
1132 Video
1132 Video File Compatibility
1133 Frame Rates
1134 Video Output Devices
1134 Preparations for Creating Video Projects
1137 Preparations for Video Playback
1139 Editing Video
1141 Audio Editing to Picture
1141 Video Timeline and the Grid
1142 Conforming Production Audio
1144 Use Video Follows Edit Mode
1144 Event-Based Fades and Volume Envelopes
1145 Placing Audio to Picture
1148 Adjusting and Editing Audio
1152 Film Transfers
1152 Pull-Down and Speed Changes
1152 Telecine Process
1155 Compensating for Speed Changes
1159 Working with Video Tape Recorders
1159 Tips
1161 ReConform
1161 Prerequisites
1161 ReConform Workflow
1162 ReConform Dialog
1163 EDLs
1170 ReConform Settings
1176 Video Preview
1180 Exchanging Files with Other Applications
1180 OMF Files
1184 AAF Files
1188 AES31 Files
1190 OpenTL Files
1194 ReWire
1194 Introduction
1194 Launching and quitting
1195 Activating ReWire channels
1196 Using the transport and tempo controls
1196 How the ReWire channels are handled
1197 Routing MIDI via ReWire
1197 Considerations and limitations
Table of Contents
8
1199 Key Commands
1199 Introduction
1200 Setting Up Key Commands
1207 Setting Up Tool Modifier Keys
1208 The Default Key Commands
1222 Customizing
1222 Workspaces
1225 Using the Setup Options
1227 Configuring the Main Menu Items
1229 Appearance
1232 Applying Colors in the Project Window
1236 Where are the Settings Stored?
1238 Profiles
1243 Optimizing
1243 Optimizing Audio Performance
1247 Preferences
1247 Preferences Dialog
1249 Appearance
1250 Configuration
1250 Editing
1259 Editors
1260 Event Display
1264 General
1265 MIDI
1270 MediaBay
1271 Metering
1272 Record
1274 Scores
1276 Transport
1279 VST
1283 VariAudio
1283 Video
1284 Score Layout and Printing
1285 How the Score Editor works
1285 About this chapter
1285 Welcome!
1285 How the Score Editor operates
1285 MIDI notes vs. score notes
1286 Display Quantize
1289 Entering notes by hand vs. recording notes
1290 The basics
1290 About this chapter
1290 Preparations
1290 Opening the Score Editor
1291 The project cursor
1292 Playing back and recording
1292 Page Mode
1293 Changing the zoom factor
1294 The active staff
1295 Making page setup settings
1295 Designing your work space
1299 About the Score Editor context menus
1299 About dialogs in the Score Editor
1299 Setting clef, key, and time signature
1306 Transposing instruments
1307 Printing from the Score Editor
1307 Exporting pages as image files
1308 Working order
1309 Force update
1310 Transcribing MIDI recordings
1310 About this chapter
1310 About transcription
1310 Getting the parts ready
1311 Preparing parts for score printout
1311 Staff settings
1312 Situations which require additional
techniques
1313 Inserting Display Quantize changes
1314 The Explode function
1315 Using "Scores Notes To MIDI"
1317 Entering and editing notes
1317 About this chapter
1317 Score settings
1319 Note values and positions
1321 Adding and editing notes
1324 Selecting notes
1326 Moving notes
1329 Duplicating notes
1329 Cut, copy, and paste
1330 Editing pitches of individual notes
1331 Changing the length of notes
1333 Splitting a note in two
1333 Working with the Display Quantize tool
1334 Split (piano) staves
1335 Strategies: Multiple staves
1336 Inserting and editing clefs, keys, or time
signatures
1338 Deleting notes
1339 Staff settings
1339 About this chapter
1339 Staff settings
1339 Making settings
1340 Working with staff presets
1341 Staff names
1341 Key and clef
1342 Display Quantize and Interpretation Options
1345 Display Transpose
1346 The Options tab
1348 The Polyphonic tab
1348 The Tablature tab
1349 Polyphonic voicing
1349 About this chapter
1349 Background: Polyphonic voicing
1351 Setting up the voices
1353 Strategies: How many voices do I need?
1353 Entering notes into voices
1354 Checking which voice a note belongs to
1354 Moving notes between voices
1356 Handling rests
1357 Voices and Display Quantize
Table of Contents
9
1358 Creating crossed voicings
1359 Automatic polyphonic voicing – Merge All
Staves
1360 Converting voices to tracks – Extract Voices
1361 Additional note and rest formatting
1361 About this chapter
1361 Background: Note stems
1362 Setting stem direction
1363 Stem length
1364 Accidentals and enharmonic shift
1366 Changing the note head shape
1366 Other note details
1369 Coloring notes
1370 Copying settings between notes
1371 Handling beaming
1377 About tied notes
1379 Graphic moving of notes
1380 Cue notes
1381 Grace notes
1383 Tuplets
1386 Working with symbols
1386 About this chapter
1386 Background: The different layers
1388 The Symbols Inspector
1391 Important! – Symbols, staves, and voices
1391 Adding symbols to the score
1402 Selecting symbols
1403 Moving and duplicating symbols
1408 Changing length, size, and shape
1409 Deleting symbols
1409 Copy and paste
1410 Alignment
1410 Symbol details
1421 Working with chords
1421 About this chapter
1421 Inserting chord symbols
1424 Global chord settings
1426 Working with text
1426 About this chapter
1426 Adding and editing text symbols
1430 Different types of text
1437 Text functions
1442 Working with layouts
1442 About this chapter
1442 Background: Layouts
1443 Creating a layout
1443 Opening a layout
1443 Layout operations
1445 Using layouts – an example
1445 Marker Track to Form
1446 Working with MusicXML
1446 Introduction
1447 Importing and exporting MusicXML files
1451 Designing your score: additional techniques
1451 About this chapter
1451 Layout settings
1453 Staff size
1454 Hiding/showing objects
1456 Coloring notes
1456 Multiple rests
1457 Editing existing bar lines
1458 Creating upbeats
1459 Setting the number of bars across the page
1461 Moving bar lines
1462 Dragging staves
1465 Adding brackets and braces
1465 Displaying the Chord Symbols from the
Chord Track
1466 Auto Layout
1468 Reset Layout
1469 Breaking bar lines
1471 Scoring for drums
1471 About this chapter
1471 Background: Drum maps in the Score Editor
1472 Setting up the drum map
1474 Setting up a staff for drum scoring
1474 Entering and editing notes
1474 Using “Single Line Drum Staff”
1476 Creating tablature
1476 About this chapter
1476 Creating tablature automatically
1478 Creating tablature manually
1479 Tablature number appearance
1479 Editing
1479 Note head shape
1480 Rhythmic Notation
1480 About this Chapter
1481 Showing Rhythmic Notation
1481 Rhythm Bar Indicators
1482 Showing Regular Notation
1482 Clearing Bars
1483 Showing Repeat Bar Signs
1483 Notation Style
1485 The score and MIDI playback
1485 About this chapter
1485 Scores and the Arranger mode
1485 Working with mapped dynamics
1489 Tips and Tricks
1489 Overview
1489 Useful editing techniques
1493 Frequently asked questions
1496 If you wish you had a faster computer
1497 Index
Introduction
10
The documentation covers the following Steinberg products: Nuendo.
Nuendo is a powerful audio production system that offers a vast range of dedicated
functions focused on post production, studio production, and live recording. This system has
professional music tools and instruments included.
Platform-Independent Documentation
The documentation applies to the operating systems Windows and macOS.
Features and settings that are specific to one of these platforms are clearly indicated. In all
other cases, the descriptions and procedures in the documentation are valid for Windows
and macOS.
Some points to consider:
•
The screenshots are taken from Windows.
•
Some functions that are available on the File menu on Windows can be found in the
program name menu on macOS.
About the Documentation
The documentation consists of several documents. You can read them online or download
them from steinberg.help. To visit steinberg.help, do one of the following:
•
Enter www.steinberg.help in the address bar of your web browser.
•
In the program, select Help> Nuendo Help.
Quick Start Guide
Covers the following areas without going into details:
•
System requirements, installation procedure, and license activation.
•
Setting up your system for audio and MIDI work.
Operation Manual
The main Nuendo reference documentation, with detailed descriptions of
operations, parameters, functions, and techniques.
Remote Control Devices
Lists the supported MIDI remote control devices.
Introduction
Conventions
11
Plug-in Reference
Describes the features and parameters of the included VST plug-ins, VST
instruments, and MIDI effects.
HALion Sonic SE
Describes the features and parameters of the included VST instrument HALion
Sonic SE.
Groove Agent SE
Describes the features and parameters of the included VST instrument Groove
Agent SE.
MIDI Devices
Describes how to manage MIDI Devices and device panels.
VST Connect SE
Describes how to work with the VST Connect SE features.
Conventions
In our documentation, we use typographical and markup elements to structure information.
Typographical Elements
The following typographical elements mark the following purposes.
PREREQUISITE
Requires you to complete an action or to fulfill a condition before starting a
procedure.
PROCEDURE
Lists the steps that you must take to achieve a specific result.
IMPORTANT
Informs you about issues that might affect the system, the connected hardware,
or that might bring a risk of data loss.
NOTE
Informs you about issues that you should consider.
EXAMPLE
Provides you with an example.
RESULT
Shows the result of the procedure.
AFTER COMPLETING THIS TASK
Informs you about actions or tasks that you can undertake after completing the
procedure.
Introduction
Key Commands
12
RELATED LINKS
Lists related topics that you can find in this documentation.
Markup
Bold text indicates the name of a menu, option, function, dialog, window, etc.
EXAMPLE
To open the Functions menu, click Functions Menu in the top right corner of the MixConsole.
If bold text is separated by a greater-than symbol, this indicates a sequence of different
menus to open.
EXAMPLE
Select Project> Add Track.
Key Commands
Many of the default key commands, also known as keyboard shortcuts, use modifier keys,
some of which are different depending on the operating system.
For example, the default key command for Undo is Ctrl-Z on Windows and Cmd-Z on macOS.
When key commands with modifier keys are described in this manual, they are shown with
the Windows modifier key first, in the following way:
•
Windows modifier key/macOS modifier key-key
EXAMPLE
Ctrl/Cmd-Z means: press Ctrl on Windows or Cmd on macOS, then press Z.
Getting Into the Details
Setting Up Your System
14
To use Nuendo, you must set up your audio, and if required, your MIDI system.
Setting Up Audio
IMPORTANT
Make sure that all equipment is turned off before making any connections.
Simple Stereo Input and Output Setup
If you only use a stereo input and output from Nuendo, you can connect your audio hardware,
for example, the inputs of your audio card or your audio interface, directly to the input source
and the outputs to a power amplifier and speaker.
Audio Connections
Your system setup depends on many different factors, for example, on the kind of project
that you want to create, on the external equipment that you want to use, or on the computer
hardware that is available to you. Therefore, the following sections can only serve as
examples.
How to connect your equipment, that is, whether to use digital or analog connections also
depends on your setup.
Setting Up Your System
Setting Up Audio
15
About Recording Levels and Inputs
When you connect your equipment, make sure that the impedance and levels of the audio
sources and inputs are matched. Using the correct type of input is important to avoid
distortion or noisy recordings. For microphones, for example, different inputs can be used,
such as consumer line level (-10
dBV) or professional line level (+4
dBV).
Sometimes, you can adjust input characteristics on the audio interface or on its control
panel. For details, refer to the documentation that came with the audio hardware.
IMPORTANT
Nuendo does not provide any input level adjustments for the signals that are coming into
your audio hardware, since these are handled differently for each card. Adjusting input levels
is either done in a special application that is included with the hardware or its control panel.
Word Clock Connections
If you are using a digital audio connection, you may also need a word clock connection
between the audio hardware and external devices. For details, refer to the documentation
that came with the audio hardware.
IMPORTANT
Set up word clock synchronization correctly, or you may experience clicks and crackles in
your recordings.
Selecting an Audio Driver
By selecting an audio driver, you allow Nuendo to communicate with the audio hardware.
Normally, when you start Nuendo, a dialog opens that prompts you to select a driver, but you
can also select your audio hardware driver as described below.
NOTE
On Windows operating systems, we recommend that you access your hardware via an ASIO
driver developed specifically for the hardware. If no ASIO driver is installed, contact the
manufacturer of your audio hardware for information on available ASIO drivers. If no specific
ASIO driver is available, you can use the Generic Low Latency ASIO driver.
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices> Device Setup.
2. In the Devices list, select VST Audio System.
3. Open the ASIO Driver pop-up menu and select your audio hardware driver.
4. Click OK.
Setting Up Audio Hardware
PREREQUISITE
You have selected a driver for your audio hardware.
Setting Up Your System
Setting Up Audio
16
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices> Device Setup.
2. In the Devices list to the left, select the driver to open the driver settings for your audio
hardware.
3. Do one of the following to open the control panel for your audio hardware:
•
On Windows, click Control Panel.
•
On macOS, click Open Config App.
This button is available only for some hardware products. If it is not available in
your setup, refer to the documentation of your audio hardware.
NOTE
The control panel is provided by the manufacturer of your audio hardware and is
different for each audio interface brand and model. However, control panels for the
Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver (Windows only) are provided by Steinberg.
4. Set up your audio hardware as recommended by the manufacturer.
VST Audio System
In the VST Audio System section you can select an ASIO driver for your audio hardware.
• To open the VST Audio System section, select Devices> Device Setup and select VST
Audio System in the Devices list to the left.
The following options are available:
ASIO Driver
Allows you to select a driver.
Setting Up Your System
Setting Up Audio
17
Release Driver when Application is in Background
Releases the driver and allows other applications to play back via your audio
hardware even though Nuendo is running.
Input Latency
Shows the input latency of the audio hardware.
Output Latency
Shows the output latency of the audio hardware.
ASIO-Guard Latency
Shows the ASIO-Guard latency.
HW Sample Rate
Shows the sample rate of your audio hardware.
HW Pull Up/Down
Shows the pull up/down status of the audio hardware.
Set to Defaults
Allows you to restore the default settings.
Activate Multi Processing
Allows you to distribute the processing load evenly to all available CPUs. This
way, Nuendo can make full use of the combined power of multiple processors.
Activate ASIO-Guard
Activates the ASIO-Guard. This is only available, if Activate Multi Processing is
activated too.
ASIO-Guard Level
Allows you to set the ASIO-Guard level. The higher the level, the higher the
processing stability and audio processing performance. However, higher levels
also lead to an increased ASIO-Guard latency and memory usage.
Audio Priority (Windows only)
This setting should be set to Normal, if you work with audio and MIDI. If you do
not use MIDI at all, you can set this to Boost.
Activate Steinberg Audio Power Scheme
If this option is activated, all power safe modes that have an impact on realtime
processing are deactivated. Note that this is only effective for very low latencies,
and that it increases the power consumption.
Disk Preload
Allows you to specify how many seconds of audio are preloaded into RAM prior to
starting playback. This allows for smooth playback.
Adjust for Record Latency
If this is activated, the plug-in latencies are taken to account during recording.
Setting Up Your System
Setting Up Audio
18
Record Shift
Allows you to shift the recordings by the specified value.
ASIO Driver Setup
This section allows you to set up your ASIO driver.
• To open the section where you can set up the ASIO driver, select Devices> Device
Setup and select the audio driver in the Devices list to the left.
The following options are available:
Control Panel
Opens the control panel for the audio hardware.
Input Latency
Shows the input latency of the audio driver.
Output Latency
Shows the output latency of the audio driver.
Clock Source
Allows you to select a clock source.
Externally Clocked
Activate this option, if you use an external clock source.
Direct Monitoring
Activate this option to monitor via your audio hardware and to control it from
Nuendo.
Setting Up Your System
Setting Up Audio
19
Ports Reset
Allows you to reset all port names and visibilities.
I/O
The port input/output status.
Port System Name
The system name of the port.
Show As
Allows you to rename the port. This name is used in the Input Routing and Output
Routing pop-up menus.
Visible
Allows you to activate/deactivate audio ports.
State
The state of the audio port.
Using External Clock Sources
If you are using an external clock source, Nuendo must be notified that it receives external
clock signals and derives its speed from that source.
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices> Device Setup.
2. In the Devices list, select the page of your audio hardware driver.
3. Activate Externally clocked.
RESULT
Nuendo now derives its speed from the external source.
NOTE
For proper audio playback and recording, you must set the sample rate of the project to the
sample rate of the incoming clock signals.
When a sample rate mismatch occurs, the Record Format field on the status line is
highlighted in a different color. Nuendo accepts a sample rate mismatch, and playback is
therefore faster or slower.
Using Several Audio Applications Simultaneously
You can allow other applications to play back via your audio hardware even though Nuendo is
running.
PREREQUISITE
Other audio applications accessing the audio hardware are set to release the audio driver.
Setting Up Your System
Setting Up Audio
20
PROCEDURE
1. Select Devices> Device Setup.
2. In the Devices list, select the VST Audio System page.
3. Activate Release Driver when Application is in Background.
RESULT
The application that has the focus gets access to the audio hardware.
Audio Hardware Configuration
Most audio cards provide one or more small applications that allow you to customize your
hardware.
The settings are normally gathered on a control panel that can be opened from within
Nuendo or separately, when Nuendo is not running. For details, refer to the audio hardware
documentation.
Settings include:
•
Selecting which inputs/outputs are active.
•
Setting up word clock synchronization.
•
Turning on/off monitoring via the hardware.
•
Setting levels for each input.
•
Setting levels for the outputs so that they match the equipment that you use for
monitoring.
•
Selecting digital input and output formats.
•
Making settings for the audio buffers.
Plug and Play Support for ASIO Devices
The Steinberg UR hardware series supports plug and play in Nuendo. These devices can be
plugged in and switched on while the application is running. Nuendo automatically uses the
driver of the UR series and re-maps the VST connections accordingly.
Steinberg cannot guarantee that this works with other hardware. If you are unsure of
whether your device supports plug and play, refer to the documentation of your device.
IMPORTANT
If a device that does not support plug and play is connected or disconnected while the
computer is running, it can get damaged.
Setting Up Input and Output Ports
Once you have selected the driver for your audio hardware and have set it up, you must
specify which inputs and outputs to use.
PREREQUISITE
You have selected a driver for your audio hardware.
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