Steinberg CUBASE Essential 5

When building a song, audio recordings and MIDI parts can be edited and mixed in the same project environment. Audio and MIDI production in a DAW is at the heart of Steinberg CUBASE Essential 5, software for composition, recording, editing and mixing. The interface is based on Cubase 5 and is suitable for music production at home or multitrack recordings in the rehearsal room.

For vocals and other monophonic recordings, the programme includes the PitchCorrect VST3 plug-in. It automatically corrects intonation and musical scale. PitchCorrect for monophonic recordings complements the standard audio and MIDI editing tools and can therefore be used directly in the production workflow.

AudioWarp alters audio in real time using time-stretching or pitch-shifting. This allows sounds to be adjusted in terms of timing or pitch. Time-stretching and pitch-shifting in real time are part of the editing capabilities, alongside 33 audio effects and 17 MIDI effects.

MediaBay centrally manages sounds, loops and presets within the programme. For MIDI, revised effect plug-ins and optimised MIDI automation are available; the software supports audio recordings at up to 24-bit and 96 kHz. MediaBay for sounds, loops and presets makes it easier to organise the material used in the project.

The system requirements list older Windows and Mac operating systems, as well as a DVD drive, a USB port for the USB-eLicenser and internet access for licence activation. The listed system requirements should be checked against your computer and the audio hardware you have before use.