Cubase 13 DAW now available from Steinberg

Steinberg has announced a major new version release of its popular Cubase DAW, taking the version to 13. Ignoring the “unlucky” jokes, we’ll take a look at what’s new and improved in this professional music software.

New/Updated Features

MixConsole has been overhauled with a slick, streamlined design to help focus on the mix.
Range tool is now available in the Key Editor as well as the Drum Editor

Key Editor & Drum Editor now allow multiple parts to be edited at once, switch with the visibility tab and maintain overview with the new Track display.
Channel Tab gives direct access to a mix without leaving the arrangement, allowing for intuitive workflow.
Vocalchain plug-in provides dedicated modules for each step in vocal processing for professional vocal tracks.

Chord Pads make it easy to find creative chord progressions, with new presets and enhanced functions.
Vintage Equalisers EQ-P1A and EQ-M5 are new.
VoxComp is a vocal compressor.

Iconica Sketch allows easier creation of orchestral scores with 140 articulations for 34 instruments in a 5GB library.
Sampler Track is more creative and includes new Spectral Warp modes for extreme manipulation and powerful envelope creation.
Black Valve classic tube compressor with warmth and character.

Vocoder returns with up to 24 filter bands, side chain input and in-depth control of the sound.
Sample packs from Grammy-winning producer Beat Butcha, creative mastermind Sharooz, and acclaimed sample boutiques 91Vocals and Touch Loops.

Workflow Improvements

Step and MIDI input features more powerful including note length mods on the fly and polyphonic note input feature.

Key Editor allows MIDI CCs to be recorded more simply and edited more easily.
Track Versions on Video are now more convenient.
Replacing audio in video.

Different start modes
Transport bar with tap tempo.
Channel config easy changes.

Vertical zoom
Key commands for shortcuts now easier
Key commands additions.

Project import tracks easier and more flexible
MIDI plugins overhauled design.
MIDI 2.0 enhanced support

Improved and enhanced routing
New demos

Versions

There are three version of Cubase available to purchase. Cubase Pro 13 is the high-end professional version, Cubase Artist 13 is a middle ground version aimed more at individual musicians, while Cubase Elements 13 is an entry-level version for those on a limited budget or just getting into DAWs.

There’s also Cubase LE 13 and Cubase AI 13 which often come bundled with certain hardware.

Here are the versions and which features they include.

	Cubase Pro 13	Cubase Artist 13	Cubase Elements 13
Overview
Audio engine	64 bit	64 bit	64 bit
Audio resolution	192 kHz	192 kHz	192 kHz
MIDI tracks	unlimited	unlimited	64
Audio tracks	unlimited	unlimited	48
VST Instrument tracks	unlimited	unlimited	24
VCA tracks	256	0	0
VST Instruments	4	4	2
Instrument sounds	> 3000	> 2600	> 1000
VST audio effect plug-ins	81	62	45
VST MIDI effect plug-ins	17	17	0
Physical inputs & outputs	256	32	24
Audiochannel insert slots	16	16	8
Group channels	256	32	16
FX send and return channels	S:8 – R:64	S:8 – R:64	S:8 – R:8
Rack instruments	64	32	16
MIDI plug-in insert slots & sends	4	4	0
General
MIDI Remote	Yes	Yes	Yes
Colorized Mixer Channels	Yes	Yes	Yes
Latency Monitor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Notepad	Yes	Yes	Yes
MediaBay	Yes	Yes	Yes
HiDPI support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Track Icons	Yes	Yes	Yes
Safe Start Mode	Yes	Yes	Yes
VST System Link	Yes	Yes	Yes
Softube Console 1 support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Disabling Tracks	Yes	Yes	Yes
Combined Select Tools	Yes	Yes	No
WaveLab file exchange	Yes	Yes	No
Workspaces	Yes	Yes	No
ARA 2 support	Yes	Yes	No
Import Tracks from Projects	Yes	No	No
Project Logical Editor	Yes	No	No
Project Browser	Yes	No	No
Track Archives	Yes	No	No
AAF support	Yes	No	No
OMF support	Yes	No	No
Profiles	Yes	No	No
Advanced Audio Export	Yes	No	No
Composing
Chord Pads	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chord Track	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chord Assistant – Circle of 5ths	Yes	Yes	Yes
Audio to MIDI chords	Yes	Yes	Yes
Score Editor	Advanced	Basic	Basic
Hermode tuning	Yes	Yes	Yes
Scale Assistant	Yes	Yes	Yes
Arranger Track	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tempo Track	Yes	Yes	No
Signature Track	Yes	Yes	No
TrackVersions	Yes	Yes	No
Global Transpose Track	Yes	Yes	No
Note Expression	Yes	Yes	No
Chord Assistant – Proximity Mode	Yes	No	No
Expression Maps	Yes	No	No
MusicXML import & export	Yes	No	No
Time Warp	Yes	No	No
Recording
Audio Pre-Record	Yes	Yes	Yes
MIDI Retrospective Record	Yes	Yes	Yes
Punch In & Punch Out	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pre-Roll & Post-Roll	Yes	Yes	Yes
Re-recording	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pool	Yes	Yes	Yes
Marker Track	10	1	1
Metronome	Advanced	Advanced	Basic
Comping	Yes	Yes	No
Control Room	Yes	No	No
Sequencing
Key Editor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Drum Editor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Drum Maps	Yes	Yes	Yes
Track Quick Controls	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chord Editor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chord Editing Section	Yes	Yes	Yes
List Editor	Yes	Yes	No
In-Place Editor	Yes	Yes	No
MPE Support	Yes	Yes	No
Tempo Detection Panel	Yes	No	No
Logical Editor	Yes	Yes	No
Global Tracks	Yes	No	No
Audio editing
Audio Parts	Yes	Yes	Yes
Hitpoint Detection	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sample Editor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Time Stretch	Yes	Yes	Yes
Sampler Track 2	Yes	Yes	Yes
Group/Ungroup & Lock/Unlock	Yes	Yes	No
Render in-place	Yes	Yes	No
Audio Warp Quantize	Yes	Yes	No
VariAudio 3	Yes	Yes	No
Audio Alignment	Yes	No	No
Direct Offline Processing	Yes	No	No
Group Editing	Yes	No	No
Mixing
Channel Strip 2	Advanced	Advanced	Basic
Simultaneous mixer views	4	1	1
Full-screen MixConsole	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ultra-precise automation curves	Yes	Yes	Yes
A/B Comparison	Yes	Yes	Yes
Track visibility management	Yes	Yes	No
Side-chaining	Yes	Yes	Yes
MixConsole History	Yes	Yes	No
SuperVision	Yes	Yes	No
ADM Authoring for Dolby Atmos	Yes	No	No
Renderer for Dolby Atmos	Yes	No	No
Spectral Comparison EQ	Yes	No	No
Automation Virgin Territories	Yes	No	No
MixConsole Snapshots	Yes	No	No
Control Room incl. Cue Sends	Yes	No	No
Direct Routing	Yes	No	No
Loudness Meter	Yes	No	No
Link Groups	Yes	No	No
Listen Mode	Yes	No	No
Multi-channel true peak master meter	Yes	No	No
Stereo Combined Panner	Yes	No	No
VCA Faders	Yes	No	No
Wave Meters	Yes	No	No
Virtual instruments
Groove Agent SE 5	Yes	Yes	Yes
Retrologue 2	Yes	Yes	No
Padshop 2	Yes	Yes	No
Trip for HALion Sonic SE	Yes	Yes	No
Flux for HALion Sonic SE	Yes	Yes	No
Effects
DJ EQ	Yes	Yes	Yes
Standard Channel EQ	Yes	Yes	Yes
StudioEQ	Yes	Yes	Yes
GEQ 10	Yes	Yes	No
GEQ 30	Yes	No	No
Frequency EQ 2	Yes	No	No
Voxengo CurveEQ	Yes	No	No
VST Dynamics	Yes	Yes	Yes
Limiter	Yes	Yes	Yes
Brickwall Limiter	Yes	Yes	Yes
Envelope Shaper	Yes	Yes	Yes
Gate	Yes	Yes	Yes
Maximizer	Yes	Yes	Yes
Raiser	Yes	No	No
Tube Compressor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vintage Compressor	Yes	Yes	Yes
Squasher	Yes	Yes	Yes
Midi Gate	Yes	Yes	Yes
De Esser	Yes	Yes	Yes
Expander	Yes	No	No
Multiband Compressor	Yes	No	No
Multiband Envelope Shaper	Yes	No	No
Multiband Expander	Yes	No	No
Roomworks SE	Yes	Yes	Yes
REVelation	Yes	Yes	No
REVerence	Yes	No	No
Roomworks	Yes	Yes	Yes
MonoDelay	Yes	Yes	Yes
PingPongDelay	Yes	Yes	Yes
StereoDelay	Yes	Yes	Yes
MultiTap Delay	Yes	Yes	No
ModMachine	Yes	No	No
AmpSimulator	Yes	Yes	Yes
BitCrusher	Yes	Yes	Yes
Da Tube	Yes	Yes	Yes
Distortion	Yes	Yes	Yes
Grungelizer	Yes	Yes	Yes
VST Amp Rack	Yes	Yes	Yes
Channel Tape Saturation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Channel Tube Saturation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quadrafuzz 2	Yes	Yes	No
Magneto 2	Yes	Yes	No
VST Bass Amp Rack	Yes	Yes	No
Distroyer	Yes	Yes	No
SoftClipper	Yes	No	No
Metalizer	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ring Modulator	Yes	Yes	Yes
AutoPan	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chopper	Yes	Yes	Yes
Chorus	Yes	Yes	Yes
Flanger	Yes	Yes	Yes
Phaser	Yes	Yes	Yes
Tranceformer	Yes	Yes	No
Tremolo	Yes	Yes	Yes
Vibrato	Yes	Yes	Yes
Rotary	Yes	Yes	Yes
LoopMash FX	Yes	Yes	No
Cloner	Yes	No	No
Studio Chorus	Yes	No	No
FX Modulator	Yes	Yes	No
DualFilter	Yes	Yes	Yes
ToneBooster	Yes	Yes	Yes
Wah Wah	Yes	Yes	Yes
StepFilter	Yes	Yes	Yes
MorphFilter	Yes	Yes	Yes
Octaver	Yes	Yes	Yes
Pitch Correct	Yes	Yes	Yes
MonoToStereo	Yes	Yes	Yes
StereoEnhancer	Yes	Yes	Yes
Imager	Yes	Yes	No
Mix6to2	Yes	No	No
Tuner	Yes	Yes	Yes
UV22HR	Yes	Yes	Yes
MixConvert	No	No	No
SMPTEGenerator	Yes	No	No
TestGenerator	Yes	No	No
MIDI Effects
Beat Designer	Yes	Yes	No
Arpache 5	Yes	Yes	No
Arpache SX	Yes	Yes	No
Auto LFO	Yes	Yes	No
Chorder	Yes	Yes	No
Compressor (MIDI)	Yes	Yes	No
Context Gate	Yes	Yes	No
Density	Yes	Yes	No
MIDI Control	Yes	Yes	No
MIDI Echo	Yes	Yes	No
MIDI Modifiers	Yes	Yes	No
MIDI Monitor	Yes	Yes	No
Micro Tuner	Yes	Yes	No
Note To CC	Yes	Yes	No
Quantizer	Yes	Yes	No
Step Designer	Yes	Yes	No
Track Control	Yes	Yes	No
Tranceformer	Yes	Yes	No
Collaboration
VST Transit	Yes	Yes	No
VST Connect SE 5	Yes	No	No
Video
Video Import	Yes	Yes	Yes
Video Player	Yes	Yes	Yes
Extract Audio from Video	Yes	Yes	Yes
Video Export Render	Yes	Yes	Yes
VR production suite	Yes	No	No
Video Follows Edit Mode	Yes	No	No

Cubase Pro 13 is $579.99 — Cubase Artist 13 is $329.99 — Cubase Elements is $99.99.

View the product page for more information.