To get to Audio Connections, follow these steps:

1. Open Cubase DAW and start a new empty project, or open an existing project
2. Look at the very top of the Cubase window for the “Studio” menu
3. Click “Studio” to open the drop-down menu
4. Find “Audio Connections” in the list and click it

The Audio Connections window will now open. You can also open it using the keyboard shortcut F4.

The Devices Tab

When Audio Connections opens, you will see the Devices tab. This shows all the audio interfaces and devices available.

If you have an audio interface connected to your computer, it should appear in the Devices list. Make sure your interface is selected here. Cubase will use your computer’s built-in audio if you do not have an audio interface.

You can rename your devices in the Device Port Name column. This does not affect functionality but can help keep things organized.

The Inputs Tab

Click the Inputs tab at the top of the Audio Connections window. This tab lets you choose which inputs on your audio interface to use for recording in Cubase.

You will see a list of the inputs available on your selected audio device. They will have names like “Mic/Inst 1” or “Analog L.” The exact names depend on your specific audio interface.

To enable an input for recording:

1. Click in the Device Port column for the input
2. A checkmark will appear, activating that input
3. Repeat for any additional inputs you want to record from
4. You can rename the inputs in the Bus Name column if desired

Your checked inputs will be available when creating new audio tracks for recording in Cubase.

The Outputs Tab

Click the Outputs tab in Audio Connections. This is where you configure Cubase’s outputs for playback through speakers, headphones, etc.

You will see the available outputs from your audio interface, with names like “Line 1” or “Phones.”

There are two main output buses in Cubase by default:

1. The Main Mix bus. This should be routed to your main speakers or studio monitors. Find the appropriate output on your interface for your speakers and click the box in that row under “Main Mix” to connect it. You can click multiple device ports to send the main output to more than one place.
2. The Phones bus. This is typically used for headphones. Find the device port that matches where your headphones are plugged in and check that box in the “Phones” column.

You can make additional output buses by clicking the “Add Bus” button at the top of the window. This is useful for sending separate mixes to different destinations.

For example, with inputs, you can double-click the bus names to rename them.

The Group/FX Tab

The Group/FX tab lets you designate group channels and FX channels. This allows you to route multiple audio tracks to a single fader for level and processing control.

• Click the “Add Group” button to make a new Group channel. Then, you can route tracks to that group in the Cubase mixer.
• FX channels let you set up send effects. Create a new FX channel by clicking “Add FX,” then configure an impact on that channel. You can then send audio from multiple tracks to that effect.

The group and FX channels you create will appear in the Audio Connections Outputs tab, where you can route them to output ports as desired.

The External FX Tab

External FX integrates hardware effects processors with Cubase. This could be an outboard reverb unit or a guitar effects pedal.

To set one up:

1. Click “Add External FX”
2. In the dialog that appears, specify your send and return device ports
3. Choose how many effects you want
4. Please give it a name and click OK

Your external effect will now be available as an insert or send effect in Cubase. The audio is routed from your interface to the processor and back in.

The Studio Tab

The Studio tab overviews all your buses and channels from the other tabs. It gives a visual representation of how everything is routed.

You can click the “Inputs,” “Outputs,” and other buttons here to see those categories, which are similar to the separate tabs but all in one view. This can be helpful to get an overall picture of your Cubase audio routing and connections.

The Control Room Tab

Cubase’s Control Room feature is a virtual monitoring environment miming a studio control room. It provides advanced monitoring options for performers, such as different speaker sets, talkback, and foldback.

However, the Control Room is considered an advanced feature and is not required for the primary use of Cubase. Many home recordists do not use it. If you start with Cubase, you can likely ignore the Control Room tab. The Main Mix routing in the Outputs tab handles the essential playback routing, and you can return to Control Room later as you get more advanced with the software.

Saving Your Audio Connection Presets

Once you have your Audio Connections configured how you want them, saving that configuration as a preset is a good idea. This is especially helpful if you frequently use Cubase with different audio interfaces or in other locations.

To save your Audio Connections setup:

1. Click the “Presets” button in the upper right of the Audio Connections window
2. Choose “Save Preset”
3. Give your preset a name, like “Home Studio Setup.”
4. Click OK

Your Audio Connections settings are saved. You can recall them anytime by selecting the preset name from the Presets drop-down menu. This will instantly reconfigure all the device ports and buses to those settings.

Saving presets for any Audio connection arrangements you use frequently is a good idea. Then, you will not have to set it up manually whenever you change locations or devices.