Steinberg has announced that the latest iteration of its music production DAW, Cubase 12, will be released in 2022 (the exact date has not been set yet). However a grace period starts today, meaning that all Cubase versions activated from today onwards will be eligible for a free update to Cubase 12.
This means that as soon as Cubase 12 has been released, any Cubase 11 license activated after November 9, 2021 can be updated to the corresponding Cubase version (Cubase Pro 12, Cubase Artist 12 or Cubase Elements 12) for free.
A license is considered activated when it has been downloaded via the eLicenser control centre after entering a valid activation code and saved on a USB-eLicenser (Cubase Pro 11, Cubase Artist 11) or in a Soft-eLicenser on the hard disk (Cubase Elements 11).
The next version of Cubase promises to bring “inspiring new features and significant workflow improvements”, and it will also be backed by new Steinberg Licensing.
Cubase 12 will be optimised to enable users to create faster and focus on the music, with more flexibility on how and where people want to use Cubase.
Cubase 11 was released in November 2020, and was packed with a vast range of workflow and performance improvements, as well as new ways to find inspiration and improve productions.
In most DAWs, printing stems can be a repetitive and time-consuming task. Cubase Pro 11 made this job much faster, less prone to errors and more convenient.
The Sampler Track in Cubase 11 introduced a new slicing mode that chops up loops so they’re ready to play with just a click, two global LFOs available to add motion and a catch to sounds, and a new mono legato glide – perfect for riding 808 basslines.
The Scale Assistant was another addition to a songwriter’s toolkit, allowing users to set a song’s scale in the key editor and follow its lead, quantise a solo to the scale or play live – in perfect tune.
Cubase 11 also brought improvements to the Key Editor’s functionality, allowing users to create ramps and curves in the CC and Pitch Bend lanes, just like with automation.
Cubase 11 also introduced the ability to set a different side-chain for each band by making use of the multiple side-chain architecture of VST 3, while Global Tracks displayed in the Key Editor.
The Score Editor was also enhanced, including a new Properties tab that lets users instantly access the matching options and settings of notation and, with the Note Editing Overlay, users can edit notes as conveniently as in the Key Editor.
The multiband Imager was introduced to provide viewers with a better, cleaner mix, while SpectraLayers One was brought in to visualise and clean up audio.
Steinberg is offering a free 30-day trial version of Cubase with no restrictions.