Is this possible to change the note name from c3 to c4?
No, it is not standardized. That is I guess a good reason for it to be changeable.
this appears to be a topic brought up from time to time:
https://forums.steinberg.net/search?q=%22middle%20c%22%20category%3A6
So, no is the answer… I don’t understand why they don’t make it moveable. Simple fix
That would be so much logical for musicians. Middle C is C4 in piano.
Exactly. However some people think middle c is c3… Many programs and pianos have it programmed that way. But it’s very annoying. It should be a preference. Not sure why the Germans chose it that way. It’s literally the 4th octave on the piano
Still no way to correct this absurdity ?
After a few exchanges with tech support they confirmed this is Yamaha’s standard enforcement. the only way to let people choose if they want the musical (C4) or Yamaha’s (C3) standard for middle C is through this forum.
The option is available in Dorico so why not in Cubase ?
When MIDI became a thing, there were two schools, Yamaha with C3, Roland with C4. Cubase’s Middle C has always been C3, as are most of the old school sample libraries and synths. MIDI instruments have almost always hovered around C3, Roland was always the odd one ‘back in the day’ with it at C4. Can’t recall where the middle was on my Juno 106 though.
Logic lets you switch between the two, but Cubase was always C3, which matches up with all my hardware here (except my Roland XV3080 haha)… It’s still the same note (Note 60) just different notation.
@Matthias_Quellmann is it possible to add this option in the future ?
It’s not only about ‘‘what’s the standard’’. People have their own lives with years and years of academic education relying on these definitions. I have studied orchestration for years at university and everyone there talks about it with middle c being C4 because from a pianist’s point of view it makes sense.
Doesn’t Steinberg realize how much of a hurdle in workflow and composing it is to have to constantly read the wrong number on the screen? How I know that an Oboe reaches this particular note and has this particular sound but now it’s the wrong octave so it just interferes with my knowledge and personal experience?
Why is it so much to ask to let us choose what Middle C is like Dorico (also from Steinberg) does?
It would be nice to set an offset like some other DAWs let you.
If it annoys you enough, you could probably build a template with an octave transpose on the actual track. It’s a hack, sure.
I don’t see why this would have to be a technical limitation. If there was some challenge (that Dorico somehow overcame but Cubase could not) surely there could be an option to at least change the text in a purely visual way; even if behind the scenes it’s labeled as C3 or something.
They could make the note display names more flexible. It seems currently the names are hardcoded.
With a more flexible approach they could not only allow C3 = C4 but also have the note names displayed according to the currently used scale, ie. if you work in a flat scale none of the notes would be sharp.
This middle C nonsense is quite annoying from this point of view. One workaround I’ve discovered is to transpose the instruments themselves. For example, in Halion Sonic, go to MIDI tab and then the Transpose column to -12. I’ve done this for Iconica sketch patches, it was a bit of a hassle. This way, MIDI input monitor reports C4, C4 is played from Sonic Halion and my external tuner says C4. I’m just learning to compose.
I agree that middle C4 or C3 should be an option.
Steinberg’s stubbornness in this subject matter boarders ridiculousness at this point. It has been a head scratcher for non-German composers since the 80s.
Also for Germans, my friend.
I reiterate the need for this feature. Make the naming of middle C, a preference.
Me too !
So please Steinberg let us decide how we work
Still not implemented in C14
I guess musicians are not really Steinberg’s target.