Is there a way to change the the speed without altering the pitch and session’s tempo (BPM) ?
I use this feature all the time in Logic (Varispeed) to slowdown a passage to record.
Varispeed is one of the few features that Logic has and Cubase doesn’t. Sorry.
Not at Cubase so my terminology might be off. But the Select (arrow) Tool has an option where resizing an Audio Event expands or contracts its contents. I’ve never tried using it on MIDI Parts but expect it should work there too. You could use Track Versions to keep separate stretched & unstretched copies.
VariSpeed basically changes the playback tempo of the entire Logic app - as if Logic was a tape machine. This can include Midi, too.
Have a look at this example:
After further experimentation. I don’t think it can be done in Cubase, not as easy/elegant as in Logic anyways. In Cubase, you must alter the BPM like all other DAW.
That already worked 30 years ago in Cakewalk 3.0 (Twelve Tone Systems).