Cubase 14 Score Editor - Computer Keyboard Input

Legacy Cubase Score had an option for entering notes called ‘Computer Keyboard Input’ allowing you to find the note to input using the up and down cursor arrows, with a ghost note as a guide.

Cubase 13 - Entering Notes with the Computer Keyboard:

  1. Adjust the pitch of the note by doing one of the following:

    Press the key that corresponds to the note on your computer keyboard.
    Use the Up Arrow/Down Arrow key to transpose the note in semitone steps.
    Use the Page Up/Page Down key to transpose the note in octave steps.

¿Has this been removed in Cubase 14?

Additionally, in Cubase 14, when you enter notes using the ‘On-Screen Keyboard,’ you have to use the horizontal cursor arrows to move the caret. However, it seems necessary to close the ‘On-Screen Keyboard’ for this to work; otherwise, it captures those keys and instead shifts the octave on the virtual keyboard.

I’ve included a video showing what I’m describing in both cases.

Hi,

You can use Alt + Arrow Up/Down to transpose the notes semitone up/down.

For the 2nd one, use the Nudge commands.

For the first one, Alt + Arrow Up/Down only allows editing notes already present in the score; it does not allow inputting new notes. Additionally, if the on-screen keyboard is open, these keys are filtered.

For the second one, Nudge commands are filtered by the on-screen keyboard if it’s open.

The fact is, Cubase 11 had two buttons for inserting notes in two different ways:

Computer Keyboard Input
Step Input

Cubase 14 only has one option:

Step Input

The functionality I’m referring to definitely requires the “Computer Keyboard Input” option.

The “Computer Keyboard Input” option is not available in Cubase 14, but we may implement something equivalent in a future version.

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Thank you for your response, Stefan. Just to clarify, when you say ‘future version,’ are you referring to C14.x or rather C15? Thank you.

I’m afraid I would rather not make any more specific promises. Aside from other competing feature requests, until we’ve really started working on a specific feature, there are too many variables along the way that may throw an estimate out the window.

It’ll be more helpful if you Cubase team can allow clipboard communication from Dorico to Cubase: CMD+C to copy some contents from Dorico and Paste it into Cubase.

It is possible to use the on-screen Keyboard (Studio > On-screen Keyboard) with Step Time Input mode

Hi Stefan,

I’m glad to hear that computer keyboard ‘note-entry’ may be added in the future. It is actually completely central to how I work (which is solely in the score editor).

In prior versions, it was super simple, I would use the arrow keys (with ‘alt’) to move the grey-note-cursor around, and then ‘enter’ would put the note in (with duration set with a keyboard shortcut).

I could then use the arrow keys to select any of those notes and adjust them (location/duration) if needed (all without moving my hand from the computer keyboard).

Cubase 14 makes me grab the mouse at pretty much every step of the way, including changing from note entry, to note selection/adjustment. Also I can no longer tab up to the info line to make adjustments to note duration/location. I can’t use the arrow buttons to move to the notes of a different staff.

-Jed

I think you were typing while I was posting my message above, so scroll up

I’m glad to hear that computer keyboard ‘note-entry’ to the score editor may be added in the future. It is actually completely central to how I work (which is solely using the computer keyboard in the score editor).

In prior versions, it was super simple, I would use the computer arrow keys (with ‘alt’) to move the grey-note-cursor around, and then ‘enter’ would put the note in (with duration set with a keyboard shortcut).

I could then (without using the mouse) use the arrow keys to select any of those notes and adjust them (location/duration) if needed (all without moving my hand from the computer keyboard).

Cubase 14 Score Editor makes me grab the mouse at pretty much every step of the way, including changing from note entry to note selection/adjustment. Also I can no longer tab up to the info line to make adjustments to note duration/location. I can’t use the arrow buttons to move to the notes of a different staff.

Also, typing in a specific computer keyboard letter (like the ‘on-screen’ keyboard makes you do), to enter a specific note is not practical either. All I need to do is use the arrow keys to select a note position and hit enter… that way my hand isn’t searching around for the right computer keyboard ‘note’. Similarly, one problem with ‘step time input’ is that you have to use the mouse to get back to selecting the notes (for editing).

I don’t use a midi keyboard. The current Cubase 14 Score Editor on-screen keyboard takes up screen space, often requires the notes to be adjusted and shifted to different octaves later. Toggling that thing on and off as needed is just not practical or usable for me.

Having a system of note entry where you have to use the mouse, look down at the computer keyboard, etc., is equivalent to ‘hunt and peck’ style typing.

I realize that the implementation of “Dorico-style” notation into Cubase makes it nicer for those who are interested in getting nice looking scores from Cubase, please realize that there are composers who use Cubase for actual composing and midi mockups, and use Dorico for proper finalizing or the score. If the Cubase score editor doesn’t have all the functionality of entering notes and composing right in the score editor window (with laptop computer keyboard), a huge part of the reason why it is used will be lost (as compared to prior Cubase versions).

Sorry for being long winded, but this is extremely important to how I work. Thanks much!

Thanks for the further info.

I should have been a little more detailed in my post. The current Cubase 14 Score Editor on-screen keyboard takes up screen space (dearly lacking on a laptop), often requires the notes to be adjusted and shifted to different octaves later. Toggling that thing on and off as needed is just not practical or usable for me.

I don’t mind the ‘step time input’ option, but typing in a specific computer keyboard letter (like the ‘on-screen’ keyboard makes you do), to enter a specific note is not practical either. This would all be solved if I could use the arrow keys to select a note position and hit enter… that way my hand isn’t searching around for the right computer keyboard ‘note’.

One other problem with ‘step time input’ is that you have to use the mouse to get back to selecting the notes (for editing).

Sorry for the rant, but having a system of note entry where you have to use the mouse, look down at the computer keyboard, etc., is equivalent to ‘hunt and peck’ style typing.

I’ve moved your separate post into this thread, just to keep it all in one place. You’re right, it would be good to add a separate mode that allows note entry with a computer keyboard avoiding intermediate mouse use. The description of your specific workflow is good to know about. As I said earlier, this is and remains on our roadmap. I can’t make more specific promises as to when we’ll implement it though.

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Much appreciated. Cubase has always proved to be extremely deep, so I’m looking forward to how the Score Editor shapes up.

Computer keyboard key commands are super powerful in the creative process. Prior incarnations of Score Editor really allowed me to set up a workflow with note entry/modification that was super fast and efficient, allowing me to keep my eyes on the score, and my mind on the music as I’m coming up with it real-time.