Is it possible to somehow route the sound output of other programs through Cubase for recording (or just record them in cubase without routing)? For example, there are some really interesting sequences of game sounds that I would like to record without having to dig through my system files or put a mic up to my speakers.
Some sound cards offer a “what you hear” function for recording.
Don’t know how to access it in Cubase though.
Focusrite have internal direct out’s that can be used to record System Sounds, Skype conversations or audio from ASIO based applications into other programs.
Soundblaster cards used to have a “What you hear” option. I remember using it back in about 1998. I wouldn’t suggest suffering through using a Soundblaster card though.
I’ve got a X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty (modern card) in my gaming computer and it has this function.
The card mentioned above actually comes with an ASIO driver.
Cool, hadn’t seen that option since back then.
You could also download the trial of Reaper, install with ReaRoute, which is like virtual audio cable, but only for Reaper, record into Reaper, export the wav or just grab it out of the audio folder, and then import into Cubase. Easy, right?
Then again, I don’t think a lot of lower-end cards even come with a hardware MIDI synth anymore.
I have a focusrite audio interface, how do you even get into the software options of it?
Only current models will do it.
Saffire 6 usb new enough?
http://www.focusrite.com/products/audio_interfaces/saffire_6_usb/
I hate feeling completely useless and asking everything, but there doesn’t seem to be any sort of software (on my computer at least) to control it other than the drivers.
Mac users can purchase “Audio Hijack Pro” from Rogue Amoeba
This, or just use a MIC, with the gate function you can minimize the amount of background noise and such.
You can of course always take a lead from your output to your input and record that 
.
Just don’t hit monitor, or you’ll create a loop!
And if you don´t hit monitor, you´ll not record anything. Unless maybe in direct monitoring mode.
?
He’s not recording Cubase output, so why would you need monitoring on?
Because you can´t record any track´s input bus without input monitoring activated for that track. (Unless like said already maybe in some direct monitoring modes)
A free option for Mac users:
http://cycling74.com/products/soundflower/
I’ve never used Audio Highjack Pro so I can’t say if Soundflower works better or not.
It appears that I am just one model down from having that feature in my interface 
I am on a PC, so sadly I can’t use those programs either. But I will try the reaper thing if the suggestion below doesn’t work.
I have male XLR to male balanced TRS cables for my speakers, are you suggesting that I just put the TRS into an output on the back of my interface and loop it around to plug the male XLR into a mic input?
I was definitely thinking about doing this, but I had some guy who I kind of know tell me that I could end up frying my audio interface, because “the voltages wouldn’t be controlled” or something. Honestly I know very little about how the little hardware that I use works, so although I was skeptical I couldn’t really doubt him.
If it would be safe for my gear I would definitely do that.
But thanks for all the help everyone, I honestly didn’t think that I would get so much out of this thread!