How do I start to write a score in Cubase 14’s new score editor? My usual compositional process is to assign instruments, time signitures, number of bars etc., and input notes using the mouse. Only when I have a guide score do I start to convert to midi. I just can’t see how to do this with the Cubase 14 score editor. Am I missing something very obvious?
Hi vic1,
My opinion: if your workflow starts with entering notes, Dorico might be the better tool. The Cubase Score Editor is more for creating a score from the data from the DAW (MIDI and other).
But of course you can also enter notes individually in the Cubase14 Score Editor. You have to select a note value in the tool bar and then you can create a note simply by clicking at a position in the staff.
best regards
Hi Synthplayer,
I think you have clarified this. I was hoping that I could dispense with Sibelius and just use the score editor in Cubase 14 for it all, but that’s not the way it is right now. Maybe one day.
Thanks,
Vic
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That sounds like a reasonable approach, this should just work. Can you clarify where you get stuck?
You should start by adding midi tracks. Give them names that match the instruments, which will ensure the correct instrument type is set automatically.
Then add a midi part inside each the tracks, otherwise you won’t be able to create any notes in them. The number of bars show in the score editor is determined automatically be the length of the longest midi part across the tracks shown.
Hi Stefan,
I get stuck right from the get go. I do not now, and nor do I intend to, start with a midi track. I start with a writen score (which in the this instance, is not possible). I can quite see how for someone who composes in the DAW, and then wants the technology to interpret this as a score, this new feature is useful, but for me it is useless. I need a score writer to interpret what I write in the score and turn it into midi. For someone like me, Steinberg and Dorico have completely missed the point with this new scorewriter. I now know that is the way it is, and that there is no way to use this as a score writer and only as a midi editor.
All the best,
Vic
Hi one and All,
I assume from time-to-time folks from Steinberg read these forum posts. For that reason, I think it might be helpful if I set out in positive terms why I think Steinberg has missed a trick with the new score editor.
For singer songwriters, I can quite see how it might be useful to have the Dorico score editor in Cubase 14. If your method of composition is to sing and play along on an instrument; develop a guide track in the DAW and then work this up to a full production, then there may be circumstances where that audio or midi information needs to be converted to notation. In such circumstances, the whole process can be managed from composition to production within Cubase. But that is not how it is for songwriters and composers.
For commercial songwriters (as opposed to singer songwriters) the compositional process is often quite different. If you are writing a film score, or music for sync, or wring for other performers, or to an A&R brief, there will be distinct parameters set by the project. And for me, and I think likely others, this requires three types of software.
- The first requirement is a full score writer like Sibelius, Dorico or Finale. This is where the basic composition and arranging is done.
- If there are lyrics, then a lyric witing support programme is commonly used such as MasterWriter. At this point lyrics and background vocals (with era appropriate harmonies) will be finalised in the score.
- Only when these first two steps have been completed would the score be transferred to midi to begin to work up a guide track in the DAW, to be sent out to singers or other instrumentalists (along with the notated parts) where required, and the final production begun.
If Cubase, ever gets to the point where it has a built-in score writer, lyric support software, and DAW, it seems to me that it will corner the market. Cubase would be offering a complete from composition to final production package that would meet the needs of all. Top level score writers and lyric support programmes are subscription only. If Cubase incorporated these features into single one time buy package, then that would spell the end of the subscription packages (except for dedicated music publishing houses maybe), and whichever company could offer the best of all three component, would be in a class of its own.
Hello @vic1 - first, forgive me if I’m misreading anything…
All that Stefan is saying, I think, is that you need to have EMPTY Midi parts in place before you can open the new Score Editor and begin your composing process in there.
And that is what will happen, surely.?! The notation you enter in the Score Editor will at the same time be produced as equivalent Midi data (in those respective empty Midi parts you created). Is that not what you are seeing.?
Thus at this point, you are not touching any other areas of the DAW. You only need to have the empty Midi parts in place, named on separate Midi tracks that have your expected instrument names, to the length of your piece (or can be extended later at will). Now, select those parts, open the Score Editor and away you go…!
Again, apologies if I’ve not understood your concern clearly…
At this stage, I can already compose well in Cubase with the help of the new score editor; I can also start a composition in Dorico by recording via VST.
Best regards
Bertram
Hi Puma0382,
I see the point you are making. I have found that I need to have an active midi part in the DAW (i.e. a note or two) to get the part to come up in the score editor. It maybe that lifetime using Sibelius is clouding my vision, and I need to play around with it more, but for now, thanks for your thoughts.
Vic
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No worries.! Glad that’s helped shed a little further light… 
I think I’m correct, in that you don’t even need ANY notes in the Midi parts first, to be able to open and begin composing in the Score Editor… They just need to be selected (‘active’ as you say).
Hi,
exactly or just the track with the empty MIDI event. The Score is then just empty and you start from there.
However, I think that for a workflow that starts with just composing on a sheet of music, Dorico is a better tool.
Why use the Cubase14 score editor, which is not quite as well suited to this workflow?
best regards
Yes, as I’d suggested in my first post above…
Well yes - though just by adding the (empty) Midi parts, that workflow (starting from a sheet of music) is certainly close for both new and existing Cubase users… Going forward, maybe it’ll get even smoother somehow…
Not that you’d never not need Dorico of course…
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Hi Vic,
you recognise Steinberg employees by finding the little Steinberg icon in the corner of the avatar symbol, as visible on mine. In fact, I am the project lead for the new Score Editor, so rest assured, your observations are being heard. Other users have however already made helpful comments, so I have nothing further to add right now.
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Keep in mind that the new Cubase 14 sheet music editor is only used to make basic sheet music, for children.
There are countless functions missing that were present in Cubase 13 and previous versions, you can’t even select notes without it marking others at the same time, automatic chord insertion does not exist… etc. Wouldn’t it have been better to Cubase 13 to add the 5 improvements that they sell us now and that was it and I’m sure the user would be happier, he needed so much money in November, by the way the manuals???.
I am increasingly convinced that cubase is not made by musicians, which is what it should be.
Hi Cerbreiro,
thanks for your feedback. While I would disagree strongly with your opening statement, I’m interested to hear more about what you’re struggling with. It certainly should be possible to select individual notes. Can you share some detail about how that fails for you?
Regarding the “automatic chord insertion”, what exactly do you mean? Chords are synced directly with the Chord track in the new Score Editor.
And maybe if you could keep in mind the ‘old’ score editor evolved and developed to its present level of capability/functionality, over a 32 year life span. The entirely ‘new’ Score Editor, has been out for just 3 weeks…
It will improve; its feature set will be added to over time.
It only seems like that would have been a great move…
The reality is, that was impossible to achieve. The old score editor had in all practical/future development sense, reached end of life. As such, new engineering from the ground-up was the best secure and long-term way forward.
Also remember, your C14 licence allows you to continue to run C12/13 without issue.!
More in-depth detail/background info here
Introducing the new Dorico-powered Score Editor in Cubase 14 – Dorico
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Thanks, that is good to know.