Steinberg Cubasis 3.8

Cubasis 3.8’s impressive feature list now includes a full virtual guitar rig plug‑in in Amp Sim.

Steinberg’s mobile DAW gets ever closer to the desktop experience.

The possibilities for music production on mobile devices have come a heck of a long way since the first music apps started appearing on Apple’s App Store around 2008. While the app development environment — whether for iOS or Android — has encouraged lots of indie software teams (and generated lots of original software ideas), some established developers from the desktop music software world also saw the potential. Steinberg were (and still are) one such developer and Cubasis — a compact adaptation of the Cubase workflow for mobile music‑making — has built a significant user base since it first launched in 2013 (see the SOS review in the March 2013 issue). And, impressively, they have maintained that development commitment. As a consequence, we have now reached Cubasis 3.8. So, just how capable is Steinberg’s flagship mobile DAW and what’s new in this release?

Real DAW Deal?

Before digging into what’s new in 3.8, for those who have never used Cubasis, some context might be useful. At its heart, the Cubasis experience — particularly under iOS — is something that any Cubase user will find familiar. That starts with the visual design but, more importantly, means that you get a slick and well‑featured audio+MIDI recording and editing platform, a very solid mixing environment with group channels and automation, an impressive collection of virtual instrument sounds, and a suite of stock corrective and creative effects plug‑ins.

Both instruments and effects are drawn from familiar desktop versions, while you can also access a number of in‑app purchase options that can expand the effects and virtual instrument capabilities if you wish. Those working under iOS are perhaps better served here compared to Android because of support for third‑party virtual instruments and effects via AU and IAA.

As a result, don’t be in any doubt; paired with a suitable audio interface and/or MIDI keyboard/controller, which could be selected for their compact format, Cubasis on your iPad, iPhone or Android device lets you get some seriously good recording, editing, arranging and mixing work done on a highly mobile system.

The...