Steinberg Cubase Elements 16 Upgrade from AI

Make it sound like you.

Steinberg Cubase Elements 16 gives you an accessible starting point for making music on your computer. Create beats, develop melodies and chords, record vocals and instruments, edit audio and MIDI, and bring your ideas together in a finished mix. With included instruments, effects, sounds, and creative tools, you can move from your first spark of inspiration to a song that sounds like your own.

Whether you are writing your first song, building an electronic track, or starting a home recording setup, Cubase Elements combines the essentials in one production environment. Sketch a chord progression, layer a drum groove, record a vocal, and shape the sound without interrupting your creative flow.

Compose, record, edit, and mix

Work with audio and MIDI side by side, with tools for shaping notes, timing, velocity, and controller data. Chord Pads help you explore chord suggestions and perform ideas in real time, while Scale Assistant helps you play and quantize to a scale. The integrated Score Editor, based on Dorico technology, lets you create clear, legible performance material and develop your arrangements in notation.

MixConsole brings channel strips, effects, routing, and automation together to help you build a polished mix. The audio engine offers 64-bit floating-point processing and sample rates up to 192 kHz, while VST 3 integration lets you expand your setup with compatible third-party instruments and effects.

Instruments and sounds to get you started

Explore HALion Sonic with Sonic Selection for a wide range of instrument sounds, Groove Agent SE for drum sounds and patterns, and Iconica Sketch for orchestral textures. Sampler Track turns audio into playable sampler instruments with editing and modulation options, giving you another way to transform recordings and samples into musical ideas.

Use the Underwater effect to build atmosphere and create space for vocals or lead instruments. MediaBay Preview lets you audition samples at the correct pitch and speed, and MIDI Remote provides customizable mapping for integrating MIDI devices into your workflow. Enhanced range-selection functions help streamline editing.

New in Cubase Elements 16

VocalTouch provides fast, intuitive vocal shaping, while Omnivocal Basic offers a lightweight way to develop vocal ideas. Add and edit lyrics directly alongside MIDI notes in the Key Editor, with fast step entry and pronunciation controls.

A redesigned Tempo Detection workflow makes tempo matching faster and more reliable. Key Editor Strum adds natural timing and feel to programmed chords, and Key Editor Stretch lets you resize melodies, basslines, and chord progressions to fit your arrangement. Rename Controller replaces generic MIDI controller message names with labels that match your instruments and hardware.

New technical and genre-based mastering FX presets help you finish tracks faster, and five new sample packs provide fresh sounds and loops. Faster insert handling, more flexible drag-and-drop, and a redesigned Audio Pool make everyday production and media management more streamlined. AAC and M4A import expands your audio file options, while Ableton Link makes synchronization with compatible music apps easier.

The redesigned Settings window brings searchable setup and customization into one non-modal workspace. Context-aware Quick Help is available in the Left Zone or a floating window, and Guided Tours offer a friendlier introduction for new users.

Updated Windows MIDI support uses the latest Windows MIDI platform for next-generation MIDI technologies in Windows 11. Expanded MIDI 2.0 support adds expressions for more expressive performances and orchestral articulation. Extended ASIO-Guard provides additional processing headroom for demanding projects with large track counts and CPU-intensive plug-ins.

Expand your sample workflow with Waves Illugen

Connect Cubase with the Waves Illugen sample generator to create and import custom samples with minimal interruption to your creative process. Cubase 16 users receive a two-month Waves Illugen subscription voucher in their Steinberg account.