How to Try Out Different Arrangements in Cubase

Create new arrangements simply and easily

Cubase allows creating an Arrangement Track, which lets you define specific parts of the project (e.g., verse, chorus, fill, etc.). You can then assemble these parts into a Playlist, and play the parts back in a different order. For example, you might want to insert an additional fill, or change where a verse occurs. This allows you to experiment with the order of different parts of the project to create new arrangements.

While the article presents the basic procedure, the Arranger Editor has many powerful features, such as setting the number of repeats for a part. Check the Cubase Operation Manual for details.

As you’ll likely be marking off parts of the song with measure boundaries, select Grid for the Snap parameter, and set the value to a Bar. (However, you might want a grid with finer resolution if you need sections that are smaller than a measure’ like part of a fill.)

Go Project > Add Track > Arranger.

The Arranger Track appears; move it above the other tracks if desired.

Click on the pencil tool, then click and drag in the Arranger Track to mark off song segments. These can overlap (in this example, the D part includes the last four bars of the B part and the first four bars from the C part).

To create the Playlist, choose the Arrow tool, then double-click on the segments in the desired order.

To rename a segment, click on the Show Event Infoline button if the Infoline is not already showing. Then click on the segment to select it, and rename it under the Infoline’s Name field.

To alter the arrangement, click on the Open Arranger Editor button; the Arranger Editor window appears. Click on a part in the Current Arranger Chain, and move it up or down in the chain. Note that you can also change the length of an Arrangement part, as well as move it, by using the Arrow tool and applying standard resizing/moving techniques.

To play back the arrangement, click on the Activate Arranger Mode button, then click on Play. Experiment with with as many arrangements as you like!