How to Use the Chord Track in Cubase

To use the Chord Track in Cubase, add a Chord Track, place chord events along the timeline, then set other tracks to “follow” the Chord Track so their MIDI (and some audio) conforms to your progression. The Chord Track turns harmony into something you can sketch, edit and audition visually.

Learning how to use the Chord Track in Cubase speeds up songwriting: you can lay out a progression, hear it instantly, and have your instrument tracks snap to it without re-recording every part.

Add a Chord Track and enter chords

From the Project menu, add a Chord Track (Add Track > Chord). Select the Draw/Pencil tool and click on the track to create chord events. Double-click a chord event to open the chord editor, where you choose the root note, type (major, minor, 7th and so on), tension and bass note. Lay the chord events out across your song sections to build the progression.

Use the Chord Assistant for ideas

If you are not sure what comes next, open the Chord Assistant. It suggests chords that work well after your current one, based on common harmonic relationships, and you can audition options before committing. This is a fast way to escape a blank page or break a writing block, while keeping the harmony musically sensible.

Make tracks follow the Chord Track

The real power is having parts conform to your chords. Select a MIDI or instrument track and set its “Follow Chord Track” option (in the track’s inspector). Choose a follow mode:

• Chords: remaps notes to the current chord.
• Single Voice / Bass: useful for a bassline or a melodic single line.
• Scale: conforms notes to the chord/scale rather than full voicings.

Now when you change a chord on the Chord Track, the following tracks update to match. You can sketch a part once and try it against several progressions.

Voicings and inspector controls

The Chord Track has voicing settings (for example piano, guitar or basic) that control how chords are spaced and inverted. Adjusting voicings keeps progressions smooth instead of jumping awkwardly between positions. You can also drag chords from the Chord Track straight onto a MIDI track to print them as actual notes you can edit further.

Where the Chord Track fits in a song

Sketch harmony with the Chord Track, commit the parts you like to MIDI, then record real performances over the top — for example vocals using our recording vocals in Cubase guide. Keeping a clear session helps once you add many following tracks, so our DAW project organisation tips are worth applying. When it is time to balance everything, start with the beginner’s guide to mixing your first song.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Chord Track work with audio as well as MIDI?

It is primarily for MIDI and instrument tracks, which remap cleanly to chords. Some audio can follow the Chord Track using Cubase’s pitch features, but the results depend heavily on the material, so treat audio-following as a bonus rather than the main use.

How do I turn a Chord Track progression into editable MIDI notes?

Drag the chord events from the Chord Track onto a MIDI or instrument track. Cubase writes the chords as notes you can then edit, voice and arrange like any other MIDI part.

Why isn’t my track following the Chord Track?

The track’s “Follow Chord Track” option is probably off, or set to a mode that does not suit the part. Open the track inspector, enable following, and pick a mode (Chords, Single Voice or Scale) that matches what the part should do.