Cubasis is Steinberg’s mobile DAW for iOS and iPadOS, and it is the closest thing to a desktop studio you can run on an iPad. This guide walks you through starting a project, recording audio and MIDI, hosting plugins, mixing and exporting, so you can move from a blank session to a finished track with confidence.
Who Cubasis is for
Cubasis suits anyone who wants a traditional, track-based workflow on a tablet rather than a loop-grid app. It handles many audio and MIDI tracks, hosts AUv3 instruments and effects, and includes a proper mixer with channel strips. It is an iOS/iPadOS app only, so it is not an option on Android. It really comes alive on an iPad paired with an audio interface and a MIDI keyboard. For the bigger picture, see our roundup of the best mobile DAWs.
Step 1: Set up a new project
Create a new project and you will see the arrange window with a timeline. Set your tempo and time signature first, since changing them later is more disruptive. Add tracks as you need them: an instrument (MIDI) track for virtual instruments, or an audio track for recording mics and live instruments.
Step 2: Record MIDI and play instruments
Add an instrument track and load one of the built-in sounds or an AUv3 instrument. Use the on-screen keyboard or pads, or connect a hardware keyboard for a better feel — our guide on connecting a MIDI keyboard to your phone applies to iPads too. Arm the track, hit record and play your part. Because it is MIDI, you can quantise timing, fix wrong notes and change the sound afterwards in the key editor.
Step 3: Record audio
To record vocals or an instrument, add an audio track and choose your input. For good quality and low latency you will want an audio interface connected to your iPad — see the best audio interfaces for iPhone and iPad. Set your input level so it is healthy but never clipping, use headphones to avoid bleed, and capture a few takes.
- Watch the meter and aim for a strong signal with headroom.
- Comp the best parts of several takes if needed.
- Trim and fade clip edges to remove clicks.
Step 4: Host AUv3 plugins
One of Cubasis’s biggest strengths is AUv3 support, which lets you load third-party synths and effects right inside the app. This is where the iOS ecosystem pulls ahead of Android. Add an AUv3 instrument to play a richer synth, or insert an AUv3 effect on a channel for a specific reverb or saturation. If this is new to you, read what AUv3 apps are.
Step 5: Mix with the channel strip
Open the mixer to balance your track. Each channel has a strip with EQ, compression and effects sends. A practical order of operations:
- Set rough levels so the arrangement reads clearly.
- Use EQ to separate instruments that clash.
- Add compression where parts need to sit more evenly.
- Send to a shared reverb or delay for cohesion.
- Pan parts to open up the stereo image.
For more, see how to mix a song on your phone.
Step 6: Export your song
When the mix is done, use the mixdown/export function to render a stereo file, or export individual stems if you plan to master your song on your phone or finish elsewhere. Cubasis supports common formats and can share to other apps and storage. For destinations and tips, see how to export a song from a music app.
How to set up your interface and buffer for low latency
Most of the frustration new Cubasis users hit comes down to two things: latency and a clean signal path. Before you record a note, plug in your interface and let the app detect it, then open the audio settings to confirm the sample rate matches what the rest of your project uses. Mixing sample rates across imported files is a common cause of pitch and speed errors.
The buffer size is the single most important setting for feel. A smaller buffer gives you lower latency, so a tracked vocal or keyboard part responds in near real time, but it asks more of the processor and can cause crackles on busy sessions. A larger buffer is more stable but adds a delay you will feel while playing. The practical approach is to use a small buffer while you are recording, then raise it once you switch to mixing, when latency no longer matters and plugin load is higher. If your interface offers direct or zero-latency monitoring, enable it and monitor through the hardware rather than through the app, which sidesteps the problem entirely for audio takes.
Common mistakes to avoid
A few habits will save you re-recording later:
- Recording too hot. Aiming for the loudest possible signal leaves no headroom and risks digital clipping you cannot undo. Leave a comfortable margin below the top of the meter.
- Monitoring through the app on a high buffer. If your playing feels laggy, you are hearing latency — switch to hardware monitoring or drop the buffer rather than fighting your timing.
- Stacking heavy AUv3 plugins on every channel. Mobile chips are capable but finite. Freeze or bounce tracks you have finished so the processor only handles what you are actively working on.
- Forgetting to back up the project. Export or copy your project file off the device regularly, especially before a major edit, so a crash or a full storage drive never costs you a session.
- Leaving everything dry. A little shared reverb and considered panning does more for a track than any single plugin; mixing in mono first, then opening up the stereo image, keeps the balance honest.
Tips for working faster in Cubasis
- Use an iPad over an iPhone when you can — the extra screen makes editing far easier.
- Freeze tracks with heavy plugins if you hit performance limits on older devices.
- Save versions of your project at key stages so you can step back.
- Pair it with AUM or Audiobus if you want to route audio between apps in more advanced setups.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cubasis available on Android?
No. Cubasis is an iOS and iPadOS app only. Android users wanting a similar track-based workflow should look at FL Studio Mobile, BandLab or n-Track Studio instead.
Do I need an iPad, or will an iPhone do?
Cubasis runs on iPhone, but the small screen makes detailed editing slow. An iPad is strongly recommended for serious work. See the best tablets for music production if you are choosing one.
Can Cubasis replace a desktop DAW?
For many projects, yes, especially with AUv3 plugins and an interface. Very large sessions and heavy plugin chains may still be smoother on a computer, but Cubasis handles a lot for a mobile app.
Can I move a Cubasis project to a desktop DAW later?
Yes, but plan for it. The most portable route is to export stems — each track rendered as its own audio file from the same start point — which any DAW can import and line up. Project files themselves are not interchangeable between apps, so stems (plus a note of your tempo) are the reliable way to keep finishing a track elsewhere.
Why does my recording sound delayed or out of time?
That is almost always latency. If you monitor your own playing through the app on a high buffer, you hear yourself slightly late and unconsciously play behind the beat. Use hardware monitoring on your interface or lower the buffer size while tracking, and the delay disappears.
