CubaseTools

Reads Cubase project files (.cpr) and extracts mix data: plugin chains, EQ settings, compressor parameters, track structure, routing, and audio references.

Works with Cubase 10 through 15 (Elements, Artist, Pro).

Features

• Mix Analyzer — Plugin chains per track, EQ curves, compressor settings, routing and sends
• Dashboard — Scan all projects, cross-project plugin statistics
• Audio Cleanup — Find and remove unused audio files
• Backup Cleanup — Remove .bak and .peak files
• JSON Export — Export mix data as JSON (CLI or GUI)

Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.12+ — Download
  • During installation: check "Add Python to PATH"
• OS: Windows 10/11 (primary), Linux and macOS also work (GUI requires tkinter)

Setup

git clone https://github.com/schwifty00/CubaseTools.git
cd CubaseTools
python -m venv venv

Activate the virtual environment:

# Windows (PowerShell)
.\venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1

# Windows (CMD)
venv\Scripts\activate.bat

# Linux / macOS
source venv/bin/activate

Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

tkinter on Linux

If the GUI fails to start (No module named 'tkinter'):

# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt install python3-tk

# Fedora
sudo dnf install python3-tkinter

Usage

Launch the GUI

python main.py

On Windows you can also double-click CubaseTools.bat.

CLI (JSON Export)

Print a single project as JSON to stdout:

python -m cubasetools.cli_export "C:\Projects\MySong\MySong.cpr"

Save to file:

python -m cubasetools.cli_export "MySong.cpr" > mix_data.json

Example JSON Output

{
  "schema_version": "1.0",
  "source": "CubaseTools",
  "project": {
    "name": "MySong",
    "cubase_version": "Cubase 13",
    "sample_rate": 48000,
    "bit_depth": 24,
    "tempo_bpm": 120.0
  },
  "tracks": [
    {
      "name": "Vocals",
      "type": "audio",
      "output_bus": "Stereo Out",
      "signal_chain": [
        {
          "plugin_name": "SSL E-Channel",
          "vendor": "Solid State Logic",
          "bypassed": false,
          "slot": 0,
          "eq": {
            "bands": [
              {
                "enabled": true,
                "type": "high_pass",
                "freq_hz": 80.0,
                "gain_db": 0.0,
                "q": 0.707
              },
              {
                "enabled": true,
                "type": "bell",
                "freq_hz": 3200.0,
                "gain_db": 2.5,
                "q": 1.2
              }
            ]
          },
          "compressor": {
            "threshold_db": -18.0,
            "ratio": 4.0,
            "attack_ms": 3.0,
            "release_ms": 150.0
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "summary": {
    "total_tracks": 42,
    "total_plugins": 87,
    "audio_tracks": 28,
    "referenced_files": 156
  }
}

GUI Tabs

Dashboard

Choose a scan directory (default: C:\DeepArt), click Scan. Shows:

• Overview: number of projects, tracks, plugins, total file size
• Project table with per-project stats
• Top plugins across all projects

Mix Analyzer

Load a .cpr file, click Analyze. Shows:

• Plugin Chain — Tree view of all tracks with their insert plugins
• EQ Curves — Overlaid frequency response curves
• Compressor — Table with threshold, ratio, attack, release per track
• Plugin Stats — Usage counts with track assignments
• JSON Export — Save mix data to file

Audio Cleanup

Choose a project folder, click Analyze. Finds audio files not referenced in the .cpr.

• Move — Moves files to an _unused/ subfolder (reversible)
• Delete — Permanently deletes files (with double confirmation)

Backup Cleanup

Scans for .bak and .peak files that take up disk space.

Supported Plugins

The parser recognizes plugin parameters from common audio plugins and extracts EQ/compressor settings for:

Vendor	Plugins
Solid State Logic	SSL Native Channel Strip 2, SSL E-Channel
Waves	CLA-76, CLA-2A
FabFilter	Pro-Q 3 (band types)
Steinberg	Stock plugins

All other VST2/VST3 plugins are detected with name, vendor, and bypass status — without specific parameter interpretation.

Project Structure

cubasetools/
  core/         CPR parser, data models, plugin registry
  cleanup/      Audio & backup cleanup logic
  analyzer/     Mix analysis (EQ, compressor, plugin stats)
  dashboard/    Project scanner & cross-project stats
  export/       JSON export (generic + StudioTrack format)
  gui/          CustomTkinter GUI (dark theme)
  utils/        File utilities, config
docs/           Technical documentation (CPR format, architecture)
tests/          Unit tests for the parser

Known Limitations

• Proprietary format — .cpr is undocumented. The parser uses reverse engineering and works well with Cubase 10–15, but not every project feature is covered.
• No MIDI data — MIDI events are not extracted, only track structure and plugins.
• Plugin parameters — Detailed parameter interpretation only for the plugins listed above. All others are detected with basic info.
• Large projects — Projects with 200+ tracks may take a few seconds to parse.

StudioTrack Integration

CubaseTools works as a standalone tool but is also integrated into StudioTrack. StudioTrack calls the CLI export as a subprocess to include Cubase project data in its AI-powered mix analysis.

License

MIT License — see LICENSE.