# Importing a .wav audio file in Cubase properly



## Robert_G (Jun 18, 2022)

After 3 years here....yes I feel like a newbie asking this question. I've only ever really worked with instrument files but it came up that I need to import some audio files in a project and it's not working properly.

A friend sent me a series of .wav stems out of a song he is working on. He wants me to help him with the reverb and room size.....sure....no problem....or at least it shouldn't be.
All his .wav stems are 3:53 in length (the length of the actual song), but when I import them onto Cubase, they are 4:14. I noticed when listening to the vocal stem that the voice was lower and slower than the full complete .mp3 file he sent me.

I tried changing tempo, etc, etc....I cannot get these .wav files to import at the original 3:53 length.

What am I missing?


Edit: and yes....I did look through the Cubase manual. It must be such a simple thing that I plain out can't see it.


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## Kent (Jun 18, 2022)

Let's see if we can point you in the right direction...

3:53 is 233 seconds
4:14 is 254 seconds

233 / 254 = about 0.9173

which is pretty close to

0.91875

which is the number you get when you do this equation:

44100 / 48000


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## Kent (Jun 18, 2022)

(apologies if this is a little too cryptic, but if you connect the final few dots yourself you'll never forget it!)


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## Robert_G (Jun 18, 2022)

Yup. I feel pretty dumb right about now. Can't believe I didn't see that.
Thanks.....


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## Beat Kaufmann (Jul 17, 2022)

The best thing to do is to set the correct frequency (the one the wave files have) under "Project/Project Settings". Once this is done, you can simply drag them into the project window. If there are several files, Cubase will ask you if you want them in a row or on different tracks. 
And voilà - everything fits.


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## Robert_G (Jul 19, 2022)

Beat Kaufmann said:


> The best thing to do is to set the correct frequency (the one the wave files have) under "Project/Project Settings". Once this is done, you can simply drag them into the project window. If there are several files, Cubase will ask you if you want them in a row or on different tracks.
> And voilà - everything fits.


Thank you. That seems to work well.


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## Pier (Jul 19, 2022)

Also, just in case, disable the musical mode for that .wav file. This will prevent any timestretching by Cubase and use the file as-is.

I just barely got into Cubase and I only know how to do this in the media bay. There are probably better ways though.


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## HCMarkus (Jul 19, 2022)

Pier said:


> Also, just in case, disable the musical mode for that .wav file. This will prevent any timestretching by Cubase and use the file as-is.


Much grief has been caused by the so-called "musical mode."


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## Robert_G (Jul 19, 2022)

Pier said:


> Also, just in case, disable the musical mode for that .wav file. This will prevent any timestretching by Cubase and use the file as-is.
> 
> I just barely got into Cubase and I only know how to do this in the media bay. There are probably better ways though.


Edit: Preferences: Editing: Audio:
Also, Musical mode is NOT set by default. Default should be 'Realtime'


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## Pier (Jul 19, 2022)

Robert_G said:


> Also, Musical mode is NOT set by default. Default should be 'Realtime'


Hmm not sure if it's a v12 thing or what but musical mode is my default.

I will change that in the settings though, thanks for the suggestion!


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## Robert_G (Jul 19, 2022)

Pier said:


> Hmm not sure if it's a v12 thing or what but musical mode is my default.
> 
> I will change that in the settings though, thanks for the suggestion!


I am using 10.0.6, so it is possible. I haven't used 12 yet.
But it doesn't make sense. I would think the majority of people would want 'Realtime' for 99% of the scenarios they use. 'Musical Mode' looks like something I'd want to avoid pretty much.....always....


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## Pier (Jul 19, 2022)

Robert_G said:


> But it doesn't make sense. I would think the majority of people would want 'Realtime' for 99% of the scenarios they use. 'Musical Mode' looks like something I'd want to avoid pretty much.....always....


I was as surprised as you are. To me time stretching should be opt-in not opt-out.


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## milford59 (Jul 31, 2022)

Robert_G said:


> I am using 10.0.6, so it is possible. I haven't used 12 yet.
> But it doesn't make sense. I would think the majority of people would want 'Realtime' for 99% of the scenarios they use. 'Musical Mode' looks like something I'd want to avoid pretty much.....always....


May I respectfully disagree with your opinion on avoiding Musical Mode….. if, for example, you have a guitar part that has been played freely and you want to get it to line up with a MIDI part, you can fine-tune the tempo of the guitar part, apply that tempo map, make the guitar part Musical Mode….. and then you can change the tempo of your project and the Cubase magic will stretch or shrink the tempo of the audio … I think it’s a great feature… YMMV.


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