Steinberg

Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH, traded under the Steinberg name, is a German developer of professional music-production software, audio applications, music notation tools, virtual instruments, and audio and MIDI hardware. Founded in Hamburg in 1984 by musician and audio engineer Karl Steinberg, musician Manfred Rürup, and Nicole Rürup, the company began by building MIDI sequencing software and interfaces for emerging personal-computer platforms. Its early products for the Commodore 64 and Atari ST helped establish Steinberg as a specialist in computer-assisted music creation. The company’s best-known product is Cubase. First released for the Atari platform in 1989 as a MIDI sequencer, Cubase expanded into digital audio recording with Cubase Audio in the early 1990s and later became a full digital audio workstation for macOS and Windows. A substantial technical rewrite produced Cubase SX in 2002, using core audio technology shared with Nuendo. Cubase is offered in multiple editions aimed at different levels of musicians, producers, composers, and studios. Steinberg has also developed products for specialized professional markets. Nuendo is positioned for post-production, broadcast, game audio, and other media workflows. WaveLab focuses on audio editing, mastering, restoration, and delivery. Dorico is a professional notation and scoring environment created by a team that Steinberg brought together after Avid closed its London Sibelius development office; it was released in 2016. Cubasis extends Steinberg’s workstation approach to iOS and Android mobile devices. Beyond applications, Steinberg has had an industry-wide influence through open technologies. The company introduced Virtual Studio Technology, or VST, in the 1990s as a way to integrate software instruments and effects into host applications. It also created ASIO, a low-latency driver protocol for communication between audio software and hardware. Both technologies became widely adopted beyond Steinberg’s own products and helped shape modern computer-based recording. Steinberg’s portfolio includes the HALion sampling and sound-design platform, Groove Agent drum software, synthesizers, orchestral and instrument libraries, audio interfaces, monitor and recording controllers, and related licensing technologies. After acquisitions by Pinnacle Systems in 2003 and Yamaha in 2004, Steinberg became a wholly owned Yamaha subsidiary in 2005. Yamaha’s ownership supported broader development of Steinberg-branded hardware, including the UR and AXR interface families and controller products. The company continues to operate internationally from Germany, serving home producers, musicians, educational institutions, broadcasters, post-production facilities, composers, and commercial studios.

Steinberg was founded in Hamburg in 1984 by Karl Steinberg, Manfred Rürup, and Nicole Rürup. The founders became interested in MIDI after the specification emerged in the early 1980s. Steinberg’s first product was a MIDI multitrack sequencer paired with a proprietary interface for the Commodore 64. Only a small number of packages were initially sold, but the project established the company’s focus on computer-based music production. In 1985, Steinberg introduced Pro-16 for the Commodore 64 and developed the CARD 32 MIDI interface. The following year, Werner Kracht developed Pro-24 for the Atari ST. Atari computers included built-in MIDI ports, helping Steinberg reach musicians and studios seeking alternatives to tape-based sequencing. These products imitated the organization of multitrack tape recorders while allowing musical data to be edited and arranged digitally. Cubase appeared for Atari in 1989 and later moved to Macintosh and Windows. It became Steinberg’s central product and evolved from a MIDI sequencer into a digital audio workstation. Cubase Audio added digital recording in 1992. In 1996, Steinberg introduced VST as part of the Cubase ecosystem, enabling external software instruments and effects to operate inside a host application. ASIO followed as a low-latency communication protocol between audio applications and hardware. The technologies were made available for wider industry use and became influential beyond Steinberg products. Steinberg broadened its software portfolio with WaveLab in 1995, a Windows application for editing and mastering audio, and with Nuendo in 2000. Nuendo was designed for media-oriented applications such as broadcast, post-production, and game audio. HALion, a software sampler and sound-design platform, followed in 2001. In 2002, the company substantially rebuilt Cubase, creating Cubase SX and aligning parts of its audio technology with Nuendo. This modernization helped establish the shared technical foundation used by the two product families. The company experienced ownership changes in the early 2000s. It was acquired by Pinnacle Systems in 2003 and then by Yamaha in 2004. Steinberg became wholly owned by Yamaha in 2005. Under Yamaha, Steinberg expanded its hardware activity, developing audio and MIDI interfaces and controllers. Hardware lines such as UR and AXR were designed to integrate with computer-based production systems, while earlier product families included MR816, CC, and CI devices. Steinberg expanded into mobile music creation with Cubasis, first released for iOS in 2012 and subsequently updated for mobile platforms. The company also developed mobile and standalone applications such as Nanologue and LoopMash. In the notation market, Steinberg acquired the former Sibelius development team after Avid closed its London office in 2012. The resulting Dorico project was released in 2016 and gave Steinberg a significant product in professional composition, engraving, education, and scoring. Today, Steinberg’s activities span music production, audio post-production, mastering, notation, virtual instruments, plug-in standards, mobile applications, and recording hardware. Cubase remains its principal general-purpose workstation, while Nuendo, Dorico, WaveLab, HALion, and Cubasis address distinct professional and creative workflows. VST and ASIO continue to represent the company’s broader technical contribution to the audio-software ecosystem.

1. 2016Dorico released

   Steinberg released Dorico, a professional notation and scoring suite.

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2. 2012Cubasis and London office introduced

   Steinberg launched its first iOS sequencer, Cubasis, and opened a London satellite office.

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3. 2004Yamaha acquires Steinberg

   Yamaha acquired Steinberg; the company became wholly owned by Yamaha in 2005.

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4. 2002Cubase SX released

   A major rewrite produced Cubase SX and replaced older Cubase technology with a modern audio engine related to Nuendo.

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5. 2001HALion launches

   HALion was introduced as a dedicated software sampler and sound-design system.

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6. 2000Nuendo launches

   Steinberg released Nuendo for broadcast, post-production, game audio, and related media workflows.

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7. 1997VST and ASIO become open technologies

   VST and the ASIO audio-driver protocol were made available as open technologies that could be adopted by other developers and hardware manufacturers.

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8. 1996VST technology created

   Steinberg introduced VST, an interface for integrating software instruments and effects with host applications.

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9. 1995WaveLab introduced

   Steinberg launched WaveLab as an audio editing and mastering application for Windows.

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10. 1992Digital audio recording added

    Cubase Audio extended the Cubase line from MIDI sequencing into digital audio recording.

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11. 1989Cubase launches

    Cubase was released for Atari as a MIDI sequencer and later expanded to Macintosh and Windows.

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12. 1986Pro-24 developed for Atari ST

    Pro-24 brought Steinberg’s multitrack MIDI sequencing approach to the Atari ST platform.

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13. 1985Pro-16 and CARD 32 introduced

    Steinberg released Pro-16 for the Commodore 64 and developed the CARD 32 MIDI interface.

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14. 1984Company founded in Hamburg

    Karl Steinberg, Manfred Rürup, and Nicole Rürup established Steinberg and released an early MIDI multitrack sequencer for the Commodore 64.

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Professional music-production and audio-technology brand serving creators and technical audio users across recording, composition, notation, post-production, broadcast, education, and live or studio workflows.

• CubaseDigital audio workstation1989

  Steinberg’s flagship digital audio workstation evolved from an Atari MIDI sequencer into a cross-platform environment for recording, editing, arranging, mixing, mastering, MIDI production, and virtual instruments. The modern range includes Elements, Artist, and Pro editions, serving users from entry-level producers to professional studios.

• NuendoMedia production digital audio workstation2000

  Nuendo is Steinberg’s professional platform for post-production, broadcast, game audio, sound design, and other media workflows. It shares important technical foundations with Cubase while emphasizing advanced synchronization, surround and immersive production, dialogue, effects, and large-scale editorial environments.

• DoricoMusic notation and scoring software2016

  Dorico is Steinberg’s professional notation and scoring suite for composers, arrangers, publishers, educators, and performers. It was developed by a team that included former Sibelius developers and is designed to handle score preparation, instrumental parts, engraving, playback, and large ensemble projects.

• WaveLabAudio editing and mastering software1995

  WaveLab is an audio editing, restoration, mastering, and delivery environment. It supports detailed waveform work and production tasks used by mastering engineers, broadcasters, sound designers, musicians, and other users who need a dedicated editor beyond a multitrack workstation.

• CubasisMobile digital audio workstation2012

  Cubasis is Steinberg’s mobile music-production application for iOS and Android. It brings audio and MIDI recording, editing, sequencing, plug-in support, and arrangement capabilities to mobile devices and extends the Cubase product family into portable production.

• HALionSampler and virtual instrument platform2001

  HALion is a software sampler and sound-design platform used for sample playback, synthesis, instrument construction, and electronic sound creation. Steinberg also offers related editions and content, including HALion Sonic and instrument libraries.

• VSTAudio plug-in technology1996

  Virtual Studio Technology is Steinberg’s plug-in interface for connecting host applications with software instruments, effects, mixing processors, and other audio tools. Its later VST 3 generation added architectural and workflow capabilities and became widely supported across the audio-software industry.

• ASIOAudio driver protocol1997

  Audio Stream Input/Output is Steinberg’s low-latency protocol for communication between audio software and hardware. It was designed to reduce delays in recording and monitoring and has been adopted by many audio-interface and music-software manufacturers.

• Steinberg UR and AXR interfacesAudio hardware2008

  Steinberg’s hardware portfolio includes USB and Thunderbolt audio interfaces for recording, monitoring, MIDI connectivity, and studio integration. The UR family covers several channel configurations and price levels, while the AXR4 represents a higher-end interface line. The company has also produced controllers and earlier MR, CC, and CI series hardware.

• 2012Expand into mobile music productionStrategy

  The growing use of mobile devices created an opportunity to extend Steinberg’s workstation technology beyond desktop computers.

  What changed. Steinberg launched Cubasis as an iOS sequencer and continued developing mobile applications.

  Aftermath. Cubasis became the company’s mobile production platform and was subsequently updated for additional mobile workflows and platforms.

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• 2012Enter professional notation and scoringStrategy

  The closure of Avid’s London Sibelius development office made an experienced notation-software team available.

  What changed. Steinberg brought the former Sibelius development team into the company to create a new scoring product.

  Aftermath. The project became Dorico, which Steinberg released in 2016 as a professional notation and scoring suite.

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• 2004Join the Yamaha GroupM&A

  Following its acquisition by Pinnacle Systems in 2003, Steinberg was acquired by Yamaha in 2004.

  What changed. Yamaha purchased Steinberg and subsequently made it a wholly owned subsidiary.

  Aftermath. Steinberg expanded its own branded audio and MIDI hardware development while continuing to develop software and audio standards.

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• 2002Rebuild Cubase around a new audio engineGeneration change

  Steinberg determined that the legacy Cubase codebase was no longer maintainable and undertook a substantial rewrite.

  What changed. The company released Cubase SX, discarding older technology and using an audio engine related to Nuendo.

  Aftermath. The rewrite established a shared technical foundation for later generations of Cubase and Nuendo.

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• 2016Steinberg releases Dorico notation software

  Steinberg released Dorico, a professional notation and scoring application developed by a team that included former Sibelius developers.

  Product launch
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• 2012Steinberg launches Cubasis for iOS

  Steinberg entered mobile digital audio production with Cubasis, a sequencer and recording application for Apple’s iOS platform.

  Product launch
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• 2012Steinberg opens a London satellite office

  The company opened a London satellite office during a period of expansion in software development and international operations.

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• 2004Yamaha acquires Steinberg

  Yamaha acquired Steinberg, beginning the company’s transition into the Yamaha Group; Steinberg became wholly owned by Yamaha in 2005.

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• 2003Steinberg is acquired by Pinnacle Systems

  Steinberg became part of Pinnacle Systems before subsequently moving under Yamaha ownership.

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1. Steinberg
2. Steinberg official website