Introduction
A .cpr file is a project saved by
Cubase, Steinberg’s music production
software for Windows and macOS. It holds the arrangement, MIDI parts, audio events,
mixer, plug-in settings and automation. The recorded audio is kept outside the file,
in the project folder’s Audio subfolder, and the project refers to
it.
Steinberg’s Nuendo, which shares Cubase’s engine, can open Cubase projects. Steinberg does not publish the format.
Structure
A Cubase project is a single binary file. Its internal layout is undocumented and changes between Cubase versions; a project saved by a newer version may not open in an older one. To move a song to other software, Cubase can export the arrangement as MIDI files, the audio as separate tracks, or the whole project as AAF or OMF.