The Cubase Q&A Thread

[dj.ik]

Just wondering,

I have my sidechains pumping nicely in Cubase SX3....but I want to add some more stereo fx to the mid bass wobble - a track being ducked by the sc comp.

Because the sidechain requires the tracks to be panned hard right...... I'm worried about loosing the stereo image and the timbre of the sound if I start to add more fx.

I guess what I want to know is -- when you pan a stereo track, say for example, to the right side, does it

a) move both stereo images to the right and play them through that side?

or

b) mute the left side and only play the right?

[rob sparx]

Just wondering,

I have my sidechains pumping nicely in Cubase SX3....but I want to add some more stereo fx to the mid bass wobble - a track being ducked by the sc comp.

Because the sidechain requires the tracks to be panned hard right...... I'm worried about loosing the stereo image and the timbre of the sound if I start to add more fx.

I guess what I want to know is -- when you pan a stereo track, say for example, to the right side, does it

a) move both stereo images to the right and play them through that side?

or

b) mute the left side and only play the right?

Get Fabfilter Pro-C Compressor then you wont have to pan anything

[cloak and dagger]

Cloak & Dagger: I believe you have to copy and paste the event and the automoation will be copied as well. But this doesnt work when you drag & drop or ctrl+D the event

drives me nuts, I wish they'd have fixed that

and the multichannel vst's are pretty much the only reason to use separate MIDI tracks anymore

otherwise, it'd be all instrument tracks

still at the office now, but I am going to check on the multi midi channels within one instrument tracks, but I think it's a no go, even in C5

Thanks man. I just checked, and at least in SX3, copying and pasting the event doesn't matter...looks like my only choice is the range selection tool.

[cloak and dagger]

OK figuring out how to move events + automations around in SX3 is driving me crazy. Here's what I posted on KVR about the problem I'm running into (that I assume is really simple):


So before I begin, let me make sure I understand how VST automation in Cubase works: there's no way to group a VST's automations into an event like in Reason- they just sit there in the main track and can't be moved like a MIDI event, right? So the only way to move an automation range is to either use the range tool (easier) or select the dots and move those (harder), right?

Well, here's my dilemma: let's say I have a 64-bar loop with a bunch of tracks, which I use as a starting point for my arrangement. I move the loop to the end of the song, and copy and paste it a few times at the beginning, remove elements, etc- this is how I make a basic arrangement. Now let's say at some point while refining this arrangement, I decide I want to put bars 17-32 from the original 64-bar basic loop somewhere into the main arrangement. The problem I'm having is that there's a lot of MIDI events that overlap the 17-bar mark, meaning for example they start at 15 and end at 18 or something. If I use the range-selection tool, it splits the MIDI events, audio etc. where ever I copy and paste it. I can overcome this if I use the arrow tool to select events, but then it doesn't move the automation data (unless I have all of my automation showing, but even then it only selects the dots where changes have occurred, so again I'm in trouble if a change happened before the 16 bars I'm selecting, since that automation range won't be selected).


I hope that explains it clearly, but I'm willing to clarify anything from here.


So what do YOU do in these kinds of situations? I feel like it has to be a common one, and I'm curious how people move large sections of a song with multiple tracks at once along with their automations.

[FSTZ]

I also build my tracks like that

64 bar loop / copy / paste / deconstruct etc...

your situation doesn't seem too difficult, I'd just copy the part of the automation and draw the parts that are left out (drawing automation is alot easier now with the crosshair on your cursor / mouse)

hope that helps man

JJ

[cloak and dagger]

I also build my tracks like that

64 bar loop / copy / paste / deconstruct etc...

your situation doesn't seem too difficult, I'd just copy the part of the automation and draw the parts that are left out (drawing automation is alot easier now with the crosshair on your cursor / mouse)

hope that helps man

JJ

Thanks for the advice! Let me just make sure I understand...basically you're saying I should show all of the automation, use the regular selection tool, and then draw in any automation that didn't get copied over? It just seems like that with 20+ tracks, this would be a MASSIVE pain in the ass to figure out which automation gets copied over and which doesn't and then correcting every one. Or am I missing something (I feel like I am)?

[FSTZ]

nahh, I think you got it

sounds like your projects are pretty hefty

I rarely use automation on more than 3 or 4 tracks...

so writing, moving and copying seem to be a bit more complex in your situation

[cloak and dagger]

nahh, I think you got it

sounds like your projects are pretty hefty

I rarely use automation on more than 3 or 4 tracks...

so writing, moving and copying seem to be a bit more complex in your situation

ah right on, thanks then.

i've already fucked up without realizing it using ctrl-a and moving data, since the automation data didn't get moved along with it

[cloak and dagger]

Okay, here's something that might be really simple but I can't figure out.

If I map my midi controller knob to a parameter on a VST, I can then edit the MIDI CC data to control that parameter.


How do I do this without going through my MIDI controller? Meaning I can choose a random MIDI CC value, assign it to a parameter, and then edit the MIDI CC data for that VST. I feel like there's definitely a way to do this, and it's probably in the Device Setup somewhere, but I can't figure out how to do it without mapping it to my controller. I guess that isn't so terrible, I'm just really curious how to do it.

[nowaysj]

This cubase thing is so funny. Never having worked with cubase you figure it to be a mighty application based upon it's reputation. But then you try it out, and the application can't move automation? How can anyone say this is a professional daw? The solution is to redraw the automation? That is crazy like CaD said, if you've got 5 or so automated parameters on 5 or so instruments, some of that stuff automated at 16th resolutions, you cannot possibly draw all that stuff back in every time u move it. Lowly applications like fl and reason do this without any effort at all? It's one of those things that is just so wrong that it doesn't make sense that reality could be like this. This is an elementary function of a sequencer - to move audio, midi, and automation around a time line.

I'm shocked brohams.

[FSTZ]

yes you can copy paste / move automation

I will figure out how I have done it in the past and I will help out by posting the EXACT way to move your automation

this will happen tonight

[nowaysj]

[FSTZ]

have you tried to change the automation mode to "autolatch" ??

I am at work and I am going off the cuff

this might only be available in Nuendo, but it latched the automation to the event

more answers soon

[nowaysj]

Okay, I've got what seems like a basic q with a twist -

Am wondering how to convert midi data into audio in cubase.

There are two ways that I am aware of:

1. Use the export feature. File > Export > Audio Mixdown

or

2. Set up a phantom buss in your vst connections, route your audio from the vsti to the phantom buss, set the phantom buss as the input of an audio track, and record enable that audio track. This technique taken from the cubase website:

• The recording of a VSTi into a wav file is not dependent on the MR816. This can occur with the free routing feature within Cubase. You have Cubase 5 correct?
  
  Assuming so, create an stereo output under VST connections to be used with the VSTi. On the stereo output, choose "not selected" as the port output. We are going to use this as a "phantom buss." Note, this is separate from the master stereo output.
  
  On the VSTi output, make it's output this new "phantom" buss. Create a new stereo audio track. Make it's input the "phantom" output buss. Record enable and record.

Okay, have tried both ways. But have gotten different audio results for each technique.

With the first technique, there is 15 samples of delay.

With the second technique, there is 47 samples of delay.

A difference of 32 samples between the two. What's that about?



The mystery continues -

The two files are phase inverted. I don't know which one is correct. Assuming a sine wave should rise first, it seems that the first technique using the export method is the correct phase while the second technique, that of audio export, is inverted. Why is that, Cubase geniuses?



Read further, Scoobie, the mystery continues further -

Not only are they phase inverted but they are not identical. In the exported version(second technique), there seems to be some type of time compression happening in the transient phase of the sound.

WHAT THE HECK???

[cloak and dagger]

This cubase thing is so funny. Never having worked with cubase you figure it to be a mighty application based upon it's reputation. But then you try it out, and the application can't move automation? How can anyone say this is a professional daw? The solution is to redraw the automation? That is crazy like CaD said, if you've got 5 or so automated parameters on 5 or so instruments, some of that stuff automated at 16th resolutions, you cannot possibly draw all that stuff back in every time u move it. Lowly applications like fl and reason do this without any effort at all? It's one of those things that is just so wrong that it doesn't make sense that reality could be like this. This is an elementary function of a sequencer - to move audio, midi, and automation around a time line.

I'm shocked brohams.

Nah I didn't mean to say that you can't move automation; you DEFINITELY can. you can use the range select tool or the arrow select tool (range select works way better).


My issue isn't necessarily with function as much as it is with organization. Other DAWs I've used let you either a) create an automation event that looks like a midi or audio event that you can just move with a click of the mouse or b) attach track automations to the midi event so that they move with it.


So it's not that you can't move automations, it's just that you can't be a dumbass like me and you have to pay closer attention and take a couple of extra steps when moving parts of your track.



As for the other question, you're talking about resampling, yea? I have no idea about the phantom bussing, but why would you do that if you can just mixdown and import the tracks? It should sound exactly like the MIDI tracks did, and it just seems way easier.

[nowaysj]

The export function produces different results that recording directly the output of the vsti. I'm wondering what is going on?

[cloak and dagger]

The export function produces different results that recording directly the output of the vsti. I'm wondering what is going on?

Yeah like I said, I don't fuck around with bussing more than I need to...but I'm sure that has something to do with it. I don't really understand what you mean with "15 samples of delay" and whatnot. The logical thing to do here is:

1) export both ways
2) figure out which one sounds like the original MIDI track (export mixdown should sound exactly the same)
3) figure out what's happening with the other method (probably has something to do with the bussing, soundcard, and recording; that's a lot of extra processing and places to send the signal through)
4) realize there's no reason why you should use the method other than audio mixdown; that's what it's there for. the other way seems like a needless workaround


As for Cubase not doing some simple stuff...I guess that's why there's no perfect DAW out there. Steinberg is notorious for ignoring heavily-requested features by its user-base that would be incredibly easy to implement (e.g. organizing VSTs how you want without having to change any folder structures, or this automation grouping example) as well as taking features out (want to save an FXP/FXB file in Cubase 4 or 5?) that people tend to find useful.

I'm sure there's just as many complaints with Logic and other DAW-makers (although Reaper gets points for customer service). But yeah, if Reason has basic features that your DAW doesn't, you have a problem. (To FSTZ: I'm pretty sure Auto-Latch affects the automation writing, not the moving).

[nowaysj]

With the bussing option above, the signal never goes out to the sound card. Its just a vst output routed into a vst input. The 32 samples of delay are like samples... like 44,100 samples per sec. To my ears both versions sound the same, though I can see the transients are different in one of them.

Both options do introduce delay, which is bothersome. I thought that cubase had this kind of thing under wraps. Though the delay is minimal around 1 ms.

[FSTZ]

To FSTZ: I'm pretty sure Auto-Latch affects the automation writing, not the moving

yeah I caught that tonight

I still didn't try to move or copy automation on a VSTi yet

but I will

[nowaysj]

Okay, I haven't been looking too deeply at this issue, as I'm a newb and have bigger fish to fry. BUT. Holy cow is automation drawing clunky. Kinda thought everyone had bézier editors.

The problem is with midi tracks, yeah? The instrument track automation follows along. But midi track automation is two folders deep in another track? WHAT. Are u kidding?

Okay, fuck it maybe I'll buy a mac. Don't even let depone hear that shit. I could be one of those fucking mac people.