Using a synth as a controller

[Cabong]

Hi there all,

I'm trying to do something prolly easy but I'm not sure where to start.
I'm using the synth to control VST instruments in Cubase SX3. So far so good, it works.

Now I've assigned different VST to different track (midi channel) in cubase.

Now my question is:

I want to send on different midi channel so the appropriate VST will sound when I play.

Now I understand this could be a complex question but I just want to be steered in the right direction. I've spent loads of time reading on the subject but it appears most people are trying to do the opposite (used the synth as a sound generator).

Everything is connected correctly. But when I play the controller, ALL tacks are showing activity. Like it's receiving on all channels. My device right now is setup to send only on channel 01.

Where in cubase can I assign specific channels to midi tracks? Do I have to do some sort of mapping in cubase between the instrument and cubase?

Regards,
Dniss

[RoyJeeBiv]

hrrm...i'm not quite sure i understand exactly what you want to do, and i'm not familiar with Cubase, but i'll try to help out, anyway.

so, what i can gather is, you want to use your synth ONLY as a controller to play the VSTs within Cubase. this will be based on my using Pro Tools and Ableton Live, so hopefully it will apply to Cubase, as well. pardon if what i'm saying is either elementary for you or it doesn't apply at all, i just want to make sure i'm on the same page -- if i'm not, reply back and i'll try to help out again. i'm also assuming you want to play each instrument individually, not all at the same time.

(to start, make sure Local Control is turned off on your synth, if it isn't already.)

the way i set up my sessions, i'll have my plug-in on an Aux or separate track, then route the MIDI tracks to the plug-in. so, for example, say my plug-in has a Virtual Rack and i want a string quartet -- i'd put the first violin in the first rack spot, second violin in the second spot, viola in the third, cello in the fourth. then i'd set the output of my individual MIDI tracks accordingly, routing it to the track with my plug-in, then to the appropriate MIDI channel (VLN 1 on chan 1, VLN 2 on chan 2, etc.)

if you can set it up this way, the Aux track with your VST on it is just your sound source, so the output of that track can be sent to the mains. the inputs of your individual MIDI tracks can be on all (again, this won't matter if all you're trying to accomplish is recording an individual track at a time).

your only problem, right now, might be seeing activity on all your MIDI tracks because you have them all record enabled. for this scenario i just presented, you only want one MIDI track record enabled at a time -- so if i enabled my Cello track, i should hear only the cello. if Cubase recognizes your synth sending MIDI, you should hear only the tracks you have record enabled.

...is this making any sense, or am i completely off-base in understanding your question?? sorry if Cubase is set up differently, i just don't know the layout of it. good luck, hopefully that'll help. post again if you're still having trouble.

rjb

[Cabong]

Hi Roy,

Thanks for your kind reply. Actually I want to use Cubase as a VST rack. Basically I have a plugin assigned to each of the 5 first midi tracks.

I've got the synth side setup pretty much covered up. Now when I send say on channel 4, all my tacks are responding. I only want to ear track 4.

For anyone that knows Cubase even so little it should be a piece of cake to explain but, somehow, every time I ask a question about midi (mostly other forums) everyone seems to be totally clueless.

I know I can push a few buttons on cubase to make it work, but since I want different track to respond as I'm changing programs on my synth (midi channel), my goal is not to have to touch cubase at all.

Too bad you're not familiar with Cubase thought.

Regards,
DG

[RoyJeeBiv]

alright, i see what you're saying now. i've never even used a demo of Cubase, so i wouldn't have the first clue.

my only guess would be something with the input setup within Cubase...have you set the input of each MIDI track to the corresponding channel you want, or are they set to receive on All Channels??

good luck, hopefully someone who knows Cubase will see this.

rjb

[Cabong]

Originally Posted by RoyJeeBiv

...have you set the input of each MIDI track to the corresponding channel you want, or are they set to receive on All Channels??

That is what I'm trying to find out. There's no setting on the track itself apparently. I'll keep looking.

Thanks
DG

[brandondrury]

I've got the synth side setup pretty much covered up. Now when I send say on channel 4, all my tacks are responding. I only want to ear track 4.

You only want to have the "monitoring" engaged on tracks where you want to use the incoming MIDI data from your MIDI controller. If you want to use the MIDI track you have previously recorded, you turn off the "monitoring" button.

Does that make sense?

I'm not sure what you mean by "shows activity" exactly. Do you mean the synth / sample is being played?

Brandon

[Cabong]

Hello there,

Thanks for your input.
I have to feeling the way I thought Cubase works is not the way it actually works or/and perhaps it's my midi understand that is lacking.


I'm trying to have track 1 respond to a midi input on channel 1 and track 2 respond to a midi input on channel 2 (midi channel). When I say respond , I want to ear the vst bound to that track. There's a whole bunch of ways to map midi out in cubase (with Midi Device Setup), but I can't find where to map midi IN.

I'm starting to think that this can't be done with Cubase but I would find that quite stagerring.

I mean if I use my synth sequencer for example, shouldn't I be able to ear the VST on track one play the midi 1 part from my synth, and midi 2 on track 2?

Now the only way I can make a track respond to midi input is to set "monitoring" engaged but then it responds to ALL midi channel. No other tracks respond at all if not "monitoring" engaged as well. But then I can ear all vst's at once, when I only want to ear the one that is being called upon by midi channel.

Is this making more sense?

[RoyJeeBiv]

ahh, so there's a monitoring function...alright.

so, Cabong, you're saying you want to assign MIDI Track 1 in Cubase to Channel 1 on your controller, MIDI Track 2 to Channel 2, and so on. you want to control those FROM your controller, so if you switch to Channel 5 on your controller, it'll automatically route to Track 5 within Cubase and you'll ONLY hear the VST that is on that track, and not all the other VSTs??

hopefully brandon can talk you through this...sorry, i just don't know how Cubase is laid out.

[Cabong]

Originally Posted by RoyJeeBiv

ahh, so there's a monitoring function...alright.

so, Cabong, you're saying you want to assign MIDI Track 1 in Cubase to Channel 1 on your controller, MIDI Track 2 to Channel 2, and so on. you want to control those FROM your controller, so if you switch to Channel 5 on your controller, it'll automatically route to Track 5 within Cubase and you'll ONLY hear the VST that is on that track, and not all the other VSTs??

hopefully brandon can talk you through this...sorry, i just don't know how Cubase is laid out.

Yes exactly!
But I just figured it out. Man I've been looking for this for a long time.
Ok, for future reference:

For each track you have to create a filter using "Input Tranformer" local:
For track 1: Midi Channel/Equal/1.
For track 2: Midi Channel/Equal/2

so on and so forth.

Thanks guys and have a nice day!