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Question on Cubase

1) Like on Reason, you can either use a midi keyboard or pencil notes in. Can you use a "pencil" in Cubase?

2) In Cubase, I have tried to experiment with the midi keyboard and I have a good connection; my microphone is picking up the literal noise coming from the impact of me hitting the keys, and the computer is recieving the data of the sound hitting the keys (like ones from play the keyboard and ones from the mic). So I hook up a VST and I try playing drums and I record something. Cool, sounds good right? Actually you cant hear it, the computer isnt playing anything back.

Now, I think I know where to stop this problem, I just need your help on how to do it.
Nothing shows up in my DirectMusic option under Device Setup ==> Midi. I thought that this seemed suspicious, so I am wondering now, how do I get the DirectMusic to show up, do I install something? And is that the reason why I cant hear any playback? PLEASE HELP

You'll need to use/create a MIDI track to control the VST instrument. The VST instrument should appear in the destination channel drop-down list for that MIDI channel.

Then, to create a MIDI clip, you can double click on the lane and it'll create a clip between the left and right loop markers. Then double click that to get in and edit it. You can probably also use the draw tool to draw a clip in, but I always double click in the MIDI track lane.

This is all in the manual though. That's why Steinberg made it.

(I don't know what directmusic is)

Well, lets talk about the order in which things happen...

Assuming your midi controller is set up right, including inside of cubase, then when you create a midi command (hit a key or whatever), cubase will acknowledge the reception of that information by lighting up a 'lil bar on the Transport panel(thats the panel with the stop/play/rewind/tempo/etc controls). It looks sorta like a vertical decibel meter.

Does this light up? If not, then Cubase is not receiving the midi command.

If it is receiving the midi command, then next it will be routing that command somewhere. It will probably be sending that command towards the track you currently have highlighted. If you create a midi track, and then make some midi commands, then there will be an acknowledgement in cubase in the form of a little vertical decibel bar looking thing, like whats described before. This time, however, it shows up along the edge of the track description panel area. If it were an audio track, and you hit play, it'd be lighting up in time with the audio that's been output, however if it's a midi command, it'll light up according to the midi information instead.

If you've got a midi track highlighted when you're playing, and theres no ack like the above described, then look at the track's settings, be sure that it's set up right. Likely, the input should be "all midi inputs". Then the output must be set to the VST you want to be playing the midi information. This is a common theme throughout cubase, routing inputs and outputs.

If all this checks out just fine, then apparently the midi data is being properly sent to the VST, and the problem is there. Check your VST track's settings. Make sure it's output is being sent to the main audio output. make sure everythings unmuted. Make sure the volume level is audible(note that there are many places volume can be altered, including the VST's controls...) Make sure the VST is "on", as there are ways to deactivate it, despite the info being sent to it.

Also check the automations within Cubase that might be affecting it. Check your entire signal chain.

Something in there will probably address the problem. If not, try bringing an audio clip into cubase, and see if that plays. If it does not, then it will be an issue with the sound drives Cubase is(or is not) attempting to utilize.


AAAANDDD....

Yes, you can click in notes. This is how I compose the majority of my midi info, still..

On the top area theres a pencil tool. This is NOT used to draw in midi info. What this pencil tool does is create a box within a track, and these hold midi info. I call 'em patterns, but I don't know what they're technically called. Switch back to your Arrow tool. Double click on the box, and it will open. This is called the Piano Roll, evidenced by the piano keys on the left. Inside of here are another set of controls, including a pencil tool. THIS pencil tool DOES draw in notes. Note the upper left part of the piano roll pattern box, where it's got quantize settings. Those settings determine the length of note you are drawing in.

Those are the basics. Perhaps its not as user friendly as Reason, but that's because its more powerful.

Now go read the manual. It's impossible to consistently make good work if you don't know how to use your tools. It's worth every moment spent reading, instead of experimenting. Trust me.

I find pictures really help so I've taken one that hopefully helps you. There is a pencil tool that you can draw in notes, just like in Reason. I've pointed to it with the red arrow. Draw in a section using the pencil tool, then double click on it, and use the pencil again to draw in notes as I have in the picture. Now pay close attention to the green arrow. Make sure the midi track you have added has its output being sent to the instrument you want your notes to play on, in this case LM-7. Hit F11 to load in an instrument. When you play the part you've drawn, it should trigger whatever instrument you have the output set to. Good luck!

@Magnus: Thank you very much for the picture, I followed your steps, penciled in some notes in the piano roll as said by MOK, but the sound is not coming out, however there is a signal getting recieved. By the record and moniter button, a blue bar is getting raised whenever the notes is hit. So I really think it has something to do with my freaking audio, its so stupid Ive spent like 5 days trying to get this to work.

@MOV: I dont have a Midi Keyboard with me so I am penciling in notes (at the music room in the school where I mess around with Cubase trying to get it to work, there is one. And when I play a note there is a red line going up, assuming Cubase is reading/can read the midi information.
I routed it up perfectly with the helpful diagram Magnus gave me, its just the fucking audio I think does work.

How do I check if my VST is shut off, and how do I check my signal chain and my automation(s)?

quote:

Originally posted by rriparetti its just the fucking audio I think does work.

import a sample in the project and see if it makes sound, if it does ur audio should work fine.

How do I insert a sample, and where do I get them? :/

quote:

Originally posted by rriparetti How do I insert a sample, and where do I get them? :/

There are several ways. File, Import, Audio File will do it however my favorite method and the easiest way is to just drag and drop any audio file from your browser and drop it right into your project. It will automatically create an audio channel for you.

Ok I loaded a song I made in Reason (not through Rewire, but the way you told me to, drag and drop from iTunes to cubase) and it worked. That is, the audio. It made a stereo track, and its all good.

So now what can I do?
Do I know that theres something wrong with my midi-audio connection thing? XD

quote:

Originally posted by rriparetti How do I insert a sample, and where do I get them? :/

quote:

Originally posted by rriparetti Ok I loaded a song I made in Reason (not through Rewire, but the way you told me to, drag and drop from iTunes to cubase) and it worked. That is, the audio. It made a stereo track, and its all good. So now what can I do? Do I know that theres something wrong with my midi-audio connection thing? XD

I assume you mean that you loaded it into cubase, hit play, and could hear the audio clip that you loaded. Is that the case? That was the point of the exercise, to eliminate MIDI as a potential variable, and see if it'd playback any audio at all.

If the sample plays, then tell us about the VST you're trying to use. If no sound from the sample clip, then yeah, its gonna be your settings with your audio outputs.

This is where you need to stop typin here and go to the Quick Start manual that should be available within cubase. The first thing a manual shows is how to properly set up cubase. If you've done that already, then be more specific with your setup and what you've tried and what you see. Try making a screenshot like Magnus did there, if you dont think you can effectively describe what you're seeing.

Just read the manual.
To be honest. If it's so difficult for you to have some initiative and learn on your own, you're not gonna make it far in music production.
Check out the printed quickstart quide that came in the box. It teaches you how to do all of these basic things.

I checked the manual, and Eldritch, Ive made it somewhat far in my mind, I mean. Not like Im the biggest hit, Ive just progressed in the last 2 months or so with my tracks.



Everything looks good, right?
Well no sound is coming out.

Ya didn't answer one question: When you load an audio sample and try to play it does it make any sound?
I'm assuming, then, that the answer is no, since we're seeing activity on the decibel meter on the lower right.
Give us a screenshot of your audio output settings in cubase, or describe whatever you think might be relevant. Moar details.

rriparetti wrote "Ok I loaded a song I made in Reason (not through Rewire, but the way you told me to, drag and drop from iTunes to cubase) and it worked. That is, the audio. It made a stereo track, and its all good."

So it seems audio plays back fine from audio tracks? That's my understanding of "all good".

Looking at your routing, yes, the MIDI channel seems to be sending the notes to the LM7 device (I think it says LM7), that looks fine. So the next question is, where is the LM7's audio track? I'm guessing it's in the VST intruments group I can see at the bottom of the screenshot. Where is the audio of the VST instruments track being routed to? If it's not being routed to the main stereo output (or into a group which is then routed to the main stereo output), you won't be able to hear anything. I'd say the next step is to check if there's audio coming in on the instrument's audio channel (you'll see it on the level meter). If yes, but you're not hearing it, you'll have to send the audio through to your main stereo mix/ master channel.

I'm positive this is all in the Cubase manual. If you find that it isn't, send an email to Steinberg and tell them their manual serves no purpose at all.

You probably don't have the setup correct in your VST audio bay settings or whatever. I don't have Cubase in front of me so I can't take a screenshot. But what others have already said, we answer a question for you and then you ask, what do I do next? You've got to start doing some reading on your own. If you can't stand reading, then try some of the video tutorials available for Cubase.

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