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sequencing analog gear in Cubase
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| AlphaStarred |
I'd like to sync a MIDI synth (probly the Alpha Juno 2) with the rest of my gear, and I'm told that using an old MIDI sequencer is a pain in the ass. I was told it's much easier to do in Cubase, which I'm not familiar with.
How exactly would I go about hooking everything up to my laptop to do this? Is Cubase a good choice? I'm not familiar with any of these software, and if there's something free and simple to use to simply sync my gear, that would be preferable. |
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| tehlord |
| quote: | Originally posted by AlphaStarred
I'd like to sync a MIDI synth (probly the Alpha Juno 2) with the rest of my gear, and I'm told that using an old MIDI sequencer is a pain in the ass. I was told it's much easier to do in Cubase, which I'm not familiar with.
How exactly would I go about hooking everything up to my laptop to do this? Is Cubase a good choice? I'm not familiar with any of these software, and if there's something free and simple to use to simply sync my gear, that would be preferable. |
Using an old (or new) midi sequencer isn't really a pain in the ass at all. It's just a different way of doing it.
If you want to sequence any external gear with your DAW you just need a midi interface. Your audio card may have one already built in.
You'll need to set up a midi channel in your DAW and set your midi interface to that channel (in Cubase that's selected in the channel instpector under midi outputs) and make sure your midi channel and synth are set to the same midi channel.
One of the main issues with sequencing from your DAW is that there is the inherent latency involved in sending out midi data and then waiting for audio to come back in. When you sequence external hardware in conjunction with plugins, the audio from the hardware will usually lag behind a bit.
I usually combat that by using the channel delay on the outgoing midi channel (I found with my audio card/computer -40ms is about right) so that it all lines up.
The real question is what do you mean by sync your gear? Are you trying to sequence just hardware all at the same time? |
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| AlphaStarred |
| quote: | Originally posted by tehlord
The real question is what do you mean by sync your gear? Are you trying to sequence just hardware all at the same time? |
Thanks for the advice. Yes, I'd like to sequence a poly synth with the rest of my hardware. To put it simply, I'd like my poly synth to play the notes I play/program at certain beats, without me having to do it manually, so I don't have to worry about always hitting notes on the exact beat to get it right, especially if I want to record a track.
I do have a seemingly functional Alesis MMT-8 MIDI sequencer, which I haven't yet learned to use. Do you think perhaps it might be easier to use this instead of a DAW from my laptop? I was told it might be easier and less frustrating with Cubase, but I haven't yet tried either method. |
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| tehlord |
It's not easier or more difficult one way or the other.
Using a DAW has way, WAY more possibility, but also the possibility that you'll end up ing about all day not actually making any music.
Using a hardware sequencer gives you far less options to choose from and is arguably a little bit more fiddly to learn how to use, but once you do I bet getting ideas down will be much faster than the constant clicking of a DAW. |
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| AlphaStarred |
| quote: | Originally posted by tehlord
Using a DAW has way, WAY more possibility, but also the possibility that you'll end up ing about all day not actually making any music. |
I've certainly noticed this when using Reason, which is why I felt compelled to switch to hardware.
| quote: | | Using a hardware sequencer gives you far less options to choose from and is arguably a little bit more fiddly to learn how to use, but once you do I bet getting ideas down will be much faster than the constant clicking of a DAW. |
Yeah, I'm pretty much thinking the same. A friend of mine was using the Alesis and found it quite frustrating, but I guess it's just a matter of learning it, much like the DAW I'm sure. Cheers. |
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| tehlord |
Sounds like you've already decided which way suits you best.
MPC's also offer very good sequencing solutions with multiple midi outs to boot.
My ideal setup is hardware based with the DAW as a digital mixer/tape machine.
Using actual tapes is a step (way) too far :p |
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| AlphaStarred |
| quote: | Originally posted by tehlord
Sounds like you've already decided which way suits you best.
MPC's also offer very good sequencing solutions with multiple midi outs to boot. |
Yeah, I've been using hardware for a while, took a long major break from producing, bought some machines again and hoping to get back into it.
I was actually thinking about getting an MPC for sampling and MIDI, especially after noticing lots of "tekno" artists using them. Laura Grabb was known to use it regularly, as well:
My type of stuff. :D
| quote: | | My ideal setup is hardware based with the DAW as a digital mixer/tape machine. |
Nice. I'm guessing you process and EQ each individual hardware instrument through your DAW? I guess that's why a lot of these modern techno/acid tracks sound so "modern," with all the individual processing through software. I think I might just stick to recording to my TASCAM DP-004. :p |
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| DJ RANN |
Geoff is right on many fronts but I'll actually offer a different opinion on one aspect....
Software for external Midi sequencing is IMHO much easier and faster than hardware sequencing. The main reason is repetition of notes. In hardware sequencers, every single note has to be manually populated, whereas DAW based sequencers you can construct entire trancks such as perc or leads in moments through shortcut commands.
That doesn't even start to take in to consideration things like Ableton where you can copy and paste on the fly to construct your midi sequencing.
For an example:
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| AlphaStarred |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ RANN
Software for external Midi sequencing is IMHO much easier and faster than hardware sequencing. |
Yeah I've been hearing this, which is why I'm not really sure what I should try and learn: hardware or software sequencing. I also know Brandon Spivey used to sequence everything in Cubase, and I think still does. On the other hand, the Alesis MMT-8 is used live by many artists, so perhaps it's just a matter of getting comfortable with one or the other. Bottom line is, I don't know about MIDI. :tongue3 |
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| tehlord |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ RANN
Software for external Midi sequencing is IMHO much easier and faster than hardware sequencing. The main reason is repetition of notes. In hardware sequencers, every single note has to be manually populated, whereas DAW based sequencers you can construct entire trancks such as perc or leads in moments through shortcut commands.
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I do agree that software is easier in many respects, but only when it works with the way you do things. I also think the meta possibilities eventually slow down even the most focused of music makers as you start futzing with percentages only you'll ever hear.
For loop based jamming I think the electribes/MPC's/Elektrons are still King, but I wouldn't want to do anything vaguely melodic or progressive on them.
| quote: | Originally posted by AlphaStarred
Nice. I'm guessing you process and EQ each individual hardware instrument through your DAW? I guess that's why a lot of these modern techno/acid tracks sound so "modern," with all the individual processing through software. I think I might just stick to recording to my TASCAM DP-004. :p |
For the most part I'm still working within the DAW environment right now because of space restrictions, but in the past I've used a few hardware sequencers, even on my old Ensoniq SQ1 back in the day!
I'm actually waiting for the new Electribes to arrive as they offer 16 channels of sequencing for not a lot of money.
In an ideal world I'd love to send all the hardware through a desk but again that comes down to space issues. I'd still have the desk running (per channel) into the DAW though for tweaking later. It's just the creative aspect of track making that I think works better for me using knobs and sliders.
Oh, and don't Google Sequentix Cirklon ;) |
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| Richard Butler |
I started out with hardware sequencing but crossed over to Cubase and found it personally a fair bit easier what with everything on a nice big screen etc.
Tehlord mentions latency delay and like him I try and compensate by applying the Cubase channel delay - often this causes various effects to become bypassed.
Another way to adjust for delay is to simply move the notes all at once so they trigger earlier as it were and so the sound received back into Cubase lines up with your softsynths.
Get a decent midi interface, ty ones can be more hassle than they are worth.
If you are hooking up more than one hardware piece, have you considered an external clocking device to keep it all locked down? Don't hear these mentioned anymore, perhaps there's no need these days? |
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| AlphaStarred |
| quote: | Originally posted by Richard Butler
If you are hooking up more than one hardware piece, have you considered an external clocking device to keep it all locked down? Don't hear these mentioned anymore, perhaps there's no need these days? |
Wouldn't the MIDI sequencer be the master external clocking device? |
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