Steinberg Cubase 6 Manual

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MIDI realtime parameters and effects
•You can also transpose individual MIDI parts using the 
Transpose field in the info line.
The transposition in the info line (for the individual part) is added to the 
transpose value you have set up for the whole track in the Inspector.
ÖThis setting is also affected by the global Transpose 
settings. For detailed information, see the chapter 
“The 
transpose functions” on page 131.
Velocity Shift
This setting lets you change the dynamics of all notes on 
the track. The value in this field is added to the velocity of 
each note message that is sent out (use negative values to 
lower the velocities). The range is -127 to +127 with 0 
representing no change in velocity.
Note that the effect of changing the velocity depends on 
the sound and instrument.
ÖYou can also adjust the velocity of events in individual 
MIDI parts using the Velocity field in the info line. The ve
-
locity shift in the info line (for the individual part) is added 
to the velocity shift you have set up for the whole track in 
the Inspector.
Velocity Compression
This function multiplies the velocity values with the factor 
you specify. This factor is set using a numerator (left value) 
and a denominator (right value), resulting in a fractional 
number (1/2, 3/4, 3/2 etc.). For example, if you set the 
factor to 3/4, the velocities will be three quarters of their 
original values. This will also affect the difference in veloc
-
ity between the notes, thus compressing or expanding the 
velocity scale. Typically, you would combine this setting 
with the Velocity Shift parameter. 
An example:
Let’s say you have three notes with the velocity values 60, 
90 and 120, and wish to “even out” the velocity differ
-
ences somewhat. If you set the Velocity Compression 
value to 1/2, the notes will play back with the velocities 
30, 45 and 60. By adding 60 in the Velocity Shift field, the 
notes will play back with the velocities 90, 105 and 120, 
meaning you have compressed the velocity range. 
In a similar way, you can use Velocity Compression values 
greater than 1/1 together with negative values in the Ve
-
locity Shift field, to expand the velocity range.
Length Compression
This value adjusts the lengths of all notes on the track. As 
with Velocity Compression, the value is set with a numer
-
ator and denominator. For example, the value 2/1 means 
that all note lengths will be doubled, while 1/4 means all 
note lengths will be a quarter of the actual lengths.
Random
The Random settings let you introduce random variations 
to various properties of MIDI notes. Anything from very 
subtle variations to dramatic changes can be applied. 
There are two separate “random generators”, set up in the 
following way:
1.Pull down the Random pop-up menu and select which 
note property is randomized.
The options are position, pitch, velocity and length. 
ÖKeep in mind that depending on the content of the 
track, certain parameter changes might not be immedi
-
ately noticeable or have any effect at all (as would be the 
case if applying random length to a percussion track play
-
ing “one-shot” samples for example). To best audition the 
random changes, choose a track with clearly defined 
rhythm and note content (as opposed to a string pad).
2.Set the desired range of random deviation by entering 
values in the two number fields.
The two values govern the limits of the randomization, so that the values 
will vary between the left value and the right value (you cannot set the left 
value higher than the right value). The maximum random range for each 
property is listed in the table below:
 
ÖYou can make independent settings for the two random 
generators.
!Remember that the maximum velocity is always 127 
no matter how much you try to expand.
PropertyRange
Position-500 to +500 ticks
Pitch-120 to +120 semitones
Velocity-120 to +120 
Length-500 to +500 ticks 
						

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MIDI realtime parameters and effects
•To deactivate the Random function, pull down the Ran-
dom pop-up menu(s) and select “OFF”.
Range
The Range function lets you specify a note (pitch) or ve-
locity range and either force all notes to fit within this 
range, or exclude all notes outside this range from play
-
back. As with the Random function, there are two sepa-
rate Range settings. Set them up as follows:
1.Pull down the Range pop-up menu and select one of 
the following four modes:
2.Use the two fields to the right to set the minimum and 
maximum values.
These values will be shown as numbers (0–127) for the velocity modes 
and as note numbers (C-2 to G8) for the pitch modes.
ÖNote that you can make independent settings for the 
two Range functions.
•To deactivate the Range function, pull down the Range 
pop-up menu(s) and select “OFF”.
MIDI Fader section
This contains a single channel strip, allowing you to set 
volume, pan, mute/solo and other parameters for the track, 
and a panel view of the active sends/inserts. This is a “mir
-
ror” of the track’s channel strip in the Cubase Mixer – see 
“MIDI channel strips” on page 166.
Notepad section
This is a standard notepad, allowing you to enter notes 
and comments about the track. Each track has its own 
notepad in the Inspector.
VST Instrument section
If the MIDI track is routed to a VST instrument, a new sub-
panel will appear at the bottom of the Inspector, labeled 
with the name of the VST instrument. Clicking this section 
shows a duplicate of the Inspector settings for the VST in
-
strument channel. This makes it easy to adjust the channel 
settings for the VST instrument while you are editing the 
MIDI track.
•If the VST instrument has multiple outputs (and thus 
several Mixer channels), there will be a setting called 
“Output” at the top of the VST Instrument section.
New subpanels will also be added in the following cases:
• When a MIDI track is routed to an external instrument or effect 
that has an associated MIDI Device. In this case, the new sub
-
panel will get the name of the device.
• When a MIDI track is routed to an effect plug-in that also re-
ceives audio data, i. e. that is used as an insert effect for an 
audio track (e.
 g. MIDI Gate), a subpanel for this audio track 
appears in the MIDI track inspector.
• If a MIDI track is routed to a plug-in assigned to a FX Channel 
track, a corresponding FX subpanel is added to the Inspector.
ÖFor an easy way to combine MIDI and VST instru-
ments, check out instrument tracks (see “VST instruments 
and instrument tracks” on page 206).
User Panel section (Cubase only)
This allows you to display MIDI device panels, which are 
control panels for external hardware. This is described in 
the separate PDF document “MIDI Devices”.
ModeDescription
Vel. LimitThis function affects all velocity values outside the speci-fied range. Velocity values below the Min setting (the 
lower limit of the range) are set to the Min value, and ve-locity values above the Max setting are set to the Max 
value. Notes with velocity values within the set range are 
not affected. Use this if you want to force all velocity val
-ues to fit within a certain range.
Vel. FilterVelocity Filter works by excluding all notes with velocity 
values outside the specified range. Notes with velocity 
values below the Min setting or above the Max setting will 
not be played back. Use this to “isolate” notes with cer
-tain velocity values.
Note LimitThis function allows you to specify a pitch range, and 
forces all notes to fit within this range. Notes outside the 
specified range are transposed up or down in octave 
steps until they fit within the range.
Note: If the range is too “narrow”, so that some notes 
cannot be fit within the range by octave-transposing, 
these notes will get a pitch in the middle of the range. For 
example, if you have a note with a pitch of F3, and the 
range is C4-E4, that note will be transposed to D4.
Note FilterNote Filter works by excluding all notes with pitches out-side the specified range. Notes lower than the Min setting 
or higher than the Max setting will not be played back. 
Use this to “isolate” notes with certain pitches. 
						

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MIDI realtime parameters and effects
Quick Controls section
This allows you to configure quick controls, e. g. to use re-
mote devices. See the chapter “Track Quick Controls” on 
page 337 for details.
MIDI effects
Cubase comes with a number of MIDI effect plug-ins, ca-
pable of transforming the MIDI output from a track in vari-
ous ways.
Just like the MIDI modifiers, MIDI effects are applied in 
realtime to the MIDI data played back from the track (or to 
MIDI you play live “thru” the track).
What are MIDI effects?
Although a MIDI effect can be similar to an audio effect, it 
is important to remember that you are not processing the 
sound resulting from MIDI playback, but the MIDI data (the 
“instructions” for how the music is played back). 
A MIDI effect will change properties of the MIDI events 
(e.
 g. change the pitch of notes) and/or generate new MIDI 
events (for example, a MIDI delay may add new MIDI 
notes, “echoing” the original notes).
ÖThe included MIDI effect plug-ins are described in the 
separate PDF document “Plug-in Reference”.
Insert and send effects
As with audio effects, there are two ways to route the MIDI 
events on a track to an effect:
ÖIf you add an insert effect, the MIDI events will be sent 
to the effect, which will process the data and pass it on to 
the track’s MIDI output (or to another insert effect). In 
other words, the MIDI events will be routed “through” the 
insert effect.
ÖIf you use a send effect, the MIDI events will be sent 
both to the track’s MIDI output and to the effect. That is, 
you will get both the unprocessed MIDI events and the 
output of the MIDI effect. Note that the effect can send its 
processed MIDI data to any MIDI output – not necessarily 
to the one used by the track.
There are separate sections in the Inspector for MIDI in-
serts and MIDI sends.
MIDI Inserts section
This allows you to add up to four MIDI insert effects. The 
section contains the following items:
ÖEffects that display their controls in the Inspector can 
be opened in a separate control panel window by press
-
ing [Alt]/[Option] and clicking the Edit button.
ItemDescription
Inserts State 
indicator and 
Bypass buttonThe symbol on the right of the title bar is blue when an in-sert effect is activated. You can click the symbol to by-pass all insert effects for the track.
Effect selec-tion pop-up 
menu (x 4)Selecting an effect from this pop-up menu automatically 
activates it and brings up its control panel (which can be 
a separate window or a number of settings below the in
-sert slot in the Inspector).To remove an insert effect completely, select “No Effect”.
On button (x 4)Allows you to turn the selected effect on or off.
Edit button 
(x4)Click this to bring up the control panel for the selected ef-fect. Depending on the effect, this may appear in a sepa-rate window or below the insert slot in the Inspector. 
Clicking the button again hides the control panel. 
						

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MIDI realtime parameters and effects
MIDI Sends section
This allows you to add up to four MIDI send effects. Unlike 
audio send effects, you can select and activate send ef
-
fects individually for each track. The section contains the 
following items:
ÖEffects that display their controls in the Inspector can 
be opened in a separate control panel window by press
-
ing [Alt]/[Option] and clicking the Edit button.
About presets
Several of the MIDI plug-ins come with a number of pre-
sets for instant use.
•To load a preset, select it from the Presets pop-up 
menu.
•To store your current settings as a preset, click on the 
“+” button (“Save Preset…”) to the right of the Presets 
menu.
You will be asked to specify a name for the preset. The saved preset will 
then be available for selection from the pop-up menu for all instances of 
that MIDI plug-in, in all projects.
•To remove a preset, select it and click on the “-” button 
(“Remove Preset”).
At the left and right borders of the Presets pop-up menu 
you will also find MIDI In and Out activity indicators. 
Whenever the plug-in receives or transmits MIDI data, the 
left or the right indicator will light up, respectively.
Applying a MIDI insert effect – an example
Here is a step-by-step example of how to add a MIDI in-
sert effect to a MIDI track:
1.Select the MIDI track and open the Inspector.
2.Open the MIDI Inserts tab in the Inspector.
•Alternatively you can use the Mixer: bring up the ex-
tended Mixer panel and select “Inserts” on the view op-
tions pop-up menu for the track’s channel strip.
ItemDescription
Sends State in-dicator and By-pass button
The symbol on the right of the title bar is blue when a 
send effect is activated. You can click the symbol to by-pass all send effects for the track.
Effect selection 
pop-up menu (x 4)
Selecting an effect from this pop-up menu automatically 
activates it and brings up its control panel (which can be 
a separate window or a number of settings below the 
send slot in the Inspector).
To remove a send effect completely, select “No Effect”.
On button (x 4)Allows you to turn the selected effect on or off.
Pre/Post but-ton (x4)If this is activated, the MIDI signals will be sent to the 
send effects before the MIDI modifiers and insert effects.
Edit button (x4)Click this to bring up the control panel for the selected 
effect. Depending on the effect, this may appear in a 
separate window or below the sends slot in the Inspec
-tor. Clicking the button again hides the control panel.
Output pop-up 
menu (x4)This determines to which MIDI output the effect will send 
the processed MIDI events.
Channel setting 
(x4)This determines on which MIDI channel the effect will 
send the processed MIDI events.
Save and Remove 
Preset buttons MIDI In and Out activity indicators 
						

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MIDI realtime parameters and effects
3.Click in one of the insert slots to open the MIDI effect 
pop-up menu.
4.Select the desired MIDI effect from the pop-up menu.
The effect is automatically activated (the power button for the insert slot 
lights up) and its control panel appears, either in a separate window or in 
the MIDI Inserts section below the slot (depending on the effect).
Now all MIDI from the track will be routed through the 
effect.
5.Use the control panel to make settings for the effect.
All included MIDI effects are described in the separate PDF document 
“Plug-in Reference”.
•You can bypass the insert effect by clicking its power 
button (above the insert slot).
•To bypass all insert effects for the MIDI track, use the 
bypass button in the MIDI Inserts section in the Inspector, 
in the Mixer channel strip or in the track list.
•To remove an insert effect, click in its slot and select 
“No Effect”.
Managing plug-ins
Selecting Plug-in Information from the Devices menu 
opens a window in which all loaded plug-ins, audio and 
MIDI, are listed.
•To view the MIDI effect plug-ins, click the MIDI Plug-ins 
tab.
•The leftmost column allows you to deactivate plug-ins.
This is useful if you have plug-ins installed that you do not want to use in 
Cubase. Only plug-ins that are activated (ticked checkbox) will appear 
on the MIDI effect pop-up menus.
Note that plug-ins that are currently in use cannot be deactivated.
•The second column shows how many instances of each 
plug-in are currently used in the project.
•The remaining columns show various information about 
each plug-in and cannot be edited. 
						

							29
Using MIDI devices 
						

							357
Using MIDI devices
Background
The MIDI Device Manager allows you to specify and set 
up your MIDI devices, making global control and patch 
selection easy.
But the MIDI Device Manager also features powerful edit-
ing functions that can be used to create MIDI device pan-
els (Cubase only). MIDI device panels are internal 
representations of external MIDI hardware, complete with 
graphics. The MIDI device panel editor provides all the 
tools you need to create device maps where every para
-
meter of an external device (and even an internal device 
like a VST instrument) can be controlled and automated 
from inside Cubase.
For descriptions of how to create device maps and the 
powerful device panel editing features, see 
“About Device 
panels (Cubase only)” on page 362. For additional infor-
mation on how to create panels for VST instruments, see 
the separate PDF document “MIDI Devices”.
MIDI devices – general settings and 
patch handling
On the following pages, we will describe how to install 
and set up preset MIDI devices, and how to select 
patches by name from within Cubase. For a description on 
how to create a MIDI device from scratch, please refer to 
the separate PDF document “MIDI Devices”.
About Program Change and Bank Select
To instruct a MIDI instrument to select a certain patch 
(sound), you send a MIDI Program Change message to 
the instrument. Program Change messages can be re
-
corded or entered in a MIDI part like other events, but you 
can also enter a value in the Program Selector field in the 
Inspector for a MIDI track. This way, you can quickly set 
each MIDI track to play a different sound.
With Program Change messages, you are able to select 
between 128 different patches in your MIDI device. How
-
ever, many MIDI instruments contain a larger number of 
patch locations. To make these available from within Cu
-
base, you need to use Bank Select messages, a system in 
which the programs in a MIDI instrument are divided into banks, each bank containing 128 programs. If your instru
-
ments support MIDI Bank Select, you can use the Bank Se-
lector field in the Inspector to select a bank, and then the 
Program Selector field to select a program in this bank.
Unfortunately, different instrument manufacturers use dif-
ferent schemes for how Bank Select messages are con-
structed, which can lead to some confusion and make it 
hard to select the correct sound. Also, selecting patches 
by numbers this way seems unnecessarily cumbersome, 
when most instruments use names for their patches 
nowadays.
To help with this, you can use the MIDI Device Manager to 
specify which MIDI instruments you have connected by 
selecting from a vast list of existing devices or by specify
-
ing the details yourself. Once you have specified which 
MIDI devices you are using, you can select to which par
-
ticular device each MIDI track is routed. It is then possible 
to select patches by name in the track list or Inspector.
Opening the MIDI Device Manager
Select MIDI Device Manager from the Devices menu to 
bring up the following window:
Cubase:
List of connected MIDI devices. 
The first time you open the MIDI 
Device Manager, this list will be 
empty.Use these 
buttons to 
install/remove 
devices.
Here you specify to which MIDI 
output the selected device is 
connected.This button 
opens the 
selected 
device.
Use these buttons to import/
export XML Device setups. 
						

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Using MIDI devices
Cubase Artist:
When you open the MIDI Device Manager for the first 
time, it will be empty (because you have not installed any 
devices yet). On the following pages we describe how to 
add a pre-configured MIDI device to the list, how to edit 
the settings and how to define a device from scratch.
ÖNote that there is an important difference between in-
stalling a preset MIDI device (“Install Device”) and import-
ing a MIDI device setup (“Import Setup”):
•The presets do not include any device mapping of pa-
rameters and controls and no graphic panels.
They are simply patch name scripts. When you install a preset MIDI de-vice, it is added to the Installed Devices list. For more information about 
patch name scripts, see the separate PDF document “MIDI Devices”.
•A device setup can include device mapping, panels 
and/or patch information. 
Device setups are also added to the list of installed devices when im-ported. For more information about setups and device panels, see 
“About Device panels (Cubase only)” on page 362. 
Defining a new MIDI device
If your MIDI device is not included in the list of pre-config-
ured devices (and is not a “plain” GM or XG device), you 
need to define it manually to make it possible to select 
patches by name. This is handled slightly differently for 
Cubase and Cubase Artist. 
Cubase:
1.In the MIDI Device Manager, click the Install Device 
button.
The Add MIDI Device dialog opens.
2.Select “Define New…” and click OK.
The “Create New MIDI Device” dialog opens. For a description of the op-
tions in this dialog, see the separate PDF document “MIDI Devices”. 
3.In the Identical Channels list, activate the MIDI chan-
nels you would like the device to use.
This means that the device will receive Program Change over any MIDI 
channel. For a description of Identical and Individual Channels, see the 
separate PDF document “MIDI Devices”.
4.Enter a name for the device at the top of the dialog, 
and click OK.
The device appears in the Installed Devices list, and the device node 
structure for the device is automatically shown in a new window.
5.Select Patch Banks from the pop-up menu at the top 
of the window.
As you can see, the list is currently empty.
6.Make sure that the Enable Edit checkbox is activated.
Now you can use the functions on the Commands pop-up menu on the 
left to organize the patch structure of the new device.
Cubase Artist:
1.In the MIDI Device Manager, click the Install Device 
button.
The Add MIDI Device dialog appears.
2.Select “Define New…” and click OK.
A dialog appears.
3.Enter the name of the device and the MIDI channels 
you would like the device to use and click OK.
The device appears in the Installed Devices list.
4.Select the device in the list.
As you can see, it currently contains only an Empty Bank item.
5.Make sure that the Enable Edit checkbox is activated.
Now you can use the functions on the Commands pop-up menu on the 
left to organize the patch structure of the new device.
This pop-up menu lets you edit 
the selected device (provided that 
“Enable Edit” is ticked).Here, the patch structure 
for the selected device is 
shown.
This area shows exactly which 
MIDI messages are sent out to 
select the patch highlighted in 
the list to the left.
Here you specify to which 
MIDI output the selected 
device is connected. List of connected MIDI devices. The first 
time you open the MIDI Device Manager, 
this list will be empty.Use these buttons to 
install/remove devices. 
						

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Using MIDI devices
Installing a preset MIDI device
To install a preset MIDI device, proceed as follows:
1.Click the Install Device button.
A dialog opens listing all pre-configured MIDI devices. For now we as-
sume that your MIDI device is included in this list.
2.Locate and select the device in the list and click OK.
•If your MIDI device is not included in the list but is com-
patible with the GM (General MIDI) or XG standards, you 
can select the generic GM or XG Device options at the 
top of the list.
When you select one of these options, a name dialog will appear. Enter a 
name for the instrument and click OK.
The device now appears in the Installed Devices list to the 
left.
3.Make sure that the new device is selected in the list 
and open the Output pop-up menu.
4.Select the MIDI output that the device is connected to.
5.If you are using Cubase, click the Open Device button.
A separate window opens for the selected device, showing a node struc-
ture in the left half of the window. At the top of this structure is the device 
itself, and below it the MIDI channels used by the device. For more infor
-
mation about the Device window, see the separate PDF document “MIDI 
Devices”.
6.Select Patch Banks from the pop-up menu at the top 
of the window. 
The Patch Banks list in the left half of the window shows 
the patch structure of the device. This could simply be a 
list of patches, but it is usually one or several layers of 
banks or groups containing the patches (much like a 
folder structure on a hard disk for example).
•You can rename a device in the Installed Devices list by 
double-clicking and typing – this is useful if you have sev
-
eral devices of the same model, and want to separate 
them by name instead of by number.
•To remove a device from the Installed Devices list, se-
lect it and click Remove Device.
ÖNote that if there already exists a panel for the device 
(Cubase only), opening the device might open this panel 
first. In this case, click on the Edit (“e”) button to open the 
Device window.
About Patch Banks
Depending on the selected device, you may find that the 
Patch Banks list is divided in two or more main banks. 
Typically, these are called Patches, Performances, Drums, 
etc. The reason for having several patch banks is that dif
-
ferent “types” of patches are handled differently in the in-
struments. For example, while “patches” typically are 
“regular” programs that you play one at the time, “perfor
-
mances” may be combinations of programs, which could 
be split across the keyboard, layered, or used for multi-
timbral playback, and so on.
For devices with several banks, you will find an additional 
item labeled “Bank Assignment” in the pop-up menu at 
the top of the window. Selecting this opens a window in 
which you can specify for each MIDI channel which bank it 
should use.
The selection here will affect which bank is displayed 
when you select programs by name for the device in the 
track list or Inspector. For example, many instruments use 
MIDI channel 10 as an exclusive drum channel, in which 
case you would want to select the “Drums” (or “Rhythm 
Set”, “Percussion”, etc.) bank for channel 10 in this list. 
This would then let you choose between different drum 
kits in the track list or Inspector. 
						

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Using MIDI devices
Limitations
There is no easy way to import a patch name script into an 
existing MIDI device. For a complex workaround based on 
XML editing, see the separate PDF document “MIDI De
-
vices”.
Selecting a patch for an installed device
If you return to the Project window at this point, you will 
find that the installed device has been added to the MIDI 
Output menus (in the track list and the Inspector). Now 
you can select patches by name, in the following way:
1.Pull down the Output menu (in the track list or Inspec-
tor) for the track you want to associate the installed device 
with, and select the device.
This directs the track to the MIDI output specified for the device in the 
MIDI Device Manager. The Bank and Program Selector fields in the track 
list and Inspector are replaced by a single Program Selector field that 
currently reads “Off”.
2.Click the Program Selector field to display a pop-up 
menu, hierarchically listing all the patches in the device.
The list is similar to the one displayed in the MIDI Device Manager. You 
can scroll the list up and down (if required), click the plus/minus signs to 
show or hide subgroups, etc.
You can also use a filter function here. For this, enter the 
search term in the Filter field, e.g. “drum”, and press [Re
-
turn] to display all sounds with “drum” in the name.
3.Click a patch in the list to select it.
This sends the appropriate MIDI message to the device. You can also 
scroll the program selection up or down, as with any value.
Renaming patches in a device
The pre-configured devices list is based on the factory-
preset patches, i.e. the patches included in the device 
when you first bought it. If you have replaced some of the 
factory presets with your own patches, you need to modify 
the device so that the patch name list matches the actual 
device:
1.In the MIDI Device Manager, select the device in the 
Installed Devices list.
2.If you are using Cubase, click Open Device.
Make sure that Patch Banks is selected on the pop-up menu at the top of 
the window.
3.Activate the Enable Edit checkbox.
When this is turned off (default), you cannot edit the pre-configured de-
vices.
4.Use the Patch Banks display to locate and select the 
patch you want to rename.
In many instruments, the user-editable patches are located in a separate 
group or bank.
5.Click on the selected patch in the Patch Banks list to 
edit its name.
6.Type in the new name and click OK.
7.Rename the desired patches in this way, and finish by 
deactivating Enable Edit again (to avoid modifying the de
-
vice by accident).
ÖYou can also make more radical changes to the patch 
structure in a device (adding or deleting patches, groups 
or banks), see below. For example, this is useful if you ex
-
pand your MIDI device by adding extra storage media 
such as RAM cards.
Patch Structure
Patches are structured as follows:
• Banks are the main categories of sounds – typically patches, 
performances and drums, as described above.
• Each bank can contain any number of groups, represented by 
folders in the list.
• The individual patches, performances or drum kits are repre-
sented by presets in the list.