Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual

							Synchronization
The Project Synchronization Setup dialog
961
Auto-Detect Frame-Rate Changes
Cubase can notify the user when the frame rate of timecode changes at any 
point. This is helpful in diagnosing problems with timecode and external 
devices. This notification will interrupt playback or recording. Deactivating this 
option will avoid any interruption in playback or recording.
IMPORTANT
If there is a discrepancy between the project frame rate in Cubase and 
incoming timecode, Cubase might still be able to lock to the incoming 
timecode. If the user is unaware of these differences, problems can arise later 
in postproduction.
Machine Control Output Destination
When the Sync button on the Transport panel is activated, all transport commands 
(including movements of the cursor in the Project window) are translated into 
machine control commands and routed according to the settings made in the 
“Machine Control Output Destination” section.
MC Master Active
When this option is activated, transport commands are routed or sent to any 
device while sync is enabled. Additional routing options become available, 
see below. Deactivating this option does not affect the operation of the 
individual MMC Device panels. They can still function regardless of the 
machine control destination.
MMC Input and Output
The MMC Input and MMC Output settings determine which MIDI port in your 
system will send and receive MMC commands. Set both the input and output 
to MIDI ports that are connected to the desired MIDI device.
MMC Device ID
The MMC device ID should be set to the same number as the receiving 
device. You can also set the device ID to “All” if more than one machine is 
receiving MMC commands or if the device ID is not known.
NOTE
Some devices can only listen to their specific IDs. Therefore, using the All 
option will not work with such devices. 
						

							Synchronization
The Project Synchronization Setup dialog
962
Number of Audio Tracks (Cubase Pro only)
The number of audio tracks should be set to match the amount of available 
audio tracks in the destination device. This setting determines how many 
record-enable buttons are shown in the MMC Master panel (see below).
MMC Master panel
The MMC Master panel can be opened from the Devices menu. In order to 
use the MMC Master panel, proceed as follows:
• Open the Preferences dialog, select the MIDI Filter section and make 
sure SysEx is activated in the Thru section.
This is necessary since MMC uses two-way communication (the tape 
recorder “replies” to the MMC messages it receives from Cubase). By 
filtering out SysEx Thru, you ensure that these MMC System Exclusive 
replies are not echoed back to the tape recorder.
• On the MMC Master panel, activate the Online button to use the 
transport buttons on the panel to control the transport of the device.
It is not necessary to have this activated in order to synchronize with the 
MMC device. It only affects operation of the MMC Master panel.
• You can use the buttons to the left on the MMC Master panel to arm 
tape tracks for recording.
• The “A1, A2, TC, VD” items refer to additional tracks usually found on 
video tape recorders.
Refer to the manual of your VTR device to see if these tracks are 
supported.
Machine Control Input (Cubase Pro only)
Cubase can respond to machine control commands from external MIDI devices.
Cubase can follow incoming transport commands (locate, play, record) and 
respond to record-enabling commands for audio tracks. This allows Cubase to 
easily integrate into larger studio systems with centralized machine control and 
synchronization such as theatrical mixing stages.
MMC Slave Active
When this option is activated, several settings become available in the 
Machine Control Input section: 
						

							Synchronization
The Project Synchronization Setup dialog
963
IMPORTANT
The MMC protocol involves polling devices (requesting information) for their 
status which requires two way communication. While some functions may 
work with only one way communication, it is best to connect both MIDI ports 
(input and output) of MMC devices.
MIDI Timecode Destinations
Cubase can send MTC to any MIDI port. Use this section to specify the MIDI ports 
to which MTC is routed. Devices that can lock to MTC will chase Cubase’s 
timecode position.
NOTE
Some MIDI interfaces send MTC over all ports by default. If this is the case, only 
select one port of the interface for MTC.
MIDI Timecode Follows Project Time
Activate this option to ensure that the MTC output follows Cubase’s time 
position at all times including looping, locating, or jumping while playing. If not, 
MTC will continue on without changing locations at a loop or jump point until 
playback stops.
MIDI Clock Destinations
Some MIDI devices like drum machines can match their tempo and location to 
incoming MIDI clock. Select any MIDI ports that you wish to output MIDI clock.
Option Description
MMC Input Set this to the MIDI input that is connected to the master machine 
control device.
MMC Output Set this to the MIDI output that is connected to the master 
machine control device.
MMC Device 
IDThis determines the MIDI ID number that is used to identify the 
machine in Cubase. 
						

							Synchronization
Synchronized operation
964
MIDI Clock Follows Project Position
Activate this option to ensure that the MIDI clock device follows Cubase when 
looping, locating, or jumping while playing.
NOTE
Some older MIDI devices might not respond well to these positioning 
messages and could take some time synchronizing to the new location.
Always Send Start Message
MIDI clock transport commands include Start, Stop, and Continue. However, 
some MIDI devices do not recognize the Continue command. By activating 
the “Always Send Start Message” option, you can avoid this problem with 
specific MIDI devices.
Send MIDI Clock in Stop Mode
Activate this option if you are working with a device that needs MIDI clock to 
run continuously in order to operate arpeggiators and loop generators.
Synchronized operation
Once you have connected all the devices that will be synchronized, it is important 
to understand how Cubase operates in Sync mode. Sync mode is enabled by 
activating the Sync button on the Transport panel.
Sync mode
When you activate the Sync button, the following happens:
•Cubase Pro only: Transport commands are routed to the machine control 
destination output as specified in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog.
Locate, Play, Stop, and Record commands will now be sent to an external 
device.
• Cubase awaits incoming timecode from the chosen timecode source defined 
in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog in order to play. 
						

							Synchronization
Example Scenarios (Cubase Pro only)
965
Cubase will detect incoming timecode, locate to its current position, and start 
playback in sync with the incoming timecode.
Cubase Pro only: In a typical scenario, an external tape machine (e. g. a VTR) has 
its timecode output connected to Cubase. Cubase is sending machine control 
commands to the deck. When Sync is activated and you click Play on the Transport 
panel, a play command is sent to the VTR. The VTR in turn starts playback, sending 
timecode back to Cubase. Cubase then synchronizes to that incoming timecode.
Example Scenarios (Cubase Pro only)
To better understand how synchronization options can be utilized, an example 
scenario is provided.
Personal music studio
In a personal music studio, the user might have the need of synchronizing with an 
external recording device such as a portable hard disk recorder used for live remote 
recordings.
In this example, MIDI will be used for timecode and machine control while the audio 
clock will be handled by Lightpipe digital audio connections.
• When the Sync button is activated, Cubase sends MMC commands to the 
hard disk recorder.
Cubase can remotely start playback of the recorder.
• The hard disk recorder is using audio clock from Cubase’s audio interface as 
the speed reference.
It is also possible for Cubase to use the audio clock from the recorder. The 
audio clock is carried over the Lightpipe digital audio connection that also 
carries audio signals.
• The hard disk recorder sends back MTC to Cubase.
When the recorder begins playing, MTC is sent back to Cubase which will 
sync to that timecode.
Sync settings for personal music studio
To synchronize the devices in this example scenario, proceed as follows:
PROCEDURE
1. Make the connections as shown in the diagram above.
In this simple example, any device that uses MTC can be substituted. 
						

							Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
966
2. Open the Project Synchronization Setup dialog and select “MIDI Timecode” 
as the timecode source.
When recording from the hard disk recorder into Cubase, Cubase will be the machine 
control master and the timecode slave, locking to incoming MTC.
3. In the “Machine Control Output Destination” section, select the “MIDI 
Machine Control” option.
Cubase will now send MMC commands to the hard disk recorder to locate and start 
playback.
4. In the “Machine Control Output Settings” section, assign the MIDI input and 
output ports that are connected to the hard disk recorder.
Since MMC uses two-way communication, both MIDI ports should be connected. Be 
sure the MIDI filter does not echo SysEx data.
5. On the Transport panel, activate the Sync button.
This routes transport commands to the hard disk recorder via MIDI and sets Cubase 
as the timecode slave.
6. On the hard disk recorder, enable MMC and MTC.
Follow the instructions on how to set up the unit to receive MMC commands and 
transmit MTC.
7. In Cubase, click the Play button.
The hard disk recorder should start playback and send MTC to Cubase. Once 
Cubase syncs to MTC, the status on the Transport panel should read “Lock” and 
show the current frame rate of incoming MTC.
Working with VST System Link
VST System Link is a network system for digital audio that allows you to have 
several computers working together in one large system. Unlike conventional 
networks it does not require Ethernet cards, hubs, or CAT-5 cables; instead it uses 
the kind of digital audio hardware and cables you probably already possess in your 
studio.
VST System Link has been designed to be simple to set up and operate, yet give 
enormous flexibility and performance gains in use. It is capable of linking computers 
in a “ring” network (the System Link signal is passed from one machine to the next, 
and eventually returns to the first machine). VST System Link can send its 
networking signal over any type of digital audio cable, including S/PDIF, ADAT, 
TDIF, or AES, as long as each computer in the system is equipped with a suitable 
ASIO compatible audio interface.
Linking up two or more computers gives you vast possibilities:
• Dedicate one computer to running VST instruments while recording audio 
tracks on another.
• If you need lots of audio tracks, you may simply add tracks on another 
computer.
• You could have one computer serve as a “virtual effect rack”, running 
CPU-intensive send effect plug-ins only. 
						

							Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
967
• Since you can use VST System Link to connect different VST System Link 
applications on different platforms, you can take advantage of effect plug-ins 
and VST instruments that are specific to certain programs or platforms.
Requirements
The following equipment is required for VST System Link operation:
• Two or more computers.
These can be of the same type or use different operating systems – it does 
not matter. For example, you can link an Intel-based PC to an Apple 
Macintosh without problems.
• Each computer must have audio hardware with specific ASIO drivers.
• The audio hardware must have digital inputs and outputs.
To be able to connect the computers, the digital connections must be 
compatible (i.
 e. the same digital formats and connection types must be 
available).
• At least one digital audio cable must be available for each computer in the 
network.
• A VST System Link host application must be installed on each computer.
Any VST System Link application can connect to another.
Additionally, use of a KVM switchbox is recommended.
Using a KVM switchbox
Whether you want to set up a multi-computer network or a small network in a limited 
space, it is a good idea to invest in a KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) switchbox. 
With one of these you can use the same keyboard, monitor, and mouse to control 
each computer in the system, and you can switch between computers very rapidly. 
If you decide not to go this route, the network will function just the same, but you 
may end up doing a lot of jumping from one machine to the other while setting up! 
						

							Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
968
Making connections
Below, we assume that you are connecting two computers. Should you have more 
than two computers, it is still best to start with two and add the others one by one 
once the system is working – this makes troubleshooting easier if you run into 
problems. For two computers, you will need two digital audio cables, one in each 
direction:
PROCEDURE
1. Use the first digital audio cable to connect the digital output of computer 1 to 
the digital input of computer 2.
2. Use the other cable to connect the digital output of computer 2 to the digital 
input of computer 1.
If a card has more than one set of inputs and outputs, choose whichever one that suits 
you – for simplicity usually the first set is best.
Synchronization
Before you proceed, you need to make sure that the clock signals on your ASIO 
cards are synchronized correctly. This is essential when cabling any kind of digital 
audio system, not just VST System Link.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
All digital audio cables by definition always carry a clock signal as well as audio 
signals, so you do not have to use a special word clock input and output for this 
(although you may find that you get a slightly more stable audio system if you do, 
especially when using multiple computers).
The clock mode or sync mode is set up in the ASIO control panel of the audio 
hardware. Proceed as follows:
PROCEDURE
1. From the Devices menu, open the Device Setup dialog.
2. On the VST Audio System page, select your audio interface from the ASIO 
Driver pop-up menu.
In the Devices list, the name of the audio interface now appears as a subentry to the 

						

							Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
969
6. Now you need to make sure that one audio card is set to be the clock master 
and all other cards are set to be clock slaves (i.
 e. they listen for the clock 
signal coming from the clock master).
The naming and procedure for this differs depending on the audio hardware – consult 
its documentation if required. If you are using Steinberg Nuendo ASIO hardware, all 
cards default to the AutoSync setting. In this case you must set one of the cards (and 
only one) to “Master” in the Clock Mode section of the control panel.
RESULT 
Typically, the ASIO control panel for an audio card contains some indication of 
whether or not the card receives a proper sync signal, including the sample rate of 
that signal.
This is a good indication that you have connected the cards and set up clock sync 
properly. Check your audio hardware’s documentation for details.
IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT
It is very important that only one card is the clock master, otherwise the network 
cannot function correctly. Once you have set this up, all the other cards in the 
network will take their clock signal from this card automatically.
The only exception to this procedure is if you are using an external clock 
						

							Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
970
To adjust the latency of a system, you adjust the size of the buffers in the ASIO 
control panel – the lower the buffer size, the lower the latency. It is best to keep to 
fairly low latencies (buffer sizes) if your system can handle it – about 12 ms or less 
is usually a good idea.
Setting up your software
Now it is time to set up your programs. The procedures below describe how to set 
things up in Cubase. If you are using another program on the other computer, 
please refer to its documentation.
Setting the sample rate
The projects in both programs must be set to use the same sample rate. Select 
“Project Setup…” from the Project menu and make sure that the sample rate is the 
same in both systems.
Streaming digital audio between applications
PROCEDURE
1. Create input and output busses in both applications and route these to the 
digital inputs and outputs.
The number and configuration of the busses depend on your audio hardware and on 
your needs. If you have a system with eight digital i/o channels (such as an ADAT 
connection), you could create several stereo or mono busses, a surround bus 
together with a stereo bus, or any combination you need. The important thing is that 
you should have the same configuration in both applications – if you have four stereo 
output busses on computer 1, you want four stereo input busses on computer 2, etc.
2. Set things up so that computer 1 plays back some audio.
For example, you could import an audio file and play it back in Cycle mode.
3. In the Inspector or MixConsole, make sure that the channel containing the 
audio material is routed to one of the digital output busses.
4. On computer 2, open the MixConsole and locate the corresponding digital 
input bus.
The audio being played back should now “appear” in the program running on 
computer 2. You should see the input bus level meters moving.
5. Reverse this procedure so that computer 2 plays back and computer 1 “listens”.
RESULT 
Now you have verified that the digital connection works as it should.
NOTE
From this point on in this chapter, we refer to the busses connected to the digital 
inputs and outputs as “VST System Link busses”.