Using Cubase as a sound module with mpc to then sync

What's going on guys. Ive recently made the switch to using just vsts but i cant abandon the pads. Im using an MPC 2000 (which would be connected to a midi controller. more on that later because i dont want to confuse anyone, so one thing at a time) and cubase 5. So I've gotten so accustom to sequencing with the mpc that i cant let it go for sh** cubase sequencing. When making the switch i came across this because i think this what im looking to do: http://www.akaipro.com/synccubase

what i want to do is sequence with my mpc with the vsts from cubase to then track the finished product into cubase or have it all work simultaneously. now my current set up is midi out mpc to midi in soundcard. and this worked just fine, i would set up at vst track, trigger the pad and i would hear that sound. then i would record a loop with that sound into my mpc into a sequence. This worked as well.

now i guess what im asking is how can i record multiple separate tracks on the mpc into a sequence with the sounds from cubase? To then have it record my finished sequence into cubase on seperate tracks. If that made any F** sense at all.

for example having a kick on the first cubase vst track, record it into midi track 1a on the mpc. then set up a second cubase vst track with a snare and have it on midi track 2a on the mpc and so on. and once i have the desired sequence i id like to track it into cubase having the kick the snare and so on on their own individual tracks. is the easy way of putting all of this called syncing the mpc with cubase? Hence my title. if so out of that link which one do you think i need to do.

i tried the first one (using mpc as master and cubase as slave) and got it to work i think. i followed all the directions pressed play and it worked, cubase started to play and stop whenever i did so on the mpc. but im not sure if its the set up im looking for.

anyone have a clue?

if you anyone needs any clarification i would be glad to do so because i myself got confused writing this haha.

Best regards


(about the midi controller)
this would probably be a later question once i get this syncing business under control because i dont want to confuse anyone but in short ive recently bought a new midi controller and i cant seem to have it work with my mpc. it could be because its a usb midi controller but it has midi ins and outs so i dont know what the issue is. but again one thing at a time.

the way you are talking about working is really a good way to go.
and also, let me preface this with, i do not use cubase...so i cant really tell you details on that.

anyway, first things first, you are not really talking about 'sync'. now, the fact that you've got midi sync working where you hit play on the mpc and cubase starts...that's great. id say keep it, but bear in mind THAT is sync, and it has nothing to do with triggering vsts. it will help you later on, when you go to finally record into cubase.

ok so now that we have established 'sync' is not the issue, you are basically saying you want to trigger cubase multi-timbrally, using it as a sound module for your mpc.
we have also established, because you got sync working, that cubase IS receiving your mpc mid. thats great.

the gist is, you need to set up vst tracks in cubase to receive on different midi channels. take a look at this link i easily found, googling 'cubase receive multiple midi channels':
http://www.steinbergusers.com/cubase/bt ... former.php

now, one other thing i'm not sure you thought of, is that for some instruments, you don't actually NEED extra cubase tracks, because you can use multiple tracks for the same channel on the mpc, yet still control them independently. a good example is a drum kit...you don't need to set the drum kit in cubase up on channel 1 for kick, and channel 2 for snare. instead, you can set up one drum kit on channel 1, and then in your mpc make one track sending to channel 1 for kick, and another track sending to channel 1 for snare. it's important to realise that the tracks in your mpc do not need to mirror the tracks in cubase....you just need to get your midi channels set up right.

once you've got all the triggering going on, you can basically do the entire sequence in your mpc, without the cubase sequencer even running. then, when you are ready to record, sync up cubase to the mpc, hit play on the mpc and then once it's going, hit record on cubase, and you'll be able to record your sequencing and track muting, etc, into cubase.

check that link out, again, im not a cubase user, but it looks like it will get you where you want to go.

There are some options here.

tapedeck has described one pretty well already which is essentially using Cubase as a sound module.

I'm too tired to type right now, but if no other options are posted by tomorrow I'll chime in with one.

Peace.

clint246clint wrote:if no other options are posted by tomorrow I'll chime in with one.

Peace.

Record the midi from the MPC into Cubase and take it from there, voila!

have you ever tried a program called v-stacks, it can be used as a vst host, it just like cubase without the sequencer, it is made by steinberg also google for a free download, works good with the mpc

tapedeck wrote:
ok so now that we have established 'sync' is not the issue, you are basically saying you want to trigger cubase multi-timbrally, using it as a sound module for your mpc.
we have also established, because you got sync working, that cubase IS receiving your mpc mid. thats great.

the gist is, you need to set up vst tracks in cubase to receive on different midi channels. take a look at this link i easily found, googling 'cubase receive multiple midi channels':
http://www.steinbergusers.com/cubase/bt ... former.php


check that link out, again, im not a cubase user, but it looks like it will get you where you want to go.

You hit it right on the mark tapedeck thats exactly what i want to do use cubase multi-timbrally as a sound module. i forgot all about multi mode from my triton rack days. anyway i checked out that link and i wasnt sure how to take it. i followed the directions but it didnt really give me a clear sense of using cubase as a module. care to share some insight if you have any on this topic? because i know you didnt come to this thread for that reason due to my incorrect title

anyone else can chime in as well

I don't use Cubase either but using a DAW as a sound module is pretty standard fodder these days. The exact process of setting this up is specific to each DAW but essentially the same.

I do the same thing using Logic to exploit all those lovely stock instruments.

IF you have the Cubase manual Instruction's will be in there under somewhere like 'midi settings', 'using vsti's for live performance' or 'using an external sequencer'.

It can take a while to set up but once you've got it, save the session as a template for future use.

The V-Stack application is from the Cubase Sx days but also works on windows 7. It is a small app for hosting VSTi's and sells real cheap if you can find it.

Maybe a Cubase user will chime in to guide you further.

From this thread.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=100972

Pretty much as in tapedecks link.

simmer wrote:
CUBASE 5 MIDI INPUT TRANSFORMER (IN CONJUNCTION WITH AKAI MPC 2000XL)

Here goes

1. For each vst/synth you use you have to create a new midi track.

2. Set the input of the midi channel to where the mpc midi comes in.

3. Set the output to the vst/synth you're using.

4. Set the channel to the channel that the vst/synth is receiving on.

5. Then you have something called "Input transformer" .

6. In cubase it's located in the inspector pannel next to the mute , solo , Read/write enable buttons.

7. It has a picture of an arrow .

8. If you click this you can choose Off , Global or Local.

9. Choose Local.

10. In the next menu you go to the presets and select "Channel filtering" and then the channel you want to receive on that midi channel.

11. At the bottom of input transformer in the Function box, select "Transform".

12. Then make sure you set the Active module number to the same number that's in the Selected module Tab.

It's probably just Module 1 you have to enable cause that's default.

Now all midi will be sent to the midi track but only the selected channel will pass through to the vst/synth.

It may seem like a lot of work , but once you know what to do it's really not that hard.

Greetz...

ok this is really lame but the only other 'insight' i have is that it sounds a lot like you are setting up e-mail filters.

you've got all this data coming in on one port, but at different channels. the 'input transformer' is simply telling cubase, 'send anything that comes in on channel 1 to here, send channel to there', etc etc.

Sorry for the late response guys, my interface's drivers crapped out on me but i ended up trying what was on the thread clint246clint set me to but it still doesnt make sense to be because cubase 5 is so much different in some respects then the other versions especially if you started with cubase 5. Anyway i at least know that the input transformer is what im looking for so i can now focus on that as the issue.

Thanks

So, its only a day since you last posted, but I was just wondering how you got on with the input transformer? If you still cant get it, this might help:

In cubase, you can insert a midi channel, give it its own input (1-16) and link it to a cubase instrument/vsti.That way you can have the MPC send midi data from its 1A-16A channel to the corresponding midi channel and instrument in cubase. I know this because i spent an eternity trying to figure it out on cubase LE 5, only to find out that the LE editions don't support this type of interaction!!!

Here's a link for input transformer from the cubase site: http://www.steinbergusers.com/cubase/bt ... former.php

Just a thought though: you say "how can i record multiple separate tracks on the mpc into a sequence with the sounds from cubase? To then have it record my finished sequence into cubase on seperate tracks".

Essentially you want to record sequence data on the MPC which will trigger instruments in cubase when you hit play on the sampler. And then you want to record the whole sequence back into cubase. If you want to trigger cubase instruments with pads, why not just use the mpc as a pad controller and use cubase to record the sequence once only? (as Clint said above)

Unless you inherently prefer the MPC sequencer in its own right, in which case I shall butt out!!

I've been on a midi adventure of late, so I think I know all the answers ... (I accept any devastating responses to the contrary )

DrQTron wrote:So, its only a day since you last posted, but I was just wondering how you got on with the input transformer? If you still cant get it, this might help:

In cubase, you can insert a midi channel, give it its own input (1-16) and link it to a cubase instrument/vsti.That way you can have the MPC send midi data from its 1A-16A channel to the corresponding midi channel and instrument in cubase. I know this because i spent an eternity trying to figure it out on cubase LE 5, only to find out that the LE editions don't support this type of interaction!!!

Here's a link for input transformer from the cubase site: http://www.steinbergusers.com/cubase/bt ... former.php

Just a thought though: you say "how can i record multiple separate tracks on the mpc into a sequence with the sounds from cubase? To then have it record my finished sequence into cubase on seperate tracks".

Essentially you want to record sequence data on the MPC which will trigger instruments in cubase when you hit play on the sampler. And then you want to record the whole sequence back into cubase. If you want to trigger cubase instruments with pads, why not just use the mpc as a pad controller and use cubase to record the sequence once only? (as Clint said above)

Unless you inherently prefer the MPC sequencer in its own right, in which case I shall butt out!!

I've been on a midi adventure of late, so I think I know all the answers ... (I accept any devastating responses to the contrary )

Thanks for this post. I'm using this setup, as well. The one question I have is am I now limited to 16 midi tracks total in Cubase at a time now that I have the midi inputs filtered using the Input Transformer? Right now I'm going out of Midi Out A on the MPC ( using 1A-16A channels) into Cubase (via M-Audio MidiSport 4x4). In other words, would it be possible for me to go out of Midi Out B of the MPC (using 1B-16B channels) at the same time that I'm using Midi Out A (1A-16A channels) in Cubase? And then do the same thing with Midi Out C and Midi Out D, as well? When using Cubase as the sequencer, I know you have 16 midi channels per instrument (VST and external) and you use the same midi channel for different midi tracks with different instruments without any conflicts. Would I be able to utilize all 16 midi channels for each instrument or would I be limited to 16 midi channels total at one time with this setup?

Thanks