Cybase SL W/ MPC

Can i use Cubase to play my soft synth and the MPC to play my drums?

In a perfect world yes....

Puerto Rico DJ wrote:Can i use Cubase to play my soft synth and the MPC to play my drums?

Yup, synced together via MIDI, I would have the MPC as the Master.
Just beware of the dreaded Latency. You may get better results if you keep the softsynth MIDI sequences in Cubase too, not the MPC - doesn't Cubase compensate for latency somehow?

So How would the correct connection be, MIDI out of the MPC to the MIDI in of the interface??

Puerto Rico DJ wrote:So How would the correct connection be, MIDI out of the MPC to the MIDI in of the interface??

Spot on - that should do it.
Then if you have a keyboard on the MPC1000 MIDI In, select the correct MIDI channel & port (1A .... 16B) on the selected to play the soft synths, if you like.

You can avoid the latency by using Cubase as the Master. Cubase can then handle it's own latency, and "delay" the midi out to the MPC so the final audio outs from both machines are in sync.

i read something about connecting the audio out to a mixer in order to hear the softsynth, do i have to do this? and if yes are the talking about the audio out on the interface??

¿Que pasa contigo, PRDJ?

I've found this to be the best setup for programming MIDI lines with the MPC and softsynths and Cubase. (I run SX)

I run the MPC as the master sequencer, programming any drums in either the MPC itself or as MIDI tracks into whatever soft/hard synth I'm using, routing through Cubase. Cubase allows you to send individual MIDI channels it receives to specific soft synth tracks in Cubase, such as a track for each rewired instrument in a Reason rack, or whatever. You'll need to wire each instrument to the appropriate channel, both in Cubase and Reason or whichever soft synth you're using. You'll also need to route the audio from each softsynth into Cubase.

At this point you'll be able to run your sequences entirely on the MPC, but still be able to process your softsynths through Cubase's effects/EQ/dynamics, which are quite good. Program beats as you normally would on the MPC. If you wish to program melodies using a keyboard, connect a keyboard to the MPC and switch to the appropriate MIDI track to control the appropriate instrument. Simple.

After you've created a finished sequence (either a loop or a song) convert it to a .mid on the MPC and export to compactflash (or on older MPCs to disk) and import the .mid into Cubase. Attempting to record the MIDI directly into Cubase will prove unsuccessful, but you'll need MIDI tracks written into Cubase if you want to render your composition to wav, mp3 or whatever else.

That's about all you need to know on the subject.

-tank.

jksuperstar wrote:You can avoid the latency by using Cubase as the Master. Cubase can then handle it's own latency, and "delay" the midi out to the MPC so the final audio outs from both machines are in sync.

Good point, but if you're running the MPC through the same A/D/A box as is playing the outputs from Cubase, you can route the audio (internal Drum tracks on the MPC) through Cubase as well.

If he's using Cubase 2.0 or later, Cubase has automatic latency compensation, and it will delay all audio tracks appropriately so that all softsynths and audio tracks play simultaneously.

That's how I run, anyhow.

-tank.

Puerto Rico DJ wrote:i read something about connecting the audio out to a mixer in order to hear the softsynth, do i have to do this? and if yes are the talking about the audio out on the interface??

To hear softsynths, you have to "wire" their output channels into Cubase. If they are VST instruments, this may be taken care of for you automatically when you initialize the instrument. I'm no expert in Cubase or VST instruments.

You should not need to route any hardware outputs unless you record to media outside your computer. (ie, you output soft synths through a hardware mixer and effects boxes before recording to 2" or something)

-tank.

Gracias!!!!!!!

Just order Cubase SL and Sony Sound Forge 7.0 I hope i did a smart buy

isn't cubase sl a slimmed down version of cubase sx?

Essentially, SL has pared-down effects that come with it, and it has limited tracks, limited soft synth channels and fx tracks, etc, but it will work for anyone not overly abusing their MIDI or demanding too much in the way of effects. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the effects handling in SX, though. Other than a better reverb (like those that come with Sonar) it's the best preset selection of effects I've ever seen, and its very flexible with multiple ways to route things (as inserts or return channels, send and return levels configurable, etc)

Kickass program, really. Worth the wad of cash.

-tank.

hahaha, it always makes me laugh when people use "wad"....too much porn in my life, i guess...