Steinberg Cubase 8 Manual
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Expression maps (Cubase Pro only) Creating and editing expression maps 791 Saving your settings When you have made the desired settings, you need to save the expression map. To do so, click the Save button in the Expression Maps section of the window, specify a file name and a location for the expression map, and click Save.
792 Note Expression Introduction Note Expression offers a very intuitive way of controller editing in Cubase. As an alternative to working with controller lanes in the Key Editor, controller data can be viewed and edited directly on the associated MIDI note events in the event display. With Note Expression, a note and its associated controller data are treated as a unit. When you quantize, move, copy, duplicate, or delete notes, all their associated controller information will follow. This allows for a very intuitive and accurate editing of note-related data. The Note Expression values can be edited in various ways. Furthermore, by superimposing the corresponding data curves in the event display, you can view all the Note Expression data for a note simultaneously, which gives you a good overview. Note Expression curves in the Key Editor When working with Note Expression, it is important to distinguish between VST 3 controllers and MIDI controllers. RELATED LINKS Editing Note Expression data on page 802
Note Expression Introduction 793 VST 3 controllers VST 3 controllers are provided by the VST instrument. Therefore, different controllers can be available, depending on the instrument. VST 3 controllers provide articulation information for each individual note. Unlike MIDI controllers (which are channel-specific), VST 3 controllers are note-specific and are suitable for polyphonic contexts. Articulating each note in a chord individually creates a much more natural feel. Furthermore, VST 3 controllers allow for a value range that exceeds the MIDI range of 0 to 127, which offers a more comfortable value editing and fine-tuning. To be able to work with VST controllers, you need a VST instrument that offers this kind of controller parameters and is capable of playing back these controller messages. Included with Cubase is HALion Sonic SE, which is compatible with Note Expression. RELATED LINKS HALion Sonic SE on page 813 MIDI controllers A major limitation of MIDI is the nature of controller information. With the exception of poly pressure, controller messages are channel-specific messages, i. e., they affect the entire instrument, regardless of whether they are inserted for a part or a note. Therefore, when using Note Expression with MIDI instruments (hardware or VSTi), it is important to understand that articulation data on one note usually also affects all other notes of the same voice, i. e. any other note playing on the same channel at the same time. This limits the potential of Note Expression for MIDI controller events to monophonic (solo) performances. When using MIDI controllers in polyphonic performances, we recommend using controller lanes in the Key Editor. However, Note Expression can be useful in the context of standard VST instruments and MIDI hardware instruments. RELATED LINKS Using the Controller Display on page 716 Recording MIDI controllers as Note Expression data on page 810 Converting MIDI Controllers into Note Expression data on page 810 Working with Note Expression When working with Note Expression, start by activating the “Show Note Expression Data” button on the Key Editor toolbar. This will give you a visual feedback of your actions. Use the slider to the right of the button to modify the display size of the Note Expression data in the event display.
Note Expression Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab 794 • If you want to listen to your editing, activate the Acoustic Feedback button on the Key Editor toolbar. Playback is triggered when you enter or change Note Expression data. All controllers that are present at the mouse position will be used during playback. Note Expression can be used in the following ways: • You can record notes live into Cubase while attaching some or all of the used controllers as Note Expression events to the notes. • You can replace the existing Note Expression data of a MIDI part by recording Note Expression events for the MIDI notes during playback. • You can add Note Expression data to one MIDI note after another using the “Note Expression MIDI Input” button. • You can draw in Note Expression events for MIDI notes in the Note Expression editor. RELATED LINKS Recording on page 799 Overdubbing on page 800 Recording Note Expression data via MIDI input on page 801 Editing Note Expression data on page 802 Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab To be able to work with Note Expression, you have to set up the parameters first. This is done on the Note Expression tab in the Inspector of the Project window or the Key Editor. The top area of the Note Expression tab shows a list of parameters. The VST 3 controllers are shown first, followed by the MIDI controllers. Which VST 3 controllers are available depends on the instrument that is used. The MIDI controllers can be set up in the MIDI Controller Setup dialog. NOTE If many controllers are available, you may have to navigate through the list using the scrollbar. If an asterisk (*) is displayed in front of a parameter name, data for this controller exists. The number to the right of a parameter determines the MIDI controller mapped to the parameter for recording.
Note Expression Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab 795 1) In the CC column, the controller assignment is shown, if any. 2) VST 3 controllers 3) MIDI controllers 4) Settings for the selected controller 5) Global settings In the middle section of the tab, you can make settings for the parameter that is selected in the list. The following options are available: Parameter name and color selector By clicking on the colored square to the right of the parameter name, you can specify which color is used for the parameter in the Inspector and in the note display. You can also define a Note Expression color set. MIDI assignment field and pop-up menu Here, you can specify the MIDI controller assignment for recording for the selected parameter by either selecting it from the pop-up menu or using the MIDI Learn button. MIDI Learn button You can assign any control of your external MIDI controller to the selected parameter. Click the MIDI Learn button and move the fader or knob on the external device. Parameter range controls (Min/Max) If you want to use only a certain value range of the parameter, you can specify it here. Set the range by changing the minimum and maximum values or use the slider below the fields. Using a parameter range allows you to make finer settings for certain parameters. This is especially useful for the VST 3 parameter “Tuning”. Specify the range you want to use and enter or record the corresponding data.
Note Expression Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab 796 In the lower part of the Note Expression tab, the following global settings and parameters are available: MIDI as Note Expression If this button is activated, incoming MIDI controllers will be recorded as Note Expression data. Channel Rotation If this option is activated, individual MIDI channels are assigned to incoming MIDI notes and their controllers. IMPORTANT In order to use the Channel Rotation mode, the input controller must support channel rotation. Overdub When this is activated, you can overdub existing Note Expression data. Latch Buffer With this button, you can activate/deactivate the latch buffer used for overdub recording. RELATED LINKS Mapping controllers on page 797 Selecting the Event Type on page 716 Project Colors Dialog on page 1040 Recording MIDI controllers as Note Expression data on page 810 Channel Rotation on page 800 Overdubbing on page 800 Latch mode on page 800 Showing/hiding controllers You can specify which parameters are displayed in the Note Expression editor and in the event display by activating/deactivating them in the leftmost column in the list. When you want to edit a single parameter, it might be best to hide the data for the other parameters. Activating several parameters allows you to view them in context, giving you a better overview. In the Inspector, visible controllers are shown with a filled rectangle in front of their name. Hidden controllers are shown with an empty rectangle. To show or hide a parameter, click on its rectangle. This controller is visible. This controller is hidden.
Note Expression Mapping controllers 797 Filtering the list If you click on the Parameter column header, a pop-up menu opens, containing the following filter commands: Show only used Parameters Select this command to only display the parameters in the list for which data exists. Make all Parameters visible Select this command to display all available parameters in the event display. Make only edited Parameter visible Select this command to display only the currently edited parameter in the event display. Bypassing Note Expression Like for most other Inspector tabs, you can bypass the Note Expression settings by clicking on the button at the top right of the Inspector tab, so that it lights up yellow. If Bypass is activated, all Note Expression data will be bypassed for the track. Bypass is active for the Note Expression Inspector tab. Mapping controllers External keyboards have no controls or faders for VST 3 parameters, which can therefore not be recorded directly. To remedy this, you have the possibility to assign a certain MIDI controller (or Pitchbend and Aftertouch) to any of the Note Expression parameters in the list. The MIDI assignment is shown in the CC column in the Inspector. The same MIDI controller can be used for several parameters, but only one of these controllers can be active at a time. If the mapping is active, the number for the assigned MIDI controller is displayed (or PB and AT for Pitchbend and Aftertouch, respectively). If a MIDI controller is assigned but inactive, e. g., because the selected parameter uses the same assignment as another parameter, a dot is shown in the CC column.
Note Expression Mapping controllers 798 The VST 3 parameter Tuning is automatically assigned to the pitchbend wheel of your MIDI controller. All other parameters are assigned by default to the first MIDI controller (CC1: Modulation). To manually specify the record mapping for the parameters, use the MIDI Learn function, or load a mapping preset, see below. Manual mapping To manually map a MIDI controller to the selected Note Expression parameter, you can select the MIDI controller from the MIDI assignment pop-up menu. If the MIDI controller you are looking for is not on the list, select “MIDI Controller Setup…” and activate it in the dialog. This is the same as selecting which controllers are available for the controller lanes in the Key Editor. RELATED LINKS Selecting the Event Type on page 716 MIDI Learn Another way to assign the knobs and faders of your MIDI instrument to Note Expression parameters is using the MIDI Learn function. PROCEDURE 1. Select the parameter to which you want to assign a MIDI controller. 2. Below the list, click the MIDI Learn button to the right of the MIDI assignment pop-up menu. 3. Use the knob or fader on your MIDI device that you want to assign to the selected Note Expression parameter. This control is now automatically assigned. 4. Repeat this step for all the parameters you want to control with your MIDI device. RESULT Now, you can record Note Expression data using the controls on your MIDI device.
Note Expression Recording 799 Using mapping presets When you have set up the mapping for a connected MIDI device, you can save these settings as mapping presets for future use, e. g. when working again with this device. PROCEDURE 1. Open the Parameter pop-up menu and select “Save MIDI Input Assignment”. 2. In the file dialog that appears, specify a name and a location for the file. A file with the extension “*.neinput” is created. RESULT You can recall the mapping presets you created by using the “Load MIDI Input Assignment” command on the Parameter pop-up menu. Recording Recording notes and Note Expression data To record MIDI notes together with Note Expression data using an external MIDI device, proceed as follows: PROCEDURE 1. Create an instrument track, e. g. using HALion Sonic SE as VST instrument. The Note Expression Inspector tab shows which parameters are available for recording. • You can also load one of the available presets. Some presets were created especially for the use with Note Expression. These have the suffix “.NoteExp”. 2. Select a parameter from the list. 3. Set up the record mapping for the parameters. You can use the data range controls to use only a subrange of the full parameter range. This allows for finer recording and editing. 4. Record some MIDI notes and use the mapped controls on your MIDI device to record the corresponding Note Expression data. 5. Open the Key Editor and activate the “Show Note Expression Data” button on the toolbar. The Note Expression data is shown on the notes for which it was recorded. RELATED LINKS Mapping controllers on page 797
Note Expression Recording 800 Channel Rotation Some input controller can assign individual MIDI channels to incoming MIDI notes and their controllers. Each new MIDI note event gets its own internal MIDI channel and all controller that belong to this note event are created with the same MIDI channel. This allows a 16 voice polyphony, which is sufficient for most performances. The Channel Rotation mode allows a correct mapping of these data as Note Expression data per note event. This reduces the amount of data in comparison to the MIDI to Note Expression conversion method. IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT In order to use the Channel Rotation mode, the input controller must support channel rotation. RELATED LINKS Setting up the Note Expression Inspector tab on page 794 Overdubbing You can also record or replace Note Expression data for existing notes. This is achieved by overdubbing. To activate this mode, click the Overdub button on the Note Expression Inspector tab. When this is activated, no notes are recorded when you click the Record button. Instead, you can use the controls on your MIDI device to record Note Expression data for the note that is playing. IMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANTIMPORTANT