Steinberg Cubase Le 8 Manual

Synchronization
Synchronized operation
571
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.
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...

Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
572
Sync mode
When you activate the Sync button, the following happens:
• Cubase awaits incoming timecode from the chosen timecode source defined 
in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog in order to play.
Cubase will detect incoming timecode, locate to its current position, and start 
playback in sync with the incoming timecode.
Working with VST System Link
VST System Link is a network system for digital audio that allows you to have 
several computers...

Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
573
• 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...

Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
574
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...

Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
575
VST System Link and latency
T h e  g e n e r a l  d e f i n i t i o n  o f  l a t e n c y  i s  t h e  a m o u n t  o f  t i m e  i t  t a k e s  a n y  s y s t e m  t o  r e s p o n d  
to whatever messages are sent to it. For example, if your system’s latency is high 
and you play VST instruments in realtime, you will get a noticeable delay between 
when you press a key and when you hear the sound of the VST instrument. 
Nowadays, most ASIO-compatible...

Synchronization
Working with VST System Link
576
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...

Synchronization
Activating VST System Link
577
Activating VST System Link
Before you proceed, you need to make sure that VST System Link is set as the 
timecode source in the Project Synchronization Setup dialog and that the desired 
Sync options are activated.
After setting up the inputs and outputs, you now need to define which input/output 
will carry the actual VST System Link information.
The VST System Link networking signal is carried on only one bit of one channel. 
This means that if you have an...

Synchronization
Activating VST System Link
578
RESULT 
As the computers are made active, you should see the Sending and Receiving 
indicators flashing on each active computer, and the name of each computer should 
appear in the list at the bottom of the pane. Each computer is assigned a random 
number – do not worry about this, it is just so the network knows internally which 
one is which.
• You can double-click on the name in bold (which is the name of the computer 
you are currently working on) and...

Synchronization
Activating VST System Link
579
• The Transfer Bits setting allows you to specify whether you want to transfer 24 
or 16 bits. This allows you to use older audio cards which do not support 
transfer of 24 bits.
RESULT 
VST System Link sends and understands all transport commands (such as play, 
stop, fast forward, rewind, etc.). This allows you to control the entire network from 
one computer without a problem – try it! If you jump to a locator point on one 
machine, all other machines...

Synchronization
Activating VST System Link
580
3. If you now open the Input or Output Routing pop-up menu, you will find the 
specified System Link ports added to the list of MIDI inputs or outputs.
This allows you to route MIDI tracks to VST instruments running on another computer, 
as described in the application examples.
RELATED LINKS
Using one computer for VST instruments (not in Cubase LE) on page 583
The “Use Selected ASIO Ports for Data only” setting
If you are sending huge amounts of MIDI data...