Steinberg Cubase SE 3 Operation Manual

							19
MIDI realtime parameters and
effects 
						

							CUBASE SE
19 – 352 MIDI realtime parameters and effects
Introduction
For each MIDI track, you can set up a number of track parameters and 
MIDI effects. These affect how the MIDI data is played back, “transform-
ing” MIDI events in real time before they are sent to the MIDI outputs.
On the following pages, the available parameters and effects are 
described. Keep in mind:
• The actual MIDI events will not be affected – the changes happen “on the fly”.
• Since the track parameter settings don’t actually change the MIDI data on the 
track, they will not be reflected in the MIDI editors. To convert the settings to 
“real” MIDI events, you need to use the Merge MIDI in Loop function (see 
page 368). 
						

							CUBASE SE
MIDI realtime parameters and effects 19 – 353
The Inspector – General handling
The track parameters and effects are set up in the Inspector (although 
some settings are available in the mixer as well). Here’s a brief rundown 
on how to handle the Inspector:
•To show or hide the Inspector, click the Inspector icon on the Project 
window’s toolbar.
•The Inspector for a MIDI track is divided into five sections. You can 
fold or unfold the sections individually by clicking on the section name.
Clicking the name for a hidden section brings it to view and hides the other sections. 
[Ctrl]/[Command]-clicking the tab allows you to hide or show a section without affect-
ing other sections. Finally, [Alt]/[Option]-clicking a tab shows or hides all sections in 
the Inspector.
• Folding a section does not affect the functionality but merely hides the 
section from view. 
In other words, your settings will still be active even if you fold the Inspector settings.  
						

							CUBASE SE
19 – 354 MIDI realtime parameters and effects
Basic track settings
The topmost Inspector section contains the basic settings for the se-
lected MIDI track. These are settings that either affect the basic func-
tionality for the track (mute, solo, enable record, etc.) or send out 
additional MIDI data to the connected devices (program change, vol-
ume, etc.). The section contains all settings in the Track list (see page 
70), with a few additional parameters:
Parameter Description
Track name field Click once to show/hide the topmost Inspector section. Double-
click to rename the track.
Edit button This opens the channel settings window for the track (a window 
showing a channel strip with volume fader and other controls, 
along with effect settings – see page 168).
Mute/Solo buttons Mutes or solos the MIDI track.
Read/Write buttons Used for automating the track settings – see page 231.
Record enable button Activate this to make the track ready for recording.
Input transformer but-
tonOpens the Input Transformer dialog, allowing you to transform 
incoming MIDI events in real time. 
Monitor button When this is activated (and MIDI Thru Active is on in the Pref-
erences–MIDI dialog), incoming MIDI will be routed to the se-
lected MIDI output.
Lock button Activating this disables all editing of all events on the track.  
						

							CUBASE SE
MIDI realtime parameters and effects 19 – 355
• Note that the functionality of the “Programs” settings (used for selecting 
sounds in the connected MIDI instrument) depends on which instrument 
the MIDI output is routed to, and how you have set up this in the MIDI 
Device Manager.
The MIDI Device Manager allows you to specify which MIDI instruments and other de-
vices are connected to the various MIDI outputs, thus making it possible to select 
patches by name. See the MIDI Devices and Features pdf for details about the MIDI 
Device Manager.
• Many of the basic track settings are duplicated in “mixer channel strip 
form”, in the Channel section at the bottom of the Inspector.
See page 356.
Volume Use this to adjust the level for the track. Changing this setting 
will move the track’s fader in the Mixer window, and vice versa. 
See page 164 for more about setting levels.
Pan Use this to adjust the panning of the track. 
Delay This adjusts the playback timing of the MIDI track. Positive val-
ues delay the playback while negative values cause the track to 
play earlier. The values are set in milliseconds.
In/Out/Chn pop-ups This is where you select MIDI input, MIDI output and MIDI 
channel for the track.
Open Device button If the MIDI track is routed to a VST instrument, clicking this but-
ton opens the control panel for the VST instrument.
Bnk/Prg/Programs Allows you to select sounds by sending MIDI Bank Select and 
Program Change messages (see below)
Map pop-up Allows you to select a drum map for the track – see page 438. Parameter Description 
						

							CUBASE SE
19 – 356 MIDI realtime parameters and effects
Other Inspector sections
Apart from the basic track settings (above), the Track Parameters and 
the effect sections (both described on the following pages), the Inspec-
tor for a MIDI track also contains the following:
The Channel section
This contains a single channel strip, allowing you to set volume, pan, 
mute/solo and other parameters for the track. This is a “mirror” of the 
track’s channel strip in the Cubase SE mixer – see page 161.
VST Instrument section
If the MIDI track is routed to a VST Instrument, an additional section 
will appear at the bottom of the Inspector, labeled with the name of 
the VST instrument. Clicking this section shows a duplicate of the In-
spector settings for the VST Instrument channel. This makes it easy to 
adjust the channel settings for the VST Instrument while you are edit-
ing the MIDI track.
•If the VST Instrument has multiple outputs (and thus several mixer 
channels), there will be a setting called “Output” at the top of the VST 
Instrument section.  
						

							CUBASE SE
MIDI realtime parameters and effects 19 – 357
Track parameters
The following settings will affect the MIDI events on the track in real 
time during playback. They will also be in effect if you play “live” with the 
track selected and record enabled (provided that “MIDI Thru Active” is 
activated on the Preferences–MIDI page). This makes it possible to 
e.g. transpose or adjust the velocity of your live playing.
• If you want to compare the result of your track parameters with the “un-
processed” MIDI, you can use the Bypass button in the Track Parameters 
section.
When this is activated, the Track Parameter settings will be temporarily disabled. A 
bypassed section is indicated by a yellow Bypass button.   
						

							CUBASE SE
19 – 358 MIDI realtime parameters and effects
Transpose
This allows you to transpose all notes on the track in semitones. The 
available range is -127 to +127 semitones, but remember that the to-
tal range of MIDI note numbers is 0 to 127. Furthermore, not all instru-
ments can play back notes over the whole range. Therefore, extreme 
transpositions can give rather strange and unwanted results.
• You can also transpose individual MIDI parts using the Transpose field 
in the info line.
The transposition in the info line (for the individual part) is added to the transpose value 
you have set up for the whole track in the Inspector-
Velocity Shift
This setting lets you change the dynamics of all notes on the track. 
The value in this field is added to the velocity of each note message 
that is sent out (use negative values to lower the velocities). The range 
is -127 to +127 with 0 representing no change in velocity.
Note that the effects of changing the velocity depends on the sound 
and instrument.
• You can also adjust the velocity of events in individual MIDI parts using 
the Velocity field in the info line.
The velocity shift in the info line (for the individual part) is added to the velocity shift you 
have set up for the whole track in the Inspector. 
						

							CUBASE SE
MIDI realtime parameters and effects 19 – 359
Velocity Compression
This function multiplies the velocity values with the factor you specify. 
This factor is set using a numerator (left value) and a denominator 
(right value), resulting in a fractional number (1/2, 3/4, 3/2 etc.). For 
example, if you set the factor to 3/4, the velocities will be three quar-
ters of their original values. The point is, that this will also affect the 
difference in velocity between the notes, thereby compressing or ex-
panding the velocity scale. Typically, you would combine this setting 
with the Velocity Shift parameter. An example:
Let’s say you have three notes with the velocity values 60, 90 and 
120, and wish to “even out” the velocity differences somewhat. If you 
set the Velocity Compression value to 1/2, the notes will play back 
with the velocities 30, 45 and 60. By adding 60 in the Velocity Shift 
field, you will have the notes playing back with the velocities 90, 105 
and 120, meaning you have in effect compressed the velocity range. 
In a similar way, you can use Velocity Compression values greater 
than 1/1 together with negative values in the Velocity Shift field, to ex-
pand the velocity range.
Remember that the maximum velocity is always 127 no matter how 
much you try to expand.
Length Compression
This value adjusts the lengths of all notes on the track. As with Veloc-
ity Compression, the value is set with a numerator and denominator. 
For example, the value 2/1 means that all note lengths will be doubled, 
while 1/4 means all note lengths will be quarter of the actual lengths. 
						

							CUBASE SE
19 – 360 MIDI realtime parameters and effects
Random
The Random settings let you introduce random variations to various 
properties of MIDI notes. Anything from very subtle variations to dra-
matic changes can be applied. There are two separate “Random gen-
erators”, each of which are set up in the following way:
1.Pull down the Random pop-up menu and select which note property 
should be randomized.
The options are position, pitch, velocity and length. 
• Keep in mind that depending on the content of the track, certain para-
meter changes might not be immediately noticeable, or have any effect 
at all (as would be the case if applying random length to a percussion 
track playing “one-shot” samples for example). 
To best audition the random changes choose a track with clearly defined rhythm and 
note content, if possible (as opposed to a string pad).
2.Set the desired range of random deviation by entering values in the 
two number fields.
The two values govern the limits of the randomization, so that the values will vary be-
tween the left value and the right value (you cannot set the left value higher than the 
right value). The maximum random range for each property is listed in the table below: 
• Note again that you can make independent settings for the two random 
generators.
•To deactivate the Random function, pull down the Random pop-up 
menu(s) and select “OFF”.
Property Range
Position -500 to +500 ticks
Pitch -120 to +120 semitones
Velocity -120 to +120 
Length -500 to +500 ticks