Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Getting Started Manual

CUBASE SX/SLTutorial 6: Using VST Instruments 14 – 181
Routing
1.Go back to the Project window and select the “MIDI Bass” track by 
clicking in the Track list.
You will notice that a set of tracks has been added for the vb-1 at the bottom of the 
Track list, within a “VST Instruments” folder. These tracks are for viewing and editing 
the automation of the vb-1 and its mixer channel - see the Operation Manual.
2.Make sure the Inspector is open.
The Inspector is the area to the left of the Track list. If...

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Playing back
Now it’s time to replace the audio bass with the VB-1:
1.Click the Mute (“M”) button in the Track list for the “Bass” track.
This mutes (silences) the track.
2.Click the lit Mute button in the Track list for the “MIDI Bass” track so 
that it goes dark.
You have now unmuted the MIDI Bass track.
3.Start playback from the beginning of the song.
You should now hear the VB-1 play the bass line. You may have to ad-
just the volume so that the...

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Adding another instrument
The next MIDI track is called “MIDI Perc” and contains a MIDI percus-
sion pattern. This is an excellent opportunity to check out another of 
the included VST Instruments – the LM-7 drum machine:
1.Open the VST Instruments window from the Devices menu.
2.Pull down the pop-up menu for the next slot and select “lm-7” from 
the Drums submenu.
Make sure its power button is activated.
3.In the Project window, click the Mute (“M”)...

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Hmmm, nothing can be heard – but the indicator in the Track list shows 
that MIDI notes are being played! The problem here is that the wrong 
program (drum set) is selected for the LM-7. For this track to play back 
properly, we should choose a percussion set. This can be done directly 
in the Inspector or the VST Instruments window, but let’s check out the 
control panel for the LM-7 instead:
8.Click the Instruments Settings button for the track in...

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11.Go back to the Project window and click the lit Solo button for the 
track to turn off the Solo function.
All tracks are unmuted again – except the tracks that were muted from the beginning 
(Bass and MIDI Strings).
Again, you may want to adjust the volume of the LM-7. If you open the 
mixer, you will find that a new channel strip has appeared – use the 
fader as before.
Playing a VST Instrument in real time
The next part of this tutorial requires...

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This routes the track to the a1 synthesizer. However, now we also need 
a MIDI input, since you’re going to play the VST instrument “live”:
6.Pull down the “in:” pop-up menu and make sure the correct MIDI input 
is selected.
This should be the MIDI input to which your keyboard (or other controller) is connected. 
If in doubt, you can select the “All MIDI Inputs” option, in which case the track will ac-
cept MIDI from all available inputs.
7.Click the...

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Recording
When you’ve figured out something to play, it’s time to record this. Re-
cording for a VST Instrument is done just like “normal” MIDI recording:
1.Click the record enable button for the MIDI Strings track.
In previous tutorials we recorded from the project cursor position – 
now we will start recording at the left locator, with a precount.
2.Pull down the Transport menu and make sure the “Start Record at 
Left Locator” setting is...

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8.When you’re done, click Stop.
A MIDI part has been created on the MIDI Strings track.
9.Play back to listen to your recording.
If you want to try again, select Undo from the Edit menu and proceed from step 3 above.
10.When you’re done, click the record enable button for the track to de-
activate it.
Making parameter settings
After you’ve recorded your synth or string part (and possibly adjusted 
its volume in the mixer) you may want to adjust the...

CUBASE SX/SLTutorial 6: Using VST Instruments 14 – 189
3.Make sure Cycle is activated on the Transport panel, and start playback.
The whole “song” will now play back repeatedly.
Cycle activated on the Transport panel.
4.Click the Instrument Settings button in the Inspector (to the left of the 
“chn:” pop-up) for the MIDI Strings track, to bring up the a1 control 
panel.
5.While the music is playing, try adjusting the parameters by clicking 
and dragging the controls in the panel.
The a1 is laid out much...

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Automating the changes
Just like other mixer and effect settings in Cubase SX/SL, parameter 
changes for VST Instruments can be automated. Proceed as follows:
1.Stop playback and move the project cursor to the start of the project.
2.Turn off the Cycle button on the Transport panel.
This is simply a “safety measure” – if you record automation in Cycle mode, you may 
accidentally overwrite parameter changes you have made on a previous Cycle lap....