Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Operation Manual
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CUBASE SX/SL22 – 492 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 de- scribed. 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, use the Merge MIDI in Loop function (see page 508).
CUBASE SX/SLMIDI realtime parameters and effects 22 – 493 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 seven sections (six in Cubase SL). You can fold or unfold the sections individually by click- ing 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 SX/SL22 – 494 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 91), with a few additional parameters: Parameter Description Track name field Click once to show/hide the topmost Inspector section. Dou- ble-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 228). Mute/Solo buttons Mutes or solos the MIDI track. Read/Write buttons Used for automating the track settings – see page 328. Input transformer buttonOpens the Input Transformer dialog, allowing you to transform incoming MIDI events in real time. This is described in the “Logi- cal editor” chapter of the MIDI Devices and Features pdf. Record enable button Activate this to make the track ready for recording. Monitor button When this is activated (and MIDI Thru Active is on in the Prefer- ences–MIDI dialog), incoming MIDI will be routed to the selected MIDI output. Toggle Timebase buttonSwitches between musical (tempo related) and linear (time re- lated) time base for the track. See page 120. Lock button Activating this disables all editing of all events on the track.
CUBASE SX/SLMIDI realtime parameters and effects 22 – 495 • Note that the functionality of the “Programs” settings (used for selecting sounds in the connected MIDI instrument) depends on to which instru- ment the MIDI output is routed, 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 496. Lane Display Type buttonAllows you to divide the tracks in lanes. Edit In-Place button (Cubase SX only)This opens a type of Key editor in the Project window that allows you to edit events in context with other tracks - see page 568. 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 218 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 Cubase SL: If the MIDI track is routed to a VST instrument, clicking this button opens the control panel for the VST instru- ment. Cubase SX: If the MIDI track is routed to a device with a panel, clicking this button opens the respective panel. This can be the panel for a VST instrument, but also one that you created your- self (see the separate pdf document “MIDI Devices and Fea- tures”). 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 582. Parameter Description
CUBASE SX/SL22 – 496 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 SX/SL mixer – see page 214. The Notepad section This is a standard notepad, allowing you to enter notes and comments about the track. Each track has its own notepad in the Inspector. 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 SX/SLMIDI realtime parameters and effects 22 – 497 User Panel section This allows you to display device panels, e.g. control panels for exter- nal hardware. This is described in the separate pdf document “MIDI Devices and Features”. 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 Ac- tive” is activated on the Preferences–MIDI page). This makes it possi- ble to e.g. transpose or adjust the velocity of your live playing.
CUBASE SX/SL22 – 498 MIDI realtime parameters and effects • 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 by- passed section is indicated by a yellow Bypass button. 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 SX/SLMIDI realtime parameters and effects 22 – 499 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 quarters of their original values. The point is, that this will also affect the difference in ve- locity between the notes, thereby compressing or expanding the veloc- ity 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 expand 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 SX/SL22 – 500 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 param- eter 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