• Can I filter MIDI messages in one main preference file in Cubase SX, or do I have to do it track by track?
• I'm having trouble with the MIDI Event Display page in Cubase SX. What do all of these options mean?
• Can I transpose MIDI notes right on the Info Line in the Project Window in Cubase SX?
• What does the MIDI Record Catch Range feature perform in Cubase SX?
• What are Sysex MIDI messages and are they useful today?
• What kinds of MIDI messages can Cubase SX record, and how to I set filters for ones I don't want?
• Do the cycle recording modes for MIDI work the same as the cycle recording modes for Audio in Cubase SX?
• How do I select banks, channels, programs and maps via MIDI in Cubase SX?
• What is MIDI "thru" and when how should I use it in Cubase SX?
• What is MIDI Chase, and how do I enable this feature in Cubase SX?
• What are I-notes and O-notes for MIDI drums in Cubase SX?
• Is there a new way to edit velocity lines in Cubase SX?
• What kind of keyboard is best for use as a MIDI controller?
• Why do my VST instruments (VSTis) sound out of time?

Can I filter MIDI messages in one main preference file in Cubase SX, or do I have to do it track by track?

You can filter MIDI messages in one window in Cubase SX as an overall preference. The MIDI-MIDI Filter page in the Preferences dialog gives you control over four primary functions: Record, Thru, Channels and Controller. When you filter MIDI information for recording, the enabled options cancels the specific type of MIDI messages from being recorded. In Thru mode, any of the selected types of MIDI messages will be filtered as throughput, but the parts will be recorded and play back fine. In other words, the messages will be filtered in the throughput stage only.

For Channel filters, enabled MIDI message types will be filtered from specific channels during recording operations, and all other MIDI messages you've printed will remain the same. The Controller filter prevents various MIDI controller messages (pitchbend, aftertouch, Sysex, etc.) from being throughput to MIDI devices and/or being recorded during recording phases.

Your equipment and setup will require special care to these settings to enable a speedy workflow. You'll usually want to disable note and controller messages during the recording stage from being throughput to the channels you use for recording, as the devices on these channels will play the echoing information unless you disable them with filters like these or hardware switches.

I'm having trouble with the MIDI Event Display page in Cubase SX. What do all of these options mean?

These preferences can be confusing, and it's important to remember that Cubase SX refers to a segment of MIDI notes as a "part" instead of an "event". Audio "events" resemble MIDI "parts," but the reason for this confusion is because one MIDI note is technically a MIDI "event".

The first option you'll see is the Default Edit Action. This preference allows you to tell Cubase SX which editor you'd like to open when you double-click on a MIDI part. You can pick from the Key, Drum, List or Score editors. Usually, the Key editor is best, unless you work with drum parts far more than melodic MIDI files.

The second option is Part Data Code. This allows you to set a preference to view MIDI events as lines, score notes or drum notes. Again, the most common setting for this preference is the Key Editor. The Show Controllers preference allows MIDI controller messages to be displayed in the session window. This can add clutter to the editor view, but some find this option very useful.

The next entry is titled Edit as Drums when Drum Map is assigned. When this option is enabled, MIDI parts with assigned drum maps will appear as drum notes in the session window; the parts will also automatically launch the drum editor when you double-click on them.

The final entry is dedicated to Name Note Style, which allows you to choose the way note names should be shown in various editors.

Can I transpose MIDI notes right on the Info Line in the Project Window in Cubase SX?

Whenever you select MIDI parts in the session window, the Info Line will display fields for Transpose and Velocity. If you don't see the Info Line, you need to click the Show Info Line button on the tool bar. The great thing about editing velocity and transposition MIDI info in the Info Line (perhaps it's not so great for some!) is that any edits you make are only reflected during playback--the original files remain the same.

When you adjust the transposition, you make edits in semitone steps. Adjusting the velocity fields adds to or subtracts from the velocity information in the real file. You can also transpose audio files in the Info Line in the same manner. Highlight the audio file by clicking on it and open the Info Line with the Show Info Line button on the tool bar. By changing the transpose field to the correct amount of semitones, the file will play back at the transposed pitch.

Additionally, you can edit and display elements on the Info Line from video events, markers, automation curve points and audio parts. Info line editing is a quick way to find out if your edits are keepers, but if you like the way the MIDI turns out, it's probably best to do the work on the original MIDI file at some point for archival purposes.

What does the MIDI Record Catch Range feature perform in Cubase SX?

If you've ever recorded a MIDI part and discovered the first note was missing because you began playing a bit too early, you'll enjoy the MIDI Catch feature in Cubase SX. Locate the MIDI Catch Range on the Record Page of MIDI Preferences. The adjustment is made in milliseconds. Save your settings and close the preferences dialog. Now, when you play your MIDI parts, the MIDI Record Catch feature will make sure your first notes are always captured.

It's also important to note that Preroll and Postroll cannot take the place of this feature. You would have to alter the position of the Left Locator to change where the punch-in took place to duplicate the functionality of this feature. Additionally, you could just set your Left and Right Locators to a range that allowed four beats or so before the part comes in, which also eliminates the problem altogether.

Whenever possible, it's probably best to set up your Left and Right Locators to allow you a bit of true Preroll (as opposed to Preroll that isn't being recorded) and simply edit out the parts you don't need after you've recorded your fantastic take. It's an easy habit to get into, and hard to screw up once you've got it down!

What are Sysex MIDI messages and are they useful today?

Sysex (System Exclusive) MIDI messages are a special brand of MIDI message, which are designed specifically for a certain make and model of external MIDI device. Sysex messages can include a variety of information, and they commonly carry configurations for altering bank and program settings in a particular device to give added functionality to a unit.

External amp modeling units (Pod, V-Amp and others) can load hundreds of new guitar sounds as programs into the programmable banks of the units, through Sysex MIDI messages. If you've created a great synth sound on your keyboard, you can save that sound as a custom program and send it to others as a Sysex message. Most MIDI devices feature a bulk dump function that sends all or portions of the unit's current settings as Sysex messages via MIDI.

Cubase SX can record Sysex messages. Access the MIDI Filter Page in MIDI Preferences (found in Preferences in the File menu), and make sure the Sysex is not checked in the Record column but is checked in the Thru column. Begin recording on a MIDI channel and hit the dump command on the external unit. When the dump is complete, highlight the new track and open up the Event Editor to make sure the information was received.

If you wish to send the Sysex information back to a device, simply solo the MIDI track in Cubase SX with the Sysex info, set up your external device to standby for incoming Sysex messages, and begin playing the track.

You can also edit the Sysex message in Cubase SX by using the MIDI Sysex Editor. Highlight the Sysex event and click on the Comments section next to the event in the List Editor/Project Browser. Editing Sysex information on the fly is too close to rocket science to most of people, so if you're not knowledgeable about this subject, it's best not to mess with it.

What kinds of MIDI messages can Cubase SX record, and how to I set filters for ones I don't want?

Cubase SX can record MIDI note message and continuous MIDI messages, including pitchbend, aftertouch, etc. You can also create tracks for solely for the purpose of recording dynamic messages after the note information has been recorded. If you'd like to filter some of these messages from being recorded and/or read by Cubase SX, there is a Filter Page in the MIDI preferences dialog box. Here you can choose to filter messages for notes, poly pressure, controllers, program changes, aftertouch, pitchbend and Sysex for Record and Thru modes. You can also filter individual MIDI channels.

If you filter messages in the Record section, certain messages will be prevented from being recorded while allowing other messages (or messages already recorded) to pass thru and play as they would normally. If you choose the Thru filter mode, this will keep messages from being throughput, but it will allow them to be recorded and play back as they should.

It should also be noted that early versions of Cubase SX have had a some problems with MIDI, which has been mostly due to a combination of hardware drivers and some poor code, but MIDI performance seems to be greatly improved in version 3.1.1. Update your software to this version and make sure you have the latest drivers for your sound card if you're experiencing MIDI problems.

Do the cycle recording modes for MIDI work the same as the cycle recording modes for Audio in Cubase SX?

Yes and No. The MIDI(mix) and Replace modes apply to MIDI. When MIDI(mix) mode is enabled (by selecting it in the Transport Window), MIDI information will be compounded in the same event as each cycle is completed. This results in one event with all MIDI notes played during the cycles in the same event. This is great for compiling drum parts as you could do the kick and snare on the first pass, the hi-hat on the next pass, etc.

Replace mode means everything you play anywhere on each pass will be replaced by new notes. If you get the first four bars of an eight-bar segment correct, don't play until you get into the fifth-bar or you will overwrite the information you wanted to keep.

In Keep Last mode, each lap is entirely replaced by the previous take, which means you'd just keep playing the part until you got it right. It's important to remember that you must let the cycle complete before ending the recording as Keep Last means "keep the last completed cycle."

In the Stacked modes, MIDI files behave as audio files. With each pass or take, events will become stacked in lanes on the track. The bottom tracks receive preference to the playback engine, so you'll need to use the Mute Tool (in the toolbar with the "X" icon) to mute the lower tracks to hear tracks above them. In addition, only one segment will play at a time.

You can change the Left and Right Locators to audition small portions of the takes and cut and paste various sections to create a comp track of the best performances. If you choose to record cycles in Stacked 2 mode, no muting will take place in the takes you create. In other words, as you play your MIDI controller in each take, all of the information from the previous takes will play back while you're adding notes in current takes.

How do I select banks, channels, programs and maps via MIDI in Cubase SX?

When you're hooked up to external or virtual instruments, you can control a variety of messages in the Track Inspector Window. Bank messages are interpreted differently by different modules, and it's best to check out the documentation that came with your modules to find out how they'll work best with Cubase SX.

The selecting of banks is performed by using the Bank window in the Track Inspector. Click on the up and down arrows in the window until you find the desired bank. Channel assignments are adjusted in the same way. In the Channel window, use the up and down arrows until you find the correct channel.

Programs also work the same way, and they're accessed via the Program window. There is also a window for Maps, which reveals a contextual menu to select the desired map.

There is a way to edit the actual names of the programs or patches, which appear on the Program Window. Simply open the MIDI Device Manager in Devices and select the device from the list of Installed Devices. Open the device and turn on the Enable Edit checkbox. Locate the patch you wish to rename using the Patch Banks display and edit the name of the desired patch, and then click Okay. Your new names should now appear in the Program Window.

What is MIDI "thru" and when how should I use it in Cubase SX?

MIDI thru is the most common way to work with MIDI in Cubase SX. In Thru mode, MIDI information is echoed back to the outputs when the DAW is in record mode. And usually, you want to route the output of your MIDI notes to an external sound module or a virtual instrument. Open the Preferences dialog box and look for the MIDI page. Activate MIDI Thru by checking the corresponding box. Close your Preferences. Now, when you record enable a MIDI track all incoming MIDI is echoed out to record-enabled tracks.

If you don't want to record the MIDI information, and let's say you just wanted to check out different sounds while you played along with the track, you could use the Thru by activating only the monitor button (do not engage the record enable button). You'll still be able to hear your sounds in this mode, but they won't record.

It's also very important to note that Cubase SX has been experiencing various degrees of poor MIDI performance due to a variety of hardware and driver issues since the SX facelift. If you're experiencing poor MIDI performance, make sure you update to the latest version. Version 3.1.1 appears to have fixed most of these issues and further updates promise better performance.

What is MIDI Chase, and how do I enable this feature in Cubase SX?

MIDI Chase keeps track of your MIDI controller messages across the range of your song. This can be confusing, but it's probably easier to show an example of how the chase function works in practice.

Suppose you've got a MIDI track that plays piano for the first 10 measures of the song and switches over to Hammond organ for the next 10 measures of the song. If you played the song back in the sequencer and stopped in the measures of Hammond organ and then dragged the song cursor back into the first 10 measures, the part that was supposed to be piano would now be played with the Hammond organ without MIDI Chase.

The MIDI Chase feature keeps track of program changes no matter where you are in the song. It can also keep track of other MIDI events. You can tell Cubase SX which MIDI events to "chase" in the Chase Events settings, which are found in the MIDI dialog box under Preferences. You'll see a menu of events with checkboxes next to them. You can tell Cubase SX to chase a variety of events, including Note, Poly Pressure, Controller, Program, Aftertouch, Pitchbend and Sysex.

What are I-notes and O-notes for MIDI drums in Cubase SX?

I-notes and O-notes can be pretty confusing. Think of them as I/O-notes (input/output notes). When you open your MIDI drum map in the Drum Editor, you'll see the instrument voices (Side Stick, Snare, Bass Drum, etc.) in the left column. There will also be columns for quantize and channel selections, but you'll see the I-note and O-note settings in this table. Change the pitch of I-notes for triggering various drum voices with different keys on your controller.

If you wanted to make the A1 key trigger the C1 tone for the bass drum, you'd enter A1 as the I-note. Since external sound modules and virtual instruments often use different assignments for drum voices, you would use the O-note settings to trigger these voices. If you're used to playing the C1 key for your bass drum and the sound module you're using plays is set to play the bass drum on C2, you'd change the O-note value to C2.

General Midi (GM) maps were created to bring all modules into a basic spec whereas the same note values and channels triggered the same or similar sounds on all modules. In other words, when your sound modules, virtual instruments and midi maps are all in GM mode, drums are assigned to midi channel 10 and all drum voices are the same. Likewise, strings go to another channel, guitar to another, bass to another, etc.

Is there a new way to edit velocity lines in Cubase SX?

Yes. When editing a MIDI file in the Piano Roll view, the MIDI velocity values are represented as vertical lines immediately below each MIDI note in the time line in what is called the Controller Lane. The Controller Lane field shows a graphical representation of controller events, and a pop-up menu allows you to select various types of controller events for instant editing.

If you enable "Controller Lane Editing: Select Tool defaults to Pen" in the Preferences dialog box, the Arrow tool will automatically transform into the Pen tool when you move the pointer over the vertical lines in the velocity display.

Using the Pen tool, it's easy to adjust the velocity of each MIDI note, and, if you've activated the speaker icon (Acoustic Feedback) on the tool bar, Cubase SX provides an instant audition of your changes by playing the MIDI note at its new velocity.

Using the Pencil tool, you can draw a freehand curve across the velocity window to create sweeping volume changes or fade effects. You can create super realistic curves and fades by using the Parabola mode. Click on the Line Tool's button in the tool bar and select the Parabola mode from the pop-up menu. Curves drawn across velocity lines result in very natural sounding dips and ramps.

What kind of keyboard is best for use as a MIDI controller?

For most digital multitracking applications, any keyboard (or controller) that allows you to send MIDI information to your MIDI interface will work, just as almost any USB mouse will work on your computer with varying degrees of ease and features. MIDI controllers are extremely affordable today if you're looking for basic functionality. Virtual Instruments (VSTis) can be used to play back amazing samples of real instruments via MIDI so the keyboard's onboard sounds needn't be anything special.

If you're happy with the sound of VSTis and you're a guitarist and/or singer with basic-to-intermediate keyboard skills, you'll probably require nothing more than a Casio CTK series MIDI keyboard (or something similar), which can be had for less than $200 new and for as little as $50 used. These keyboards offer 61 keys (five octaves) and a variety of MIDI sensitive features, and one could probably be used to physically beat the crap out of your manager without suffering much damage.

While serious gear folks are probably losing their minds over such advice, you can do a lot with a little in this department--and of course more expensive solutions provide a world of features and functions, such as weighted keys, amazing onboard sounds and sampling capabilities for advanced keyboard players. If you are interested in a new or used budget keyboard, just make sure it has MIDI and at least 61 keys. The smaller MIDI keyboards will work just fine, but it's probably best to have the 61 keys at your disposal.

Why do my VST instruments (VSTis) sound out of time?

Cubase SX and Nuendo, both excellent programs in most respects, have suffered from MIDI problems since the SX facelift. Placing the blame on Steinberg isn't really fair because the problems are usually associated with how certain MIDI interfaces interact with the software.

The first thing you'll want to do is to make sure the MIDI information is being recorded by the software correctly. Open an empty session and create a MIDI track. Target the correct input channel, and, if your MIDI keyboard has some on-board sounds, monitor the sound directly from your MIDI keyboard.

Turn the sequencer's metronome on and start recording on the track. Strike one key right along with the metronome. After a few entertaining measures of this fun, stop the recording and open the MIDI track in the session window. Make sure the notes you recorded are exactly where they're supposed to be (allow a bit of error for your timing, but this shouldn't be much at all).

If the timing is way off, download and install the latest version of drivers for your interface card. If it's an all-in-one, audio/MIDI card, download and install the latest version of those drivers. Repeat the metronome procedure. Once you're certain the MIDI information is getting to the sequencer on time, you can begin to troubleshoot the VSTi.

Go back to the same empty session file and open the VSTi. Target the MIDI file's output to the VSTi in the track's MIDI output window, and arm the track for recording so you'll hear the output of the VSTi. Make sure the VSTi is set to receive MIDI information on the same MIDI channel as the track.

If the VSTi doesn't play in real time in the empty session window (and if other VSTis work), the VSTi probably needs to be reinstalled or something beyond the scope of this forum is taking place.