Cubase SX setup

L

Lipsmack

New member
I use a Delta 44 for my audio and
also have a SB Live for my midi input.
I guess that simply put, I want to know
if I can make this stuff work with Cubase.
I have tried every combination of setup
options in preferences, VST connections, etc.. and it looks from my controls on Cubase like my computer is recieving a midi signal, but i cant get any of the VSTi's to play it, likewise the midi data isnt recording... I have the manual, but its a little thick for my newbie brain, any suggestions? people with similar problem? thanks.
 
In preferences, set your audio driver to M-audio ASIO. Create a midi track, and in the track inspector on the left column set the input of the track to the midi input from you SBlive. Do you have the option of doing that in the list? good. You should now see action in the VU meter of that midi track when you hit a key. For the output of that track, set to the VST instrument that you have created (hit F11 to do this). Make sure that the output of the VST inst. is set to the delta 44 outs. Are is a signal showing up in the VST instrument's channel on the mixer? Are you getting a midi signal to the midi channel?

Try that and let me know what you run into...
 
First of all, thanks so much for responding.
okay, Im confused from the start.. Under
"preferences" there's no place to set up my
audio drivers, so Im assuming you mean either
setting them up from the start up menu (ASIO multi
media or DX Full Duplex Set Up).. from here..
I see SB Live WAVE device.. nothing about midi.
and its status is inactive.. wont let me select and
make active from here..
or am i supposed to go in through VST input, out
put? multitrack?
It seems that the software doesnt recognize my
soundblaster as a midi source for some reason.
but this is confusing to me, because i use this input
and trigger all the time with Reason and have no
probs.. something to do with the way Reason works
maybe?
anyway, I appriciate your help and if you could be still
just a little more specific for my midinewbie head, I'd
be really grateful. Again, thank you so much for your help.
 
whoops, I'm sorry.

It's not preferences but "Device Setup" that you want to go into. click on the device that says "vst multitrack" and set the ASIO driver to M-audio delta ASIO. If you click on "All midi inputs" you should see all the midi ports that you have installed. Hopefully your SBLive card input is on there. You don't need to change anything in this screen, just see what ports that cubase recognizes.

There are two things we need to do here. The first is to make sure that midi is coming in. The second is to make sure audio is coming out.

Click on devices and then VST outputs. It should show you a fader, and at the bottom say which output of your card it is coming out. You can change this if you want.

Hit F11 to bring up the VST instrument panel. Open up the cubase drum machine (LM-7 i think its called). Click on the pads. Are drum sounds coming out? Are you seeing movement on the VST output fader? Hopefully.

Now for the MIDI. You probably know how to create a midi track. If you can't see the inspector (vertical column to the left of the track window) click on the 'show inspector', it's the very first button on the tool bar at the top. Set the midi channel's input to your soundcard's midi input. Or just set it to 'All midi inputs'. Hopefully now when you hit keys you are getting a little green bar in the channel's meter that shoots up.

Now assuming the midi thing worked, and the audio came out when you hit the drum machine, all you should have to do is set the output on that midi channel to the LM-7 and you should be ready to rock!

Try going through those steps and let me know if it doesn't work out as planned... good luck!

trogdor
 
trogdor,
first of all, Cubase should have had you
write the manual, thanks.
all works with your instructions up to a point. I can make audio with the lm7 and keypads, I am also seeing a nice strong
midi signal on the leds of cubase when i touch my midi keyboard.
my midi output for track one, my midi track, is set to lm7. Ive tried the input on both my specific soundblaster input and by selecting "All midi inputs"
but cant trigger the VST device with the
my keyboard.
any ideas? Thanks so much for your help
your explanation is much much clearer than the documentation. muchos gracias!
l
 
Okay it sounds like you're close!

When you say that touching your keyboard lights up the LED's are you talking about the LED in the transport (with the rew, ff, play, stop buttons on it) or the bar in the MIDI track itself?

If it's lighting up in the track then that's a good sign.

I guess I should have told you that with the LM7 the only keys that trigger sounds are like the first octave or less (since there are only 8 pads or so). Try hitting those keys with it set to all midi inputs and output to the LM7. While doing this, hit F3 to bring up the mixer...which mixer channels are responding?

It should be
1) your midi channel.
2) the LM-7
3) the master fader

If all of these are responding then *in theory* you should be getting sound out...

hang in there!

trog
 
trogdor,
I am seeing the leds of the cubase transport (rewind, play, etc..) moving when i hit my midi keyboard. but Im not midi to my project. I have audio out when i hit the pads of the lm7 ala mouse.
I have the vst outs set for my delta 3/4 which is the same as i specified when i set up the ins and outs.
very strange. looks like the prog is recieving my midi in, but I still
dont have it routed correctly somehow. Ive tried using reaktor and crystal as well.. no luck with them either. Ill keep looking at your instructions and keep rechecking stuff to make sure i havent missed anything. but Im pretty sure i have everything set as you suggested.
thanks again for your help. people like you are what makes the internet still cool :)
 
The only thing I can think of is maybe to reinstall the drivers of your SBlive card that you are inputting the MIDI with. With the MIDI channel routed out to the LM-7, have you tried ALL of the possible midi inputs to that track including the emulated ones?

It seems strange that cubase is "seeing" the midi signal, yet none of the midi inputs on the tracks see anything.
 
thanks Trogdor

Trogdor,
I never did get cubase to run on my desktop machine. Need to do some soundcard updating. Cubase just doesnt seem to like my soundblaster. Ive read stuff since then about this happening.
But I bought a little Radium 49 USB keyboard and the stuff works great on
my laptop, save some minor latency
issues. Thanks again for your help!
lipsmack
 
Hey no problem,

You'll find if you move to a quality soundcard/interface that those latency/compatibility issues will almost all but disappear.

I'm not sure if you're in the market right now, but the M-Audio Audiophile 24/96 is on newegg.com right now for $120, and is probably the most respected card in that price range.

At any rate, good luck with your endeavors!

trog
 
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