Cubase SE and Groove Agent Clipping Problem.

[Insightnsound]

I've been trying out the Groove Agent demo which sounds decent when not trying to record a track. When added as a MIDI track the IN is set to All MIDI Inputs, and the OUT is set to Groove Agent. If I try to record with this setup no signal is sent, the only way to get it recording is to set the IN to Groove Agent.
After doing this the mixer shows both bus 1 and the midi signal as active.

At this point the clipping problem starts with no way to turn it down. The fader in the MIDI channel has no affect on the volume control and turning down bus 1 makes no change either. In fact, pulling both faders down will turn the sound off, but the MIDI signal is still clipping in the mixer. I've changed every setting throughout Cubase with no luck.

How do you set the fader to control Groove Agent?

 

[kraley]

I've been trying out the Groove Agent demo which sounds decent when not trying to record a track. When added as a MIDI track the IN is set to All MIDI Inputs, and the OUT is set to Groove Agent. If I try to record with this setup no signal is sent, the only way to get it recording is to set the IN to Groove Agent.
After doing this the mixer shows both bus 1 and the midi signal as active.

At this point the clipping problem starts with no way to turn it down. The fader in the MIDI channel has no affect on the volume control and turning down bus 1 makes no change either. In fact, pulling both faders down will turn the sound off, but the MIDI signal is still clipping in the mixer. I've changed every setting throughout Cubase with no luck.

How do you set the fader to control Groove Agent?

You should have 5 channels on your mixer: A midi channel and 4 audio channel (I think it calls it GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4). While you are recording from GA, DISABLE the MIDI OUT and set MIDI IN to 'Groove Agent' on your midi track. When you are done recording, DISABLE the MIDI IN on our midi track and ENABLE 'Groove Agent' on the MIDI OUT of your midi track. This will prevent GA from having a 'double tracked' effect while you monitor the recording. You then can control Groove Agent's volume using the GA1 fader (I am assuming for simplicity's sake that you haven't rerouted the outputs in GA to the other three channels).

If you do this and still are getting clipping, make sure that you DON'T have the MONITOR button ENABLED on your MIDI track - that would produce what you are experiencing. Basically, you are taking the output of GA and feeding, playing it thru your soundcard and then REFEEDING it back into your soundcard inputs which the channel with 'monitor' enabled is attempting to add to the audio siginal. Digital Clipping is the result.

Hope this helps - let me know if it is unclear.

 

[Insightnsound]

Tried this with no luck. Also wanted to mention that I just purchased misc. recording equipment about a week ago, so it may be my own stupidity.

Here are the steps I'm taking if it helps any to figure out what I'm doing wrong.
1. Add the VSTi Groove Agent.
2. Add a MIDI track.
3. Turn Groove Agent's MIDI output to on.
4. Then I start switching the MIDI track in and out for the desired routing.
(doing this makes no change to the clipping)

The clipping is still there whether I have Groove Agent setup as an in or out with no control over the volume. The GA1 audio looks okay but the MIDI volume control is going crazy right next to it. You can turn down GA1's volume but the clipping is still apparent just with a lower volume.

I have Cubase SX loaded on a PC at work and can record GA with no difficulties; at home I'm using Cubase SE loaded on a MAC. (Cubase SX and Groove Agent are both demo's.) I'm about to go crazy trying to get this stupid demo working!

 

[Insightnsound]

I thought it was okay at work but it's also clipping when you setup the MIDI track. I've tried making changes throughout Cubase, googled the problem with no luck in finding an answer. Am I the only person running into this problem?

Could it be that the Groove Agent demo does not allow you to record?

 

[kraley]

I thought it was okay at work but it's also clipping when you setup the MIDI track. I've tried making changes throughout Cubase, googled the problem with no luck in finding an answer. Am I the only person running into this problem?

Could it be that the Groove Agent demo does not allow you to record?

Do a simple thing: turn off ANY 'Monitor' buttons on the cubase mixer, and disconnect the INPUTS to your soundcard. Now record the midi track. Are you still experiencing clipping?

 

[vestast]

There should be a volume control for the individual samples within Groove Agent. I'm at work right now so I can't tell you exaclty where to look, and maybe the demo doesn't even let you adjust that for all I know. If you can wait I'll check when I get home tonight.

 

[Insightnsound]

Made sure that no monitor buttons are engaged. Groove Agent is not being routed out to a mixer and back into inputs of the soundcard at this time. Once I hit record still have no control over the MIDI volume.

Here is what happens when I turn the volume all the way down in Groove Agent. Within the mixer the audio signal is no longer active but the MIDI is still going into the red. Very strange.

I thought working with software developed by the same company would be a no brainer. That is unless I'm doing something wrong when setting everything up in Cubase.

After being frustrated by this it might be easier getting some pots and pans for laying down a rythmic pattern. Just hope my wife doesn't think I'm cooking her something special upstairs, she'll be sadly disappointed.

 

[vestast]

There should be a volume control for the individual samples within Groove Agent. I'm at work right now so I can't tell you exaclty where to look, and maybe the demo doesn't even let you adjust that for all I know. If you can wait I'll check when I get home tonight.

When you click on Edit on the bottom right corner do you get an option to adjust things like the vel, tun, amb and volume ?

 

[Insightnsound]

I got home today and followed all the steps that everyone mentioned, the recording is working like a champ. I'm sure that I've done everything exactly as before but for some reason the MIDI track was not being routed correctly. Maybe it was just a matter of taking a break and letting the frustration factor subside.

The mixer still shows the MIDI track as if it should be clipping. However, the playback sounds as it should. Thanks to everyone for all the help!!!

 

[kraley]

The mixer still shows the MIDI track as if it should be clipping. However, the playback sounds as it should. Thanks to everyone for all the help!!!

That's great you got it working - don't worry about the fader on the mixer for MIDI tracks - it doesn't matter one bit. Its basically just showing you the MIDI volume parameter, which doesn't clip (and in the case of drums patterns, is probably a pretty high value). Its kind of a problem with the way Steinberg designed the mixer interface. They make it seem like it is really a volume fader, when it it really isn't for that kind of track.

Just remember to always adjust volume and other things on your VSTi's by using the faders on the mixer that correspond to the instrument (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4) - Not the midi track.

I swear - I have been using Cubase for about 13 years and I still occasionally manage to route someting wierd that will take me a day or two to fix - so you aren't alone, if that is any consolation.