I have a question about arpeggiators that I think I know what the answer will be .
I want to set a track with a harp, and then have the arpeggiator play the notes of any chord I enter (let’s say an A minor chord). As I understand it now, an arpeggiator is only a real-time musical tool, that I must play a midi keyboard (like the onscreen keyboard as an example) during the playback of my project. In other words, if I want Cubase to play the arpeggios for me by supplying the notes of the chord into one of the editors, I would be out of luck. In other words there is no automatic playback of the arpeggiated chord - I would have to intervene by playing the keyboard in real time, right?
The arpeggiators (MIDI Inserts : Arpache) take effect on recorded notes too, I don’t understand why you say you need to play in real time during the project playback. Is that not working for you ?
This is like an Audio FX but for MIDI notes.
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You can play a chord real time,
you can draw in the notes of the chords,
you can create chords on the Chord Track and send the notes to the track through the arpeggiator,
you can use chord pads…
Chose any of these methods.
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As they say, yes you can pre record patterns, like any VI / midi notes and you may apply any effect you so wish. Arps are no different. You dont have to play these realtime for the arp fx to take effect. whatever made you think otherwise?
Are there any step-by-step instructions on how to do this? I tried it but maybe I did something wrong or maybe left out a step. What I tried was I made an instrument track for a harp (EW Symphonic Orch) and I entered the notes of a small series of chords. These I entered in the Key editor. In the track inspector for the harp track I clicked on MIDI inserts and chose first Apache 5 and then Apache SX. I did not make any edits in the Apache SX editable properties (step size, etc.) I did turn on the on/off button. What came out was a nice series of (non-arpeggiated) chords exactly as I enter them. Nice harp chords but I need them arpeggiated. What am I doing wrong or leaving out?
The plugin is already turned on when you insert it. Are you saying you turned it off or bypassed it ?
The button should be blue when it is active.
No, I’m only saying that I’m expecting an arpeggiated output and I’m only getting the chord in the non-arpeggiated form. It just sounds like a chord you would get when you strum a guitar, not spread out like an arppeggio would sound. In other words, the arpeggiator did nothing at all.
If you have only one long chord in your MIDI Part and it keeps strumming repeatedly, then the arpeggiator is indeed working, you just need to adjust the settings to make it sound like you want. Try playing with the included presets.
Please download the project and have a listen if you get an arpeggiated sound.
Arp_Test.cpr (317.9 KB)
OK, don’t know what I was / wasn’t doing before, but now it’s working. But it’s just not very musical. Let me show you what I’m looking for. I’m sure I need to figure out how to use the arpeggio editor or to find a resource that can explain: I did this example
manually. The flute is on melody and the harp is (manually) is on the arpeggios
Here’s what I need: Thanks for listening
By the way Johnny, the example you sent was very useful. Thanks!
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Ok, not saying that the follwoing is the best or only way to do it:
- create a midi track, create a part of 1 bar length; open that in the Key Editor
- draw in note events like this (the pitch will actually not matter)
- switch to the Trim tool and while holding down Alt key draw a line at the beginning of the notes like this (please note the thin black line):
- result should look soemthing like this:
- close the editor, open the lower zone → Chord Pads;
click on the “e” icon to the left, the “Player Options → Choose” and select to create a Guitar Player
Seelct that new Guitar Player, then set “Player Modes” to “Pattern”
- Drag’n’drop the midi part from steps 1-4 to area “Pattern” in the Chord Pads view, which will turn red to “Drop MIDI Part”.
- Now switch to the chord pad view by clicking the “e” icon again; select your harp track and play chords on the chord pads
The notes should play one after another now.
You can record this “performance” by jsut recording on your track. Instead of your midi keyboard you play the chord pads (with the mouse or remotely). Drag’n’drop of the pads to the track will not work, though.
As you might see steps 1-4 were to create a playback pattern for the Chord Pads. Instead of the trim tool you can also adjust the start of each event with the selection or pencil tool. Once you finished step 6 you don’t need this part any longer.
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I’m working on this. My Cubase licensing hasn’t ben working but it’s good now.
Did fine on the Chord drawing with trim tool
Couldn’t get a grip on the chord pads part but still working on that
This note is just to make you aware I haven’t ignored your suggestion. I’ve learned some new things so that’s always good. Later.
You’re right about the bass drum. I confused C-1 with C1. That’s fixed now. The keyswitch keys are supposed to be out of the audible range of the instrument in the track. Otherwise you would get an unintended note instead of a change of articulation (That’s the reason for having keyswitches). Thanks for your help.