Chord Track + Transpose Track Cycle Error

Cubase
,
#1

Greetings,

I identified this problem in the previous version of Cubase Pro and, after checking today, it seem this is an extant issue in Cubase Pro 10.

This is a bit complex. I’ll do my best to keep it simple.

  1. Create Project, add the following tracks.

A. Two Instrument Tracks
B. Chord Track
C. Transpose Track

  1. Create Simple Four Measure Chord Progression, 4/4, one chord per measure. Duplicate the progression once. You now have a total of eight measures.

  2. Create Transpose Point at Measure Five (5). For the example, I used +8 semitones. For good form I added a Transpose point at the 9th measure of the progression, returning the Transposition back to 0 semitones. (Note, my project starts at Measure 9).

Loop the full eight measures.

Result:

The first time through the chords, the Transposition is correct, but, on the Second Cycle and on all subsequent Cycles, the chords “following chord track” do not transpose.

See screenshot, please.

Transpose Track Issue Ver 10.png
Transpose Track Issue Ver 10.png1577×745 114 KB

Notes:

  • Chords dragged from Chord Track to Midi Track or populated to tracks with “chords to midi” do Transpose correctly. In fact, that was how I identified this bug – a MIDI Track playing back from Chord Track didn’t transpose but other pre-recorded MIDI tracks did.


  • If the playhead is placed right before a transpose point (Marker 3), the transposition is played correctly. If it is placed near the end of a Cycle (Marker 4), the transposition is played correctly when it cycles back. Nevertheless, Cubase never plays the transposition on the second or subsequent cycles when playing back in Cycle mode. The Transposition is ignored and the un-transposed chords from the Chord Track are sounded.

I won’t go into the many ways this is a creativity and workflow hindrance, I’m sure that’s relatively self-evident to anyone reading and understanding this post.

Anyway, will someone try to confirm this, please? Thanks.

There are some obvious workarounds but they are unsatisfactory. I’d rather not go into that in this post.

The following attempts to correct this were tried. All failed: 1) Slipping the track forward or backward by 1 or a few milliseconds didn’t work. 2) Using an Arranger Track didn’t correct the error. 3) Creating a blank Container Part on the MIDI Track does not solve the problem.

Hope this helps,

Stephen

#2

I’ll haver another go at that, following this repro.

#3

I reproduced something but I’m not sure if it’s exactly what you did. I can’t figure out what you mean with

[…]n the Second Cycle and on all subsequent Cycles, the chords “following chord track” do not transpose.

Aren’t the chords just playing from the chord track into the tracks with monitor activated?

But anyway, I did:

New inst, chord and transpose track
Add two identical chords on bar 1 beat 1, and bar 1 beat 3
Add a transpose event at Beat 3
Cycle bar 1

Result - The chords both get and remain transposed to the last transpose event value, whatever it may be!

#4

Yes, but the problem is that chords do not transpose on the second and subsequent cycles. What’s confusing is that the first time through, the transpose is correct. If one stops playback and resumes, the transpositions are played, but in cycle mode the chords do not transpose.

#5

I’m saying regardless of how many transpose events you have, in cycle mode it gets stuck on the last one, and ignores all others.

#6

I don’t hear it getting stuck on the last one. I’ll try the exact set-up you mention in your post and see what shows up.

What I observe is this: On first Cycle, Cubase plays the transpositions. But, on the second cycle and all subsequent cycles transposition is “ignored,” i.e., not played. (This only affects empty MIDI or Instrument Tracks set to playback from Chord Track either via Monitor or Individual Track)

What makes this tricky to observe is that if we stop and re-start project playback, Cubase correctly executes the transpositions. Even if the playhead is placed a few milliseconds before a transpose point and playback is re-started, it works. It’s only when it comes around the second time (and thereafter) in Cycle Mode that any Transpose points are “ignored.” This makes me cry. :cry:

Steve, thanks for having a look. I hope the developers find it relatively easy to craft some correction code or whatever is needed to eliminate this problem.