Control Room: Can you switch between Cue and Monitor via MIDI

Cubase
#1

Hey!

I am using the Apollo Twin Solo on an iMac as my audio interface. When recording my vocals I use the Headphone Mix(HP) of the audio interface to hear my vocals as I lay them down against a nice low instrumental mix with just a hint of reverb on the vocals while recording. Reverb isn’t being recorded to track with the vocals, its only to sweeten what I hear as they’re being recorded.

In this scenario, I after I record the vocals I have to step away from the mic to access the software Console of the audio interface to switch to the Monitor Mix (MIX) so I can hear what the vocals sound like sitting in the actual full mix.

Because the Apollo Twin using DSP processing, I have zero latency issues within Cubase. But if I want to do several vocal takes and see the results after recording them in the MIX every time; I have to step away from the mic and do this manual switching thing. Which over time not only takes away from the creative flow; but it becomes extremely counter-productive.

So I want to use the Control Room feature in Cubase to setup a Vocal Cue and use a MIDI controller to switch between the Cue and Monitor Mix instead. I know I may potentially have to deal with latency issues but having the flexibility to punch in/out on the recording and also simultaneously switch between Cue/Monitor would be a worthwhile trade off for me.

I’ve only recently started to experiment with the Control Room setup so I’m fairly new to using it.

Is there a way to do this?

If anyone else has done any type of similar setup I’d really be interested in the steps to do it

Thanks

#2

Ok, so I figured out how to Enable the Main Dim using a MIDI controller by using the following Remote Setup settings

Device = VST Control Room
Channel/Category = Control Room
Value/Action = Enable Main Dim

Remote Device Setup.png
This gets me somewhat closer to what I am looking to do. But the Dim Feature simply lowers the Monitor MIX volume. I need to completely silence the Mix altogether during vocal recording and then be able to re-enable after the recording. So essentially toggling to activate and de-activate the Control Room Channel.

Control Room Activate.png
But I cannot find the right command in the Remote Device setup to do this. Still looking but any help would be appreciated if anyone understands what I’m trying to do

#3

This gets me somewhat closer to what I am looking to do. But the Dim Feature simply lowers the Monitor MIX volume. I need to completely silence the Mix altogether during vocal recording and then be able to re-enable after the recording. So essentially toggling to activate and de-activate the Control Room Channel.

Control Room Activate.png

Generic remote:
VST Control Room/Control Room/Mute

Set the flag to toggle.

#4

Hey Thanks Misohoza!

Just before seeing your reply I managed to get the scenario I was looking for by using the following settings but I am going to try your recommendation to see if it will work as well. If so, I’ll probably go with your suggestion.

Device = Command
Channel/Category = Control Room
Value/Action = Control Room On/Off

Thank you for responding! :smiley:

#5

Misohoza,

Just posting a very quick update for you and also as a bookmarked post for me just in case I forget. Interestingly, it looks as though my initial setting

Device = VST Control Room
Channel/Category = Control Room
Value/Action = Enable Main Dim

and your suggested setting of

Device = VST Control Room
Channel/Category = Control Room
Value/Action = Mute
Flag = toggle

Both give identical results. But I am going with your settings because the toggle flag seems to be a more reasonable way to do it.

#6

Yes, there are more ways how to go about this. Depends on what exactly is your goal.

If you want to “silence” your monitors you can use dim, volume, mute.

You could create a dummy monitor output in vst connections and use generic remote to switch between monitors and cues.
When selecting the dummy monitor you will hear nothing as it is “not connected” to any physical output.