I’ve been switching between Pro Tools and Cubase over the years, but I’d really like to stick with Cubase because of its superior MIDI editing, Logical Editor presets, and macro capabilities.
However, I can’t find a simple solution for the following workflow:
In Pro Tools, virtual instruments are loaded as inserts. If I want to move an instrument from one track to another while keeping all the settings I’ve made inside the plugin, I can simply Alt-drag it, just like any other insert effect, and drop it onto another track. It’s extremely useful when I’ve already created multiple MIDI parts but haven’t yet decided which instrument should play which part.
Is there a way to do this in Cubase quickly without duplicating a track?
To be clear, I do not want to duplicate any MIDI data. I simply want to quickly copy or move a VST instrument, including all of its current settings, from one instrument track to another.
I seem to remember being able to do something similar in older Cubase versions by using Alt-drag, but I am not 100% sure and can’t get it to work in Cubase 15.
Am I missing something or is there another workflow for this?
The quickest way I think would be to save a Track Preset by right clicking the track in the sequencer window. And loading that preset on another instance of the same vst instrument (Halion in case of this gif). You will retain all the instrument and channel setting of the first instance of your vst with duplicating the track.
Although I love to work with track presets, I prefer working with this method, too, in this use case. Doesn’t this macro come as a default with Cubase? I assigned a key command to this macro years ago so I can’t really tell. Same name, same commands. Just wondering…
Thanks a lot for taking the time. This is of course a bit slower than in Pro Tools but I guess you can’t have everything everywhere. Appreciate it a lot! Thanks
What works even better in my case is to save the preset inside the instrument window and then load it in the track presets of the edit view. This way you don’t have to have the same instrument loaded but also keep the insert and send chain seperated from the instrument.
It would be fantastic to have more key command possibilites for that.
Save as current Preset (inside Edit Instrument window)
Load current Preset
This is very useful. Thanks for taking the time!
However in my case it would not work as intended because I want to import it onto another track that already might have its own MIDI data and Insert/Send Chain.
I am guessing you created these multiple MIDI parts using a temp instrument since you have not decided on the final instrument. If yes, did you use Rack Instruments or Track Instruments to load this temp VST instrument?
Wanting just the VST instrument settings, wanting just the channel settings, wanting both, wanting just instrument settings while retaining midi data, wanting both while not wanting midi data, but wanting the channel settings - every imaginable combination can be achieved. But knowing if you use Rack or Track to load instruments might help us give you a very specific solution.
P.S - You might want to look into using a Rack instrument instead of Track instrument. Since a Rack instruments can be connected to any existing MIDI track, be it blank or with MIDI data. But I would recommend using Track Instruments, since what you want can still be achieved, and retain the ease and speed of working. I ditched using Rack once I got my PC upgraded. It somehow pushed me to decide on the instrument and finish tracks faster.
I tend to use both but for this case I am usually using Track Instruments. Just for example a piano track and an organ track. Instead of copying and pasting the MIDI Data I would like to just drag the instrument like an insert from one track to the other by keeping the same preferences in the instrument. But I see now that Cubase functions differently and it is okay.
You’re idea with the track presets is a great workaround!
Do you know about key commands for saving presets inside an instrument instance?
Just out of curiousity: Why dont you want to duplicate? The midi part will be highlighted so you can just hit delete to get rid of the Midi. Isn’t that sufficient? What is the difference to what you want to achieve?
@ThomasOMalley I don’t think there is a key command for saving presets inside an instrument instance. Since you use Track Instruments and merely want to change the instrument while keeping the channel setting like eq, inserts etc - Change the instrument from the drop down where the arrow is pointing in the image below. It will retain the two inserts (Compressor and shimmer) you see on the left while you shuffle through instruments.
Now for saving preset of just the instrument - you can save it on Cubase level (for which you were asking for a shortcut above). Or most VST instruments including Kontakt have their own Save Preset feature. You can use either.
My suggestion would be not to overthink things like how can I reduce three clicks to one click. If it can be done with a macro that’s good. If not, move on. Get used to your DAW and its environment well. And you will finish your production/mix/master in the same time as you used to in Protools. Trying to scavenge mere seconds here and there amounts to nothing for anyone involved in the project.
