Cubase 11 Yamaha MOTIF XS8 Scarlett Focusrite 4i4 MIDI issue

Cubase
1

Hi,

I apologise if this is not the right section to ask this.

I recently upgraded my system and bought a Mac mini M1, a Scarlett Focusrite 4i4 3th generation, and I’m currently trying to make my Yamaha MOTIF XS8 work via MIDI cable to record and playback midi notes on Cubase 11 - usb won’t work anymore because of the new apple silicon chip and Big Sur, so I found this workaround.

Usually, what I do is create a MIDI track and an audio track: I can record midi notes and when I play them back on Cubase, the keyboard will read the notes and play back audio as well.

So, everything kind of works fine, I can record MIDI files and simultaneously hear audio coming from the keyboard. The problem is during playback. Cubase won’t recognise any midi note that I just recorded, thus it won’t playback audio. I can’t even see midi signal coming in, which actually happens when I hit a note or record.

I attached a screenshot of the midi track settings (I tried both “Scarlett USB” and “midi all” on input but it doesn’t seem to change anything).

What might be the issue?

2

Hi,

Cubase is not M1 processors compatible yet.

Is your Audio Device macOS 11 and M1 compatible, please?

3

hi,

I knew that cubase wasn’t compatible with M1, although it actually works. the main issues were the audio interface (which is compatible, Focusrite actually released a public statement about that, and the Scarlett 4i4 works), and the keyboard’s driver, which is why I found the workaround and connected the keyboard to the audio interface via MIDI cable. that way, it’s not the computer reading MIDI signal via an USB cable, but the audio interface, and it works: I can write MIDI data on cubase, and when it plays it back, I can see on the MIDI track signal coming in. the problem is audio. when I play back the MIDI data just recorded, it won’t play back audio too. I don’t know why. it’s reading MIDI data, it’s writing it, but it seems like it’s not “connecting” audio and MIDI when I play it back. hope that it’s not too confusing.

4

Hi,

How is your Audio routing? Did you connect Line Out from MOTIF to Line In of your Audio Device? Do you have Audio track with the relevant information available? Is Monitor enabled on the Audio track?

5

hi,

yes, the jack connection is correct. I can hear audio when I hit the keys on the keyboard, it records MIDI data, the problem is it doesn’t play audio when I play those MIDI notes I just recorded.


I made a little video to make it clearer: I first press keys (you can see MIDI and audio signal coming in), then I record (still, you can see both signals), then I play it back after and you only see MIDI signal, no audio.

6

so, one of the MIDI cables was on thru instead on out.

thing is that I inserted the cable from the top of the keyboard, which is next to the wall and has a shelf really close to it, it was hard too see and I just put the cables in the wrong way.

never too old to admit to be an idiot.

thanks for the help!

7

Hi,

Sorry, the video is quite small and blurred… What is the output of the MIDI track, please?