Cubase 12 - Recorded MIDI tracks play and won't play intermittently

Cubase
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1

I successfully recorded two MIDI tracks both using Halion Sonic SE for output.

I heard the sound fine while recording. Alas, now on playback sometimes both tracks indicate level in the mixer and play and then next time I play one or both of them shows NO level and of course, no sound is output.

It’s not the mute button. The same behavior was also exhibited whether I solo the two tracks or play them with the other tracks in the song.

HELP!?!

What gives?

2

Few more precisions, if you can :

  • What Cubase version are you using (Pro, Artist,…) ?
  • The “two MIDI tracks” are truely MIDI or rather instrument ones ?
  • In the former case, how have you add Halion SE ? In an instrument track or as an instrument rack one ?

These, before going further… :thinking:

3

Cubase 12 Pro. (Been using Cubase for many years - Steinberg since the 90s). I’ve never seen this behavior.
I am using a MIDI keyboard through USB to record on MIDI tracks
Right-click empty track - Add Track - MIDI Track - Choose Halion SE as instrument. No problem recording the tracks while hearing the instrument. I don’t really know what you mean by “add Halion SE ? In an instrument track or as an instrument rack one ?” I’ve added a MIDI track and chosen the Halion SE as the

This is the 4th time recording MIDI track(s) in this album project and this behavior is unique. It has NOT happened on other songs on the album. (yet? shudder)…

one or both tracks played and then one or both doesn’t and then one may play again and then neither will.

This REALLY feels like a bug in Cubase - Same thing is happening in Cubase 11 Pro.

I was able to proceed by “stacking” the two midi tracks (two tracks - chords/counterpoint) together into one new MIDI track and then exporting that track to a WAV file that I will have to micro-edit for the final result. That combo track played fine ONCE while exporting mixdown with only that track soloed but now IT WON’T PLAY EITHER.

A baffler…

4

Well, kids. This one was a CLASSIC!!!

A couple of times when I was recording the tracks, I used the volume slider on the MIDI controller to fade out the input at the end of the song.

After doing a deep dive into the Halion setup, the mix tab, I discovered that the instrument’s volume on the track(s) that wouldn’t play any more was set to zero. This apparently occurs every time the track is played to completion - through the MIDI fade out. The volume is set to zero IN THE MIDI INSTRUMENT. Then the volume is (of course?) NOT reset at the beginning of the next play through of the track!

The “stacking trick” worked ONCE because I created a NEW MIDI track and then copied and pasted the midi notes into it so the initial volume was full on. Then after it hit the fade out while exporting to an audio track, the volume in the Halion was set to zero and the track wouldn’t play again!

The lesson? I’m not really sure… Ya’ Shouldn’t fade out MIDI on input?

I’m NOT a MIDI guy, analog since the 1960s, so maybe one of you MIDI folk can tell us what to do about this sort of thing? I suspect learning how to do a fade out of a MIDI track instead of doing it on the midi controller during the input – or fade out and then record a return to full volume after the fade while not playing anything – or ???

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