Cubase 9: GROUP AUDIO ROUTING PROBLEMS

Hi there

There is a problem that I have been trying to find a solution for in cubase to do with exporting a track archive:

*When I export a track archive which contains multiple tracks and groups which are routed to one another, issues often occur when importing the track archive in to another project which has several groups of its own:

*The groups and tracks no longer retain their audio routing structure (the output of an audio track for example will no longer be sent to a group track for example).

*Most importantly; there is no way to actually route audio in to the imported groups (they don’t even show up on the audio routing list when trying to route another track to them)

Additionally

When doing quite complex group routing in cubase 9, I have also found in that in certain cases, audio no longer gets sent through them, almost like its a similar problem to the one above.

Has anyone experienced one or more of these problems?


P.S I have seen some of these this issues mentioned in a cubase 8 forum as well, with the only solution being individually importing tracks one at a time.

Hi,

OK, this is a complex situation, obviously. I’m not sure I completely understand what’s going on. First, which version of Cubase are you using?

Secondly, can you put this issue into a format that someone else could reproduce with a step-by-step example? It doesn’t have to be overly complex, or, perhaps you could post some annotated screen shots of existing projects where the problems are occuring. I think I understand what you’re staying, but I’m not 100 per cent clear and the illustrations or examples might help.

I understand you export a project that has many sub-groups and group tracks, complex routing; is that part of your projection chain working OK? What you’re focusing on is that when you want to import tracks to a new project, the routing of the Source project is not imported to the new Target project? Are you using Archives for this, importing audio and midi tracks; I’m not clear about this part?

You may have identified some issues with the program, but it needs to be reproduced by others if it’s to be identified as a “bug.” My projects are not as complex as yours. but I do use Group Tracks (Buses and Sub-Groups) and at times have had audio issues. Those seem to be more computer related, but at times audio has just vanished from audio output buses. A reset of the audio engine or a restart of the DAW has corrected this in nearly all cases, there may be a few lingering problem problem projects but I can’t recall any at the moment.

As tedious as it may be, importing tracks one at a time will at least work. Perhaps other users will have some suggestions about this.

I’m not sure the program actually does what you would like it to do, good as that idea may be. I noticed you also posted about this in Feature Requests, so, perhaps that’s more what this is about? Given the limitations you’ve found, maybe what’s needed is a strategy for doing what you need to do that allows for the program’s limitations, in other words, a good work-around or workflow pattern that avoids the program’s limitations.

Good luck.

Dear Stephen

Thank you very much for your response, I appreciate the amount of thought and detail.

Before my response, I would like to say that the ability to import / export multiple tracks as archives is important to me; For the style of work I do, and the processing chains I need to hand, and I hope that others will agree that this is an important function of the programme if you like to save your processing to recall in different projects (almost like importing an effect)

*I am in Cubase PRO 9.0.1. It would be interesting to see if someone can replicate the problem in 9.0.2, as I checked the update details several days back and no detail of a fix is mentioned.

I had a look tonight to see if i could replicate the problem under the simplest conditions so that the specifics of the issue could be reviled. Here is what I found:

The problem occurs without any plugins on each channel, so it is an internal issue with cubase.


A Test to replicate the problem: Please bare with me here, it is a little complicated, but I fee it is reasonable to assume that this kind of routing structure is something that others may need to use at some point.

*The test requires 1 audio track (with a test audio file) and 5 group tracks (G1,2,3,5 and 5), routed in the following configuration:

Audio 1 track: Send1 to G1 (Pre fader) and Send2 to G2 (Pre fader)
G1 to G3
G2 to G4
G3 and G4 to G5

*Now that the routing is done, test audio, it should play through the groups as expected.

*Select all tracks (audio and groups), then File/Export/Tracks [Copy Media Files Option], save as ‘Test1’

*Now in the same Project, File/Import/Track Archive, open ‘Test 1’ in to the same project

There should now be the issues with routing:

*The imported audio track is not routing audio to its imported groups. It is however, sending it to the groups already in the project.


SEE SCREEN GRAB 1

*The Imported groups, although the look available in audio routing, are in fact impossible to connect to.

*If you re-name one of the imported groups, the name does not update on the audio routing selected.

SEE SCREEN GRAB 2

*I have checked that the audio routing problem isn’t influenced by track name duplication; If you rename all of the original tracks within the project before you importing the track archive (such as putting a ‘B’ in every group name, the same problems occur.

Here are links to the test files in which the problem can be seen, including the test audio file:

Cubase Project with track structure

Track Archive for import:

Is anyone able to replicate the problem?

@Robby 12

I’ll need a little time to look at the files, but thanks posting them all and explaining things.

Yesterday, I did some work with Track Archives and Importing Tracks from other projects to decidedly mixed results.

Your routing seems much the same as I’ve seen in others’ work and in my own projects. I don’t often use Sends for a Group tracks, but it certainly should work and I can see where such routing would be useful – parallel compression effects, for example. Using sends for routing to a Group Track should be no problem at all, so I don’t see why Cubase would not retain those settings in an Archive – unless it ‘just don’t work that way.’

My reading of the Operations Manual (on-line version) seems to say that all track settings are saved with the XML file, but perhaps this does not include routing? If it does not, the OM should say that.

Again, there are people who post here that could forget more about Cubase than I’ll likely ever know and perhaps someone will have a look at this and have some input.

Archives and Importing are newer concepts for me. Templates and Track Presets to be what I rely on most. So far, I’m not having much luck with Importing tracks from other projects or importing archives. One of the most disappointing things I’ve found is that import tracked do not correctly import non-Steinberg instruments. The MIDI Data is imported, but the instrument and its patch are lost; and there are other issues with it, but all that should really posted to a separate thread.

Anyway, give me a little time to look at the files you’ve posted and I’ll respond after that. I’d like to hear from others about all of this. Take care for now.

Thanks Stephen, it will be good to hear what you and other members find out.

It is also interesting that you have also found some problems with importing Instrument tracks. That is definately a feature I will be using too.

I’d like to hear from some others about this as well. There could be a few things going on and parsing it out can be difficult. I downloaded the files and will take a look later today.

I think an Archive for a project consisting of only audio stems would likely archive as the Operations Manual explains. This is where someone with more experience could shed some light on matters. I took one of my projects and created an Archive according to the procedure for doing so in the OM. The project included both Steinberg and instruments by other vendors. When I open the Archived project, the Steinberg instruments and track were mostly correct, however, an instance of Groove Agent SE, which had a very nice kit and routing set-up was not imported into the Archive file. I was very careful to follow the documentation and made several attempts.

I can’t say there’s no error in procedure on my part since this is my first time trying to make use of Importing and Archiving. Forgive me for using your problem to help me learn more about these functions of the program. I’ll keep hacking away at it.

While Cubase has no problems being set-up with complex routing schemes, Group Tracks, sub-Groups, subs of subs, sends feeding a Group Bus and so on down the line, the exporting and and saving of such set-ups is best accomplished by creating a Template with routing and instruments assigned, then, (maybe) importing tracks into the Template could be accomplished. I’m not sure.

What I’d really like is for Cubase to be a multi-document interface and I’d be able to just drag tracks from one project to another and it could carry in any and all routing and other channel settings, instrument and patch. If in instrument was already routed to a Group Bus and one did not exist, a Group Track would be created automatically. Puff Puff Puff, probably a pipe dream on that.

So, I think there’s two (or more) things happening at once. For me, part of this is figuring out what Cubase can and can’t do with regard to archives. Then there’s the task of determining if there’s a flaw or bug in the program. Lastly, developing either a workaround, or a work flow pattern giving answers to the former items.

Again, my approach is with Templates which do save complex routing and track presets, Group assignments and other routing assignments. I also like Track Presets for some things, between those two I can get a project going relatively quickly and effectively.

I’ve noticed that if I change the name of a Group Track that it sometimes takes the program a little time to show the change.

I’ll post after looking at the files. I’m sorry I can’t give you better information about this, maybe someone else will post about this. Take care for now.

bump

Hi,

I’ve had a look at the files and I have a screen shot and some questions and comments.


I took the example project and loaded into Cubase, then imported the XLM file, the result is seen in the attachment.

Something is odd here but I’m not sure I can say exactly what is happening. I’ve only spent a about half and hour looking over the files. The Groups in the original file were named with numerals – 1, 2, 3, 4 – and I renamed the imported groups with words – One, Two, Three, Four. Cubase did not change the names of the groups in the drop down list on Routing. There may be an issue with this – the renaming of groups – but I have to check this further with some other test projects. Also, there was no signal present immediately on the imported groups. However, I’m not sure I have things routed correctly, or perhaps my own system’s limitations aren’t getting in the way.

I typically don’t use “Sends” for routing signals to Group Tracks, however, I see no reason why this shouldn’t work and be useful in some cases. If I were to use a Send in this way, I think I’d likely use it Post- and not Pre-fader. In the example, the sends appeared Pre-Fader and I can certainly think of some good reasons for using a Pre-fader send to a Group, but, again, for me, it’s not a typical use.

You have a more complex audio system than I do. Mine is only a 2x4 little Foscurite Scarlett, so perhaps some of my results are incorrect since our systems aren’t more similar in terms of basic IO capabilities? I’m not sure.

I do think there’s an issue when a Group Track is renamed. The new name is not reflected in the Drop Down lists for Routing. I’ve noticed this before, but it seems the name is updated after some time. I think thatwhen I’ve hit such an issue, I simply created a new group track, re-routed channels to it and deleted the non-functional group. I honestly don’t know, when I’m working, if there’s a problem, I tend to find a way around it and blow past it. Sometimes I remember to come back and check, other times I’ll take some hours and investigate to try to see what is happening – was it me, was it Cubase? Often it’s operator error. :blush: I’ll have to look at this more carefully and, again, if anyone else has some suggestions or similar issues, I’d like to hear about it. :ugeek:

You don’t want to be working along and then suddenly hit a brick wall session- or project-killing issue. It would be better to know what’s going – current issues, limitations, capabilities – and then plan accordingly.

I don’t know if you’re using Control Room, but if you are not, I think your interface, set-up and needs might be best served with that – or better served. This does not mean you’ve not identified some issues with the program, but in your case Control Room might be the better bet.

All in all, don’t feel I know Cubase well enough or have put in enough time to make a determination about what is or is not going on with the Group Tracks – names and routing. I’ll mess around with this some more and post here when I have some screen shots or other examples to offer.

Take care for now

Hi Stephen, thanks for the response, your testing has been very useful to clarify the issue.

It seems that we have managed to duplicate the problem on two different machines with two different interfaces. Mine is a RME 802

As we have two different interfaces and the same problem has occurred, I think it is pointing to an issue with the software rather than our hardware.

I have contacted steinberg support about this weekly, for three weeks now to see if they have any guidance or help to give, and I have not had a single reply form them, which makes me feel like they don’t care.

I whish that the staff would respond to users like me and others who take interest in trying to improve functions like this, and that the software would work properly with all its functions.

What else can I say?

I’d like a little more input here from the company.

it was interesting to go over the project files. As I’m looking at it, the thing you don’t want to do it hit a brick wall.

I posted in the the Lounge about the XML import/export issues.
Exports and archives and Imports, oh my!, or XML Hell

What I’m finding is there’s no really elegant way to import and export. As far as the importing of Groups and Routing. It seems like no matter how you go about it, when it comes to more complex routing, naming, coloring parts of a project, Cubase requires you to re-build things each time.

If the project is exclusively audio files, that’s great, but for a hybrid project of MIDI and audio tracks, brining a favorite Groove Agent SE Kit, for example, you’ll still activate and rename all the outputs re-assign the instrument to the midi tracks and so on. Midi data is easy to move around, but, getting a full instrument with assignments is proving to be much more challenging. Take care for now.

Not trying to hijack, but FYI, 9.0.2 is not remembering track input routing on track presets. May be related…

Sort of good news everyone:

The Steinberg team have given a response several months after I contacted thes about this issue. It appears they are awear of the problem, but want me to send them the details of the problem again, (After sending details of the issue 3 times)

Here is what they wrote:


"Due to maintenance work on our servers, the processing of incoming emails has been delayed. I’m sorry that your enquiry could not be answered within an acceptable period. Please excuse the inconvenience!

We already know this issue and we do not have any solution at the moment.
Our developer team is working hard in order to release update fix as soon as possible.

in any case, if you have not already done, I suggest of downloading the Cubase Pro 9.0.20 update and latest eLicenser Control Center which are available at links below:

In case your Routing problem is still current, we kindly ask you to write us again, preferably via the support request form that you can access via your MySteinberg accounts:
https://www.steinberg.net/en/mysteinberg.html
I cannot use anymore your drop box link
Thanks for your understanding!

Best Regards
Oscar Bonomi
Steinberg Technical Support Representative"

@Robby 12

I was wondering what had happened with this. I’m glad the company is catching up.

Bottom line on all this for me is that I’d like the program to do a better job at exporting and importing Tracks and Routing so that tracks from one project could be easily imported into another new or existing project. This would be especially helpful, I think, for moving complex sections of projects with detailed Instrument output, Groups, and FX, to another Cubase project. The current system does not carry the full signal chain into the new project, so it all has to be rebuilt again. It seems non-Steinberg interments and FX do not retain the assigned patches and settings with import.

Anyway, my default position as a user is to see where any session- or project-crashing brickwalls are and try not to hit them. To see the difference between “it’s not working” and “I don’t know how to do task X” often comes down to my needing more work on the latter. I still consider myself a relative newbie.

I hope you were able to find alternate ways to accomplish good results working, and avoiding!, whatever workflow it is that leads the issues you’ve apparently identified.

Take care. Keep us posted.

I’ve not observed that, meaning I’ve not checked to see. It may, in fact, be related. I’ll have to take a good look at track presets to see if they retain group and FX routing. I thought they did. I honestly don’t use a lot of track presets and tend to build tracks according to what I think is needed. I’ll have a look at that. it may be related to what Robby’s identified.

Thanks for the information about presets Stephen, and apologies that it has taken a while to respond, I was just waiting for the issue to move forward with Steinberg before posting more on here.

Steinberg have requested a remote control session to see what the bug is on my computer. I will look in to setting that up within the next few weeks. Encouraging though

I think there are various things not working quite as intended about track archives.

I reported something 18 months ago 2015-12-27 “Track archive mockup…” and never heard from Steinberg on the matter - ticket was completely lost somehow. With example archives that worked and those that did not.

I did an archive from instrument track with 7 stereo outs, and bus and this in a folder.
But tracks were like track #13, #16 and #23 or similar - saved as archive and tried importing with lots of errors and popup dialogs to delete tracks, output order of stereo outs were all masched up.

But if I did save in a blank project and tracks were #1, #2 and #3 - it worked fine to import then - anywhere.
So I got a workaround at least for some things that are handy.


Never tried multiple in same project though, as this topic also do.
And if same track name exist, I would almost expect it to be used and not duplicated.

I got a reply just a week ago, three months waiting on a matter, and they just closed ticket and wanted to me to create a new one if not solved.
Good that somebody is persistent with Steinberg support, I don’t bother anymore.
Somehow they try, I think, but have a long way to go.

Steinberg Reported the following to me today:

"…An official bug report is already opened and our developer teams are working hard in order to solve it as soon as possible.
At the moment I can just inform you that at the moment there is not a valid solution for it.

Excellent news. Let’s hope there’s a correction soon. Thanks for the update.

Steinberg: We have had several updates and a new release of cubase 9.5 now and still no mention of a fix. What happened?

14 08 2017: "…An official bug report is already opened and our developer teams are working hard in order to solve it as soon as possible.
At the moment I can just inform you that at the moment there is not a valid solution for it.