Cubase doesn't import expression maps from tracks inside folders?

I just spent days tediously creating and assigning expression maps (with some help from Art Conductor but a lot of them by hand), to some of my string libraries. Lots of tracks, and lots of separate Kontakt instrument articulations using a very detailed folder structure so I can stay organized when I want to import. Been doing it for a few days now and was excited to finally get expression maps assigned to all my libraries as part of a long-term project. My goal was to have a template sessions for various libraries, where I can then import things a la cart into whatever project I’m working on.

So I go now to import some of these tracks and none of the expression maps that I assigned to their respective tracks are importing into a new project. I do a bit of research and discover a thread on the Steinberg forums from over 2 yrs ago which says that if a track exists inside a folder, the expression map will not import into a new project? I didn’t want to believe it, but then I tried moving a few tracks outside of their nested folders to the root level in the project window, THEN importing, and low and behold it’s true.

I’m hoping that there’s some workaround for this. I mean, this is part exasperating and partially depressing, to have spent so much time only to discover that I can’t use any sort of folder structure to effectively create a template with expression maps??? Expression maps were one of the big reasons I moved over to Cubase.

I’m hoping there’s some workaround for this, and if anybody knows it I would be interested in hearing a solution. Is this something that is NOT a problem maybe in Neundo? I’m in Cubase 12 pro.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Hi,

As far as I know, this is a known and already reported issue.

Yes reported quite a while ago, with no movement from Steinberg on it. I did find a workaround where it is possible. I posted it on another thread about the same issue.

Still no luck with version 12.0.40…

the workaround is to export your tracks from the session which contains all your expression maps in the track archives
and start from this session by deleting all tracks
so you will have a blank session
where you can import tracks you need
and miracle your tracks will have well
map expressions corresponding to each track

(answer written on another thread, copied here to share with people following this thread, please excuse the double post)

Thank you for this answer and this tip, but as you state yourself, this is a workaround.
(And yes, it’s better to have a workaround than nothing)

But still, this a bug, and Cubase is (or at least claims to be) (I know this last statement is a bit harsh) a professional tool.
Professional offers solutions, not workarounds!

A bug so old (and well known as it seems) needs a fix!

I encountered the same problem today. Remaking my template. Yesterday I made a temp template with new libraries, assigned all expression maps on it, and exported track archives for family of instruments. Today I imported the track archives in my main template and discovered that Cubase doesn’t import expression maps when the tracks are inside folders!! This is really BAD! And the suggested workaround doesn’t work because my main template is already set and full of stuff! I cannot begin from 0 again. Please: any Steinberg people can give some advise about this problem? Thank you!

I posted this a little over a year ago in a different thread. It’s what Freudon says but just explained in a little more detail. I don’t see any reason why you could not get this to work in your current template session. Hope this helps:
"Hey everybody. I have a solution that is not too tedious and you can import tracks along with their corresponding Expression maps loaded with your folder structure intact. Yay! It takes only a little bit of work on the front end, but then you can save as a template. Explained in the following:

How to import tracks a la carte from a template, with expression maps and with an intact folder structure.
The act of Importing track archives (that have tracks with expression maps), also imports the Expression maps into the project you’re working in. So if you take an entire template session and export all tracks at once as an XML file, then import THAT file Xml file into a new project (file-import-track archive), then delete what you just imported, the project will still retain all the maps you just imported. So now if you select any tracks (including folders) to import from your template session, it will import the tracks with folder structure and re-assign automatically all the expression maps to whatever you just imported. You don’t have to do anything one by one.
To prevent having to do this each time to avoid lengthy load times, you can just delete all the tracks you just imported from the track archive (which moves all the Emaps into the project), then save that as a project template. It will look like blank project upon opening but it will have all your expression maps that will automatically re-attach to whatever you import from your template.
Amazeballs.
It sounds a bit confusing, but just think of it like this. You’re only importing the XML containing all your template tracks into a project for the expression maps they contain. Once the maps are in a session, they automatically assign to whatever you pull in from your template. Once all the maps are in your project, just delete the archive tracks and save as a template and you never have to do it again, unless you add stuff to the template that you’re pulling from.
CAVEAT: Before you export as an XML file, make sure you enable any disabled tracks. You can disable them again before export. I don’t know why this is necessary, but I noticed it doesn’t export correctly with the maps unless I do this step. A pain I know, but really only needs to be done once."

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So I just tried this again and it for sure works. So here’s what you do:
Take all the tracks from your temp template and highlight them (make sure they are not disabled), and export selected tracks. It will save them as an archive, and it won’t honor the folder structure they were nested in.
Then, import that XML file into your existing master template session. An import dialogue box will come up and you’ll see all the tracks you exported, but wihout the folders. Select all the tracks and import them and make sure they are activated. You should see the expression maps on the tracks after import. Then, delete the tracks you just imported. Then, go to File - Import - Tracks from Project, and import the folder structure of any of the tracks from your “temp” session. They will import with the folder structure intact, and you should see that the expression maps are imported as well.

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Thank you @dylanguitar for you precise walk through and @Freudon for the initial suggestion. This is a good workaround and it works nicely. Just tested it and now I have much clearer what to do. Thank you. Much appreciated!

Nevertheless this still means that Cubase is lacking the functionality mentioned in the OP. (so this still remains a workaround.)

Cubase is not able to manage the import of track archives with folder structures importing automatically the assigned expression maps.
From such a great software I would not expect to depend on workarounds for such key functionalities (like for example to have to put an empty slot in each expression map to be able to: choose an articulation, experiment with recording on a track without events and not worry that every time I push the stop or record button my articulation sound is reverted to the first articulation slot.
But this is another matter, and is sad that Steinberg does not add an option to stay on the last selected articulation like for example Logic makes wonderfully, and no I am not using Directions but Attributes…).

I love Cubase but if find very strange that this old requested implementations are ignored in the updates…).
Thanks again you for your help!

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Hello there,

A friend of mine told me Cubase 13 solved this bug.
Can someone confirm (or infirm?)

TIA

Hi,

I can confirm. This is working, now.

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Thanks !
At least a good news (I must confess I am not over excited by Cubase 13, although I’ll probably buy the update in a few weeks, mainly because expression maps did not get the care could have, like per-articulation delay…)

So moderation could close this thread…

Hi Martin!, Was it fixed?, I tried this a few days ago in C13 and it is still not working.
Posted it once again here.