It is my understanding from the Cubase manual regarding Expression Maps, that the first sound slot becomes the default setting. Green arrows left and right of the currently selected expression in the Track Inspector confirm this.
And yet when I first start work on a project using VSL and VI Pro, VI Pro does not initially select the matrix slot pointed to by this default expression setting. My default expression always points to the standard Sustained patch in the matrix. Sustained is highlighted by the green arrows in the Track Inspector. But when I activate the track to audition it and play on my keyboard, whatever matrix slot was last used is the one that plays. If you check VI Pro there is no initialized connection between the selected articulation in Cubase and the selected matrix slot in VI Pro. Of course if I record a line, then I can go back into the Key Editor and make my articulation selections using the available expressions from the Expression Map.
Does anyone know of a way to initialize the default articulation so that it plays automatically when I activate a track for audition purposes using my keyboard?
I’d like to know the answer to this, too, because I’d like the behavior you have currently, where the last slot played is activated. On my system, the slot defaults to whatever articulation the “now” cursor (can’t remember what that is called at the moment) happens to be over. If the cursor is over no Part or MIDI data, then it defaults to the first slot. I’d much prefer it to default to the last slot played.
Sorry, of no help. I don’t know what setting it is in Cubase to make your’s or my behavior active.
Mahlon
DaddyO, Could it be that your VI Pro preset was initially saved with the wrong matrix selected? (I hope I understood your problem correctly).
Mahlon, try creating an empty default slot in the expression map.
Thanks for your responses.
The only way I can think of to accomplish what I want is to set up my template with a special “Test” measure before the start any actual composition. I am in the process of setting one up that contains one note for every track. Then I can use that note to set up default start values for any parameter I want, including the articulation. If I want to audition something I locate the cursor at that measure, then start and stop the transport. Everything should be at default settings for auditioning.
el-russo, I don’t think it’s the VI Pro preset I am using, but that’s an interesting suggestion.
DaddyO, to make sure I understand, is the problem in that you get a wrong matrix selected in the VI Pro on its initial load, or is it that when you go back to its track after working on other tracks, it stays on the last matrix used?
Thanks for pursuing this, el-russo.
Here I hope is a clearer explanation:
When the transport is stopped, either at the start of composition or in the middle of it, ideally I would like Cubase to select (or revert to) the default expression I set in the Expression Map. When composing, if I want to audition a patch by playing it on my keyboard, I start to play a line and out comes short notes, or portamentos. Most of the time I just want legato, my default.
I can’t keep all the various keyboard keyswitches straight for every patch, they’re often different, especially with the VSL matrices which can have two or more sets of switches for a single patch (X and Y, sometimes A/B, and sometimes “I”). In any case, I’d have to do octave shifting on my keyboard as well. I can do that to select a non-default patch if necessary, or just open up VI Pro and click on the slot I want, but I don’t want to have to do that every time.
I am afraid that’s only possible if you either program your cursor to go back to start of the project on stop (before any articulations set in the midi part), or move it anywhere outside parts on track .
Yeah, I’m coming to that conclusion. Since I don’t want the cursor to ALWAYS go back to start of project on stop-- most of the time I’m NOT auditioning on stop, only occasionally-- I’m left with my idea of a single Test measure before start of project. That will have to do unless someone comes up with a better idea.
Thanks for your time, el-russo.