Cubase fighting MCU faders

Cubase
#1

Hey, guys.

I’ve recently added a Mackie MCU (new unit, not used) which I’m enjoying quite a bit. However, I’m continually dealing with random instances where I move a fader and Cubase resists the movement. Alternatively I’ll move it and Cubase will snap it back to the original position.

And then, after some wiggling back and forth and perhaps a small amount of profanity, the problem goes away for a while.

  • The MCU is set up in Cubase Mode


  • I have the MCU connected via USB only, i.e. a power cable and USB cable going to the unit, no MIDI cables.


  • The auto select on fader movement option is on, and I wonder if that contributes to the confusion.


  • There are no other MIDI devices such as keyboards, etc. connected when this happens.

I haven’t put any kind of MIDI scope on it yet to debug at a deeper level as I don’t what software to use for this. I’m hoping others have fought this battle and can point me to something stupid I’m doing so I don’t have to go down the debugging rabbit hole, but I have my Elmer Fudd shotgun at the ready if necessary.

#2

Hi,

There is always a question, if the problem is on the transmiter or receiver.

It would be interesting to install MIDI-OX as a MIDI Monitor and keep to monitor your Mackie output. Once the issue occures, you would see if the MIDI data is sent from Mackie or not. Then we know, on which side the issue is and continue investigating.

#3

Ah, Midi Ox. That’s the one I couldn’t remember, used it ages ago.

Thanks, Martin. I’ll give that a try and see what it tells me.

#4

You didn’t mention if the Fader, when you move it, is also moving on the Cubase screen.

I believe when you move something on the MCU 2 things are happening:

  1. The MCU is sending the move to Cubase
  2. Cubase is echoing the change back to the MCU

So, if you do not see the fader moving on the screen then you know Cubase is not receiving the DATA.
But, if the screen fader moves but the MCU snaps back to its original position then the issue is the MCU not receiving the feedback.

Hugh

#5

That’s something I’d not thought to check, thanks man.

When I encountered the problem I’d stop for a moment before realizing that I could just use the mouse to keep getting things done. The MCU has quickly become addictive so now I can’t imagine working without it.

Similar to an experience I had with my car, which has a HUD so I’m used to staring through the windshield to see the gauges. One day the sun hit the display just right and wiped it out. There was a brief moment of panic before I realized I still had the full suite of analog gauges right where they always were.

Apparently I’m quite the creature of habit.

#6

Argh! I’m an idiot.

I have the MCU in the control room. I have a USB cable running into the live room and I have a set of CMC controllers so that I can control Cubase during rehearsals, tracking, etc. That includes both a fader and channel unit. The seeming randomness had to do with whether or not I was using a channel that the CMCs also happened to be selecting.

It wasn’t Cubase fighting with the MCU. I was the CMCs causing the conflict. I unplugged the channel and fader units because I really just use the transport and the quick control ones. Not seeing any further fader contention.

Sheesh.

#7

Excellent!