Hi,
I’ve got Cubase 11 LE, and I’m wondering if it’s worth using at all. I’m planning to use DAW to mainly MIDI + VST mixing, I’m just starting with Cubase (hoping to). I’ve tried free Reaper so far (few times) as well, but occasionally purchased LE, hence my question. Frankly it comes due to an issue I’ve met today - mixing MIDI tracks and VST track (and exporting it to audio file, of course - to have some “easy” preview) - looks like Cubase revisions below “Artist” do not have this great flexibility and multiple options. I’ve watched few YT movies, and everything looked great and easy there - but later I realized they used “Pro” revision, so I couldn’t find all of presented options, or routing didn’t work the same way…
I know I can split tracks and export all MIDI tracks to one audio file in Cubase, and use Cubase VSts in Reaper to process VST track(s) there, and export second audio file there = and mix all together in any of them at the end. But is it worth, if I can do this in Reaper at one go ? Cubase interface looks more friendly for me and is somehow more “understandable”, it’s why I decided to give it a try, but I didn’t realize such simple thing would be such an issue (well, if I can’t solve it in one evening, I call it “an issue”) 
Or maybe is it something that I missed, and VST track can be easily turned into audio ?
I appreciate any thoughts - especially about “LE” revision (is it worth in not much heavy tasks - around 16 tracks, mainly MIDI as said, plus one-two VSTs, maybe more - depending on how much LE will allow, but exporting to audio is a must), not only regarding to my issue.
Cheers
Hi,
You don’t have to turn VSTi to an Audio track. You can simple mix it the very same way as if it was an Audio track.
Thank you for quick reply.
I think I’ve focused on turning VSTi into an Audio, because
- Export/Audio Mixdown I’ve made previously from all tracks (MIDI + VST) didn’t produce audible file (however was sized somehow suggesting something is inside, but files contain the silence),
- MIDI tracks I’ve turned out into Audio sperately (by adding additional track with LineIn and recording on) and this way exported as Mixdown - do work
- VST track is being heard during playback, but cannot be processed like MIDI track (either mixdown, or by adding additional channel) to audio, it’s why I was thinking about splitting the job between Cubase and Reaper,
I will dig more today, but what about the rest AI versus other features ? I need to find out the way I’m going to follow - nobody likes changes
Looks like I am not able to create audio from VST track either way - through AudioMixdown (mainly because VST track’s output leads to VST instrument, and Mixdown “gets” all data from any Out, not VST instrument - like SpeakerOut - and it’s why exported wav is silent) , or adding audio track and routing VST to another track which can “read” its output as input = this is not available in LE apparently, only “ins” are available for IN, and only “outs” are available for OUT).
I don’t know another way to get an audio except hardwiring two devices 
Hi,
In LE edition, the only way is to Solo the track, Export Audio Mixdown and import it back to the project (you can enable this option in the Export Audio Mixdown dialog). But as I said, it’s not necessary to export the audio, you can mix from the Instrument Tracks directly.
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I’m not going to convert VST track(s) to audio track for any purpose, it’s just a part of testing software functionality. Because I am not able to get audio file from a test VST track any way, so it makes LE software useless for me (because I’d like to use mix of MIDI and VST tracks to produce audio files, without VST part it is no sense to use LE software. because audio file will be missing VST parts).
I will try another platform, because using standadard business class laptop is a bit odd (with naming audio input lines especially), maybe Realtek was a reason why I was unable to make this bloody audio track Due to eLicenser I’m flexible with hardware used and it was one of few testing points, will see at the end what I can do, and what I can’t.
Hi,
If you want to use External Hardware (MIDI) and VSTi at once, you have to get the Audio Return from your hardware back to Cubase, to be able to mix it with the rest (VSTi and Audio tracks).
OK, I think I’ve solved my issue.
Searching all back revealed I was using a MIDI Track per VSTi, when changed its type to Instrument Track = I was able to export VST instrument to audio. The rest I’m doing as you say.
Thank you for time and effort, now it works as supposed