In my Cubase 9.5 project: I’m confused why all my tracks seem to all be using midi channel “1” for their sounds/Groove agent/etc. For example: I have 3 different Groove Agent tracks any several midi keyboard tracks using Halion sounds in my project, but when I look at each track’s unit on the “rack” and also by checking each track’s Inspector: I notice all the Groove agents, and also Halion tracks, are all using midi channel “1”. But they are separate tracks. Shouldn’t each track’s Groove Agent/Halion sound be on a separate midi channel?? Confused. I’m just not quite understanding how Cubase is organized somehow. Thanks for any suggestions. Steve
Halion for example can load multiple presets into the same instance and then you would need to access each of them with a midi track set to a different midi channel.
With single instrument as you have set up, they happily co-exist on channel 1 as they are separate midi streams.
I understand building a big sound on Halion w keyboard layers would be on separate midi channels just as on my Korg Kronos keyboard, but now working with Cubase 9.5: intuitively it just seems that each midi “track” would also need it’s own midi “channel” wouldn’t it???..yet they are all on channel 1!! that’s the part I don’t understand. any suggestions/insight to help me understand better greatly appreciated many thanks Steve
Every single midi track is capable of sending on any or all of the 16 available midi channels. The channel is directly connected to the instrument so it doesn’t matter that other tracks/instruments are on ch1.
omg that confuses me worse. i don’t understand how all my keyboard and groove agent midi tracks are all on midi channel 1… every unit in the whole stack of the “rack” is all on “channel 1”…i’m just not understanding! any further help/insight greatly appreciated… Steve
In hardware terms, each midi track is connected by it’s own cable to each rack module. So it doesn’t matter if it’s on the same channel as another synth because there is no connection between them.
But connect 2 tracks to one instrument instance (but with multi instruments loaded to different channels) and they share that one cable so then you have to use 2 channels.
I hope that makes sense because I really can’t imagine how to make it any simpler than that!
I’m kind of starting to finally understand it thanks but…how would u even connect 2 midi tracks to the same one instrument?? I tried and can’t. If I open Groove Agent in a separate track, it becomes a second Groove Agent in the rack, with its own settings…but of course also on channel 1! someday I’ll understand but somehow still just not fully getting it. many thanks for your help and any further insight tips etc greatly appreciated thanks Steve
It sounds like you’re just getting your feet wet in MIDI stuff? If so, then, watch some videos about it and it will fall into place.
Groove Agent can respond on individual MIDI channels, or on “All” midi channels. Midi provides 16 MIDI channels. Don’t confuse MIDI channels with Audio Outputs (if you’re just getting started, this can sometimes be confusing). For Drums, I tend to use 1 MIDI channel for the Kit, but more than one Audio Output for individual drums or groups of drums.
Having created your Groove Agent instrument track, now create a MIDI track rather than another Groove Agent Instrument Track. You can now set this track to be routed to Groove Agent (MIDI Track 2 if you want…or any other).