I’ve noticed 2 different problems with EastWest Symphonic Orchestra and Hollywood Orchestra when used with Cubase:
When I enter notes to be used as keyswitches (a note that is above or below the playable range of an EastWest instrument and is used to call up a particular articulation), I get a strange response when playing the file, song, etc. The Keynote (on the virtual keyboard) jumps all around the place (visible as blue notes changing from one note to another, then another, then another etc and the audible articulation changes (it’s a very messy sound). I can avoid it by using only a certain articulation and thus losing the chance to change articulations on the fly . Am I the only one with this problem? Is there a fix?
When I use an EastWest percussion instrument only once in a Cubase Part, the drum, cymbal etc. keeps repeating itself and I have found no fix for this error (I have a fix for the keyswitch problem (see above) but no fix for this percussion repeat. Do any of you have this problem or any fix for it?
I have not had either of these problems with Logic Pro but haven’t tested it extensively. And I have not had the problem with other orchestras (Miroslav Philharmonik 2, and Garritan. If you know what to do please pass it on to me - Thanks
There is no problem with having 2 or more notes sounding at the same time. I have yet to use any monophonic audio since long before my owning the EastWest orchestras. So I would say “no” to the monophonic issue.
You are right about there seeming to be invisible midi notes playing some of the drums and cymbals. But this is only with the percussion instruments and not with my Logic Pro DAW for any instruments, percussion or otherwise. Which would suggest there is a problem with one of my settings when using Cubase.
Baffling.
I subscribe to EastWest so I could give this a try. Cubase 12. Mac OS Big Sur. M1 Rosetta mode.
Are you using Opus or Play… and what’s the name of the patch?
Maybe you would want to share a part of the MIDI file you’re using, or I could probably just start messing around and see what happens - program in some key switches along with a part, in the same MIDI file.
OK, I have several problems with 1 file (Recording Robin Hood.cpr) I will also include a midi file made by the Cubase Project file.
Most of my current work is with Opus (since it’s new for me and I want to learn it). Except on the Track Violins 1 which uses Play. I chose Play because it gives me the keyswitch problem (haven’t seen it with Opus yet. You can see the Keyswitch keys (blue) changing during play and hear the articulations change randomly. (Play 18 violins KSMaster). If I use just 1 articulation (No Keyswitch) the problem is avoided but options very limited
The lowest-positioned Track Opus1 Bass Drum is remarkable for the repeating Bass Drum (only 1 Bass drum note in the entire file). Depending on the volume level I set, the repeating bass drum sounds like rolling thunder all through the song. (Opus 40" Ludwig Bass Drum). Sounds cool and dramatic but there’s no control.
The cymbals repeats too (Track Cymbals Opus 14" Zildjian Crash) but if the volume is set below 50% on the instrument rack horizontal slider, it repeats less often. Perhaps the storm clouds have been blown away.
I have the general sense that these problems are most pronounced at the higher volume levels.
Load 40" Ludwig Bass Drum Hollywood Orchestra into the empty bass drum track & listen again and increase the volume level to hear the repeating bass drum “thunder”
The only keyswitches I placed were in the Violins 1 Track. Listen and watch for the many changes that occur even though I only placed 2 keyswitches in the violins 1 track
There are no expression maps used.
Be sure that the chord track shows up and plays the chords - a string section is good for this.
I also find that the timpani track plays fine without repeats.
The track that is playing cymbals (repeated for me but no repeats for you) might hold the answer, I’ll double check my settings for that track once again
There is a suspect here. When I audition any given track I usually also select that track. That will automatically turn on the red [Record] button. When I deselected the red record button (Cymbals track), the repeats went away, and came back again when I toggled the record button back on.
yea, check the inputs for the channel. Is it ALL MIDI inputs? And what’s included in that…
Do you have a controller that is acting strange? One time I realized that my M-Audio keyboard was sending errant signals after someone on here told me he thinks that happens more often with M-Audio devices.
Nice arrangement. It’s fun to open up someone else’s track.
I dont’ experience the problems, but Opus wouldn’t open by default for me (it’s an Apple Silicon thing). I had to go select Opus myself in my instrument list and then load a couple of the instruments. So I can’t speak for the crash cymbal or BD I guess, though I did load a crash, the K crash 14" zildjian cymbal and it crashed once. I also loaded the ludwig bass drum 40in and it only played once.
Interesting to note that some of the keyswitches, and even the actual Bass Drum note were 1 to 2 octaves below what they needed to be for me to hear anything. For instance, the bass drum was on like C-1 and I had to move it up to C0 (or something, maybe C1)… And the 2nd keyswitch you have going in the violins was on C-1 and I had to move it up to C0. I’m guessing this was some quirk of translation of the project from yours to my system, and Cubase 10 to 12.
My fault there. I mistook C-1 to mean C1 on the bass drum. I eventually discovered my error. On the other hand, all the keyswitches are supposed to be inaudible. They are keys that are below or above the particular instrument’s playable range so that a change of articulation is sent rather than an audible note.
By the way, I’ve not been able to find much about the particulars of using EastWest Hollywood Orchestrator. You play a chord on a MIDI keyboard and the orchestrator responds with a sequencer-recordable orchestration. I’m not a keyboard player although I’ve tried to learn many times. I’m wondering whether Cubase Chord track could be the input for the Orchestrator instead of real-time midi keyboard input I’ll search the Web again today for instructions and tutorials on Hollywood Orchestrator.