Expression Maps preventing articulation switching via Remote Device (Patchboard)

Cubase
1

I having an issue related to Expression Maps that affects how MIDI signals are being handled by Cubase.

Without Expression Map:
When I don’t have an expression map attached to an instrument in Cubase, I can successfully transmit MIDI signals from my remote device (Patchboard) to that instrument. The remote device sends both keyswitch and CC information into Cubase, which is correctly recognized by Kontakt and allows for the keyswitching.

With Expression Map:
However, when I attach an expression map to the same instrument, the behavior changes. Even though Cubase’s MIDI Monitor plugin shows that the MIDI signals are being received, these signals do not get passed on to Kontakt. I can confirm this via a MIDI monitoring script on Kontakt: When there is no expression map on the instrument, the MIDI data is received by Kontakt. When there is an expression map, no MIDI signal reaches Kontakt from my remote device.

This issue seems exclusive to the remote device; my MIDI keyboard can successfully send MIDI signals to Kontakt regardless of whether an expression map is attached to the instrument or not. I can confirm that the remote device is correctly configured to Cubase (It works when there is no articulation map attached to the track); and that “All MIDI Inputs” is enabled on the track settings.

Could anybody please provide guidance on how to ensure that MIDI data is transmitted from my remote device, through Cubase, and into Kontakt, irrespective of whether there is an expression map attached to the track?

Thank you very much,
Tyler

2

Hi,

To me, it looks like the Patchboard doesn’t send the Expression Map trigger, but it sends the resulting MIDI data for the Instrument. However, the resulting MIDI data is blocked by Cubase because it doesn’t make sense to send these MIDI data individually (you could break your articulation).

Conversely, from your MIDI keyboard, you are probably sending the Expression Map trigger notes, therefore it works.

3

Thank you for your suggestion, Martin. Unfortunately, using remote triggers in my expression maps isn’t feasible because I have over 120 articulations, and there aren’t enough available remote IDs to accommodate them all. Instead, I’ve been sending the actual MIDI actions directly. I’ve verified through Cubase’s MIDI monitor plugin that these actions are being received from my MIDI device. However, for some reason, these MIDI signals are not getting through to Kontakt. It appears that Cubase is blocking all midi data from remote devices when an expression map is attached to the track.

Do you know of any workarounds to this limitation? I wish Cubase would recognize Patchboard as a general midi controller instead of as a remote device.

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