External Instrument track BUG!!! Mute/solo grayed out on Project window

Something is wrong with External Instrument:


The same channel of external instrument on project window has Mute/Solo disabled,
but, it works as it should in MixConsole

Hi,

Isn’t the track frozen, or locked?

The Solo/Mute buttons in the Project window are Solo/Mute of the source MIDI data. The Solo/Mute in the MixConsole buttons are Solo/Mute of the Audio Return Channel.

Thanks for answer.
No nothing is frozen or muted.

You are pro user, so can you check it please if you can for me (it’s still bug in 10.0.0.0.10 version)

On PC:

  1. In Audio Connection Windows go to External Instrument Tab
  2. Add external stereo instrument, give it any name and assign any input channles
  3. Close this window an go to main window and Add track → instrument
  4. From drop down list instrument choose “external plug ins” and choose the instrument you’ve created before
  5. Find this track on main window and check if you have solo/mute buttons active
  6. Find this track on mixer and check if you have solo/mute buttons activee
  7. Do the same steps on C 9.5

Hi,

I got it now, and I know where is the issue. You have no MIDI Device associated. In this case I can reproduce, the Solo/Mute buttons are not active.

To fix it, open Audio Connections (F4) > External Instruments, and click to the No Link item in the MIDI Device column. Select a midi device or create one. If you have had an Instrument track in your project already, you have to remove it, and add a new one. Then the Solo and Mute buttons are available even in the Project window.

I hope it works to you.

Thanks for your answer and for checking it for me.

The solution I was looking was a bit different. I was looking for audio channel for external instrument, not midi one.
Having audio channel as external instrument gives you ability to use vst inserts, eq’s and automation.
Problem started when I’ve opened my old project (from cubase 9.5) in cubase 10.
Basically, I could’t remember how I’ve created one of external instrument tracks in old project. I was sure it was instrument
track because of icon of this track.
But what i was looking for was external instument track created from vst instrument with external instrument track output as rack instrument.
Why i have been mistaken?
Steinberg had changed icons representing two different types tracks of vst instrument:
In cubase 9.5:

  • track vst instrument had “5 keys icon”
  • rack vst instrument had “speaker icon”
    In cubase 10 it has the same icon representing for both of kind of tracks.

When I opened old project in cubase 9.5 i’ve realized, that I was creating wrong type of track.

Here is difference which made me creating wrong kind of track:


It is also the solution of topic, which makes mute/solo buttons working.

I got the same issue. Now the signal is coming into instrument track, however, when i press record and play, nothing gets recorded! What’s going on?

Hi,

I agree, it’s confusing.

A Solution to a problem of: " [Mute/solo greyed out on Project window]".

Hi there,

I am on a Mac M1 , OS: Monterey/Cubase 12.

The “Mute/Solo” greyed out=not active make the track to not play back the midi sounds. The External Midi Instrument is not properly connected even though it shows that it is.

In order to make the “MUTE/SOLO” back Active/black (not greyed out) on a track with an external Midi Instrument please Try the following solution:
While having the session opened with the existing problem:

  1. Turn OFF (power off) the External Midi Instrument (while the program is running) and quit without saving the Cubase.
  2. Restart the Cubase 12.
    Start the session back again. At the startup you will get a window with a “problem” of missing/disconnected Midi instrument- push “OK” and proceed to start the session in question in Cubase 12.
  3. Once the DAW opens, the track with previously greyed out “Mute/Solo” should be now Active: “Mute/Solo” should be in Black.
  4. Now Turn “on” (power on) the External Midi Instrument in question, wait until it fully loads the sounds and play the session/instrument.
    Everything should work now Fine :slight_smile:

Save the session.

Sincerely,

  • Pawel
1 Like

This saved me some hair, thanks.