Frustrating midi/hardware problem with Cubase 5

Hi,
I have been using 2 EMU midi 1x1 usb leads with 2 hardware synths without problems in Cubase 5 but I’m having problems now?

I create an instrument track with the first synth and everything works fine. When setting up the second nothing - no sound. I thought the midi cable was damaged so I created a midi track and audio track and I can get both synths reading and writing midi data.
I have run out of ideas so can anybody help please?

I also noticed that the first synth working on an instrument track that I do not need to select an input for it to work, it still plays back the midi track.

Do you mean Instrument track or MIDI Track. You should add as a MIDI track and then set the MIDI Input and Output to correct settings in the project window in the left column. Also go to device setup and to the MIDI tab and make sure all of your ins and outs are active. Next, if you have selected one track and want to trigger another MIDI instrument on anothr track simultaneously from another controller, make sure the little orange monitor light on the unselected track is on.

Hope this helps

Thanks for getting back.

I want one instrument track connected to my mopho and a second instrument track connected to My Yamaha SY85. I don’t want them connected tol each other with midi thru, I just want them triggered separately by midi notes on each track. I can only get one to work though. I have swapped midi leads and they both work.
I noticed in the midi port setup that the midi outs are disabled and i don’t know how to activated them.

If you mean MIDI outs are inactive, then:

  • MIDI outs get active automatically as soon as they are connected either in the project, the MIDI device manager, the Metronome setup, or something like that. You canßt activate them by hand in the device setup.


  • Audio Input- and output-ports get active as soon as they are connected to a bus in VST connections. No way to activate them manually in Device setup.

I’ve created instrument tracks I have my midi in/out connect (they are both USB midi leads), but they are inactive in the midi ports window?

How do you connect an instrument track to an interface MIDI output…?

I set up an external instrument in the vst connections window, add an instrument track, select the hardware instrument from the list…and…nothing?

I’ve just realised that only one instrument track is sending midi data, but to both synths without any input connected for each synth?

I suggest to recheck:
Audio-MIDI setup on OSX (are all devices active? are they connected correctly?)
MIDI setup on external Devices in Cubase
routing of the two instrument tracks

btw. how is your midi setup? MIDI-Interface? Or soundcard with MIDI splitter? to which MIDI channel listens your hardware?

to recheck that everything’s OK I would begin at the bottom:
check Audio-MIDI routing on OS level
check MIDI routing in device setup in cubase
check external instrument setup (MIDI ports and audio signal)
check track routing…

Thank for the reply, I reinstalled the midi drivers and it works now, but not sure why. They are showing as Midi1 & 2 now no 2 x midi 1 x 2.