Help with MIDI plugin Transformer?

Cubase
1

Hi!
I use MIDI inserts to control my Digitech Whammy pedal, something that i set up a couple of years ago while I was still using Cubase 11. I’m trying to reproduce the same behavior in Cubase 14 and not having any luck. Maybe I’m doing something wrong, or maybe it’s a bug. I’m not sure.

These were my settings to change to the Octave Down setting on the pedal (Cubase 11):

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This is what the output used to look like in the Monitor:

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Again, this worked.

I tried to do the same thing in Cubase 14, but some of the parameter names have changed, in particular Value 1 no longer exists; it has been changed to Subtype (maybe?).

I don’t have a screenshot unfortunately for the error behavior in 14, but it basically looks like this:

Note on - C1 - 127 (leaving off channel and length)
PrgChange 8
Note off - C1 - 127
PrgChange 37

It took some work to even get the PrgChange 8 in there as desired. The problem is, it doesn’t stick. For some reason, it switches to 37, which basically makes it a momentary switch on my pedal. The 37 seems to be tied to C1 note itself, since this changes depending on the C note I’m playing for the other 3 Whammy presets.

I was able to get around this by pulling in the track from my working project, but if I ever lose that, or if something else changes, then I’m afraid I won’t be able to get the functionality back. Tried on a fresh project as well, didn’t work, so I don’t think anything is interfering. Tried on a fresh project in 11 as well, and there it worked straightaway.

I don’t know if the exported XML file from the project is useful, but it’s attached.

Digitech Whammy - Cubase 11.xml (46.9 KB)

Anyone know what might be behind this?

2

If you use a midi plugin then you want to change only the midi that already is on the track,
or asking the other way 'round: You don’t want to change live input, correct?

Next question: Your preset is supposed to create a program change message whenever the note C1 is released, not when it is pressed, correct?

3

Hi,

With the MIDI Insert Transformer, you can also change the live MIDI data. You cannot do that only with the Logical Editor.

4

True, and soemthing is actually wrong.

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Transformer on slot 1 - transform NoteOn C1 to PrgChng 8
Monitoring the MIDI output.

Live input:
NoteOn gets transformed,
upon NoteOff Cubase creates PrgChng 37

Track playback:

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…is okay.

More research:
This is weird.
It happens only for specific pichtes (35, 36, 38, 48, 52, 53, 55, 56, 64, 65, 67, 96, 97, …) and I can provoke the behaviour under certain circumstances.

Martin, this is a naked midi track, no remote of any kind, no input transformer.

5

Hi,

If this the only Transformer (Input or Insert), you have in the track?

6

I generally use all four, but have tried from scratch with only the one and get the same behavior. If that helps. I’m looking to change this live and on the fly for my stream. I’m kinda a MIDI noob so maybe I’m doing something wrong. Think I originally added the Velocity off because, quite simply, it worked that way and not before I added it. I was looking at the monitor and probably got the right value from there.
Hope that helps. If not, let me know. Thanks for the taking the time to look at and I feel already a bit better that someone else thinks this might be weird. :slight_smile:

7

Could you still reply to my question from above? They are aimed at finding out what the transformer is supposed to achieve for you in a greater context.

8

Hi,

Unfortunately we cannot catch Note Off with the Input Transformer. Velocity Equal 0 doesn’t work here.

Screenshot 2025-04-13 at 19.33.06
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You have to set the Program Change to -1, as it starts from 1, not from 0 (as the MIDI CC values).

9

Hi, there is no MIDI at all on the track; I am using it live, i.e. it controls programs on my Whammy pedal via my interface. Live stream scenario. Basically, I need a note on my keyboard (or other controller) to change the program on my pedal.

10

I would still need the note on there since I have 4 inserts and each does different things (looking at your screenshot). I added C1 before the velocity, and it works instead as a toggle, i.e. it switches briefly to the right program and then switches back. Back to program 37. :confused:

11

Hi,

Attach a screenshot of your preset, please.

Now I can see, I post an old one. In the right one, there was
Velocity | Equal | 127
what was your requirement.

And I also had
Pitch | Equal | C1
and it was working.

I will make the correct screenshot again, when I’m back in the office.

12

OK guys, I’m totally confused. I’ve gotten it working but I don’t know how.

These settings are now working for me:

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It wasn’t working for me at all until I redid the Velocity line, by which I mean I literally just clicked and set it again, didn’t even remove it. Don’t ask me, I don’t get it. I would nonetheless encourage the Cubase team to have a look at this because I am not going crazy and it wasn’t working before. There’s no way I can explain what I did, yall definitely helped and I appreciate that. But something weird is going on with this tool.

Either way, I appreciate it. My advice to anyone working with this and it isn’t working right: keep messing with it, maybe even enter the same Action Target or Filter Target over the one that’s there, maybe change the order or Filters or Actions. Beats the living hell out of me, but maybe some of that will help someone some day.