I apologise if this has been answered before but I can’t seem to figure this out. I have a Keyboard controller and want to assign some of it’s faders and knobs to CCs, for example, 1 fader for CC1 Modwheel, 1 fader for CC7 Midi Volume, and 1 fader for CC11 Expression/Volume. How do I go about this in Cubase Pro 8 and so once I have set it up, it will permanently stay set up so I don’t have to assign them for each project (I’m guessing once done, save as part of a template).
Ok thanks. I have never used Transformer so shall look into it. I have managed to successfully assign some Physical faders to CCs in Note Expression and have saved it as a Controller Lane preset but I still have to load the preset every time I load an instance of Kontakt. I would like to be able to load my Cubase template and just have that Controller Lane Preset work for every VI I load. Here’s hoping that Transformer helps!
It’s very easy to build generic remote maps in CuBase. In CuBase, you can remote control nearly every single function and feature in CuBase! You can also have different ‘banks’ of them if you have several different workflows or MIDI controllers that you like to swap around.
Check out the CuBase Manual (you can find it from the help menu of CuBase), and hit ctrl-f to get a search bar. Browse the sections on “Generic Remote” and “Quick Controls”.
There are at least three different types of tables you can build.
Generic Remote Maps (For for universal controls that you want active at all times)
Quick Controls Maps (A ‘set’ of controls that can be snapped to supporting VST instruments like Halion, Sonic, and Groove Agent, as well as to any ‘track automation lanes’. Use these for a smaller controller (or subset of sliders/knobs/etc. on a larger controller) that you want to easily ‘snap’ to different instruments or tracks at different times.
Many plugins allows you to assign CC controllers on the fly. I.E. Right click a knob that controls the master tuning of an instrument in Halion SE, and a menu should pop up that offers and option, “Learn CC”. From there you’d simply move the slider/pot/button you want it to learn and that assignment becomes part of the ‘project’.
The difference between Generic Remote Device and the Quick Controls is, the General Remote Device controls static (always the same, only one) parameter. Quick Controls are assigned dynamically according to the selected track.
Thanks for all of your help. Basically, I have a fully weighted Yamaha stage Piano but doesn’t have a Mod Wheel (or anything other than a keybed actually) so I am using an old M Audio Ozonic Keyboard (which is just a horrible keyboard) with it for the modwheel and pitchbend etc until I can finally afford and buy one decent Master Keyboard (a Doepfer lmk4+). Over the course of the last couple of days I have given up trying to make the Ozonic work (the velocity sensitivity is between 53 and 110, keys stick and the knobs and faders don’t work and when they do, values jump all over the place) and instead turned my attention to using my iPad to controller Midi CCs. Someone on this forum has told me about Lemur and C_Brains. It is amazing but I still need to learn how to set up Faders so I can assign them for CC1, CC7, CC11 and so on. Already owning an iPad I think it’s best bang for buck to use it rather than buying a JLC FaderMaster for £500 etc (for now)!
I will look into quick Controls as well but so far I haven’t really found a great use for them as I don’t really use any of Steinberg’s native plugins or Instruments (except for the Grand 3 occasionally) !
you can use your Yamaha stage Piano as a keyboard, and the Ozonic as a MIDI controller simultaneously. I have different MIDI keyboards for different playing style. The hammer one also doesn’t have any slider or knob. So I’m using these controllers from other device. No problem with it at all.
Regarding to iPad, even if I am really a Apple-fun-guy, I’m not using iPad as a MIDI controller at all. The big advantage is, you always have to look on it. On a hardware device, you can use just your haptic experience.
I couldn’t agree more but at this time I can’t afford a decent hardware Device so am going to use the iPad until I can. When I can afford it, I will be buying a JLCooper Fadermaster Professional (for midi fader duties). Thank you for your Help!
You can do what I did (I have a thin profile Nektar with 1 fader and two wheels) and buy a Korg Nanokontrol2 and use it’s firmware-changing software to set it’s faders to whatever CC values you want.
Thanks. I did consider a Korg Nano Kontrol but I was concern the faders were a bit too small and for the price most likely flimsy. It is certainly a great idea though…
I also would like to know how to remap incoming fader data to control different CCs. Just saying use the transformer is not very helpful. Please help. Thank you.
There’s more than one way, but here’s a quick and easy one using a “Transformer Insert”.
This particular method transforms messages LIVE as you are playing or recording them, and it works on a ‘per track’ basis.
Select and arm a track.
Click the “MIDI Inserts” tab found in the ‘Track Inspector’ at the left side of the main Project Window. If you want other open tabs to remain open, hold ctrl when clicking; otherwise, other tabs will fold up to make more room on the screen when you click it.
Click one of the empty slots. A menu will pop up.
Select “Transformer”. The Transformer window will pop up.
Inside Transformer all you need do is create a condition in the top half of the window, and an action in the lower half. The Logic Editor uses booleen if/and/or logic. Every event that comes into the track will be checked for the conditions in the top half of the window, and if all the conditions match, the action in the bottom half of the window is executed.
You can click some of the different columns and rows in the Transformer window to get pop up menus showing your logic editor options. Some fields require that you type in the information.
You can save and load presets of any logic routines you make (top left hand corner of any transformer or Logic Editor window), so that they are easy to call up and use again and again. You can also find a number factory provided presets that might come in handy there.
In the screenshot below you can see where I’ve made a filter that will change any CC 1 event into a CC 7 event.
In the last ‘MIDI Insert’ slot set up a ‘MIDI Monitor’ insert. This will let you see your output.
Now try moving your mod wheel and you should see in your MIDI Monitor that it gets changed from CC1 to CC7.
If your Transformer window gets closed or untopped and you ever need it back, click the little edit icon
just above the Insert Slot holding your transformer mod.
Once you’ve confirmed your transformer works, you can disable or get rid of the “MIDI Monitor” insert.
Using this method you can have up to 4 Inserts per track.
If you’ve a setup that you want to use OFTEN and on pretty much every track in all of your projects, you might prefer setting up a Global Level “Track Transformer”. At that point, you could save a MIDI track preset with everything set up as you like, and it’ll save you the steps of doing this over and over and over again, every time you make a new track.
This is done near the top of the track inspector. It uses an identical ‘logic editor’ as the ‘MIDI Insert’ method described above (but you get 4 of them in parallel).
Please see, “Input Transformer” in your Cubase Owner’s Manual. Note, you can do keyword searches in the Cubase manual by hitting ctrl-f, and entering your keyword.
If you want to transform MIDI data that has already been recorded in a track, use the “MIDI Logic Editor” to process the track(s). Again, check it out in the Manual. If you’re not already using the Logic Editor, then you’re missing out on a very powerful feature! I HIGHLY recommend any Cuebase user read up on this and practice using it, as it will save many hours by allowing you to automate mundane editing tasks!
It’s also worth while to read up on how to make “Generic Remote”, and “VST Quick Controls” maps.
All I can say on this right now is ‘read the manuals’ (“Operation Manual”, and “Remote Control Devices”).
In short, you can use tools found in the Cubase “Devices” manager to build XML tables that will take any MIDI input specified and turn it into DAW commands. It’s pretty easy to get the hang of it.
These remote maps are very powerful, and they will allow you to have Cubase listen for MIDI messages to remotely control pretty much everything in Cubase. Realtime transformations may even be an option, but in most cases it would probably be better to use a VST Quick Control and save the data in VST3 automation lanes instead of on ‘MIDI tracks’. Unless you’re creating ‘General MIDI’ files for distribution, working with the VST3 automation lanes gets the job done and allows you to set up a more ‘fixed’ remote control system that just works no matter what ‘plugins and VSTi gizmos’ you install. If you do need to convert things back and forth between automation lanes, and true MIDI tracks, all the tools are in Cubase to bounce the Data back and forth as needed.
Set up your base track template(s) and save them as track presets.
When you wish to create a new track based on these Inspector settings, simply “Add track using preset…”
At that point media browser will pop up, and you can choose your desired track preset that has everything loaded and ready to go.
To save a track preset:
Look in the Track Inspector, there is a small area for track preset information. There is a small icon on the left you can click to save a preset. A media browser dialogue pops up so you can name, classify, set some flags, and save the preset.
Not sure about Macs, but on Windows, these presets are physically stored on your hard drive in: MIDI track Presets:
To create a new track with your preset information already loaded you have a number of methods. One is to go through the ‘Project Menu’ to add a new track using presets. If you do it this way, the new track will be inserted above the currently selected track. If no track is selected it will be inserted as the last track in the project window.
Another is to select a track and right click it…then follow through the menus to ‘add a new track using preset’. You can also build hot key macros if you like. In this case your new track will be created and inserted under the selected track.
Once you’ve chosen to add a new track using a preset, media browser pops up and you can choose the preset you like.
You can also load a preset into any existing track by clicking in the preset area of the track inspector.
Thanks for all the advice. It’s useful to know. I actually have bought a JLCooper Fader Master Pro and I looked into making a Generic Remote. I assigned one Fader to Volume Automation, hit the Learn button and it found it. I saved the Generic Remote and voila it always works on that Fader (and specific Bank). This is a very basic thing I have done to see if it works and it does. I can see how powerful this is. I just wish I could remate “Generic Remote” to whatever I want…
I’ll try to come back and post up an example scenario when I get a chance but for now just understand that you can:
In the devices area of CuBase you can create ‘generic Remote Maps’.
Set controls in the top half of the XML editor, and in the bottom half you can click the various columns, go through their menus, and find the many CuBase functions the control can automate.
Brian, thank you so much for all your efforts. Your posts have been so instructive and helpful. You really know your stuff. The operations manual is rather lacking in use examples and there’s a real lack of solid documentation on some of the Logical Editors and Generic Remote functions, etc. Your posts have helped to fill-in the blanks and helped me understand and work with the technology.
It came with some maps for CuBase, but they weren’t very useful other than making me aware of where to put it in CuBase, and giving me a starting place to tweak it out for my own needs.
So…check all the stuff that came with CuBase and your Fader Master…check the websites, and if you registered and they gave you a ‘personal account’ of any sort at JL Cooper, check that for possible downloads and extra docs as well. Also check the JL Cooper forums. It’s pretty highly likely that you can find maps out there that someone has already built.
In my case, the MPK261 has 3 banks of Sliders, Pots, and programmable buttons…for a total of 24 of each controller type. It also has some ‘transport controls’ that I can set to send MMC, GM CC messages, etc.
I wanted my transport keys to work.
I wanted a preset that would allow me to run the CuBase 'Mixing Console" and “Control Room”.
Since I use step input alot in the Score Editor, I wanted to map out my MPC pads to toggle the quantization and note value.
Other presets on the MPK2 itself customized to control different VST plugins and external MIDI kit.
So far…CuBase has given me remote power ‘in spades’.
So, I sat down and looked at the suggested GM CC assignments, and using ‘unassigned’ messages I went through and designed the Preset on my MPK2 so that every slider, button, or knob had a unique CC, MIDI channel, or both. Some things I chose to spread across different channels and keep a common CC, while others I decided to give a unique CC. I.E. For a preset intended to move volume sliders on the Mixing Console, I used the same CC number, but changed the ‘channel’. I.E. Slider 1 = CC-48, Chan 1: Slider 2 = CC 48, Chan 2, Pan 1 = CC46, Chan 1, Pan 2 = CC 46, Chan 2, and so on…
Because the MPK2 is also my primary ‘playing controller’…While you don’t have to use unassigned CC messages (You can use all 128 of them as you like)…I choose to at least start out that way, as it helps me keep things isolated so I don’t accidentally do something that alters ‘music on my tracks’ that I’d have to trouble shoot. I also don’t want to accidentally ‘filter out’ something important to my VSTi plugins.
There is much these Generic Maps can do that I have not even begun to explore. I.E. You can make them echo and transform messages out to a different device (Imagine your controller has motorized faders, or lights in the buttons…and it needs feed back to tell them when run the motors or to light up).
In the bottom half of the Maps, you can tie into most if not every single CuBase control or feature.
In cases where CuBase isn’t enough to do it all by itself, you can also tie into something like Bome MIDI Translator, and even send ‘keyboard commands’ or launch personalized scripts or programs via MIDI (For ANY software…not just CuBase…with Bome you could even use your MIDI keyboard to type a letter in MS Word, or play a game of Pac Man).
Finally, don’t forget that CuBase also offers 8 “Quick VST Controls”. These are optionally tied right into DAW tracks, or linked to them in your VST Instrument Rack. Stienberg instruments like Halion are often set up to start using them right out of the box. Essentially what these allow you to do is record actual fader movements, which can be snaped to send whatever CC or VST data you like via the track inspector, or in the VST Instrument rack. It makes it easy to use a common set of slider/pots/buttons for any VSTi you like on a ‘per track basis’. If the instrument supports it, these Quick Controls use VST to work the control directly in the VSTi (as opposed to sending it a stream of 'MIDI Data".
When designing a remote map…keep ‘isolation’ in mind. Take advantage of all the ports and channels a device gives you to make sure you don’t accidentally send the wrong stuff to the wrong places at the wrong time.
From here, the best way to learn it is to just start a blank Generic Controller Map and fiddle with it.
Again thanks so much. Immense. I usually live on VI Control at the minute so I am glad I have come back to these forums. Constantly learning and a lot to take in. Trying to build a template on top of this so getting the Fadermaster Pro working to it’s full potential is going to be very exciting!
