How do I merge MIDI tracks before using expression maps without making a mess in the score editor?

Cubase
1

hi ppl! :smiley:
I’ve received a MIDI file with some orchestral stuff inside. I explode the file only to find it was made without expression map i.e. now all the “expressions” are on separate MIDI tracks.
That’s not the way we do it in Cubase, right? :rofl: :sunglasses:
What I would like to do is aligning all these tracks into one track each per instrument and use expression maps.
So before I drain my brain with doing something manually for 8 hours I thought I’d better ask FIRST if there are some better methods than just brute force and then damage control.
I guess I have to figure out which track will have to go with a certain expression before I merge the tracks, of course?
Any other workflow tips?

2

If that’s the way it is already setup, is there really a compelling reason change it?

3

Well, instead of having instruments scattered all over the project window I can reduce the track count to about 1/4 or 1/5 and have better overview with all notes for one instrument on one track and possibly only one part or maybe just a few. Good enough for me. :sunglasses:

4

I don’t know if I understood right, but it sounds like an enormous mess, and I have the number for a local mental health professional if you need it.

I was thinking that the keyswitch notes must be channelized, in order to reach the right destination.

Have you tried using the LE to search for notes by channel, and octave?

5

Or open it in the Key Editor with the Color set to Channel

6

Haha! Fools agree, right? :rofl:

After breakfast today I made this little macro:

Edit - Select all on track
Editors - Open / Close Editor
Edit - Select All
Process Logical Preset - Set my notes to ChX, please
Editors - Open / Close Editor
Navigate - Down

Then I can open all the parts on the tracks for one instrument at a time and have the Logical Editor select notes for one MIDI channel at a time and keep the Logical Editor open. I use a template with the instruments set up with expression maps and then select the notes set to MIDI ch1 and I draw in a line for the expression it should have. Then the LE selection is gone so I have to hit the [Apply] button again. Then I change the MIDI channel in the LE and do Ch2 etc.
…
Then I read my email stream, and here I am!
The macro works for one channel at a time so I think I will make five of them set to MIDI channels 1-5 and assign them to something like CTRL+Alt+Shift+[1-5]. That should do the trick in no time flat, right? Cubase … :innocent:
I should point out that I’m kind of new to all the notes and score editor so I’m trying to learn good scoring practice. I have already decided what works the best for me is to go the expression map route, and to keep the instruments one separate tracks would be totally counterproductive and something I would have to relearn after I’m done with this thing I’m doing at the moment.