If I play a one bass note to sustain for a whole bar the volume at the end of the bar is the same as at the beginning instead of decay rapidly as a real bass would. How can I set it to decay ?
Quickest way - go into the midi key edit. At the bottom, select CC7 Volume (normally displays velocity) and draw a ramp or volume curve to create the decay.
(assuming it is midi not audio that you’re on about)
Neil
excellent thanks. It works although seems a bit fiddly trying to guide the pencil. I would have expected to simply select the note, right click and choose fade or decay.
Instead of the pencil - use the “line” tool. Apologies for the terse reply earlier but I was in a hurry.
Other things to consider - check your snap & quantise values - they will have an effect on the number of points you “paint” in.
Next - you don’t have to start at the “note on” point - perhaps half way through the note. Having said that, I would advise that you put the start value in as a pinto at the beginning. Consider that if you copy this midi part further into your song, it will take the low value as the starting point next time it comes across it, so put in your opening value ALWAYS.
another option, if available to you, is to use a midi cc controller (Kork Nano, Kenton control freak etc) and record your controller movements.
Or, you could export to audio and then write/read your mixer slider or use automation on your audio track.
Or, with an audio track you could select your staring point and then select fade out as one of the processing (?) options (not at my music rig at the moment).
There are so many ways of achieving what you’re after. Have a try of all of them and practice. See what suits you the most, but remember that what suits you the most in this track may be different in the next.
Enjoy your Cubase.
Hope that helps some more (oh & have a look at the manual 
)
Neil
thanks again. I didn’t even know about that volume stuff at the bottom. I do always look at the manual first but I don’t think I have yet found an answer in it and none of this is mentioned there.
I assume all this is to change the decay on a note already recorded. What about if you want to change the decay of the instrument while it is being played. I have an Akai MPK mini keyboard and I can’t find anything there or in cubase to set the decay length as it is being played
What type of synth or instrument are you working with? Generally, the decay of any sound is adjusted by its envelope controls. If you are using a synth like Trip, the sustain and decay setting can be changed as needed. To adjust these parameters while recording, you would assign a midi controller on your controller keyboard (right click, learn). It’s explained in the halion sonic SE manual.
Since arthritis has got so bad now i’ve had to hang up my basses i’ve been looking deeply into reproducing what i used to do virtually too…
both good ways of addressing the situation and i’ve used them both… the other quick way of doing it, and sometimes more natural sounding in the mix, is to use an envelope shaper to adjust attack and sustain as and where needed… i generally use the spl transient designer as it’s idiot proof but Cubases’ own ain’t too shabby
I think I might have disproved the claim that it is idiot proof. I found the envelope shaper but can’t seem to do anything with it. I double click it and nothing happens. I clicked the little preset thing and a box of presets appears which seem to be more about drums.
You might have to dial down your release quite a lot in some cases or hoik the attack up/down too depending if you want a percussive or softer attack… obviously though if you’re trying to replicate a ‘real life’ instrument like a stringed instrument then it’s not a case of one size fits all for each note… HTH!
ok but how do you do that ?
Strangely enough… with the attack and release controls 
Ah… i’ve just notice you’re on cubase elements which apparently doesn’t have the ES plugin according to the manual…
I think there are one or two free ware ones out there and of course plenty of paid for options…
a quick google found this http://www.vst4free.com/free_vst.php?id=1672 no idea if it’s any good as i don’t use it…
Update… thought i would try ‘transient’ myself as i’ve not used it and it ain’t bad at all! 