Hello,
I am setting up a nanoKONTROL2. I have created a Generic Remote device. My problem is that the MIDI CC that I send to control transport are recording in the automation. I thought the “Not Automated” flag would solve this issue, but it changes nothing. Any idea? Thanks!
Could it be that you use the same midi port (where your Nano control is connected) as the midi-input for a midi or instrument track and thus record automation?
If so, disabling automation on the GR does not help, since the same signals are also going to the track!
This could be happening because of chosing “all midi inputs” as the source for instrument or midi channels and NOT having hidden the ports used for the GR in the midi setup.
You could solve this by simply not using “all midi inputs” but rather a dedicated source when recording midi.
Alternatively you can exclude the midi ports that belong to the nano control from the “all midi inputs”.
BTW, I dont think you need a GR for controlling cubase with your nano control. If booted correctly it works with the MCU protocol and you can use it like Mackie Control (MCU) in cubase!
Thank you Elien for your answer!
Yes, that is most probably my mistake.
I first created a Mackie Control. It worked well, even had the buttons litting up properly. But I couldn’t configure the buttons to execute the command I want. The truth is this new to me, I try to figure this out.
The thing is, I want to use the buttons to execute specific commands, and the faders and knobs for automation.
I have to make sure that I do understand you correctly:
You want to use your NanoControl to execute commands that are NOT part of the MCU-protocol? If so, your choice to define a GR is fine.
And you also want to use the NanoControl to write automation to certain midi-or instrument tracks, right?
If so, I would do the following: I would exclude the midi ports from “all midi inputs”.
In the original GR I would assign e.g. 8 controls as “track quick controls” (this can be done in a GR definition).
Writing automation with the nano control would then work via Track quick controls - which you can assign PER TRACK to the parameters you want to control/automate.
First, I wasn’t aware of the Mackie Control protocol until you mention it. MCU have a different meaning to me ^^
I would like to write automation with the faders and use the buttons for transport and others commands (zoom, panels, track visibility,…).
QC seems to work fine, but Idon’t know how to use them. I’ll dive more into it.
Thx again!
Hi you,
your decision to use the GR is just right in this case.
Let me add a hint: GR and Quick Controls are two different concepts. in order to not let your controller to “confuse” things I recommend you set up a GR and define eight of your controls (or sliders) to control quick controls.
Then, per TRACK you can assign any 8 parameters at a time to be controlled by quick controls.
As a consequent you do not have to touch the “track quick controls” section in the studio remote controller section at all.
Have fun!
Hello again,
When you say "in order to not let your controller to “confuse” things, you mean inside the DAW (conflicts) or in my head? 
Otherwise I am not sure to understand why it would be better than using the corresponding Remote devices.
Also, I found how to assign VST QC in GR, but can’t find Track QC
Hi you 
I was thinking of possible conflicts in the DAW because I was not sure whether using the same Midi source to control as well the GR as the Quick Controls (of course you would have to spread the used controller numbers over the two targets GR and QC).
Maybe i have been mistake concerning the track QC in GR. If this is the case I would try to route the nanocontrol as well to the QC as to the GR.
Hi, I had a look into the GR and you are right - Track QC are NOT available there (god only knows why…but this question comes to my mind with many aspects of the GR bastard feature).
You can use the nano-control midi ports for the GR and the Track QC at the same time - pay attention that you dont double assign controller numbers on identical midi channels.
I set the same control in the GR and VQC, only VQC responds. But using the same midi input source shouldn’t be a problem.
In the GR, under “Device”, I see “Mixer” and “VST Mixer”. I don’t understand the difference between the two.
If I add a QC in the Inspector, it is reflected under
“Mixer” , “VST Mixer”
“Selected” , “NameOfAMidiChannel”
“Quick Controls” > “QuickControls3” (if the channel have something assign to QC3)
I think that allows to build a complete custom template, with different controls per track. I’ll try to use the TQC and VQC Remote Devices first.
I have a better understanding of different concepts now, as remote devices, generic remote, track QC, VST QC, midi input, midi port, midi CC, etc…
I want to have controls for general parameters (volume, pan, mod, expr,…) in a way static way. And control depending on the VST/VSTi.
- Can we export Host Automation?
-How can I set up quickly what I need? If I insert a REVelation instance on a track, what is the best way to control it? And the fastest/easiest way to do so?
Hi, I can partly help:
The “mixer” vs. “VST-Mixer” thing in GR is an ever existing nonsense of this bastard feature. No difference which one you use when defining your GR (might be that there are some detailed differences in what you can control - I dont know exactly, anyways - just another strange thing of this bastard feature, historically neglected by Steinberg, btw. admittedly!).
The whole GR concept is not well designed - it is project dependent, that means that for example you cannot set up a set of controller assignements for a specific insert effect and reuse it, instead of that you can control a certain instance of the effect in a specific insert slot…
So as a consequence: Yes, you can have a big project template and prepare the remote controlling this way.
Concerning Track QC: Yes, it is completely dynamic and works “Per track”, iow. you can assign different paramenters per track to the same Quick Control.
Concerning your last question: For this dynamic step you can insert the Revelation instance and then set up your track quick controls to control the revelation instance. Unfortunately as I have already explained, there is no reasonable way to support this situation with a Generic Remote setup, since this can only handle parameters that are “static per project” (i.e. you can not reasonably perpare a QC to control a certain insert effect no matter in which trach and which slot it will sit later on). - one addition: Some midi controllers can automatically control insert fx and vsti instruments.
I just continued trying some things and I found the following:
Some parameters of the “VST-Mixer” are not available in the “Mixer” - (or at least not as long as the corresponding element in the mixer is not activated/visible). So you always have to look what of the two you use for your GR purpose.
An additional finding is: The Track QCs are only accessible in GR as soon as you have at least one track in the project (while definig the GR) that actually has parameters assigned to the QC slots (you only see the QC slots that have someting assigned to them). As soon as you have set this up in your GR you can change the actual QC-Paramenter assignment per track as usual and it still works, even though the GR definition does not seem right.
An Example: If you set up an audio track and assign “volume” to all the 8 Track QCs you can see this assignment under “VST Mixer” “Selected”, … as soon as you click on this the GR definition will show “VST mixer” “Selected” “Volume”. So you dont see at this stage that you have done the assignement via QC! If you then, while working with your project, change any of the QC assigments from “Volume” to any other paramenter, the QC will continue to control correctly!
This behaviour alone shows that the whole thing is a mess. The problem with this is that even though it can be brought to reasonable work today there is no guarantee that it will keep its behaviour.
Thank you Elien!
This is how I will use my nanoKONTROL2:
- Transport and others commands with GR
- Track QCs on the 8 faders
- VST QCs on the 8 knobs
With some presets, I should be able to control the most frequent parameters easily enough.
I play with this and see what workflow I can come up with.
- What does the RCE exactly?
- It is possible with Track or VST QC to get a default choice of assignments for a plugin, no matter where the plugin is (insert slot)?
What you want to do can be done - in the studio setup connect the Track Quick Kontrols to your nanoKontrol midi ports and as well your VST QC (plus the GR you intend to set up).
Then use the learn function of Track QC and of VST QC and in the GR setup. Be careful not to reuse the same controller number (no overlaps between Track QC, VST QC and GR!).
The RCE just allows you to rearrange parameters (which parameter is assigned to which knob of the QC in cubase)
The answer to your last question unfortunately is NO for Effect Plugins - I do think it is possible with VST-Instruments, but I am not quite sure.
I put REVelation as insert on a track, I open it. From here I can open RCE and rearrange QC assignments. But where and how can I use this layout?
Indeed GR and QC look messy. The whole thing leads to a lot of confusion, and Cubase manual doesn’t help much.
But you, Elien, are really helpful
Well, some years ago I did quite a lot of things with GR… I must confess that some things have changed and in addition I have forgotten a lot…
The RCE is still unexplored territory for me - have to look into it.
I am glad to help somehow. Your questions go far beyond what the manuals and tutorials offer - so they are perfect for the user forum imho.