How to send specific MIDI Message when clicking Play or Record in Cubase

Cubase
1

Hey!
For an upcomming recording project I will use an Allen Heath SQ5 mixer for monitoring and as an audio interface.

To avoid mistakes on my side, i would like to automatically activate a mutegroup (all microphone input channels) on the mixer, when Cubase is in playback mode. When clicking Record Button in Cubase, the mutegroup shall be disabled (so that the musicians can hear the monitoring signal in their headphones).

The SQ mixer supports supports controlling mute groups over MIDI. Here is the manual from Allen Heath - on Page 11 there is this Example:

Channel, Cmnd, MIDI Ch Message
Mute Grp 4, Mute On, Ch7 B6 63 04 B6 62 03 B6 06 00 B6 26 01

My Question: How can i configure Cubase to send the MIDI Message from the example above, when clicking Play/Record in Cubase?

2

Hi and welcome to the forum,

Do you use Cubase 12? If yes, you could use the MIDI Remote.

3

Yes - Cubase 12 Pro.

In the past I have already created my own MIDI Remote configration for a DIY controller. So I am basically familiar with MIDI Remote.

What makes this complicated for me is:

  • There is one ‘function’ (the mutegroup) which shall be enabled/disabled by two different actions (play and record) from Cubase. Is there a possiblity to create two buttons of the same function (mutegroup) to assign ‘play’ to one and '‘record’ to another?

I will have access to the SQ mixer in a view days to give it a try. But time is very limited, so I want to prepare before.

Any thought/idea is highly appreciated. Thank you!

4

Hi,

You can make 2 (virtual) buttons: Play and Record. If any of them is enabled, you can send the MIDI Message (SysEx). But in fact, if you hit Record, the Play button is going to be switched On automatically too. So you can bind the SysEx message to the Play button only.

5

Thanks for your reply!

Is there another way to tell the mixer whether Cubase is in Recording or Playback mode?

6

Hi,

Another way would be to use a Generic Remote Device. But this is going to be discontinued and you cannot send a SysEx message.

So I’m not aware of any other way.